Part of the Sky Above Earth Below Oracle Deck I created. Mixed Media

Bat (Rebirth, Transition)
Bat glides across the night sky, searching for food. Bats have excellent sensory organs and can hear, and smell, quite well. Echolocation allows bats to detect, localize and even classify their prey from great distances. Bats spend much of their lives in roosts as large groups, hanging upside down. From this vantage point bat sees the world in yet another way. Bats do not have poor eyesight, in fact all bat species have good vision and none are blind. Bats are animals of transition as shown by the constant moving of their home in earthen caves to their feeding grounds in the sky. Though many bats eat insects, making them quite beneficial to humans, some eat fruit. Despite what myths and legends tell us only three bat species sustain themselves on blood. In the winter months some species of bat go into a state of torpor, much like that of hibernation, helping further the belief that bat is a symbol of rebirth. As liminal beings bats further show us about transition, the ability to move from mammal-like in appearance to bird-like in its ability to fly.

Because of their link to the night bats are often seen by western European cultures as dark, foreboding creatures. This belief has given rise to villainous figures such as Dracula. Even Batman, who is portrayed as a hero, has more vigilant qualities than other heroes might. In Chinese, and some other Eurasian countries, bats are seen as a symbol of good luck and longevity. In some Native American cultures, such as Cherokee and Apache, the bat is seen as a trickster spirit. In early South American belief bat was a symbol of the land of the dead, and were often engraved on funeral urns. The old wives tale of bat’s getting tangled up in hair is generally untrue, though bats may fly very close to humans in order to find food.

When Bat glides into a reading it may be time to end an old way of thinking and enter into a new way. Are you easily moving from one aspect of life into another? Are you refusing to allow yourself to be reborn as the person you truly are? Are you using all of your abilities to see in the dark or are you hiding in a cave of fear? As transitory creatures bats are highly representative of earth and sky. Look to the elements of earth and air for further insight into what bat may offer.

Astrology- (Western Libra Sept 23- Oct 22) This western sign is all about balance. Justice and stability are hallmarks of this air sign. Libra’s easily surround themselves with harmony and beauty. Occasionally shy and reserved, Libras can struggle with depression and will get nervous when crowded. Ultimately this sign is understanding and caring, making excellent partners. With keen intuition, Libra’s are excellent at seeing all sides of an issue and need to give themselves more credit for their eerily correct perceptions.

Stars and Constellations
Reawaken, Be Visionary, View Askew, Initiation, Sense the Unseen