Praying mantises are fascinating creatures, but they are also among the most obviously spiritual animals around – as their name attests.
Just seeing one can bring you an important spiritual message, but if one lands on you, the message is likely to be even more important or urgent.
So to help you work out what message this unmistakable insect might be trying to convey, in this post, we go into detail about the spiritual meaning of a praying mantis landing on you.
Praying Mantis Landing on You Spiritual Meanings
1. Hold back and wait for the right time to act
One of the things praying mantises are known for is biding their time and holding back patiently while they wait for the right time to strike – and this is also a message they can bring to us.
This is a valuable lesson to learn from the praying mantis at any time, but if you are about to act in a rash or hot-headed way and then a praying mantis lands on you at just that moment, it can be a powerful message to check your impulses and wait.
Instead of going through with what you were planning, the message from the mantis is to step back and think things through carefully – because by choosing the most perfect moment to act, you will ensure that you achieve the highest levels of success in what you want to do.
2. Stay hidden until the time is right to reveal yourself
Similarly, mantises are masters of camouflage and can stay immobile and invisible until the time is right for them to reveal themselves.
Sometimes, it can be better to simply stay in the background without making lots of noise – instead, you should listen listen to what others have to say and consider all options before you make your move.
Again, this is something that mantises teach us at all times, and even if you just see one while you’re out for a walk, this can be the message it brings.
However, if one lands on you, it makes the message all the more powerful, so consider how this could apply to any situations you are currently facing and apply the wisdom of the mantis accordingly.
3. Exercise patience
Sometimes the mantis might not be telling you to hold back or not to reveal yourself until the time is right – instead, the message can often be that you simply need to exercise more patience in your life to achieve your goals.
For example, if you are currently working on a long-term project, but the end seems as far away as ever, it can be tempting to simply give up because you don’t have the determination to see it through to the end.
However, if a mantis suddenly and unexpectedly lands on you when you are experiencing emotions such as these, the message should be easy to decode.
The mantis is telling you to be patient and not to give up because the rewards at the end will repay all the hard work it took you to reach a successful conclusion.
4. Calm your mind
The mantis is a creature that’s known for its poise and calm demeanor. Although they are capable of decisive and even violent action, they never seem flustered or upset by what’s going on around them.
For this reason, if a mantis lands on you while you are experiencing a period of mental disorder, the message the mantis may bring is that you should calm your mind.
Take the time to sit in quiet meditation and bring your thoughts into focus. You need to learn how to master your thoughts and not let them run wild in all directions, and this is something that the practice of meditation can help you achieve.
Then, once you learn to do this, you will find you achieve higher levels of awareness, allowing you to live with the same calm demeanor as the mantis while enhancing your mental clarity and allowing you to grow and evolve as a spiritual being.
5. Listen to your intuition
Emulating the poise and mental clarity of the praying mantis can also help you learn to listen to your intuition, and if a mantis lands on you, this is what it could be encouraging you to do.
For example, if you have a major decision to make, you might be in two minds about which way to go. After much thought and careful consideration, you can see the pros and cons of both sides, but you can’t bring yourself to make the final choice.
At such a time, if a mantis suddenly lands on you as if from nowhere, the message could be that you need to quieten your mind to allow you to hear what your intuition is telling you.
Then, once you hear what your intuition advises, you can make your choice with decisiveness and confidence, knowing that the option you have taken is the right one.
6. Be brave or bold
Although they are small animals, mantises seem to have no fear. They don’t seek conflict, but they won’t back down from a confrontation if it comes to them, and they are never afraid, even when facing a foe many times their size.
This doesn’t mean a mantis landing on you is a sign for you to fight.
Rather, it could be a message that you need to be braver or bolder, taking risks rather than staying in your comfort zone and never taking a chance.
For example, it could be that you’ve always wanted to start your own business, and although you’ve been thinking about it recently, you still don’t dare take the first step.
However, if a mantis lands on you at such a time, it can be a clear indication that you need to be brave since without taking a risk, you can never expect to enjoy all the rewards.
7. Self-sacrifice
One of the more macabre aspects of the mantis’ life cycle is the well-known fact that the females eat the males after mating.
Of course, this is not the kind of message that should be taken literally, but it could be a metaphor for self-sacrifice.
This means a mantis landing on you could be a spiritual message telling you to think of others first instead of yourself in a certain situation you are currently experiencing in your life.
8. Make time for rest, calm and self-exploration
If you have been under a lot of stress recently or you seem to be leading an impossibly hectic life, a mantis landing on you could be a sign that you need to slow down a bit and seek time for rest, calm and self-exploration.
It’s unhealthy to always be on the go – it’s not good for you either physically or spiritually.
This is why sometimes mantises may show up to remind you to take a step back and find more time to breathe and reflect.
9. Trust your inner strength
Mantises are fully aware of the power they possess, so they never feel the need to make a show of it.
Ostentatious shows of supposed strength are more likely to come from those who are weak, and a mantis may sometimes land on you to remind you that instead of trying to show off how strong you are, you should keep your strength hidden.
Be confident in your inner strength to overcome all obstacles in a quiet and determined way – because this is far better than making lots of noise about what you intend do and then falling short because there was no substance behind your words.
10. Devote more time to spiritual awareness
Praying mantises are highly attuned to their environment, being fully aware of everything that surrounds them. They also seem to be highly spiritual creatures, appearing to pray with their front legs held up, as their name suggests.
This is a metaphor for our spiritual awareness and being attuned to the spirit realm that is just beyond the reach of our normal senses.
This means if a mantis lands on you, the message it could bring is that you also need to strive to become more spiritually aware.
When this happens, you can take it as a reminder to devote more time to spiritual pursuits such as meditation, mindfulness and spiritual rituals to help you connect with the spirit realm and continue along the path to spiritual awakening and enlightenment.
11. A spirit is trying to contact you from the other side
Finally, as highly spiritual creatures, if a mantis lands on you, it could mean that a guardian angel or spirit from the other side is trying to make contact with you.
It could be that you have been receiving spiritual messages but have missed them because you were not focused enough on spiritual matters.
This means the mantis may be the spirit’s way of catching your attention, so you should make yourself more alert to any other messages such as angel numbers that may appear to you to try to work out what the spirit is trying to tell you.
An important message you need to decipher
As we’ve seen, if a mantis lands on you, the message it brings is likely to be important or even urgent, so it’s vital to work out what it could mean.
To do this, consider how the message might relate to your current life situation or any challenges you’ve recently been facing.
Then, by allowing your intuition to be your guide, you will be led to the correct interpretation of what you experienced.
