Symbol meaning of feathers deal with ascension and spiritual evolution to a higher plane.

Feathers were worn by Native American Chiefs to symbolize their communication with Spirit, and to express their celestial wisdom. Also in the Native American Indian culture, feathers represented the power of the thunder gods, along with the power of air and wind. Native American Pueblo Indians would pay homage to the Feathered Sun which is a symbol of the cosmos and the center of existence. Another symbol meaning of feathers also revolves around prayer, and the Pueblo use feather sticks as they dance in prayer for rain during solstice rituals. As a Celtic symbol meaning, the feather was worn by Druids in the form of ornate feathered robes. Celtic Druids donned these robes in ceremonies to invoke the sky gods and gain knowledge of the celestial realm. It was believed that the feathered cloak along with the presence of the sky gods would allow the Druid to transcend the earthly plane and enter the ethereal realm. The Egyptians believed that feathers were symbolic of sky gods too. Ma'at, the Egyptian goddess of justice, would weigh the hearts of the newly dead in the underworld against the weight of a feather to determine the worthiness of his or her soul. In Christianity feathers represented virtues. In fact, an image of three feathers were made into signet rings - each feather symbolizing Charity, hope, and faith. These rings were worn as a symbol of a virtuous soul - they were also used as wax seals. The ring would be dipped in warm wax then pressed against documents to seal the closure. The recipient would know the documents came from a virtuous man by the indication of the three-feather symbol in the wax. In dreams feathers mean travel or the ability to move more freely in life. White feathers in dreams indicate innocence or a fresh start in a spiritual sense. A quick summary on symbol meaning of feathers:

Truth Speed Lightness Flight Ascension

There are hundreds of Native American tribes who have evolved and developed their beliefs and rituals over the span of hundreds of years. This being the case, it is difficult to pin point one single, specific meaning of feathers to Native Americans. However, I have read legends in which the Hopi used turkey feathers in various symbolic placements and rituals. The number of turkey feathers used is four. The turkey is a symbol of the wildness of the Earth, and the number four

represents the four winds. Together, this is a symbolic message that the Earth is a wildnerness that man can never control. I also know that the Sious used feathers in headdresses (reserved for the higher-minded or wiser souls, tribe noblemen, soothsayers, etc). Twenty eight feathers were used in Siouxcrowning rituals. Twenty eight is sacred to the Sioux to represent the life of the Moon breathes within a span of twenty eight days. There are also twenty eight ribs within the cage of the buffalo, which was/is sacred to this tribe. Also among the Sioux, the Eagle (specifically, the Golden Eagle) was a sacred symbol, and twelve of her feathers were used in ritual, ceremonial events to signify the number of months in the year as well as the twelve symbolic rays of the sun. Other information on feathers: Native American symbols offer us a complete and reverent language of life, nature, and spirit. This language is unmatched in its depth and power. This language derives it's power from the fact that American Indians viewed all things whether seen or touched - living or inanimate - as possessors of a spirit. Further, they recognize that everything in the universe holds a deeper meaning. As a result, all objects and beings deserve one's attention and respect. Therefore, Native American symbol meanings are an integral part of the Indian life. Native American symbols bring concepts to mind that surpass words. These pictographs convey profound beliefs and perceptions. Native American use of symbols vary according to different nations and regions here are a few uses:

As assurance that guardian spirits are present. Whether a warrior needs bolstered courage, or a new home needs a blessing - symbols always mark the occassion. Seeking assistance from spirit. These symbols are the image of the spirit, and thus the object on which the symbol is depicted (tools, blankets, etc) is spiritually charged. This means that where a symbol is - so too is the original power. The Native American Indian, as a whole, is constantly aware of its relationship with Mother Earth and her creatures. The spiritual goal of the Native American is to live in harmony with the universe. As such, every-day use of signs, symbols, fetishes, animal totems, and emblems is just as commonplace, as using these tools in celebrations and ceremonies. ative American Animal Symbols Discover the animal characteristics for your birth date. This page is devoted to the Native American

animal symbols found in the Native American zodiac. .

Native American Symbol for Wind The Native American symbol for wind is more than just a dynamic lozenge design - it is about a depth of being that spans all dimensions. This page attempts to touch the tip of this concept.

. Native American Animal Tracks Meaning Identifying animal tracks takes our exploration of animal totems, and Native American animal symbols one step further by broadening our uderstanding and respect for the animal spirits we call upon. .

Native American Sun Symbols This page is devoted to the sun symbols found throughout the Native American culture. Discover some of the symbolism behind this hugely important sign.

Native American Moon Signs Learn about your personality types according to Native American moon signs - a list of zodiac insight associated with the full moon of each month.

Native American Full Moon Names Specifically, full moon names as observed by the from the Algonquin and Iroquois Confederacy. Let this month-specific, symbolic full moons draw you in more fully into the ancient rhythm of lunar cycles. .

Hopi Symbols Their name means "the peaceful people." Discover more about these diverse people, and learn how Hopi symbols are an expression of their way of life.

Kachina Properties Kachinas are the spirit essences of everything on earth to the Hopi. See images of different kachinas, and learn more about what these spirit symbols mean.

Sioux Symbols Learn about the symbols from the Sioux, a nation from which Crazy Horse hails from, and a nation rich with pride, heritage, and fierce independence.

Mayan Symbols A civilization shrouded in mystery, the Mayans hold huge fascination for all of us. Get a peek inside their culture by learning more about Mayan symbols.

Mayan Symbols of Ixchel Ixchel is a Mayan goddess whose roles and purposes shifted from life-bringer and ferocious destroyer. Explore her personality through her symbols on this page.

Native American Mandala Offers designs with the spirit of Native American tradition. A summary of Native American meaning for each mandala is included.

Native American Bear Meanings Learn what the symbolic bear meaning is for the Native American. Includes perspectives from Sioux, Cree and Shoshone .

Thunderbird as a Native American Symbol Some thoughts about the Thunderbird as a Native American Symbol. Includes perspectives from Haida, Iroquois and other tribes.

The Significance of the Eagle to the Indians

[This text was originally published in 1907 by the Bureau of American Ethnology as part of its Handbook of American Indians North of Mexico. It was later reproduced, in 1913, by the Geographic Board of Canada. The work done by the American Bureau was monumental, well informed and incorporated the most advanced scholarship available at the time. In many respects, the information is still useful today, although prudence should be exercised and the reader should consult some of the contemporary texts on the history and the anthropology of the North American Indians suggested in the bibliographic introduction to this section. The articles were not completely devoid of the paternalism and the prejudices prevalent at the time. While

some of the terminology used would not pass the test of our "politically correct" era, most terms have been left unchanged by the editor. If a change in the original text has been effected it will be found between brackets [.] The original work contained long bibliographies that have not been reproduced for this web edition. For the full citation, see the end of the text.] Among the many birds held in superstitious and appreciative regard by the aborigines of North America, the eagle, by reason of its majestic, solitary, and mysterious nature, became an especial object of worship. This is expressed in the employment of the eagle by the Indian for religious and aesthetic purposes only. The wing bones were fashioned into whistles to be carried by warriors or used in ceremonies, and the talons formed powerful amulets or fetishes, having secondary value as ornaments; the feathers were, however, of the greatest importance. The capture of eagles for their feathers was a hazardous branch of hunting, requiring great skill. Among some tribes eagle-killing was delegated to certain men. Owing to the difficulty of getting within bowshot of the bird, it was often trapped, or the eyrie was visited to secure the young. Eagles are still kept in captivity by the Pueblo Indians as in the time of Coronado (14th Rep. B. A. E ., 516, 1896). The striking war bonnet of the Plains tribes was made of eagle feathers and was highly valued, for it is said that one pony was the price of a perfect tail of 12 feathers of the "war eagle;" i. e., the white plumes with black tips. Other varieties, with bars across the feathers, are regarded as inferior (Mooney). Warriors of the Plains tribes usually wore the feathers of the golden eagle only, and it is probable that the customs of many tribes prescribed like discriminations as to feathers of different species. Many tribes wore one or more eagle feathers in the hair, and these feathers were often cut, coloured, or otherwise decorated with some cognizance of the wearer. It was the custom of the Pillager Chippewa to allow a warrior who scalped an enemy to wear on his head two eagle feathers, and the act of capturing a wounded prisoner on the battlefield earned the distinction of wearing five. Fans made of the primary feathers of the eagle formed an accessory to the costume of the Sioux and other tribes. Eagle feathers were also attached as ornaments to the buckskin shirts worn by men, and war costumes and paraphernalia, including shields, were ornamented with them. As one of the prominent totemic animals, the eagle gave its name to many clans and religious fraternities. It is probable that nearly every tribe in the United States recognising clan or gentile organization had an eagle clan or gens at some period in its history: The eagle held an important place in symbolic art. It was depicted by all the methods of art expression known to the Indian, appearing on pottery, basketry, textiles, beadwork, quillwork, shields, create, totem poles, house and grave posts, pipes, rattles, and objects pertaining to cult and ceremony. It was also represented in the primitive drama connected with ceremonies. Many tribes possessed eagle deities, as the Kwahu, the eagle kachina of the Hopi of Arizona, and the Eagle god of the Miwok of California. Among the Haida, passes made with eagle fans were thought to be effectual in conjuring, and this use reappears in many tribes. The wing-bones were often employed as sucking tubes, with which medicine-men pretended to remove disease. The Tlingit and other North Pacific tribes used eagle down for ceremonial sprinkling on the hair, masks, and dance costume; it was also scattered in the air, being blown through a tube or sprinkled by hand. The Pawnee and other Plains tribes as well as the Pueblos also used the down in ceremonies, and it was probably a general custom. Among the Hopi the eagle is generally associated with the Sky god, and its feathers are used with discs to represent the Sun god (Fewkes). The use of eagle feathers in religion is nowhere better shown than among the Pueblos, when downy plumes are attached to masks, rattles, prayer-sticks, and other cult objects entering into ceremonies. For this purpose a great quantity of feathers is yearly required. The Hopi clans claimed the eagle nests is the localities where they formerly resided, and caught in traps or took from the nests eaglets, whose down was used in ceremonies. The eaglets, when required for feathers, have their heads washed; they are killed by pressure on the thorax, and buried with appropriate rites in special cemeteries, in which offerings of small wooden images and bows and

arrows are yearly deposited. The interior Salish also are said by Teit to have property in eagles. Near the present Hopi villages there are shrines in which offerings of eagle eggs carved from wood are placed during the winter solstice for the increase of eagles. Among the Zui, feathers shed by their captive eagles have special significance, though the feathers are also regularly plucked and form a staple article of trade. Then mythology of almost every tribe is replete with eagle beings, and the wide-spread thunderbird myth relates in some cases to the eagle. In Hopi myth the Man-eagle is a sky being who lays aside his plumage after flights in which he spreads devastation, and the hero who slays him is carried to the house in the sky by eagles of several species, each one in its turn bearing him higher. The Man-eagle myth is widely diffused, most tribes regarding this being as a manifestation of either helpful or maleficent power.