The Robin or Robin Redbreast is a small insectivorous passerine bird that belongs to the chat subfamily of the Old World flycatcher family.
These birdies are between 12–14 cm in length and colored with an orange breast, face lined with grey, brown upper-parts, and a whitish belly. They are mostly found across Europe, east to Western Siberia, and south to North Africa.
Now, if you are in Europe, you might have already heard the quote/poem, “Robins appear, when loved ones are near”.
So is this true? Does a robin appear when a loved one is near? What is the meaning of a robin visiting you? Why do they say Robins appear when loved ones are near? Well, let us see..
Does a Robin appear when a Loved one is Near? Various Old wives Tales & Meanings of a Robin Visiting after Death
The Robin is often heard of in British and Norse folklore, as this is a storm-cloud bird and is said to be sacred to Thor – the Norse half-jotunn god of thunder.
In British mythos, Robin is well known through the story of Babes in the Wood, a tale in which two children find themselves lost in the woods, die, and later are covered with leaves by robins.
The other myth tells the tale of a robin coming to visit Christ whilst he was on a cross, to sing him a soothing song as he was dying, and thus its brown breast got stained with Christ’s blood, and that’s why they are called Redbreast.
Another myth tells a story of robin getting a scorched breast because he was fetching water for the souls in Purgatory.
Although the robin is said to be connected to Thor in Norse mythology, due to it being a storm-cloud bird, and Thor being the god of thunder, on deeper inspection, the robin is after all connected to Odinn – the Allfather of the Norse pantheon, as well, who was also a psychopomp and a wielder of the Sacred Fire.
Odinn used to pick and choose fallen warriors amidst the battlefield and take their souls into his hall – Vlaholl in Asgard where they would prepare and await the Ragnarok with him.
And robin’s connection to Thor came from its habit to announce thunderstorms, and Thor was said to cause great thunder when he battled the Jotunn while he was protecting Middle Earth from them.
Aside from announcing thunder and stormy weather, robin was also said to announce death. Thus if he flew into a house, or tapped on a window, it meant that you should prepare for a funeral, which might’ve been even your own.
Although robin’s song is connected with merriment and cheery times during winter, thus it is said to announce the passing of a loved one, and one should steel themselves for a big loss within the family.
So, Why do they say Robins appear when Loved ones are near?
Now, it is exactly for the aforementioned reasons that robins are connected with the Dead. Robins are message carriers between the worlds, and since they have the fire on their breast, they are said to be the messengers of the heart.
Whenever we feel like we’ve been emotionally marred by a close one’s passing, robins rise to the task and they relay the messages back and forth between the land of the Living and the land of the Dead.
This is why they say that a robin appears, or it can be heard, whether in person or online, when there’s a loved one from the Other Side near.
But, What message do Robins Convey from our Lost loved ones?
Do you know? It is believed that seeing or hearing a robin is bad luck, and damaging or destroying its nest or eggs can lead to dire consequences for the perpetrator, and that kind of damage should never be done lightly. Many British natives have lived to see terrible repercussions happen to their homes and families after they’ve tempered with the robin’s nest, ever since the old times.
For all their “bad rep”, robins are very straightforward and direct birds, and you can receive messages and impressions from them very easily.
Whether you saw a picture of a robin, or you’ve seen it in person, the first (passed) person that comes to mind at that moment, is said to be the message sender. Also, the first feeling that swells up in your chest, around your heart, when you hear robin’s message, is the right message you were supposed to hear at that exact moment.
Robins are also known to show up during the first 40 days or weeks of a loved one’s passing, usually during the time when the living are struggling the most to come to terms with a loved one’s passing. Moreover, you’ll notice that the loved ones that are sending the messages via the robins, usually passed away suddenly and without getting to say their goodbyes.
This is why robins are chosen as the messengers, they think and sing in a frequency that is quite familiar to the human ear and brain receptors, so their appearances, aura, and songs are the easiest to understand even without the usage of human means of communication – words.
Robins are somewhat sacred birds, and they have even been tied to Jesus and his holiness and death, this is why they’re often a synonym for Christmas and holiday spirit. Although, there’s often a darker meaning to their bright-red appearance.
Itana Rakic is a certified Theta Healing practitioner, Tarot reader, Astrologer, and a Reiki Master who lives in Belgrade, Serbia. She majored in Japanese Language and Culture at the University of Belgrade and went on to write many holistic articles for various magazines and sites, including 'Witch's Review'. Itana Haos Rakic is currently writing a fantasy book that has heavy uses of Astrology, magic and the occult sciences. She loves writing and is an experienced spiritualist too.