Owl Symbolism & Meaning (+ Spirit, Totem & Omens)

Are you interested in the Owl Spirit Animal? Then this guide is for you!

Owls are held in awe in most cultures across the world. They are said to be the custodian of knowledge and wisdom.

These majestic creatures make their way into our lives to nudge us in the right direction. They help us to get the answers we need to put our affairs right.

When the owl spirit animal guide comes into your life, listen keenly to what it has to say.

What’s the Owl meaning and Symbolism?

White Owl Symbolism and Meaning

A white owl alerts you that it’s time to change some aspects of your life. You have to let go of the old and open your mind and heart to new ways of accomplishing your goals.

Black Owl Symbolism and Meaning

Seeing a black owl signals that your unconscious mind has important information that you can use to achieve your goals and dreams.

To access this information, you have to quiet your mind.

Grey Owl Symbolism and Meaning

This owl asks you to get in touch with the hidden and mysterious aspects of your life. This spirit animal guide asks you to look deep within yourself for the answers you seek to prosper.

A grey owl also reminds you to reach out to the spiritual realm for the support you need to turn your life around.

Yellow Owl Symbolism and Meaning

Most yellow owls are tamed. This bird asks you to take care of your home and family life. These owls remind you of your personal values and beliefs.

Brown Owl Symbolism and Meaning

The brown owl asks you to be well-grounded. Believe in yourself and your ability to create positive change in your world.

This owl urges you to remain humble, no matter how successful you get.

Red Owl Symbolism and Meaning

Red owls remind you to take care of your emotional and mental health. Although the red owl usually exists in the wild, its symbolism has a lot to do with what’s happening at home.

This bird asks you not to make critical decisions based on emotions.

Symbolic Meaning of Owl Spirit Animal in Various Cultures

Owl Symbolism in Christian Culture

In Christianity, owls are symbols of disobedience, desperation, and abandonment.

In the Book of Isaiah (Ch. 34 vs. 13), the kingdom of Edom is said to be desolate and filled with such unsavory creatures as owls and vultures.

This indicates that owls were closely associated with pain, hopelessness, and even death.

According to Mosaic Law, the owl was one of the foods classified as unfit for human consumption. It is categorized with such creatures as frogs, ravens, bats, and dragons.

Some Christian myths and folklore indicate that owls were harbingers of misfortune and death.

If an owl hooted repeatedly near your compound, it was a warning that some evil was about to befall your family.

Such a misfortune could only be removed through fervent prayers and fasting.

Owl Symbolism in African Culture

The owl was viewed in a negative light in almost all the African communities. It was believed that this bird was a carrier of bad news, misfortune, disease, and death.

It was believed that the owl’s hooting portends evil in the entire community. As such, concerted measures were made to destroy this animal’s habitat.

The owl is closely linked to the dark arts of witchcraft and sorcery. Africans believed that the owl was one of the prized possessions of witches.

Owls worked with witches to manipulate people into doing things they would normally not do.

And, where the person resisted, the owl was sent to dispatch sickness and death into this person’s family.

Only a visit to a very powerful medicine man could save a person bewitched by owl sorcery.

Some Africans believed that the owl was a special messenger dispatched by malevolent beings from the other world.

Owl Symbolism in Native American Culture

Some Native American tribes compared the owl to evil spirits sent to disrupt the normal order of life.

The horned owl was particularly feared in these communities, probably because its head feathers resembled horns.

Some tribes believed that owls were actually medicine men who has shapeshifted. These medicine men would appear in the community as owls, keen to create mischief and wreak havoc.

However, some communities were more welcoming toward these creatures.

Although these tribes believed some medicine men shapeshifted into owls, they knew this was for the good of the community.

Tribes like the Blackfoot, Cherokee, Caddo and Lakota believed that owls gave medicine men the insight they needed to take care of the community.

It was common for members of some tribes to wear owl feathers for protection during special occasions.

Heads of households called to the owl spirit animals for the protection of their families.

For example, a family leader could wear a headdress with owl feathers as a silent prayer for the healing of an ailing member of his family.

Native Americans believed that owl medicine caused laughter, relieving the stress we accumulate in the course of living.

Actually, the Hopi tribe associated the horned owl with clowns and their ability to make humor.

Owl Symbolism in Celtic Culture

The Celts looked at owls as special messengers from the deities. This belief is given weight by the fact that owls operate best at night.

As messengers of the gods, they are not limited by the darkness.

According to Celtic myths, owls are the perfect guides to the underworld.

However, it was feared that owls would sometimes come with negative energies they had picked from the world of the dead.

Celts believed that owls bore the ancient knowledge and wisdom of their ancestors. As such, it was common for one to keep paraphernalia related to owls in one’s household.

This signaled that this individual was under the stewardship and protection of their forefathers.

Owls were seen as birds of integrity.

The Celts looked to the owls for inspiration, particularly when one had a morally challenging issue to contend with.

Owls were also thought to create a connection to the goddess of fertility when one desired a child.

The owl symbol was a common feature in Celtic artwork, knots, pots, and clothing.

When the Owl is Your Spirit Animal

The owl spirit animal comes into your life to help you settle down.

Perhaps, you have been unsettled most of your life; you now need to focus on what truly matters for you and your loved ones.

Once you slow down and look at life from the right perspective, you’ll see great opportunities that you have previously been missing.

The owl’s eyes have a hidden yet amazing quality. In a split second, these eyes can change from a microscopic to a telescopic view.

With this spirit animal guide in your life, you’ll be able to see everything about your life. You’ll clearly understand that your life today is ordered by the decisions you made yesterday.

In the same vein, what you do today determines what your life looks like tomorrow. This is another way of saying that your future is in your hands.

The owl spirit animal wants you to let go of the past so that you can concentrate on the kind of future you’ve always wanted.

Bravely face the shadows from your past and put them to rest. Moving forward, you should have no need to constantly look over your shoulders.

The Owl Power Animal

Call on the owl power animal when you feel deceived or shortchanged. Sometimes, life takes us in a direction we don’t bargain for, and we may end up feeling betrayed.

Full of wisdom and ancient knowledge, the owl power animal helps you understand the intricacies of life.

Plans do not always have to go your way. Sometimes, you’ll be forced to make adjustments to get it right.

Although changing your plans can be hard, uncomfortable, and even painful, it is for your own good.

The owl power animal opens your mind to the hidden secrets of this and the other world. This spirit guide helps you to critically examine your life and your place in the overall order of things.

With the owl power animal on your side, you see the need for self-actualization. You can rely on owl medicine to unclog the aspects of your life that have been slowing you down.

The Owl Totem Animal

Were you born with the owl totem animal? You are lucky because you can create a powerful connection with the Universe easily.

The owl totem encourages you to get in touch with your inner self. Tap into the energies hidden deep within your mind and heart.

You’ll discover you have the power to make great decisions concerning your future. What seems daunting becomes easier with the help of this spirit guide.

With its wide alluring eyes, the owl totem opens your spiritual eyes so that you can decipher good from evil.

Although some of the things you’ll see are awkward or uncomfortable, at least, they are true. The owl spirit totem helps you unlock the power of discernment.

You’ll be able to distinguish like day and night the forces at play in your life.

Owl Encounters and Omens

The meaning of seeing an owl depends on your cultural inclinations.

While some people may interpret this encounter to mean bad luck, others see it as a sign of growth in intelligence and insight.

In some cultures, encountering a hooting owl indicates misfortune. A hooting owl signals that someone close to you would fall sick or encounter a serious accident.

It is also a sign of bad luck when owls make a home on your roof. This encounter means that your home would be the recipient of bad news for as long as the owls remains around.

Some people believe that to remove this curse, the owls have to be driven away and the area cleansed in a special spiritual ritual.

However, not everyone is opposed to having owls near them. Some cultures believe that owls came into our dwelling spaces to help us reflect on our lives.

In this case, meeting an owl calls on you to use your inner wisdom and intuition to make decisions concerning the direction of your life.

Encountering an owl affirms that you have the resources to effectively run your life.

Owl Tattoo Meaning

Generally, owl tattoos are taken as indicators of knowledge and wisdom.

From early times, many communities considered the owl the custodian of ancient secrets and wisdom.

If you are going through a period of change and transformation, this would be a good time to have an owl tattoo done on your skin.

People who do this believe the power of the owl helps them to see ahead. It assuages the fear that so often comes with moments of change.

Both men and women opt to have the owl tattoo because of the rich historical symbolism it comes with.

It signals that you are well-grounded and that you are not one to rush into a decision without thinking it through.

An owl tattoo can be done in a number of ways and designs; it all depends on what you fancy.

You may go for a tattoo of a flying owl, an owl perched on a branch, an owl with outstretched wings, or two owls facing each other.

The good thing about an owl tattoo is that it is not limited to any part of the body – you can have it just about anywhere.

What’s the Meaning of Owl Dreams?

Dreaming of a friendly owl is a pointer that you need to make peace with the dark aspects of your past.

This dream challenges you to deal with the past once and for all, so that all your energy can be focused on the future.

To dream of a scary owl signals that you are silently suffering because of something you did to someone you know.

This dream reminds you that no matter how much agony you go through; you will not set things right if you do not make amends.

Seeing a featherless owl in your dream signals that you should take some time off your busy schedule and listen to your body.

No amount of money, fame, or wealth is worth sacrificing your life over.

If you dream of a giant owl, it means a big problem is brewing at home. This is your cue to intervene before this issue becomes unmanageable.

To see a baby owl in your dream indicates a fresh start. This should be good news if you have been looking for a way out of your current situation.

This dream indicates that the old is gone, and you can look to the future with hope.

Dreaming of an owl flying tells you not to advertise your successes or plans. You see, owls are some of the quietest fliers among the birds.

This dream encourages you not to make noise about your plans, but to allow your results to speak for you.

To dream of an owl eating tells you to save for the rainy days ahead. Although things look good right now, this will not be for long.

Changes will come that will throw you out of your comfort zone.

A dream of an owl landing on you signals that everything you have been working for will attract positive results.

All the same, be patient. Some things will not happen when you want them to, but will happen at the right time.

Final Thoughts…

Owls are the subjects of many myths and folktales. In many cultures, these birds are associated with the occult, mysticism, and magic.

Legends about these creatures are built around their mystical hoots and nocturnal activities.

In popular culture such as songs, movies, and works of literature, owls are depicted as keepers of wisdom and secrets of the Universe.

This means there’s much you can learn from this spirit guide when it comes into your life.