What does it mean if an owl visits you?
The Navajo and the apache native Indians believed the owl was a bad omen. Some European countries also have the same belief of sighting an owl as a bad thing, but in other instances, some native Indian tribes have warm and friendly associations with it. Different tribes’ beliefs are different, but most hold the view that it is a bad omen and it is a harbinger of death. In America, we have associated owls with Halloween horror movies making them more dramatic and scary. We can trace these legends with the native Americans’ history.
Owls bring the news of a death into the house and consider an owl swooshing over them as a bad omen suspecting that death is around the corner. Its association with shape-shifting animals of the women’s spirit is a common belief in some tribes and believe that women’s spirits change into owls, but those women’s spirits are not of good ones and associate it with the vindictive and scornful women.
These legends passed down from generations are mystifying the bird even more.
This kind of superstitious belief brings with it reproach and contempt to the bird.
Maybe it got its evil reputation from the way it looks and acts.
The nature of owls is that of a stealthy and mysterious one.
They come out only at nighttime and hide themselves from humans. It looks mystical, don’t you agree? And carries a magical aura.
Native American spiritual traditions still believe the owl represents vision and insight.
For centuries, humans have interpreted such animals as something mystical and revered. The owl may have also come under this category, but some swear by it that the visit of an owl carries the message of death.
Those superstitious people have a powerful belief of it being a bad omen, but sometimes we have to look at it this way, our belief shapes our thinking. You believe a black cat to be a bad omen, and if you see one on your way to work, you will expect bad happenings. Your focus will be on that. Sad to say, you will experience what you have expected, which was shaped by your negative belief. We don’t know why that happens, but many people have seen the consequences of their beliefs. The same would apply for an owl. If you think it’s a bad omen, it will follow your belief and maybe not bring death as believed by some of the native Americans, but it can spoil your day with negative anticipation.
Instead of seeing this as a bad omen and shunning this beautiful bird. It’s best to work for its conservation.
Some species of owls are near to extinction and if we encourage this superstitious belief, the bird will not get the help it requires. They believe that the eyes of an owl have medicinal benefits and its feathers have a mystical belief, you will see some healing shamans wear their feathers. We can do our part and do away with such superstitions to save the owl from being feared and hated.We can educate people if we come across such superstitious believing people.The schools are a good channel for debunking such superstitious beliefs. We can arrange awareness about the bird among the students in schools, colleges and universities.And hold various campaigns on preserving the bird in its habitat.An owl is just one of the many birds that need our attention and care for their existence. If we do not debunk those beliefs, then such negative beliefs will carry on.
Some good pointers of an owl visit to remember.
A farmer loves to see an owl as it gets rid of the rats and rodents in the field who eat the crops.If you see an owl, consider yourself lucky to have seen one in real life, as owl sightings are becoming even rarer.
The plight of an owl in the US
In the US, there are nineteen species of owls. The plight of owls today is the loss of habitat threatening them, sometimes by pesticides and killed by vehicle collisions which have made a third of this owl species into a decline here in the US.
An owl visit may just be a coincidence that the bird is passing through your house, searching for some rodents to feed its hungry stomach. Enjoy the sight of this wonderful bird next time when it visits you.
