“Owl Spirit”, original acrylic spirit animal art by Ona Christie. Print available at BrightSpiritArt.com
The Owl spirit animal connects us to the wisdom of the Elders and serves as a reminder to be true to ourselves. She is also associated with magic and the otherworld, which makes her a powerful guardian or guide in ceremony.
My first Owl Totem video has consistently been one of my most popular uploads on YouTube. Clearly, this powerful spirit animal is speaking to many people on many levels at this time of change on the planet. And it’s no wonder: Owl spirit offers a ton of wisdom to assist in personal and planetary evolution.
Recently Owl has come forward again in a big way – so much so that I just uploaded another video about this beautiful spirit animal guide. You can view it here. But don’t skip the rest of this blog, because there’s some information here that isn’t in the video, and vice versa!
Spirit Meaning of Owl
Owl teaches us to understand life’s lessons: she shows us how to take what’s nourishing from a situation and leave the rest rather than internalizing what’s not supporting you.
This, of course, takes courage. Whether it leads you to a path of activism, or getting rid of habits or people who aren’t supporting your highest good, or honoring the truth of what really is fulfilling to you vs. what others (or your own ego) advocates, or simply drawing a line and speaking up for what you know is true, you can expect resistance. In fact, it can shake up your life, or even make you unpopular at times. But ultimately, acknowledging the truth and acting on it is a necessary step to regaining balance – a prerequisite for spiritual evolution.
As a spirit animal ally, Owl can help us to “see through the dark night of the soul” to discern our own inner truth, as well as to fly softly through it all with grace and ease.
Owl Woman: A Powerful Spirit Guide for Times of Change
In my Spirit Oracle journey sessions with clients, we often meet up with spirit animals, angels, and other spirit guides who assist in the healing process. Sometimes these guides show up “in person” during the session, other times they appear in the drawing I send to the client as part of their follow-up package.
Recently this beautiful Owl Woman spirit guide came forward in a session drawing. Often these images transcend the personal; I felt that was the case with this one, so I asked the client permission to share the image with the collective (excluding any personally significant details.)
With the client’s gracious blessing, I went ahead and felt into the energies of Owl Woman to see what wisdom she might offer at this significant time of planetary awakening.
The Meaning of Owl Woman
Rooted strongly yet bearing wings, Owl Woman signifies the wisdom that awakens through grounded seeking of the unknown.
She presides over ritual, over ceremony. Grounded in solid practice, she opens her heart. With humility, she remains aware and is not afraid to look into the heart of darkness, knowing that she may find the lost parts of herself there.
And when she does, she welcomes them back through the portal of her heart, digesting the experiences, retaining that which nourishes the soul, rejecting the rest.
Owl Woman aligns with the Moon, she understands what it means to cycle with the ebb and flow of the seasons.
In ceremony, she smooths the way. On softened wings, she glides through the night, listening for the wisdom of the heart.
Message of the Spirit Owl
My latest painting, “Spirit Owl,” tops this post and began as an attempt to paint Owl Woman as she appeared in the sketch. However, shortly after starting the painting, I saw in my mind’s eye a barn owl’s face superimposed over the image of Owl Woman.
So that’s how the painting evolved, and when I tuned into “Spirit Owl” here is the message she offered:
“Listen for the guidance. Distractions abound. There will be many parties competing for your attention, your allegiance, seeking to partake in your energy. Look through the illusion. Stand back and watch. Remember that true guidance often speaks softly, above the clamor.
“Energy is all around you. You can’t help but affect your surroundings. Your surroundings will affect you. The stronger you can hold to your own frequency the greater the Light you will shine from your being. This will assist in illuminating the darkness around you.
“Remember that this may make you unpopular at times. Therefore it can be wise like the owl to stay aloof. Rest above the fray. Bide your time. Stay silent. Let those who seek wisdom come to you.
“Rather than offering unsolicited advice that may trigger others in their illusion, simply embody the light that you are. As you find peace in your own being, it will radiate out from you naturally – thus assisting in raising the vibration of all around you.”
More Owl Symbolism
While the Owl is feared in many traditions for her association with Death, ancestral peoples know that death is but a part of the great cycle of life. When experienced as such, it becomes a great sustainer of Life itself. The Triskelion symbol appearing on the breast of my Barn Owl painting at the top of this blog speaks to the unending cycles of Life, and the waves on her neck remind us that although we exist as individuals (the wave) we are also One with Spirit (the ocean) – and so are empowered to rise above the fear of death.
Lastly, someone recently pointed out to me that the Owl is the vehicle of Lakshmi, the great Hindu goddess. Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth, fortune, abundance, beauty, love, and prosperity, and the wife of Vishnu (the Preserver or Sustainer god in the Hindu Trimurti or trinity.) To me, this signifies that following the wisdom of the Owl spirit guide and Owl Woman is key to creating a sustainable and prosperous future here on Planet Earth.
Owl Woman’s Message for the Collective
Finally, I want to share what Owl Woman told me when I asked her directly for wisdom to share with the collective:
“It has come full circle,” she said. “We are beginning another cycle. You can choose to step forward anew or go down with the old.
“If you choose to go forward, prepare to strip yourself down. Travel light- your heavy baggage will do you no good here and the more you cling the more it will weigh you down until you have no choice but to either sink to the depths or let go and realize that you had wings all along.
“Remember the four directions. Your place is in the center, in the heart. Ground yourself in the ways of your ancestors and never forget you are of the earth. But look up, and prepare to fly, because you are also children of the stars.”
Spiritual Meaning of Owl (Power Animal Keywords):
- Inner truth
- Ceremony
- Observation
- Discernment
- Purification/release
- Non-attachment/non-involvement
- Going with the flow/respecting natural rhythms
(If you enjoyed this blog, you might also like to check out additional Owl Spirit Animal content here: Search results for “owl” | Art of Awakening)