The Avian Oracle takes you on a journey into the cultural history associated with birds as well as their function in religious practices, magic, and ritual. Forty-five birds serve as guides to help interpret and personalize the messages they bring and aid you in discovering how to work with their energy for spells, dream work, and ritual, as well as spiritual and personal growth. Great or small, every bird has its own particular wisdom and magic that can enrich your life.The Avian Oracle brings the reader into the world of birds-their uniqueness and the special affinity humans have with them. For thousands of years, birds have epitomized freedom and served as a symbol of the soul. Because they have been associated with some of the most powerful deities and sometimes represented the Divine, it is no surprise that they touch the soul and bring meaning to people''s lives. The book provides background material for understanding the long, historical association humans have had with birds. Regarded as messengers of gods and goddesses, birds were believed to provide information about everyday matters through the ancient art of ornithomancy and many forms of divination. For everyone from Greek and Roman army generals and rulers to ordinary fishermen, birds served as guides that could help in many aspects of life. For the Druids, the Anglo-Saxons, Germanic tribes of Northern Europe, medieval Christian theologians, and Jewish mystics, birds were an integral part of beliefs and practices. Working with The Avian Oracle aids in uniting the personal with the mystical and magical, the mundane with the sacred.