Of Owl, Totems, and Magic: Nature Speaks
By: Michael Depung
Tags: Connection, Nature, Positive Thinking, Magic, Awakening

Of Owl, Totems, and Magic: Nature Speaks

Asking Nature, the Universe, eternal Spirit, and all the Spirit-infused creation to connect with us in a significant relationship that helps us cope, think, evaluate, grow, and learn — among other processes — creates part of a foundation for mental and emotional health and spiritual experience. Oh, plus joy, happiness, comfort! And in this era, we can use a whole lot more of those sorts of connections.

I will share one personal example tonight. The great horned owl has shown itself as a totem bird to me, a bird whose energy plays into my life as I receive it and use it. For several years now, I have unexpectedly encountered Owl right around my house and in the neighborhood.

Here’s my story. My neighbor has said he sometimes thinks I’m full of shit when I refer to my bird totems — kind of jokingly because we are friends — but one evening he came out while I was “speaking” with Owl. He couldn’t believe that if I didn’t hoot, Owl didn’t either. He tried it, but nothing worked. This was no big deal, but I told him Owl and I had a connection.

The next morning, I came back from walking my puppies. My neighbor was outside filling the bird feeders. He saw me standing at the end of the drive with the puppies looking up the street. He started towards me, but I waved him back and put the pups in the yard. Then, I told him to walk back to the front with me and listen.

We heard an unfamiliar sound, not really sure if it was animal or human at first. As I listened, though, I told him it was Owl. He said something like “Yeah, right.” Then, it was “I’ll be damned.” Two great horned owls flew directly at us from very far away — after I hooted. They veered up the street and perched in an oak two houses away. I hooted again, and one of them looked at me, silently and majestically spread its wings, and swooped down no higher than ten feet from the ground flew directly past us and turned its head to look straight into my eyes. It landed in a tree maybe thirty feet away, turned around, and looked at me again.

I said, “It wants my attention.” It traced the same route back to its mate, craning his neck to look at me one last time before the pair flew off. My neighbor was flabbergasted and thrilled to see such a connection with Nature, with a creature.

Owl speaks directly to part of my ability to know how others are thinking, feeling, and what they are hiding. It also helps me in tempering parts of my life. This instance the message of silent, majestic, communicating, effective flight translated to me as “Do your work; powerfully create your magic, and keep quieter about it, about the plans, about the development.” Connections and messages like this result from the energy I work with for empathic and shamanic journeys.

This brings me back to that question for any who would explore Self: how do you relate to Nature and use the power and energy available there to aid them in their life journey? We are surrounded by Spirit. We need to enter into the connections for our own blessing, for the peace and all the other benefits from these bonds can only fill this society, this Earth, with more love and light. I think we need those in abundance right now, don’t you?