Shortly after the death of my husband, and wilderness soul mate in 1995, I ventured out on a solo 30 day kayaking adventure in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Perhaps my mission was to escape the emotional grip of grief, but in fact I was going back to my nature roots to find a measure of peace and emotional balance in a life that had clearly become unstable.
I was attempting a crossing of Prince William Sound in my well-packed kayak when a storm rolled in with a vengeance, relentlessly pounding me with driving rain, violent winds and huge swells. As I sat alone in my craft being tossed around by the heaving water, the wind blew fiercely into my face making any forward progress nearly impossible. The rain pelted me, stinging my face and exposed hands with every pin pricking impact. My body ached as I fought against the weather, not to make progress, but to stay stable and upright until the fast moving storm would blow over.
Suddenly there appeared a patch of thinning clouds, and the sky brightened a little. AAHHHHH! … a ray of hope that there would soon be an end to this torture. I looked up and there above was a lone eagle, looking as disoriented as I felt and yet pushing forward to find the air currents that would carry him to the safety of land. I watched him as if he was the only hope of 'home' for me in this angry, empty place. Just then, he released a tail feather that drifted down, skittishly and then picked up a strong air current. As if to beckon me, it changed pace, cradled gently down … and came to rest on the bow of my unsteady kayak.
I smiled and relaxed my whole body, feeling privileged by such a gift. With strange new confidence and self-assurance I paddled on effortlessly. It was only a few minutes later that the sun shone through and the waters calmed.
I was to realize the significance of the feather that eagle gave me when I departed Alaska 3 weeks later. While waiting to board a train in near-by Whittier I entered a small shop. There on a pedestal was a small book, open to a middle page. This is what it said:
In Native American cultures the eagle was considered a sacred messenger who had the power to touch the Great Spirit. The feather of an eagle represents connection with the divine, and is a sacred healing tool. It symbolizes the state of grace, which is achieved through hard work, and completion of the tests of initiation, which result in taking personal power. Because you have experienced the highs and lows in life and learned to trust the connection to the Great Spirit, you are given the ability to understand the meaning of sacred journey.
Eagle feather brings you light and teaches you to look higher; to reach with your heart to the Grandfather Sun and to love the shadow as well as the light. You will be given the ability to see beauty in both.
The eagle feather promises that if you attack your own fear of the unknown, the wings of your soul will be supported by strong and gentle breezes which are the breath of the Great Spirit.
Then you, like the eagle, will take flight.
Eagle Feather to People Action
ACTION 1
The eagle feather is a combination of delicacy and strength. The fine and light feathers are cushioned with down and lined on a single strong spine. The average eagle has about 7000 feathers. They are shed every year and replaced with new ones. If there is a feather that is not needed any more, it is disposed of.
It is true that we can travel farther and faster if we carry a lighter load. Simplifying and lightening up requires getting rid of excess baggage so we can carry just what we need. Unloading promotes more freedom of movement, unleashes creativity, and increases your ability to see the opportunities around you and take advantage of them.
ACTION 2
During flight, the long shaft, or spine, of the feather transmits signals through its base to the flight muscles. Those muscles in turn adjust the feather and wing position for optimum flight and protection. Those muscles also open and close the feathers, trapping air between the layers so the eagle can adjust to changes in temperature.
David Smalley said, "Survival of the fittest is the ageless law of nature. The fittest are those endowed with the qualifications for adaptation, the ability to accept the inevitable and conform to the unavoidable, to harmonize with existing and changing conditions."
For us to be fit for life, we have to work on it. Regular exercise will spark mental alertness and readiness to adapt to what ever comes our way in an ever-changing environment. As a stress reliever for the rigors of everyday life, there is nothing that helps more than the endorphins created by physical exercise. With a fit body, comes a fit mind, sparked with the creative energy needed to deal with changes and challenges in our work and home life.
