Have you just seen an owl at night and want to know if its spiritual meaning is good or bad? You are in the right place!
Owls are often linked to knowledge, wisdom, and patience.
The wide eyes of the bird means that it sees everything, and the fact it can turn its head in almost a complete circle signifies clarity of thought.
The bird can see everything, everywhere — an advantage that not many in the animal kingdom are blessed with.
What Does It Mean When You See an Owl at Night?
Owls are nocturnal creatures, so it is more common to see them during the night than it is to see them during the day.
That doesn’t mean you won’t and can’t see them any time of the day or night, however.
Some cultures believe that seeing an owl at night, particularly a white one, means that you’re going to find something you’ve lost.
This could be any numbers of things, from little to big, including:
- A shoe;
- Your math university work;
- A necklace with sentimental value;
- The phone you left on the bus;
- A long-lost relative or lover;
- Your faith in God or another spiritual leader.
The range is wide and diverse.
What have you recently lost? Maybe you’re about to get lucky and find it again?
What Happens if You See an Owl at Night?
Do you have a bell handy? If so, you might want to consider ringing it exactly nine times, whilst also wishing for something out loud.
In Japanese culture, seeing an owl flying around at night, close to where you live, is a good luck sign that you must jump upon.
It’s like seeing a shooting star. When you see an owl flying around the house, you make a wish. (And ring the bell nine times.)
That’s not the only thing that might happen if you see an owl at night…
You Will Have Good Luck:
In both Chinese and Japanese culture, a white owl is seen as a mark of good luck, positivity, and wealth – in terms of property, monetary wealth, or even wealth in terms of happiness and spiritual alignment.
We have an article about the good luck and bad luck related to owls.
You Will Have Peace:
Have you recently gone through quite a troublesome patch in your life? A divorce, perhaps?
Maybe you’ve been struggling at work, or paying bills, or your kids causing you a lot more trouble than usual?
Whatever has been causing you stress and emotional instability will cease.
That’s what ancient civilizations believe is the spiritual meaning of seeing an owl at night.
If this feels relevant to you, maybe you’ve found the spiritual meaning for you. If it doesn’t, keep reading.
Maybe something else will feel relevant or important to you?
You Will Receive Good News:
In many cultures, ancient or otherwise, owls are associated with good news.
Maybe people believe you will be fortunate and experience good things.
I believe you will love this article with the meaning of hearing an owl hooting at night.
7 Spiritual Meanings of Seeing an Owl at Night
You will often find that different kinds of owl-related scenarios hold different spiritual meanings or messages.
- White owls, for example, are often associated with love and innocence.
- Brown owls, on the other hand, are more linked to spiritual journeys, awakenings, and journeys of discovery.
Why don’t we take a look at a few scenarios and see if we can’t find one that’s feels relatable or relevant to you?
1) It’s Time to Step Outside Your Comfort Zone
Sometimes, in order to learn something new, you need to make changes in your life.
These changes might make you feel uncomfortable, but they are an important part of evolving, both spiritually and mentally.
This can be related to owls because they represent wisdom… but they also represent darkness.
Is there a change you’ve been too afraid to make in your life? This doesn’t need to be a massive change, with huge, life-changing consequences.
For some of us, even the smallest of changes can summon an anxiety attack.
But… at the same time, you don’t know that you can’t do that thing yet.
You don’t know that it will give you a panic attack.
How can you know? You haven’t done it yet. Not this time. Not on this date, under this moon.
How do you know that big change won’t make your life even better? You’ll never know until you try.
2) You’ll Get the Answers You Seek
As well as being spiritually associated with knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom, brown owls can also hold connotations of seeking – and getting – answers.
Is there a weird mystery you’ve been trying to figure out, or some life puzzle you’ve found impossible to solve?
Maybe something has been holding you back from a new job or something else in life but you don’t know what it is?
Also read this article with the owl meaning in the Bible.
3) You Can See Clearly Even During Dark Times
In come cultures it is believed that seeing an owl at night is representative of you being able to see clearly, just like an owl can, even when it’s pitch black — the darkest of times.
Anger, sadness, and other dark emotions can easily cloud judgement, but not for you.
You have clarity of thinking and truth even when no one else can.
It’s a very great spiritual trait to have, and one that you should treasure.
Having that sort of level-headedness even in not-level situations is a gift that most of us would wish for.
4) Your Inner Spirituality Will Heighten
Seeing an owl at night might mean that your gut instinct – that inner voice that tells you when something is wrong or right – is going to get stronger.
You’ll feel something very strongly, and it’s a feeling you shouldn’t ignore.
When your intuition is strong, your links to the spiritual world are strong.
You will receive messages or signs that stand out to you and are easy for you to interpret.
Those messages could come from:
- Guardian angel;
- Spirit guide;
- The universe;
- Your inner spiritual self.
Wherever they come from, those messages and signs are tools that you can use to better protect yourself.
If a bad spiritual symbol comes, for example, you’ll know to wear your protective talisman as well as doing other things that offer you protection.
Read this article with the meaning of seeing a barn owl.
5) You’ll Start Seeing the Truth Behind the Lies
Related to that heightened sense of gut instinct and a stronger spiritual link, seeing an owl at night might mean that you’re going to start seeing someone or something for what they really are.
Maybe lies will be revealed, or half-truths will be made whole.
Either way, things are going to change for you, particularly emotionally.
Because once you see the fractures of those lies, they’re not so easy to cover back up again.
Seeing them for what they are does mean that will make better decisions, however.
6) You’ll Embark on a Positive Spiritual Journey
Owls are closed linked with spirituality in almost all walks of life, but that’s not all.
They’re also linked to mystery and adventure, and of learning something new.
This could be a sign that you are about to embark on a spiritual journey of your own, with a positive ending.
You’ll learn a lot along the way, especially about yourself. And because of that, you will lead a happier and more positive life at the end of it.
That’s good news all ’round, don’t you think?
7) The Circle of Life
If you were to ask Native American tribes, they would tell you that the humble owl is a spiritual symbol of the circle of life… and more specifically death.
It’s never nice to think about losing a loved one. Sadly, it’s a fate that all of us will have to deal with at some time or another in our lives.
And with death, comes birth – the circle of life.
As Sir Walter Scott once said:
“Birds of omen dark and foul,
Night-crow, raven, bat, and owl,
Leave the sick man to his dream–
All night long he heard your scream.”
I have had personal experience of this omen myself. I saw an owl at night and heard its howling.
A few weeks later, my grandfather sadly passed.
That man was my absolute idol, so I was devastated when it happened. Not two months after that, however, my darling nephew was born.
It’s the circle of life.
It’s sad, but it’s also heart-crushingly beautiful, all at the same time.
Also read this article with the meaning of seeing a dead owl in dreams and in real life.
Spiritual Meaning of Seeing a White Owl Flying Over You at Night
White owls are quite rare these days.
Human actions such as deforestation, global warming/climate change, and generally not looking after our beautiful planet has meant that these birds, as well as many others, are left without homes, food, and the territories they need to thrive.
These days, white owls, also known as polar, Arctic, and snowy owls barely even manage to survive, let alone thrive.
Ecology lesson aside, because these creatures are rare, seeing one is considered a blessing.
Some might even go as far as to say a once-in-a-lifetime event.
Could it be the case that you’re on the cusp of a once-in-a-lifetime event yourself?
Spiritual Meaning of Seeing a Black Owl Flying Over You at Night
Despite what you may think, seeing a black owl flying over you at night is not believed to be a bad sign.
Instead, it is thought to be a sign of protection. The universe, your guardian angel, your spiritual leader… something is protecting you.
Again, despite what you might think, protection might not be against someone else, or something.
It might be protection against yourself.
Stopping yourself from making a bad decision, perhaps?
Is Seeing an Owl at Night Good or Bad?
If you were a sailor on board a ship, or about to be heading on to a ship, seeing an owl at night would be seen as a very bad sign.
In times gone by, the omen was thought to bring death and disaster at sea.
Olde time sailors weren’t the only people to associate the owl with death and disaster, too.
Robbers were thought to be in your future if you saw an owl on the ground rather than on the water.
Ancient Romans believed the bird to be a sign of something very bad coming their way, too.
In other places, cultures, and civilizations, however, the bird is seen as a very positive omen, bringing knowledge and good luck.
The Ancient Greek Goddess of wisdom, Athena, banished a crow for the humble owl.
Because of that associated, seeing an owl at night was thought to be a good omen, especially for soldiers due to go off to war.
Ancient Greek legend dictates that the spiritual sign meant the soldiers would be victorious in battle.
How Will I Know if Seeing an Owl at Night is Good or Bad?
As I always say, dreams, spiritual messages, and omens are all subjective.
They’re meant for you, so they’ll be laid out in a way that you are meant to understand.
How does the owl make you feel? Good? Bad? Intrigued? What else is going on around the bird?
Those little things might be spiritual signs of their own. Write it all down, then piece it all together.
How to Protect Yourself from Death Spiritual Omens
Unfortunately, it is not possible to protect yourself, or anyone else, from death. Not completely, anyway.
At some point in life, it is inevitable for us all.
When it’s your time, it’s your time… as they say.
You can use protective talismans for protection, either worn as jewelry or decoration, or placed tactically around your home.
Passionate about spirituality, numerology and spiritual accounts. I write about my spiritual experiences to help all those who go through the same.