Meeting Nyctimene

Nyctimene was a princess from the island of Lesbos in the Greek Aegean sea. She lived a hard life with an unloving father who abused her. Nyctimene ran away and hid in the darkness of the forest, refusing to show her face in the light. Athena found Nyctimene and felt bad, so Athena transformed Nyctimene into the form of an Owl and adopted her as an animal familiar.

Take a moment to make yourself comfortable. Stand in a comfortable position, or sit on the
ground and adjust until you feel content and relaxed. Take a deep breath in and exhale as you
close your eyes. Take another deep breath in and exhale slowly.


While you continue to breathe deeply, allow your body to relax, releasing the tension from your head and shoulders, from your arms and hands, from your chest and torso, and finally from your legs and feet. Allow that tension to flow away from your body as you relax into your position as you continue to breathe slowly and evenly.

In your mind’s eye, see the darkness of a forest spread out before you. Listen to the movement of the leaves on the breeze and the critters as they rustle through the undergrowth. Hear the waves of the ocean crashing in the distance. From the darkness of the forest, watch as a beautiful owl soars through the trees and lands in front of you. This is Nyctimene, once a princess and now the familiar of Athena. As you approach the owl, she takes flight back into the woods. Follow her through the trees and let her guide you.

When you reach the new place, Nyctimene has a message for you. Listen to the wisdom she has to share with you. When her message ends, the owl once again takes flight, leaving you alone in this sacred space. When you are ready, take a deep breath and allow your awareness to begin to return to your body once again. Feel your awareness return to your feet and legs, up through your torso and chest. Feel the tingling of your hands and arms, and settle back in as your awareness returns to your shoulders and your head. Take one final deep breath, remembering the messages that Nyctimene has shared with you, and then open your eyes.