Turkey Vulture Spirit Animal

Turkey vulture spirit animal relates to the raptor’s excellent sense of smell. She rides spiral thermals of wind and has the miraculous ability to neutralize lethal diseases. Native to the Americas, turkey vulture is a New World vulture who is connected with the power of the exorcist archetype. This article focuses primarily on the turkey vulture, and includes the symbolism of all vultures at the end.

Turkey Vulture’s Discernment

There is an old wive’s tale that if you find a baby bird outside of its nest that you shouldn’t handle it to put it back in the nest. Supposedly the mother bird will smell your scent on the chick and reject it. This is a myth! Most birds have barely any sense of smell. Putting a chick back in the nest is the first course of action in helping a baby bird. If the parents are alive and around, they will get right back to caring for their little one.

Turkey vultures, on the other hand, have an excellent sense of smell. A turkey vulture can smell the scent of dead and rotting flesh from miles away. I can’t say for sure that a turkey vulture parent would care or not about human scent on her young – turkey vultures are notoriously bold – , but the vulture is unique in her ability to pick up scents.

In spiritual terms, the sense of smell is synonymous with the gift of discernment. Discernment is the ability to sniff out the truth. It is knowing right from wrong. In a mystical sense, discernment is sitting with guidance to attain understanding. To discern something is to look into it and to truly know the nature of it.

The Spiral of Air & Turkey Vulture Spirit Animal

Turkey vulture spirit animal, with her ability to smell the wind, helps you sort through your thoughts. Air is symbolic of the mind. Your thoughts can be confusing whirlwinds at times. It can be hard to tell if your mind making something up or if it is true intuition. Turkey vulture rides the currents of the mind and helps you connect to the ground of knowing.

Summer is the season of turkey vulture. She rides with wings extended in a v-shape on thermals of hot air. Hot air rises off the sun-soaked earth in a spiral pattern, and turkey vulture is an expert at catching a ride on this invisible elevator. She circles upwards, teetering and relaxed. She rarely flaps her wings, but stays aloft for hours. Her migration between North and South America is spent casually riding these warm breezes.

The symbolism of turkey vulture reminds you to ride the currents of warmth in your own life. Allow yourself to benefit from what life has to offer and let go of the need to work so hard. Let life bring you warmth and sustenance. The currents will carry you where you need to go. Exercise a little patience and relax a bit.

 

 

Another Man’s Treasure

You know what they say about “one man’s junk is another man’s treasure.” As a scavenger, turkey vulture spirit animal is able to sniff out the nourishing gifts laid out like a banquet. We think of carcasses as waste left to rot. But, turkey spirit animal turns the tragedy of a life lost into the miracle of flight. She lets nothing on the carcass go to waste, and no matter how old the flesh is she will still eat it. She will not turn her nose away from any meal presented.

Turkey vulture spirit animal reminds you to of your own ability to reuse and recycle. She has a kinship with the dumpster diver who resurrects old clothes and the artist who repurposes bottle caps for mosaics. We speak of scavengers like they are the lowest of the low, but it is scavengers like turkey vulture that stem the blight of excess consumerism. Humanity and the planet benefit from practicing scavenging more often.

The Vultures are Circling

“The vultures are circling” is a figure of speech that indicates there are people hovering, waiting to pounce and take advantage of a dire situation. When someone is called a “vulture” they are considered a greedy person that exploits others in a crisis. To put it bluntly, vultures get a bad wrap and it is not deserved.

Vultures are common birds of the battlefield and are associated with Ares the Greek god of war. As Jessica Dawn puts it in her book Animal Wisdom, “the bird’s function was to pick up the pieces in the aftermath of battle. By extrapolation, then, vulture can be raised after the struggles are over, to help clean up the mess.”

The turkey vulture has an important role in cleaning up ecosystems. Turkey vulture is a scavenger and she can eat carcasses of animals that are infected with botulism, anthrax, salmonella, and cholera. Her stomach acids kill the bacteria and transmutes the toxins she ingests. Turkey vulture effectively eliminates bacteria and toxins from the environment. This ties her closely to the exorcist archetype.

Nature’s Exorcist – Turkey Vulture Spirit Animal

Demons are described as causing a disease or even seen as the illness themselves. Here we have a bird that is known for literally killing off extremely deadly diseases. Turkey vulture spirit animal most definitely is an exorcist. The demons she neutralizes aren’t visible to the human eye, but they are extremely leathal.

The scientific name of the turkey vulture is Cathartes Aura. This can be translated as “golden purifier” or “cleansing breeze” (see https://www.sjpl.org/blog/home-defender-high-sierra). Both names are appropriate honorifics for the service turkey vulture provides.

Another synchronicity between the turkey vulture and the exorcist archetype is that the turkey vulture uses light to cleanse. You can find turkey vulture perched, her back saluting the sun, and wings held outstretched. She bathes in the ultraviolet, cleansing rays of the sun to bake off harmful bacteria. Turkey vulture’s black shiny feathers increase the efficiency of this process.

The acidity of the turkey vulture’s urine has the power to kill bacteria. She pees on her own legs to clear the dangerous microbes she picks up when walking on carcasses. Sounds gross I know, but when we are talking about decontamination, it is very efficient.

Whenever you are in need of a clean up crew to decontaminate your own energy field, call on turkey vulture spirit animal. She naturally has the ability to transmute the harmful emotions and thoughts that can infect your system. She can clear out the refuse and neutralize negativity leaving a cleansing breeze in her wake.

Vulture Spirit Animal

There are 23 species of vulture worldwide including the magnificent California and Andean condors. Many civilizations have worshipped vulture spirit animal. The Inca built enormous monuments to the Andean condor. A sacred bird in Incan cosmology, the condor is symbolic of death and rebirth.

Egyptian mythology associates multiple gods and goddesses with vulture spirit animal, most notably, Ma’at. The goddess Ma’at weighs the hearts of the dead to determine their fate in the afterlife.

Vulture is literally and symbolically associated with death, the afterlife, and resurrection. An awesome ally to call on when you are going through a metaphorical death of your way of life, vulture spirit animal can help you digest the experience and come out stronger and more clear on the other side.

 

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All three archetypes clear out the status quo to make way for an expansive, naked awareness. They purify us along the spiritual path and address the fears we encounter. The exorcist transmutes demons into allies and separation into union. The destroyer embraces the cycle of destruction to unlock hidden potential. The liberator uses wisdom to free us from attachment and suffering.

 

 

Peacock Symbolism

The myths and legends of countless deities are soaked in peacock symbolism and adorned in the peacock’s iridescent tail feathers. Let me start with the short list of gods and goddesses that are associated with peacock meaning: Jesus, the Greek goddess Hera, the Hindu gods Shiva and Indra, the Greek god Argus, and the Hindu Lord Krishna. Not only are all of the friends of peacocks often deities, most of them are also the royalty of the heavens, the supreme of the sublime. In addition, peacock was considered the empress’s bird in Byzantine and Roman imperial courts.

Now does this mean that if you have peacock spirit animal that you are destined to be king or queen? Likely not. Metaphorically, royalty represents respect, mastery and authority. How are you ruling over your own kingdom these days? Are you an angry despot or a benevolent monarch? If you were your own subject, would you be pleased with the rules you are told to live by? Peacock symbolism helps you develop respect for the self, mastery over your actions, and the authority to carry out virtuous living.

Symbolism of Peacock Eyes

The most notable and common mythology about the peacock has to do with the one-hundred eyed Greek god Argus. He was employed by the goddess Hera to prevent her husband Zeus from philandering with the goddess Io. Zeus promptly had Hermes kill Argus, and Hera commemorated Argus by placing his one hundred eyes in the tail of the peacock.

Peacock has more than one hundred eyes in, as author David Carson calls it, his “trembling fan of dazzling colors.” [1] Regardless of the exact number, there are a lot of eyes animately watching us from the intimidatingly tall display that follows the peacock wherever he goes. With peacock symbolism, we learn about watchfulness and being the witness in our lives.

Being a Witness

Being a witness is often equated with the Buddhist quality of detachment. Detachment is not callousness or uncaring, but a trust in the divine design of things. When you are detached you don’t have an agenda or a judgement in the situation. You are able to just show up for the moment simply how it is.

Wolf spirit animal also models qualities of the witness, but he does it unnoticed and at a distance. Peacock spirit animal, in contrast, is in your face and can’t be missed. With wolf, the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and you feel like someone might be watching. With peacock symbolism, there is no way to deny that all eyes are on you. Since the eyes are on his tail, there also can be the sense that you are being followed.

Are you the one watching others closely or do you feel a higher power watching you? You may not be able to take your eyes off of other people for fear of learning who is watching you. Peacock meaning may have you feeling more self-aware and motivated to clean up your actions.

Notice too how those eyes draw you in. It is exactly the feeling that the gods are watching you that cause you to feel closer to the Divine. It is a hypnotizing, mesmerizing display that captures you in the sacred net of worship.

Peacocks, Snakes & the Throat Chakra

Peacock is renowned for hunting and killing snakes. It is said in Hindu tradition that peacock transmuted snake venom into the radiant blue color on his throat. “[Hindu god] Shiva’s throat had turned peacock blue when he swallowed and purified the poison of the primordial ocean.” [2]

The fifth chakra, known as the throat chakra, is a power center represented by the color blue. This chakra represents our power of choice and the ability to express who we are and what we feel. We often think of what we send out of the throat chakra, but not what we put in. Think of the poisonous words you swallow before they come out of your mouth. With peacock spirit animal, you can learn how to transmute those words towards a greater end. Choose your words carefully and your understanding of peacock spiritual meaning will grow.

Masculine and Feminine Power

Peacock is only the male name for the entire species of peafowl. The female peafowl are called peahens and young are called peachicks. The peahens are much less brightly colored than the males and they don’t have the elaborate tail with the eye spots. This strong difference between genders is called sexual dimorphism.

Sexual dimorphism represents a sizable imbalance between the masculine and feminine sides of your being. The masculine side has to do with logic, strategy, and action. The feminine side encompasses the powers of intuition, sensing and receptivity. Of course these are large generalizations, but hopefully to get the idea. Those of you that know right brain versus left brain qualities will understand me when I say that the right brain is associated with feminine power and left brain with masculine.

Due to the fact that male peafowl are bigger and flashier, the name of peacock has dominated the image of the species. This shows that the more drab brown peahens take a back seat and largely go unnoticed. Working with peacock symbolism may bring a time of stronger, more visible masculine power with your intuition working in the background. For more insight into this dichotomy, read my article on turkey spirit animal as the same pattern applies with turkeys.

Going All In

There are many theories as to why the peacock has such an ostentatious tail. The tail is clearly a cumbersome train to drag along when fleeing a predator. It makes flying more difficult and takes an inordinate amount of energy to produce. Scientists have not yet agreed as to why peahens prefer larger tails with more eyes, but they do. So peacocks push harder to survive and go big.

In your own life, how can you shoot for the fence? Now is the time to follow peacock’s example and go all in. What you accomplish may be immensely bigger than you ever imagined possible. And, this will gain you a lot of attention. Just remember that with all eyes on you, impeccability in your behavior will be key.

Furthermore, the displays don’t last forever. Every fall, peacock molts (drops) his entire tail in a matter of days or weeks. He grows an entirely new tail over the course of the winter and focuses his efforts on building up his reserves versus attracting the attention of the ladies. By paying attention to the timing of your efforts, you can come to a peak at just the right time.

[1] How to Find Your Spirit Animal by David Carson

[2] The Book of Symbols: Reflections on Archetypal Images by The Archive for Research in Archetypal Symbolism

 

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CalThe current information about falcon symbolism fails to encompass many of the amazing adaptations of the entire family of falcons. When most people think of a falcon they think there is just one species, but “falcon” refers to a family of birds of prey. There 37 species of falcon subdivided into four groups – kestrels, hobbies, traditional falcons (such as peregrine falcon and prairie falcon), and hierofalcons (such as gyrfalcon and lanner falcon).

Reaping the Power of Falcon Symbolism

The falcon is a raptor. Raptor, otherwise known as “bird of prey”, is a name for predatory birds that means to “seize or take by force”. Other raptors are eagles, hawks and owls. The falcon has especially long toes that are proficient at seizing prey in midair. He also uses the increased surface area of his big feet to club his prey and knock them out of the air.

Falcon is the fighter jet of the raptor world. Built for speed he takes no prisoners. His name comes from the Latin word “falco” which means sickle-shaped and which refers to the shape of his wings. These streamlined, long wings create fast flight and allow for sharp maneuvers. He slashes through the air. Air is symbolic of thoughts. A sickle harvests a crop. Falcon symbolism brings the ability to chop down the field of thoughts. Leave behind the chaff. Bringing home the harvest.

Falcon Spirit Animal Pursuing at Speed

Falcons typically use two distinct hunting strategies. The first, most well known, is the dive. Peregrine falcons are known for their record breaking stoops that reach up to 238 mph. They are the fastest animal on earth. The stoops start from a high perch or a high hovering position upwards of 3,000 ft. elevation. Falcon folds in his wings and free-falls like a skydiver with arms tucked to his sides jettisoning towards earth. Falcon spirit animal is not just about speed, he is about harnessing the power of gravity.

Have you set something in motion that you cannot stop? Are you going into a free fall? Do you believe it is controlled? Can you handle the force that is about to take over your whole being? Call on falcon to help you pull out of the dive in time.

Falcon medicine can help you manage an acceleration of life events beyond what most people think is humanly possible.

Falcons also pursue birds on the wing or mammals or insects on the ground. This is where the fighter jet quick turns come in handy. These direct flights are not for sissies either. They reach top flying speeds of 67 mph. Falcon symbolism teaches us about intensity. When you are moving that fast you can’t take in the environment around you. Focus is key.

 

 

Murmurations & Falcon Medicine

Have you ever seen a giant flock of thousands of birds twirling about in the air like a cloud of black dust? These flocks are made up of smaller birds such as European starlings or some species of shorebird. The flocks are in a tight ball that morph and dance in the sky. It is one of the most amazing sights of nature. These flock dances are called murmurations, a lovely name if you ask me.

Murmurations look to be a joyous dance by a chorus of birds, but scientists have found that they are really a predator evasion strategy. These flocks of thousands of birds are typically scurrying to get out of the path of a single peregrine falcon. This is the whirlwind in which falcon reaps his prey. Yes, reap the whirlwind.

The murmuration is coordinated. The birds become part of a group mind that moves together much like a school of fish is thought to. So what may look like a chaotic, haphazard dance is spontaneously choreographed.

Falcon symbolism teaches us about the nature of chaos and whirlwinds in our lives. Be it a free fall or whirlwind, where in your life are you feeling out of control? How much do you contribute to this chaos like falcon at the center of the murmuration? We say we like control, but we like chaos just as much because it is a form of control. Coming into awareness of your relationship with chaos can change everything in your life. Call on falcon spirit animal to help with this navigation.

Falcon Animal Totem of War & Hunting

Falcon symbolism is closely linked with the Egyptian God Horus who is the God of sky, war and hunting. Depicted as a man with the head of a falcon, but also in his entire form as a falcon. It is said that when he takes wing and flies across the sky he is the sun and the moon. His right eye is the sun and left eye the moon. He fought many battles against his father’s killer, Set. Some stories say he eventually won and unified the kingdom of Egypt.

The sport of falconry is named after the falcons who were among the first birds of prey trained to live and hunt with humans. This sport is thousands of years old and predominated in royal courts as a pass time. It was practiced by nobility throughout the Middle East, medieval Europe and the Mongolian Empire. More recently it has experienced a resurgence as a hobby for laypeople. Falcons are prized falconry birds because of their collected disposition and trainability.

Falcon has a shrill, blaring shriek that travels for miles. His war cry carry on and on for what seems like way too long. The characteristic helmet shaped coloring on falcon’s head is reminiscent of a gladiator’s cap. Falcon is one of a few types of raptors that has a characteristic “tominal tooth” on his beak that is a specially evolved notch. This notch aids in a swift severing of prey spinal cords.

Peregrine Falcon Symbolism

Falcon spiritual meaning calls you to the wars you wage within yourself. Are you spending too much time at war with yourself in your thoughts? Do you talk too much about what makes you mad? We like to say that war happens “out there”, but we have the opportunity everyday in our own thoughts to win the war over darkness and be on the side of the light.

The name peregrine means “wanderer” or “pilgrim”. This falcon is known for its very long migration from northern tundras of Canada all the way to wintering grounds in South America. Found on every continent except Antarctica. The peregrine falcon spirit animal causes us to look at our own wandering spirit.

 

 

 

The great horned owl (Bubo virginianus) is a large owl native to both North and South America. The wingspan of the larger female great horned owl is as much as 5 feet. The presence of this owl is often made apparent by her characteristic hooting that sounds like the phrase Who’s awake? Me too! Despite her excellent camouflage, the great horned owl is often spotted flying at dusk heading out to hunt for the evening.

Horns and Connection with the Heavens

The great horned owl doesn’t have actual horns, but instead has a tuft of feathers on each side of the top of her head that look like horns. Horns have long been associated with the ability to connect with the heavens and access psychic abilities. In this owl’s case the horns are symbolic rather than literal, made of fluff rather than bone.

Great horned owl symbolism is about trusting that you are connected to Source even if you don’t have physical proof. With great horned owl spirit animal, don’t expect to see material world results to your wishes and prayers. The communications, the answers to your prayers, will come as a feeling or a knowing, much in the same way that wind rustles through the “horn” feathers of the owl.

Connection to the spirit realms will feel like a whisper rather than a bolt of lightening. Luckily, great horned owl symbolism also encompasses the talent of all owls for acute hearing. You will find the remarkable ability to hear the faintest whisper of inspiration. The feathers of a great horned owl carry the power of the ability to connect to the quietude of the Divine. In the silence, you will find the support and solace you seek.

Like all owls, the great horned owl makes almost no sound when flying. This is due to special soft barbs on the edges of her flight feathers that gently push through the air. Hawks and falcons have stiff, sharp edges on their feathers that slice through the air and make much noise. Owls are designed for silence. Great horned owl meaning is about both moving with stealth and hearing what others cannot.

What Big Eyes You Have

The eyes of the great horned owl are nearly as large as ours but she is less than 2 feet tall. Her eyes, when compared to her head and body size, rank among the largest eyes of all terrestrial vertebrates.

These large eyes take in additional light, allowing the great horned owl to see well in near darkness. It then follows that great horned owl symbolism is not only about seeing in the dark, but having your eyes open wide. Great horned owl hunts at night and sleeps during the day, showing a talent for seeing into and being active in the unconscious. Great horned owl meaning lends enormous support for seeing into the shadow of our own unconscious and finding the fears and secret desires that motivate us. If you are trying to clear those skeletons out of your closet, now is a fitting time to do so.

 

Early Starter

Great horned owl meaning is about getting an early start. The great horned owl is the earliest of nesters in North America, laying eggs from November through March depending on the climate. Obviously, she lays eggs later in the season in colder climates such as the Rocky Mountains. This gives the great horned owl a serious advantage over competitors. She is able to hunt and raise chicks when predation pressure by other hunters is low. Her chicks are also well grown by the time migratory predators, such as hawks and eagles return on their migrations from wintering grounds.

To get such an early start, the great horned owl does not leave her home. She lives with her single mate in the same territory year round. It is significant that great horned owls are most active in the winter. We typically think of the winter, and nighttime, as the times for rest and retreat.

Great horned owl medicine brings a time of contradictions. You may be active when others are quiet, and resting when the world is active. This may result in an increased dream activity or a change in your natural rhythms. Rather than be alarmed, go with the flow. The wisdom and schedule of great horned owl will help you get ahead of the game.

Ferocity of the Warrior

The male great horned owl fiercely protects his territory not only from others of his kind, but from other raptors of his size or larger. With as much as 300 psi (pounds per square inch) crushing power in his talons, his grip equals that of the much larger golden eagle. (For reference, golden eagles are three or more times the size of great horned owls.) It takes 29 lbs of force to open the talons of a great horned owl compared to a mere 6.6 lbs. for the barn owl.

Throughout the range of the great horned owl, over 500 different species of prey have been identified. The diversity of prey speaks to the ferocity of the great horned owl symbolism. She can take down prey that weigh more than she does and she easily takes down and eats most other species of hawks and owls.

Her main competition is with that of her daytime counterpart, the red-tailed hawk. These two species rarely nest close to each other because great horned owls may quickly devour the chicks in a red-tailed hawk nest. The red-tailed hawk and great horned owl inhabit the same ecological niche, eating the same prey. The great horned owl does not build her own nest. She instead takes those of other birds, including red-tailed hawks.

The way that red-tailed hawks and great horned owls are able to overlap in territory is that one rules the day and the other the night. Fierce fights still may break out between the two when they happen to cross each other’s paths.

Wise Action

The strength and courage of the great horned owl relates directly to the warrior archetype and the gift of wise action. The warrior archetype is not only known for ferocity, but loyalty. Great horned owl symbolism relates to fiercely defending what you believe in as well as staying strictly loyal to where you are most at home. You’ll be able to avoid conflicts by avoiding the busyness of the tribe and retreating into the quiet and less active areas of your life.

Do not fear the medicine of great horned owl, she will not lead you into mindlessly injuring others. Instead, she will teach you about the wise use of warrior power and the amazing gifts of strength and courage. When you turn these gifts to focus on facing your own fears, you’ll reap the most reward.