Owls might be one of many beautiful creatures of the earth, but what do they represent spiritually? What do owls symbolize, are owls good luck, what does it mean when you dream of owls, and what is the meaning of the owl spirit animal? Join Spiritual Blossom to answer these questions and learn the deeper meaning of seeing an owl.
Have you ever wondered if owls are more than just beautiful birds that help maintain the circle of life? Does the owl hold a deeper spiritual meaning, and what does it mean for you? Find out what owls are and the things that they symbolize. Learn the meanings of different kinds of owls in dreams and find out what it means when the owl is your spirit animal.
What’s an Owl?
Owls are birds of prey that hunt at night and they live everywhere around the world except for the polar ice caps and the most remote islands. They hunt insects, other birds, small mammals, and some of them even fish. They have ocular vision, and have to turn their heads to see, so they have adapted to be able to turn their heads all the way around. The smallest owl, the elf owl, is a little over 5 inches and the largest owls have a 75 inch wingspan. Owls are known for their sharp vision, but it's their ears that deserve credit. A lot of species of owls have ears that are placed asymmetrically on their heads and are different sizes. This way they get sounds from all different directions and they can zone in on where the sound is coming from better.
Their feathers allow them to fly silently. Their wings are broad and designed for gliding so they don't have to flap their wings and make as much noise. Underneath their wings they're covered and downy feathers which soften the sound of their flight even more. They can even swivel their toes and get an outstanding grip with their feet. Often, they prefer to take over a nest that another bird has built as opposed to building their own, and sometimes they even take over nests that squirrels built. The oldest fossils found of owls are at least 70 million years old and owls may have been around for as long as 80 million years. Owls are considered beneficial to humans because they help to control rat and mouse populations, both creatures that decimate human crops.
What Do Owls Represent?
Owls represent different things. To some people they represent luck and the blessings of good things. To other people they represent success and they teach us how to achieve our goals. To some people they represent prophecy and wisdom and to still others they represent death or the mother goddess.
Luck
Cheyenne warriors believed owl feathers could help them see better or be stealthier, so they wore them for these lucky abilities. The Pawnee believed owls could teach people to be better hunters, and this was a very lucky thing indeed. In India, some people believed that to gain better eyesight, one need only to eat an owl’s eye and an ancient Celtic belief was that owls would make unmarried women lucky by finding them a husband. They could also give you the luck of protection against being drunk. All you had to do was feed your child raw owl eggs and they would be immune to drunkenness for life. To read about another lucky animal, the black cat, see here: The Magic and Superstitions of Black Cats
Success
Perhaps because they're so good at hunting, owls represent successfully achieving your goals. They use their abilities and skills to their best advantage and don't waste their time doing things that they know they can't accomplish well. They are known for swooping from the sky to catch prey, walking upon the ground for prey, or even going into the water to get what they're looking for. They adapt to multiple different environments successfully, and are known as alphas in their territories. In ancient Greece, it was believed that if an owl flew over the warriors before a battle, it meant that they would be victorious. To read about one sign that takes success seriously, Virgo, see here: Virgo Traits and Love Compatibility
Wisdom and Prophecy
Athena, Greek goddess of wisdom had the owl as her companion. It was believed owls had psychic abilities and could foretell the future. It was believed that owls could portend death because they were so wise. It was said that owls hooted before the deaths of Julius Caesar, Agrippa, Augustus, and Commodus Aurelius. English folklore says that owls can predict the weather. Screeching owls meant that cold weather or storms were on the way. Perhaps it was believed that they gained their wisdom by being so watchful. Owls can turn their heads almost all the way around and those big eyes make people think that they can see everything. To read about the psychic gift of clairvoyance see here: What is Clairvoyant Psychic Reading?
Death
The owl represents death and the Otherworld, the realm of the ancestors. Because owls are active at night, they came to represent darkness, and the mystery the hidden realms held. Owls can see in the dark, and are believed by some people to be able to move between the land of the living and the land of the dead with this superior sight. Some people believe to see or hear an owl at night is an omen that there will be a death. A Polish folk belief was that women would turn into owls after they died if they were married, if unmarried, a dove. To read about Samhain, a holiday where the dead are honored, see here: All About Samhain
The Goddess
To the ancient Celts, the owl represented the great mother goddess the Cailleach. It was she who made the seasons of Summer and Winter. It was she who touched her staff to the Earth and froze it, or killed it during the cold months. The owl represented the goddess herself and the death winter brought, so it was both revered and feared. Owls are associated with the Hindu goddess Lakshmi They represent her ability to uncover hidden treasures and truths from dark places. Slavic god of Thunder Perun had owls who delivered messages from him and signified his presence. To learn about goddesses and gods of the sea read here: The Folklore, Myths, and Gods of the Sea
The Meaning of Owls in Dreams
In dreams, owls symbolize the same thing as they symbolize in life. They symbolize the goddess, psychic abilities, wisdom, and death. They also symbolize success and good luck. However, pay attention to the details in your dream. What kind of an owl you dream about will tell you specifically what the dream is about.
Dreams About a Barn Owl
Barn owls represent two different things. They represent safety and the protection of home, and they represent a lucky find. When you dream that you find a nest of owls with their owlets in your barn, it means that a special blessing or some extra luck is coming your way. You will not have to do anything to earn this blessing, just accept it and be thankful for it when it comes. If you dream of barn owls when you're going through a time of transition, your dream is telling you to seek out the safety of what is familiar to you, or what feels like home. To read more about dreams see here: Your Guide to Dreams and Interpretation of Them
Dreams About a Barred Owl
Dreams of the barred owl are all about protecting yourself. In nature, barred owls of course prey on smaller animals, so while they're sleeping sometimes, these smaller animals will attack them. So its feathers act to camouflage it so that it can hide from danger. When you dream of the barred owl, you are being told to protect yourself and stay safe on your home turf. This might mean laying low for a while, staying quiet, or keeping your business to yourself. Protect yourself and your interests like the barred owl does when it visits you in a dream. To read more about dreams see here: Your Guide to Dream Meanings
Dreams About a Great Horned Owl
Zulu warriors carried great horned owl feathers because they believed that the great horned owl had the ability to see the unseen and hear that which was difficult to hear. The great horned owl is believed to see hidden truths, and to have great psychic abilities. It camouflages so well you will probably never see it unless it wants you to. Dreams of great horned owls bring hidden messages. If you dream of seeing a great horned owl but no messages are revealed to you, pay attention because they're going to be. To read more about dreams see here: Your Dream Bible and Dream Analysis Guide
Dreams About a Snowy Owl
The snowy owl is a migratory bird, and it is comfortable in the colder parts of the world. It adapts quite well to multiple different environments, and only breeds if prey is plentiful. When you dream about a snowy owl, you are being called on to focus on what you need to do as opposed to what you want to do. Like the snowy owl carries its home on its back as it migrates, you may be called to do so as well. It is not easy to travel far from home and change when the situation costs for it, but you have the ability to do so. Like the snowy owl, you will face difficulties head on, and master your own destiny. To read more about dreams of snakes see here: Dreaming of Snakes- Meaning and Symbolism
Dreams About a Screech Owl
Screech owls are said to be harbingers of bad news. When you dream about a screech owl, its cry is unmistakable. The owl is warning you of hidden dangers, and difficulties that you are about to face. We don't always get a warning when things are about to become difficult, but in your dreams a single screech owl calling out to you is letting you know to get ready because things are about to get tough.Typically solitary creatures, when scratch owls mate, they are monogamous. When you dream about two screech owls, you are being told that a wonderful love relationship is about to be yours. To read more about dreams of spiders see here: Dreams About Spiders- Meaning and Symbolism
Dreams About an Owl Nest
Owl nest dreams are about hearth, home, and family. When you dream about an owl's nest when you're trying to decide what to do with your career, the dream is instructing you to stay close to your roots and do what it is that you do best, or that which feels like home to you. If you are trying to decide whether to move out of town or not, the dream is telling you to stay close to your family. If you are trying to decide whether to have children or not, and you have a dream about an owl’s nest, the dream is reassuring you that you are ready to settle down and start a family. To read about another mighty bird, the eagle see here: What Does Seeing an Eagle Mean Spiritually?
Owl Spirit Animal Meaning
Some people believe in spirit animals. A spirit animal is an animal that you have a spiritual connection to, and it teaches you all of its skills and spiritual wisdom. It When the owl is your spirit animal, it will teach you to watch carefully and pay extra close attention to things so that you can learn the truth. They also teach you to use your skills to the best of your ability and to not try to be someone who you are not. Owls strengthen your relationship with your ancestors, and help you communicate with the goddess. They visit you in dreams, and they visit you in your waking moments as well.
One way to discover your spirit animal is through meditation. Find a quiet comfortable spot in nature where you are surrounded by a variety of different species of animals. Sit comfortably, take a deep breath, and look up into the sky marveling at the beauty of the heavens. Then close your eyes and relax. Listen to the sounds around you including the wind, the chirping of birds and tree frogs, and the calls of animals like foxes, coyotes, and deer. Now open your eyes and observe all around you which animals are nearby you and which ones you feel a kinship with. Repeat this until you get your answers. The answers may come to you while you have your eyes closed and you're relaxing or after you open your eyes and you look around. To read about the butterfly, another creature that might be your spirit animal see here: What Does a Butterfly Symbolize?
While some people fear owls, other people understand that owls are wise creatures who teach great spiritual lessons and bring luck. Owls represent the Otherworld, the afterlife, the ancestors, and success. They are believed to bring blessings and also warnings. When the owl is your spirit animal, it will share its gifts with you. Thank your lucky stars when you see an owl, because it brings you good news, no matter what it has to say.
Would you like to find out more about your owl spirit animal? Reach out to a Spiritual Blossom psychic to get a reading started today. Make sure to sign up for our horoscopes and you can get them delivered right into your email’s inbox today.
About the Author: Lady Saoirse has studied magic and lore for most of her life but started walking her own Magical Path after being spiritually reborn in the desert. Today she is a High Priestess for The Temple of the Goddess, she is a psychic advisor and spiritual counselor, she shares her gifts as a Psychic and Content Writer for Spiritual Blossom. She has written for Mysticsense and PaganPagesOrg emag.
