In the class Cephalopoda, there are approximately three hundred currently known species of octopus to be found in the earth’s oceans. Most cultures view these mysterious mollusks with a sense of awe, wonder, and often fear, and they have been the inspiration for legends like the kraken of Norway and the lusca of the Caribbean. The octopus has three hearts, blue blood, and a central brain, though most of its neurons are found in its arms. This means each arm can taste, touch, and move autonomously after receiving the initial command from the brain.
Key Attributes
Adaptability, resourcefulness, achieving goals with flexibility, high intelligence, grace, camouflage, and strong defenses.
Chakra Interpretations
Root
The octopus can only live in salt water. This means you probably love being near the ocean; the smell of the sea is life to you. Another connection you may have could be to the octopus’s diet, the majority of which is shellfish. While the octopus has a cartilaginous “skull,” it has no skeletal structure, which allows it to contort itself so that it can squeeze through spaces much smaller than its body. Octopuses typically will create a den to live in for a few weeks but will even crawl into a bottle or some other trash that has found its way to the bottom of the sea floor. Most likely, you move around a lot, so you keep very few personal possessions. It could be that your job demands this, or it could be personal preference. It is very possible that you are called to tiny-house or RV living; key for you is to be able to move on whenever the spirit moves you.
Sacral
The octopus doesn’t do well in captivity. It is important to your emotional sanity that you don’t feel caged in. If someone or something tries to contain you, you will do everything in your power to gain your freedom. Also, an octopus is driven by intelligence rather than instinct. As mentioned earlier, they don’t just have one brain like humans do but rather have one central brain, and each arm is capable of acting independently. You are the kind of person who doesn’t let your passions rule your life; you think about everything. At the same time, you probably have a lot of projects going on simultaneously, and you give each one equal attention.
Solar Plexus
The octopus is known for being able to change its color to blend in with its surroundings, and one species, the mimic octopus, can even change its appearance and behavior to impersonate other sea creatures. The octopus in this chakra means you intentionally blend in wherever you are. This could be because you don’t want to stand out, but it could also be for safety reasons. The octopus’s movement is also key for this chakra. They can leisurely float along the ocean floor, swim very fast, or shoot off in a sudden burst of speed when threatened, usually leaving behind a cloud of black ink. No matter what speed, the octopus makes it look effortless and graceful. This says that no matter what speed you are moving, you do so with grace.
Heart
As mentioned earlier, the octopus has three hearts. This means you can divide your heart’s intentions into several different areas. It could be that you have several things in your life that require equal attention and love—your partner, your children, your companion animals, a garden. The list may be endless, but you are able to give to each one equally. Another aspect of the octopus in this chakra speaks to its defense mechanism of squirting black ink when it feels threatened. If you want love in your life and this chakra to be opened, review how you react to the world around you to be sure you aren’t hiding in your own cloud of fear.
Throat
The octopus doesn’t have any organ for hearing or speech; however, they are able to communicate with each other through body language. This suggests that you aren’t comfortable using words to communicate your thoughts and feelings, and you prefer to let your actions speak for you. Another aspect of the octopus in this chakra relates to the fact that all species of octopus have venom. This is a caution to choose your words carefully so as not to inflict harm when you do communicate.
Third Eye
Octopuses are thought to be color blind, but their polarized vision is believed to provide the equivalent to adding color to a black and white photo. Recent studies have concluded that cephalopods have photoreceptors in their skin, allowing them to sense light. Most likely, you are psychically very aware most of the time, seeing into a different spectrum than most people. It could also be that you are prone to getting cold shivers on your skin when you are sensing something. As mentioned above, the octopus uses its arms to touch and taste. Instead of blindly trusting your intuition, you like to touch or experience something firsthand before you believe it to be true. This could include exploring meditation practices, reiki, or any other discipline that can’t be learned by reading a book.
Crown
The octopus lives in the depths of the ocean. Like many creatures who survive in those realms, the octopus seems otherworldly. You float through the waking world and the dream world with equal comfort, and you typically remember your dreams. Exploring your deepest self is never a challenge for you; in fact, it is where you are most at ease. Most likely, you can go deeper into trance than most people, and it is never a place you feel lost. To you, it feels like home.