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A Guide to Interpreting Signs and Omens

A Guide to Interpreting Signs and Omens

Last updated on: April 14, 2023 at 11:39 am by Jessica Jascha

A Guide to Interpreting Signs and Omens 2023-04-14T11:39:39-06:00 Jessica Jascha

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

How do we know when something is a sign or an omen? We live in a world where most of the population has lost their sense of connection to nature and the spirits of the world. Though there is a longing for that connection, and hope is present that it’s a sign when an animal is seen or come across, many lack the discernment to know if it is a actually sign, and are uncertain of how to interpret such signs for themselves even if it is.

Learning to understand signs and omens in the natural world is a divination that requires patience and attention. There are many books that can tell you what it might mean if you come across a certain animal or bird, but those are points of reference, not definitive answers. It’s also quite possible that it doesn’t mean anything. Part of the reality of the disconnection between humans and the natural world is the utter surprise many experience at unexpectedly seeing something wild in their environment. Many times these creatures are simply going about their normal business of living, and it has nothing to do with us at all.

The first thing to know about signs and omens is that there is a distinct energy to the experience of them. It feels different when it happens. There is an extra dimension to the experience, it’s weightier, and something in your soul says this is important, pay attention to this!

Signs are generally positive affirmations (or sometimes indications of “no”) of something we’ve asked about, been meditating on, or needed answers for in our lives. They can also be encouragement from the spirits. They have that air of synchronicity to them and they are usually uplifting when they occur, reminding us that we are heard and loved. It’s wondering if you have spirit guides and then going for a walk and coming across a feather on your path. It’s seeing repeated numbers of a similar sequence (like 333 or 222 and so on). Signs are indications that you have been heard and answered and they come in billions of varieties.

On one occasion I prayed to my ancestors to feel and recognize their presence more and as soon as I was done praying, a chickadee flew to my window and perched on the sill, just staring at me. I recognized this as the sign that it was. And in case there be any doubt, I went downstairs to the other side of the house and sat on the couch, and the chickadee followed me to the window next to where I was sitting. My ancestors wanted me to know they were with me.

An omen is usually a warning of some sort. There is a distinct weight to an omen, like the trepidation of storm clouds brewing. A personal example of this came quite recently through the behavior of birds in my life. I was visiting my mother’s house in the woods to drop something off and no one was home. I visited one of her gardens before heading back to my car, which was parked facing that garden directly. As I sat in the driver’s seat and looked out I saw a hawk coming from the trees behind the garden. My immediate thought was oh cool, definitely not a sign though. Then three more hawks came flying out and they all circled directly above my car many times before flying away.

That was an omen that I would be facing an attack soon and that I needed to be prepared to take swift action and defend myself. Three days later crows were outside my window cawing like crazy. This was another warning for me, this time about a communication I would receive (crows don’t hang around near my house in the summertime usually, I rarely hear them) and later that day I ended a relationship with someone whose behavior and comments toward me was a direct personal attack. Both omens were fulfilled that day.

Some of you may be thinking these examples are all well and good, but how do you get to the place where you can recognize signs and omens for what they are?

1.) Learn about the Natural World

Everything has its own characteristics that can communicate different messages and qualities to you. Get to know your local wildlife, their seasonal behaviors and general personalities, so that you can identify when their behavior is out of the ordinary one way or another. You’ll also know when you see an animal that is entirely out of the ordinary this way as well, which could have significance.

2.) Pay Attention

I can’t quite stress this one enough. Work on being in your body and present so that you’re able to detect when an experience feels different, and take heed.

3.) Keep a Journal

Keep track of your experiences. Sometimes the meaning isn’t clear right away, and asking other people isn’t likely to get you the answers you need unless the people you’re asking are very adept at interpreting signs and can help you connect them to your life. However, asking others isn’t going to teach you to divine the meaning yourself, and if it’s about something that is coming other people may not be of much help. This is often a waiting game. So write down the sign or omen and if the meaning isn’t immediately clear, pay attention to what happens in your life over the next two weeks to a month for any correlations. Soon you’ll begin to see how it all interconnects.

4.) Know that Signs and Omens are Information, Not Necessarily a Call to Action

The less than fun part about receiving omens specifically is that they are usually an indication of your need for preparation, not an indication that you can prevent what’s coming. You’ll have to develop a quality of patience and an ability to handle the sense of dread or discord that comes with an omen. Forewarned is forearmed, but, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t still feel uncomfortable in the meantime. 99% of the time you have no control over what’s coming, or it’s not especially clear what exactly it will be or where exactly it will come from- but you can still be ready by gleaning the wisdom from the omen itself.

Need more guidance? Book a spiritual guidance session with me.

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Featured image via pixabay.

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