So come fly with me as I begin the journey that echos with the realms of the Otherworld
Throughout time, Raven has carried the medicine of magic. This has been true in many cultures across the planet. It is sacred, in the medicine ways, to honor Raven as the brinier of magic. If the magic is bad medicine, the carrier may b honored out of fear rather than out of respect. Those who fear Raven may do so because they have been dabbling in areas in which they had no knowledge, and a spell may have backfired on them. Rather than analyzing the dark side of sorcery, realize that you will fear Raven only if you need to learn about your inner fears of self- created demons.
Raven magic is a powerful medicine that can give you the courage to
enter the darkness of the void, which is the home of all
that is not yet in form. The void is called the Great Mystery. Great
Mystery existed before all other things came into being.
Great Spirit lives inside the void and emerged from the Great Mystery.
Raven is the messenger of the void.
Raven's colour is the Colour of the void-the black hole in space that
holds all the energy of the creative source. Raven is the
guardian of ceremonial magic and in absentia healing. In any healing
circle, Raven is present. Raven guides the magic of
healing and the change in consciousness that will bring about a new
reality and dispel "dis-ease" or illness. Raven brings in the
new state of wellness from the Void of Great Mystery and the field of
plenty.
The raven is one of those birds that has a tremendous amount of lore and mythology surrounding it, and it is often
contradictory. It is a bird of birth and death, and it is a bird of mysticism and magic.
In the near East, the raven was considered unclean - because it is a scavenger. It is one of the foods listed as forbidden in the
Bible. The raven is one of the birds that Noah sent out after the floods, but it did not return to the ark. On the other hand,
also in Biblical lore is the tale of how a raven fed the prophet Elijah when hiding from King Ahab.
In Scandinavian lore, the raven played a significant role. The Norse god Odin had a pair of ravens who were his messengers.
Their names were Hugin (thought) and Munin (memory). Odin was known to shapeshift as a raven himself. This reflects the
idea of raven being a messenger of the great spirtual realm.
The raven has a long history of being an omen. During the Middle Ages the croak of the raven was believed to foretell a
death or the outcome of a battle. It was even taught to the common folk in Christian communities that wicked priests became
ravens when they died. Even today, some old timers tell how you can expect hot weather when a raven is seen facing a
clouded sun.
The raven is a member of the corvids family, to which belong crows and magpies and other such birds. In truth, the only
really significant difference between the crow and the raven is in size, the raven being much larger. It would be beneficial to
study the information on the crow for anyone who has a raven as a totem. Much of the same information that applies to one,
also applies to the other. It is simply a matter of degree. Rather than repeat that information here, I would like to give you
some information not generally associated with the crow itself.
The raven has a wealth of myth and lore surrounding it. In many ways it is comparable to the coyote tales of the plains
Indians, the Bushmen tales of the mantis and other societies in which an animal plays both a significant and yet confusing role.
The coyote was both trickster and wise being - fool and wise one. This was true of the mantis in the tales of the Kalahari
Bushmen.
In the Pacific Northwest, the raven has this same aura about him. In the Pacific Northwest, raven brought forth life and order.
Raven stole the sunlight from one who would keep the world in darkness. Nothing could exist without raven. Raven is
honored in art and on totem poles, reflecting the tales and mysticism that have developed around it.
With raven, human and animal spirits intermingle and become as one. This is reflected in its deep, rich shiny black. In
blackness, everything mingles until drawn forth, out into the light. Because of this, raven can help you shapeshift your life or
your being. Raven has the knowledge of how to become other animals and how to speak their languages.
Ravens are great at vocalizations, and they can be taught to speak. They incorporate and mimick the calls of other species. In
the Northwest are tales of the Kwakiutl Indians who offered the afterbirth of male newborns to Raven so that when they
grew up, they would understand their cries. Raven can teach you to understand the language of animals.
Ravens are playful, and they are excellent tool users. They will use stones and anything else that is available to help them
crack nuts and such. They are birds not intimidated by others, and they are very fast and wary. Because of this, they are not
easy prey for other animals or birds. This implies the ability to teach you how to stir the magic of life without fear. They are
also known for their amorous behavior, reflecting the strong creative life force to which they have access.
This creative life force can be used to work the magic of spiritual laws upon the physical plane. It can be used to go into the
void and stir the energies to manifest that which you most need. All this and more is what raven teaches. If raven has come
into your life, expect magic. Somewhere in your life, magic is at play. Raven activates the energy of magic, linking it with your
will and intention.
Raven speaks of the opportunity to become the magician and/or enchantress of your life. Each of us has a magician within,
and it is Raven which can show us how to bring that part of us out of the dark into the light. Raven speaks of messages from
the spirit realm that can shapeshift your life dramatically. Raven teaches how to take that which is unformed and give it the
form you desire.
The winter solstice and winter season is the time of greatest power for those with the raven as a totem. The solstice is the
shortest day of the year. The sun shines the least on this day, thus it is the darkest. From that day forth, the light shines a little
more each day. This is symbolic of the influence of raven. It teaches how to go into the dark and bring forth the light. With
each trip in, we develop the ability to bring more light out. This is creation.