I’m currently working on a drawing that features a huge owl with outstretched wings. I would like to talk about the owl for a minute.
For most of us in the West, the Owl represents Wisdom and Knowledge. Owls are associated with smart people.
The Owl is the sacred symbol of Athena, the Greek Goddess of War and Wisdom.
However, if we go further back in history, we find that the owl is the symbol of the Underworld. An owl can successfully see and hunt in the darkest of nights, so of course will be our ally in the darkest portions of our psyche.
It’s the Owl’s ability to see far where the rest of us only see darkness that makes her Wise.
It is the Underworld Owl that Helen Martins worked with in her Owl House, and it is in this capacity that I’m using the owl in my drawing.
I bought a pair of earrings, which I love, but they illustrate the common misconceptions and unawareness about the importance of symbols in our lives.
Here we have, meshed together unceremoniously, two strong symbols for two aspects of the Feminine Psyche: Athena and Hera – the Owl and the Peacock.
The Owl: wisdom, traveller in the Underworld.
The Peacock: a heavenly bird associated with Mother Mary and the symbol of the Queen Goddess.
Heaven and Earth. The Warrior and the Wife.
Not exactly best of friends.
Another aspect of the drawing is the fact that the bird has outstretched wings. Wings signify flying, freedom, journeys, and can allude to Heaven.
So I’ve done it myself. Unceremoniously meshed Heaven and Hell together.