Why a feather above the door?

April 10, 2011 11:07 AM

I was a guest in a house where a feather or a few feathers were hung above the doors.

They weren't arranged in a decorative display but just random feathers taped above doorways, even on the garage door. Any ideas where this comes from?

My first thought was Native American but I can't find any reference to things of that nature except dream catchers. Perhaps Wiccan? I did find one article that said in wiccan symbolism, feathers were representative of flight of the human spirit to another realm.

posted by justlisa to Religion & Philosophy (3 answers total)

Even though it's illegal to posses them under most circumstances, I live in an area with lots of Native Americans and lots of eagles. I actually bought a used car that came with eagle feathers tucked in the visor. The feathers are a talisman, the idea is that the vision and perspective and power of the eagle is imparted, in some small measure, to the holder of the feathers. That's the spill I got from my non-shaman Anishinaabe neighbor when I inquired, anyway.
posted by Leta at 11:39 AM on April 10, 2011

Are your friends Quakers? The Feather of Peace.
posted by amyms at 9:50 PM on April 10, 2011

This is not any Wiccan practice that I am aware of.
posted by lawhound at 4:32 PM on April 11, 2011