Eyes of Embers © 2022 This great-horned owl symbolizes power, strength, observation, and watchfulness. It is a formidable bird and little escapes its magnetic eyes. A totem of significant spiritual meaning, the owl shows us that there is more to life than we can see, and that magic abounds around us.
Rediscovering the sacred
This photo of the great-horned owl presented itself as more of a gift than a fluke. I was canoeing with my aunt a few weeks ago – I hope to do a post soon on photos I’ve taken on these magical canoe rides – and we noticed this owl sitting on a branch by the water. Slowly, carefully, we paddled forward, and it was difficult to hold my camera steady. I was worried that my unstable support plus the low, dim lighting of dusk would interfere with the sharpness of the images, but later looking through my photos, I couldn’t be happier with this one.
Owls are renowned for their wisdom and all-seeing eyes. Nothing escapes them. Spending time in the vicinity of this great feathered creature, I would have to agree – its eyes held me, and I didn’t want to look away.
In a spiritual lighting, owls are the knowledge keepers, sustaining the magic of intuition and illumination. Seeing an owl is sometimes thought of as a bad omen, but I see it more as a peek through a window into another world, one of deep mystery.
In my blog post about our fear of the misunderstood, I touched on how we are losing our innate connection to the enigmas of our world, and how we instead seek to label and place things in their supposedly correct box. But the owl teaches a different narrative – to seek these enigmas out, and to find our peace with them.
Rediscovering the sacred is a direct call to our wild sides, our intuitive darkness – without judging its magic. Letting go of the human need to label, categorize, and give in to rational thought is much more difficult than it may sound, and even letting go is hard enough. Swap the a and c in sacred, and scared is what it becomes instead. There is a balance between maintaining our respect for the sacred and giving in to it. It is natural, healthy, even, to view this wildness with some fear. But when that fear loosens its grip, I know that the freedom, that feeling of my place in the world and all that is interconnected to me, is so worth it.
Taking the time to look through these windows of ancient art gives me enough understanding of this sacredness for the time being. The owl’s eyes have much of the notion that this divinity shows up in all of us. Horseback riding has also been another window: in which when I truly let go, even for a moment, I am free on the horse’s back, transformed from anxiety into art.
The sacred is a topic that we like to talk about, but only in select times or groups, and many of the people immersed in day-to-day busyness have no thoughts or moments to spare to finding this integral part of ourselves. But practicing letting go and trusting, whatever the medium, is a way to start this journey.
As I have already embarked, I wish you a safe journey down this path wherever you are at. Let the wisdom of the owl guide you, and keep your eyes out for those windows – you might discover them in some unlikely places.
Author’s note: I usually have an idea for these essays for the photos of the months, but this photo of the owl definitely brought a gift. In taking an afternoon to contemplate what it really meant to me, and how I could share this with others, this nucleus of an idea took flight (fitting) into something of its own. I hope that this blog brings a look into how utterly amazing – and freeing – delving into our rediscovery of the sacred can be.
PS – it’s been exactly one year since I added the “Photo of the Month” idea to my blog, though I only started getting feedback and votes from others since February of this year. You can see the collection of these photos on my Photos of the Months page. If you have any ideas or feedback for future voting opportunities, let me know through commenting or going through my Contact page!
Awesome writing, and photo. Reminds me of a book I once read … I Heard the Owl Call My Name :-)
Thank you, Les, much appreciated! I’ll have to check out that book.
That is interesting that seeing an owl is a bad omen, as to it’s prey, seeing it may mean they can elude its strike. Owls hunt in the dark of the night and according to one source, the owl’s feathers are silence as it flies seeking out its prey.
As with your blog “Afraid of the Misunderstood”, I made a comment referring to the “Medicine Cards”. According to these cards, the owl means “deception”. If you picked the Owl card, that is your medicine and “will be drawn to magical practices and perhaps explore the dark arts. You should resist any temptation to practice black magic or any art that takes energy away from others or being. ” If you have Owl medicine, these birds will have a tendency to be attracted to you “because they recognize a kinship with you.”
Many cultures hold the symbol of the owl as a mark of wisdom, as you point out. “This is because Owl can see which others cannot….Where others are deceived, Owl sees and knows what is there. ”
“Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, had a companion Owl on her shoulder which revealed unseen truths to her. ”
Pulling an Owl medicine card also means “you are being asked to use your powers of keen, silent observation to intuit some life situation. Owl is befriending you and aiding you in seeing the total truth…..” (Sams & Carson 1999).
Interesting observation on the spellings of sacred and scared. Bringing the Owl into my consciousness is giving me a message there may be a link between backgammoon (your white players are like little moons) and black magic. Bring it on, I am not scared of your sacredness!
I appreciate your comment :)
Love this post Hazel, especially this part: “Rediscovering the sacred is a direct call to our wild sides, our intuitive darkness – without judging its magic. Letting go of the human need to label, categorize, and give in to rational thought is much more difficult than it may sound, and even letting go is hard enough. Swap the a and c in sacred, and scared is what it becomes instead. ”
Wow <3
Thank you so much, Mom!