Back in 2022, a friend and her husband left the “city life” of Santa Fe and moved out to the countryside in El Rito, NM. Ever since then, I’ve been saying to her, “We’ve got to find the Raptor Center located out there, to visit the birds!” Two years later, we finally made it.. And as my friend said as we solidified our plan to meet with Mario, the Raptor Center’s Program Director, “What a Halloween-y thing to do—to spend time with owls the week of Halloween and Samhain!”
And that it was: absolutely mysterious, magical, mystical. The stage couldn’t have been more perfectly set: It was a bone-chilling day, the first time that the air truly felt heavy with autumn’s descent. The clouds cast a steel-gray hue over the countryside, and the foliage, though still tinged with gold and orange, was nearly stripped to bare, skeletal branches—a fitting stage for meeting these beings of mystery and might.
To glance over and find a barn owl staring at you as a statuesque ghostlike entity—honestly, I felt like I was laying eyes on something completely otherworldly. To feel like you want to bow down in reverence to a golden eagle, so majestic on his perch (you would never know he’s been recovering from West Nile Virus). To watch with jaw-dropping fascination a falcon tearing up and devouring a rat for his lunch… I truly felt as if I’d been transported to a world completely different from my own.
I couldn’t help but reflect on the powerful symbolism of each of these birds, and marvel at the serendipity of us meeting them exactly at this time of Scorpio Season. And the fact that many of them were being rehabilitated so they could be released back out into their natural habitat, while others have had to learn to live with and adapt to life with their fateful injuries as an Education Bird, just underscored the theme of transformation that Scorpio Season represents.
Corazon, the Barn Owl represented to me, the archetype of the Seer. Her otherworldly aura struck me as someone who sees way beyond the visible realm. Her ghostly silhouette and piercing, silent gaze seemed to ask us to step beyond the world of appearances and enter the realm of hidden truths—an invitation Scorpio season extends to each of us.
Horace, the Peregrine Falcon totally embodied the Warrior archetype. Despite his dislocated wing, he displayed absolutely fierce energy and swiftness, resonating with that Scorpionic drive and fearlessness. With his intensity, Horace seemed to channel the raw, untamed essence of Scorpio, reminding us that sometimes the greatest battles are fought within as we sever illusions and sharpen our sense of purpose.
Po, the Burrowing Owl absolutely embodied the archetype of Grounded Guide. Serving as a symbol of resourcefulness and adaptability, in the wild, this type of owl lives in a symbiotic relationship with Prairie Dogs—who leave certain areas of their tunnel systems available for the owls to build their nests and lay their eggs; in turn, the owls serve as “security guards,” warning and protecting the prairie dogs whenever predators approach. It occurred to me that this symbiotic relationship mirrors how we, too, can find allies in unexpected places as we journey through life’s darker times, rooting ourselves in bonds that are both grounding and protective.
The Golden Eagle was not named, as this creature was being rehabilitated to return to the wild in a few months’ time. Mario described the type of “mindful indifference” that’s necessary when working with such birds, especially when they’re juveniles, as this one was—so that they don’t start associating humans with the caretaking role that they’d normally get from their parents. So that they can eventually learn to hunt on their own and take care of themselves independently. I absolutely saw the Sage archetype in this magnificent bird. He radiated a quiet authority, as though he knew that one day soon he would soar again, fully self-reliant—a true embodiment of Scorpio’s drive for self-mastery and the wisdom that comes from inner strength.
On the hour-long drive home and for the rest of the night, I meditated on the lessons these birds offered: a reminder to contemplate the mysteries within ourselves during this season. To lean in towards transformation, rather than hiding from what scares us. To embrace a deeper connection with our profound hidden truths, much like these raptors embody secrets of the natural world.
What hidden truths or mysteries within myself am I ready to explore or confront this season?
Which inner “archetype” do I feel called to channel right now—the Seer, the Warrior, the Grounded Guide, or the Sage? How can this part of me bring strength or wisdom into my life?
In what areas of my life can I embrace a higher perspective, letting go of what holds me back and embodying a spirit of self-reliance and inner power?
May we all find the courage to explore our inner depths, the strength to embrace our shadows, and the wisdom to transform as the season turns.
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