As the Crow flies
I have a thing for crows. It comes from meeting the Morrighan in the Underworld, being claimed by her as one of her own - complete with armor, sword and a pair of black wings - and encountering beings I call my "crow sisters" in most of my meditative and shamanic journeys.
Photo from Roseburg, Oregon; found in SFGate's Day in Pictures.
This photo is an amazing shot, for the contrast of the black of the crow against the white of the snow if nothing else. But I love the spread of the crow's wings most. It captures exactly the look of the wings I was given and those of my sisters. This could be one of my sisters, flying through Oregon.
Crows have a rich symbolic history that stretches across almost every spiritual pantheon and time in history. From Celtic mythology, the Crow is associated with Morrighan and her triple goddess form that includes her sisters Macha and Badb. In this way and a number of others she is beloved of many witches. The Native Americans see the Crow as a trickster, but also as the protector of the sacred writings of the Great Spirit. In alchemy, encountering a crow is considered a particularly good omen. The Black Crow symbolizes the beginning of the alchemist's journey through inner space and in the symbol of the Black Crow we have the stepping out in consciousness from the world of the physical senses the restrictions that bind us to the physical body. The Crow is an important symbol in Buddhist traditions as well, with many meanings. I have read that the sight of three crows flying over head means that a new Buddha is born.
While there are many stories and superstitions about the Crow and a number of its associations have to do with death and ill omens, the Crow also has powerful medicine and her presence can be very beneficial. A subject worthy of a longer post at a later time.
THE ONES that disappeared are back,
The Phoebe and the Crow,
Precisely as in March is heard
The curtness of the Jay—
Be this an Autumn or a Spring?
My wisdom loses way,
One side of me the nuts are ripe—
The other side is May.
Emily Dickinson (1830-86). Complete Poems. 1924
Part Five: The Single Hound
Posted by Angela-Eloise at 9:29 AM
Comments
I love that poem
Posted by: Hecate | January 30, 2008 10:27 PM
Still can't take my eyes of that pictures, great find :)
Posted by: Gossamer | February 1, 2008 10:58 AM
dear angela i noticed a crow in my pine tree out front being pagan and a follower of the morrigan i got on the internet to see if there were any deeper meanings an lo and behold i was lead here please e mail me i would love to discuss anything with you magickal or mundane i live in the country with no neighbors my backyard is the forest and i'm the only witch for miles my email is sparrowhawk005@yahoo.com
Posted by: sparrowhawk | June 23, 2008 1:56 PM