Feather Magic?

[KylalaKitty]

I been collecting bird feathers for god knows how long now and I been wondering, how could I use them in magic?

[Sage Rainsong]

Here, try this link: http://groups.msn.com/FullMoonParadise/feathermagick.msnw

[Agaliha]

There's a thread about it here Feather Magick...? (http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=103647&highlight=feather+magic)
Not much info about it though. If I find anything later, I'll post it here.

[Agaliha]

Okay I found a list of bird symbolism, I don't know how accurate it is...I assume it can be tweaked for personal interperatations and such. My thinking the feathers would share the symbolism and meaning of the bird.



Blackbird: Omens and mysticism, color of fear and promise
Bluebird: Happiness and fulfillment, color of north or east
Blue jay: teaches you the ability to develop great talent through the proper use of power and tenacity.
Bobwhite Quail: Brings the ability to be mindful of danger and know when to go to safety and not to hesitate in times of crises
Canary: Healing power of sound, heightened sensitivity
Cardinal: brings colour to your life and reminds you that all you do is important, you are someone who brightens others lives
Catbird: Communication potential, new lessons or opportunities
Chickadee: Sacred number is seven, seeker of truth and knowledge
Crow: Intelligence, watchfulness, magical, past-life connections
Ducks: Teaches us to respect and revel in all that life has to offer from the water to the earth to the sky Maternal, graceful and comforting, protective
Eagle: Capable of reaching zenith, great perception, bridging worlds
Finch: New experiences and encounters, wide range summer solstice
Goldfinch: Increase opportunities to experience a variety of activities- you are awakening to your nature spirit
Golden Eagle: messenger to the great spirit, having the knowledge to create bridges
Goose: Story telling, fertility and fidelity, symbol of eight and infinity
Great Horned Owl: Brings the power to see into the darkness, including things that are trying to be hidden
Grosbeak: Heals old wounds, family values, past loves significance
Hawk (Red-tailed): carries message from the creator, you should listen to what it is saying
Hawks: Primal life force, fulfillment, spring and fall equinoxes
Kestrel Falcon: The ability to be quick minded, graceful and agile
Kingfisher: Halcyon days, peace and prosperity, linked to north, blue
Loon: Realizing dreams, haunting and eerie song, imagination
Love Bird: By sharing love, you can bring brightness and colour into others lives
Magpie: Occult knowledge, doorway to new realms. wily and willful
Meadowlark: Cheerfulness, sublimation, inner journey, linked to moon
Merlin Hawk: brings message that your visionary powers are awakening
Mourning Dove: The ability to mourn the past, but look forward to the future, able to bring new things into your life
Nuthatch: Applying wisdom to natural world, grounding, ethereal
Oriole: Positive energy, reconnecting with inner sunshine, nature spirits
Owl: Silent wisdom and nocturnal vision, healing powers, magical
Peacock: Wisdom and vision, ostentatious, protective and powerful
Pelican: Self-sacrificing, non-competitive, buoyant, rising above trials
Pigeon: Love and security of home, fertility, archetypal energies
Raven: Shapeshifting, messenger or omen, blending human and animal
Robin: New growth, territorial, color link to throat center
Ruff Grouse: Brings a natural rhythm into your life and tells you to give time and space to your creator
Snowy Owl: Brings into your life the wisdom to unlock the true secrets of nature
Starling: Sociable, communicating diversity, forceful
Stork: Related to humanity, connected to emotions, water, birth process
Swan: Sensitive, emotional, dreamer and mystic, longevity
Swift: Feminine and psychic energies, speed and agility
Turkey: Spiritual connection to Earth Mother, shared blessings
Vulture: Purification, never-ending vigilance, guardian of mysteries
White Tail Hawk: Brings message to take advantage of the opportunity entering into your life
Woodpecker: Weather prophet, drumbeats into other dimension
FROM http://www.brigids-haven.com/bos/info/birds.html


You could also do research on a certian bird the feathers you are using come from and see what they mean and symbolize.

The Feathers Site - everything about feather magic (http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0LaSu7u0rFEP0cB6WVXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE4OTZoM2oxBGNvbG8DdwRsA1dTMQRwb3MDNARzZWMDc3IEdnRpZANZUzEwN V8xMTg-/SIG=120pb3vmc/EXP=1152590958/**http%3a//www.geocities.com/felicitax/Magic.htm) is another site

[Infinite Grey]

Peacock: Wisdom and vision, ostentatious, protective and powerful


I so rock!

[plumedsnake]

Peacock: Wisdom and vision, ostentatious, protective and powerful


I so rock!

Found this on the site Sage Rainsong suggested:
PEACOCK

Peacock Feathers were thought to be very unlucky, because they resemble an eye. The eye shape represented the evil eye which people were afraid of. Today the beauty and natural strength of the peacock feathers are again recognized. They are specially valued for their multicolored eyes.


Sorry mate!

[Infinite Grey]

Found this on the site Sage Rainsong suggested:
PEACOCK

Peacock Feathers were thought to be very unlucky, because they resemble an eye. The eye shape represented the evil eye which people were afraid of. Today the beauty and natural strength of the peacock feathers are again recognized. They are specially valued for their multicolored eyes.


Sorry mate!

Either way, it still means I "so rock" :lol:

[plumedsnake]

In orisha initiations Feathers are extremely important. Your initiation isn't complete without it.
Feathers are associated with the power of the witches who are considered to be birds. The power of orisha are depended on this witch power. In many of the verses of the Odu the witches are shown to be more powerful than the Orisha over and over again. Two Odu that talk about this are 1) Iwori Meji. In this Odu, Orunmila is about to go on a journey and is adviced by his oracle to take some seeds and grains and stuff for a offering en route. As he journeys on he comes across a company of birds who beg him for food cos they're starving. He pours out the grains for them and assumes that that was what the oracle meant by the sacrifice he was going to have to make.
The grateful birds then give him different feathers extracted from thier buttocks. He continues on his journey and soon enough bumps into Ogun the great warrior with captives marching ahead of him and soldiers marching behind him. Ogun was looking quite divine indeed but orunmila looked at him and said, nay, you're not quite divine enough. Orunmila then gave him a feather to wear and when his followers saw him they exclaimed Ogun Yeeeee! That is the cry when ogun manifests till today. They all concurred that with the feather Ogun had truly become divine. Orunmila continued his journey and on the way bumped into Obatala, shango etc and gave them each a feather completing their powers. That is why no orisha initiation is complete without receiving the relevant feather. The idea is similar to the Tantric concept of Siva and Shakti. Each Siva is powerless without the relevant Shakti.
and 2) secondly in Eji Ogbe, even Ori which is considered the supreme diety in a persons life is seen to be powerless without this bird power: Ori could not bring anything he planned to fruition until he went for divination and was told to make offerings to Esu and the Witches at the junction where three paths meet. He made the offering and when the witches realised that he acknowledged them they embraced him and ever since have been in support of him. 3) in another set of Verses Osa Meji, Ifa tells about when the birds were going to destroy all the Orisha. It started with obatala pissing them off and then he fled first to ogun for help, they swallowed ogun up without a struggle, then obatala ran to sango and all the other dieties but the witches dealt with them ruthlessly until at last Obatala ran to Orunmila who managed to appease them and made them sign a concordant never to destroy his children or the children of obatala. The powers of Orunmila is itself rooted in the witchcraft of his wife Odu. Check out these sites for more info.

http://babafalade.tripod.com/teaching/hist016.htm
http://www.ifachurch.unitedchaplains.net/orishas/odu/index.html

This is just take of one tradition, but it might be relevant to your research.
Cheers