There are many things that fly away and become a part of the past, of eternity or of the other world. Times fly. Souls are said to fly away to the other world. Birds fly away, either to perch somewhere or to their nests or on a long trans- continental migratory flight. But what happens to them when they die? Do they perish forever more or do they too have souls which fly away to the other world? Do birds have an after life? I must confess I had never given any thought to these and other related questions until the day a heart wrenching sight hit me with full force.
A common mynathe brown, medium sized, yellow eye rimmed, yellow beaked birds we see on the roadsides and in parks so often and associate with the one for sorrow, two for joy dittyhad been crushed under a passing vehicle. All that remained was a small flattened pulp of some flesh and feathers. Its mateagitation, alarm, distress pitiably visible in all its actions, was desperately trying to get some kind of a response from the dead myna and risking getting crushed too by unconcerned vehicles whizzing past. It was truly a one for sorrow scene and disturbed me greatly.
When I passed the spot the next day, the remains of the crushed myna had been swept away but the surviving myna was still there, still agitated, still distressed. My heart went out to it again and I experienced for the umpteenth time the sadness and helplessness of seeing a prani, a living being who has lost someone. The faithful, grieving myna was there at the fatal spot for several days and then one day, it was no longer there. Ive always wondered what happened to it. Did it finally come to terms with the loss and fly away to some other place? Did it also get crushed under a vehicle? Did it die of grief or grief induced starvation? I also wondered what had happened to the dead myna and the entire tragic sequence started me off on a study of birdsin life and after life. What I found was both fascinating and illuminating.
I was already familiar with the traditional widespread beliefs about crows, ravens and rooks, who belong to the same cosmopolitan family of oscine passerine birds but are different from each other. Locked away in my memory there were also sentimental, startling first hand experiences with crows as birds who herald death and can sense it in advance. An hour or so before my father passed away, at least fifty crows had gathered on our rooftop, cawing raucously, not interested at all in the daily feed of milk and bread put out for them. The moment my father passed away, they fell silent. A little before one of our pets dies, they arrive too, cawing loudly in unison. Some believe that crows dont just herald death, they come to escort the departed soul to a certain level above earth. The Audubon Society, which protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow has in one of its newsletters listed a crow superstition: If you see 5 crows, sickness will follow; see 6 crows and death will follow.
The Encyclopedia of Death and Dying points out that from classical times to the present day, the raven and crow have been thought birds of ill omen. Hammond Phyllis has written that the crow is significant of approaching death or impending doom. If it flies insistently above a place of very close to someone or in circles around a house then that is where the death occurs. However, crows have also been known to herald birth. According to Indias Environmental Information System (ENVIS) Centre On Avian Ecology The house crow is usually identified with departed souls or ancestors. The bird is the vehicle of Shani or Saturn. In Buddhism, the Dharmapala Mahakala is represented by a crow in one of his physical/earthly forms. It is believed that crows heralded the birth of the First, Seventh, Eighth, Twelfth and Fourteenth Lamas.
Crows and ravens have also been assigned a protective role. The Encyclopedia of Death and Dying recounts bow in Britain, traditions of metempsychosis were attached to both the raven and the red-legged crow or chough in connection with King Arthur and mentions a belief that he had not died but had been enchanted into a crow or raven. The custom of keeping six ravens at the Tower of London was instituted by King Charles II (16301685). The ravens are a palladium or national talisman, it being said that, so long as there are ravens at the Tower, Britain cannot be conquered. Some anxiety was caused during World War II by rumors that the ravens had fallen silent and had not croaked for five whole days. In India, there have been innumerable instances when crows cawed and warned of fire, of theft, of an earthquake and to this day many household in rural as well as urban areas pay heed to what crows try and communicate.
Crows, ravens and rooks are not the only birds linked with the paranormal. In Western tradition, says a piece on Soul Birds, one of the most common sites for a formerly human soul to inhabit is that of a bird. Such birds are invariably also ominous, in its original sense of prophetic, the rationale being that the dead, as spirits, know both past and future. A combination of mythological stories, religious beliefs and current commonplace incidents and experiences from all over the world emphasise clearly a strong, undeniable paranormal connection between several birds and the other world. They also leave no doubts that birds have souls. But do birds themselves move on to the other world after death and are they reincarnated? Will tell you about it in the next column. Till then, it would be worth pondering over the words of Nick Redfern who has written about a wide range of unsolved mysteries and authored 41 books. I guess it all depends on ones own belief systemsor ones lack of belief systemsconcerning things that suggest there is more to our world and our existence than we know. Perhaps more than we can know. Until its our time.
A common myna, a medium-sized, brown bird with yellow eyes and beaks that we frequently encounter in parks and along roadsides and are associated with the song “one for sorrow, two for joy,” had been crushed beneath an oncoming car. A tiny, flattened pulp made of some flesh and feathers was all that was left. Its companion, whose agitation, alarm, and distress were pitifully evident in every move it made, was frantically attempting to elicit a response from the deceased myna while running the risk of being struck by careless cars speeding by. That scene really was “one for sorrow,” and it really bothered me.
I was previously aware of the widely held traditional beliefs regarding crows, ravens, and rooksall of which are members of the same global family of passerine birds, but which differ from one another. There were also poignant and shocking first-hand accounts of crows as birds that predict death and have the ability to sense it beforehand that are deeply ingrained in my memory. At least fifty crows had gathered on our rooftop an hour or so before my father passed away. They were cawing loudly and showed no interest in the daily meal of bread and milk that was left out for them. The moment my father passed away, they fell silent. They also show up just before one of our pets passes away, cawing loudly in unison. Crows are said by some to not only announce death but also to accompany the deceased person’s spirit to a higher plane of existence. In one of its newsletters, the Audubon Societywhich aims to protect birds and the places they need, today and tomorrowlisted a superstition regarding crows: if you see five crows, you will get sick; if you see six crows, you will die.
Many things fly away and disappear into the past, the eternal past, or the other world. Times fly. Souls are said to fly away to the other world. Birds take off, either on a lengthy transcontinental migration flight or to perch somewhere, their nests, or both. I must admit that I had never given these and other related questions any thought until the day a heartbreaking sight struck me full force. But what happens to them when they die? Do they perish forever more or do they too have souls which fly away to the other world? Do birds have an afterlife?
The next day, when I went by the location, the crushed myna’s remains had been swept away, but the myna that was still alive was still there, still restless and disturbed. My heart went out to it once more, and I felt the anguish and powerlessness of witnessing a “prani,” a living being who has lost someone, for the countlessth time. The devoted, bereaved myna remained at the fatal location for a few days before disappearing one day. Ive always wondered what happened to it. The whole tragic sequence started me off on a study of birds, both in life and after death. Did it finally accept the loss and fly away to some other place? Did it also get crushed under a vehicle? Did it die of grief or grief induced starvation? I also wondered what had happened to the dead myna. What I found was both fascinating and illuminating.
Crows and ravens have also been assigned a protective role. The Encyclopedia of Death and Dying describes how, in Britain, the raven and the red-legged crow, also known as the chough, have been associated with metempsychosis in relation to King Arthur. This belief stems from the idea that King Arthur had not actually died, but had instead been enchanted into becoming a crow or raven. King Charles II of England established the tradition of retaining six ravens at the Tower of London (16301685) It is believed that as long as there are ravens at the Tower, Britain cannot be conquered, making them a national talisman or palladium. During World War II, there were rumors that the ravens had stopped croaking and had fallen silent for five whole days, which caused some anxiety. Crows have frequently called out warnings of fire, theft, and earthquakes in India, and many homes, both in rural and urban areas, still pay attention to what the crows are trying to say.
When I inquired about our pets’ feelings regarding being put to sleep when ill or in pain, I was informed that they were relieved and grateful to be free of the suffering. It’s heartbreaking, but I find solace in the knowledge that they are willing and able to go. Who hasn’t asked that question when we’ve had to assist them in saying goodbye?
I was curious, so when I first started channeling, I asked a few questions about animals. I’ve always known that my dogs and cats had souls and that I would see them again once they passed away because I’ve looked into their eyes over the years. As reassuring as it was to have them here with me, I know that at least two of them visit me occasionally. The Angels confirmed to me that they are incredibly loving beings with souls.
Inquiring further, I was informed that yes, human souls have occasionally taken on animal incarnations for the experience of it. That type of reincarnation doesn’t teach many soul lessons because, at the time of our animal body incarnation, our animal brains were also present. Not human feelings, ideas, or intelligence inside the body of an animal, as occasionally depicted in films I learned that I have had the forms of an elephant, a great ape, an eagle, and more. Funny, those are all some of my favorite animals today.
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