Ornithomancy

Virgo Full Moon Deep Dive

“Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul.” -Emily Dickinson

Last year, a wonderful client (shout out to

O R N I S by Madia

!) reached out to ask me if I knew anything about ornithomancy. At the time, I did not know anything of particular substance— at least not enough to offer any pearls of wisdom to someone who, in the case of Madia, knows a LOT more than I do about birds;)

Now, in March of 2025, I can honestly say: I think I’ve finally been submerged into the strange and wonderful world of ornithomancy, finding myself navigating the practice of interpreting the actions of birds to foretell the future. It’s been a sublime combination of the shamanic world of totem animals (in this case, specifically birds) and my lifelong obsession with the practice of divination.

In researching this psychic modality, I quickly discovered that it was in vogue in ancient Greece and Rome, where augurs would interpret the flight patterns and calls of birds to predict the future— particularly large-scale events of consequence. One such event was Julius Cesar being murdered in the Senate, and all that came after this bloody scene.

Considering that this Virgo Full Moon and Lunar Eclipse arrives just ahead of the Ides of March— the day that Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BCE— the recent resurgence of ornithomancy in the world of Woo seems more than a little coincidental.

And, as we’ve covered many times, there are no real coincidences when dealing with the Woo.

This Virgo Full Moon Deep Dive has it all: how to work with totem animals, how to auger the behaviors of birds, how to approach divination more broadly, how to handle gifts of feathered haute couture from the astral realm, and what tarot cards and flower essences might just help us all harness the power of the things with feathers.

And, in this case, it all starts with a very fancy and very beautiful species of black bird.

Behold! A murmuration of red winged black birds

If you’ve been paying attention to our Prometheus Spirit Guide saga around here at TOTEM, you’ll know that something very strange has been brewing at the edges of the Woo with my new spirit guide and his apparent totem animal cohorts: black birds.

When I was walking a few days ago in my local park, contemplating the best way to tackle this particular post and, specifically, wondering whether to write about black birds in general or focus in on the red winged black bird that seemed to have a specific poignancy— I got a sudden psychic “zing” (otherwise known as hit of clairsentience) to look down.

And, right on the ground beneath me at my increasingly strange neighborhood park, was this very direct message from the Woo:

So, red winged black bird it is, I guess? Again, coincidences don’t really exist when dealing with the Woo!

The red winged black bird “saga” started about a month ago, and in the intervening weeks I have been seeing (and hearing) these loud, migratory birds just ahead of intense spiritual downloads or other forms of high strangeness. Worth noting: this is the first time I’ve seen red winged black birds (as opposed to Mexican grackles or the invasive English starlings) in Austin since moving to Texas in 2021. Any “unusual” animal behavior— like an owl flying during midday— is a potential indicator that it could be a totem animal, so this kind of aberration is always worth noting.

During this time, I’ve also had a very memorable (and very lucid) dream featuring red winged black birds, further indicating that this could be an emerging totem animal of some significance for me. In the dream— which I believe was actually a visit to the astral realm— I was looking out of a window at night, observing what is called a murmuration of red winged blackbirds, illuminated sporadically by street lights in the night sky. A murmuration is a huge group of birds that twist, turn, swoop and swirl across the sky in beautiful shape-shifting clouds— a phenomenon very closely associated with the practice of ornithomancy.

Still in the dream, my attention was then drawn to a beautifully wrapped present, which I somehow knew was for me. I opened the present to find a gorgeous, hand-sewn cocktail dress made of soft, black feathers. On the side, by the right hip, was a small splash of yellow, orange and red feathers. It was obviously high quality, and looked like something designed by Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel. No Hot Topic off-the-rack for me when in the astral plane! I instantly understood that this garment was a gift from spirit, and would enable me to “embody” the traits of the red winged blackbird.

Key takeaway: Gifts from spirit

When I woke up from this “dream”, I immediately remembered a specific Shamanic Journeying Meditation we did in “shaman school” designed to receive such a gift from our spirit guides and totem animals. Some of my former classmates had received protective jewelry from their guides, while others received bottles containing magical potions to ingest. And, yes, a few were even gifted articles of clothing— typically interpreted by our teacher to be various articles of energetic protection or special psychic gifts. If this ever comes up for you in a meditation, dream or psychic download, take note— you’ve got a special gift from the world of spirit!

You can undertake a Shamanic Journeying Meditation with this intent, or simply keep an eye out for gifts from the animal kingdom in everyday life (such as feathers deposited in your yard). If you want to go deeper, we do a LOT of this work in the TOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching Program— book a consultation to chat with me about it for free HERE anytime.

The more things change, the more they stay the same

I spent the next day reflecting on when the last time red winged black bird was in my life, and I realized it was right in the beginning of my shamanic studies 18 years ago. I was working in corporate real estate in the Aon Center in downtown Chicago, and would take my lunch breaks in the nearby Lurie Gardens to do 30 minute shamanic journeying meditations— surrounded, everyday, by red winged blackbirds in the sunbaked wildflower gardens.

Recalling this memory— and remembering that I had looked up the meaning of red winged blackbirds in Ted Andrews’ book— I revisited my copy of Animal Speak, rediscovering his incredible insights into this totem animal:

“The blackbird has long been associated with omens and mysticism. Its color, alone, has evoked both fear and promise. Although called a blackbird, only the males are black. Females usually have a streaky, brown plumage. Not all blackbirds are black. One variety has a yellow head and throat which stands out strongly against the black plumage. The yellow and black coloring has long been associated with the Archangel Auriel. Auriel is considered the tallest of the angels, with eyes that can see across eternity. This being oversees all of nature and all of the nature spirits. Auriel has traditionally been associated with the summer season.

Another variation of the blackbird is the red-winged blackbird. This bird has a red patch on its wings, with a dash of yellow as well. These colors connect this bird to the level know as Binah in the Quabalistic Tree of Life. This is the level associated with the Dark Mother and primal feminine energies. This bird has ties to all of the creative forces of nature. On the Tree of Life, black is the color for Binah and red is the color for Geburah (Mars type of energy). Yellow or amber is the color of the path that connects the two, and it is the path of Cancer, the mother sign of the zodiac. The red-winged blackbird is thus a totem associated with the stellar energies of Cancer.”

Now, it’s worth noting that I am a Cancer, the sign associated with the red winged blackbird in Ted’s write up. And, according to several wonderful astrologers in my life— including

Sam aka Skyguy

and

Natalie Fehlner

— this summer is going to bring a big bang solar return in my sign, augering a month of magical gifts and good news!

What’s more: the North and South nodes of western astrology just switched into Pisces and Virgo respectively, and the last time the north node was in Pisces was Jun 23, 2006 – Dec 18, 2007, so 18 years ago. Yep, you read that right. It’s the same time in my life that I first began my shamanic work in earnest…and first noticed the presence of red winged black birds.

Key takeaway: Look for the patterns

What does all of this Woo-speak mean, you might be wondering?

Well, simply put, I think red winged black bird’s presence in my daily life and my shamanic dreams and astral travels is an indication of the closing of an 18 year cycle— and the beginning of a new one. I also see the astral haute couture I was given in the dream outlined above to be a kind of graduation present, one that arms me with some of the abilities of red winged blackbird as a totem animal.

I mean, maybe I’m supposed to wear that feathered dress to my astral birthday party this year!

Another strange confluence? Only very recently have I felt a shift in my primary spirit guide— one that moves me from working on the daily with Odin…and towards working on the daily with Prometheus. So, no more crows or ravens for me— it’s going to be all black birds all the time until further notice;)

If you’re noticing a similar emergence of a totem animal, it’s worth exploring when the last time this feathered, furred or finned friend was last in your awareness. It’s also worth looking for any patterns in or correlations to higher level spirit guides, and possible shifts or cycles in those as well.

Divining the feathers of fate

And while all of this is very cool on its own, it’s worth pointing out that the practice of ornithomancy is much, much more than just the shamanic totem animal work outlined above. In fact, its a very well-developed and ancient form of divination, defined as: the practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means.

Reading tarot cards, astrology charts, tea leaves, and even clouds in the sky are all forms of divination, of which there are (based on my last count) more than 1,000 manifestations and options.

Ornithomancy was very popular and well-documented throughout ancient Greece and Rome, and was even contributed to a major plot point in Homer’s Odyssey: in the story, an eagle appears three times, flying to the right with a dead dove in its talons, an “augury” interpreted to be the coming of Odysseus— and the death of his wife's suitors.

Even more interesting? In my research into Homer and the Odyssey and orninthomancy, I stumbled upon Aeschylus, an ancient writer credited with creating the genre of tragedy, who insisted that it was Prometheus himself who introduced ornithomancy to mankind…and recommended the use of black birds for this practice in particular.

Another coincidence? I mean…at a certain point, you just have to throw in the towel on rationality and logic and simply embrace the obvious: that Prometheus is obviously “talking” to me through the veil that separates our worlds.

If they even are separated, which is another conversation altogether;)

Key takeaway: Everything old is new again

According to the ancient Greeks and Romans, this divinatory practice can be both spontaneous or the result of a formal consultation with an auger, psychic, seer or shaman. So, for this Virgo Full Moon, consider either undertaking this practice yourself or booking a session with a divinatory expert in your life to get a reading. I’m still offering a discounted rate for 1:1 psychic sessions, so if you’re interested in working with me check out the options on the booking page of my website HERE.

If exploring this modality yourself, be patient. Like with using a pendulum or reading tea leaves, everyone effectively has their own system, developed through lessons learned over time and with lots and lots of practice. It’s only over time and with several iterations that you’ll start to learn your “language” with the birds— and your unique way of translating their messages.

TOTEM Tarot Card: Hugin and Munin

This Virgo Full Moon is also a great time to embrace another form of divination: reading tarot cards. And, while our TOTEM Tarot Deck is sold out on Amazon, it’s still available on our Etsy shop HERE (and included in our current 75% off sale).

The TOTEM Tarot Deck card that most evokes the energy of this Virgo Full Moon is Hugin and Munin— Odin’s two crows. It’s our deck’s version of the more traditional Page of Swords card, and offers similar attributes and abilities for this coming Lunar Eclipse.

The names Hugin and Munin mean thought and memory, respectively, referring to the crucial importance of having command of both logic and intuition. Seen through another lens, these are the eyes of the psychic penetrating the world to obtain insights into the real nature of our reality.

This tarot card is associated with what we call “warrior medicine” in shamanism: the ability to see through masks, veils and material reality to get to the heart of the matter, often before anyone else. If this card pops up in a reading (or just in your mind’s eye), consider yourself gifted with access to psychic communication, prophetic powers, and a shared language with the realm of spirit.

Just get ready to also access additional gears on the “bitch switch”, as I like to call it!

TOTEM Flower Essence: TOTEM Animal

While our Black Mirror and Astral Travel TOTEM Flower Essences would surely come in handy for this month’s Virgo Full Moon, I must insist that our TOTEM Animal tincture— made of Cardinal Flower— is the most crucial for any orninthomancy efforts.

Why? Well, this flower essence facilitates our connection to the world of totem animals.

Want to meet your totem animal? It’s as simple as bringing Cardinal Flower into your life! This Flower Essence supports a magical connection to realm of totem animals, instilling an overall sense of spiritual vibrancy as you connect with and channel your spirit animal. Cardinal Flower Essence infuses the energy body with the primordial, animalistic energy of shamanic magic, enabling the redirection of primal appetites and impulses into higher, more spiritual uses.

• Positive Qualities: Harmony with the natural world; gifts with animal communication; connection to totem animals; strong chi in the energy body.

• Patterns of Imbalance: Being too “in the head”; tendency to embrace concepts in lieu of lived experience; disconnection from material reality; dysfunctional dynamics with plants, animals.

Now, I’ve been taking this flower essence daily for several weeks now, and have recently started to enjoy even stranger sightings of another kind of bird: water fowl. Specifically, I’ve been seeing tons of white cranes, great blue herons, egrets, loons, ducks and more— and voraciously reading up on their myriad meanings at totem animals.

From an orninthomancy perspective, their collective presence seem to represent a shift into more silence and solitude, and a reconnection to the element of my astrological sun sign: water.

So, yah. TOTEM Animal Flower Essence works, and you can read more about it or get your own bottle on our Etsy shop HERE.

Look up

This Virgo Full Moon falls just before the Ides of March, and there’s a palpable sense that the rest of this month will bring “days in which decades happen”.

Fate, fortune, misfortune, destiny and prophecy feel closer to the workings of our mundane reality than at any other point in my life, and I think the remainder of this year is going to bring a cascade of epically consequential events. What’s more: Prometheus is a trickster god, despite his serious and unusually restrained countenance. So, in this Wood Snake Year, consider that the most absurd, cartoonishly hilarious, and poetically ironic outcome to be the most likely.

After all: gods of prophecy like Odin and Prometheus always have a robust, if a bit irreverent, sense of humor.

In this Wood Snake Year (and particularly around the Virgo Full Moon), try to not hold on to your ideologies past their usefulness. Something much bigger and more powerful than us mere mortals is here right now, and these beings (and their actions, influences and messages) are very likely to upend our previous paradigms, inviting us to instead receive the divine messages of the world of spirit and see the big picture.

The key to receiving these messages? Stop looking at your phone or computer. Stop looking down towards earthly things like stress or your to do list.

Instead, look up. Watch the birds. Dream. Meditate. Divine. Auger. Stare at your tea leaves before putting the cup to your lips for a sip.

Then, ask yourself, “What do I see?”

-Rachel

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A note to readers

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It’s our paid subscribers that make everything we do here on Substack and on our podcast possible— THANK YOU all so much for your support!

(And don’t worry— paid subscribers are getting additional goodies this month as we’ve unlocked this particular post for everyone— keep your eyes peeled for the coming good good).

-Rachel