Photo: Viliam.M / Shutterstock
Learn from the powerful peacock.
By Megan Hatch — Written on Dec 23, 2021
Peacocks are one of the world's most beautiful creatures, known for their bright colors and hues of green, blue, and copper.
Peacocks also have many symbolic associations across different religions around the world, and are known for being confident and graceful.
Peacock Symbolism & Spiritual Meanings Of Peacocks
The peacock teaches the lesson that you must learn from your past, and sees obstacles as an opportunity to create a brighter future. If we all show our true colors we can achieve anything.
Peacocks are confident but never arrogant, and are symbols of respect, rejuvenation, honor, integrity, royalty, passion, beauty, protection, and holiness.
If you're ever feeling down, think of the peacock and imagine the beautiful colors it provides, and soon you will harness its bright and powerful energy to boost your self-confidence.
Peacock Encounters and Omens
Many religions and cultures regard peacocks as a symbol of good luck, good fortune, and immortality.
So, not only are the feathers of a peacock a sight to behold, but seeing or encountering a peacock should be considered a sign of good luck and a good omen.
What Peacocks of Different Colors Symbolize
While peacocks come in brilliant colors ranging from blue and green, to purple and hazel, there are certain colors of peacocks seen in dreams that hold various meanings.
White Peacock Meaning
A white peacock is a symbol of pride. However, it could mean that you might be too prideful, which could cause others to not like you.
Black Peacock Meaning
If you see a black peacock, it's a symbol that someone you know and trust is secretly envious of you. This person may be planning to use that information against you.
Purple Peacock Meaning
Seeing a purple peacock in your dream symbolizes royalty, just like the color purple. It's a sign that you'll find financial wealth in the near future.
Pink Peacock Meaning
If you dream of a pink peacock, it represents feelings of self-esteem and confidence about your life path. You're on track to accomplishing your goals.
Peacock Symbolism in Dreams
Dreams represent a message that our subconscious mind is trying to tell us, whether it's something we've done in the past, present, or will encounter in the future.
Pay close attention to how your dream of a peacock makes you feel, as well as what exactly you are dreaming about.
Dreaming of a flying peacock
While peacocks symbolize good luck, honor, and rejuvenation, dreaming of a flying peacock means you have become arrogant while attempting to achieve your goals. It's a reminder to not get too carried away or you risk not accomplishing what you want most.
Dreaming of a dancing peacock
Dreaming of a dancing peacock means you are currently happy in life, whether it's in love, career, or something personal. A dancing peacock also represents an opportunity that awaits you in the future, so keep an eye out.
Dreaming of a dead peacock
While death has a negative connotation, dreaming of a dead peacock doesn't represent actual death. In fact, a dead peacock in your dream means you and someone you hold dear are about to be on bad terms, have an argument, or have hurt feelings.
Dreaming of a peacock feather
A dream of a peacock feather is a good omen and means that success is coming soon, particularly when it comes to your career and finances. You may even be presented with opportunities to further your career.
Dreaming of chasing a peacock
Chasing a peacock in your dream symbolizes that your perfectionist tendencies can become unhealthy if you let them consume you. Instead, steer clear of obsessing over everything being perfect.
Dreaming of a peacock attack
If you dream of a peacock attacking you, this dream represents your interpersonal connections and how you may feel beholden to others. A peacock attack can also symbolize feeling overwhelmed by your emotions, and serves as a reminder to be easy on yourself.
Peacock Spirit or Totem Animal
Spirit animals are life guides that point us in the right direction while teaching us lessons. Totem animals are also spirit guides, but are called upon when we need them most. Both spirit and totem animals protect and guard, and help us find our higher purpose.
Though you can't choose your spirit animal, they select you. You'll know if a peacock is your spirit animal if you resonate with this creature somehow, or have had a profound experience.
Peacock spirit animals watch over you if you believe things like luxury and extravagance are a necessity in life. These types of people have an innate desire to live an extraordinary life and will never settle for less.
People who identify with the peacock spirit animal are aware that others might think of them as superficial or materialistic, but they will never change for anyone.
People call on the peacock for guidance in many circumstances, such as becoming aware of special talents and gifts, exploring true potential, and how to use strengths to your benefit. They can also help you value yourself and give you the energy to move forward from a tragic past experience.
The ancient shamans believed peacocks possess strong healing powers. These powers can heal your mental and emotional wounds while helping you grow stronger and wiser.
The peacock totem, on the other hand, can help when you have lost the ability to appreciate the beauty in your life. Peacock totems teach you self-love, self-confidence, and how to find pride; they can sense if you lack any of these in your life.
This totem animal teaches you to appreciate yourself, your talents, and your skills. They also inspire you to spread love to others once you love yourself.
Photo: Unsplash
Spiritual Meaning of Peacocks in Christianity and the Bible
In the Bible, peacocks are favored by God, as they are blessed with the ability to never decay, even after death. The peacock represents immortality, resurrection, and the spiritual teachings of Jesus Christ and Christianity.
Christians believe that the peacock is a symbol of purity, and by spreading the feathers of a peacock over the deceased, it is a symbol of a pure soul immune to corruption. Feathers also were used to prevent the body from decaying.
In ancient times, men believed that peacocks were blessed with immortality. There's a popular myth that explains the origin of this belief, and the story dates back to the beginning of times, with Adam and Eve.
In the story, Adam and Eve eat the fruit from the forbidden tree, which makes the animals around them believe they could do the same. However, the peacock was the only animal that refused to eat the fruit.
His refusal to eat the forbidden fruit was acknowledged by God who then blessed the peacock with imperishable flesh which would never decay.
Spiritual Meaning of Peacocks in Hinduism
Lord Krishna and Lakshmi are two well-known figures in Hinduism.
Lakshmi is a Hindu goddess who signifies how important virtue, patience, good fortune, kindness, and having a compassionate heart are. Lord Krishna is seen as garnishing peacock feathers around his head and in the decorations on his flute.
It's believed by some that peacocks personally gave Lord Krishna their feathers as a gift.
Spiritual Meaning of Peacocks in Buddhism
When opened up, the peacock's feathers are on full display, symbolizing openness and acceptance in Buddhism.
In Buddhist culture, the peacock symbolizes immortality because it was known to eat plants that were poisonous in nature, and if humans ate the same plants they would die.
Through this story, Buddhists thought peacocks could live with ease while enduring major suffering. Therefore, the peacock embodies everything about them. This is why peacock feathers are used in Buddhist purification ceremonies to provide true and honest purity.
Peacock Symbolism in Mythology and Folklore
Peacocks are inherently royal birds as they represent elegant posture, beauty, or tender meat. Only kings and their elite guests could enjoy looking at and watching peacocks dance in ancient times. Commoners and peasants would never be able to see such beauty and joy from the peacock.
Peacocks' royal status has given them centuries of royal treatment, hence why they symbolize royalty. But they hold many different meanings in a variety of cultures.
Native American Peacock Symbolism
In Native American culture, peacock feathers serve an important purpose in shamanistic and healing rituals. Peacocks, overall, symbolize confidence, knowledge, pride and beauty.
Many Native American cultures use peacock feathers as a way to ward off evil spirits, along with smudge sticks. And some chiefs wore peacock feathers as a symbol of their wisdom and connection to the divine spirit world.
Celtic Peacock Symbolism
Celts believed the peacock stood for freedom and spiritual transcendence, delivering messages from the gods to earth. Peacock feathers also represent each new day and the sun that rises.
Peacock feathers were worn by Druids in their robes, believing it to be a way to obtain divine knowledge; the feathers themselves symbolized wisdom and beauty.
Eastern Peacock Symbolism
In Southeast Asia, the peacock is native to Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, China, and Sri Lanka.
In Asian culture, the peacock is associated with Kwan-yin (or Quan Yin). Kwan-yin was a mortal who embodied great qualities of charity, compassion, goodwill, and kind-heartedness.
Legend tells us she had the choice to become immortal or remain mortal, and she chose the latter option for the greater good of humanity; she wished to stay behind and aid humanity with their personal and spiritual growth.
Ancient Greek Peacock Symbolism
In Greek mythology, the peacock symbolizes the Greek goddess Hera. She was the queen of the Ancient Greek gods and the wife of Zeus.
According to Greek myths, Hera was able to transform her hundred-eyed guardian, Argus, into a peacock. Argus's feathers were a mark of beauty, heaven, and the eye shape on the feathers represents the stars in the sky.
To this day, the people of Greece believe the peacock represents heaven, and that it has all-seeing vision, wisdom, and knowledge.
Indian Peacock Symbolism
Similar to the Buddhist story in Asian culture, the peacock can also eat poisonous plants in India. Therefore, the peacock nickname is the “Snake Slayer,” as they are believed to be immune to the poison contained in snake venom.
It's also believed in India that if a snake is killed and eaten by a peacock, its feathers become more radiant and bright through the powerful venom. The peacock is so highly regarded and is the national bird of India.
Peacock Tattoo Meaning
While some people may get a peacock tattoo because this bird's feathers are very beautiful and unique, a peacock tattoo can also have cultural meaning, or a personal outlook on life.
Peacocks represent good luck, renewal, honor, and beauty, so getting a tattoo of this bird can mean you think a certain way about life, are manifesting good opportunities for the future, or want to connect to all of the beauty the world has to offer.
More for You:
Megan Hatch is a writer at YourTango who covers zodiac, love and relationships, and pop culture.