GSM - Significance of the Eagle, Feather, Native Headdress

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[The Eagle, considered the messenger to the Creator, plays a significant

spiritual role in the American Indian tradition. The Golden Eagle Feather was a

revered possession that instilled great respect among the members of the tribe

and retained a prominent place, not only in the Four Sacred Rituals, but also in

the Native Indian headdress worn at such ceremonies.]

 

" When the world was new, the Creator made all the birds. He coloured

their feathers like a bouquet of flowers. The Creator then gave each

a distinct song to sing. The Creator instructed the birds to greet

each new day with a chorus of their songs. Of all the birds, our

Creator chose the Eagle to be the leader. The Eagle flies the

highest and sees the furthest of all creatures. The Eagle is a

messenger to the Creator. During the Four Sacred Rituals we will

wear an Eagle Feather in our hair. To wear or to hold the Eagle

Feather causes our Creator to take immediate notice. With the Eagle

Feather the Creator is honored in the highest.

 

When one receives an Eagle Feather that person is being acknowledged

with gratitude, with love, and with ultimate respect. That feather

must have sacred tobacco burnt for it. In this way the Eagle and the

Creator are notified of the name of the new Eagle Feather holder.

The holder of the Eagle Feather must ensure that anything that

changes the natural state of one's mind (Alcohol and Drugs) must

never come in contact with the sacred Eagle Feather. The Keeper of

the feather will make a little home where the feather will be kept.

The Eagle Feather must be fed. You feed the Eagle Feather by holding

or wearing the feather at sacred ceremonies. By doing this the Eagle

Feather is recharged with sacred energy.

 

Never abuse, never disrespect, and never contaminate your Eagle

Feather. Only real human men and women carry the Eagle Feather. The

Mohawk man will have three Eagle Feathers standing straight up on

his Kahstowa (feathered hat). This is what I know about the sacred

Eagle Feather, Tho... " By Tom Porter Sakokwanionkwas

 

 

[some unique observations on the feathered headdress follow:]

 

" When many of us picture Native Americans, we see a stately chief,

standing tall wearing a large feathered headdress. The headdress is a very

important part of Native American culture. Typically made of beautiful bird

feathers, it is more symbolic than anything else. The Sioux were thought to be

one of the first Native American tribes to use these head pieces. Not everyone

among the tribe could wear one, however. The Native American headdress was

reserved for the most

powerful and influential among the tribe.

 

Perhaps there is meaning then as to why we usually picture the chief

wearing one. It is a little known fact that Native American headdresses were not

made completely in one sitting. In fact, each time the chief, warrior, or other

important tribe member committed a brave act, a feather was added. Therefore,

the more feathers in the headdress, the braver...the wearer was. In certain

tribes, the brave act itself was not enough. The warrior would have to provide

[prepare] himself by fasting for several days and meditating the

entire time to show his steadfastness. This fact alone makes the significance of

the Native American headdress very important.

 

It is also a very surprising and little known fact that women did not

participate in making the Native American headdress. Only the men

would help to make them, and this was often made by the chief or warrior's

closest friends and allies. Of all the feathers, the Golden Eagle feather was

the most coveted and the most significant. If someone had one of these in their

headdress, they received a great deal of reverence and respect from other

members of

the tribe.

 

The Native American headdress can be many colors at once, or can

consist of several feathers of one singular color. This often depends on what

birds were indigenous to the area in which the tribe lived. For example, those

living in the desert may only have feathers of one or two particular species of

bird, while those living in the forests would have several colors. The strap

that held the Native American headdress stationary on the head was usually made

of leather or deer sinew. Sometimes cloth would be used to improvise, but

typically leather was the material of choice.

 

The back of the headdress was usually tied together, allowing the

headdress to be adjusted fairly easily. Today, we see the Native American

headdress as symbol of strength and bravery... Wearing a Native American

headdress was a real honor, and those who got the opportunity to wear one were

revered and respected. "

 

http://www.indians.org/articles/native-american-headdress.html

 

 

[A clearer understanding of the spiritual significance of feathers and the

headdress in both the American Indian tradition as well as that of the Mayan

tradition can be ascertained from the following excerpts:]

 

" Quetzalcoatl, the feathered or plumed serpent, represents kundalini

which is the movement of energy from the Earth to the base of the spine, then up

the spine. This serpent/fire represents transcendence.

 

Quetzalcoatl, " The whole American continent is represented by an

eagle or condor. It(America) has been called to take the torch for these times.

One wing represents the physical and the other the material. The spiritual wing

must continue to lift. When balance comes of both wings, then America will come

unto its own, bringing the spiritual and material resources together. "

 

http://www.lost-civilizations.net/mayan-calendar-prophecies-page-9.html

 

 

" Awakening Quetzalcoatl/Kulkulcan: The Seven Powers of the Serpent

 

In the Mayan religion, the serpent symbolically represents the seven

powers of light, energies distributed throughout the body as a gift of the Giver

of Movement and Measure, Hunab K'u (the Creator). The seven powers combined and

awakened form a circuit of energy focused through the crown of the head to join

in the Dance and Flow of energies of the Creator. This flowering of energy

through the crown chakra was often depicted through brightly feathered

headdresses for the priests. The legends of Queztalcoatl are that he would

appear as a rainbowed serpent with a crown or ruff of brightly colored feathers,

as a macaw, or as a man with feathers waving from the top of his head - the

headdresses of the priests imitated and honored the feathered coif of both the

serpent and the humanoid form.

 

The Hindu seven chakras match and are the same as the Mayan seven

powers of light. The Mayan colors for these power centers are different, being

the wavelengths/colors of the rainbow flowing upwards from red at the base

chakra to violet at the crown. These seven colors together form the light of the

sun, and the rainbow gives the pathway and seven steps upwards through the seven

power

points of " light " located within the human body. The water and air

(rain/mist)break the light of the sun into the seven separate colors/powers.

 

The seven notes of the major scale in chakra toning correspond

directly to the seven wavelengths of the rainbow color scale, as each tonal

vibration going upwards is slightly increased in speed of wavelength.

 

The Hindu word kundalini directly corresponds to the Mayan word

k'ultanlilni (a combination of the words for gods/pyramid/speak/

vibration/nose/vibration).

 

The Mayans had specific words to use to awaken these powers.Kulkulcan is a

combination of k'ul (sacred vibrations), and can (sacred teaching). The energy

radiating from the crown chakra (often symbolized by feathers) is cizin.

 

Inlilnaluk' translates as " to receive sacred knowledge (literally

self/vibration/mount/swallow) " and lol is " relationship between

vibration and spirit " . The beginning colors of the seven powers of light, red

flowing into orange, is considered the color(s) of the galactic force (Milky Way

Galaxy); the word for that color combination/force/energy is chacla. "

 

http://www.adishakti.org/prophecies/26_hunab_ku_has_flashed_like_lightning.htm

 

 

[Not only did a warrior earn a feather upon carrying out a worthy act of

bravery, but he was also the respected recipient of the revered Golden Eagle

feather upon first being viewed as an adult member of the tribe. However, such

an honor was bestowed only after days of fasting and meditation in preparation

for this honor.]

 

" Each time the warrior earned a feather, he would either wear it (but he only

wore a couple into battle) or put it on a pole used for special occasions. Once

he had collected enough feathers, they were then made into a headdress. Because

each feather had a special meaning, binding them together in a headdress made

that Indian headdress even more special. Only the men, closest friends of the

warrior, were involved in making the headdress. The Indian chiefs

also " earned " each of their feathers. The most prized of all feathers to receive

for an Indian headdress was the Golden Eagle feather. Because the Indians saw

the eagle as a messenger of God, this feather could only be earned through

hardship, loyalty, and strength. "

 

http://www.indians.org/articles/indian-headdress.html

 

[With the knowledge, then, that the Native Indians were already meditating in

order to prepare themselves for receipt of the revered Eagle Feather, which had

an honored place in the treasured headdress worn by many different tribes, it is

also therefore fascinating to realize that the Native American headdress,

according to Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, actually represents the Sahasrara!!! -

the Sahasrara called the 1000-petalled Lotus by the Hindus, the Gems in His

Crown by the Christians, the Niche of Lights in Islam, the Sahasrarapadma in

Buddhism, and the Dsam Duar in Sikhism!]