It’s easy for us to mistake every common animal appearance as a sign from our Gods. We see a crow….is the Morrigan calling? A black dog wags its tail at us…what does Hekate want from us?
Very often, a crow is just a crow. A dog is just a dog.
Except when it’s not.
In a myriad of traditions, animal signs represent messages from the Divine. But how do we know if our own experience was a message or just a critter?
It’s something we have to define for ourselves. But here are some thoughts that might be helpful:
Is the animal doing something unusual?
Not long ago, I had offered a prayer to the Morrigan, and within an hour, saw a coyote sitting on the side of the freeway, focusing on something in the west. Coyote does not appear in any of the Morrigan’s myths, so it would not be a traditional symbol of the Morrigan. However, I had never seen coyotes on that particular freeway, and it’s absolute focus on the mountain in the west was very unusual. Some might argue that coyote is a substitute for wolf, which is a symbol of the Morrigan. Maybe the Morrigan was simply using the signs available to her in my region? Maybe.
But it was less about seeing a coyote, which is not an uncommon occurrence in my area. It was more about seeing one on that freeway, where I never see wildlife, and focusing on the west, not hunting or scavaging anything (that I could see). And immediately coming after my prayer to the Morrigan, I took it as a sign that she’d gotten my message—maybe in the way someone uses a thumbs-up emoji to let you know they’ve read your text.
Is it an animal you don’t typically see in your area?
Recently, I made an offering to Hekate at my local crossroads (prayer and song, for those who are curious about my offering!), and while I was walking home, a solid white cat ran across my path. It paused, looked right at me, and kept running.
Cats are not a traditional symbol of Hekate. White animals are not typically associated with Hekate (she’s more connected with black animals). However, I couldn’t remember the last time I saw a solid white cat. It stuck out more to me than if I had seen a black cat. As I mentioned, black animals are more commonly connected with Hekate, but because black cats are so common in my area, I don’t think I would have thought much of seeing a cat. Perhaps, like the coyote above, Hekate sent a white cat to get my attention, letting me know my offering was accepted.
Do you see the animal immediately after doing a ritual or invocation to the Deity, or before?
Again, the timing will tell you. If you recently have done a ritual to the Goddess and soon thereafter have a strange animal experience, it’s likely that the Goddess is letting you know “message received.” But if you have the experience immediately before connecting with the Goddess, it may be a sign that says “Hello. I’m waiting.”
For example, this past weekend, I went to the Sisters of Lilith Summer Solstice festival where the Morrigan was being honored. If you’re in the PacNW and haven’t attended Sisters of Lilith yet, you simply must! Here is what I saw fly over my car while I was driving to the event:
A bald eagle. I see them periodically in my area, so that was exciting, but not terribly unusual (even though this one was a little closer to the city limits than I usually see).
A murder of crows. Not unusual at all. Crows are all over the place in my area. When I see them, I rarely think of them as a sign of the Morrigan, even though she is often synonymous with the image of black birds.
BUT.
The bald eagle was clutching some large prey. AND it was being mercilessly pursued by this murder of crows. It was actually struggling to both hold its prey and get away from the pursuing flock. Something I had NEVER seen before.
Unusual activity. Unusual location. A prominent symbol of the Morrigan pursing a prominent symbol of nationalist power on the Summer Solstice, a day of great power and light, while I was en route to an event honoring the Morrigan.
I fully believe this was a sign from The Morrigan.
What does it mean? That I don’t know. I know what I hope it means, though.
What do you think? What have YOU experienced?
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