Birds and Horses Spiritual Symbolisms

[Lynn]

Hello

I welcome other's to add what they might well know on the sybolisms of Birds and Horses in different cultural faiths.


Bird’s andHorses the Spiritual Symbolisms

The bird is anearly universal symbol of the soul; Birds are messengers to the god’s and thecarrier of the Soul to Heaven. (in some faiths) To theAncient Egyptians the bird was associated with “ba” or the Soul; the Hawkrepresented the Soul of Horus and the Pharaoh. To Hindus the Bird is associated with higher states of being. The Aztecs believed that the dead were rebornas Colibris, the birds of their god, Huitzilopochtli. For the Shamans they would take on the shapeof the bird so that they could fly free from their bodies and travel freelythought the universe. Native AmericansBird’s represent the wind and the rain.

When we lookat Myths and Legends and even Fairy Tales we find that around the World theBird often has the ability to talk and offers to human’s guidance. Birds are both bring forth news but too areseen as omens of death. Most common arethe Black Birds being Crows or the Night Bird being the Owl.

Carl Jung saysbirds to represent Spirit, Angels, Supernatural Aids, and our thoughts offlight and fancy. In Alchemy the Bird isthe symbol of the forces of activation. HelenP. Blavatsky said that Birds are on the evolutionary track to become Deva’s.

The Horsehas had a Mystical, Spiritual, and Paranormal association though history. Carl Jung said the Horse represents “theMother within us”, the intuitive understanding and magic side of human kind. TheHorse has been seen as both sacred and revered since Ancient times. The Horse represents fertility, forces of nature,and even clairvoyance.

In India the“Vedic: Horse Sacrifice” of a sacred Stallion ensured fruitfulness to the Queenas well as health and prosperity of the Kingdom and the Royal Family. The Greek fertility Goddess Demeter is associatedwith the Horse. As too is Aphrodite theGoddess of LOVe and Artemis the Goddess of the Hunt.

The ancientGreeks and Romans related the Horse to the thunder, water and wind. The Celts feel that the Horse carries theSouls of the Land and of the Dead. InWitchcraft the Horse is said to be vulnerable to Bewitchment and the Evil Eye. It is said that Witches would borrow horsesand ride them to Sabbaths to return them in the morning exhausted. The use of Brass Bells on the harness andhorseshoes of iron that are hung on stables walls are amulets to ward offWitches and the Evil Eye.

Lynn

Originally Posted by Lynn

Hello

I welcome other's to add what they might well know on the sybolisms of Birds and Horses in different cultural faiths.


Bird’s andHorses the Spiritual Symbolisms

The bird is anearly universal symbol of the soul; Birds are messengers to the god’s and thecarrier of the Soul to Heaven. (in some faiths) To theAncient Egyptians the bird was associated with “ba” or the Soul; the Hawkrepresented the Soul of Horus and the Pharaoh. To Hindus the Bird is associated with higher states of being. The Aztecs believed that the dead were rebornas Colibris, the birds of their god, Huitzilopochtli. For the Shamans they would take on the shapeof the bird so that they could fly free from their bodies and travel freelythought the universe. Native AmericansBird’s represent the wind and the rain.

When we lookat Myths and Legends and even Fairy Tales we find that around the World theBird often has the ability to talk and offers to human’s guidance. Birds are both bring forth news but too areseen as omens of death. Most common arethe Black Birds being Crows or the Night Bird being the Owl.

Carl Jung saysbirds to represent Spirit, Angels, Supernatural Aids, and our thoughts offlight and fancy. In Alchemy the Bird isthe symbol of the forces of activation. HelenP. Blavatsky said that Birds are on the evolutionary track to become Deva’s.

The Horsehas had a Mystical, Spiritual, and Paranormal association though history. Carl Jung said the Horse represents “theMother within us”, the intuitive understanding and magic side of human kind. TheHorse has been seen as both sacred and revered since Ancient times. The Horse represents fertility, forces of nature,and even clairvoyance.

In India the“Vedic: Horse Sacrifice” of a sacred Stallion ensured fruitfulness to the Queenas well as health and prosperity of the Kingdom and the Royal Family. The Greek fertility Goddess Demeter is associatedwith the Horse. As too is Aphrodite theGoddess of LOVe and Artemis the Goddess of the Hunt.

The ancientGreeks and Romans related the Horse to the thunder, water and wind. The Celts feel that the Horse carries theSouls of the Land and of the Dead. InWitchcraft the Horse is said to be vulnerable to Bewitchment and the Evil Eye. It is said that Witches would borrow horsesand ride them to Sabbaths to return them in the morning exhausted. The use of Brass Bells on the harness andhorseshoes of iron that are hung on stables walls are amulets to ward offWitches and the Evil Eye.

Lynn

I know that in some Celtic myths birds were considered symbols of the Otherworld and messengers of the gods.

In ancient Egypt wild flocks of birds represented chaos and isfet because of their disorganization.

Annnnnnnnnnnd hmm... I know there's more but I am pulling up a blank lol

As for horses, they represented war and sovereignty in many ancient cultures. Most Celtic war goddesses were associated with horses. Epona was one goddess that was readily worship by Roman soldiers after their contact with Celtic tribes.

In Germanic cultures mares were considered creatures of the vitki or witches. But mares were also considered to be the epitome of cowardice. If I recall correctly one of the most terrible insults a warrior could say to another was that he had the heart of a mare, and it was thought proper etiquette to kill him because of that lol.

I can't remember the exact reference but I think stallions were also symbols of sexual perversion and virility in Norse culture.

I can probably dig up more, but that's what came to mind quickly.

[Spiritlite]

It's lovely reading this thread while warching hummingbirds ear from the feeder. Thankyou

There's a good book by Peter Tate called Flights of Fancy which discusses birds in myths, superstition and legends. It's a good reference book to those who experience the divinity of birdies.

Sorry I can't add anything really of value but if you can get a copy I think you'll find it interesting if you want to learn about birds and their meaning in various cultures.

Bestest wishes,blessings and love

Cheeky

Originally Posted by cheeky_monkey

There's a good book by Peter Tate called Flights of Fancy which discusses birds in myths, superstition and legends. It's a good reference book to those who experience the divinity of birdies.

Sorry I can't add anything really of value but if you can get a copy I think you'll find it interesting if you want to learn about birds and their meaning in various cultures.

Bestest wishes,blessings and love

Cheeky

Thanks Lynn for posting this and for all who have added to it...

cheeky monkey, I think I might look this book up, thanks for sharing the title.

nightowl

[norseman]

Cannot give you a reference on this. In European "shamanism", the tribal Wise Man was said to enter his "Time of Iron" towards the later part of his life when his powers were at their highest - this was maintained by drinking the blood of stallions. I picked this up when studying the background of the Cunning/Wise Folk but cannot remember where I saw it.
It sort-of makes sense - a source of iron, laced with horse testosterone. [And no, I haven't been tempted - yet ! ]

[norseman]

Birds.

The Swan – the familiar of Brighid – it was said that a swan only sings once – when it is dying- The song is associated with prophecy

The Robin and Wren – the totem birds of winter and summer. Both are said to have brought fire to mankind from the sun. The robin burnt its breast by throwing itself on the Wren to put out the flames that were burning it. The Robin is the familiar of the Holly king while the Wren is the familiar of the Oak King.

White horses symbolise the Sun and the light half of the year, while dark horses are connected to the dark half, death, and the Underworld.

The Woodpecker is the herald of Rebirth.

The Eagle is the only bird that lives in the upper realm of the gods.

Much more on magpies, rooks, and crows when I can find it on my HD.

[BlueSky]

When you find a feather, try and remember what you were thinking right before you found it............

[LadyVirgoxoxo]

What a wonderful thread! Thank you everyone for sharing your knowledge! I'm wondering though why this was placed in the faeres, elementals, nature spirits & woodland creatures section though? Does it have something to do with them?
White Shaman, does the bird the feather came from symbolize something?

Spiritual Bird Medicine link;

http://www.widdershins.org/vol5iss2/01.htm

nightowl