At some point during the late summer of '09 I made a sort of pledge; I wasn't going to pay attention to owls that were off at my periphery. I had been seeing so many owls that I needed some way to filter out the ones that were just sitting in a tree as I drove down the road, those didn't count.
I literally stated out-loud that I would only pay attention if an owl somehow crossed my path. Basically, they needed to swoop down in front of me, as if they were demanding my attention. Well, almost immediately after my verbal declaration, the owls seemed to respond - and they would appear in front of me in flight - cleanly bisecting my path.
The overt owl "performance" where they would cross my path happened multiple times in October of 2009. It first happened as I rode my bike thru my little home-town. And again a few weeks later in the presence of Whitley Strieber during a conference in California.
I didn't see many owls during the winter and summer of 2010, there was pretty much nothing for a almost a full year. I saw a few normal owls off on the side of the road as I was driving, it felt like their overt performances had eased off.
In September of last year (2010) I spent several nights in a row recording and editing an audio post about the month of October of '09, and it's overwhelming load of weirdness. Recording this podcast was emotional and time consuming. I would edit late into the night, awash in a sort of compulsion.
Here's where it gets weird. One early evening while I was riding my bike from a friend's house to my home, and knowing that I was on my way to work on that heavy-handed podcast - an owl swooped down from a telephone pole and silently crossed my path, landing on a fence post on the other side of the lonely rural road. I was immediately aware that this was somehow associated with the podcast.
Now, here's where it gets really weird! Two nights later, I was riding home on my bike from town (on a totally different road) and an owl swoops across my path and lands in a group of cottonwoods along side the road, at a bridge across the Teton Creek. Again, this was when I was on my way home to work on that heavy-handed podcast.
This came after a year of almost zero owl sightings.
My consistent interpretation of these owl incidents has been either you're on the right path or pay attention.
But after having two owls cross my path while on my way to edit that audio essay about synchronicities and paranormal experiences, I was imbued with an even deeper dedication to be as honest as I possibly could.
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Also, I am pretty sure that the second owl sighting in this story (the one that landed in the cottonwood trees) was the exact same owl from THIS curious posting.
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20 comments:
Mike,
I have owls in my dreams now that I am paying attention and writing down these dreams.
I say
1. pay attention
2. we are aware of you
3. and you are aware of us.
stay awake( this is in spiritual terms not physical),notice more, let these dreams live in a resonance during waking hours.
be well
laurence
Okay, here goes:
I've been loosely following your blog, off and on, for the past year or so (some of your posts are confounding and fascinating, and some are, honestly, a little "meh").
Just now, right after reading this latest one about the owls, I happened to pick up a book my littlest grandson had left lying around from his visit earlier today. It's an illustrated kid's encyclopedia, a favourite of his. I think It's over 300 pages long, and I think I've glanced through it exactly once before, maybe a year ago.
For some odd reason, I felt compelled to open it, at (you guessed it), at a page about owls!
Like I said, this is a fairly thick little book, and has only 2 pages of around 300 devoted to owls; so the chance that I happened to (directly) open it to that particular page would therefore be less that 1%!
I think I'm going to take your posts a little more seriously from now on...
Cheers,
-Brian James
What? Some of my posts are "meh" ?!?!?
Intriguing, this thing with you and owls! For me, they mean something entirely different. Perhaps that's the whole thing with them. For each of us, a different message.
Alien or Owl?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF7KtR_nuZc
I still say owls look otherworldly to me.Like a weird hybrid.
Part earthly/part alien.
LOL at the "meh" XD
Mike: only comparatively "meh"!
I just meant some (most, actually) of your blog is anything but "meh'; so freakingly strange in fact, that it makes the merely odd stuff that happens to you seem almost bland in comparison.
Anyway, the fact that you are a pretty keen artist pretty much makes your blog de rigeur reading to us paranormal aficionados, because it gives us much richer insight into your high-strangenesss experiences (ie. 1 picture is worth a 1,000 words).
So, please, keep sharing your unique perspective.
-Brian James
Mike your blog is great but you are concentrating on owls a bit to much,don't you think that they serve as some kind of distraction so far?After all,EVERYTHING they have been good for so far(the owls)is some kind of a lie or trickery,and you being so fascinated by them is not helping our cause(the human cause that is).
Actually, one of the things I respect more about Mike and his blog, is that he's not set up to dazzle us with the next amazing tale of paranormal experiences or non-human encounters.
His is the tale of a pretty down-to-earth honest guy who's trying to come into terms with what seem to be occasional intrusions from a larger level of reality.
So, if people are coming by in search of "Fortean porn", then they will probably be sorely disappointed ;)
But if some folks decide to stick around a little longer, they will probably be rewarded with something much more subtle and interesting.
Hey - Thanks for the kind words RPJ.
The blog format is interesting.
It allows for a sort of ongoing public diary. I have been trying to be as honest as I can be. I've even included some stories where I really felt like my sanity was at the tipping point (like those map postings!)
I am using this overtly public forum as an attempt to make sense of some rather subtle experiences. THis site is sort of selfish on my part, I am using it as a form of therapy.
WHen I got to 100 posts I realized that "something" more than my imagination was happening. Not sure what it is, or what it might mean - but I am convinced it's real.
Some stories are so subtle (they might only be interesting to me) and it feels like they are only hitting a quiet chord in my own psyche. THose stories don't get posted.
peace to all,
Mike C!
Being selfish with your own blog! now WHERE did you get that idea?? ;)
These are interesting times all right. The lines between 'friend' and 'stranger', 'public' and 'private' get blurrier and blurrier.
Some people fear this, others embrace it. One thing is for sure: humanity is about to be radically transformed thanks to the Internet in ways we're just barely glimpsing.
RPJ,
My reading of Brian's "meh" comment is not so much about Mike's personal story posts,as about the people he interviews in those posts,who by comparison makes Mike's life seem pretty ordinary...is what I interpret Brian as saying.
But,I get the feeling Brian's as hooked as you or I are,to Mike's fascinating journey on this blog.
Am I right,Brian ?
If not,just reply with a "meh" .-)
October 2009 was a strange and tragic month for me, I lost my daughter who was supposed to be 2 that month on Oct. 13th. A friend and I were driving at night about a week prior to her tragic death and we disturbed an owl on the road which quickly flew away into the night as we drove by. We knew instantly that this was a sign that death was near, that someone in our family or close friends would die. There are prayers and such that can be done to possibly prevent this but we just offered a simple prayer and thats it. maybe it wasn't enough because she passed away. I just thought I would share this, that our people believe that the owl is a warning, the owl itself is not bad, it's the message he/she is delivering that needs attention. Thank you for sharing.
I see owls often as well so much that I've shared my stories and as i speak one flys by after i mentioned not to be surprised if we see one today,today specifically my girlfriend and I saw two following each other as if they were dating and it was the first time she had even seen one.
I see owls often as well so much that I've shared my stories and as i speak one flys by after i mentioned not to be surprised if we see one today,today specifically my girlfriend and I saw two following each other as if they were dating and it was the first time she had even seen one.
That is interesting Abraham Haro. I saw two owls as well and one was following the other. At first one flew over me and was singing I guess is what you would call it. Anyways, it flew into a palm tree.Then my co worker shined it's flash light at it and it was almost as if the owl was staring at us..from there the owl flew off and I want to say about 3 seconds later another owl took off after it in the same direction from the same palm tree. Does this mean anything?
Two nights ago (black Moon) I spent the evening watching the sunset with a female that I perceive to be someone very special to me; like she's the one. My heart has been closed for years now and her presence has unlocked it and I am expanding more than I have in a very long time. So much so that I have cut my energetic bonds with any other females in my life already. At dusk, as we sat on a large boulder looking down the canyon and west into the Pacific Ocean, we were greeted by two owls flying up from the canyon just past out heads and then flying out and away together completely synchronized. I recognized the significance and filed it away for later analysis. Then last night (very next day mind you) I met up with her again. This time it was for a quick bite and some affection. As we drove from out first spot (which we were told we needed to leave by a rental cop) to our next spot, a large white owl swooped down in front of my car and then flew into the trees. My heart stopped and I knew it definitely meant something for me. What that is I have yet to establish. But I am optimistic about why she is in my life. Sidebar: I grew up in the Midwest so owls were commonly seen and heard at night and in the mornings. Never have I had an owl or owls display this type of behavior towards me.
Reply to AJ Paolella.
My impressions. -- the one aspect that seems important i the two owls flying as if synchronized together.
Somewhere up above a commenter said what I would say, "PAY ATTENTION"
This is a wonderful sign, but owls seem to announce challenges too. This may be a beautiful relationship in its early stages, but it might mean some challenges too! Lots of wonderful life experiences also require a challenge -- so it's not a bad or negative thing.
Owls are also a confirmation of sorts. They can herald a new chapter of your life, or a transformation of some sort. Again, not bad, but it might be hard work.
Also - a WHITE owl might symbolize something spiritual, and the "normal brow or gray owls might symbolize something more earth bound. Not sure, but this is one way to read it.
from Mike C
I don't know if your still on this blog but I had a strange occurrence of 2's one night while going through a rough mental challenge. I looked up and after some thoughts of where I'm going and what will become, and saw two shooting stars. As curiosity arouse, I made a long term wish and short term wish. Some time had passed and my short term wish had come true as if to answer my questions only an hour or two later. I then wondered if it had possibly been just coincidence and wondered if my second wish could actually come true or if it's all a matter of delusion. Not four seconds after that thought, two owls came swooping out of the trees. One singing, flew directly at me and the other as silent as the night I sat in. The first veered it's course away and landed in a nearby tree across the bridge I was on followed by the second. They continued to sing the loudest I've ever heard in my life (and being my spirit animal, I've encountered a decent amount). Have you ever had an experience like this?
Several years ago I was standing in my kitchen, feeding my dog. I looked to my right and outside of the glass patio door saw a Great Horned Owl perched there. It was staring at me intently - a beautiful creature.
I'm not quite sure why I felt this, but I immediately felt a sense of foreboding. It bordered on a quiet panic, and I had no idea why. Over the next few weeks, I found myself being much more cautious in general, although nothing out of the norm happened.
18 months later, my beautiful Alaskan Malamute was suddenly diagnosed with intestinal cancer. When the vet broke the news to me, I was numb with shock, and the vet said that this cancer likely began around a year to a year and a half beforehand. Immediately the image of the Great Horned Owl entered my mind very clearly.
I know with certainty the two events are connected. Even thinking of this owl brings tears to my mind.
My problem is that moving forward, the thought or sight of owls now panics me. I'm Greek and very much into Greek mythology and have always viewed the symbol of owls as a symbol of the Goddess Athena - to not be associated with bad omens, but now I'm not sure what to think.
I'm sharing this story because last night, while walking my dog, two owls landed overhead on the lamppost and where hooting away. Both my dog and I paused to look up at them (they were so loud, you couldn't help it!). But now I feel this sense of sheer panic because of what it could mean. I'd very much appreciate any insight.
Thanks so very much! :-)
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