Hello and Happy Monday to All!
I hope you all had as lovely a weekend as I!
I can summarize my weekend in one word!restful.
I had a very busy week meeting deadlines and coaching clients last week.
I also had some great workouts in the gym, which gave me that lovely soreness of accomplishment. I had a great deadlift session and followed it the next day by lung training; as you age past about 45, your ass and abs fall like rain! High-intensity weight lifting is the magic; if you lift, act and live young, the mind informs the body that indeed, it is young.
I didn’t realize how tired I was until I had a moment to stop thinking and doing.
A friend sent me a sticker with a Native American Thunderbird image on it and the instant I looked at it, I had a powerful vision of the Thunderbird Man.
Typically, when I have intense visions like that, it means that I should draw the vision. When I draw, I commonly go into a deep meditative state in which time feels to stand still. In that process, I typically receive major downloads.
I have found my own art process to be very healing and informative. Through my own healing art practice, I’ve learned an immense amount about myself, and how to help others.
Today, I thought I’d share my vision (which is drawn to the best of my ability, but not nearly reflective of the majesty of my vision), and a little about the mythology of the Thunderbird, which is used interchangeably with that of the Eagle in many native traditions. Maybe my experience and art will trigger an opening in your own intuition?
THUNDERBIRD MAN
In Native American oral history (Ref: Wikipedia.com), depending on the people telling the story, the Thunderbird is either a singular entity or a species. In both cases, it is intelligent, powerful, and wrathful. All agree one should go out of one’s way to keep from getting thunderbirds angry.
The singular Thunderbird (as the Nuu-chah-nulth thought of him) was said to reside on the top of a mountain, and was the servant of the Great Spirit. The Thunderbird only flew about to carry messages from one spirit to another.[citation needed] It was also told that the thunderbird controlled rainfall.
The plural thunderbirds (as the Kwakwaka’wakw and Cowichan tribes believed) could shapeshift into human form by tilting back their beaks like a mask, and by removing their feathers as if it were a feather-covered blanket.
There are stories of thunderbirds in human form marrying into human families; some families may trace their lineage to such an event. Families of thunderbirds who kept to themselves but wore human form were said to have lived along the northern tip of Vancouver Island.
The story goes that other tribes soon forgot the nature of one of these thunderbird families, and when one tribe tried to take them as slaves the thunderbirds put on their feather blankets and transformed to take vengeance upon their foolish captors.
The Sioux believed that in “old times” the Thunderbirds destroyed dangerous reptilian monsters called the Unktehila.
The Anishinaabe, who speak Ojibwa, one of the Three Fires Society, have many stories about thunderbirds. During the Sundance ceremony a thunderbird nest is put near the top of the tree of life. The dancers often face the nest while dancing, and their hands and arms reach up towards the nest at times. A thunderbird pipe is used during the ceremony as well, and thunderbird medicine is prepared as well. The area of Thunder Bay, Ontario, is related in some ways to the Anishinaabe stories of thunderbirds.
A famous story of the Thunderbird is “Thunderbird and Whale”. The Thunderbird mythology parallels tales of the Roc from around the Indian Ocean; as the roc, it is generally assumed to be based on real (though mythically exaggerated) species of birds, specifically the Bald Eagle, which is very common on the Northwest Coast.
(Ref: Wikipedia.com; Thunderbird)
In my studies of the Thunderbird mythology of the Native American Indians, I found that it is commonly viewed as or associated with the Eagle, and Eagle qualities. Since these descriptions match the experience given me in my visions and intuitions, I thought I’d share them with you here.
Before reading further though, I’d like to point out that there is great value in simply looking at my image, or any such mythological image to see what specifically rises up in you.
Regardless of what you read (potential programming), what is most important when viewing any such art or mythological image is being present with what emerges in your own consciousness.
I suggest you look at my vision of the Thunderbird (and look at others if you like), and see what unique intuitions, insights and inspirations arise. Write them down and explore how they fit in your life.
I’ve had amazing growth experiences due to the awareness cultivated when interacting with such images and representations. What I’ve personally found very exciting, and encouraging from the perspective of further developing my own intuition is that very frequently, when I write my intuitions down and then research historical records, I find that my intuitions and insights parallel those of historical lore with sometimes shocking accuracy.
I’d love to hear what happens inside you looking at my vision and/or other Thunderbird images you may find in books or on the internet.
Thunderbird – Eagle Correlations
Today, I draw these correlations from an excellent book, Animal Speak – The Spiritual & Magical Powers of Creatures Great & Small by Ted Andrews.
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I recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about the wisdom connection between appearances or experiences with the animal kingdom and your own life.
I’ve used this book and many others like it over the years working to heal myself and others to heal and grow. The parallel of the insights to what was actually occurring in my life or the lives of my clients has been almost scary; such experiences open the door of the conditioned mind, exposing us to worlds of possibility that go beyond our own ego-attraction to concrete knowledge into that of the abstract.
Here are some Thunderbird – Eagle correlations that may serve you at this time in your life; I’ve combined my own interpretations with those of Andrews:
The Thunderbird – Eagle’s correlation with the sun suggests that we are all given an opportunity in life to rediscover our inner-child. There was once a belief that as old age approached, the eagle’s eye would grow dim, and the eagle would then fly so near the sun that it would become scorched. It would then seek out a pure water source and dip itself three times into the clear water and its youth would be destroyed.
This reflects much from a mystical point of view. It hints of resurrection, but it also hits of alchemy. The fire of the sun and the clear water are opposite elements (tai-chi; yin~yang) brought into harmony in a manner that elicits change. It reflects several needs for those with an eagle totem (power animal or source of inspiration):
1. There must be involvement with creativity. Three is the number of new birth and creativity.
2. A willingness to experience extremes in a controlled condition, and thus facilitate the alchemical process within your own life.
NOTE: This is exactly what a right of passage ceremony, a vision quest or a shamanic journey offer. In our own way, we each bring this into our lives; some by way of illness and injury. Some by the use and abuse of recreational and/or medical drugs; modern medical drugs have their origin in Aboriginal healing methods.
Drug companies still send investigators into the jungle to capture the secrets of shaman and medicine men to this day.
What do they do with the shamanic wisdom? They use it to formulate drugs, patent them, and sell their inferior products to you! That said, think of how many have negative views of natural approaches and/or the use of medicine men, shaman, and even natural approaches today!
If fear has a brother, it is ignorance!
3. A willingness to use your own passions to purify (flying into the sun) and to use your abilities even if it means being scorched a little.
4. A willingness to seek out the true emotional aspects of oneself and immerse yourself within them, and by doing so, rediscover the lost child and awaken a higher sense of purity, passion, creativity, healing and spirituality.
Numbers associated with the Thunderbird – Eagle:
1: THE TREE OF LIFE: There is only one tree of life. It represents THE CREATION, which is existence itself. Existence can only be known and experienced in time. The Thunderbird makes its nest at the top of the Tree of Life. The crown above my Thunderbird’s head represents the Super conscious Mind, All Knowing.
2: Fire (yang-light-mind) and water (yin-matter-body) are the source of all creation.
3: Representing body, mind and Spirit; these are all represented by the Thunderbird and in my image, you can see that there are 3 Thunderbirds within THE Thunderbird.
4: Four toes and talons: These represent the basic elements of life; earth, water, fire and air; which Steiner teaches, also express 4 ethers or subtle energies. The element~ether correlations are: Earth~Life, Water~Tone, Fire~Warmth, Air~Light. This symbolizes that the Thunderbird, which can fly to the sun and therefore, reach great heights, also has a firm grasp on the earth plane and all that is essential to living in harmony with the earth. The Thunderbird- eagle has 3D vision, just like a human, and is also living and expressing itself in time, thus, 4D.
8: Because the Thunderbird lives atop the tree of Life, it has the capacity to look forward forever into the future, and forever backward into the past; experts say the eagle’s vision is about 8 times more powerful than mans. This power, transferred into its initiates, allows them the ability to guide others to the degree that they live in accordance with the principles that sustain life. To learn more on these principles, feel free to read the Native American 10 Commandments:
1. Treat the earth an all that dwell thereon with respect
2. Remain close to the Great Spirit
3. Show great respect for your fellow beings
4. Work together for the benefit of all humankind
5. Give assistance and kindness wherever needed
6. Do what you know to be right
7. Look after the well-being of mind and body
8. Dedicate a share of your efforts to the greater good
9. Be truthful and honest at all times
10. Take full responsibility for your actions
For those of you that are interested, I did a series comparing the Christian, Atheist and Native American 10 Commandments with the Love-Model I developed via OSHO’s inspiration. You can find it on my www.youtube.com/paulcheklive channel. Look to the top right of my page and you will find the lessons I created there.
Thanks for being receptive to my sharing today!
I’d love to hear of your own inner-experiences with the Thunderbird Man or Eagle Spirit inside you!
Love and chi,
Paul Chek
