BATS

 

BATS

Dark night flyer, lift me higher realms of life where loved ones go,
That I might find joy mind to mind, my heart hurt less.  I miss them so.
Teach me that death can hurt much less if I accept it as no end,
But see it true, just another view of life continuing round a bend.

Transition, Rebirth

A Bat totem appearing in your life is a call for the end of a way of life and the beginning of another.

You must face your greatest fears and get rid of the part of your life that no longer is needed.
This transition is very frightening for many:
“better the devil you know…”
But you will not grow spiritually until the old parts are gone.
Face the darkness before you and you will find the light in rebirth.

 

Symbolic Meaning of Bat

Bat Symbol

The bat is a symbol for death, superstition, fear, night, and cult and it is often linked to witchcraft and occults in the folktales form the West. On the contrary, the Chinese believe that it is a sign of happiness and good fortune and the Africans and ancient Greece believe it is a symbol of articulacy.

The bat symbol is considered to be the most sinister and frightening of all the symbols. It is regarded as a sign of darkness and death due to the Western myths which tends to associate it with un-cleanliness. Due to these legends, the bat has been portrayed by the Western civilization as a form of devil and vampire particularly by Bram Stoker (1897) in his book “Dracula”. It brought out the bat to represent the evil creature.

Even though some of these myths may be based on truth, others may not because most bats feed only on fruits and bugs but a few others feed on blood. Those that feed on blood drink the blood of cows and because they have an anticoagulant in their saliva, they can feed of these cows for about 20-30 minutes. Those that feed on blood are around three species of about 900 bat species around the world the rest that feed on fruits and bugs are not frightening after all. On the other hand, they are regarded as evil because they shun daylights and thus are night creatures that even tend to avoid bright moonlight.

Bat has a surprising history because in the early Christian art, angels were depicted as having birdlike wings while the demons were having bat like wings similarly, in the writings of St. Paul, women’s hair was said to attract demons and that is why they were supposed to be covered when they were in church. This lead to a tradition that allowed women to cover their hair by wearing hats to church and also because they believed that bats could fly directly into the hair. These legends therefore will associate a bat tattoo with images of night creatures, bloodsuckers and other scary interpretations according to one’s culture.

 

On the contrary, when you come from China things would be different because the bat is seen here as a symbol of good fortune and happiness. Any image which contains five bats arranged in any pattern would represent these five types of happiness: love, love of virtue, riches, long life, happy death and peace. But the Native American legends tends to dispute this because they associate the bat with death because it flies at night and as a sign of rebirth because these bats always sleep with heads down. The face down act is associated to the position of the baby before birth. In the society of Shamans, the bat represents the desire to die a ritual death before one is able to develop into a new being. It is therefore an animal which represented initiations.

 

 

 

 

Native American Bat Symbolism

  Native Americans approached the realm of animals from a position of honor – knowing that all things are connected. They understood that seeing the bat with fear in the heart would be the same as being terrified of their own children. Ridiculous.

The Native American animal symbolism of the bat comes from a keen observation of this magnificent animal. These people recognized that the bat was highly sensitive to their surroundings and so therefore was considered a symbol of intuition, dreaming and vision. This made the bat a powerful symbol for Native American shamans and medicine people. Often the spirit of the bat would be invoked when special energy was needed, like “night-sight” which is the ability to see through illusion or ambiguity and dive straight to the truth of matters.

It is a symbol of communication because the Native Americans observed the bat to be a highly social creature. Indeed, the bat has strong family ties. They are very nurturing, exhibiting verbal communication, touching, and sensitivity to members of their group.

Here is a quick-list of bat animal symbolism:

• Illusion
• Rebirth
• Dreams
• Intuition
• Initiation
• Journeying
• Inner Depth
• Communication

The bat is a symbol of rebirth and depth because it is a creature that lives in the belly of the Mother (Earth).

From the womb-like caves it emerges every evening at dusk. And so – from the womb it is reborn every evening.

If you have the bat as your totem you are extremely aware of your surroundings. Sometimes you can be overly sensitive to the feelings of others. Additionally, you are quite perceptive on a psychic level, and are prone to have prophetic dreams.

If you work with the bat as your totem, you will be put to the test, because it is demands only 100% commitment to spiritual growth. The bat will never accept half-hearted or lukewarm attempts at self-improvement. Indeed, if the bat senses that you are slacking in your psychic/spiritual training it will likely move on to someone else who is more willing to learn the lessons the bat has to offer.

As with most of our hardest challenges, working with the demanding bat will reap some of the most profound rewards you could ever dream of. But be warned, the bat asks a lot of us, like:

• Dying to our ego
• Loving our enemies as ourselves
• Going within to touch our inner demons
• Exploring the underworlds of reality (which can be scary)
• Renewing our thoughts and beliefs on a moment-to-moment basis

All of these tasks can be harrowing experiences. This is why the Native American symbolism of the bat deals with initiation; because this creature takes us to outlandish extremes. But rest assured, the bat is never leaves our side while we are journeying.

Furthermore, once we are tested to satisfaction, the devotion of the bat will never fade. It will eternally support us on our spiritual path – ever faithful and forever loving us on our journey to maintain our highest potential.

Bat Totem Spirit Power

  Animal Spirit Guide – Bat Medicine – Guardians Of The Night

The belly of Mother Earth,
the cave dwellers versed in magic.
The Dream weavers,
unraveling the spiritual mysteries.

Bat’s wisdom includes:

• shamanic death and rebirth,
• initiation,
• viewing past lives,
• pollination of new ideas,
• transition, understanding grief,
• the use of vibrational sound,
• camouflage,
• invisibility,
• ability to observe unseen,
• secrets.

1. Shaman initiates go through a ritual death, sometimes with the aid of teacher plants and/or fasting. Here they confront their fears and are reborn without their old identities. Bats help us to release fear and patterns which no longer fits within our pattern of growth.
2. Bat flying into your life signifies that transformation of the ego self is about to occur, the end of a way of life and the start of another. This transition can be very frightening for many, even just to think about. But you will not grow spiritually until you let go these old parts of you that are NOT NEEDED. Facing the darkness before you will help you find the light in rebirth. The bat gives you the wisdom required to make the appropriate changes for the birthing of your new identity.
3. Bats have needle like teeth and can sometimes be rabies carriers, an infectious disease of the blood. It can cause a person to go mad. Fears that are permitted to spread, unchecked will in the end saturate our system, and can create a kind of madness within our lives. Bats reflect the need to face up to our fears.

There are various species of bat, with widely diverse traits. There are small and large bats. With a couple of exceptions, large bats live on fruit and get around visually. Smaller bats mainly feed on insects, catching them on the wing using echolocation. This is where an animal makes sounds and listens for the echoes reflected from surfaces and objects in the environment. With their amazing auditory perception bats are able to navigate through the dark with great ease. They have built in sonar’s, which give them the ability to know what lies beneath the surface.

Generally those with this power animal have uncanny abilities to discern hidden messages both from people and the environment. When one has mastered this medicine, intuitive and clairaudient abilities are accurate.

Studies have bee carried out on bats such as being put in a fridge. When this happens they immediately go into a hibernation mode. When taken back out and warmed up they are totally unharmed, unique for a warm blooded mammal. This shows that the bats life force is strong, and it regenerates it when needed.
If this is your power animal, you would benefit from all types of yogic practices, especially those to do with awakening the kundalini.

Bat are extremely adaptable. All that has to do with them from their senses, feeding, flight and mating to size is perfectly matched to their particular environment. The message for you here may be to assess your surroundings to see what bounty is there for you for the taking, and then adapting/changing patterns so you can receive it.

Unbalanced bats will get ‘scrambled’ and perplexed, flying into things. Are you coming up against obstacles as you try and get what you need and want in life? If so the message for you here may be for you to take a step back to re-gain your bearings and decide the importance of what you are seeking.
Bats are sociable animals which can indicate a need for more sociability or increased opportunity with greater numbers of people.

• Bat spirit people have an ability to decode hidden messages and to hear what is being said beneath someone’s dialogue.
• Bat Spirit helps us with nourishing our talents and dreams and shows us a way forward, extracting our innate abilities to work for us.
• Bat is a very powerful spirit guide, if you have darkness in your heart be warned Bat will amplify your negativity.
• On the opposite side, if your intent in using Bat medicine is one of love and light, Bat will grant protection from the darkness which he sees so clearly.
• Bat totem people are often in a time in their lives where they are freeing themselves of fixed beliefs.
• Bat spirit people are often psychics and or mediums, due to being able to tune into thought waves.

 

Bats in dreams

When you see bats in dream it is often scary, a consequence of vampire movies which have somewhat harmed the bat’s reputation. However, there is little to be alarmed about. Seeing bats in dreams is a sign that annoyances in your real life are affecting you, so it is time to make some changes.

Different bat dreams are believed to have different meanings, but in reality they are all telling you it is time to let go of old habits and be more positive.

What Bats in Dreams Mean

Bats in dreams signify rebirth. A dream about bats suggests you need to make changes to important relationships in your life – to refresh those relationships, for them to be reborn more positively.

In the modern world, the bat dream means you may be feeling unappreciated at home or work. You need to identify the problem, or who is causing the problem, and either get rid of the problem or change your relationship with it.

Bats usually represent hidden fears that you haven’t dealt with – often regarding people, but also to do with work and other important aspects of your life. Bats are believed to symbolize dirtiness, dishonesty and annoyances. The dream is telling you it is time to clean up messy areas of your life.

To dream of a bat suggests you may have issues surrounding using your free will. The meaning of the dream is that you need to make changes to regain control of your life.

The bat dream is a sign that it is time to put yourself first, be less sensitive to your environment and that you need to make changes to help you achieve your potential.

Don’t see the bat as scary. See it as a sign that it is time to improve your life.

  The bat as a symbol has been associated with words like rebirth, intuition,  communication, inner depth, initiation, and illusion.

Native Americans, however, view the bat as an interconnected part of all creation, and the symbols attached to it typically involve intuition and vision. These associations are based on the fact that bats are very sensitive to their surroundings in nature. Native Americans might invoke a bat spirit if they needed special energy, such as the ability to “see” clearly and identify illusions or ambiguity in a matter, going straight for its core truth.

Native Americans considered the bat to be a symbol of communication because bats have strong family ties and are extremely nurturing and social creatures. They are very sensitive to the other members of their group and constantly communicate with them. A dream of a bat suggests issues associated with free will and freedom as well, since bats can fly!

The dream bat indicates that you are very aware of the things that surround you in your environment and that you may be overly sensitive to the feelings of other people in your life. It also suggests that you are blessed with psychic perceptions and may have prophetic dreams. A bat’s appearance in your dream means you should make a greater effort at self-improvement and work on your spiritual and psychic education, perhaps confronting things that might be “scary” for you. If you follow the dream bat’s suggestion, you’ll be on your way toward your highest potential.

On the negative side, a bat dream is symbolic of the darker side of your personality. It may mean that you are relying on your intuition more than your logic – that you might be “blind” to certain things.

To dream of a bat means that you should let go of old habits, evaluate facts more closely in a given situation so you don’t go “batty” or “crazy.”

In some cultures, a dream of a white bat means the death of a family member, but it can also just mean that there is a deep seated change you are wanting but are not ready to acknowledge the whole thing at this time.

Dreaming of a black bat indicates you will face some personal catastrophe.

Dreaming of a vampire bat indicates that you are being “drained” of your self-confidence or resources.

If you see several bats in your dream, it could mean that you are worrying about your debts.

A bat in your dream can have a double representation, depending on the way it is presented. It can be the animal, or it can be a sports bat. These dreams have two different meanings.

Flying bats are associated with darkness, fear, and night time, while a sports bat is a good omen in most dreams.

The message of this dream is to face difficulties you are encountering in waking life. The popular belief is that bats are generally frightening and associated with vampires. Based on this belief, any thoughts within your unconscious mind may reveal themselves in the near future. A flying bat in a dream can foretell annoyance and sorrow. Dreaming of a flying bat could be a bad omen of some sadness and depression ahead. If you catch the bat in your dream, it is a good sign that you may get rid of an enemy or annoyance very soon.

In your dream you may have…

Seen a flying bat.

Been attacked by bats.

Seen lots of bats in the dark.

Seen a bat hanging upside down.

Encountered or used a baseball bat.

Encountered or used a cricket bat.

Positive changes are afoot if…

The bat (animal) was friendly and not intrusive.

The bat (animal) did not try to harm or attack you.

The bat (animal) appeared asleep in the daytime.

The bat (sports equipment) was used for a friendly ball game.

Detailed dream interpretation…

Below are two “bat” interpretations: Flying bats and bats in various sports.

Flying bat…

Although extremely rare, and almost never seen in the daylight, flying bats are generally associated with negative situations. It is important, however, to consider the nature of this dream. If it was a positive experience for you, then the interpretation is meaningless. However, if the dream is negative, the bats symbolize one of your negative personality traits.

Bats are associated with darkness, and therefore this dream shows a negative part of your personality or the personality of someone close to you. If you dream you are attacked by a bat, this demonstrates your need to move forward in difficult times.

The Chinese believe that this animal predicts five opportunities: peace, wealth, virtue, longevity and death without suffering. It is also said that a bat protects other animals from diseases. For a correct interpretation of the dream, you must remember that a bat clings upside down, and therefore it has a reverse image and perception of the world.

Sports bat…

If a cricket bat appears in your dream, you may need to learn how to better control your anger. If you are struggling to hit the ball with the bat, perhaps this suggests a lack of confidence. The theme of a dream involving any type of competitive sports represents the need to share with others. If you are enjoying the game, though, it is a positive sign.

If you dream of a baseball bat, then this suggests happy times ahead, depending upon how this particular bat is used in your dream. If you hit a ball with a baseball bat, you are likely to win in situations involving others. If the baseball bat is being used as a weapon, then this dream demonstrates you have aggression within your waking life that you must deal with right away.

This dream suggests that you will experience some frustration which could eat away at you. If you are awarded a prize in this dream, it indicates that your subconscious mind is giving you sufficient credit for the things that you have achieved in your life. Sometimes living in a negative world leads to lack of congratulating yourselves on the positive tasks that you have completed, and an award in your dream is a reminder of a job well done.

Feelings that you may have encountered during a dream of a bat…

Scared. Terrified. Disgusted. Unhappy. Accomplished. Happy. Powerful. Confident. In control. Proud.

Bats in dreams can represent group or solitary situations that require better listening skills or more attention to understand the indirect meaning behind its presence. Learn the meanings and interpretations.

When a bat enters our dreams, there is so much to learn from the experience, whether the dream is conveyed through something frightening or something fun. Listed below are common ways to interpret what it means when a bat has appeared in a dream.

Hearing

Bats have an incredible system of echo location to navigate their flights so they rely heavily on auditory stimulation to judge distances and size when in flight. They are able to use high pitch vibrational sounds to form a mental 3D framework of their surroundings which makes them excellent hunters. Bats remind us to pay attention to the small little whispers circulating in your life. Perhaps gossip has become burdensome, or you’re awaiting news of something. Bat reminds us to listen carefully and to understand that more is being said than what may be visible. It also reminds us to refine our listening skills. We cannot learn from a situation unless we are willing to still our mind and quiet our thoughts while listening to what is being said, versus competing with what is being said in order to get our point across. Listen, and use your voice carefully. Choose your words wisely because they reach their intended target and can alter the direction of our course of action.

Nocturnal

Most species of Bats are nocturnal and are most awake to feed during nighttime hours. When the world is asleep, Bat is awake to travel and find sustenance. Bat reminds us that we may not always be on everyone else’s timing, but that is okay. We must honor our own timing and even if that means we do our best problem solving in the wee hours while we’re dreaming or meditating, there is a time in which each of us is at our best. It also reminds us that we need to pay closer attention to things within our lives we may have fallen asleep to that needs our attention in order to feed our relationships or souls.

Groups

Most species of Bats fly or hunt in groups. Seldom do they operate solo. There is strength in numbers and Bats are helping to remind us that we need to work together as part of a team. If we are having trouble with teamwork, Bat is here to remind us that there is always a way to strengthen a partnership and we need to remember that we’re stronger together than apart.

Single

A solitary or single Bat in a dream can denote a sense of needing to find independence from a group or a team, especially if it has become dysfunctional. Venturing out solo can present a challenge but testing our endurance and strength is important so that we can learn to appreciate the groups we surround ourselves with. This can also remind us that we all need personal space, no matter how tightly woven a group is together. Perhaps the dreamer is feeling suffocated or smothered by others, even in a family dynamic so Bat flying solo in a dream can remind the dreamer that it might be time to take flight from a constricting situation.

Fear

Bats appearing in a dream that is surrounding by an element of fear can represent to the dreamer that it’s time to face ones fears and learn to venture out in to the dark unknown in their life. People that become surrounded by a group of Bats that appear to be attacking them can be a warning to the dreamer that they need to heed caution when interacting with a particular group of team of people. Attack mode is usually brought on by emotionally charged reactions and when comparing to a flight or fight response, how the dreamer responds to being attacked will give a heads up on what to expect in their waking life pertaining to a situation they are affected by.

Being Bit

An extension to the previous paragraph on fear, being bit by a Bat or group of Bats in a dream can represent being “bit” in real life whether it’s by harsh words, gossip or physical confrontation. It’s important to know what to watch out for or pay attention to. Are people around you in attack mode and slandering you or your reputation?

For those who are watching someone else get bit by Bats, then the message is to take notice of how or where they are under attack by others. it’s also good for the dreamer in this situation to ask themselves honestly if they are the ones who are in attack mode, sending out abrasive energies towards another.

Elusive

Some dreamers know there is a Bat in their immediate surroundings but cannot see it. In this situation, it’s good for the dreamer to listen carefully and be observant as to what is going on in their immediate surroundings with others that would or could affect their own well being. People dreaming of a Bat inside their home but are unable to spot it would represent something that needs careful listening or attention between them and their immediate family or friends. Dreaming of a Bat in a work related environment denotes the same thing although with co-workers or employers.

Bat has a lot to teach us and there are positive messages intertwined to show us there’s more to discover, so long as we listen closely to what is being presented.

 

 

http://kidzone.ws/animals/bats/facts9.htm

Types of Bats

There are a lot of different kinds of bats — from the tiny bumblebee bat (which is the size of a jellybean and weighs less than a penny) to the huge Bismarck flying fox (with a wingspan as long as an average man).

In fact, there are over 900 different species of bats — they make up one fifth of the world’s mammals.  They are the second largest group of mammals (rodents are the largest).  Bats live all over the world, from the United States to Australia except for in the coldest parts.

Bats are grouped into two main groups — the large fruit eating bats (also known as “flying foxes” or “megabats”) and the smaller bats (“microbats”) who eat insects, blood, fish, lizards, birds and nectar.

Megabats and microbats are quite different from one another.  Microbats live worldwide, except for Antarctica and most of the arctic region.  Most of the world’s bats are microbats.

Megabats include nearly 200 species and live in tropical regions.  They look a lot more like land mammals we’re familiar with — which is why they’re called “flying foxes”.  Most megabats are unable to echolocate, although there are a few (like the Egyptian Rousette) that can.

Links to Other Bat Sites

Bat Coloring Pages

Bat Crafts

Bat Quiz

EnchantedLearning – All About Bats

List of Different Bat Species

MakingLearningFun Bat Printables 

Fun Bat Facts

Bats: The Best Insecticide

FREE Bat Coloring Pages

FREE Bat Clip Art

Save the Bats

Types of Bats

What Do Bats Eat?

What is Bat Ecolocation?

Bat Houses for Sale

About Gray Bats

About Fruit Bats

About Vampire Bats

About Bumblebee Bats

About Evening Bats

About Big Brown Bats

About Little Brown Bats

About Brazilian Free-Tailed Bats

About Eastern Red Bats

About Long Legged Bats

About Long Eared Bats

About Pallid Bats

About Seminole Bats

About Silver-Haired Bats

 

Bat Species Profiles

http://www.batcon.org/index.php/all-about-bats/species-profiles.html