Casting Circles with Sigils of Fire and Air “I dance, casting circles unseen, tracing secret signs upon Her skin. With cries as sharp as hunger, I rise above the clamor of mortal din. Soaring, each heartbeat keeping time upon the Winds… I cry your name! Following my ruddy trail will reveal the big picture, and set your heart aflame. Visions, Messages, Spirit Dreams upon my back. Catalyst, I kindle creative fires. Urging you with relentless patience, Hunt your Divine Purpose which cannot evade your clutch although it leaves no track. Fly! Trust yourself Body and Soul to the Winds of Fate. Sharpen your eye, then like lightning, strike! Ignore the taunts of the Tricksters, remembering always… For all our many differences, how much Creator made us alike.” “We Sioux spend a lot of time thinking about everyday things which in our minds are mixed up with the spiritual. We see in the world around us many symbols that teach us the meaning of life. We have a saying that the white man sees so little, he must see with only one eye. We see a lot that you no longer notice. You could notice if you wanted to, but you are usually too busy. We Indians live in a world of symbols and images where the spiritual and commonplace are one…We try to understand them not with the head but with the heart” John Fire Lame Deer “The earth is common ground and we are all overlords, whether we hold title or not; gradually the idea is taking form that the land must be held in safekeeping, that one generation is to some extent responsible to the next, and that it is contrary to the public good to allow an individual, merely because of his whims or ambitions, to destroy almost beyond repair any part of the soil, or water, or even the view.” E. B. White One Man’s Meat 1950 “Those things that nature denied to human sight, she revealed to the eyes of the soul.” Ovid Raptors are birds of prey that are separated into three diurnal categories: Buteos, Accipiters, and Falcons. Buteos have broad wings with deeply slit wing tips, and short rounded tails. They are noted for their high soaring flight, and are found nearly worldwide in open and forested areas. These hawks tend to have stout short legs and short toes. Red Tailed Hawks are the most common of Buteos. Other examples would be Red Shouldered Hawks, Ferruginous Hawks, and Swainson’s Hawk. Accipiters are forest dwelling hawks with rounded wings and longer tails that tailor their flight to their environment, making the quick turns and increased maneuverability needed for their survival a reality. Accipiters are bird eaters and often catch their meals in mid-air. Sharp-shinned Hawks, and the nearly identical Cooper’s Hawks, are the most common example of this category. Falcons are noted for their powerful wing beats and high-speed dives. Their long pointed wings and long tails allow them to execute amazing tuck and dive maneuvers. American Kestrels are one of the most common Falcons, but the most well known is the Peregrine Falcon. Other raptors include Eagles, Buzzards, Vultures, Secretary Birds, Ospreys, Owls, and Harriers. They will be discussed in their own due time. This poem was inspired by Hawks in general and specifically the Red Tailed Hawk so common to my area. In Native American traditions the Red Tailed Hawks, like other raptors, are closely connected to Creator. Several of the Native Nations referred to this hawk as the Red Eagle. They bear divine messages, and visions. They encourage us to pay attention to the subtle signs we are being sent and may be missing as we are all too easily caught up in day to day living. The opening quote by John Fire Lame Deer perfectly echoes this Red Tail sentiment. When I catch sight of the Red Tail, without fail my heart pauses and then jumps at its great beauty. I’ve watched them tracing circles and symbols with their shadows across the Earth’s skin, and when their shadow falls on me… I wonder what what unseen messages they have left written upon me? If a hawk suddenly appears in my day, I am immediately put on alert and begin paying particular attention to my surroundings. The ever vigilant Red Tail, so sensitive to pollution and poisoning, also speaks to us about Guardianship and Conservation. It is important for those called by Red Tail to protect the Earth. Such people are acutely aware of our interconnectedness with all things, and the desire to protect our mother Earth, to promote awareness of these issues is as sharp, strong and fierce within us as the grip of a red tailed hawk! It is important to us to work towards making the world a better place on whatever level we can, local or global. We encourage others to recycle, to conserve, to walk gently upon this Earth, and treat All Our Relations with respect. Balanced Red Tail people seek always to live in harmony with the World. Perhaps more than any other messages, Red Tail speaks of spiritual awakenings, and finding our higher purpose. His ruddy tail reminds us of Kundalini, the yogic life force that lies coiled at the base of the spine until we awaken it, and it uncoils up our spines to the head, triggering enlightenment. Also known as Serpent energy, I find this connection between hawk and serpent interesting as Snake would be a balancing energy for Hawk, and this particular relationship emphasizes the interconnection so important to Red Tail people. Red Tail Hawk combines the elements of Air and Fire, thought and creation. Ra and Horus were both depicted as hawk or falcon-headed. These were powerful deities of the Sun and Sky, greatly esteemed in Ancient Egypt. The symbols Eye of Horus and Eye of Ra endure as potent symbols of protection, natural harmony, power and leadership. A popular story of Horus tells how he grows to manhood to avenge the death of his father Osiris by battling his cruel uncle Set. He is said to continue battling Set each day to ensure the safety of the world. Harmakhet, a variation of Horus, was the god of the dawn, keeper of secret wisdom. It is thought by some that the Great Sphinx is a depiction of Harmakhet. In other renderings, Horus is represented by a winged sun or as a lion with the head of a hawk. The Hawk’s association with the power and creativity of the sun, secrets, wisdom, leadership, latent powers, dominion over the sky, temperance, protection, illumination, justice and truth goes back a long way! How does this Teacher appear in your life? Potential Balancing Energies: Crow/Raven , Rabbit, Squirrels and chipmunks Cricket/Grasshopper, Snake , Mouse/Rat , Owl , Eagle and other Raptors, Birds like Heron , Swan , Sparrow , Chickadee , American Robin , or Blue Jay, Frog/toad , Wolf / Coyote /Fox / Dog , Cat, Worm, Beetle, Insects like Dragonfly or Fly , Fish , Butterfly /Caterpillar Trees like pine , cottonwood , apple , willow, oak , mt ash/rowan , almond, cherry, sequoia, Plants like sunflower , roses , dandelion, asclepias , or angelica, Stones like Fire Opal or Pyrite Associated with: Ra, Horus, Isis, Osiris, Harmakhet, Frigga, Cerridwen, Circe, Apollo, Bran the Blessed, and King Arthur Key Concepts: Awakening, Awareness, Truth, Temperance, Communication especially with the Spirit world, Messages/Omens/Signs, Natural Magic, Natural Law, Higher Purpose, Solar energy, Gaurdianship/Conservation, Interconnectedness/Connection with Creator and All Our Relations, Intuition, Visioning, Channeling, Latent Power, Creation/Creativity
Posted on: Sat, 12 Jul 2014 08:05:19 +0000
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