Pagans/Wiccans please answer?

Question

I've started studying and reading about different pagan paths. I haven't committed to one yet. But since I have started studying, I have noticed some weird things. What concerns me most is the crows. I've been dreaming of them frequently, and in the dream one crow is perched on a stone in my garden, and the other dead in the flowers. In the dream, I feel as though one crow has killed the other.
I have also heard the sounds of crows during the night....but I have never seen a crow where I am currently living.
I have become vaguely familiar with some of the deities that the crow is associated with. And I'm not sure I'm comfortable with them(at least the ones I know of) being this interested in my life.
What light can you shed on this subject for me?
Thank you!

Strawberry- I'm sorry about the thumbs down, I'd give you a thumb up but i can't thumb anyone yet.
I find your answer a valid viewpoint and I respect it very much. Just so you know :)

Answer 1

There are several different beliefs about crows, depending on which path you take.

The Celts see the Crow/Raven (there is very little difference between them. They are both corvids, and the raven is larger than the crow; however, their behavior is nearly identical).
In the Celtic belief, they are harbingers of battle and death.. they also bring with them messages from the Otherworld, and are symbols of the goddess MorRhiogan. They bring all kinds of magic and are closely knit with witches and druids.

In Appalachia, they are seen as a bad omen.

In Native American traditions, crows and ravens are seen as bringers of magic, and of sacred law (not man's law).

That's just a little bit of it.. when I first began on the path, I had crows all around me too.. they would leave feathers in strange places around my house, and would wake me up.. I eventually began studying them. They are fascinating creatures.

Answer 2

Hail and welcome.
Hi, Do not be worried by the intervention of Ravens and Crows. The forces we worship contact us in many different ways.
Their are many different associations with the symbol of these birds, some or none may have a connection with you. Either in this life or a previous one. Odin had two ravens which flew the world each day called thought and memory. The Celtic Morigan also was strongly connected with ravens, so was Bran the Blessed.
The Norse believed that the Valkyrie turned themselves into crows and ravens to collect the fallen in battle.
As for myself the Morigan has watched over me for years, every where I go, and I mean everywhere there is always a Raven somewhere close. Do not be alarmed welcome this as a positive sign on your path. Next time you see one, mentally ask it what it wants.
Blessed Be

Answer 3

I'm not a big fan of dream interpretation by-the-book. I see no reason why a crow in your dream should mean the same as a crow in my dream, I'm not even going to guess and what the symbolism might be here. If it is a god or goddess trying to get your attention, perhaps you should look more closely at those deities. You may find that when you know more about them you find them less uncomfortable. We are generally uncomfortable with things we don't know much about. And something to remember: just because a deity is associated with something like war or death doesn't necessarily mean they'll expect to be vicious or nasty or violent or even that they have those qualities themselves. You may gain strength from a "war goddess" or sympathy for the dying from a death deity, for example.

Answer 4

I'll be a Crow is your power animal. This is a great power animal to have. There are two crows who sit on Odin's shoulders, thought and memory. Crows are some of the most intelligent birds, and can even be taught to speak. Crows are risiliant song birds who play an important role in our ecosystem.
I'm also close to crows, though they're not my power animal. Meditate thinking about a crow. Follow it in your mind, your imagination directed, and see where it leads you. You'll find what your true path is for this life.
Peace.

Answer 5

First off, Crow and Raven are NOT the same bird, biologically or mythologically. Odin's birds were Ravens.

Now, you might consider whether Crow is your totem or not. I see totems as archetypal beings that embody all the qualities associated with a particular animal. They're independent beings, though we can also have spiritual/energetic connections to them within us. Totems are not limited to Native American cultures; indigenous cultures, especially those that still work within a hunter-gatherer dynamic, also have totemic systems. Traditionally totems are associated with groups, tribes, clans and families, rather than individuals.

Totemism and animal magic from a neopagan perspective have been at the center of my spirituality for over a decade. I don't see what I'm doing as the same thing Native Americans or any other indigenous cultures are doing; I have my own way of relating to animal totems as archetypal beings that exist independently but also within me.

Just be aware that what you find in books isn't traditional; it's either New Age or neopagan. That doesn't mean it isn't useful; it's just, well, *new*.

If you want to read more, go check out http://www.wildspeak.com which has a good introduction to animal totems. If you're interested in books, I've reviewed the majority of what's currently on the market: http://lupabitch.wordpress.com/category/animal-magic/ And I've written one of my own: http://www.thegreenwolf.com/ffbb.html Also, if you're curious about how I practice, check out http://therioshamanism.com

Now as to the guided journey I sometimes use to talk to totems, http://therioshamanism.com/2007/09/28/more-about-animal-totems/ has the one that I use. Guided meditations are better than card decks because you're not limited by the number of animals in the deck. And it's better than going to someone else because you don't have to worry about that person's perceptions misinterpreting the identity of the animal.

For your purposes, go down into the meditation with the specific intent of talking to Crow to find out whether you have a connection with hir or not. It may take a few tries, especially since you aren't too far along your path, but be patient with yourself.

Hope that helps :)

Answer 6

i dont believe the crow has any symbolic meaning but then i dont believe in god/esses so this may contradict with your views :). I do know though, through studying the law of attraction that when you start to think alot about something (in your case crows) you attract them to your life experiance, hence the dreams and the sighting etc. This is just my belief anyway. I would strongly suggest, as part of your study of paganism, to read all you can on the law of attraction because it is the key to mastering spell casting/ritual. I hope i've helped, please email if you need any advice :) x

edit to add:

Not sure why i got a thumbs down, i'm just sharing my views with the person that asked the question, its good to get lots of different views thats why this website is so good - I'm not saying i am right, i just know that the law of attraction brings to you anything that you put alot of energy into, so as soon as you start to think about something, you will have more and more experiances involving that thing you're spending time thinking of, especially when you start studying the craft as you have alot of pre-concieved ideas (often subconcious from films or books or the internet) about what to expect and whats related to the craft :) xx

Answer 7

Crows were perceived in several ancient cultures as the gatekeepers to the afterlife. This was both because of their connection to death as scavengers and because of the belief that crows were extremely wise, with long memories. It's a bit like the modern stereotypes of an owl, but with the whole death thing thrown in.

Answer 8

Crows - in animal symbolism - can represent adherence to human law and morality. They aren't even creatures (even though several movies and authors equate them with darker things).

Do a meditation, perhaps? Open yourself up to what they're trying to show you?