myth of owls?

Question

I was having a discussion with a friend and he was telling me that if an owl is in your yard and sticks around, it means you will lose a family member. I was brought up believing that an owl meant good luck. What do you think?

Answer 1

Throughout human history, owls have variously symbolized dread, knowledge, wisdom, death, and religious beliefs in a spirit world. In most Western cultures, views of owls have changed drastically over time. Owls can serve simultaneously as indicators of scarce native habitats and of local cultural and religious beliefs. Understanding historical and current ways in which owls are viewed, and not imposing Western views on other cultures, is an important and necessary context for crafting owl conservation approaches palatable to local peoples

Answer 2

Concerning Death, owls are supposed to help guide the spirit of the dead person to their afterlife. So they would be there shortly before and after the person's death in most cases. If the person's spirit is refusing to go with them at the time, then the owl might hang around for awhile to persuade them or just to be there if they change their mind. EDIT: Just so that I make this a little clearer, owls are not harbingers or bringers of Death. They appear when death is already upon a person, even if it might be a lingering death, which is why they might appear for days before the person actually dies. And yes, owls were used as messengers by the gods, which is something that J.K. Rowling probably picked up on and why she used them to carry messages for the students.

Answer 3

I think the funny and scary thing abotu the human mind is that if you have a very strong belief abotu it either way, it tends to become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

So if I were you, I would prefer to keep my belief. If you truly believe it will bring you good luck, then you will be thinking about good luck whenever you see an owl. and you may increase your likelihood to draw good luck. Even if you dont win the lotto, at least you will not be thinking of gloom and doom and your day may flow nicer.

edit

Luckily I believe the way I do Oswald because there are a really lot of vultures where I live, I drive under dozens of them every day. If I had your belief that would suck for me.

Answer 4

cultures are divided. In europe, hearing an owl screetch is a bad omen and your friend is right, it often presages death (as a night creature). In Jewish folklore it's linked with Lilith, the demoness of the desert and to the Romans it was the witch-goddess Hecate's helper. But in the Greece it was Athena's creature and the symbol of the first democratic city in history, Athens. In East it is fortunate and amongst some Native American groups the owl is a favourable totem. They are beautiful birds, used by humans for centuries as trained birds of prey. They are caring parents and can turn their heads round all the way. So it depends... are you a superstitious **** or not?

Answer 5

I was also brought up hearing the death omen version of seeing an owl during the day however I have many owls nesting around my home and I always welcome the unusual daytime visit by my little friends. It really just depends on how you view them personally.

Answer 6

As far as I know its true. A few days before my dad passed away my mom said she seen an owl in the yard and that he didnt leave the yard til the day before my dads death.

Answer 7

I've always thought owls meant good luck.

Answer 8

there is a native belief that if an owl visits you that someone close to you will be leaving this world...

we have a white owl that lives near my home & i feel blessed whenever i'm lucky enough to see it flying or "sitting"/perched.

i believe its all in your own beliefs; dont allow another to taint a positive view of yours because they believe differently. we all are entitled to our own views

Answer 9

Birds are good omens for the most part. The only exception is if the shadow of a bird of prey/buzzard or vulture falls on you.

Answer 10

Must be a lot of mice in your yard.