The Crow in The Tree

  This picture of a crow is from the Wiktionary

This article was originally posted by Judith Hirst-Joyeux on May 23, 2007 on a different blog. 

This morning my dog, Magic, and I were walking along one of our many walking routes. My mind was occupied with what I should be doing for the rest of the day. Magic, meanwhile, was enjoying the present moment, following the dogs' newspapers along the ground, and saying "Hi!" to all the kids on the way to school. As I started noticing his enjoyment of the walk, I wondered where my enjoyment was. Was this a fun walk or not? I started pondering the question and pretty soon was caught up in the many aspects of enjoyment. What does enjoyment really mean? This was turning out to be a pretty heavy walk!

We were just completing mile two when we hit a boulevard with many poplar trees lining the way. As we walked, I was still caught up in the discussion of enjoyment going on in my mind. I noticed that two birds were flying around the small park off on my left. As I walked, both birds flew up over my head and then landed in a small tree slightly ahead of me, on my right. It was a very black shiny crow, and a very black and white magpie. They both sat on the same side of the tree, and the crow sat on a low branch at about my shoulder height. The magpie was one branch above him. And, the birds watched us. Magic ignored them. However, I felt their gaze. I felt that they were talking to me as they started with a series of caws and magpie song.

When I got home, I pulled out my trusty Ted Andrews, ANIMAL-SPEAK, and looked up the birds. Crow is about magic and reminding one that magic is around you at all times, and that you need to call up the magic to use it in your life. In fact, the crow is called one of the birds of creation, and that the magic of creation is calling. The crow is about being full of creative potential and looking to deliver that potential.

The magpie is a cousin to the crow. The frame of reference for magpie includes the proper use of intelligence, familiars and occult knowledge. The cycle of power for magpie is summer and winter - and we are just coming in to the summer. Magpies are considered the most intelligent of the crow family, and remind one to use their innate intelligence to solve any problems, and to look at opportunities to advance.

The combination of the two birds together is an oracle reminding me to look to my intellect and to the universe to keep moving forward. It is a reminder too, that I have creativity that needs to be released - in writing and in music and decorating.

Mahakla is the dharmapala or protector of the Dharma in Buddhism, and often comes to Earth as a Crow. The crow then, and his cousin, are wonderful bringers of knowledge and wisdom, and are the spirit guides that lead you to new ways of thinking in spirituality and in practical matters.