Vision is a virtue I don’t normally think about as often as the others, probably because to me it has so many different meanings.
Vision is the ability to be inspired, whether it’s by someone else’s actions or by my own determination. It is also the desire to do good and to live my life by a basic moral code. To use what time I have on the earth to make a difference. Vision also has importance within ritual because it allows you to interpret the omen sent by the Gods, to understand their will and purpose with you. Those who do not have the ability to see these visions are just wandering in the dark aimlessly.
In Plains indian traditions (Cheyenne, Lakota), once a young boy has reached a point where he is ready to become a man, he is sent on what is called a Vision Quest. Many days in the wilderness without food (only water), he is sent there to find his vision that will help determine his course in life through this next rite of passage. The Vision Quest forces you to answer questions about who you are, what do you have to give, to learn about who you are and the path that has been set before you.
I’ve had many strong visions over the last few years that have helped guide me and my decisions. My totem, the red-tailed hawk, is a prominent visitor and vision and constantly reminds me to stay on my path and remember my vision when things seem hopeless and chaotic. The Great Horned Owl that came into my life earlier this year as a messenger from my patron Athena was a reminder that she is in my life always, through the good and the bad. It was even more symbolic to me when the owl came into my life, since it is the to the red-tailed hawk, as night is to day. They share the same territories, one is a night hunter while the other is day. They are the yin and the yang of my life, the balance that keeps me stable, so I am able to follow my vision.
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