Comments - CROW SPIRIT AND MEDICINE - RealPagan- Paganism for the Real World

Owlthena: I wouldn't worry ab…

2012-01-13T20:54:07.550Z

Owlthena: I wouldn't worry about offending me, I really only take offense when offense is meant. I think a lot of people have a limited knowledge-base on my culture and traditions, so I take time to correct and educate but it's hard to take offense when most couldn't have otherwise known.

My beliefs also adhere to the teachings of the medicine wheel so like I said, I understand what you meant and where you're coming from. It's just an area I would be especially careful of in mixed company.

oops sorry , I have problems…

2012-01-13T20:46:50.244Z

oops sorry , I have problems in that area, what do people call themselves? I get so confused Is is black, african american, dark skin, red, native, first nations, what would I be called? clueless really, white? I was base ing this off of the 4 directions of people, yellow,red,black,white, brown, med.wheel.Sorry did not mean to offend, seems like I have done that alot in my post........thanks again for helping me keep my head above the waters

Owlthena: Just as a note, in…

2012-01-13T20:32:37.953Z

Owlthena: Just as a note, in the future you may want to stay away from references to "red skin" or "redskins" as both hold a somewhat negative and very negative connotation respectively. I totally understand what you meant and do not take offense, I just wanted to give you the heads up should you run across any others of First Nations descent :) .

thank you so much for clearin…

2012-01-13T19:45:02.836Z

thank you so much for clearing that up for me. Did you read my post on me finding a crow feather in my fireplace? Interesting in that there is no way from the out side it could have found itself in my fireplace, no one has been in my home and I have never found a crow or raven feather before this. Maybe crow has more to say to me , you think? any hoo thank you much for your information I will keep it to heart. If there was reincarnation I know I had to be born with red skin in a past life because I am so drawn to you all, but have tried to stay clear of your spirituality because I know how many feel about the white person 'stealing' from them. So I just admire from a distance, but my heart is still there.

Owlthena: I suppose you coul…

2012-01-13T19:22:41.817Z

Owlthena:

I suppose you could call it a clan animal, but I personally would not use the word totem. "dodem" is a word created by my people specifically *for* my people. I would feel more comfortable with its use in that instance than the other one presented (as an interchangeable word with spirit animal) but I would just call it what it is: a family crest. To be a "clan" you must be engaged in a clan system.

well I studied my birds a lit…

2012-01-13T18:21:50.019Z

well I studied my birds a little more and on line as well listening to their call and samples they had for ravens and crow calls and I would have to say my group (murder) are american crows. but I love them anyhoo

The corvus species is quite h…

2012-01-13T17:53:54.961Z

The corvus species is quite huge. It's not as simple as crows and ravens when you're getting into the specifics. Pied crows, common raven, American crow, carrion crows, fish crows, jackdaws, and so much more. Some are extremely hard to identify unless you study this particular field. The American crow is almost indistinguishable from the fish crows or northwestern crows for the average person. American crows are wide spread over lots of different environments in the US, so they're your best bet if you see crows around. The common raven is more husky-built as well as larger, and their throat feathers are not as sleek.

You are very correct, crows s…

2012-01-13T17:39:46.280Z

You are very correct, crows spend time in larger circles than do ravens, And they do indeed have different meanings. I have been having problems figuring out whether or not I have crows or ravens here because they seem to look like both, they are bigger than crows but smaller than the ravens I have seen way up north or out west, their tails are a cross between the shape of a crow and raven so I am having a hard time trying to figure out who my neighbors are. for a long time I just had 3 that lived in my area but this winter there are 8. Maybe they are the parents and the rest are their family I don't know. I have been told that S Missouri does not have ravens so I am assuming they are crows but they seem too big to be so , so I am just being safe and calling them crows. Ravens are who I have a connection with, I being of a very earthy nature tend to see animals and birds in the material world more so than in dreams and visions and they tend to send me messages in the real world, so since maybe ravens do may not live here, the spirit family of raven sends me the crow, I don't know, I am not an adept in this by no means.thank you for your input , I appreciate it.

I thought there was a differe…

2012-01-13T16:55:29.438Z

I thought there was a difference between the medicine associated with the Crow and that of the Raven. I understand they are from the same family of bird, but they have different styles of medicine they are associated with. I was just mentioning it because you stated that there were Ravens on your family crest, as Ravens mean something different symbolically than Crows. Or, at least, that is what I have always read.

They do have some similarities in what their medicine entails (such as centering around magic), but they do go about it differently (where Crow brings word of the magick that surrounds you both within and without, it is Raven who dangles the key. Ravens are known to be able to trigger the energies of the magick you feel all around you, and they will teach you how to fearlessly go about manifesting that magick to fruition.).

My spirit animal is the Raven, and this is the reason why I wanted to clarify a little bit on it. There are some books and people, however, that do identify the two birds together as they look the same and both come from the Corvid's family, but they do represent different types of medicine as mentioned here at http://www.controverscial.com/Raven.htm.

Just thought I would share. :)

thank you Makoons for that in…

2012-01-13T16:18:43.923Z

thank you Makoons for that information , I will be more careful about throwing around the word 'totem' in the future. My family on my mothers side is from Wales and 3 ravens are the symbol used on the family crest/shield would that be considered a family clan animal? So instead of using the word totem for the spirit animals that assist me they should be considered 'Spirit helpers'?

I appreciate your comments.