Each animal is associated with a certain symbol and a certain spiritual meaning. In the case of pigs, the meaning of this creature is often reduced to just gluttony, for which it is universally known, but if you look closely at its characteristics and if you are able to understand it’s symbolic meaning, we realize there are many other meanings hidden in the character of this animal. Let’s see what this creature means and what pig symbolism and spiritual meaning represents.
Pigs have a somewhat conflicted symbolism; while in some cultures, they are treated as dirt due to their filthiness and the diseases that spread from them, other cultures consider them sacred and sacrifice to their gods and this was done because the pig embodied many good qualities. In some ancient mythologies, these animals are believed to be symbolic of fertility, abundance, and good fortune.
Did a pig appear in your dream last night? What could it mean for you? If you want to explore the pig symbolism and learn what their dreams could mean, you are exactly in the right place. This article will tell you everything you need to know about the symbolism and spiritual meaning of pigs.
What do pigs symbolize?
There are many people out there who dismiss pigs for being filthy and unhygienic animals. But there is much more to them than meets the eye. Let’s learn about some of their other qualities and explore what they could symbolize:
Intelligence and Adaptability
Out of all the animals that man has domesticated, pigs are among one of the most easily trainable. Some studies show that they are believed to be more tameable than even dogs. They are quick to learn new things and adjust and have no reservations about adapting to diverse conditions. This is why they’re symbolic of adaptability.
While many people believe that pigs are stupid animals, it is far from the truth. In reality, these animals are brilliant. Many studies report that their intelligence level matches that of a 3-years old human child. They can retain memories for a long time and are not only social but also socially manipulative in their circle.
Abundance and fertility
In terms of fertility, pigs are among the top-ranking animals, too. Both sexes of these animals reach their sexual maturity before they’re even one year old (the females matures at the age of five-six months, while the male reaches maturity when they are seven-eight months old).
A female pig (or a Sow) can give birth to piglets twice in a single year and can deliver about 13 piglets at once. These animals believe in having large families and are, therefore, symbolic of abundance and fertility.
Laziness
Despite their intelligence and adaptability, what makes pigs an easy target for humans to capture and domesticate? Their laziness. While these animals are active inside their heads, no motivation is enough for them to move their bodies around much. The only thing that they truly care about is food. As long as they have access to enough food, they are satisfied with their lives even in captivity.
Dream about pigs interpretation
Many people believe that dreaming of pigs has one universal meaning: that they’re lazy. This, however, is far from the truth. In truth, there is hardly a pig dream that symbolizes your laziness. So, what does dreaming of pigs really mean?
Just like any other dream, every pig dream has a unique interpretation. To understand pig dreams better, go through the list of some common pig dreams and their interpretations that we have curated below:
A dirty pig
Dreaming of a dirty and unhygienic pig is not a good sign. Such a dream can mean that someone in your family might suffer from bad health. It could also mean you will soon receive unexpected news about someone you are close to, and it will not be good. You should brace yourself for what’s coming.
A healthy pig
If the pig in your dream appears to be healthy and well-fed, the dream has a positive indication. It means that you will find success and prosperity soon. The dream could also mean that you will soon organize a large feast for your friends and family to celebrate your success.
A wild pig
Dreaming of a wild and untameable pig has a negative interpretation. It is indicative of the dark times ahead and suggests that you might lose your control over the things and people you provide for.
A skinny pig
If you dream of a starved or skinny pig, it could mean that you will go through a financial crunch in the coming months. So, you must spend money wisely and cut back all the unnecessary expenses. Such a dream can also indicate misunderstandings between you and your children.
A sick pig
If you encounter a sickly pig in your dream, it has a negative interpretation. Such a dream indicates that you might have issues with a colleague at work. However, a lot depends on how you tackle these issues. Losing your temper in such situations is not going to help you. You must think calmly and stick to logic when taking a step.
A screeching pig
If you hear a pig grunting or screeching in your dream as if it might be in pain, it has a negative interpretation. Such a dream could mean that someone from your family has met with a serious accident and is fighting for their lives. You must visit them immediately for they might not live for much longer.
A pig in mud
Dreaming of a pig in mud is symbolic of your intimate relationship. The dream indicates that you might feel like your partner is mistreating or disrespecting you but are finding it difficult to talk to them about your feelings.
A pig inside your house
Dreaming of a pig inside your house has a positive interpretation. Such a dream is indicative of the good health of your family members. If someone at your home is suffering from an illness, this dream is a sign that they will recover from it in no time.
A pig standing far away from you
If in your dream, you see a pig standing far away from you, it is a good sign. Such a dream foretells a pleasant encounter or experience in the near future. You will perhaps make new friends or meet someone in whom you can see a potential life partner.
A dead pig
Dreaming of a dead pig is a bad sign and suggests struggle ahead. Such a dream indicates that your business might collapse in the near future, compelling you to look for another source of income to take care of your family.
A black pig
If you see a black pig in your dream, you should take it as a warning about being careful while having a conversation with a stranger. These dreams indicate that a new acquaintance in your life might end up being the reason for your downfall. Don’t be too trusting towards others.
Running into a pig
If you find yourself running into a pig out of nowhere in your dream, it is a bad sign. Such a dream is symbolic of misfortune and disappointment soon.
Feeding a pig
If you see yourself feeding a pig in your dream, it has a negative interpretation. Such a dream indicates your financial problems and suggests that you might have to become thrifty and adopt measures that might be a little unfair to provide for your family.
Riding a pig
Dreaming of yourself riding a pig has a negative interpretation. Such a dream indicates that you will soon be involved in some weird, unusual activities that will make you the subject of gossip and ridicule in your community.
Selling a pig
If you dream about selling a pig, it has a happy interpretation. Such a dream indicates that you will soon get something that you have wanted all your life, that too very easily. It will make you grateful and happy.
A pig with its piglets
Dreaming of a pig with its piglets is symbolic of materialistic gains. If you see such a dream, it means that you are either going to buy new land or property, or your income is going to increase soon.
Killing a pig
While killing a pig might sound bleak, dreaming of it has a positive interpretation. Just like the previous dream, this one is also suggestive of substantial financial gains. If you have been thinking of asking for a promotion at work, now is the ideal time for you to make that request. You might also win a lottery or inherit some property or land from a distant relative.
Cutting a pig’s head off
If you see yourself cutting of a pig’s head in a dream, it has a negative interpretation. Such a dream foretells dangers coming your way. You must be prepared to face even the worst scenarios.
If you have done something bad to someone in the past, they might be coming to you with a revenge plan that you can’t escape. If the pig’s head is covered in blood, it means that your family members will be deeply disappointed in you.
Cooking an alive pig
Isn’t the idea of cooking a pig alive gross? However, in your dream, it has a positive interpretation. Such a dream is symbolic of your transformation and indicates that you have learned all the lessons you needed to and are ready to move forward.
Several pigs
If you see several pigs gathered together at a place in your dream, it has a negative interpretation. Such a dream warns you to be more careful about your words and actions. This is a very crucial time for you; any wrong move you make can earn you a bad reputation in your community.
Pigs running around you
If you dream of many pigs running all around you, it is a bad sign. It indicates that you have recently been rude to some people and treated them with disrespect, and they deserve much better than that. If you don’t want them to be upset with you, you must apologize to them and make amends for your bad behavior.
The cultural significance of pigs
The pigs have a contrasting significance in the cultures of different parts of the world. In some cultures, they are symbolic of abundance, good fortune, and fertility. While in others, they are condemned as disgusting and abominable creatures. Check out what they signify in the following cultures:
Out of all the twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac, the Pig is the twelfth. They are symbolic of honesty. People who come under this zodiac can never lie and are always known for their trustworthiness. They are also very family-oriented and have a very close-knit community.
In Feng Shui, people are encouraged to keep pig figurines in their house for they are said to attract good fortune and financial gains. The concept of “piggy banks” for saving money has originated from here as well.
- Out of all the twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac, the Pig is the twelfth. They are symbolic of honesty. People who come under this zodiac can never lie and are always known for their trustworthiness. They are also very family-oriented and have a very close-knit community.
- In Feng Shui, people are encouraged to keep pig figurines in their house for they are said to attract good fortune and financial gains. The concept of “piggy banks” for saving money has originated from here as well.
- In Egyptian mythology, pigs were believed to be related to Isis, the goddess of fertility. These animals were, thus, believed to stand for everything Isis symbolized.
- The significance of pigs is contrasted between the Christians and the Jews. In Christian households, the pigs have been adored both as domestic pets and a part of their cuisine.
However, in Jewish culture, these animals are deeply loathed. Not only are the Jews strictly against eating pigs, but they dislike even taking their name; most Jews refer to pigs as “davar acher”, which, in English, can be translated to “another thing”. The Jewish sages also forbid their subjects from raising pigs and threatening to curse on any Jew who does.
- Eating pigs is condemned in Islam as well. In their religion, they believe pigs to be “haraam” or unclean animals due to their dirty lifestyle and the fats and toxins in their body.
- In Greek mythology, pigs are believed to be the companion to the Earth Goddess, Demeter, also known to be the deity of fruitfulness and abundance.
- In many of the Native American tribes, pigs were the most valuable sacrificial animals of all. Whenever these tribes needed to pray to their gods for something, they would sacrifice their precious pigs in the rituals.
Pig totem
The pig totem will enter your life when you are in a deep financial pit with no probable way to get out. Being blessed with resourcefulness, their totem will stop at nothing before they find a way to get rid of your problems. They will teach you the skill of making connections and using them for your gains.
The pig totems are also simple at heart and have mastered the art of satisfaction. They believe that the people who keep wanting more can never enjoy what they already have. You can learn from them how to be truly satisfied with your life and the people in it.
Pig spirit animal
If you know someone who seems to be getting it all without doing much for it, they are most likely guided by the spirit of pigs.
Known for the laziness of the pig spirit, these people don’t believe in working very hard; they are simply not built that way. However, luckily for them, they possess a mind so sharp that they can achieve surprising heights by doing very little.
Instead of using the common ladder to get to the top like everyone else, these people build and use their connections so that others can do their work for them. This trait makes them widely and sometimes openly disliked by others; the people who need to work hard to achieve success can’t stand them.
Although these people are resourceful, they are far from being cunning; they’re real softies at heart and never think ill of others. They are also very social; you will always find them in a large circle of friends. While some of their friends might even be taking advantage of their position, they don’t mind.
Such people have a golden heart and are extremely generous and charitable. They’re compassionate towards those they care about and never hesitate to help them. In their personal life, these people are very family-oriented. They prefer to keep their personal and professional life separate.
At home, they’re humorous, patient, and loving. Both the young as well as older members of their family are always happy with them. All in all, these people have everything they need in life. If you don’t call that being lucky, we don’t know what else is.
Conclusion
Let’s brush up our memory: pigs are symbolic of good fortune, abundance and fertility, intelligence, humor, and contentment. On the other hand, the negative traits associated with them are greed, laziness, and untidiness.
Dreaming of them can have many interpretations: a well-fed pig in your dream is a sign of prosperity, while dreaming of a dead one indicates difficulties in your path. As your spirit animals, these animals will teach you how to achieve success using your intellect and not your labor.
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