Bat
Meaning, Messages & Magic
Bat symbolizes rebirth, illusion, tenacity, and communication.
Bats come into the world while hanging upside down and feet first. They don’t even let the laws of gravity pull them down.
Bats have incredible awareness and use all their senses – giving them the ability to see through illusions and adapt in life when the timing is right. With this heightened perception Bats cannot be fooled and know that things are not always as they appear.
Bats can tune into conversations and steer them in the direction of their choosing through their clever communication skills.
Bats are usually misunderstood because of their association with death, the dark, and fear, all of which are natural and necessary aspects of the cycle of life. Bats move between worlds with their ability to navigate through the dark (unknown), bring rebirth from death (transformation), and the release fears that stifle growth. Bat asks you to have confidence and trust your senses.
By trusting your inner truth you’ll be able to pick up on hidden frequencies and make smooth transitions through life.
Bats spend a lot of time upside down.
Bats are the only mammals that can fly. Others can glide, but Bats have the strength for full powered flight. Don’t just glide through life. You’re equipped to take flight in any direction of your choosing.
Bats are gifted with the rare magical ability of echolocation. This highly sophisticated sense combines hearing, speaking, and seeing into a unique experiential super-sense. A Bat’s echolocation is so finely tuned it can detect an object as thin as a human hair. You’re very sensitive to a variety of frequencies that can be developed beyond our physical realm. As you practice your unique communication skills, you’ll be able to interpret and guide conversations and ideas in constructive ways, expanding not only your own vision but also of those around you.
In Chinese, the words for “bat” and “good fortune” are both pronounced “fu.” So you can ignore the fear that some people associate with
Bats go through intense hibernation periods where they use the energy they’ve collected during sleep to fuel their creative time. Honor and protect your need for sleep & alone time, and do what you can to make sure it does not get interrupted.
Vampire Bat spit has been used to treat human stroke victims and human heart patient victims. Use your Bat energy to connect to your heart and the flow of love.
Bats can eat up to 1,200 mosquitoes in an hour and often consume their body weight in insects every night. Know that you have the power to eliminate pests in your life and in greater society. Instead of ignoring annoying things, try taking them full on, knowing that you can healthily transform vast amounts of bites in our world. When a mosquito steals the blood from others, Bat can ingest and cycle it through its heart, offering more love out into the world.
Bats thrive in the dark due to their echolocation skills, as well it being a convenient time to hunt bugs and stay out of sight from predators. Embrace your love of the dark – both being out at night or your fearless ability to work through dark ideas.
Bat guano is one of the world’s richest fertilizers. Next time you’re going through rough times (shit) in life, know that it is creating rich fertilizer that is vital for your future growth.
-Tanya Casteel
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I want to hear about your Bat experiences. What stories or dreams have you had? Please share and join in the conversation below!
Being Chinese, I would like to share more details about our cultural association of bats and good fortune.
The Chinese character for Blessing & blessedness and being blessed is collectively drawn as 福.
Bat is written in two characters 蝙蝠.
The second character 蝠 is enough for most Chinese speakers to identify the reference to the animal Bat.
As you can see both 福 & 蝠 look very similar.
They are also read with the same sound and even tone (FU in the second tone).
The bat is often upside down. The Chinese recognise that.
The character for being upside down is 倒.
Meanwhile the character referring to the act of arrival is 到.
Again, to be upside down and to arrive look and sound almost identical (DAO).
During Chinese Lunar New Year, on our doors, we produce paper decoration with the word 福 (BLESSING) and paste it upside down meaning 福到 (the arrival of blessing/good fortune).
The sound of saying THE UPSIDE-DOWN BAT is equivalent to the sound of saying BLESSING ARRIVING.
Oh Wow! Thanks so much for sharing and adding to the explanation of Bat through Chinese culture. This is really interesting and helpful details to know. “Blessing Arriving” indeed.
Dear Tanya, your writing about the bat was uplifting and beautiful. It really shows how all of us and nature are interconnected and can learn from each other and share our love with each other.
Blessings of bats and butterflies
William Taliesin
I came across your website while researching bat guardians. When I was 17, I was standing on a pier during the day with my family. A bat flew by and landed not even a foot from my hand. I know I shouldn’t have, but I was compelled to move my hand closer. I put my hand palm up and the bat came to me; standing on my palm and allowing me to move around. It allowed me to stroke its back three times before flying away… I’m going through a divorce and have recently moved. There’s a bat colony in my buildings gutters. The other night one flew and landed on my phone case while I was reading and just held on for a few minutes before flying away. I’ve had them land on my legs and shoulders…. I know it may not seem possible, but I assure you it is. My batties love me and I love them dearly. Thank you for composing such a beautiful article and helping me to feel like less of a weirdo.
My name is Tanya as well! The bat was there I sensed it in the dark tunnel. I rubbed my fingers across his back and felt the energy immediately running through my dna. Very cool how the universe brings us to certain places.
A wounded bat was found outside of my deck and two days later crawled into a crevasse. It has been far too cold out for this little one. I learned this after asking vets and rehabbers for help. So (with gloves) I put the bat in a box with a towel and water to let her warm up. I’m almost positive she’s sick from an infected wound on her wing. I am only trying to help her and not have her freeze outside from injury. I know she has incredible meaning and certainly trying to tell me something. I was trying to save her. …was this a bad thing to do?
In any situation, the one who can see things differently brings transformational value to a group; Bat is always looking at things with a unique perspective. Even when Bat can’t see the answer, the ability to look at things a different way and ask different questions triggers creativity from other creatures. Because of this, I have found Bat to be a powerful creature in a setting where you have to deal with complex problems.
Oh you are so very wise. Thank you for sharing this with us Bat.
I was looking into my clear quartz crystal doing a meditation but also learning how to scry. When I flipped the crystal over, there was a bat flying right towards me, so I had to look it up, and I am glad I did. I learned a lot from your page. Thank you!
You’re welcome
I was in deep meditation looking to receive signs from my higher self and was presented with a vision of hundreds of bats flying out of a cave at dusk. I found this page and really enjoyed the interpretation and meaning as it relates to this incredible creature!