Myths and legends and associations

Hi Miss Melanie,
I wonder if you could throw any light on this..??
My friend has become aware of a solitary Magpie near her home... it comes quite close to the windows and looks at her .. The other day she was feeling very sad and she saw it balanced on the washing line, bent looking in at her!
She always salutes it and wishes it no harm.. but because they have such bad press is worried.
I have said it maybe that its lost its mate ( I know they pair for life) and is homming in on her sadness at this time?
She has just found out she is pregnant! So you can see why she is worried.
Are they always bad omens?
Could it be a power animal?

Soryy have had a bit of a ramble....she is such a lovely girl and has had to deal with a lot of sadness in her life..??
love debbie xx

dreamer wrote:

Hi Miss Melanie,
I wonder if you could throw any light on this..??
My friend has become aware of a solitary Magpie near her home... it comes quite close to the windows and looks at her .. The other day she was feeling very sad and she saw it balanced on the washing line, bent looking in at her!
She always salutes it and wishes it no harm.. but because they have such bad press is worried.
I have said it maybe that its lost its mate ( I know they pair for life) and is homming in on her sadness at this time?
She has just found out she is pregnant! So you can see why she is worried.
Are they always bad omens?
Could it be a power animal?

Soryy have had a bit of a ramble....she is such a lovely girl and has had to deal with a lot of sadness in her life..??
love debbie xx

Hi, first of all, I'm sure your friend is going to be fine. Yes, it's tough at the moment and she has a lot to think about and decide upon, but she will get through this.

Magpies (Pica pica) have a reputation for being bad omens but that is due to their behaviour. They are opportunist feeders, taking fruit, insects, animal roadkills, young birds and eggs. They steal shiny things and are pests, but they are very clever and are always trying to figure things out. They are like dogs and need things to stimulate their brains or they start destroying things they shouldn't. (I've just read a story in a paper about a magpie that was hand-reared and it was a charming and intelligent little thing). Gamekeepers don't particularly like them because they can take grouse and pheasant chicks and eggs, so they are shot or trapped.
The name Magpie, Mag meaning margaret and pie which means black and white. William the Conquerer's wife was called Margaret and some think the bird was named after her. The magpie has local names, Madge.
The outer ring of an archery target is called a magpie though I don't know why.

Everyone knows the poem, "one for sorrow, two for joy..." and this would indicate whether you were to have good or bad luck. People would counteract any bad luck by saluting it and asking after the magpies wife or how he is today, unless he looked you right in the eye which was showing you respect. I like this one, if you see a lone magpie you should pinch the person you are with or pinch yourself if you are on your own!
Now for the superstitions, (that is what it is really, because of the church). An old English folk tale accuses the magpie of not wearing full mourning colours at the Crucifixion because all the other birds cried and sang to comfort Jesusbut the magie didn't. In Scotland it was considered such an evil bird that it was said to carry a drop of the Devil's blood hidden under its tongue and a magpie on the windowsill foretold a death in the house. The colouring of the bird also made people think it was in league with the Devil because of the black and white represented Jesus. Because of these superstitions they were often thought to be witches familiars because witches were in league with the Devil. (People tried to think of any way possible to accuse someone who had wronged them, but that is another story).
As for omens, there is only really one that can be considered bad and that is if you get two magpies chattering in your garden it signifies a row between the husband and wife of the house. Guardians used the magpie as a watch bird as they made a right noise when strangers approached. In Korea, it is believed that good news will arrive when the cry of a magpie is heard and in China, instead of being a sign of misfortune, the magpie is one of the most
popular birds, and is seen as the messenger of good news and fortune.
In fact, its name in Chinese literally means "bird of joy" (喜鹊).
Magpies commonly feature in Chinese folktales, the best-known of which
is "The Story of Cowherd and Weaver Girl", where they form a bridge for
the separated lovers every year on the day of Qixi.

If there was a lone magpie in my garden watching me I wouldn't be worried that something terrible was going to befall me or my family. I would put some peanuts and apples out for it and any other birds. He's obviously taken an interest in your friend for whatever reason. (I wouldn't mind having a pet magpie). I wouldn't think of it as being a bad omen, more as an opportunity to get to know this misunderstood bird. It could be a young magpie, one of last years' broods, and not yet found a mate to breed with. Maybe it is homing in on your friend's sadness and confusion and is there as a guardian animal, a way to offer some hope to the future and a bit of unusual companionship when she's in the garden. Some animals are brought into our lives for a time and we may never know why with some of them, but I don't think it's a bad omen. The magpie is displaying curiousity and some intelligence towards her, both good things not bad. I would continue to say hello to it, not due to being superstitious but because I'd want to see it and know that it is ok. I would tell your friend not to worry about the magpie bringing bad fortune to her as they are old superstitions brought about when the country was in turmoil 500 years ago and rather enjoy its inquisitiveness and intelligence. I would also give it a name, but I am daft like that!
hope this helps. miss melanie

What a wonderful and interesting thread! As I was reading this I noticed my Power Animals book on the table so thought I would add this from the book:

If magpie shows up: Act on any and all opportunities that present themselves, pay attention to signs or omens as this would be guidance for you. be clear and straightforaward with verbal communication - say what you mean and mean what you say, listen carefully to the other person, make sure you are using psychic/intuitive gifts with pure intent, bring yourself to balance if you are polorized too much in one direction or another eg masculine/feminine intellect/emotions spiritual/mundane.

Such a lovely positive thing to see magpie!

C xxx

Hi girls,
thanks so much for what you have said. Such a misunderstood bird!!
I said to he that I felt it was giving her a message, but what??
I have forwarded on your comments and she is much happier now. Is going to encourage him more to come to her...
love Debbie xx

I am now seeing them everywhere! Or am more aware of seeing them after all this talk of them! And I was reading with my daughter just now and the stage she is on at school is called Magpies! Lyn xx

Hellooo Miss Melanie
i was wondering if you have any info about Dragon guides at all?
i know very little about my dragon guide its hard to find anything on the net.

thanksxx

hi,im just emailing a lady i know {also called dragonlady}bizzarre lol to see if she has any info on dragon guides for you xx

If you go into Wicca section on this forum and open Celtic Connection. On that site you'll find info about Animal Spirits. I'm pretty sure it's got Mythical creatures meanings as well as standard animals, birds, mammals, insects and fish.

Hope you find what you're searching for.

Just found this link too for you that has dragon totem and Chinese dragon info meanings on it.

http://www.whats-your-sign.com/dragon-totem.html

Thanks fluffy and pat xxx

Magpies everywhere... today I was walking in the station to get from one office to the next when a dam magpie started running down the walkway sqwaking! Gave me sich a fright So had to come and let you all know!!!!

no problem,she replied to my email asking roughly what it is youd like to know? xx

Hahaha Lynn and Cherry,
I must admit I have started to notice them more too. What has my friend started!! All I need now is 3 of them together LOL
love Debbiexx

I'd love to know whats the best way to communicate with dragons and do they have their own powers? thanksxx

Hi Girls,

Seeing magpies, pigeons and all these feathered friends, puts a totally different slant on 'birds of a feather, flock together' doesn't it? I love robins but rarely see any of those. Love some of those to gather in my little garden.

Hi Lunarlady,

Not sure about communicating with dragons as they are mythological creatures, but I would imagine you could communicate by using a similar power animal meditation, like I use with my psychic awareness group. As the idea of power/totem animals is based on NI belief that these animals are spirit guides in animal form, I usually use NI meditation music whenever I do a power animal guided meditation with my group.

As dragons are often linked to China, it might be an idea to use Tibetan or Chinese music with your meditation. You could also visualise an Oriental meeting place in your meditation too, somewhere where a dragon wouldn't feel 'out of place'. Power animals often communicate telepathically or through using different movements or gestures when they come to you during a meditation, don't see why a dragon can't do the same. Did you check out those Dragon links that I posted for you (to see what qualities are associated with dragons?) I'll do some further dragon research for you if you feel it would help. (I enjoy doing research so I don't mind.)

Don't know if you saw the post I left Lyn on S & D the other day regarding Skype? As I know some members find it difficult to meditate by themselves, I wondered if it might be viable to try using Skype to do some free guided group meditations? I use them with all my awareness group students, so it would only mean doing the guided meditation remotely (on-line). Would be interesting to see if this method could work. I use Skype everyday to speak to friends and it seems OK. Not sure if sound quality on Skype would be good enough, but seems to be OK when I talk to friends so might be worth trying it out. I think MSN Messenger can be used in the same way, but haven't tried that out.

What do you think?

hello pat thankyou again i will try an oriental meditation.
guided group meditations sound awesome.Those Dragonlinks were helpful cheers!

Pat R wrote:

Hi Girls,

Seeing magpies, pigeons and all these feathered friends, puts a totally different slant on 'birds of a feather, flock together' doesn't it? I love robins but rarely see any of those. Love some of those to gather in my little garden.

Hi Pat, you can share my robins, I have 2 in my garden, one is called Tennisball because he is round and his red bit on his chest is shaped like the line on a tennisball and the other is called Latte because he is tall and skinny by comparison

I have to robins in my garden as well, have not named then though, but will now cherry. I have a little mouse !! he lives under the ramp in the garden, now he is called Melvin, so cute..xxxx

dreamer wrote:

I have to robins in my garden as well, have not named then though, but will now cherry. I have a little mouse !! he lives under the ramp in the garden, now he is called Melvin, so cute..xxxx

mice scare the daylights out of me lol generally I demand the angels take them away from me but they never do 'cos I got to learn to love them unconditionally... so heres to Melvin LOL!!!!

Hi Girls,

Wouldn't mind sharing your robins or even Melvin. I don't mind mice, it's only when they move in and bring all their dozens of relatives that I get a bit miffed off. When I was trying to sell my last house, among other disasters that happened, Melvin's mates moved in en-mass so my house was like 'Mouse Motel' for a while Hope you have a nice weekend.

I will ask Tennisball and Latte to fly over to you for a bit!!! They are a bit naughty as they fight a lot but they are so cute!!!

Thanks Cherry. Look forward to seeing my new visitors then

we also have a robin{with no name lol} ,a blackbird that i know is a regular cos hes got a little white spot on one side,and we also have couple teeny weeny mice that get in the rabbit run to share food with the bunnies.they prob think were the crazy family cos when we see them we all run to patio doors saying ahhhhh look we have pet mice their soooooooooo cute lol,oh and now i feel obliged to them lol

The birds are all so busy at the moment, I saw one of my blackbirds today, her beck was so full I couldn't believe it!
Pat,I am sorry about your invasion of mice in you old house... I can asure you it had nothing to do with Melvin!!! .
We also watch our Melvin though the patio doors, Must add that I have told him in no uncertain terms he is not to move in!!

xxx