In some Latin countries owls are bad omens. It is said to bring death to newborns. One of my sisters used to be protected with so many amulets, charms and the most common house items. As a baby, they used to put scissors under her pillow as a method of protection, and more when owls were around. Saturday (may 2, 2009) there was an owl sleeping in the front window of my house. When my mother saw the owl, she panicked. She wanted the owl away. The first thing that came to her mind, was that my baby sister is not baptized, and the presence of the owl is a threat. She told my older sister to get rid of it. My sister was excited. Her comment was "I wonder if I summoned it". But, she did not wanted to wake it up, instead she took a picture of it; at the moment she did that the owl opened its eyes. So, she told a kid to call animal protection. That was it. They took the owl. Well, my question is "what does an owl means to you as a practitioner?" or " Would you have kept the owl?" [In some cultures owls stand for wisdom.]
Well I know of a wives tale that says if you see a white owl in the day you will have bad luck, and one even says if you hear the owl hoot youll soon face death...But I believe owls represent things like wisdom and the ability to see the truth even in complete darkness...the ability to find your way out no matter what the circumstances.
Owls play a big part in many Native American beliefs, but to set the record straight before someone claims they all believe the same thing: EACH TRIBE OF NATIVE AMERICANS HAVE DIFFERENT BELIEFS. Not capsing the words to make a "yelling" affect, rather hoping for emphasis.
That said many tribes also believe that the owl is a harbinger of death, but most do not believe that the owl is that actual cause of death. Simply a warning to the individual and those who care for the individual.
The Cherokee tribe, if I remember correctly, simply consider it a warning and the size/type/location of the owl all dictate the importance of the warning. For example, if the owl (of any size) is seen out in the forest while on a hunt it means nothing; The owl was seen in it's natural habitat, where it belongs. If the owl is of medium size and seen near the village/camp then it is fair warning possibly for the entire community; it could be telling about a drought, lack of food, etc. A large owl seen at the home of a particular family would be a great warning for that particular family meaning anything from illness to death of an individual or possibly the whole family.
My tribe, the Tlingits, also considered the Owl to be an omen, but their beliefs differed from one clan to the next. Some believed it was good to see a hunter before the hunt, others believed it was an ill omen of various things.
In my experience omens like this generally depend on your own beliefs. If you belief it to be a bad omen then for you it may be a bad omen, if you believe it to be a good omen then for you it may be a good omen. An example of this would be another example between my Satanic brother-in-law and Christian me. I see the number "666" as a bad omen because every time that number has popped up in a place where it didn't have to be there (such as a game score, card game, broken clock/timer, etc.) something bad has happened. My brother-in-law, on the other hand, sees it as a good sign and for him it seems to be. Oppositely the number "777" is a good sign for me, but seems to be a bad omen for him.
Before anyone attacks this, I am not saying "666" or "777" mean anything at all, simply saying that "666" is bad for me and good for him while "777" is good for me and bad for him. It is an example, not a religious statement.
I understand. Each individual chooses what information to keep and use and which one to discard and becomes a habit, which makes the brain to act in sort of automatic mode. This is the reason why eye witnesses are put down for the most part in courts. In either case, it does not matter if a housewife tale, belief, or tradition. It all comes down to each individual experiences, knowledge, doubts, beliefs, etc... etc. I would have kept the owl. My sister wouldn't have let me, and my mother would have flipped out. Then again, I am not responsible enough to take care of an animal. It is for the best. As a practitioner, I see an owl as a messenger of improvement or letting go of something. It is not much of change of luck, or bad omen, just a common sign that things need to step up a little or there is something blocking the way and needs to be move.
I see owls as messengers. Not good, not bad, not even neutral, just a sign that change is on the way. I believe it is up to us to decide whether that change will be good or bad, for better or for worse.
You are correct about the Cherokee beliefs Ragnorok. I am Cherokee and Choctaw and most tribes in this area have about the same beliefs concerning owls. I know some who say that if you kill the owl, then the death will not happen. I don't know if this is true or how many people agree with this though.
iv all ways seen owls as wonders fools on the tarot cards
they go where they like and do what they like when ever i see an owl i get lost and i find many odd thigns in getting lost then i see another owl and i find my self in old places again
That is the first time I hear some one say that they see Owls as fools (referring to the card, I speculate). I appreciate every one of you views and ideas.
