The image of the Eagle first became dear to me as a child when my father and great grandmother (who was a full blood squaw) would tell me stories of our Cherokee ancestors. We actually visited distant Cherokee relatives in Oklahoma, New Mexico and North Carolina.
I now have a bronze statue of an Indian Warrior praying to the Great Spirit while he is surrounded by soaring Eagles above my desk. It is there to remind me of who I am, where I came from and where I can go if I truly believe in my dreams, visions, and destiny.As I've stated before, my Cherokee blood, exposure to its culture, and further study of our belief's played a key roll in molding me to be open minded about different spiritual belief's. For that I am most grateful to God the Great Spirit! Recently, the image of the Eagle has been reoccurring in my life.
This fall I have been taking walks in the woods of Audubon State Park, located in Henderson, KY, just across the Ohio River from my house. It's a special place and is located on grounds that John James Audubon lived and walked on while he lived there. Many of his first wildlife paintings where produced here. There is a museum located there with alot of his original works, personal items, journals, etc. The outside reminds me of a French Villa, but the most impressive item is the tower. It appeals to that other part of my heritage, the English Knight!
Recently, they have cast a bronze statue of one of Audubon's paintings of an Eagle on top of a big catfish with his Talons extended, ripping into the flesh of his next meal. The soaring hunter never tires of his quest to exist to his fullest potential.
Isaiah 40:31 says, "but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." It is my favorite passage from the Bible and a Mantra for me when I do grow weary and faint.
One such time was the last evening of my recent road trip. A mission accomplished, my excitement to visit McGrath's a now distant memory, I began to focus on what's next in this uncertain climate we now live in. I went to bed wrapped in a blanket of apprehension. At exactly 11:30 pm while I was having a particularly disturbing dream I was jolted awake by music from my iPod. It just decided to play, and the strangest thing was it didn't play where I had left it off. In fact, it picked up on an entirely different play list section and was playing Third Day's version of the scripture above, "Eagles"!
It was kind of freaky, but I decided that I was meant to listen to the words and I laid in bed and prayed along with the song:
My pain and problems keep me chained
And my troubled heart makes me weak
I'll wait for You to comfort me
And in You I know I'll find my strength
I will soar on the wings of eagles
I will learn to fly high above this world
And I will soar on the wings of eagles
I will learn to fly
I will learn to fly high above this world
Today's Positive Thinking devotion says, "The truth is that there is much more strength and power in the individual than he has ever known or even visualized as a possibility."
Now is the time to visualize your strength and power and to soar on the wings of Eagles!
Sir Hook the Shaman Medicine Man of Warrick
Yeah love that building. Very Germanic.
ReplyDeleteThe Audubon Books were the first ones i checked out at the library when living in PA in the late
80's and painting wildlife pictures there.
They were the most complete source for me to familarize myself with the different birds you have in the New World
Funny, Hooky being a Cardinals fan an' all...but i remember my first sighting of a flock of the scarlet beauties in a snowy pine forest, and I'm thinking of the thrill I had about something that everyone else was taking for granted.
Love the Eagle statue too, and glad we used it on the KMSA Logo.
D of O
Excellent post, Sir Hook.
ReplyDeleteFly like an eagle
Soar above fear and darkness
Go where eagles' dare!
Sir Bowie