Like its winged cousins, the swan, raven, and mysterious phoenix, the dove is a symbol of spirit. Believed to represent angels and supernatural aid, doves appear in fairy tales when the situation turns dire. They offer a glimmer of hope and sometimes, an epiphany. With their guidance, the dove shows that our emotions, habits, and earthly desires are sustenance for the eternal soul.
According to Slavic folklore, at death, the soul transforms into a dove. A low-flying bird might symbolize an earth-bound attitude, whereas a bird soaring amongst the clouds speaks to wisdom and loftiness of spirit.
Historically, doves were seen as oracles. According to the Greek Herodotus, seven women called Doves founded the oracles of Dodona. The poet Homer wrote that Dodona was the most ancient oracle site in Greece that, for many years, served as Zeus’s personal sanctuary.
In the mystical sense, doves provide a ladder to the cosmos for mortals to nest in the stars. Doves are sacred to Astarte, Inanna, Ishtar, Brighid, Venus, Xochiquetzal, Asherah, and Freyja. Talented shapeshifters, doves sometimes take the form of Mother Mary and other archetypes representative of the Great Mother.
Gentle and soft, but also clever, doves rest near shallow pools. They do this not out of laziness but ingenuity – to watch for predators in the water’s reflection. Doves are adaptable and masters of renewal. They make their nests in trees, atop sloped roofs, steep ledges, and occasionally, the ground. Quick to build their homes but also tear them apart, the dove’s mindset is not fixed or rigid. Like other air spirits, they ride the winds of change.
Since doves mingle in pairs, mate for life, and usually hatch twins, they symbolize duality and the integration of opposites. In her book Rise up and Salute the Sun, Suzy Kassem says, “Birds were created to record everything. They were not designed just to be beautiful jewels in the sky, but to serve as the eyes of heaven.”
So, why not let the doves record our successes, failures, joys, fears, and everything in between? Why not ask them to show us the divinity that spirals on the horizon? What’s stopping us from making nests with our thorns and bathing in our tears?
All we need to do is ask.
A loyal messenger and psychopomp, the dove is never far. If petitioned, they can help us repair relationships in the external world, but also internally – with ourselves. By working with the dove, we craft a song for peace, renewal, and compassion. We learn that mourning is the inverse of bliss, and without one, the other would not exist.
In the words of Terry Tempest Williams, “Once upon a time, when women were birds, there was the simple understanding that to sing at dawn and to sing at dusk was to heal the world through joy. The birds still remember what we have forgotten, that the world is meant to be celebrated.”
Lessons from the Dove:
- · A soft heart is a superpower, not a weakness. Use this gift frequently, confidently, and with love.
- · Listen. When the external chatter becomes too much, turn to nature. Do you hear birdsong? Leaves rustling in the wind? We don’t have to physically do anything. Just listen until the water clears.
- · Change direction often and with gusto.
- · Whisper your intentions, secrets, and all that you love into the wind. The birds are listening.
- · Remember to tell your soul’s story – all of it. Embrace the exciting parts, the sad bits, boring pieces, and even the embarrassing moments. Fold them together and gaze in wonder at the masterpiece that is your life.
