|
For as long as humankind has recognized animals as teachers, wise people have
recognized traits worthy of respect in both wild and domestic creatures. The
cultural and spiritual significance of certain animals transcends
geographical boundaries. But the majestic and mysterious owl has, for over
many millennia, served as the focal point of numerous contradictory beliefs.
Though owls have been regarded with awe and fascination, they have also
served as agents of fear. Since owls are nocturnal, human-owl encounters
tended to occur at night and likely when the bird was swooping silently down
to earth to grapple with prey. Yet even as some shied away from the owl,
calling it an agent of darkness, others recognized the depths of awareness in
beautiful owls’ eyes.
In the classical Greek tradition, an owl could often be found perched on the
shoulder of Athena, goddess of wisdom, while owls could ward off bad luck in
Roman lore. It is in Indigenous American mythos that the owl attains its own
unique identity. Owls are patient messengers, bringers of information, and
the holders of wisdom, and they are capable of seeing the unseen. With their
keen eyesight, they can glance into the soul to discern meaning and motive,
and they are totems of truth. Unlike our distant forebears, we may never
encounter an owl in the wild, but we can nonetheless internalize the wisdom
of the owl by attuning ourselves to its most venerable qualities. Fully
integrating the medicine of the owl into spiritual existence is a matter of
considering how we might open ourselves more fully to the wisdom that can be
found in the larger universe.
Should you find your efforts blocked as you commune with the owl, remember
that it was not always revered as an icon of wisdom. This denizen of the
nighttime has overcome many prejudices in its long association with
humankind. To reveal those hidden elements of the self that impact your life
for better or for worse, you must often make your way through the darkest
parts of your soul. There is indeed darkness both inside the self and outside
the self, but like the owl, you can transcend it by drawing nourishment from
the insights you receive when you penetrate it.
|
No comments:
Post a Comment