After my marriage on April 5, 2012, my new husband and I were driving to our reception, and as we were driving, we noticed on the side of the highway, 2 Turkey Vultures. This was an unusual sighting in our parts and we both felt that this was something we should look into. Upon doing some research, particularly in one of my favorite books on Animal Totems….Animal Speak by Ted Andrews, here is what I have found out about Vulture Medicine. I should also mention that while in Cuba, Vultures were everywhere and we got to see their beauty up close and personal. The image posted here is a picture, I took of two vultures gracefully soaring overhead.
Keynotes of Vulture Medicine – Purification – Death & Rebirth – New Vision
In the earliest of times, the sun lived very close to the earth – so close in fact that life upon earth was becoming unbearable. The animal kingdom got together and decided that they must do something about this. They wanted to move the sun further away. So fox was the first to volunteer, and he grabbed the sun in his mouth and began to run to the heavens. Soon the sun became too hot burning the inside of foxes mouth, he had to stop. To this day the inside of foxes mouth is black.
Next to volunteer was opossum. He wrapped his tail around the sun and began running to the heavens. Before long the sun become too hot, burning his tail and he had to stop. To this day the opossum has no hair upon his tail.
Vulture then stepped forward. Vulture the most beautiful and powerful of birds. Upon his head was a beautiful mantle of feathers, that all other birds envied. Knowing that the earth would burn, unless the sun was moved, vulture placed its head against the sun and began to fly to the heavens. With powerful strokes of its wings vulture pushed and pushed the sun further and further into the heavens. Although, he could feel his crown feathers burning he continued until the sun was a safe distance in the sky. Unfortunately, vulture lost its magnificent head of feathers for all eternity.
Vultures are the most misunderstood and misaligned bird. Most people view them as gross and associate them with only death, but myths and tales abound that reflect the exact opposite is true. The vulture is truly a wonderful creature. A symbol of heaven and earth, spirit and matter, good and evil, guardian and avenger. Vulture is considered an avenger of the nature spirits. A reflection of never ending vigilance. Constant vigilance is one of my favorite mantras.
Vulture is often seen as a mother symbol, a symbol of both life and death. It is also a symbol of purification. Purification of mind, body and spirit. Vulture medicine can help us to restore harmony in our lives, it can assist us in righting wrongs and helps us to break free from the confines of our Egos. The scientific name, cathartes arua, means “golden purifier”. Now isn’t that beautiful?
At dawn these magnificent creatures spread their wings to dry the dew, giving them the appearance of honouring the rising sun. This is truly a beautiful sight to behold and we were blessed to be witness to this many mornings during our trip. It was a truly awe inspiring sight to behold.
While the vulture may not look very beautiful while standing, in flight they are incredibly graceful and move with ease. For those with Vulture as a totem this speaks of a coming time where you will be noticed more for what you do then how you appear. Remember, actions speak louder then words. Speak less, act more.
Vultures are also very sensitive to thermals and energies, linked to auric visions. If vulture, has flown into your life, you may soon start to see auras and colours around people and things. Work with vulture, so that he can teach your to open up to this beautiful ability. Vulture is a very patient hunter and can soar for hours without flapping its wings. They are tremendous symbols of flight without power, seeing that their wings rarely move. This reflects their great ability to use what is available to them.
One of the mystical secrets believed to be held by the vulture is the ability to levitate. Levitation is the law of Spirituality. Gravity, is the impulse to seek out the material and mundane….physical things. Vulture denies the material and has the ability to float, rise and soar above these limitations. It is a symbol of using one’s energy, so that the physical, human existence does not weigh us down. Teaching us to let go of attachments to people, places and things.
Vulture has a very unique digestive system, signalling for those with this totem that it may be time to have a look at how you eat. Observe and notice the effects of your food choices on your energy system. How do you feel physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually after eating? This will help you to discover which foods you may need to avoid and which you should increase eating.
Vultures have no real voice. Again this reflects the lesson of acting rather than speaking…..ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS.
Vulture is also a symbol of a new relationship between the volatile aspects of life and the fixed, the psychic energies and the cosmic forces. A promise that, the suffering of the present is temporary and necessary for a higher purpose, although you may not see, or understand that purpose in the moment. Vulture reminds us that challenges are temporary and that change is imminent. You have the power and ability to rise above your physical reality and soar into the realm of Spirit.
So go ahead and let your SPIRIT SOAR.
For most of my life, I have rarely seen turkey vultures. Then this past summer, I woke up to find 3 of them in my driveway. There was one that was obviously the dominant one; it was the one doing all of the the eating at first. The others kept a safe lookout and guarded it while he/she ate. Eventually, the three of them spread out, with one on tope of my house and one on each on the neighboring houses. At this point, I was able to go outside and sit on my back patio while the vulture on my roof looked down at me. There was no feelings of fear of aggression coming from it… it just watched. There was this sense that it felt in no way threatened by me, knowing it was so much more powerful than I am. After a few minutes, it took off.
Since then, I see vultures very frequently. There is even a huge pack of them that tend to roost in this one tree that I pass on my way home from work. They fly over my car as I pass them.
Thank you very much for this. It is a lovely and well rounded message. I have just moved to a small ocean town in California (day 3), and have seen these birds soaring high in the sky. I believe there is always message with animals and insects….that they come into our lives and sight for a reason.
I was at the cemetery sitting at the graveside of my beloved, Tanya, remembering our lives together and praying for her Spirit to be living g freely in love and peace, when a culture flew in front of me, gracefully circling at tree height. In my ignorance, my first thought was it was checking if I was dead meat. Now that I have read about the transcendental symbolism of vulture energy, I feel I was graced by its presence.