Bird symbolism is something that had a very big importance, especially in the past. Our ancestors cared about the symbolic meaning of each animal and their symbolism was often used to express both characters of people as well as their behaviors. Animals were our protectors and their energies were used as driving forces for everything in life.
Animal symbolism in popular culture is still strong, and the clearest proof for that is frequent use of animals in cartoons, movies and other forms of artistic expressions. Bird symbolism was very important and highly reliable, because people were much more in sync with nature before than they are now. Bird behavior was able to show us whether it was going to rain or not and whether we can expect other forms of changes in the nature.
In today’s text, we will focus more on the symbolism of the magpie and how this particular symbolism was created. So, if you were ever interested to find more about magpies, here is your chance to do that.
Spirit Animal and Totem
Spirit animals and totems lead us through life and teach us about ourselves. Sometimes animal symbolism can relate to our own behavior so perfectly, that we can b surprised by the accuracy of these predictions. Spirit animal is determined by our subconscious mind while totem animal is determined by our birth date. Every person has its own totem animal and spirit animal.
These animals are often different so it is important to know more about them in case your spirit animal is not the same as your totem animal.
Spirit animal
As a spirit animal, magpie is best described by these words:
- Perceptive
- Intelligent
- Expressive
- Deceptive
- Willful
- Social
- Opportunistic
- Communicative
As spirit animals, magpies are symbols of perception and intelligence. Every person guided by this spirit animal is extremely intelligent and can adapt to almost any situation. You are not only intelligent when it comes to education and learning, you are also very capable to find a solution to every problem. This is why your superiors love you and always ask for your work and help. You tend to find creative solutions for every problem and this is one of your biggest advantages.
Magpie as a spirit animal is also a symbol of opportunistic behavior and positive energy. This spirit animal is going to push you forward and make you always see the positive side of everything. Magpie spirit animal makes you love life and it keeps you always smiling and looking forward to future. Another characteristic of magpie spirit animal is social behavior and general people loving. You enjoy being close to people and interacting with them. Exchanging new ideas and thoughts is something you enjoy doing and spending time alone in your room is not your thing.
Magpies also represent people who are expressive and perceptive. You are very open and you love saying what you want. People often find you to be a bit too expressive and open, but this is not something that should be considered as a negative characteristic. You are very perceptive and you simply notice everything that is going on around you. This is almost incredible for the people around you, because they can’t believe how small you details actually notice.
Totem
As totems, magpies represent characters that are intelligent and able to adapt to almost every situation. Magpie totem animal makes you a very optimistic person who is always looking forward to the future. You are never depressed or down, because there is always something to look forward to in the future. Being as clever as you are, almost every career option is available and suitable for you, so you don’t have many limitations regarding that.
You are a very communicative person and you enjoy spending time with other people because this is what fills you up with energy. You enjoy exchanging thoughts with people around you and even throwing a gossip or two into the conversation. As a negative characteristic we can mention your flashiness and over expressive nature. You tend to forget about other people’s desires and put yourself in the focus, which can be disrespectful at times.
Others might see you are uninterested in what they have to say, and too consumed with yourself.
Symbolism and Meaning
Magpies have often been linked to bad luck and sometimes even mentioned as ominous. The reason why this has been the case is because of the history behind the magpie symbolism. Ancient cultures often linked certain events to stories, and those stories lived on for hundreds of years. So, something that was once said might not be true, but because it was repeated so many times it became true. In other cultures, magpies were symbols of good luck and prosperity.
In Asia, magpies are seen as symbols of good luck and good news. These birds might be a symbol of bad luck in some cultures, but this is definitely not the case in China and Koreas. Magpies often appear in paintings and other artistic works as valuable symbols of prosperity and good fortune. Magpies also helped people to determine the weather conditions, which made them even more helpful and important for people.
In Germany, magpie’s symbolism depends on the number of magpies you see. For example, if you see two magpies, this means you are soon going to find someone very special or even get married, while one bird is a symbol of bad luck and bad news.
In northern parts of Europe, especially in Scandinavia, magpies are symbols of the occult and dark magic. People were scared of them and usually stayed away from these birds, while in France they were seen as our protectors and guardians.
In Great Britain, magpies are symbols of bad luck and misfortune, which is why people usually avoid them. When people see magpie in Great Britain, flying over their head, they take off their hats in order to avoid bad luck. They also believe that carrying onions in your pocket will help to scare away magpies and bring in more good luck.
Today, magpies are seen as very intelligent birds with a lot under their beaks. Magpies have proven to be highly intelligent and can even be our role models in many things when it comes to behavior. Magpie symbolism is still the same as it was before, which means the way we see magpies in our countries today depends on the way our ancestors saw them.
Dreams about Magpies
Dreams about magpies can be seen as positive and negative. This interpretation depends on the overall interpretation of the dream, and the way we actually felt during the dream. Our emotions play an important role in interpretation, but the same goes for our actions that actually happened in the dream.
Seeing a magpie – If you saw a magpie in your dream, this means you are about to be disappointed. Something is going to happen to you that are going to cause great discomfort and sadness, but this is not something you can’t get through.
Standing magpie – If you saw a magpie standing in your dream, this means you can expect a pleasant day ahead of you. This dream is only an announcement that the day ahead of you are going to be successful and full of pleasant surprises.
Flying magpie – Seeing a magpie flying in your dream is a symbol for warning. This means you need to be extra careful I the upcoming period, because you will be exposed to some hardship and troubles. Be prepared for them and don’t let them surprise you.
Hunting for a magpie – If you were hunting for a magpie in your dream, then you need to be strategic in the upcoming period. Perhaps you have been acting too carelessly and this has caused you many problems. Be more mindful about your actions and don’t be reckless in any way.
Killing a magpie – If you killed a magpie in your dream, then you are going to be victorious. You will be able to defeat your enemies and prevent them in their attempt to harm you.
Feeding a magpie – Feeding a magpie in your dream is a symbol of nagging. Someone is going to complain about your choice of a friend or partner, and you won’t be able to explain your decision to this person in any way.
Conclusion
Animal symbolism in popular culture is still strong, and the clearest proof for that is frequent use of animals in cartoons, movies and other forms of artistic expressions. Magpies are universal symbols of intelligence, adaptation, curiosity and the occult in some cases. Magpie birds also symbolize opportunities and messages that we need to take or messages we need to understand in order to succeed in life.
Magpies have often been linked to bad luck and sometimes even mentioned as ominous. The reason why this has been the case is because of the history behind the magpie symbolism. Ancient cultures often linked certain events to stories, and those stories lived on for hundreds of years. Today, magpies are still relevant symbols and can be found in heraldry and folk stories in many cultures across our globe.
