9 spiritual meanings of flies in your home

There are flies all over the world and you can find them almost everywhere where people have made their home. Humans have lived with flies since the beginning of time, and for most people they’re annoying, messy creatures that we’d rather be without.

In general, flies do not figure as prominently in the mythologies of different cultures as some other animals, but they do appear – so in this post we look at fly symbolism and what it means when you see a fly in your dreams or in real life.

fly clubs

Before we look at what flies have symbolized to different cultures over the centuries, let’s reflect on the various associations we have with flies that have helped give them this symbolism.

When you think of flies, the first thing that comes to mind is that they are dirty. They fly around, landing on dead animals or excrement, and this association with dirt plays a big part in how we see flies.

They are also associated with death as they seek our dead or rotting flesh to lay their eggs. This also means that they are associated with plagues and diseases as they can easily spread germs and make people sick.

However, not all associations we have with flying are negative. While a buzzing fly can be extremely annoying, they never seem to give up or go away, so a more positive connotation is perseverance and perseverance.

While they can be associated with death, carrion, and disease, new flies appear in the form of maggots as they lay their eggs on rotting flesh, and while this can seem disgusting, they can also be seen as representing transformation or rebirth become.

Finally, we also have a well-known term for being a “fly on the wall” and this refers to their ability to stay still and listen to what’s going on without disturbing anyone – so they can also represent that they are a good listener.

Because of these opposing positive and negative traits, bow ties have been seen as symbolizing different things in different cultures around the world, so let’s look at that now.

Fly symbolism in different cultures

Although much of what flies symbolize is negative, they also have some positive connotations. Here’s how they were seen at various times throughout history:

Ancient Greece

Flies are not common in ancient Greek mythology, but one story tells that Zeus, king of the gods, turned his lover Io into a heifer to hide her from his wife Hera.

However, Hera discovered the deception and to get revenge, she sent a horsefly to sting Io to torment her for the rest of her days.

Christianity

The most prominent mention of flies in Christian tradition is that Satan is described as “the lord of the flies.”

This reinforces the perception of flies as scavengers and parasites associated with death, disease, and decaying flesh—and above all, evil.

They also appear in the Bible in the form of plagues. When the Egyptians refused to free the Israelites from slavery, they were afflicted with plagues sent on them from God, the fourth of which was a plague of flies.

Ancient Egypt

Although flies were sent as punishment in the Bible to torment the Egyptians, in ancient Egyptian mythology they carry different symbolism.

The ancient Egyptians valued their tenacity, determination, and courage, all qualities prized in soldiers.

For this reason, soldiers were given fly amulets to reward them for such qualities, much like modern soldiers are decorated with medals.

Flies were also associated with rebirth and the afterlife, which was a constant preoccupation for the ancient Egyptians.

When maggots hatched, the resulting flies were seen as the soul leaving the body. Hence, fly amulets were also used to keep body and soul together to help the deceased reach the afterlife safely.

Far Eastern philosophy

As part of a Chinese origin myth, maggots emerged from the body of the primordial being and transformed into humans, giving rise to humanity.

Sumerian symbolism

In Sumerian mythology, flies appear to help the goddess Inanna find her husband Dumuzid in the underworld by revealing his whereabouts after a demon chased him there.

Mesopotamian symbolism

In Mesopotamia, the fly was associated with Nergal, the god of death, war, and plagues. Flies can be found on seals depicting this god and it is safe to say that they had negative connotations.

Native American beliefs

Bow ties are not among the most prominent symbols in Native American traditions, but they do occur — and the meaning varies by tribe.

They often symbolize death, curses and black magic, but for some Native Americans they are seen as messengers. Some also believe that flies were responsible for teaching humans the mysteries of fire.

To the Navajo, they are connected to the spirit ancestors, and Big Fly is the protector of the sand painting, watching over the artists as they work.

In the Hopi tradition, flies were associated with prayers for fertility as well as keeping strangers away.

Celtic belief

Flies don’t appear often in Celtic mythology, but they were likely associated with diseases of death – and also with transformation and rebirth. Flies and maggots in particular were avoided because they were considered to be carriers of diseases.

Interpreting flies encountered in dreams or in real life

If you dream about flies or find that you often encounter flies in real life, there is a good chance that it is a message from the spirit realm. However, interpreting the message is not always easy, since seeing flies can mean different things.

This means that in order to interpret the message you need to know the general meanings that seeing flies can have, but you also need to think about the specific details of what you saw as well as what was going on at the time your life was going on and what problems you were dealing with.

In this way, by taking the time to think deeply about what you have seen – perhaps through meditation – and trusting your intuition, the importance of seeing flies will be revealed to you.

Here are some of the general meanings that seeing flies can mean:

1. Something bad is going to happen

Although, as we have seen, flies can have positive connotations in some cultures, more often they are despised and this can mean that seeing a fly in a dream, or seeing flies repeatedly in real life, can be an ominous sign that that something bad is about to happen.

When the spirit world tries to communicate with you, the messages are always ones that you can understand. So to interpret the message, you have to think about how you feel about flying.

If you find flies repulsive and annoying, seeing them can be a bad omen that something undesirable is about to happen.

2. A premonition of death

Similarly, flies can also portend imminent death due to their association with death, disease, and rotting flesh.

It can be difficult to know if seeing flies is telling you someone is about to die, and sometimes you can only see the true meaning of the message after the event.

3. A premonition of change or rebirth

However, flying doesn’t always literally mean death. Sometimes the meaning can be metaphorical, telling you that something in your life will end and something else will replace it.

A phase of life comes to an end and a new one begins? Then the sight of flies, either in a dream or in real life, could be a message urging you to face the future with a positive attitude as the change in your life may bring you unexpected opportunities.

4. Encouraging you to let go of something or someone

Alternatively, the message might not be that something will change, but that you should make the change yourself.

Is there something in your life that you need to give up? Is there a bad habit you’d be better off without? Or is there a person in your life who is a bad influence on you that you should consider letting go of?

This type of message requires deep thought, self-reflection, and meditation to interpret, but if you look within yourself and trust your intuition, you will find the answer to your questions, and it is then up to you to take the necessary action.

5. People around you who cause you trouble

Flies buzzing around us while we’re trying to concentrate or sleep can be extremely annoying, and this may represent someone in your life having a similar effect on you.

Sometimes we absent-mindedly swipe at flies without really realizing they’re there, but that buzzing at the edge of our awareness is always there, preventing us from fully focusing and achieving our goals.

Consider if there is someone in your life who annoys you or causes you stress without fully realizing it. And if you find that this is the case, it might be a good idea to cut that person – and their negative energy – out of your life entirely.

6. Encouraging you to be persistent and determined

One of the positive associations of flies is their persistence and determination, and sometimes a fly buzzing around you can be a reminder that you should also be resolute about certain tasks.

Is there something you would like to achieve at the moment? Do you lose heart and think about giving up? Do you have a hard time finding the motivation to see it through to the end?

When faced with something like this in your life, the fly may remind you to pull yourself together and move on – because in the long run you will be glad you did.

7. Someone is trying to get your attention

Sometimes when there’s a fly buzzing around our heads, we do our best to ignore it. The fly goes…