How to Recognize Signs and Omens in Witchcraft

What is a Sign?

A sign or omen is seeing something that has meaning, offers guidance, or psychic information. It can occur randomly or when you ask. Working with signs and omens is the process of seeking or interpreting what you see or find. The first thing I want to say is that different cultures have different ways of approaching signs. Some cultures have specific ways of determining whether something is a sign. Other cultures do not, and some feel it's best to seek guidance from someone who is skilled in magic or healing.

When is it a Sign?

I think the first, and most important, way to tell if something is a sign is that it is unusual or unique. An example from my own life is that one fall, right before Samhain, crows started continuously circling my house. They were casting shadows on the walls of every room. That had never happened in the twenty years I'd lived there. Then, just a few days before Samhain, a very close family member died. The very next day, the crows stopped circling my house.

So that's what I mean by unusual. Yes, crows are associated with the Underworld, but they're also part of everyday life and a healthy ecosystem. Seeing one crow doesn't mean that something connected to the Underworld is about to happen.

Of course, sometimes unusual things are just random events. That's why I like to have a few backup methods to help me decide whether I think something is actually a sign. If you work with animal allies, they're likely to show up often, and that's normal. However, if they're behaving oddly, seem unusually persistent about getting your attention, or if they are an animal associated with a Deity I work with, I'm more likely to think that it's a sign. At that point, I ask myself, "Do I know what this is about?" If not, I’ll make sure to remember it and take some time later to dig deeper.

Ways to Verify a Sign

The first question I ask is whether the unusual event happens more than once. If it does, it's a little more likely to be a sign. Another method that I use all the time is having a divination tool that can give a basic yes or no answer, such as a pendulum. If you're good at getting yes or no answers from cards or runes, you can use those instead. Then simply ask, "Is this a sign?"

Using Body Sensations to Recognize Signs

If you're someone who experiences physical sensations when you're doing magic, you can use those sensations to help determine whether something is a sign. This is a more advanced technique. For me, one of the ways I know magic is around is that I feel a little softer, a little more fluid. Sometimes colors seem a little brighter. Everyone experiences magic differently in their body, which is why this takes practice. So if you notice something that you think might be a sign, and at the same time you experience one of those magical sensations in your body, it's a little more likely to be a sign. A common example is the hair standing up on your arms or the back of your neck. But magical sensations can feel very different from person to person.

Opening Yourself to the Experience

Another approach, if you're a little more experienced with intuitive messages, is that you can try to surrender to the possibility that it is a sign. Say to yourself, "Yes, this might be a sign," and stay open to whatever information wants to come through. If nothing comes through, then either it isn't a sign, or it isn't a useful sign for you right now. You may need more information before you can do anything with it. If you try opening to  the possibility that it’s a sign and you begin noticing more unusual things, or intuitive insights start coming through about what the sign might mean, then it's much more likely that it’s a sign

If a possible sign affects me deeply, either emotionally or physically, I'm much more likely to spend time doing additional divination to determine whether it's actually connected to what I'm working on.

Sometimes I feel that signs are simply a way of grabbing my attention so that I'll stop and check in with the spirit world to see what's going on. I also pay attention to whether something feels urgent and immediate. If it does, I'll stop and assess where I am and what I'm doing. If it feels neutral or pleasant, I'll usually continue what I'm doing and spend some time in divination once I get home.

Magical Associations and Signs

I also believe that signs and symbols are very personal. They arise from your own life, your own culture, your memories, and your experiences. Sure, you can research an online list of meanings, but it’s also really helpful to spend a little time asking yourself what that symbol means to you. Maybe even make a list in your book of shadows of associations you already have for colors, animals, and objects. Magic will usually try to communicate through symbols and images that already have meaning to you.

A Simple Seeking a Sign Practice

One way to actively gather information through signs is to ask a question before taking a walk. Begin the way you would with any magical practice. Clear yourself, cast a circle if that's part of your practice, and focus on your question.

For beginners especially, I find it helps to ask a question that is easy to interpret. Rather than asking something broad, I might ask, "What does it look like if I do XYZ?"

Then ground yourself and take a slow walk outside. Decide beforehand how long you'll walk. As you walk, notice everything, but pay particular attention to things that seem especially attractive, bright, glowing, beautiful, or somehow call your attention. Also pay close attention to anything that literally crosses your path, whether it's a person, an animal, or an unexpected event. If your mind starts wandering, take a few breaths, return to your question, and continue your walk.

When you're finished, go home and write down everything that stood out to you. Then notice if it felt like a good experience. If overall it felt good, that means that your xyz is probably going to work for you. If there was a lot of difficulty, like you kept missing lights, or cars or people kept cutting you off, or you just kept being really distracted, it might mean that it's going to be a difficult choice. That's the simplest way to interpret the signs or omens.

Even doing a practice like this can make it more likely that you will notice when a sign occurs and will prompt your brain to start figuring out what things you see might mean.

Underworld, Middle World & Overworld Interpretation System

If you are more advanced and used to thinking abstractly, you might try asking for a sign in a more complex way. You can create some kind of structure to interpret the signs you find. I use this kind of sign-finding method when I want a general overview of a situation that I need more info about. I like to work with an Underworld, Middle World, and Overworld structure.

To find Underworld signs, look at patterns on the floor or ground, or in the cracks below trees, or under rocks. Or maybe something that shows up at night. Signs you see in the underworld can represent information that was not obvious or was hidden. It can represent your fears or what is holding you back or a subconscious motivation. 

The Middle World represents your work in the world and the way things play out in the land of humans and mundane day-to-day existence. For that, I look around at what people are doing around me as I go about my day and notice what pops out. If I’m walking in nature, I look at what I can see at eye level in the landscape around me. Middle World signs tend to be about challenges or opportunities on the day-to-day level. They tend to be about things like jobs, health, and people in your life. They are the fabric that frames and affects your experience. 

Then I look for Overworld signs. I look above at birds in the sky, images in the clouds, patterns in tree branches, and the sound of leaves and how that sound makes me feel.

The Overworld represents the overarching view. It gives perspective on your question. Sometimes, for people, it represents the future or the general outlook on the question you're asking.

Then use your list of magical associations, either researched or personal, to help you interpret the signs.  Although this method is more complex and abstract, it can really help build your psychic skills. And it can help you think about signs in a more fluid way.

Don’t Overthink

And I just want to share that it can be easy to overthink whether something is a sign. It's okay not to know. If you find yourself doing that, write it down, stop, let it rest, and see what happens over the next few days. Also, don’t be afraid to be wrong. You won’t develop a sure sense for a true sign unless you make some mistakes. And don’t ignore common things. I have received very strong signs from a song that was tugging at my consciousness.

Wishing you all a wonderful witchcraft journey
Colette Gardiner
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