These brilliant members of the genus Corvus are resourceful tool makers and have amazing problem-solving skills. They have excellent memories and can recognize faces. When they see a person they think has been mean to them, they will teach other crows how to identify that individual and have even been known to drop stones or sticks on the person. On the other side of this, crows have been known to leave gifts for humans they like. Crows tend to live in multigenerational family groups and are always on guard for threats to their home territory and quick to alert the rest of the group to dangers. Crows are very emotional creatures and even mourn their dead. They have been witnessed having what is thought to be a funeral; however, some researchers believe it is more likely that they are trying to figure out what happened and to determine if it posed any threat to the members of the flock. Think of it as CSI: Crow.
Key Attributes
Keepers of sacred law, an omen of change, intelligence, transcendence, intuition, dreaming, magic, empathy, speaking your truth, achieving goals with determination and creative thinking, strong ties to community, and knowing your life’s mission.
Chakra Interpretations
Root
We usually associate crows with making a lot of noise, but where they nest needs to be a quiet, well-hidden shelter away from predators and bad weather. You might be the kind of person who is okay going into a city or noisy office to work, but you need to come home to a quiet location. Some crows leave the nest once they become an adult, but many choose to stay and live cooperatively, helping raise and defend the young. These family groups often contain members from multiple generations. This speaks to the importance of family to you, including your extended family—grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. If you aren’t close to your family of origin, finding a family of choice that crosses many generations can be equally beneficial for you. Simply put, you don’t have to, nor should you, go it alone.
Sacral
When you see a group of crows, it is nearly impossible to distinguish one from the other. Standing out in a crowd is not important to you. In fact, it gives you a lot of emotional security and you probably feel safest when you blend in with your peers. Another trait of the crow is that it seems to play for the sheer joy of it. Since crows are tool makers, you might get a lot of entertainment out of figuring out puzzles, inventing something that has practical uses, or even craft making. Crows are fearless, so working with crow energy can help you act with forethought, intent, and confidence.
Solar Plexus
When crow sets itself to a task, it doesn’t stop until the task is done, no matter how many attempts or how many times it needs to change tactics. You are known for seeing a project through to its completion. When you start a project or a task, you probably know the outcome in your mind before you even get started. In fact, having a vision of the project might be the trigger that gets you started—just remember to take it one step at a time. This is a lesson for you to trust your gut instincts, to think for yourself and not follow the crowd. You might just come up with something the world has never seen.
Heart
Crows are incredibly emotional. They express feeling with displays of happiness, anger, sadness, and even grief. You may be someone who wears their heart on their sleeve. People close to you can tell right away what kind of mood you are in; at the same time, you can read them just as easily. A mated pair of crows will often remain together for life, so your preference would be to find a life mate. Crow energy guides the magic of shape-shifting. If some darkness from your past is keeping your heart from loving, it may be time for you to reshape your heart and allow love to enter.
Throat
Crows have a very sophisticated and distinctive form of language, and their caw has a different meaning at different times. They have been known to mimic sounds of not only humans but also other animals and can associate noises with events. You might enjoy entertaining your friends by imitating their voices or those of celebrities. While crows aren’t known for having beautiful voices, they are still considered song-birds. You may not think you have a very nice voice, but that shouldn’t stop you from singing if it brings you joy. Another possibility is that you are one to speak out for others. You would do well using your voice to teach or defending what you feel is a just cause.
Third Eye
As with most nesting birds, crows are born with their eyes closed but open them after just a few days. From a spiritual or intuitive perspective, you may have spent your early years with blinders on, refusing to or not being allowed to see anything but the tangible. Perhaps you still have those blinders on. Align with crow energy to expand your self-knowledge beyond two-dimensional vision. While most of us humans see three primary colors, crows see four, and they can spot things from long distances with pinpoint precision. It is possible that you observe things, whether on the physical or ethereal plain, with an accuracy that others do not. If this is the case, honor it, and know that it is your gift.
Crown
In some traditions, the crow is the bringer of messages from the spirit world. It dwells beyond the realm of time and space. In sunlight, a crow’s black feathers show the violet iridescence of this chakra. Crow energy can be your guide to the higher realms and a reminder that all life is sacred and magical. Crow in this chakra can be a message that if you are doing solitary spiritual work, it may be time to find a group. A crow is at its best when it is with family.