OWL Meditation, night, silence,
wisdom. All-seeing, flesh-eater.
Typifies a ghost, messenger of
witches. The owl's cry in the
vicinity of a house forebodes
calamity, death, sickness. Unlucky to shoot. The owl is without known pedigree, thus lacks
nobility. Dream significance:
ill-luck. In heraldry one who is
vigilant and of acute wit. Occult
significance:, moderation, non-docility, orderliness, unimaginativeness. Attribute of dawn deities. Sacred to Asclepius, Athena, Ketu, Minerva. Algonquin creator of the north wind.
Central American Indian master
of evil bringer of infirmities. In
Babylonian tradition the owl's
voice at night was the spirit of
a woman who had died in childbirth crying for her child. Buddhist foe of ignorance, lover of
darkness and seclusion for meditation and reflection. Messenger
of Yama. In China typifies lack
of filial respect. Its voice is
that of demons. In Christian
crucifixion scenes an attribute of
Christ, who sacrificed himself
to give light to those in darkness.
In scenes of hermits at prayer
symbolizes solitude and wisdom.
An an attribute of Satan, prince
of darkness, typifies deception.
Egyptian symbol of death. In
England typifies smuggling. In
Japan, filial ingratitude. A form
of Fukuro, the itinerant monk.
Among the Ainu god of villages.
In Malay a langsuyar (ghost). In
Zoroastrianism the Asho-zushta.
Jobes, 1962:1222