Eternal spirit in the cycle of life
Infinite potential forged of fire
Keeper of the fire, consumed by flame
Sacred spirit living beyond time
Rising from the ashes reborn and renewed
Transformational magic of healing tears

The Phoenix is an ancient legend and myth that is close to my heart.  The myth and stories of this ancient archetype reach back to 1500 BC and beyond, probably originating in ancient Egypt or in the Middle East.  However, the mythological theme of the Phoenix seems to be universal with similar stories found in ancient Greece and China.  The Hindus, Japanese, Tibetans, and Native Americans have stories with similar connotations as well.

There are many versions of the Phoenix legend that seem to shift and blend depending on the story.  It may have started out as a humble bird that was reborn from a fire.  It may have been an immortal spirit that refreshes itself with fire.  However, all of the stories have similar threads of being reborn from a fire.  The most frequently told version states that the Phoenix is a powerful immortal spirit who, after 500 years of life in its body, builders a nest of aromatic herbs.  It then sets the nest and itself on fire.  The Phoenix then allows itself to be consumed and purified by the fire.  It is only after the fire consumed the old body that the Phoenix can rise from the ashes renewed and vibrant.

In most of these stories, the Phoenix is associated with the sun god.  It is a symbol of illumination, clarity, and rising from the darkness into a new day.  It is a symbol of creating new beginnings or fresh starts.  According to one Persian legend, it is a symbol of universal wisdom and purification.  The magical Phoenix is a symbol of empowerment.

As a spirit animal born of fire, the Phoenix is a keeper of the eternal fire.  It is the magic of rebirth and renewal.  The Phoenix is a spirit of passion, creative fire, and transformation.  This spirit tell us to get up and rise from the ashes to shine brighter and stronger after life knocks us down.

The Phoenix embraces the sacredness of life and the cycles of life.  It danced through the trial of fire to get to the point of renewal.  It is a powerful healer and teacher.  The tears of the Phoenix are said to heal both body and spirit from even the deepest wounds.  It is a reminder that you too are of unlimited potential and that you too can free yourself from your self imposed limitations.

Challenges will come into every life, and mine has had its share.  Every time challenges have come along and knocked me down, I have drawn on the power of the Phoenix to get up and thrive in abundance.  The ability of the Phoenix to rise from the ashes when everything that was is burned away is my reminder to take courage and rebuild even stronger than before.

This an archetype and guide that I work with frequently. This is what it means to me.  The Phoenix is a healer, teacher, and keeper of ancient wisdom.  It is a sacred spirit that represents both the cycles of life and the ability to step out of time and into the infinite.  This is a powerful spirit that has the ability to fly through the "cracks in the universe".  It is a reminder of infinite potential.  Most important, this powerful healer and teacher reminds me of my obligation and responsibility to the greater good of the Earth, society, and my community.

Here are some of the sources for this article
uniguide.com
spiritanimals.com
whatismyspiritanimal.com
tinybuddha.com
Manitu Okahas

While this piece of artwork is not for sale, here is some of my other artwork
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Rippling power of wild freedom
Holding wisdom in sacred balance
Stamina and tenacity in flowing motion
Rider and steed on a spiritual journey

One of the most beautiful and iconic animals in the service of humans is the horse.  It is also one of the earliest animals domesticated by ancient cultures.  While the ancestor of the horse originated in North America and migrated to Eurasia.  It is believed that the first domestication of the horse occurred in Ukraine or in the Steps region.  While there are a number of related species of mammals, the actual ancestor of the modern domestic horse may still exist in the Steps of Eurasia.

According to conventional belief, the horse was reintroduced into the America's by the Spanish conquistadors.  However, according to Native American stories, legends, and petroglyphs of the Southwestern Native Americans, this may not be entirely accurate.  There may have been a handful of wild horses in North America before the Spanish Mustang escaped on the continent.  Or were they captured?  The stories vary.  In any case, the wild horses of North America, and throughout most of the world, are descendant from the local domesticated horses.

This beautiful animal has great symbolic significance in most of the world's cultures, and plays a major role in many of the myths and legends.  Horses are associated with the Celtic deities Epona and Macha, and the Welsh Rhianna.  They are the power of the gladiators and the warrior.  They are a symbol of royalty, wealth, and prestige.  They are the wildness of the Mongolian Steps.

The horse is a symbol of freedom, vitality, and wild instinct.  They symbolize power and royalty.  Horses are beauty in motion.  They represent stamina, tenacity, and courage.  The horse ripples with life force in motion.

The horse is believed to be an animal of spiritual awakening and awareness, bringing a new path forward.  This animal of emotion and instinct can help you tap into your natural gifts and intuition.  They bring change and the courage to change for your own self empowerment.  It is an animal that easily leads you to your freedom and wild spirit.

The horse not only made long journeys across land possible, but they are also seen as a steed of the spiritual journey.  Many people believe that the horse can travel the bridge between worlds.  It is a liaison between the spirit world and the physical world.  And the horse will bring you back safely from your journey.  The horse is the reminder that "No abuse of power will lead to wisdom."  Jamie Sams, Medicine Cards.

Beyond the general meaning of the horse symbol, the color of the horse has symbolic meaning.
BLACK - symbolizes power, magic, mystery, transformation, intuition, and the cycle of life.
GOLDEN - represents solar energy, vitality, creativity, journey, and spiritual manifestation.
GREY - is for integrity and the resolution of challenge.
ROAN - is the horse of hardened beliefs and spiritual blockage.
BROWN - represents abundance and stability.
White - is the master of knowledge, spiritual journey, self mastery, wisdom, and power.

Ancient craft of the Spider's art
Feminine power, magic, and intention
Gather elements Earth, air, water, fire
Rhythm and altered states magical meditation
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Spinning fibers into cordage, yarn, and thread is one of the earliest skills learned by humans in order to create what was needed to survive and thrive.  It is such a critical skill that there is evidence of spun yarn dating back at least 34,000 years.  There is evidence of spinning and fiber processing equipment found in the Caucasus Mountains and other places dating back to Neolithic times.  The drop spindle has been existence for at least 9000 years and probably longer.  In comparison, the oldest spinning wheels were probably developed in ancient India some time around 400 C.E.

The magical art of turning fibers into thread is such a pivotal art that most cultures around the world developed some sort of spinning.  Most of them, sooner or later, developed some sort of spindle.  Most also have myths and legends around the art of spinning involving a mother goddess who taught the art of spinning and weaving.  In Germanic cultures this was Frau Holle.  In Gaelic it was Cailleach.  In ancient Greece it was Athena.  In ancient Egypt they spoke of Tayet.  The Dine' (Navaho) have Grandmother Spider and the Inca have Mama Ugllu.

The magic of the spindle and spinning is found throughout our cultural stories and symbols.  Most of the time, the spindle is associated with the powerful feminine and feminine magic.  Sometimes it is related to the moon and the changes and phases of life.  It is the art of the cycle of life and is one symbol of bringing forth life.  The spindle is the tool worked by the hand with intention.  Spinning is an act that brings together all of the elements into one creative moment.  The fiber is of Earth, The thoughts and skill are of air.  The water is the love, emotion, and heart that goes  into the craft.  The intention is the fire that fuels the spinster.  It all spins together to create beauty and function in the world.

Spinning with a drop spindle is an act of intention and focus that puts the artist into a state of unity with the rhythms of the spindle.  The altered state always puts the magic of the intention, the emotions, and the heart and hand into the yarn or thread and then into the finished cloth or craft.  Spinning is intrinsically an act of magic and power.  It is a spiritual act and process.

Briefly, the spindle itself has several symbolic connotations.  It is a symbol of the goddess and the cycle of life.  It is a symbol of fertility and bringing life into the world.  It is a symbol of feminine power.  It is associated with the flow of time.  To spin a thread is to create abundance and connection.  To spin a yarn is to create stories.  The spindle is the tool of magic and supernatural power.

As a spinner and a weaver, I find spinning to be a meditative process where the rest of the world fades away.  All that is in my world when I am spinning is the spindle, the fiber, my hand, and the heart.  All of my intention and energy flows through my heart and hand.  The spinning process is a dance between the spindle, the fiber, and the hand.  It is a conversational dance.  The conversation starts as my hand and heart hears and feels the stories that are being told by the fiber.  This vibrates in the rhythm of the spindle and the intention of the mind twists into the spirit of the yarn.  Somewhere in the process, the magic happens and flows through the work.  The history of the fiber and my experience comes together in a moment in time to create precious abundance for the future.

The resources used for this article are:
ghorbany.com
hearthandhomewitchery.tumblr.com
woollenwytch.co.uk
Manitu Okahas

Check out my hand spun work here

What do horses sea
Where the shallows be
To find a new perspective
Of balance and equality
We see the role reversal
In a creature that is mystical

Mystical and magical seahorses are found in tropical and temperate shallow coastal waters around the world.  There are close to 50 species of this unusual fish.  Among the smallest of these is the pygmy seahorse at about 1/2 inch tall.  The Australian big bellied seahorse is among the tallest at about 12 inches tall.  They prefer to live in the sea grass beds, coral reefs, and around the mangrove roots where they feed on tiny crustaceans and plankton.  In these waters, they anchor themselves to the available vegetation with their tails.

Possibly the most unusual characteristic of this fish is its method of procreation.  After a pair has mated, the female lays her eggs, up to several hundred, in a pouch on the male.  Once the eggs are placed in this brood pouch, the male fertilizes them and carries the eggs until they hatch.  This gestation time can be anywhere from 14 to 45 days depending on the species.  Once hatched, the young seahorses are released to the sea.

The wide spread but sparsely distribution of seahorses has sparked myths and legends around the world.  In Mexico, they are symbols of money and prosperity.  The Chinese see them as medicine.  According to the Maori and some other Polynesian descendant cultures, seahorses are the guardians between worlds and facilitate the travel between those worlds.  According to the Greeks and Romans, seahorses pulled the chariots of Poseidon and Neptune.  Capricorn may have been inspired by the seahorse.

Symbolically, the seahorse challenges our ideas of strict roles based upon gender or other characteristics of the body.  In most animals on Earth, the female gives birth and cares for the young.  However, as we see with the seahorse, this is not always the case.  As a symbol and a lesson, the seahorse asks us to question our assumptions and find a new perspective of balance and equality.

There are a number of other meanings given to the seahorse.  They are seen as a symbol of strength, perseverance, and power.  Some see them as good luck and the bringer of opportunity and prosperity.  Our ancestors often equated them with ingenuity, creativity, and alchemy.

These creatures of the shallow seas are often seen as holding power in the watery realms.  They hold authority over emotion and intuition.  They are believed to bring the subconscious forward.  The seahorse is a creature of vision, perception, and psychic ability.  Some believe them to be the keeper of Earth's histories and a guide for those lost at sea.

No matter how you perceive the seahorse, this enigmatic creature captures the imagination.  Their charm and grace invite curiosity, creativity, and mysticism.  Exploring with the seahorse might just lead you to the depths of your subconscious.

Some of the sources used for this article are:
mationalgeographic.com
pbs.org
uniguide.com
whatismyspiritanimal.com
​projectseahorse.org

Transformation and transmutation
Primal forces of life and health
Magic of the Staff of Hermes
Aligning self with the source

One of the symbols that is recognized world wide is the caduceus.  This symbol has been adopted and accepted by most people as the symbol of the medical sciences and healing.  One of its first clear uses in this context was in a 16th century materia medica.  The Caduceus is most often depicted as a staff with two serpents entwined around it.  The top of the staff is usually shown with a pair of hawk's wings.  Other versions have a single serpent wrapped around the staff or a "sun" or on the top of the staff.  In my artistic version, I used a pair of stylized dragons to represent learning and wisdom.

While this symbol is most often associated with Hermes and Mercury, it can actually be traced to cultures that predate both the Greeks and the Romans.  At least elements of the symbol can be traced to ancient Lagash, Babylonia, and Mesopotamia.  It  seems to have migrated to Egypt where it was associated with Thoth, then to the Greeks and Romans.  Some schools of thought believe the symbol is a marrying of the cult of the serpent and the cult of the Sun.  The serpent was a symbol of the cycle of life, health, and healing.  The sun was a symbol of enlightenment and learning.

This symbol can actually be broken down into its three symbolic elements in order to get a clearer idea of the scope of the symbol.  The first is the staff representing purpose, integrity, and values.  The second is the serpents representing flexibility, growth, transmutation, and mysticism, The third is the wings representing understanding and wisdom.

When the three elements are combined into one symbol, it evokes the primal and the divine source of life, health, and healing.  This healing is rooted in the alignment withing yourself of the body, mind, emotion, and spirit.  This alignment then extends to the earth and the divine source of life and health.  This alignment was the transformation and the transmutation that the ancients were seeking in this symbol and in themselves.

In its essence, the caduceus captures both the complexity and the simplicity of health, healing, and wisdom.  It captures the apparent complexity of the many moving and changing parts in our lives.  Yet, there is a simplicity of patterns and cycles underlying it all.  It is the strength and simplicity of staying firmly rooted in your purpose, values, and integrity.  It is the alignment of this core with the earth and universal patterns.  The Caduceus speaks of the flexibility to learn, adapt, grow, and change with the many ways that the patterns and cycles can present themselves.  It speaks to our ability to increase in wisdom and understanding of how our health is related to our environment and our experiences in life.  Above all, it represents the balancing of the forces that seem to be opposites so that the rhythms and movements of life can flow with health, healing, and wisdom.

There are a number of ways that this and related symbols resonate through various cultures.  In India, it is a symbol of the four elements.  In yoga, it is the primal forces of life and the balance of the masculine and feminine.  To me, it is the evolution and growth of the sacred spiral and the wisdom of living within that spiral.  All of these speak to healing in some way, and to the connection of body, mind, emotion, and spirit to healing.

Some of the sources I used for this article are
ncbi.nih.gov
innerdialog.org
occult-world.com
yourtango.com

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Gentle Rain Crow, harbinger of hope
Solace and comfort in the cycle of life
Eternal love, connection to the divine
Focus and healing, letting go of strife

When I was young, occasionally during the summer, I would hear a haunting call of a bird that I did not know.  These birds would show up occasionally in the small town where I grew up and would often call as a storm was coming in.  Their soft and mournful coohoo pulled at the strings of my heart and at the edges of my subconscious.  My father called this the call of the Rain Crow.

It was a couple of years before I actually connected the call to the bird.  This bird looks nothing like a crow (at 10, I was looking for a black bird) and is one of a handful of bird species that are known as a rain crow.  The rosy grey-brown back and peachy breast of the Mourning Dove is just as beautiful and haunting as its call to the storm.  These beautiful members of the dove family are a little more common now than they were when I was a child.  They seem to prefer spaces that have been "tamed" by humans.

As a child, I interpreted the name of this bird as "morning dove".  And in reality, the two most common times to see and hear these birds is in the morning or before a storm.  The real names of the bird, Mourning Dove and Rain Crow, give some insight into the symbolism of this bird.

The primary energy and symbolism of the Mourning Dove is of healing after loss and the ability to move forward with your life.  This bird is a symbol of being in harmony with the cycle of life and the solace and comfort that is needed for healing to occur.  They bring hope, renewal, and gentleness to the broken heart when it is needed the most.  They encourage new beginnings with peace and tranquility.

The Mourning Dove brings with it a deep connection to water, the cycle of life, and nature.  This works in the physical realm as a bridge between nature and people in the "tamed" spaces and as a signal that water or rain is near.  Emotionally, these birds connect us to our deepest emotions that we tend to hide from ourselves and others.  They are believed to be a connection to the divine and the Spirit realm.

Like all doves, the Mourning Dove is a bird of peace, love, and connection.  It is a reminder of innocence, devotion, and faith.  The Mourning Dove asks us to let go of anger, conflict, and negativity so that we have hope of a new beginning.  They are a simple bird of joy, contentment, and connection.

In some cultures, the Mourning Dove is a symbol of the spirit realm and is seen as a messenger between humans and spirit or the ancestors.  To some, this is a messenger f the divine and a connection to the Earth's Sacred Feminine.  In most cultures, the Mourning Dove brings wisdom, understanding, and compassion.

Even now, as someone who has been ancient for a long time (in my children's eyes), the Mourning Dove pulls at my heart strings with her bitter sweet song.  Hearing this bird's call or catching sight of her searching for seeds reminds me to slow down and savor life.  I breathe deep and enjoy the simple grace of the interactions of a mated pair.  Life is a ceremony, after all.  Take time to savor those special moments before they are gone.
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Puck, Jester, Pan, Loki
Hermes, Fool, Kitsune, Anansi
Eshu, mime, Krishna, Saci
The Sacred Clown, Heyoka, Coyote

The Sacred Clown is an archetype that is found in virtually every human culture on Earth.  It is even found in some non-human cultures.  This archetype has been embodied by a number of characters and in slightly different ways depending on the culture involved.  The list above is just a few of the names by which the Sacred Clown is known.  It is an archetype that seems to predate civilization and fulfills a critical role in every society.

In general, the Sacred Clown is the contrary trickster who uses humor to take people out of their comfort zone.  The trickster uses the art of satire, entertainment, and foolery to poke at the absurdity of societal norms that become strait jackets.  The clown uses the ridiculous extremes and opposites to mock self-importance and hypocrisy.  He tells the difficult truths by coating them in the sugar of comedy.

In North America, this sacred clown is embodied in the human form as the Lakota Heyka Medicine Man.  This person, or society, was the backwards character of the Northern plains tradition.  He healed through humor, encouraged others to find truth through his opposites, and encouraged the acceptance and tolerance of difference by doing the opposite of accepted norms.  Part of the Heyoka's function was to restore balance and break up calcified beliefs and fear through irreverence, rediculousness, and poking fun.

The Sacred Clown is the crazy wisdom keeper that exposes the truth behind the pompousness.  He balances wisdom and foolishness, and the sacred and the irreverent.  He breaks taboos and societal norms to shatter preconceived notions of what should be.  He encourages flexibility and tolerance and works to reduce fear.  The Sacred Clown asks us to stand on our heads in order to see things differently, so that we can grow as an individual, a community, and a society.

Research sources:
osu.edu
samwoolfe.com
lonerwolf.com

Mother Maple please guide me
To where I need to be
I am uncertain of what to do
Other than to purpose be true

Blue Bird comes to say hello
Sea Gull searching for a way to grow
Squirrel on the pole seem to know
Falcon hunting sees high and low

The knowledge I need is right at hand
The law of the crow rules the land
With the stealth of the weasel clan
The courage of heart leads the hand

When most people think of the spirit guides and symbols, the weasel doesn't usually make it to the top of the list.  When it does, it is usually in a negative light.  However, it is my firm belief that even a challenging symbol and a challenging energy has a positive lesson.  So, let's take a look at the clever little weasel.

There are over 60 members of the weasel family across 8 sub-families.  16 of these species are the Mustalids or weasels.  The weasel family is found throughout most of the Northern Hemisphere, including three species of weasel, mink, ferrets, and fishers and others in the United States.  All of these species are voracious predators, playful, clever, and adaptable.

Weasels are often seen in their negative light.  When someone "weasels out" of something, it is seen as a deceitful and manipulative way of diverting responsibility and consequences to others.  A weasel is often seen as sneaky and underhanded.  Sometimes it is seen as a thief, untruthful, or deceptive.  The Greeks saw the weasel as bad luck.

But is this actually the case?  That is a matter of perspective.  The symbols of nature, earth, and intuition are often given a negative spin by cultures based on colonization.  The weasel is all of these.  The other side of sneaky is stealth.  Was the weasel a thief or taking advantage of opportunity?  The perspective is based on which side of the equation you are on.

Here is the more positive take of this spirit that was used as a spy by both Native Americans and Europeans.  The weasel is the silent, stealthy observer.  It seeks out and exposes deceitful information, actions, and lies.  It will expose the truth that is hidden behind the deceit.  The weasel has a way of "weaseling out" what is beneath the surface and hearing what is not being said.  If you want to discover the strengths and weaknesses of your adversary, send the weasel.

The weasel is a symbol of concentration and focus.  It looks to the future and uses its intuition and power of observation to take advantage of opportunities that present themselves to serve its goals.  It is an earth element, connecting to the mystery and energy of the earth.  It is both the savvy medicine worker and the naughty trickster, seeing and hearing what others miss.

So the next time, instead of cursing the weasel, it might be time to step back and see what this royal pain is trying to tell you.  Who is manipulating?  What are you not seeing or hearing  What instinct  or intuition are you ignoring?  What are you leaving open to manipulation and theft?  The weasel is a reminder to develop your own self-esteem and intuition so that you can trust your own instincts.

Along with my usual sources, I used the following for this article:
native-american-totems.com
native-languages.org
magicallyeccentric.com

Int the South flies the King of Birds
Sky Spirit aiding the cycle of life
Bird of prophet and prophecy
When she flies with the Eagle
Heart and Mind do unite

The condor is a bird of almost mythic proportions.  The species found in South America has a ten foot wing span.  Closely related is the California condor.  These scavengers are of the same family as the vultures found around the world, including the Tibetan condor, the Egyptian condor, and the turkey vulture.  These scavengers help to keep our environment clean, healthy, and vibrant by cleaning up what has died and recycling those resources into new growth and vitality.

While vultures and condors have symbolic and spiritual significance where ever they are found, I am going to focus primarily on the significance of the American condors.  There are a number of species or subspecies of these birds that are found from the mountains of California and into Utah, Arizona, and Mexico.  They are found in Central America and in the Andes of South America.

While most European descendant cultures see these birds in a negative light, the indigenous view is generally much more nuanced if not positive.  In general, they are seen as a symbol of freedom and escaping the bonds of old patterns.  They are a symbol of flying above obstacles and the freedom  of spirit.  The condor is a symbol of the cycle of life.  The Mpache see the condor as the King of Birds, embodying the virtues of wisdom, justice, goodness, and leadership.

The condor is seen as a spiritual messenger from the ancestors, bringing ancient wisdom and knowledge.  It is believed to bring healing to the body and spirit.  It is seen by some as the shaman's aid to vision and prophecy.  The condor speaks of change and the cycles of life.  It invites solitude, awareness, and spiritual understanding.  Some see this bird as a symbol of the sky and creator gods.

Like the Eagle in North America, the condor is the Spirit Animal of the East in the Great Medicine Wheel.  It represents one aspect of illumination and enlightenment.  It is seen as one of the  guides to the golden gate of the East.  Both the Eagle and the Condor have a part in the Q'ero Andean prophecy of the Eagle and the Condor.

The Eagle represents the North, the masculine, and the materialistic intellect.  The Condor represents the South, the feminine, and intuition.  The condor carries the spirit of the divine feminine, ancient forms of wisdom, and the traditions of community.  The condor represents the ability to see the connections and the cycles that flow through all life on Earth.  The Eagle and the Condor seem to be two perspectives of the polarity of divided points of view.

According to the prophecy, "When the Eagle flies with the Condor, an era of harmony and peace will come into being."  There are a number of interpretations and essays on this simple statement.  The resources at the end of this article have more information on this.  For me, this simple statement works on a number of levels.  When the scientific and spiritual unite, we find wisdom and understanding.  When the East and the West unite, we find solutions.  When the North and the South unite, we find that we are not so different after all.  When the masculine and the feminine unite, we create sustainable potential.  When the heart and the mind unite, we accomplish miracles.

I encourage you to find the prophecy and the essays.  

When the Condor flies with the Eagle, I find hope.

Resources used for this article:
whatismyspiritanimal.com
native-languages.org
volenteerlatinamerica.com
symbosity.com
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Flying high all around the world
With the courage of spirit connection
Seeking freedom and independence
Hold hope in honor and truth with devotion

Eagles are found in many parts of the world and have captured the imagination of people where ever they fly.  There are species of these beautiful raptors in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas, and in Australia.  Most Eagles are primarily fishers, but will do some scavenging and hunt other prey.  These high flying birds have incredible eyesight that allows them to both see the broad view from great height and the minute detail of the land below.

Where ever eagles are found, they hold great symbolic significance to the people and cultures where they are.  In general, they represent courage, leadership, and hope.  They are birds of strength, freedom, and independence.  They are symbols of seeing the long view and the ability to soar over obstacles.  Eagles are a reminder to live with truth, honor, and integrity.

It is believed that the Eagle's call brings messages from the divine.  They bring new beginnings, stamina, and the ability to soar without limitations.  It is a reminder to live bravely in truth and honor.  The Eagle may be telling you that you have everything that you need to overcome obstacles.  Most cultures see the Eagle as a good omen and as a message of being on the right path.

According to some Native American teaching, if you have a spiritual connection to the Eagle, you are blessed.  It is a signal to take courage to soar above the mundane and that you are protected.  It is a reminder that you are to live fearlessly in truth and integrity.  You may have unusual intuitive ability or psychic awareness.

​Being gifted with an Eagle feather by the bird or by a person of authority is considered to be a great honor that marks service, bravery, or great accomplishment.  The Eagle feather is considered to be a sacred tool of healing, power, protection, and cleansing.  The feathers are believed to connect the care of the feather to the Eagle and to the spiritual realm.  They are to be worked with in reverence, honor, and service.

Where I am staying right now, near Lake Erie, there are several mating pairs of Bald Eagles.  One of the pairs is nesting at the river near the house.  I regularly see the pair flying over the river.  Their mating flights in winter are a sight to behold, and the eggs seem to be in the nest at the time of this writing.  They should be hatching soon.

The American Bald Eagle starts off as a large brown bird.  At about 2 years old, they start getting white spots and complete the transition to adult plumage at about 5 years old.  Over the past couple of years, I have watched as one of the juvenile eagles started its transition into adulthood.  Its white spots against the background brown were becoming pronounced.  The last time I got a good look at her, I was wading in the river without my phone.  She flew right over my head, twice, at tree top level.  Alas - no phone, no pictures.  I look forward to seeing her again this coming summer.

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