What Does It Mean When You See a Shooting Star? Symbolism & More

Get excited about this spiritual sign

Co-authored by Savannah Vold Reviewed by Michelle Arbeau

Last Updated: October 26, 2024 Fact Checked

Shooting stars or meteors are a dazzling and rare sight to see—but do they mean anything? The good news is shooting stars are believed to be a positive omen across many different cultures and could be a powerful sign of wonderful things to come. In this article, we’ll walk you through all the possible meanings of seeing a shooting star. Plus, we’ll tell you exactly what to do to harness all that magical energy when you see one.

Things You Should Know

Shooting stars are symbolic of new love. If you’ve been hoping to meet your soulmate, seeing a shooting star might suggest they’re coming.
If you’ve been wishing for something, seeing a shooting star suggests that it might be coming true!
Shooting stars are symbolic of a new spiritual journey. To connect with the universe, get out in nature and listen to your intuition.

1

Arrival of a New Spirit

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Shooting stars are symbolic of new life being formed. Across many different cultures, shooting stars are believed to be a representation of new life making its way down from the heavens. From baby humans to baby animals and insects, seeing a shooting star might just mean a darling new life is just about to open their eyes to life on Earth. ^{[1]
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- What to Do: If you believe that a shooting star might be a sign of new life coming down to Earth, take the opportunity to wish them well. You might think something sweet like, “Good luck!” or “God bless them.”
- Some cultures and religions believe that a shooting star is a soul going to heaven.
- In ancient Greek, Rome, and China, shooting stars were thought to symbolize the birth or death of a prominent person.

2

Love

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Seeing a shooting star might suggest your soulmate is on their way. If you’ve been hoping to meet “the one,” seeing a shooting star might be an exciting sign from above that you might meet them soon. Indicative of new beginnings, shooting stars have long been associated with starting a magical new relationship or an exciting new chapter with your current partner—are those wedding bells I hear? ^{[2]
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- What to Do: Open yourself up to finding new love by going out on the town with your friends or taking a class in something you’re interested in. If you run into someone you feel like you’ve known forever or are magnetically attracted to, you might have found your soulmate !

3

Good Fortune

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Shooting stars are symbolic of good luck. Just like finding a lucky penny on the ground, seeing a shooting star is believed to be an exciting sign that the universe is on your side. If you’ve been wondering if the wheel of fortune will spin in your favor, seeing a shooting star might be a sign that it will. ^{[3]
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- What to Do: Take a leap of faith. If you’ve been wondering if you should pursue your passion project full time or ask that special someone out, seeing a shooting star might mean that the universe is conspiring for everything to work out just as you hope.

4

Fertility

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Shooting stars are symbolic of fertility and pregnancy. Throughout many different cultures, seeing a shooting star suggests that a beautiful, healthy baby might be on their way to you if you’ve been trying to get pregnant. If you’re already pregnant, a falling star might be a message from your baby that they’re excited to meet you! ^{[4]
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- What to Do: If you’re ready to start a family , talk with your partner about how you’re feeling to begin planning for the future. Remember, you don’t have to have a partner to be a great parent—single parents can raise healthy, happy babies just as well as couples.
- If you’re not ready to have a baby, not to worry! Seeing a shooting star then holds a different magical meaning to you.

5

Wish Fulfillment

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Seeing a shooting star might signify your wish is coming true. Who could forget that special saying, “Wish upon a star?” Around the world, shooting stars are believed to be an opportunity from the heavens to make a special wish. It might just be granted. ^{[5]
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- What to Do: When you see a falling star, reflect on a dream you want to come true and make a wish . You might say, “I wish that my family and I live long, healthy, happy lives together,” or “I wish to meet the love of my life as soon as possible.”

6

New Beginnings

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Seeing a shooting star may indicate a positive change in your life. If you’ve been feeling stagnant and have been hoping for something exciting to happen, seeing a shooting star could be symbolic of just that! Whether it’s a new career opportunity, a move to a new city, or a new friend/loved one entering your life, the universe could be sending something wonderful your way. ^{[6]
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- What to Do: Prepare to embrace change by taking the time you need to ground yourself and get centered. Meditating for as little as 5 minutes a day may help calm your mind and prepare you to greet your bright new future with confidence.

7

A Message from the Departed

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Shooting stars may signify that your loved ones are watching over you. Love never dies, so if you recently saw a shooting star, it could be a sign from your dearly departed that they’re supporting you and sending their love. Keep your head up and have faith; your spirit guides may be leading you towards your highest good. ^{[7]
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- What to Do: If you’ve been feeling lost and in need of guidance, reach out to your deceased loved ones for advice through prayer. You might pray, “Please guide me toward the right path.”

8

Spiritual Growth

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Seeing a shooting star could suggest the start of a spiritual journey. A heavenly sight to behold, it’s no wonder that shooting stars symbolize a new spiritual journey. If you’ve been feeling distant from your connection with the universe, seeing a falling star may be a sign that the universe has your back and is guiding you toward cultivating a deep connection with the world around you. ^{[8]
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- What to Do: Go on walks in nature to connect with the universe. During your walk, ask yourself reflective questions like, “What do I want to achieve in life?” or “What could I do to help others?”

9

A Change in the Weather

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Shooting stars were used throughout history to predict the weather. Shooting stars have been used across cultures and in folklore to help forecast the weather. Scientifically, how fast the tail of the shooting star moves correlates to the current temperature and wind speed of the atmosphere. ^{[9]
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Research source} Alternatively, the brightest star in the sky, Sirius, was used to determine drought, and the height of the evening star was thought to indicate how bountiful a harvest would be.
- What to Do: Look up at Sirius and make a weather prediction yourself! In indigenous cultures, if Sirius doesn’t twinkle, fine weather is to come, but if Sirius flickers quickly, a storm may be on its way. ^{[10]
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- Sailors would use shooting stars to determine which way the wind was blowing based on which direction the shooting star was falling.

10

New Opportunities

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Shooting stars are thought to symbolize new and exciting opportunities. Ancient cultures believed that shooting stars were symbolic of incoming or missed opportunities since they're here one minute and gone the next. Don’t worry if you think you’ve missed your chance; 2-7 stars fall every hour, so plenty of opportunities are coming your way.
- What to Do: Opportunities can arise from even the most boring of situations, so keep your eyes peeled by looking for ways to expand your horizons , like asking to take on new responsibilities at work or even taking a different route home. You never know what might cross your path from switching things up!
- Shooting stars can also symbolize prosperity, so your new opportunity, like a promotion, might just lead to financial success!

11

Hope

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Shooting stars are a reminder to stay hopeful. It's easy to feel down when things don’t work out how we’d hoped they would. The good news is, seeing a falling star may be a sign from the universe not to give up—your angels may be leading you towards something greater than you could ever imagine. ^{[11]
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- What to Do: To affirm your self-worth in times of hardship, repeat affirmations such as “I am strong, capable, and resilient” or “Nothing that’s meant for me will ever miss me.”
- Seeing a shooting star can also signify protection, so if you feel like you’ve lost out on an opportunity or things just aren’t going your way, your angels may be protecting you from anything that isn’t your highest, happiest good.

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What Does It Mean When You See a Shooting Star? Symbolism & More

Things You Should Know

Steps

Arrival of a New Spirit

Love

Good Fortune

Fertility

Wish Fulfillment

New Beginnings

A Message from the Departed

Spiritual Growth

A Change in the Weather

New Opportunities

Hope

Expert Q&A

Tips

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References

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