Since ancient times Bees have been considered an integral part of our natural world. Bees always symbolized focus, productivity, teamwork, generosity, and prosperity due to their natural behaviors and contributions.

They pollinate our crops and trees, giving us the food we eat and the air we breathe. They also deliver humans with wax and honey, giving Bees the additional symbolic value of providence. Einstein believed so profoundly in the importance of Bees to the ecosystem that he predicted if Bees disappeared, humans would not survive more than four years afterward. Unfortunately, these concerns are today a possibility if we are not paying attention to what we are doing to the ecosystem.

Bees are really at risk of extinction largely due to human activities: large-scale changes in land use, industrialized agricultural practices, and the detrimental use of pesticides have all contributed to decimating them and destroying their habitats while reducing their available food sources. Globalization has also facilitated the transmission of parasites and other invasive species that prey on bees.

We need to understand that the pesticides we are using to remove “weeds” put bees in acute danger. There is so much that we can do to help save this amazing creature. To save our world.

 

A way to help would be to start buying organic produce as it is grown without the use of pesticides and therefore does not have chemicals that can kill bees. For your garden choose flowers and plants that attract bees and other pollinators. Make sure to plant using organic seeds and avoid using fungicides or pesticides. Buy local honey, as the local producers support bee populations, but need income to support their farms and themselves. Buying locally will help small-scale farmers to survive, while also helping the biodiversity of plants and the bee communities in your area. Do not kill bee hives.

While many people are afraid of bees, it is important to understand that they are mostly harmless unless provoked. Not all bees sting. Some species do not possess stinging abilities, and male bees do not sting at all. Even female bees that do sting will only do it if directly threatened or attacked. If you don't feel comfortable with bees around, you can contact a local beekeeper association that will relocate the bees to a new home.

It is important to see also another aspect of Bees, as they hold a spiritual significance for humanity. First, we need to understand that Bees are self-aware, they’re sentient, and they possibly have a form of consciousness. They solve problems and can think. Bees may even have a primitive form of subjective experiences. They can sense your energy and even recognize you through vibrations. They can feel your intentions through positive or negative energy. In my experience, they are amazing creatures. Often I was sitting next to the lavender bush I planted for them, to observe them closely, so closely they were landing on me and buzzing around my face like they recognized me and knew I was part of the land. They knew I was harmless and I believe they sensed I was there to protect and help them. Mutual respect.

Ancient cultures always viewed them as divine messengers, navigating between the physical and spiritual realms. They are also associated with the soul and bring the blessing of fertility given their vital role in pollination. Bee symbolism and meaning are steeped in power, speaking to the sacred calling of  both the individual and the collective. 

When Bee comes to us as a Spirit Guide, it’s time to take inventory of our responsibilities and our levels of productivity. Sometimes we are doing too much, and in others, not enough. Bee Spirit has a strong work ethic, but it also knows the importance of stopping and smelling flowers. There is a time to enjoy life’s nectar and a time to confront our responsibilities with vehemence. Bee helps with both and in finding the delicate balance between the two. We can learn so much from them if we are paying attention.

I cannot think of a single creature more elevated so unanimously by religions and spiritual paths. People with this animal totem very often become motivational speakers, teachers, healers, and lightworkers for the greater good. Their language of love is mindful service.

If the Bee is your Animal Totem, it reveals your inner world and your stamina. It guides and protects you, but at the same time, it reminds you of the importance of building a community and creating balance in your life. The Bee Totem is the symbol of growth and productivity.

 

You are blessed with a light personality, that strives to make other’s life better, as well as share your blessings with people around you. Teaching others these qualities may be related to fulfilling your soul karma.

 

Bees and honey were a major and persistent symbol in many cultures and were often linked with knowledge, health, and power. Bees were considered servants of the gods and honey was worshipped due to its healing attributes and power. They are represented in jewelry, money, and statues of goddesses.

A Bee’s honeycomb represents the Heart Chakra. Bees have strong ties to the sun, light, and warmth; this creature is sacred to Kama, the God of Love in Hinduism, and epitomizes the Eleusinian Mysteries of Greece, honoring Demeter and Persephone. Bees and honey were a major and persistent symbol in many cultures and were often linked with knowledge, health, and power. 

 

“Bee” was the title given to Aphrodite’s high priestess at the honeycomb shrine of Mount Eryx, where the Goddess’s fetish was a golden honeycomb. The hexagon was perceived as an expression of the spirit of Aphrodite whose sacred number was six. She worshipped bees as her sacred creatures because they understood how to create perfect hexagons in their honeycomb. In Her temple at Eryx, the priestesses were melissae, “bees” and the Goddess herself was entitled Melissa, the Queen Bee.

Seeking to understand nature’s secrets through sacred geometry, it seemed to them a revelation of the underlying symmetry of the cosmos.

 

So next time you see a bee, think about what it represents, and how much we can learn from this little being. It may sound strange to suggest that humans can learn about life from bees. These small insects are not as developed as we are, but they deserve our respect as without them there will be no life.

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Paola Luciani Fulbright