Hi Jerry, and thank you,

The moment of finding the owl did have an immediate sense of meaning for me. Here is some of why:

I found the owl when on a short retreat, my intent for the retreat being that of "coming home to my heart and soul, in Christ." I've wandered into various things (as you know) since my healing journey began, but the roots of my life are Christian in the sense that the journey of Christ was the most powerful motif in my childhood, and indeed in my dreams. I came upon that owl when I took my first walk through the prairie after arriving at the retreat site. I'd had several numinous (Christ centered) dreams in the preceding week or so and there on retreat.

Also, I always had a desire/want to find an owl, ever since my vision quest with Animas Valley Institute in 2002. There, at the end of the journey, I participated in a Shamanic Drumming meditation where we were to ask for the one ally most needed at that time in our life. After coursing my way through the earth, I came up to the "top world" (as they referred to it) and "I wanted" to see an eagle, for I was comfortable with eagle, as I'd had a moving dream with an enormous eagle before. I did see an eagle soaring overhead, but that was what my ego wanted. I was just as soon turned into a thicket of woods where I found a large owl sitting on a branch right in front of my face. I was afraid of that owl, and told him/her so and why, with some few tears streaming from my eyes. The owl simply flew to and sat on my shoulder. In that moment, I felt such compassion from the owl, as if he/she "knew me," had such deep understanding. It was as if the owl way saying, "I am here, will be here, as you are ready." While I was out on that quest, before embarking on my solo journey, I made a hearty, tearful, earnest prayer, before my group and our sacrificial fire. What I gave to the fire was a family portrait. I was in the center of that portrait, my siblings all around me. My prayer: "that my path of grief and suffering be turned into one of beauty and grace." Writing all of this, just now, helps to bring more meaning/insight to all of this (and my having now found the owl) home to me. When I buried the remains of the owl's body, I did speak of all of this in my prayers to, for, of the owl, what it has meant to me. I also placed a small, beautiful fluorite egg (for new life) in the grave site with the owls body. As I made my way back to the main trails and continued on through the woods, I felt as if that owl was now all about me, only now very large, wrapping his/her wings around me as I walked. Imagination?

[bold]"Returning to"[/bold] (write/bring consciousness to) [bold]my childhood[/bold] story, which will be very healing for me, I must do it from love, acceptance, compassion. I think owl is here to help me.

I am going to post a follow on dream from this one wtih Mark.

Kristi

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 44, Kansas

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