...My Exploration of Owl in Art, Shamanism, Mythology and Metaphysics...

The Owl is making itself very prevalent in my life this year end. The above image is the parchment art I created for my Animals and Shamanism section in 2004. Now I am noticing Owl showing up because I have much to still learn from the wisdom of this bird.

When I met Joseph in 1999 I noticed that his mother collected owls. She had so many of them, and when she passed away I gave a few away, which I now regret, but there is a lesson to be learned from the passing of material things to another. I have learned it.

As this time of year provokes the decoration of the home with holiday pieces, the boxes containing other decorative items come out as well. Things are transferred back and forth and in October when I was decorating for Halloween I found the series of brass owls in a box as well as wooden and ceramic ones. I took them out because they tend to be associated with the holiday of Halloween, also known as Samhain. Owls are night birds and most of us associate Halloween with the nighttime rather than the daylight hours. Many of the stamp sets I have bought for the holiday have owls included in them also.

What I found interesting this year was that I was searching for a picture file and suddenly the eyes of Blodeuwedd were staring into my mine through the parchment I had created. I kept looking back at her while searching on. She would not leave my thoughts, so I began to re-research her story.

So now, in December I have created the whole story as I would tell it, hand penned and painted on parchment. This leaves me with the curiosity of finding out more about the Owl, and of course I want to be able to pen and illustrate this creature into whatever I am led to organically do.

First I must start with writing and researching of course, which always gives birth to something special and unexpected. The first thing I need to understand are the main habits and meaning of the Owl. I have a scattered handful in my first piece, the 2004 parchment. I know there is so much more than this and I cannot predict what happens once the pen starts rolling across the page.

The search for Owl information begins with random links. I find it very interesting that an owl can be found in a tiny corner of the United States One Dollar Bill. I am sure I will start seeing owls everywhere once I start looking. I was even prompted to buy two new owls this past October to add to an already large collection.

Metaphysically I think most of us know that the owl is associated with wisdom. The owl is the "all seeing" bird of the night and is therefor linked to supernatural foresight and premonition. The owl's energy is peaked in the nighttime hours and having this creature call attention to you at this moment is suggestive of creating awareness to the dark energies swirling and swooping through your life. As the dark time of the year resides upon us, it is a perfect time indeed to invoke and investigate the healing and foretelling powers of this creature.

Nighttime is dream time and it is a wonderful omen indeed to have the luck of seeing an owl whether it be in the wild (which is rare) or in your dreams. You may see the owl on a poster, in an add, on the side of a medication bottle for alternative health, or in a commercial on television. Now that I have made you aware of all the possible ways you may meet with the owl you too can experience the magic and healing properties of this beautiful yet feared species of bird.

As I was reminded of in the story of Blodeuwedd, the owl is hated by all other birds. The punishment of Blodeuwedd was carefully selected because of her betrayal and infidelity to her husband. Turning her into an owl meant that she would suffer a lonely life as a predator with no social contact expect her nightly prey. As this is known, then, the owl is also a creature of betrayal and fierce hunting skills in order to stay alive in the solitude and darkness. I am feeling a bit like the owl these days for sure, socially exempt and betraying myself of the creativity and peace I had only wanted to cultivate for a better and happier life.

It's no secret that I love anything with wings, be it owls, butterflies, dragons, or fairies...there are thoughts that I hold dear to me when I think of the sightings of crows, ravens and the only owl I have ever seen in the wild as omens of flight and transformation, even death. So as I continue to write, research and create - I am inspired by the smallest of things and by design am adding them into my work.

If I could be anything other than human today, I would be an owl. Thanks for reading, and I will see you again soon...