{"id":7633,"date":"2023-09-23T23:12:58","date_gmt":"2023-09-23T16:12:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=7633"},"modified":"2023-09-23T23:12:58","modified_gmt":"2023-09-23T16:12:58","slug":"the-symbolic-meaning-of-seeing-an-owl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=7633","title":{"rendered":"The Symbolic Meaning of Seeing an Owl"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"drop-cap text-big text-gray\"> <span class=\"drop-cap__first text-dropcap \">K<\/span>een and unusual birds of prey, with their swiveling heads and piercing eyes, owls are fascinating creatures that have come to be a well-known symbol of heightened perception and intelligence. According to celebrity psychic and mystic <a href=\"https:\/\/www.inbaal.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.inbaal.com\/\">Inbaal Honigman<\/a>, the owl\u2019s meaning is to point you toward your own wisdom, and seeing one is an invitation to tap into your own inner knowledge. \u201cAn owl is seen as wise because of the way they look, which makes them appear very observant,\u201d she says.<\/div>\n<p>To this end, many a wise bird has graced pages and screens over the years, often to offer a fount of sage advice to their fellow characters; consider Owl in A.A. Milne\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/clicks.trx-hub.com\/xid\/leafgroup_ca5e0_wellgood?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FHouse-Pooh-Corner-Winnie-Pooh%2Fdp%2F0140361227%3Ftag%3Dwgtrx9326-20%26asc_refurl%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.wellandgood.com%252Fowl-meaning%252F%26asc_source%3Ddirect%26asc_campaign%3Dno-campaign&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wellandgood.com%2Fowl-meaning%2F&amp;event_type=click\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/House-Pooh-Corner-Winnie-Pooh\/dp\/0140361227\"><em>The House at Pooh Corner<\/em><\/a>, or the wizard Merlin\u2019s sassy assistant Archimedes in Disney\u2019s 1963 animated film <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0057546\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0057546\/\"><em>The Sword in the Stone<\/em><\/a>, and perhaps most famously Hedwig, Harry Potter\u2019s pet snowy owl. Two major companies associated with learning and expanding your horizons, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.duolingo.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.duolingo.com\/\">Duolingo<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/clicks.trx-hub.com\/xid\/leafgroup_ca5e0_wellgood?q=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.skimresources.com%3Fid%3D104860X1561639%26xs%3D1%26xcust%3DSTMSLS-1111509%26url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.tripadvisor.com%252F&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wellandgood.com%2Fowl-meaning%2F&amp;event_type=click\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.tripadvisor.com\/\">TripAdvisor<\/a>, even have an owl as their logos.<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<hr\/>\n<p>One reason humans may associate owls and knowledge is because they, interestingly enough, see themselves in the birds. \u201cThey have their eyes facing forward which is sort of human-like so in some ways they look a bit more like humans than other birds do, so it\u2019s thought that people identified with owls a little bit more and thought they were more intelligent,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/david-wiedenfeld-87074771\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/david-wiedenfeld-87074771\">David Weidenfeld, PhD<\/a>, ornithologist and senior conservation scientist at the <a href=\"https:\/\/abcbirds.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/abcbirds.org\/\">American Bird Conservancy<\/a>. \u201cIt\u2019s something that\u2019s very embedded in our culture.\u201d In reality, owls aren\u2019t particularly smarter than other birds, according to Dr. Weidenfeld. \u201cBut they do have that reputation,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content \" style=\"\" data-module-init=\"related-content\" data-module-immediate=\"\" v-cloak=\"\">\n<div class=\"related-content__wrapper \" v-cloak=\"\" :class=\"{'is-loaded':isLoaded}\">\n<p> <span class=\"inline pr-6 text-seafoam-dark\">Related Stories<\/span> <\/p>\n<p> <related-content class=\"related-content__links\" parent-article-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/owl-meaning\/\" current-title=\"The Symbolic and Spiritual Meanings of Seeing an Owl IRL or in Your Dreams\" current-image=\"GettyImagesSignificanceOwl.jpg\" v-on:parsely-posts-loaded=\"onPostsLoaded\" start-date=\"2023-03-23\" tag=\"div\" inline-template=\"\" url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/owl-meaning\/\" secret=\"w5ztterVB03LGZJLfXS0hf3EvQBuFFIWew9hmVQxthU\" apikey=\"wellandgood.com\" limit=\"3\"> <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"related-content__card mb-[10px] sm:mb-[20px]\" :class=\"{'related-content__card--full':posts.length === 1}\" v-for=\"(post, key) in posts\"> <a v-on:click.prevent=\"trackLinkGA($event, key)\" :href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/owl-meaning\/post.url\" data-url-source=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content__link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content__card--image bg-tan\" :style=\"{ backgroundImage: 'url(' + post.image_url + ')' }\"> <img :src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/owl-meaning\/post.image_url\" :alt=\"post.title\"\/> <\/div>\n<p> <\/a>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/related-content> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<h2>The cultural meaning and symbolism of an owl<\/h2>\n<p>Owls have specific meanings across different cultures. The widespread association of owls with knowledge likely finds its roots with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Athena-Greek-mythology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Athena-Greek-mythology\">Athena<\/a>, the ancient Greek goddess of reason, wisdom, and war for whom Athens, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/Athens\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/Athens\">birthplace of Western civilization<\/a>, was named. Athena\u2019s animal symbol was the owl, and it was said to embody her traits; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getty.edu\/art\/collection\/object\/109KKJ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.getty.edu\/art\/collection\/object\/109KKJ\">Athenian coins<\/a> bore an image of a small owl (Dr. Weidenfeld adds some scientific names of owl species bear the goddess\u2019 name). Owls were also associated with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Minerva-Roman-goddess#:~:text=Minerva%2C%20in%20Roman%20religion%2C%20the,introduced%20at%20Rome%20from%20Etruria.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Minerva-Roman-goddess#:~:text=Minerva%2C%20in%20Roman%20religion%2C%20the,introduced%20at%20Rome%20from%20Etruria.\">Minerva<\/a>, the ancient Roman goddess of wisdom, as well.<\/p>\n<p>In other cultures, however, owls weren\u2019t regarded so positively. The same qualities that make owls such skilled hunters, plus the fact that many owls are nocturnal, has built an association between the birds and the other side. Much like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/black-cat-meaning\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/black-cat-meaning\/\">black cats<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/crow-raven-meaning\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/crow-raven-meaning\/\">ravens<\/a>, some cultures regard owls as harbingers of death or messengers from the spirit world. \u201cThere\u2019s kind of a duality around the different messages, where the majority is positive and having to do with wisdom, understanding, and intuition, but a little bit of their meaning can be seen as scary because they\u2019re seen as a creature that can go back and forth between the worlds of the living and the dead,\u201d explains Honigman.<\/p>\n<p>In Renaissance England, for example, owls were thought to be messengers of death and doom; William Shakespeare repeatedly used owls to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.folger.edu\/blogs\/shakespeare-and-beyond\/owls-prophecy-omens-wisdom-shakespeare\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.folger.edu\/blogs\/shakespeare-and-beyond\/owls-prophecy-omens-wisdom-shakespeare\/\">signal impending demise<\/a> in his works. In his tragic play <em>Macbeth<\/em>, the playwright casts an owl as \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.folger.edu\/explore\/shakespeares-works\/macbeth\/read\/2\/2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.folger.edu\/explore\/shakespeares-works\/macbeth\/read\/2\/2\/\">the fatal bellman<\/a>\u201d whose screech signals to Lady Macbeth that her husband has murdered the king. Some version of the tradition of linking owls and death in prose is still alive as Helen Fielding, author of the Bridget Jones series, even used this literary device in her 2013 novel <a href=\"https:\/\/clicks.trx-hub.com\/xid\/leafgroup_ca5e0_wellgood?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FBridget-Jones-Mad-About-Boy%2Fdp%2F0345806344%3Ftag%3Dwgtrx9326-20%26asc_refurl%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.wellandgood.com%252Fowl-meaning%252F%26asc_source%3Ddirect%26asc_campaign%3Dno-campaign&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wellandgood.com%2Fowl-meaning%2F&amp;event_type=click\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Bridget-Jones-Mad-About-Boy\/dp\/0345806344\"><em>Mad about the Boy<\/em><\/a>: a barn owl flies onto Bridget\u2019s garden fence, which she interprets as her dead husband. \u201cWe have seen throughout literature that an owl either at a distance or in flight represents someone you\u2019ve lost or who is just checking in on you,\u201d says Honigman.<\/p>\n<p>Particularly in North American Indigenous cultures, owls have nuanced meanings that garner both respect and fear. Some nations, such as the Lakota Sioux <a href=\"https:\/\/folklore.usc.edu\/owls-and-the-lakota\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/folklore.usc.edu\/owls-and-the-lakota\/\">view owls as powerful and wise<\/a>. Other tribes, such as the Cherokee, believed them to be <a href=\"https:\/\/lithub.com\/brandon-hobson-on-recovering-cherokee-myth-from-his-grandfathers-notebook\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/lithub.com\/brandon-hobson-on-recovering-cherokee-myth-from-his-grandfathers-notebook\/\">shapeshifters that could make others do ill<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Honigman posits that the fodder for the darker connotations of owl meanings in some cultures is likely owed to the fact that they\u2019re creatures of the night and such efficient predators. Much like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/bat-meaning\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/bat-meaning\/\">bats<\/a>, the fact that owls are nocturnal means they\u2019re active when humans are asleep. It\u2019s likely that this association, coupled with the owl\u2019s unusual appearance, helped form the connection between owls and the beyond. \u201cThey don\u2019t really look like other animals, and so they\u2019re seen as messengers of spirits because of their very otherworldly look,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<h2>What it means if you spot an owl<\/h2>\n<p>As noted above, the owl\u2019s incisive and methodic hunting requires keen insights. So it makes sense that seeing an owl is an invitation to channel this skills for yourself. \u201cThe spiritual message of an owl is to use your own intuition and knowledge,\u201d explains Honigman \u201cThe owl is wise, so it tells you that you already know the answer and you have to look within.\u201d Considering the duality of the owl&#8217;s symbolism, you may not like what you find or may even feel uneasy or frightened with the answer, but she says this is part of the full clarity an owl asks you to tap in to.<\/p>\n<p>If you see an owl flying overhead or lock eyes with it perched in a tree, this message will likely be especially obvious. However, Honigman says even hearing an owl is a call to examine your life and see which realm of it requires your focused introspection. Pay extra attention if you see an owl in flight, which she says &#8220;represents the world beyond the living.&#8221; And if you just catch a glimpse of a flying owl out of the corner of your eye, Honigman says that could be the embodiment of a loved one \u201csent to check up on you.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Take note of the color of the owl you see, too. \u201cWhite or snowy owls give you a message that all the signs are there if you just open your eyes, whereas an owl that\u2019s a darker shade shows that some things are still in the shadows so you have to do some digging, perhaps through some secrets and lies,\u201d Honigman says.<\/p>\n<p>If your encounter with an owl is somewhere out of the ordinary where you wouldn\u2019t expect to see or hear one, Honigman says that\u2019s a sign that the universe is <em>especially <\/em>trying to beckon you to pay attention and nudge your intuition awake. The same is true if you repeatedly see owls, like if one takes up residence in a tree in your yard or you keep seeing one perched outside. \u201cIf something just happens once, then it may or may not be a message, but if it happens repeatedly or in a way that\u2019s very noticeable then it\u2019s 100 percent a message,\u201d she says. If something feels out of place, it\u2019s worthy of your attention.<\/p>\n<h2>What to do if you see an owl<\/h2>\n<p>If you encounter an owl, take note of the context of your encounter. If it was more than a passing glance, Honigman advises taking an exacting look at your life to see which areas require your insightful eye&#8217;s attention. If you&#8217;re not sure where to start, journaling could be helpful to guide your thinking here.<\/p>\n<p>The appearance of owls <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-to-have-good-dreams\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-to-have-good-dreams\/\">in your dreams<\/a> could be a further invitation to really open your eyes, as well. According to <a href=\"https:\/\/stephaniegailing.com\/about\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/stephaniegailing.com\/about\">Stephanie Gailing<\/a>, astrologer, dream interpreter and author of <a href=\"https:\/\/clicks.trx-hub.com\/xid\/leafgroup_ca5e0_wellgood?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FComplete-Book-Dreams-Illustrated-Encyclopedia%2Fdp%2F1577152131%2F%3Ftag%3Dwgtrx9326-20%26asc_refurl%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.wellandgood.com%252Fowl-meaning%252F%26asc_source%3Ddirect%26asc_campaign%3Dno-campaign&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wellandgood.com%2Fowl-meaning%2F&amp;event_type=click\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Complete-Book-Dreams-Illustrated-Encyclopedia\/dp\/1577152131\/\"><em>The Complete Book of Dreams<\/em><\/a>, seeing an owl in your dreams can be an invitation to use your skills to uncover what&#8217;s hidden.<\/p>\n<p>An owl in your dreams can also point toward your subconscious trying to tell you to be confident in your intelligence and intuition.\u00a0 Much like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/dreams-about-snakes\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/dreams-about-snakes\/\">dreaming about snakes<\/a>, an owl could also be a sign that a new, transformative phase is on your horizon, but that something current has to die first. \u201cNot necessarily literal death,\u201d explains Gailing, \u201cbut that a deep ending is being called for something in the dreamer\u2019s life so that a new phase, a deeply transformative experience of regeneration and life renewal, can begin.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"disclaimers__after_content mb-[18px] mt-[16px] pt-[16px]\">\n<div class=\"outline-earmark relative mt-[8px] pt-[10px] pl-[20px]\">\n<p>\n            Our editors independently select these products. Making a purchase through our links may earn Well+Good a commission.          <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1675549\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Keen and unusual birds of prey, with their swiveling heads and piercing eyes, owls are fascinating creatures that have come to be a well-known symbol of heightened perception and intelligence. According to celebrity psychic and mystic Inbaal Honigman, the owl\u2019s meaning is to point you toward your own wisdom, and seeing one is an invitation &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":7634,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7633","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7633","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7633"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7633\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7634"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7633"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7633"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7633"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}