The spiritual meaning of fish

Our planet is covered with oceans, seas, lakes and rivers, so fish can be found in almost every part of the world.

Fish have also been an important source of food for as long as there have been people who have been catching them, so it is only natural that they hold deep symbolic power for many people around the world.

For those who want to know more, in this post we talk about fish symbolism according to ancient cultures and modern beliefs, and look at the specific symbolism of some important species of fish.

What do fish symbolize?

Before we talk about the symbolism of Pisces in different cultures and beliefs, it is worth taking a moment to consider the characteristics of Pisces and the associations associated with them.

For the majority of people in history, the first thing a fish represented was probably a source of food. Even the earliest cavemen, living by rivers, lakes, or the sea, would have known how to catch them and made up an important part of their diet.

Back when there were far fewer people – and they only took what they needed to eat – there would have been no problems with overfishing, so the unlimited supply of fish to eat would have represented great abundance.

When they reproduce, fish also lay hundreds or even thousands of eggs, so they can be associated with both fertility and abundance.

Fish in the sea are free to swim wherever they want, so some people may associate them with freedom and the absence of restrictions.

After all, they are inseparable from water as they cannot survive anywhere else, so they can also represent the ocean, its great mysteries and all the spiritual connotations that come with it.

Fish symbolism according to different cultures and beliefs

Since fish can be found all over the world and, as we have already mentioned, have served as an important source of food for many people over the centuries, it is not surprising that they have acquired a powerful symbolic power in different cultures and traditions. Let’s look at that now.

Native American beliefs

Although the various Native American tribes have different traditions and beliefs, deep meaning and significance were almost universally attributed to the natural world that surrounded them and the animals that inhabited them.

According to some Native American tribes, particularly those in the Northwest, salmon was considered a particularly important fish.

Some saw the salmon as a shapeshifter and sorcerer who had power over water and who also possessed great wisdom. Others associated it with prosperity, fertility, and happiness.

According to a Native American creation myth, when the Great Spirit created a man and a woman, when the Great Spirit created a man and a woman, they didn’t know how to father children, so they placed a fish on the woman’s stomach, causing her to give birth to a child.

They went on like this for seven days, but then the spirit saw that there were enough people and after that it limited the people to only being able to have one baby a year.

Other tribes perform special dances to honor fish.

Celtic belief

Salmon was also considered an important fish in traditional Celtic beliefs, and a well-known tale tells of a mythical hunter-warrior named Fionn mac Cumhaill.

In one episode of his life, when he was a young boy, he met a poet named Finn Éces who had been trying to catch the salmon of knowledge for seven years.

When the poet finally caught the fish, he gave it to Fionn to cook – but made him promise not to eat any of it.

However, while he was cooking it, Fionn burned his thumb on the juice of the salmon and instinctively popped it into his mouth. As he did so, the salmon’s wisdom passed to him, and realizing this, the poet gave Fionn the whole salmon to eat.

From then on he is said to have possessed the “thumb of knowledge” whenever he put his thumb in his mouth and said the words tam laida, he was granted any knowledge he desired to know. This proved useful in later episodes of his life.

In Welsh mythology, the salmon of Llyn Llyw was believed to be Britain’s oldest creature and the only one who knew where to find Mabon ap Modron, a member of King Arthur’s warband – so some of Arthur’s men sought out the fish to find it ask where to find their comrades.

Norse belief

Not surprisingly, fish were also important to the Norse peoples and figured in their folklore.

In one myth, the god Loki tricked Höðr into killing his brother Baldr and then turned into a salmon to escape.

The other gods tried to catch him in a net, but he jumped over it. However, Thor grabbed him by the tail, and that explains why salmon have tapered tails.

Far Eastern Faith

Carp have been bred in China for thousands of years as ornamental fish, and they were also introduced to Japan in 1603, where selective breeding in the early 19th century resulted in the creation of attractively colored koi.

In China they symbolize happiness, prosperity and fertility and are sometimes given as gifts for this reason. Since ornamental carp often swim in pairs, they are also considered a symbol of loyalty. Fish swimming in pairs is also a common theme in East Asian art.

Similarly, in Japan, koi are considered good luck charms. They have also been associated with samurai.

In an ancient Japanese myth, a giant catfish is said to live underground and be guarded by the god Takemikazuchi. This god kept the catfish smothered with a rock, but sometimes when the catfish broke loose, it would flap around and cause earthquakes.

Ancient Egypt

In ancient Egypt, the Nile perch, a huge fish that can grow up to 2 m long, symbolized the night and destruction.

Ancient Mesopotamia

Fish were a symbol of Enki, the Mesopotamian god of water. Later, from around 1600 B.C. BC, healers and exorcists in the region wore clothing resembling the skin of fish.

Ancient Greece and Rome

In Greek mythology, the goddess Aphrodite was closely associated with fish, being born of the sea when Kronos severed Uranus’s genitals and threw them into the water.

In a later episode of her life, she was able to escape the giant sea monster Typhos by turning into a fish and swimming away.

Polynesians

The peoples of the Pacific region have many beliefs and stories about fish. For example, the Polynesian Ika-Roa believe that some gods can turn into fish. Hawaiian shark gods are also believed to have similar abilities.

Christian symbolism

The fish is an important symbol in the Christian faith and appears several times in the scriptures.

For Christians, fish represent the riches and charity of Christ thanks to the famous story of the two miracles, when Jesus fed thousands of people with just a few loaves of bread and a few small fish.

In another story, Jesus told his early disciples that they would become “fishers of men.”

A giant fish also appears in the Old Testament when it devours the prophet Jonah before spitting it back onto shore three days later – although some versions say it is more of a whale than a fish.

Partly due to the importance of fish in the Bible, early Christians used the fish symbol known as ichthys as a secret way of identifying one another to escape persecution.

This symbol was also chosen because the Greek word for fish, ιχθυς (ichthys), was an acronym for Iesous Christos, Theou Huios, Soter – meaning “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour”.

Buddhist symbolism

In Buddhism, fish is one of the eight sacred symbols of the Buddha and represents joy, happiness, freedom from the expectations imposed by society and freedom of movement.

Two Pisces represent inner harmony and peace, as well as the ability to overcome challenges or problems as easily as a fish swimming through water.

Hindu symbolism

In Hindu belief, Matsya is the fish avatar of Vishnu and appears in a creation myth.

One day, a boy named Manu protects a small fish by putting it in a jar. Then, when the fish outgrows the jar, he puts it in a larger container. Later he has to put it in a water tank and finally in the sea.

Since the fish was really Vishnu, he helps save the boy when a great flood covers the land. As a reward, he gives Manu the power of creation, which he uses to create life again after the tide has subsided.

This is only one version of the story. There are many others, and the details change often, but the general theme of the story is always similar.

Modern spiritual symbolism

In modern spiritual beliefs and practices, fish symbolize a range of things, some resembling older beliefs and others more novel.

A special symbolism results from the close connection of the fish with water. Water, and the sea in particular, is believed to represent the deep unknown, our subconscious, and the truths we seek in our spiritual journeys.

This dark mystery can seem scary or intimidating, but the fish can be our guide in this unknown realm and is therefore seen as a stabilizing force that can give us courage and help when we are in doubt.

Sometimes people are afraid to explore the spiritual side of life, but Pisces symbolizes the ability to delve deep in search of truth.

The healing properties of water are well known and Pisces can symbolize the healing power of the water element.

Water also purifies and purifies, so Pisces also symbolize the power to wash away our doubts and fears, especially when it comes to the spiritual realm.

Due to the number of eggs fish lay when they spawn, they also symbolize fertility, which is similar to some more traditional beliefs.

The symbolism of different species of fish

So far we’ve talked about fish in general, so now let’s take a closer look at the symbolism of specific fish species.

Salmon

We have seen salmon being important in various cultures, particularly in the Native American and Celtic beliefs.

However, due to their single-minded urge to swim upstream to reproduce, they also symbolize determination, bravery, and a willingness to succeed in an endeavor, whatever the cost or risk to oneself.

catfish

When catfish spawn, they lay a lot of eggs, so it’s…