Raptors and Shamanism

After a fun holiday weekend I parted ways with a good friend as they prepared for a long drive home. “Have an uneventful drive”, was the sentiment, but it took several takes to come up with a good way of saying it. What we finally decided on was a few great sitings of the hawk and eagle kind.

Hawks, eagles, vultures, and falcons are in the raptor family. What exactly defines raptor? These birds are carnivorous, meaning they eat other animals. Vultures typically select dead animals, like road kill, while others go for life prey.

It was not so long ago that I stood outside my home and saw an eagle circling. The eagle moved quickly across the sky, never repeating any portion of its path like the hawks I see more often.

Raptors are honored in the native cultures and the world of shamanism. The attributes of these magestic birds are encouraged as virtues to emulate. The most common perspective is the strength of these birds.

What stands out most with the raptors of the world, the eagles, red tail hawks, falcons, and vultures is their awareness. All attention is given to the moment – now is the key to achieving any goal. Their focus is honored in expressions such as “an eagle eye”. We’ve all heard the expression, “a birds eye view”. It has been found that our human brain only registers a small portion of what our eyes see. How much of our observations are vision based, and how much is achieved by conscious focus?

There are 290 Falconiformes, or raptors, worldwide. This includes the noctural or night hunters, such as owls. In the U.S. there are regulations that restrict the ownership of raptor feathers or other body parts. These regulations are in place to protect the population of threatened species.

My friend followed up that evening with an email to let me know that the prediction was close, with the sighting of a hawk, a falcon, and two eagles. No vultures this trip, they are currently residing in the southern states for their winter. What a great way to add a little excitement to any drive!

What does it mean to

Intuitive Meaning Editor and Author Estee Taschereau offers clear, compassionate assistance to individuals who seek to understand their own path and abilities. Phone sessions are available in the US, as well as sessions via Skype.