Turkey, The Peace Eagle / Legends of Old Dog-Chief

"Every morning when I open my eyes, I tell myself that it is special.
Every day, every minute, every breath truly is...a gift from Creator"

Turkey, The Peace Eagle

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An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown

Our "Elders", tell us the Legend of the Turkey is not one we need to explain the Great Mystery and how it functions. So came the Story of the Peace Eagle (Turkey) to the Eastern People.

In the First World we were pure Intelligence and therefore experienced full consciousness. We were not lost in form and matter. We could integrate and disconnect as we willed it so. We were of pure energy and light. We were of all colors. We broke this direct connection when we moved in greed. We took what was not given and felt separation. The greed destroyed our balance and harmony. We turned from honor and trust worthiness. We tried to hide and moved deeper into form and matter, hoping to not be discovered. We lost knowledge of who and what we were and turned further from our Source.

In the Second World we began the wheel of return. We became more and more of the state of impermanence.

So things became very in-balanced. Humans became fearful and unsure. We lost understanding of the Creators Patterns and fell into suffering and the illusion of separation became larger than our faith and we drifted in an ocean of tears and painful remorse for our act of greed and for breaking the trust of Creator.

As each World ends and we renew our great wheel of life we begin the journey of return to full consciousness and direct interaction with the Creator. Always the Creator extended love and guidance. Offering us always the path of harmony and truth.

We must choose the journey we will take and keep the faith. There were the Real People who remained strong and pure. They keep showing us the path of Return and healing us. Always our cry for help was heard and the Wisdom Keepers come to show us the Way. Many creations of the Creator has tried to help us over and over. Humans kept betraying his Relations and would allow greed to overcome his heart and mind.

In each World, more and more of our relations turn from us and will no longer trust us as mankind. Our very existence has been placed in jeopardy. And many times the Creator has taken us back to the beginning again, to try and show us our Path of Return.

The Storytellers were the historians of the Real People. And in the story we were given the lessons and messages we need to understand what we have lost.

So in the days past when our People were overcome with plight and hunger it was the duty of the Chiefs to hunt and provide for the people. The Chief was sad because his people had nothing to eat and were very hungry. He could not hunt the Bear anymore because the Bear said, "If you eat me", I will give you diseases of the heart, for you have become a heartless people."

The Deer said, "If you eat of me", you will get rheumatism and your joints and bones will stiffen and swell with fire because you have lost beauty and grace. You have become embittered and crude. You abuse and rape even your children, destroying their innocence. The Rabbit said, "If you eat me", you will have weaknesses of the mind and become forgetful. You will feel chilled and then the fires of your Spirit will burn you with fever. You will suffer duality and fear of everything.

The Squirrel said, If you eat of me, I will give you vertigo, and all you eat will burn your insides. Your stomach will bleed. The great Animals all cursed humans with illness. Humans no longer held a place of Honor in the Circle of Life. They were not honored in the hunt and he forgot the way of appreciation. Life was filled with pain for Humans.

In these days, the "Chief" was leader of the People because they trusted him and knew he protected his people. He was the "Father" of the "Nation" or "Tribe of People". He ate only after his People were all fed. He slept under warm blankets only if everyone was covered and warm. The People called upon him for a great council. They turned to the "Chief" and ask, "When will the animals come back, when will you hunt again, we are starving and growing weaker. Many are dying and are no more. We must have food soon or we shall all perish." Many shouted to him to call war upon other nations of people who they thought had more than them.

The "Chief" was a man of great faith. he was trusted and always honored all his relations. He was brave and had great courage, "Chiefs" from many Nations knew of his valor. He loved his people and gave his life for them. He saw all his children thin and gray. He heard the babies and old people crying and his heart hurt. He had tried to help the People understand how things would need to change, he saw their greed and self destruction. He did all he knew to lead them towards honorable living again. His example was not enough. And some even hated him for it, and said he was a weak man to be so righteous.

So the "Chief" prepared him self to hunt. He Prayed and did the Ceremonies of the Ancients ways to honor all life. He remembered the wisdom of his Grandfathers and Elders. He walked through the forest for 28 days, fasting, to find a solution to feed his people. He said, "Creator", what can I do? We are a wicked people. We have forgotten to give appreciation and offering before the hunt, and taking only what we need. We have wasted and killed without honoring our faith. Now none come to us in our hunts, they curse us when we eat to survive. It is true we have taken even when we had more than we needed, and let food sit and rot. We have begun to war with each other for possession of things and taking a person's freedom away. For all this and more I come to you seeking atonement. My People are hungry, our children are starving. I offer myself in complete giveaway to Creator so my people can be fed. He prayed long and hard. He chanted all his holy words. I ask to have a relation that my people will feel safe to eat, and that will not give them diseases. The Standing People (Trees), knew him well and told him the "Real People" must learn respect. The Plant People in the forest had remained the only friend of humans. They said to him, "Put your heart to the Mother of all form here, (Earth). She has love unending and she heals all form and matter that is of her. Humans has forgotten how to call upon her. The "Chief" lay upon the "Earth Mother" and spoke to her of respect, and promised he would always live by the rule and measure of respect if she would help him and his People. He cried and his tears fell upon her soil. She felt his truth and goodness. The Earth Mother extended herself again to her Children. "Earth Mother", said to the "Chief", You must live by this law you have made "Respect". Appreciate everything in your life, that my body brings to your day. All has purpose. There is only The One That Is All Things. Do not waver from your word. Hold your word as valuable as your next breath.

"Creator" looked upon this and saw this "Chief". Love was again being shown for the gift of life and the Good Earth. He lifted the Chief into the "Dream Time Lodge", so he could be with the "Chieftains" of "The Elder Fires".

The "Chief" was given a vision of a "Turkey", it was the color of the "Earth", and the "Chief" knew this was good. He thought the people will know this is a gift from the "Creator" and is safe to eat. The feathers were also shiny and was like a star filled midnight sky, the "Chief" thought and the lights of the "Sky Nations" are there as well. He watched as the "Peace Eagle", (Turkey) walked about. He walks as a noble one of great dignity. He will help the people find dignity again. The wise "Chief" was humbled by how this creation was. Then he saw the beautiful fan as the "Turkey" spread its tail feathers, and the "Chief" said, this is good, the people will recognize the sacred ceremonial fan and know it will give us back our strength and make us strong again. Then the "Turkey" spread its wing feathers toward the ground and began to dance. The People will return to the ancient ceremonies of harmony and flow with the great cycles of "Sky" and "Earth".

The "Chief" thought, how will we know it is okay to eat him? We cannot kill the sacred messengers for food. And this is a sacred one. It must speak to my people to let them know it has come as give away, to be eaten.

At that moment, the "Turkey" looked at him and spoke, "Chief", I have been given for only one purpose, to feed you. Your prayers have been pure and your deeds of valor are many. My body will give humans more energy for his muscles than any other, it will carry no curse. My feathers will dance with you and you "Chief", will wear my feathers as your cape, to remind all of the unending love, that surrounds all creation. In my feathered cape you will walk proud and free. My bones will give you tools to provide all other needs you have. At my breast over my heart will be a bone that will remind you how "Creator" fulfilled your wishes. Keep this bone as my example to you humans and spirit are bonded in Life. Make the part of me that touches the sacred ground of the Earth Mother your offering to the Fire, so I may return as often as you need me. Keep this agreement with "Creator", and you will not hunger again. I have a message. . . the message is Love and Trust, it says The One That Is In All Things calls to The people to return to honor and harmony. To live in Peace and create beauty where ever you are. Live in Respect and all shall flourish, we are one.

The "Chief" said, "Sacred Bird", my people will not understand all this. they will be afraid to eat so "Sacred a Being". We have suffered many generations now and trust is not the way we live anymore. They will need to hear you tell them, and if you speak such wisdom they will even be less certain they should hunt and feast upon your body. They have become superstitious in their beliefs and practices now. They no longer remember where they come from or who they are. The "Sacred Bird" said, I will do what must be done, let us return to your people they are growing weaker and soon will perish if we do not go now.

The "Chief" made cornmeal offering of appreciation for this vision and gift. As he started back to camp to tell the people about the "Turkey", it began eating his cornmeal offering. he made a trail of cornmeal which the "Turkey" ate and followed him back to his people, arriving very fat, having eaten so much cornmeal.

The "Chief" came to the "Clan Mother" and said, "Creator" has sent us this "Sacred Bird" for food. The "Clan Mother" watched how noble and dignified the "Turkey" walked. Holding his head with a manner of courage and strength. She said, "We can no longer trust the words of the "Chiefs" and "Warriors". Times before they said it was okay to eat from the hunt and we have diseases of the heart and mind, and aching bones. How can we eat such a fine bird? Birds are, "Creators" messengers.

The Chief explained his vision and that he gave appreciation and made a cornmeal offering. And then what he thought was a vision became real and the "Turkey" started to eat the cornmeal. At this point, the "Turkey" came closer showing no fear, as all the other animals would, and run from humans. This one walked among them knowing no fear. "Clan Mother" saw it was the color of the Earth and felt her woman spirit stir inside her being. The "Turkey" spread its tail and she saw it was in the shape of a ceremonial fan. Then he spread his wing feathers down and danced. "Clan Mother" said, how can we eat of this, it dances and is a "Sacred Messenger".

The "Turkey" walked into the middle of the circle of people who had gathered to see this "Sacred Bird" and looked at the "Chief" and said, gobble me up. The "Chief" jumped up, and stood back in shock. What is it you say to me? The "Turkey" walked closer to him and said again, "gobble me up." The "Chief" looked at his people and knew they all had heard the "Sacred Bird" speak. Now the people would believe and eat of it.

So they prepared as they had been given instructions to do. The "Turkey" said, you will rub my body before you eat it with spices and herbs. The garlic, to surrender to the Holy of all Holies. Cinnamon to open it to the powers of procreation. Nutmeg for the "Creators" spirit of the Evergreens and knowledge of eternal life. Honey to maintain gentle nature and serenity. Peanut oil to enhance assimilation and reconstruction of wholeness and vitality. this was placed upon his body after all his feathers were plucked carefully, so as not to break or damage a single one. A great fire was made for roasting the "Turkey". They put ground corn and a few whole kernels inside. They turned it over and over cooking it evenly. The "Clan Mother" was glad to see how the People were laughing and happy as they prepared for the feast. Her "Woman Spirit" felt the union with "Earth Mother" again and she felt the first tears of joy come.

Soon the Turkey was ready to eat and it was very big. The "Clan Mother" carved the turkey from the bone carefully as to not break any. She found the "Wish Bone" and it was as the "Sacred Bird" had said. She fed all the families. Our "Chief" does not eat unless everyone else has been fed. The "Clan Mother" came to the "Chief" and said, "Chief", my arms are tired from carving so much "Turkey" and feeding all the People. Will you help me carry this "Turkey"? And the "Chief" helped bring the abundance of "Turkey" to the people.

The "Clan Mother" said, "Chief", it is time to feed yourself and your family. When the "Chief" saw all the meat that was left, he was surprised and asked, has everyone been fed? "Clan Mother" replied, Yes "Chief". Everyone has had two servings.

"Clan Mother" went to the fire and she too was surprised to see the "Turkey" had totally replenished itself. The "Chief" was fed "Turkey", and all his family ate heartily. As they ate all felt humble for all that was being given and felt their minds, bodies and spirits healing and becoming whole again.

The "Turkey" replenished itself again and again. The People ate of this "Turkey" all year long, always with appreciation. they used every part of the turkey, recognizing its complete give away. Everyone was gifted with a turkey feather.

After all went well for a full change of seasons, one morning as "Clan Mother" went to the fire to prepare the food, she saw two eggs. She knew these were the seeds of the "Sacred Bird" and that it was pleased with the "Peoples" offering and trusted them again. She kept the eggs warm and cared for them as a Mother would any child. She sang love songs and sang stories to the eggs as they incubated. She knew if it was to reproduce, it would need to have "Woman Spirit" of the "Great Bird". She made offerings to the "Earth Mother" for this. And each day sang her woman's way chants. The first egg opened and it was the Hen. She reminded them of the subtle beauty of woman. The females do not need to decorate themselves extravagantly, because they already have inner wisdom and beauty. The second egg opened and it was the male, and with beautiful feathers so man would remember his role and do as he was to be in the Earth. Today the "Turkey Cape" is worn by the most noble, courageous and generous of men.

The people ate in abundance from then on. They always remembered to give appreciation every day and were always blessed abundantly. Abundance comes when we show appreciation and Thanksgiving. The celebration and feast is the time of friendship and appreciation. Friendship is when we know we are all inner connected, and reflective of each other. The time of Friendship and Thanksgiving is every day.

The "Woodland Peoples" said let us have a seasonal celebration when we seek one we do not know well or is new to our lands and bring them to our feast of Friendship and make them welcome. This is the "Feast of Friendship". Today it is called Thanksgiving. For The Real People, it is celebrated at the Full Moon of November. The white meat of the "Turkey" has the highest protein of all meats. The dark meat has fats needed to assist the body to generate heat. The "Real People" will not eat from the knee down of the Turkey for that is the part that moves in the auric field of the planet herself and belongs to the Mother. The feet and lower leg is given to the Fire. The Wish Bone is saved intact and strung as ornaments. The Turkey is Sacred to the Eastern Woodlands People. Its Feathers are used in all Sacred Ceremonies. It is a messenger of Innocence, Compassion, Abundance, Trust, Dignity, Peace and Eternal Love. It calls all Mankind to practice Respect. This is how it was told to us by our Elders as children at Thanksgiving.

Legends of Old Dog-Chief

A Blackfoot Legend

Once there was a very nice girl the daughter of a head man, and many young men sought her for a wife. One of the men in the camp owned a very large dog. It was a brindle. One time this girl borrowed this dog, hitched him to a travois, and went out for wood.

After this she borrowed him many times, and he became used to her. Whenever he came about she always fed him and petted him, and whenever she went for water he went with her.

One day as the girl was going along she said aloud, "I wish you were a young man, then I would marry you." Now the dog heard and understood. That night he turned himself into a man and went to the lodge where the girl was sleeping. She awoke and found some one kissing her. She put out her hand, felt the man, and noted that his hair was fine and that he had finely shaped limbs. When he went away she wondered who it could be.

She never had anything to do with other men. She had two brothers, and for that reason she did not wish to say anything about it. She thought the person might have been one of her suitors. So she thought to herself, "If he comes, next time I will mark him." So that evening she took some white earth, mixed it with water in a cup, and stirred it with a stick-weed. That night the strange visitor came again, and, as he caressed the girl, she rubbed some of the white earth on his hair, on his robe, and on his back.

Now the next day there was a dance in the camp, and while it was going on, the girl went out and looked around. Though she could see every man in the camp, none of them wore the marks of her paint. Now she wondered who he could be.

As she turned away, she saw a dog in the distance. It was her travels dog, and as he came up she saw stripes of white paint on him, just as she had marked her strange visitor. Now she thought to herself, "It can't be the dog; but surely that is the paint. Now to-night he will come again, and I will try it once more." That night the man came again. This time she took his middle finger, and, putting it into her mouth, bit it very hard so as to cut it through with her teeth. Now she was the daughter of the chief of the tribe. The next day there was to be a dance, and she requested her father to order the young men to dance holding up their hands. Her father did this, and as they danced she looked closely at all their hands, but saw
no bruises on them.

As she looked away, she saw the travois dog again. As he came up, she noticed that he was lame, and when she examined his foot, she found that one of his toes was nearly cut in two. Then she went to the man and asked him for the loan of the dog to go for water. She put him to the travois and went. When out of sight of the camp, she took the dog into the brush, turned to him and said, "Here, it is you that visits me at night."

The paint was on him yet, and he was very lame.

Then the dog became a man, took off the travois and stood up. He was a fine young man. He said to the girl, "Well, it was your fault, you wished it."

Then the dog-man took her into the brush. The girl said, "Let us go far away from the camp. This is a disgrace to me." "Well,"' said the man, "I will be a dog again, and you may drive me home with the water; but to-night, when all the people are asleep, we will leave the camp and no one will ever know about this." So they took the water home, and the girl got all her things together, some food and some moccasins. When it was dark, she told her mother that she was going out for a while. When she was out of sight, the dog-man appeared and they went away together. The next morning the chief called out about the camp, asking if any one had seen the girl. Then the man who owned the dog called out about the camp, saying, "My large travois dog has gone. Has any one seen him?"

The dog-man and the girl went far off. They were gone four years. They had two children, a boy and a baby-girl. The children were real people, for the dog-man was now a person.

They all returned to the camp of the girl's people, and the dog-man called at the lodge of his former owner. When he came to the door he said, "Can I stay here a while?" "Yes," said the owner. The dog-man had ten dogs with him.

One day the man said to him. "To what tribe do you belong ?" "Well," said he, " I belong to a tribe living far away."

"Then how is it," said the man, "that you speak our language?" The dog-man replied, "Because our people speak the same language as you."

Now the dog-man always wore his moccasins, and whenever he had occasion to change them, he went outside, where no one could see him. About this the people became suspicious. Whenever his wife would cook a meal, he would say that he would eat outside; and some of the people who watched him saw that he ate his meat raw.

So one day his former owner said to his wife, "I believe he is not a person. Sup- pose we look at him when he has his moccasins off." So one time, when the dog-man was asleep, they saw his foot sticking out of the bed. He had feet like a dog.

During this time the parents of the girl began to see a resemblance in the wife of the dog-man to their lost daughter. They began to have suspicions also.

Now the dog-man thought to himself, "I guess they know all about it." So one day he said to his former owner, "Do you know that I am a dog?" "Yes," said the man. "Well," said the dog- man, " I am your old brindle."

Now the girl went over to her parents and told them the story. She explained everything as it had happened. Now, when the news was spread in the camp, all the men stood around and began to make remarks.

They said, " Now, you see all the fine young men refused her: so she married a dog." The dog-man was very angry because of this abuse, so he requested his wife's people and the people of his former owner to move camp that night. So they moved. When they had camped again, not far away, the dog-man began to call out like a dog, and all the dogs in the camps joined him at once.

Now the people were all afoot because they had no travois dogs. So they held a council, and sent four men over to the dog-man's camp to get the dogs back; but when they came there the dog-man barked, and all the dogs jumped upon the four men and killed them. Then the people begged of him to give. up the dogs. At last he consented. So they got their dogs back.

Now this dog-man had a dog-skin for a medicine, which he gave to his wife's brother. This man called in a number of young men, and organized a society. This society was called "The Dogs." After a time the son of the dog-man became a chief, and, like his father's ancestors, he was a great runner. He led the buffalo over the drive, and pursued enemies in battle. His sister became a good woman, a great worker, economical, etc. These children were real persons. There were no traces of dog in them.

Anthropological Papers American Museum of Natural History, Vol. II, 1908. From Blue Panther Keeper of Stories.

Ravens exhibit complex intelligence behaviors similar to humans

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Human behaviors of pointing and holding up objects in order to attract the attention of another has until recently only been observed in our closest relatives - the great apes. And even then observations of comparable gestures have been fairly rare, seen mostly among chimpanzees. But it was recently discovered that in the animal world, humans and apes (primates) do not share this trait of intelligence alone.

Scientists have long believed that such gestures are based on complex intelligence abilities and represent the starting point for the use of symbols and therefore also human language. These gestures are thus milestones in the development of human speech. Children at the age of nine to twelve months use these gestures before they actually say their first spoken words.

For the last 2 years, two researchers from Austria, Simone Pika and Thomas Bugnyar, have been doing research with individually marked members of a wild raven community. Ravens are songbirds that are members of the corvid family along with crows and magpies. Ravens surpass most other avian species in terms of intelligence and they tend to score on various intelligence tests similarly high as those of the great apes.

Ravens can be characterized by complex intra-pair communication and are involved in relatively long term bonding periods. They tend to develop a high degree of cooperation between partners. What the researchers found was that the ravens used their beaks similar to how humans use their hands to show and offer objects like moss, stones and twigs to their mates. These gestures were almost always aimed at partners of the opposite sex and resulted in the frequent orientation of the recipients to the object that their mates had signaled to. The ravens often interacted with each other by example billing or joint manipulation of the desired object.

The lesson learned here is that when it comes to the mystery of the origins of human language, they can only be solved by looking at the bigger picture of the world of nature. This means that researchers must begin to also consider the complexity of the communication systems of other animal groups such as the ravens. There is yet much to be learned from our brothers and sisters of the animal world if we are only willing to learn.

If Whales could speak, what would they say to us?

(Excerpt from Philip Hoare's book ~ "Leviathan")

In America, I've watched with delight as humpback whales return on their migration from the Caribbean to Cape Cod. once there, they feed greedily on sand eels using an amazing technique known as 'bubble-netting' - blowing a stream of bubbles as a net around their prey.

One afternoon, our boat was surrounded by 75 whales engaged in this, one of nature's greatest spectacles. I've seen humpbacks breach only feet away, launching their massive bodies into the air like vast angels, with their 15-foot flippers as wings.

I've seen the world's most endangered whale, the North Atlantic right whale - of which fewer than 400 individuals remain - feeding just a few feet off the New England shore. off Kaikoura, New Zealand, I swam with 300 dusky dolphins zooming around me.

And, thanks to the Department of Conservation there, I encountered one of the world's rarest cetaceans, the tiny and adorable Hector's dolphin. For some reason, it is fond of humans singing to it - which led to the silly sight of this puny Englishman floundering in the Pacific while yodelling to a dolphin.

But, most memorably of all, I've swum with the ocean's mightiest predator, the sperm whale - the model for Herman Melville's moby Dick.

For centuries, this species was hunted for the oil in its huge, square head. Known as spermaceti, it burned clear and bright; lighting city streets and houses from London to Paris.

Yet this ancient animal evolved millions of years before man. It can dive for more than a mile and stay below for two hours in search of the giant squid it feeds on. It also has the largest brain of any creature and communicates in a series of morse-code-like clicks.

Some scientists, such as Dr Hal Whitehead, of Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, even believe that sperm whales are so self-aware that they might have begun to evolve a concept of religion.

That may sound absurd, but having dived in the three-mile-deep waters of the Azores with these truly placid, gigantic creatures, I can bear personal testament to their intelligence. Swimming towards a pod of 14 sperm whales, one large female detached itself from the group and swam straight towards me.

I've never been so terrified. I could even feel the click of the whale's sonar as it scanned me, physically reading me. Then it came close enough to touch, and turned its eye to look at me. In that gaze, I saw sentience. And all I could think was of one word: sorry.

Sorry for treating you and your kind with cruelty for man's selfish gain. A soft-hearted notion? I don't think so. Scientists are increasingly sure that cetaceans are highly intelligent animals.

Dolphins can recognize themselves, not only in the mirror but also on televisions pressed against the glass wall of underwater tanks - an ability which places them above the great apes in intelligence.

There is good reason to suppose that their cousins, the great whales, share this intelligence.

We just don't know, because it is so hard to observe these creatures. They live in an environment which is as alien to us as outer space. We have a better idea about the surface of the moon than we do about the deep ocean.

Amazingly, there are species of large whales, known as beaked whales, which have never actually been seen alive - only their skeletons are testimony to their existence.

When I was in New Zealand, Anton van Helden, the curator of marine mammals in the national museum Te Papa, showed me the skull of a spade-toothed beaked whale. It was one of only three known specimens in the world.

No accurate illustrations, let alone photographs, exist of this animal. It has never been seen alive. These are the wonders of the natural world that deserve our protection.

Yet the threats faced by whales and dolphins make them the barometers of our world - and even amid the vast ocean depths in which they live, their habitat is in jeopardy.

Research has shown that sperm whales are being contaminated by chromium, which these deep-breathing whales inhale from chemical plants they pass on their migratory routes.

It is believed the chemical is causing damage to the whales' calves analogous to Down's syndrome. meanwhile, a fragile population of 1,700 sperm whales is faced with the appalling prospect of ingesting crude oil from the leaking well in the Gulf of Mexico.

Worldwide, the noise pollution we create in the oceans from shipping and military sonar is causing serious problems for animals which live by their sense of sound. Global warming and acidifying oceans affect their food resources, forcing them to travel farther and farther in order to feed.

Can we seriously say, as the Japanese, Norwegians and Icelanders do, that these animals are robust enough to be hunted again? They claim we sentimentalize these creatures.

After all, they say, we kill cows and pigs - what's the difference? Well, those are domestic animals. They are also slaughtered humanely. It is impossible to kill a whale humanely on the high seas.

It is also immoral, if you accept that these are sentient creatures - capable of grief, complex social lives and a language of their own. Perhaps, in years to come, we'll even learn how to interpret whale speak.

I'm not sure I want to be around if we do. I don't think I could bear to hear what they have to say.

Elk Medicine: What Elk Can Teach Us?

ELK MEDICINE

Elk can run forever. They have great stamina and are powerful beings with excellent reflexes. Elk are very unpredictable too. They can be friendly one moment and angry the next. The Elk is sensitive to signs of danger and when threatened, may stand and fight to the end or the herd may run in every direction to confuse predators. Elk live in large herds, but a lone elk can often be seen. Elk graze during the day only -- never at night. But if disturbed, such as by humans during hunting season, they will feed only at night. An adult bull elk with antlers is a formidable opponent against any animal, including mountain lion and bear. During the "Rutting Season", adult bulls attack each other with their antlers to determine which among them is fittest to mate. Elk are found in many states (including but not limited to: Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Texas, and Wisconsin) with the largest herds being in the Rocky Mountains, Yellow Stone and Canada.

Elk teaches us how to become more observant of subtle energies.

Elk demand space to roam, but occasionally need time alone. It teaches us to seek sacred space.

Those with Elk medicine are reminded to maintain emotional balance to keep aggressive tendencies in check.

This medicine teaches survival techniques in all types of environments.

Elk people demand respect and have great pride in their professional and private lives and must be continually on guard against becoming to egotistical.

Those who know Elk medicine stand tall with a strong self-image and must seek to be humble.

When Elk appears it often comes with a message to stand strong with pride and to use ones gifts to show others of its power.

Main Attributes:

*Stamina

*Strength

*Freedom

*Agility

SNAKE MEDICINE

There are 2,267 species of snakes living in the world today. Snakes have essentially the same organs as humans, but they do not have eyelids or ears. Usually, females are larger than males and most can travel three to five miles per hour. Some snakes are born fully formed, while others hatch from eggs and snakes in captivity have lived over thirty years. Snakes are fascinating creatures that deserve respect. Throughout history the snake has had many legends associated with it linking them to creation, fertility and transformation.

The snake has many symbolic meanings among various cultures across the world. In the Middle East, snake is seen as Mother Earth and immortality. To Christians, the snake is portrayed as evil, lust and temptation. In Asia, the snake is the life force awakened. To American Indians the snake is a friend who shares its secrets of the water element. Altogether, the tremendous symbolism placed on the snake makes it a powerful and worthy spirit guide.

Snakes regularly sheds its outer skin as it grows and a new layer of skin develops. Crawling out of its skin is an important aspect of snake medicine because it symbolizes ways we must move away from old and useless habits and thought patterns as we grow spiritually. It symbolizes death and rebirth.

A snake does not have ears or eardrums but instead has small bones in its head that conduct low frequency vibrations that travel through the earth. Among all creatures of earth, the snake is best equipped to hear the heart-beat, or magnetic resonance of Mother Earth and is therefore able to continually communicate with and be in perfect harmony or balance with Mother Earth.

As a symbol of renewal and transmutation, land snakes do not require food to generate body heat and they lay motionless and soundless against the earth absorbing the heat of the sun and the earth. To those lives to whom the snake slithers into, be aware of its subtle and silent messages. Before this may be possible, it is necessary to become balanced in your path and ground yourself to Mother Earth and all of its elements.

Just before the snake begins to shed its skin, its eyes turn pale blue or opaque giving it a trance-like appearance as if the snake is looking right through you. Snake spirit guides teach ways to look into the hearts of others and find ways to help them along their spiritual paths.

Big Cats Facts- (Video)

Feline creatures have existed for millions of years based on fossil evidence. While many species no longer exist, today’s big cats include the tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, jaguar, puma and cheetah. The following article is a compilation of facts about these amazing creatures, the big cats.

Big Cats Facts

*The cheetah is the world's fastest land mammal. It can run at speeds of up to 70 miles an hour (113 kilometers an hour).
*An adult lion's roar can be heard up to five miles (eight kilometers) away.
*Long, muscular hind legs enable snow leopards to leap seven times their own body length in a single bound.
*A tiger's stripes are like fingerprints—no two animals have the same pattern.
*The strongest climber among the big cats, a leopard can carry prey twice its weight up a tree.