Ulooka—the owl

folk art1The owl is one of the most curious creatures. A bird that stays awake when the rest of the world sleeps. They can see in the dark. That is so interesting, to be mired in reality when the rest of the world is dreaming.  I wonder what the owl see, and does that the rest of the world misses.

Owls are patient messengers, they can penetrate the darkness hence the holders of wisdom and capable of seeing the unseen.

Animals have been recognized as teachers, from time immemorial. Wise men and women recognize traits worthy of respect both in wild and domestic creatures.  This cultural and spiritual significance of animals transcends geographic boundaries, unifying disparate people.

Owls somehow served as the focal point of numerous contradictory beliefs. Though owls have been regarded with awe and fascination, they have also served as agents of fear.  This could be because the owl is nocturnal and man-owl interaction happens in the dark.

The classical Greek tradition has an owl perched on the shoulder of Athena the goddess of wisdom, in the Roman mythology owls could ward off bad luck. In the Indian mythology the owl is the chosen vehicle of Lakshmi the goddess of wealth.

In the shamanic American Indian mythology owls have a unique identity; they are patient messengers, the bringers of information and holders of wisdom. They are capable of seeing the unseen.  Their eyesight being keen, they are believed to glace into the soul of discern meaning and motive and they are the totems, of truth.

Commune with the owl, must make our way through the darkest parts of our soul, as if we ourselves are nocturnal hunters. The owl as our totem or spirit animal, lets us explore the unknown. The mysteries of life are a fascinating field of interest.

Uloolka in the Indian mythology is the vehicle of Lakshmi the goddess of wealth. It does seem a rather unlikely vehicle for her.  Owl is a bird that sleeps during the day and prowls during the night. Just as it goes blind during the day, and sleeps in the night. This symbolizes the seeker’s tendency to foray towards the pursuit of secular instead of spiritual wealth.

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