What Does It Mean to Dream of a White Owl?
White owls can be charming or even cute in a way, but their power is undeniable. Your dream of a white owl may similarly be full of powerful symbolic meaning.
White Owl Dream Summary
White Owl Dream Symbolism
A dream of a white owl would share much of the general symbolism of owl dreams. Owl dream symbolism includes wisdom, solitude, and death.
One quality that sets white owls apart from other owls is that they hunt during the day rather than at night. This would make the nocturnal element of owl dream symbolism less relevant to a dream of a white owl.
However, the unique eyesight that enables owls to hunt could be an important part of a white owl dream. As the symbolic associations of the color white include spirituality, your white owl dream might not be only about seeing things physically — it can also be about seeing the spiritual meaning of a situation.
Bird dreams more broadly can symbolize messages and communication, and interpreting a white owl dream could also go in that direction. Given the wise and spiritual associations of white owls, a very important message could be coming your way!
Common White Owl Dreams
- Dream of a dead white owl
- Dream of an injured white owl
- Dream of a white owl approaching you
- Dream of a white owl attacking prey
White Owl Dream Symbolism
Vision
Owls are recognized for having large, prominent eyes, often out of proportion to the overall size of their bodies. This makes them look a little goofy, as shown in LiveAbout’s list of owl memes.
However, the unique characteristics of owls’ eyesight are important to owls’ work as hunters. Bird Informer reports that owls see well at night because their large retinas effectively collect what little light is available. Though owls’ field of vision is not very wide when they just look straight ahead, they’re able to rotate their heads up to 270°, allowing them to see in nearly all directions.
In this sense, a white owl in your dream could symbolize that taking a good look at your surroundings is necessary for you now. However, owls see long distances better than they see up close, so you may need to make an effort to view the big picture rather than getting lost in small details.
As the color white is associated with spirituality, your white owl dream could also symbolize the need to look for spiritual meaning in a situation in your life. Even if you are upset about the experience now, try to identify what lessons you are learning from it.
Wisdom
Owls in general symbolize wisdom. As the color white is associated with spirituality, specifically seeing a white owl in your dream might refer to wisdom that has a spiritual component.
A white owl in your dream could symbolize that you have or soon will encounter a wise teacher in your life. Alternately, a white owl dream might be about a need to acknowledge and connect with your own wisdom, including your intuition.
Messages
A white owl dream could symbolize that an important message is coming your way. Given white’s associations with spirituality, the message or communication may come through some non-standard means, so be open to the signals around you.
The Bird Guide notes that white owls are considered omens in many cultures, but whether they are considered good or bad depends on where you are from.
Popular Culture
In the Harry Potter books and movies, Harry Potter has a pet snowy owl called Hedwig, who serves as his companion — and also delivers mail. If you’re familiar with this reference, seeing a white owl in your dream could symbolize companionship or getting an important message.
Common White Owl Dreams
Dream of a dead white owl
Dreaming of a dead white owl could symbolize that your time learning from a particular teacher or philosophy is complete. As owls symbolize wisdom, maybe there were aspects of this teaching that were necessary for your development, but you might need to move on to something else at this time.
Dream of an injured white owl
Seeing an injured white owl in your dream could symbolize that your ability to access your own inner wisdom has been damaged by the critical or invalidating attitudes of others. Just acknowledging that your critics had no right to do that may be helpful to you.
Dream of a white owl approaching you
Dreaming of a white owl approaching you could symbolize that you may be encountering a prospective teacher or guide. The characteristics of the owl in your dream might say something about the qualities of the teacher. If you feel comfortable around the owl, that’s a good sign.
However, if the owl in your attacks you, this perhaps shows that something about the teacher is threatening for you. You may have to determine whether the tension is coming from you, as sometimes people are afraid of experiences that are ultimately good for them, or from the teacher.
Dream of a white owl attacking prey
White owls, like other owls, are predators that hunt. Dreaming of a white owl attacking smaller birds or animals could symbolize that you’re struggling to understand the meaning of a hierarchy in your life that seems unfair. Perhaps there is a larger purpose to it, even if you’re on the wrong side of it at the moment.
Alternately, a dream of a white owl attacking prey could represent the danger of becoming overly self-righteous or arrogant about one’s knowledge or beliefs. You may be so convinced of your own correctness that you feel like you don’t need to bother being kind to others — or perhaps someone else is acting this way toward you.
Conclusion
When a wise white owl visits your dream, it’s clear you have a lot to think about. Wisdom is not only about being intellectually smart or remembering a lot of facts, so try to be open to different kinds of knowledge.