Ted Andrews/Animal-Speak:
Crow Keynote: The Secret Magic of Creation is Calling
Cycle of Power: All Day--All Year
My grandfather once told me that crow was the smartest of all birds. What's more, it even knew it was the smartst of birds and enjoyed it to the fullest. In fact, it was so smart that it chose to stay a crow, rather than move ont to some other area of evolution. It has a unique ability to outwit most birds, animals, and even humans at times, and they make for themselves a wonderful living. it can be thought of as another being who felt it better to rule in hell than serve in heaven. Crows seem to have mastered it well.
Crows intrigue us and they aggravate us. They and their other family member, the raven, have a great mysticism and mythology about them. There are actually 5 species of crows, one of which is the raven. Because they are of the same family (the only real difference being in size) it would be beneficial for those with crow as a totem to also study the qualities and mystical aspects of the raven.
The first noticable characteristic about this bird is its striking black color. Sometimes it will have hints of deep blue and purple on the feathers as well. Black is the color of creation. It is the womb out of which the new is born. It is also the color of the night. Black is the maternal color and thus the black night gives birth to a new day. Although the crow is a diurnal or daytime bird, it reminds us that magic and creation are potentials very much alive during the day. The crow, because of its color, was a common symbol in medieval alchemy. It represented "igredo," the initial state of substance--unformed but full of potential.
In Roman mythology raven and crows used to be as white as swans. In fact a white crow watched over Apollo's pregnant lover at Delphos. One day the crow brought bad news to Apollo and was turned black.
This connection to watchfulness is still strong today. Crows always have a sentinel posted. They build their nests high in the treetops so that they can see the entire area in which they are living and feeding. Occasionally crows hav been seen attacking and killing one of their own. There areose an old belief that the crow being attacked was a sentinel who failed. It may also be a reminder of what can happen if we are not watching for magic and creation every day.
Watchfulness warns other crows and other animals of intruders and threats--human and animal. They have been observed raising a ruckus when hunters are around, warning deer and other birds. They recognize possible dangers and they always post lookouts when feeding--their most vulnerable time.
This ability to warn is connected to the crow's second, most-noticable characteristic--its voice. The crow is actually a member of the songbird family because of its voice box structure. Although few think of the crow as a songbird, there have been many claims (unsubstantiated) over the years that when it is alone, it will sing in a soft musical voice.
Crows have a complex language. They have a remarkable voice range, but they actually do not sing. They can caw in many different ways, each with its own meaning. Learning to understand the language of crows is something we all can do with practice. Although it has a tongue, it does not use the tongue to make any sounds. Pliny once wrote that if the tongue of a crow were split, it would learn to speak like humans. This, of course, was not true. All that would happen is that the crow bleeds to death. The cawing out of the crow should remind us that magic and creation are cawing out to us every day.
The great horned owl is probably the most deadly enemy of the crow. If an owl comes into the area of a crow it will mob the owl and chase it off. Crows know that if the owl discovers its nests, the night could bring death. Many crows have lost their life to the silent night hunts of owls.
The crow has great intelligence. It is adaptable to its environment. It will eat almost anything. Part of their ability to survive is their being omnivorous. They have a unique ability to communicate with each other and to work together.
Their abilty for watching and their intelligence has given them a reputation for thievery. They will rob food from other birds or whatever source is around--including human food supplies.
Crows and all covines are easily imprinted with the image of their keeper. Those who have had crows as pets have found them extremely trainable, wit an ability to count and develop a complex communication with their owner. And yet in the wild, even though they are constantly seen an dheard, it is hard to get near them. Again I have found that it reflects for most people little awareness or realization of the magic necessary to create or recreate their life.
The courtship and mating procedures also reflect much about the crow's association with magicc. The male crow sets out to make itself as handsome as possible, and it is during this time that its voice takes on a singing quality. (Love makes the whole world sing.) The male and female build the nest together. the nest is built high up for protection and it is kept very clean. Even young crows do not foul their own nest. A little meditation on this will reveal much about health, home and respect.
Crows have a great mythology about them. This can reflect not only past-life connections to those times and cultures but it also reflects some of the archetypal forces that it can connect with us. As with many animals, crows also have been known to predict tornadoes, rain, an dother changes in weather by the way the fly. Working with crows can help you to see how the winds are going to blow into your life and how to adjust your own life flights. Crows have long been considered magical, and my grandfather once told me how even finding a dead crow was a sign of good luck.
We have spoken of crows and their link to Greek/Roman mythology, but they hae appeared in others as well. In China a three-legged sun crow was worshipped. It was a symbol of solitude. To the Athapaskan Indians of Alaska, a crow (in the form of raven) was the creator of the world. To the Celts, the crow was also associated with creation. In Biblical lore, the prophet Elija was fed by ravens and crows while hiding in the wilderness. In the Norse tradition, the god Odin had two ravens who were his messengers.
Wherever crows are, there is magic. They are symbols of creation and spiritual strength. They remind us to look for opportunities to create and manifest the magic of life. They are messengers calling to us about the creation and magic that is alive within our world everyday and available to us.
*Denise Linn/The Secret Language of Signs:
In many cultures the crow is considered a powerful sign. The ancient Chinese thought that the crow signified the isolation of the individual who lives on a superior realm. For some Native Americans, the crow has mystic powers and is the creator of the visible world. There was a similar meaning for the Celts, the Germanic tribes, and the Siberians. The eye of the crow was thought to be the entrance to the supernatural realms and the inner mysteries of life. The crow was also the bringer of messages from the spirit realm.
Native peoples consider the corw a shape-shifter (someone or something that has the abilty to expand into other realms of consciousness). The shape-shifter can be in two places at once and take on other physical forms. The crow dwells beyond the realm of time and space. The crow can merge into the past, present, and future and travel in and out of darkness and light. Early alchemists had a similar symbolism, associating the crow with the "initial" state that embodies both matter and spirit.
If this sign appears to you, take heed, for the corw is a portent of change in your life. This is a sign to step beyond the usual way that you view reality and look into the inner realms. To do this, your integrity must be impeccable. If there are some areas in your life where you are being unethical, change them. Keep your word, speak your truth. Get ready to shape-shift by releasing your old reality and embracing a new way of viewoing yourself and the world around you. Listen to the messages all around you from the mysterious inner realms.
In some traditions, crows were feared because they were associated with death. This association was made because they were black and thus represented the void and the unknown inner realms. Do you fear your own death and inner darkness? If the crow appears to you as a sign, take time to explore your inner darkness and listen to the ancient wisdom within yourself.
The crow and the raven are of the same genus and in some respects have similar meanings. The expression "as the crow flies" means traveling in a straight line. Walk your talk. Travel straight forward with clarity and decisiveness in your life. To crwo means to exult loudly, as over another's defeat, or to boast. It can also mean to utter sounds that express pleasure or delight. Do you have something to crow about in your life?
*Zolar/Encyclopedia of Signs, Omens, and Superstitions:
There is a great deal of folklore connected with crows and ravens due to their wide distribution throughout much of the world.
The Greek writer Porphyry (3rd C. A.D.) wrote that one might acquire the crow's prophetic powers by eating their hearts. According to Greek myth, when Apollo became the lover of Coronis, he commissioned a snow white crow to keep guard over his already pregnant lover while he went to Delphi. The crow failed to report to Apollo that Coronis had become unfaithful with Ischy. In his anger, Apollo turned the bird black.
In Genesis, Noah sends forth a raven from the ark to search for land, an dlegend has it that travens guided Alexander to the Shrine of Jupiter Ammon in the Oasis of Siwah in Egypt and later foretold his death. Elijah was fed by ravens, predisposing Christians to regard the bird favorably (although St. Ambrose called the bird "impious" for not haveing returned to the ark).
In Great Britain there is a belief that, if the ravens at the Tower of London are destroyed, disaster to the empire is certain. [Note: this is because they did leave and the rodents ran amok bringing on the plague. When the crows returned the rodent population was kept under control and disease with it.]
In China the three-legged sun crow is held worthy of worship. Tradition holds that a crow never enters the Acropolis at Athens due to the enmity between Athena (whose symbol is the owl) and the crow.
The poet Ovid in Matamorphosos refers to a witch, Madea, who infused into the veins of the elder Jason a concoction of aged deer and the head of a crow that had outlived nine generations of men.
It was said that raven's eggs could be used to dye the hair black. Unless one's mouth was filled with oil while this was applied, however, teeth would turn black also. In Czechoslovakia, folklore holds that a man who eats three raven hearts reduced to ashes will become a crack shot. In Russia a witch's spirit is said to assume the form of a crow. If a Brahman takes money given to him for sacrifice an duses it for his personal ends, it is said he will be doomed to be a crow or a vulture in his next life and for a hundred years thereafter.
In Cornwall, to shoot a raven is to shoot King Arthur. In Wales, if blind people are kind to ravens, they will learn how to regain their sight. In Scotland those who hunt deer believe it a good omen to hear the call of a crow or raven before setting out.
A number of verses appear in American and European folklore to describe the corw's influence. In North America, "Crow on the fence, rain will go hence" is an often cited expression. In Maryland the following verse is found:
One crow--sorrow
Two crows--mirth
Three crows--wedding
Four crows--birth
The English version is as follows:
One's bad luck
Two's luck
Threes health
Four's wealth
Five's sickness
And six is death
Still another version goes like this:
One means anger
Two means mirth
Three a wedding
Four a birth
Five is heaven
Six is hell
But seven is the Devil's ownself.
Popular omens about crows abound. Here are some: Should a crow flutter about a window and caw, it portends death. Should a crow fly three times over a house and corak three times, it is a bad omen. An odd crow perched in the path of an observer is a sign of wrath. Should crows flock together early in the morning and stare into the sun, the weather will be hot and dry. Should they stalk at nightfall into water and croak, rain is at hand. A faminine is near at hand when crows in a flock forsake a wood. Foul weather is nearby should a crow croak an odd number of times. Should the croaking be an even number, the weather will be fine. Last, should crows be seen flying towards each other, it is an omen of war.
Crow Keynote: The Secret Magic of Creation is Calling
Cycle of Power: All Day--All Year
My grandfather once told me that crow was the smartest of all birds. What's more, it even knew it was the smartst of birds and enjoyed it to the fullest. In fact, it was so smart that it chose to stay a crow, rather than move ont to some other area of evolution. It has a unique ability to outwit most birds, animals, and even humans at times, and they make for themselves a wonderful living. it can be thought of as another being who felt it better to rule in hell than serve in heaven. Crows seem to have mastered it well.
Crows intrigue us and they aggravate us. They and their other family member, the raven, have a great mysticism and mythology about them. There are actually 5 species of crows, one of which is the raven. Because they are of the same family (the only real difference being in size) it would be beneficial for those with crow as a totem to also study the qualities and mystical aspects of the raven.
The first noticable characteristic about this bird is its striking black color. Sometimes it will have hints of deep blue and purple on the feathers as well. Black is the color of creation. It is the womb out of which the new is born. It is also the color of the night. Black is the maternal color and thus the black night gives birth to a new day. Although the crow is a diurnal or daytime bird, it reminds us that magic and creation are potentials very much alive during the day. The crow, because of its color, was a common symbol in medieval alchemy. It represented "igredo," the initial state of substance--unformed but full of potential.
In Roman mythology raven and crows used to be as white as swans. In fact a white crow watched over Apollo's pregnant lover at Delphos. One day the crow brought bad news to Apollo and was turned black.
This connection to watchfulness is still strong today. Crows always have a sentinel posted. They build their nests high in the treetops so that they can see the entire area in which they are living and feeding. Occasionally crows hav been seen attacking and killing one of their own. There areose an old belief that the crow being attacked was a sentinel who failed. It may also be a reminder of what can happen if we are not watching for magic and creation every day.
Watchfulness warns other crows and other animals of intruders and threats--human and animal. They have been observed raising a ruckus when hunters are around, warning deer and other birds. They recognize possible dangers and they always post lookouts when feeding--their most vulnerable time.
This ability to warn is connected to the crow's second, most-noticable characteristic--its voice. The crow is actually a member of the songbird family because of its voice box structure. Although few think of the crow as a songbird, there have been many claims (unsubstantiated) over the years that when it is alone, it will sing in a soft musical voice.
Crows have a complex language. They have a remarkable voice range, but they actually do not sing. They can caw in many different ways, each with its own meaning. Learning to understand the language of crows is something we all can do with practice. Although it has a tongue, it does not use the tongue to make any sounds. Pliny once wrote that if the tongue of a crow were split, it would learn to speak like humans. This, of course, was not true. All that would happen is that the crow bleeds to death. The cawing out of the crow should remind us that magic and creation are cawing out to us every day.
The great horned owl is probably the most deadly enemy of the crow. If an owl comes into the area of a crow it will mob the owl and chase it off. Crows know that if the owl discovers its nests, the night could bring death. Many crows have lost their life to the silent night hunts of owls.
The crow has great intelligence. It is adaptable to its environment. It will eat almost anything. Part of their ability to survive is their being omnivorous. They have a unique ability to communicate with each other and to work together.
Their abilty for watching and their intelligence has given them a reputation for thievery. They will rob food from other birds or whatever source is around--including human food supplies.
Crows and all covines are easily imprinted with the image of their keeper. Those who have had crows as pets have found them extremely trainable, wit an ability to count and develop a complex communication with their owner. And yet in the wild, even though they are constantly seen an dheard, it is hard to get near them. Again I have found that it reflects for most people little awareness or realization of the magic necessary to create or recreate their life.
The courtship and mating procedures also reflect much about the crow's association with magicc. The male crow sets out to make itself as handsome as possible, and it is during this time that its voice takes on a singing quality. (Love makes the whole world sing.) The male and female build the nest together. the nest is built high up for protection and it is kept very clean. Even young crows do not foul their own nest. A little meditation on this will reveal much about health, home and respect.
Crows have a great mythology about them. This can reflect not only past-life connections to those times and cultures but it also reflects some of the archetypal forces that it can connect with us. As with many animals, crows also have been known to predict tornadoes, rain, an dother changes in weather by the way the fly. Working with crows can help you to see how the winds are going to blow into your life and how to adjust your own life flights. Crows have long been considered magical, and my grandfather once told me how even finding a dead crow was a sign of good luck.
We have spoken of crows and their link to Greek/Roman mythology, but they hae appeared in others as well. In China a three-legged sun crow was worshipped. It was a symbol of solitude. To the Athapaskan Indians of Alaska, a crow (in the form of raven) was the creator of the world. To the Celts, the crow was also associated with creation. In Biblical lore, the prophet Elija was fed by ravens and crows while hiding in the wilderness. In the Norse tradition, the god Odin had two ravens who were his messengers.
Wherever crows are, there is magic. They are symbols of creation and spiritual strength. They remind us to look for opportunities to create and manifest the magic of life. They are messengers calling to us about the creation and magic that is alive within our world everyday and available to us.
*Denise Linn/The Secret Language of Signs:
In many cultures the crow is considered a powerful sign. The ancient Chinese thought that the crow signified the isolation of the individual who lives on a superior realm. For some Native Americans, the crow has mystic powers and is the creator of the visible world. There was a similar meaning for the Celts, the Germanic tribes, and the Siberians. The eye of the crow was thought to be the entrance to the supernatural realms and the inner mysteries of life. The crow was also the bringer of messages from the spirit realm.
Native peoples consider the corw a shape-shifter (someone or something that has the abilty to expand into other realms of consciousness). The shape-shifter can be in two places at once and take on other physical forms. The crow dwells beyond the realm of time and space. The crow can merge into the past, present, and future and travel in and out of darkness and light. Early alchemists had a similar symbolism, associating the crow with the "initial" state that embodies both matter and spirit.
If this sign appears to you, take heed, for the corw is a portent of change in your life. This is a sign to step beyond the usual way that you view reality and look into the inner realms. To do this, your integrity must be impeccable. If there are some areas in your life where you are being unethical, change them. Keep your word, speak your truth. Get ready to shape-shift by releasing your old reality and embracing a new way of viewoing yourself and the world around you. Listen to the messages all around you from the mysterious inner realms.
In some traditions, crows were feared because they were associated with death. This association was made because they were black and thus represented the void and the unknown inner realms. Do you fear your own death and inner darkness? If the crow appears to you as a sign, take time to explore your inner darkness and listen to the ancient wisdom within yourself.
The crow and the raven are of the same genus and in some respects have similar meanings. The expression "as the crow flies" means traveling in a straight line. Walk your talk. Travel straight forward with clarity and decisiveness in your life. To crwo means to exult loudly, as over another's defeat, or to boast. It can also mean to utter sounds that express pleasure or delight. Do you have something to crow about in your life?
*Zolar/Encyclopedia of Signs, Omens, and Superstitions:
There is a great deal of folklore connected with crows and ravens due to their wide distribution throughout much of the world.
The Greek writer Porphyry (3rd C. A.D.) wrote that one might acquire the crow's prophetic powers by eating their hearts. According to Greek myth, when Apollo became the lover of Coronis, he commissioned a snow white crow to keep guard over his already pregnant lover while he went to Delphi. The crow failed to report to Apollo that Coronis had become unfaithful with Ischy. In his anger, Apollo turned the bird black.
In Genesis, Noah sends forth a raven from the ark to search for land, an dlegend has it that travens guided Alexander to the Shrine of Jupiter Ammon in the Oasis of Siwah in Egypt and later foretold his death. Elijah was fed by ravens, predisposing Christians to regard the bird favorably (although St. Ambrose called the bird "impious" for not haveing returned to the ark).
In Great Britain there is a belief that, if the ravens at the Tower of London are destroyed, disaster to the empire is certain. [Note: this is because they did leave and the rodents ran amok bringing on the plague. When the crows returned the rodent population was kept under control and disease with it.]
In China the three-legged sun crow is held worthy of worship. Tradition holds that a crow never enters the Acropolis at Athens due to the enmity between Athena (whose symbol is the owl) and the crow.
The poet Ovid in Matamorphosos refers to a witch, Madea, who infused into the veins of the elder Jason a concoction of aged deer and the head of a crow that had outlived nine generations of men.
It was said that raven's eggs could be used to dye the hair black. Unless one's mouth was filled with oil while this was applied, however, teeth would turn black also. In Czechoslovakia, folklore holds that a man who eats three raven hearts reduced to ashes will become a crack shot. In Russia a witch's spirit is said to assume the form of a crow. If a Brahman takes money given to him for sacrifice an duses it for his personal ends, it is said he will be doomed to be a crow or a vulture in his next life and for a hundred years thereafter.
In Cornwall, to shoot a raven is to shoot King Arthur. In Wales, if blind people are kind to ravens, they will learn how to regain their sight. In Scotland those who hunt deer believe it a good omen to hear the call of a crow or raven before setting out.
A number of verses appear in American and European folklore to describe the corw's influence. In North America, "Crow on the fence, rain will go hence" is an often cited expression. In Maryland the following verse is found:
One crow--sorrow
Two crows--mirth
Three crows--wedding
Four crows--birth
The English version is as follows:
One's bad luck
Two's luck
Threes health
Four's wealth
Five's sickness
And six is death
Still another version goes like this:
One means anger
Two means mirth
Three a wedding
Four a birth
Five is heaven
Six is hell
But seven is the Devil's ownself.
Popular omens about crows abound. Here are some: Should a crow flutter about a window and caw, it portends death. Should a crow fly three times over a house and corak three times, it is a bad omen. An odd crow perched in the path of an observer is a sign of wrath. Should crows flock together early in the morning and stare into the sun, the weather will be hot and dry. Should they stalk at nightfall into water and croak, rain is at hand. A faminine is near at hand when crows in a flock forsake a wood. Foul weather is nearby should a crow croak an odd number of times. Should the croaking be an even number, the weather will be fine. Last, should crows be seen flying towards each other, it is an omen of war.
