Jellyfish
Meaning & Symbolism
The Jellyfish symbolizes the power of flowing with life. In the depths of the ocean, Jellyfish drift along, carried by water currents without resistance. This effortless existence embodies the idea that we, too, can move through life without needing to control every aspect. Like the Jellyfish, we can practice trust in the process, allowing ourselves to flow with the natural rhythms of life rather than resisting them. This doesn’t mean passivity, but instead it suggests an openness to where life takes us, accepting that sometimes, surrendering to the current can lead us exactly where we need to be.
One of the key lessons Jellyfish teach is the importance of being conscious of our energetic attachments. Jellyfish have long, trailing tentacles that can sting, entangle, or latch onto things in their environment. In the same way, we as humans can sometimes become tangled up in relationships, ideas, or situations that no longer serve us. The symbolism here reminds us that holding on too tightly can be harmful, both to ourselves and to others. By learning to release what we don’t need, we create the space for personal growth and allow for more harmonious connections. There’s power in knowing that we are already energetically connected to everything around us, so we don’t need to cling to people or situations out of fear of loss.
The bioluminescence of certain Jellyfish species serves as a metaphor for shining light in the dark. These creatures use their natural glow to both attract and defend, revealing the unknown or creating illusions for protection. As humans, we can cultivate our own inner light to navigate challenging or uncertain times. When faced with the unknown, we can rely on our intuition and inner wisdom to guide us, illuminating the path forward. Just as Jellyfish light up the dark waters, we can bring light into our lives and the lives of others by staying true to ourselves and using our unique gifts to shine.
Lastly, the Jellyfish’s ability to reach out with its tentacles, feeling and connecting with its surroundings, reminds us of the interconnectedness of all life. We, too, can energetically reach out to others, even across great distances, using empathy, intuition, and compassion. Whether in our relationships, work, or spiritual practice, we can embrace the idea of connection without draining ourselves or harming others. This symbolism encourages us to find balance in our interactions—reaching out, supporting, and uplifting, while maintaining our own energy and boundaries. By embodying the Jellyfish’s natural grace and flow, we can move through life with trust, resilience, and a deeper understanding of our place in the world.
Explore these other animals with tentacles: Portuguese Man O’ War, Octopus, Dumbo Octopus, and Squid.
-Tanya Casteel ©Cosmic Animals
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I want to hear about your Jellyfish experiences. What stories or dreams have you had? Please share and join in the conversation below!
i came to this article after recalling something that happened a little over a year ago, and i’d like to share and hopefully receive some feedback!
i was meditating in bed one night, and as i let go i drifted to the space in between thoughts. the dark behind my closed eyelids gained depth, and the boundaries between my body and this full but empty space began to blur. and then, clear as day, a bioluminescent jellyfish appeared in front of me! it was a sort of bluish color and it was made up entirely of energy. the jellyfish seemed to be looking at me, (it was maybe 10 inches away from my “face” or point of perception) and it did the little *floop* that they do to swim upwards. i felt a sort of childlike joy at this, and i thought “wow! i wish i could do that!” …..and then i did. my brain, or consciousness, took the shape of a jellyfish and *flooped* up and out of the body. i’m now fully immersed in this mental space. my vision panned over to an image: what appeared to be a large ball or bubble of (light) energy with cords about the width of a standard rope branching out along the sides. there were about 20-30 of these cords, and they all spanned further than i could see. the majority of these cords were made up of the same light that the bubble was. there were maybe 7 or 8 of them that were dark, like shadows. just by looking at this i could sense that the cords of light were flowing in both directions- nourishment coming in and going out, mutually beneficial connections and nothing that i had to be concerned over. the shadowy cords were “dead”, sort of a negative feedback.. static. the energy was flowing “backwards”, possibly draining myself or the other. now, at the time i assumed this ball of light to be a layer of my own aura. i understood that some of these cords were sent out by me, and others were being sent to me. i understood that these cords were connected to other beings.
next, i was inside a ball. possibly the same one i’d been looking at, but i cant tell you for sure. there was a large circular opening in the side, and i gravitated towards it. i began to slide down this tube, almost like a water slide. i relaxed into it and let myself curve with it, until i sensed that i was approaching something. i slowed myself just as i reached the end, where i saw… (this is a bit difficult to describe, please bare with me!) i saw a hazy collection of light particles in the rough shape of a human. they were moving around as if talking to someone in the physical plane. ive seen this before- visually in dreams and subconsciously in real life when watching someone whos very vibrant or joyful. i recognize it to be life force. this person was unaware of my presence, and i’m not sure who they were, though i got the sense that it was a female. (now for the weird part) there was some kind of creature made of shadows, darker than the background of void, attacking this person. it looked similar to a large bat (but creepier.. single minded with a destructive intent) with a wing span of maybe three feet. this creature was flying into and bouncing off of this girl, like a bug flying at a window. the girl seemed totally unbothered by it, and i sensed that it wouldn’t be able to break through to reach her soul… it was essentially just a pest. my intuition tells me that whatever this thing was, it moves in when people become weakened spiritually and emotionally. its almost like it was looking for someplace warm to go and eat. i also sensed that while it had the potential to do serious damage, it was a very low level being that didnt posses much power of its own.. mostly acting on instinct. i then decided to “come back”, before this thing noticed me and followed.
this article really resonated with this experience- ever since i was awakened to this… this universal flow of light, i’ve had the ability to sense and influence, to communicate with and channel energy. HOWEVER, i do not have a teacher and i’m navigating this new reality all on my own. i have wanted to become a reiki healer for years now- i want to use this sense to contribute healing to the world. i am also someone who struggles with attachments as a result of unresolved trauma. i understand that this is a primary soul lesson of mine; letting go and trusting the flow, not trying to grab and hold onto love, but trusting that it’s always right where it needs to be. i’m wondering if the jellyfish i saw is more significant than i originally thought, if maybe i should explore the symbolism of the jellyfish further. is this possibly a spirit companion? or did my mind choose the image of a jellyfish to help me reach a specific insight? was it random? some other things that i’m curious about: why do i tend to experience energy and other realms of consciousness as being fluid? it moves like water in all directions. what layer of the aura might this have been? is it bad that i saw so many of these cords? (i do worry that my issues with attachment are energetically causing harm to others, but i know the only way to resolve this is to LET GO of that fear and trust that everything is in place.)
anyway! thank you for taking the time to read this 🙂 sending you well wishes and happy vibes <3
Wow thanks for sharing this experience. You did an impressive job explaining the environment and confusing “meditative dream consciousness state”. I often “experience energy and other realms of consciousness as being fluid” just as you described. I don’t know what “layer” or “space” I’m in during these fluid times, I personally don’t find it important for me to know the “title/name/label” of where that space is. I also believe that spaces like that can’t be accurately “pinned down” to a location that our rational mind can understand, so I let it float in the mystery. I do think that you seeing the Jellyfish was significant! When our consciousness needs to understand things that are not able to be interpreted by our rational mind it uses feelings, imagery, and symbolism to communicate. I think the Jellyfish showed up as a helpful symbol to try to communicate important information to you. If you choose to accept the Jellyfish is a “main animal guide” that is also a lovely choice. It seems that Jellyfish has strongly chosen to work with you. I don’t think it’s bad that you saw so many cords; it’s just information showing you how your energy is being effected to give you the opportunity to adjust yourself. I love that you said that since this experience you have “had the ability to sense and influence, to communicate with and channel energy”. I think studying Riki or other energy moving modalities like Qigong would also help you feel more in control and in harmony with what you’re able to sense.
So grateful for this page and your insight, Tanya. I’ve had huge flows of energy coming into my body and hot hands since I started meditating and wondering how to harness it to spread joy in myself & with others. Thank you!!!
Thanks so much for sharing your experience! I have so many parallels including trauma and wanting to attach to love while receiving messages and visits (during meditation and 3 regression hypnotherapy sessions) from my jellyfish selves/family that I will always return to flow as an inevitability. Loved your ideas about tentacles/umbilical type cords? as 2 way energy flow.
Wow that is an amazing experience.
You would love Reiki is is so fascinating (Im reiki level 1) Also look up cutting the energetic chord ceremonies & asking Arch Angel Michael to cut cords.
I took sum psychedelics and saw multiple blue energetic jelly fish floating around me, like I’m in two Dimension, I could only see the second , but couldn’t interact, it was midnight on a weekend and the room was extra dark so I could see even better, looks like glow in the dark floating jellyfish, , I was looking at them all night, I couldn’t believe what I saw, what made me go deeper into further research in psychedelics and research chemicals
I wanted to thank God jellyfish for giving me lots of positive ideas that will help me be more easy and natural in life. It all started I mean am just looking for halloween costume and here I am believing that life goes on.=)
I was stung by a jellyfish and it’s venom was going into me for about 3 hours. I had felt like I was poisoned and dying and had some sort of weird ego death/psychedelic experience from it and now I can’t stop researching jellyfish.
I just woke up from a dream where there was a jellyfish floating in front of me. I had just gotten a message (in my dream) that I need to go with the flow and sit with my feelings. I am going through a transition in my life and have been having a hard time. When I woke up I googled “Jellyfish totem” and found this page. I had NO idea that the Jellyfish symbolizes energetic flow and reiki. I am Reiki master! My mind is blown!
A jellyfish wrapped itself around my arm today but didn’t sting me….I’m still in shock a bit and now I’m here lol. Thanks for the insightful writing.
I had a reading and the first thing she saw was a jellyfish.. she asked that I research it. It was followed by all kinds of birds and many of the souls of my departed cats. I would say the jellyfish means to me to let go and trust the psychic processes. That this would be the best way to yield the most and fastest results in my own practice.
I love your meaning of jellyfish! Yes!!
I was in the UK sea with many jelly fish around me. I was doing mantras and sending healing to wherever it was needed. There were 3 different types of jellyfish all capable of mild stings so I was trying to avoid them yet realised they had significance. I searched the in and found your work. Perfect.