Dove Meaning and Symbolism

According to the scientific nomenclature, both the pigeon and dove are the same, but they vary in terms of size as well as other factors. When it comes to spiritual symbolism, pigeons also stand for positivity, calmness, and sacrifice. Their (dove and pigeon) feathers symbolize love, family union, and peace.

Symbolism of Different Doves

Turtle Dove: Stands for friendship, devotion, love, and good luck.

Mourning Dove (Brown or gray): It is named so because of its melancholic call that could evoke feelings of loss and grief. However, in actuality, it symbolizes hope, peace, renewal, spirituality, and feelings of optimism.

Symbolism of Different Colored Doves

White: It represents faithfulness, prosperity, kindness, forgiveness, and a new beginning.

Black: It stands for illness, negativity, and also death.

Having a Dove As Your Spirit Animal

If the dove is your spirit animal, you are a peacemaker like the bird, also having a generous, innocent, affectionate, and gentle nature. You spread happiness everywhere you go, with people finding your company to be an extremely joyful one. Because of your calm attitude and nurturing nature, you would be an excellent parent to your kids. Doves display loyalty when it comes to relationships and often work hand in hand with their partners while managing their homes. You would exactly replicate the dove and show faithfulness as well as compassion in your marital life.

On the flip side, your peaceful nature could sometimes put you in trouble, forcing you to remain submissive when you actually need to display assertion.

What Does it Spiritually Mean to See a Dove

A dove crossing your path is no coincidence, and it could mean that the bird is urging you to remain peaceful and harmonious always. Seeing it at a time of trouble or mental confusion would help soothe your mind, giving you spiritual solace.

Seeing the Bird on Your Wedding Day

Your married life would be smooth sailing and happy.

Sighting a Pair of Dove

They have a greater symbolic meaning, suggesting that your life would be filled with love and luck in the days to come.

Three White Doves

It stands for the Father, the son, as well as the Holy Spirit. The Father means grace, love, promise, and devotion, the son, stands for holiness, sacrifice, and divinity. In contrast, the Holy Spirit is an epitome of purification and ascension.

Dove Dream Meaning

Doves coming to you in your dreams stand for devotion, piousness, and divinity, also urging you to develop spiritual feelings and remain rooted in your higher self. They also stand for a positive omen signifying good luck on the way.

A pair of doves	Symbolizes love and satisfaction in your relations
Birds and doves together	Means that you are not using the opportunities that come in your way positively
An unhappy dove	Indicates that your friend circle is not genuine and true
A female dove	Stands for peace and happiness in your household
A crying female dove	Hints at sorrow or trouble or even the demise of your kith or kin
A dead dove	Could mean the loss of a trusted friend or also indicate a bad deed that you may commit
Catching a dove	Meeting of a friend or even a possibility of marriage
Dove on the roof	Ushering of good news
Dove flying away from you	Could mean that you will lose money
Dove flying towards you	You might be getting news from your beloved
Releasing a dove with your own hands	Means a happy marital life
Doves making their nest	Presence of peace at home or even an indication of renovation, shifting or building of a new home
Turtle doves	Hints at attaining of true love or even the possibility of marriage
An injured dove	Could be an indication for you to forgive your offenders and move on in life
A white dove	Stands for happiness, prosperity and the ushering of a harmonic phase in your life; for a male, it might mean that he could be getting the girl of his choice soon
A black dove	Could mean negativity or conflict; at the same time when seen by a female it may indicate that she would get the man of her life soon
A brown or mourning dove	The bird might be urging you to observe peace in your waking life

Dove Symbolism in Different Religions and Cultures

In Bible and Christianity

According to Christianity, the dove stands for the Holy Spirit. The New Testament compares the spirit of God descending upon Christ to a dove. Christians even regarded the dove with an olive branch in its beak to be a symbol of peace.

In Islam

Dove, as well as the entire pigeon family, is highly revered as they had played a significant role in helping Prophet Muhammad by distracting his enemies.

In Judaism or Jewish culture

The dove was released by Noah post the devastating flood for finding land. It returned with an olive leaf in its beak, thus signifying life.

In Japanese culture

They consider dove to be a harbinger of good luck alongside a messenger of war.

In Chinese culture

Doves are regarded as a symbol of longevity, peace as well as fidelity.

In Medieval European culture

The first call of the bird meant good or bad luck depending on where they came from. The call would mean good luck or bad luck if it came from above or below, respectively.

In Greek and Roman culture

It stood for devotion, love peace, harmony, as well as care towards the family.

In Shamanism

Doves and pigeons are interchangeable, regarded as spiritual messengers establishing a communication between the present and the other world.