To elaborate on the timing symbolism, one might look to the cicada tattoo as a reminder to think about the timing of events in your life. Is this the right time to start a new job? Should I invest in this stock or sell? The symbol will not give you the answer, but it might make you more aware of the situation.

Another reason someone might get the cicada tattoo is to represent change or rebirth. Because the cicada sheds its youthful shell for it’s adult form, it can be said the cicada has been reborn. The process is interesting because the shell of the insect is in perfect shape when they leave it. This might represent leaving behind the person you were and becoming the person you want to be. It might also represent growing into an adult and leaving your childhood behind. The next step in life is to rid yourself of old habits and tendencies. The earthen womb the cicada spends most of its life in is considered to be the place where the cicada forms into the creature it will become. You could say human beings grow through childhood as well and the journey to adulthood.

In addition, a cicada still underground could be considered a sign of the past and when it emerges, the future has arrived. So, the person with the cicada tattoo is might be using this to represent moving forward in life and leaving the past behind him.

The cicada tattoo can represent our connection with the sun. Cicadas love the heat and sometimes it seems the warmer the weather is, the louder the cicadas. The sun represents illumination, outward expression, happiness and nourishment to name a few traits. The cicada could be a direct expression of these traits or it might be reminder to think about how we express ourselves to the outside world. As the sun is in an outward expression, so are our words. The cicada tattoo can be a reminder to look inward and think about how you are coming off to others.