For the ancients, the owl united the virtues of knowledge and wisdom. Legend has it that an owl nested in the pillars of the Acropolis, the temple dedicate to the goddess Athena. The Athenians admired the owl’s eyes—those large, gleaming orbs that stared down from the nest high in the Acropolis. They believed that the very brilliance of those eyes provided an inner light that enabled the owl to see clearly in the dark of night. At least one Greek general kept a trained owl on hand, ready to release whenever its circling presence might make the difference between victory and defeat.

In fact, the owl is a master of flight and adaptation. The product of forty million years of evolution, he is a superb animal, integrating intelligence, power, grace, and beauty. He takes a variety of inspirational forms, from the shy and retiring flammulated owl to the awesome predatory power of the great horned owl. In all cases, the owl is acutely aware and adaptive. He routinely varies his behavior and defensive strategies to adjust to changing conditions. He is flexible in this feeding habits and nest-building choices. He varies his territories to fit food supplies and population densities. His vision and hearing are outstanding. In this, the owl makes a perfect model for mastery. Owls have much to teach us about living in a conflicted and ever-changing world. We would be wise to attend to them.