THUNDERBIRD MAN
Hello and Happy Monday to All!
I hope you all had as lovely a weekend as I!
I can summarize my weekend in one word!restful.
I had a very busy week meeting deadlines and coaching clients last week.
I also had some great workouts in the gym, which gave me that lovely soreness of accomplishment. I had a great deadlift session and followed it the next day by lung training; as you age past about 45, your ass and abs fall like rain! High-intensity weight lifting is the magic; if you lift, act and live young, the mind informs the body that indeed, it is young.
I didn’t realize how tired I was until I had a moment to stop thinking and doing.
A friend sent me a sticker with a Native American Thunderbird image on it and the instant I looked at it, I had a powerful vision of the Thunderbird Man.
Typically, when I have intense visions like that, it means that I should draw the vision. When I draw, I commonly go into a deep meditative state in which time feels to stand still. In that process, I typically receive major downloads.
I have found my own art process to be very healing and informative. Through my own healing art practice, I’ve learned an immense amount about myself, and how to help others.
Today, I thought I’d share my vision (which is drawn to the best of my ability, but not nearly reflective of the majesty of my vision), and a little about the mythology of the Thunderbird, which is used interchangeably with that of the Eagle in many native traditions. Maybe my experience and art will trigger an opening in your own intuition?
THUNDERBIRD MAN
In Native American oral history (Ref: Wikipedia.com), depending on the people telling the story, the Thunderbird is either a singular entity or a species. In both cases, it is intelligent, powerful, and wrathful. All agree one should go out of one’s way to keep from getting thunderbirds angry.
The singular Thunderbird (as the Nuu-chah-nulth thought of him) was said to reside on the top of a mountain, and was the servant of the Great Spirit. The Thunderbird only flew about to carry messages from one spirit to another.[citation needed] It was also told that the thunderbird controlled rainfall.
The plural thunderbirds (as the Kwakwaka’wakw and Cowichan tribes believed) could shapeshift into human form by tilting back their beaks like a mask, and by removing their feathers as if it were a feather-covered blanket.
There are stories of thunderbirds in human form marrying into human families; some families may trace their lineage to such an event. Families of thunderbirds who kept to themselves but wore human form were said to have lived along the northern tip of Vancouver Island.
The story goes that other tribes soon forgot the nature of one of these thunderbird families, and when one tribe tried to take them as slaves the thunderbirds put on their feather blankets and transformed to take vengeance upon their foolish captors.
The Sioux believed that in “old times” the Thunderbirds destroyed dangerous reptilian monsters called the Unktehila.
The Anishinaabe, who speak Ojibwa, one of the Three Fires Society, have many stories about thunderbirds. During the Sundance ceremony a thunderbird nest is put near the top of the tree of life. The dancers often face the nest while dancing, and their hands and arms reach up towards the nest at times. A thunderbird pipe is used during the ceremony as well, and thunderbird medicine is prepared as well. The area of Thunder Bay, Ontario, is related in some ways to the Anishinaabe stories of thunderbirds.
A famous story of the Thunderbird is “Thunderbird and Whale”. The Thunderbird mythology parallels tales of the Roc from around the Indian Ocean; as the roc, it is generally assumed to be based on real (though mythically exaggerated) species of birds, specifically the Bald Eagle, which is very common on the Northwest Coast.
(Ref: Wikipedia.com; Thunderbird)
In my studies of the Thunderbird mythology of the Native American Indians, I found that it is commonly viewed as or associated with the Eagle, and Eagle qualities. Since these descriptions match the experience given me in my visions and intuitions, I thought I’d share them with you here.
Before reading further though, I’d like to point out that there is great value in simply looking at my image, or any such mythological image to see what specifically rises up in you.
Regardless of what you read (potential programming), what is most important when viewing any such art or mythological image is being present with what emerges in your own consciousness.
I suggest you look at my vision of the Thunderbird (and look at others if you like), and see what unique intuitions, insights and inspirations arise. Write them down and explore how they fit in your life.
I’ve had amazing growth experiences due to the awareness cultivated when interacting with such images and representations. What I’ve personally found very exciting, and encouraging from the perspective of further developing my own intuition is that very frequently, when I write my intuitions down and then research historical records, I find that my intuitions and insights parallel those of historical lore with sometimes shocking accuracy.
I’d love to hear what happens inside you looking at my vision and/or other Thunderbird images you may find in books or on the internet.
Thunderbird – Eagle Correlations
Today, I draw these correlations from an excellent book, Animal Speak – The Spiritual & Magical Powers of Creatures Great & Small by Ted Andrews.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about the wisdom connection between appearances or experiences with the animal kingdom and your own life.
I’ve used this book and many others like it over the years working to heal myself and others to heal and grow. The parallel of the insights to what was actually occurring in my life or the lives of my clients has been almost scary; such experiences open the door of the conditioned mind, exposing us to worlds of possibility that go beyond our own ego-attraction to concrete knowledge into that of the abstract.
Here are some Thunderbird – Eagle correlations that may serve you at this time in your life; I’ve combined my own interpretations with those of Andrews:
The Thunderbird – Eagle’s correlation with the sun suggests that we are all given an opportunity in life to rediscover our inner-child. There was once a belief that as old age approached, the eagle’s eye would grow dim, and the eagle would then fly so near the sun that it would become scorched. It would then seek out a pure water source and dip itself three times into the clear water and its youth would be destroyed.
This reflects much from a mystical point of view. It hints of resurrection, but it also hits of alchemy. The fire of the sun and the clear water are opposite elements (tai-chi; yin~yang) brought into harmony in a manner that elicits change. It reflects several needs for those with an eagle totem (power animal or source of inspiration):
1. There must be involvement with creativity. Three is the number of new birth and creativity.
2. A willingness to experience extremes in a controlled condition, and thus facilitate the alchemical process within your own life.
NOTE: This is exactly what a right of passage ceremony, a vision quest or a shamanic journey offer. In our own way, we each bring this into our lives; some by way of illness and injury. Some by the use and abuse of recreational and/or medical drugs; modern medical drugs have their origin in Aboriginal healing methods.
Drug companies still send investigators into the jungle to capture the secrets of shaman and medicine men to this day.
What do they do with the shamanic wisdom? They use it to formulate drugs, patent them, and sell their inferior products to you! That said, think of how many have negative views of natural approaches and/or the use of medicine men, shaman, and even natural approaches today!
If fear has a brother, it is ignorance!
3. A willingness to use your own passions to purify (flying into the sun) and to use your abilities even if it means being scorched a little.
4. A willingness to seek out the true emotional aspects of oneself and immerse yourself within them, and by doing so, rediscover the lost child and awaken a higher sense of purity, passion, creativity, healing and spirituality.
Numbers associated with the Thunderbird – Eagle:
1: THE TREE OF LIFE: There is only one tree of life. It represents THE CREATION, which is existence itself. Existence can only be known and experienced in time. The Thunderbird makes its nest at the top of the Tree of Life. The crown above my Thunderbird’s head represents the Super conscious Mind, All Knowing.
2: Fire (yang-light-mind) and water (yin-matter-body) are the source of all creation.
3: Representing body, mind and Spirit; these are all represented by the Thunderbird and in my image, you can see that there are 3 Thunderbirds within THE Thunderbird.
4: Four toes and talons: These represent the basic elements of life; earth, water, fire and air; which Steiner teaches, also express 4 ethers or subtle energies. The element~ether correlations are: Earth~Life, Water~Tone, Fire~Warmth, Air~Light. This symbolizes that the Thunderbird, which can fly to the sun and therefore, reach great heights, also has a firm grasp on the earth plane and all that is essential to living in harmony with the earth. The Thunderbird- eagle has 3D vision, just like a human, and is also living and expressing itself in time, thus, 4D.
8: Because the Thunderbird lives atop the tree of Life, it has the capacity to look forward forever into the future, and forever backward into the past; experts say the eagle’s vision is about 8 times more powerful than mans. This power, transferred into its initiates, allows them the ability to guide others to the degree that they live in accordance with the principles that sustain life. To learn more on these principles, feel free to read the Native American 10 Commandments:
1. Treat the earth an all that dwell thereon with respect
2. Remain close to the Great Spirit
3. Show great respect for your fellow beings
4. Work together for the benefit of all humankind
5. Give assistance and kindness wherever needed
6. Do what you know to be right
7. Look after the well-being of mind and body
8. Dedicate a share of your efforts to the greater good
9. Be truthful and honest at all times
10. Take full responsibility for your actions
For those of you that are interested, I did a series comparing the Christian, Atheist and Native American 10 Commandments with the Love-Model I developed via OSHO’s inspiration. You can find it on my www.youtube.com/paulcheklive channel. Look to the top right of my page and you will find the lessons I created there.
Thanks for being receptive to my sharing today!
I’d love to hear of your own inner-experiences with the Thunderbird Man or Eagle Spirit inside you!
Love and chi,
Paul Chek
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Hi Rick,
With regard to meal proportions. I highly recommend YOU DON’T try and figure out diet proportions by creating distinct proportions. That negates the concept of “adaptability”. Look at the tachometer diagram in my book HTEM&BH! and adjust your ratios according to the symptoms given for excess fats, proteins, or carbs relative to the list of “Optimal Responses” to a meal, which are in the “power zone” of the tachometer. Your fatigue may be detox symptoms, but is is also likely to be that you are taking in too much fat and protein to maintain an optimal metabolic rate.
As for stuttering, practice expressing your words with your hands (speak like an Italian!). By including bodily motor responses to your words, not just oral responses, you can access the congruity of the whole motor systems response to the words and often, that over-rides the mental-emotional blockages held in the fifth chakra region of self-expression. Stand in front of a mirror and instead of “talking to yourself”, practice “conducting your speech” as though you were the conductor of an orchestra. Where you find your words inhibited, work on being more distinct, pronounced with your bodily movements; like a cop directing traffic.
If that practice doesn’t get your stuttering cleared up, I suggest locating the nearest Steiner school and asking them if they can direct you to someone that teaches Steiner’s method called “Eurtyhmy”. Eurythmy is a system of learning to express vowels and words through movement and is designed to tap into one’s energy centers to create harmony.
Much chi,
Paul
Hey Paul. Thanks for answering my questions! =)
I got your book and (to not my surprise) I fit the mould of a Protein type! YES, I LOVE MY FOOD!!! With the food ratios, Im currently only allowed to eat a maximum of 50g of Carbs a day with this anti-fungal diet… Say Im on a 2500 calorie diet then that only makes 8% of my ratio made up of carbs (mainly above ground vegetables).
The rest of the 92% must come from from protein and fat. Would increasing the fats up to the 45% mark be the best way to go about it? I guess the best way is to experiment.
Also I consistently feel tired and drowsy a few times during the day. I’m not sure if its due to the body using energy to detoxify and heal, or whether its diet related (an imbalance of ratios).
I’m going to make sure I get the right water intake and in bed by 10-10.30pm. I always wake up feeling totally unrefreshed (even after 9 or 10 hours sleep) – probably a sign on fungi and parasite still active and also that I mouth-breath as my nose is chronically stuffy/blocked which could be candida in the nasal membranes?
Have you ever helped a person who stutters overcome their speech challenge? If so, any advice or insights?
Lastly, when are you in Oz next? I would love to hear you speak and meet you in person.
Good health to you bro!
One of my dear student is a highly gifted artist: below are Kerry’s comments:
The Amazing artworks Paul produces lately & even your photos of the rock sculptures elicit a powerful reaction in me, a bit like bolts of lightning or the jolt one gets when thunder rumbles in the sky suddenly, sometimes shocked away from the screen. I was stunned by all the effort put into this one, esp. all the brown feathers.
1. I was drawn down, down, down by the eyes and beaks & went straight to the bottom left corner where there were a few spots of blood red and there I placed my right hand { 1st finger} and received a message which I wrote down. {About how powerful this image was for me}. So in practice, I used this image in my mind’s eye to help cleanse/purify/shield & protect myself simply, effectively putting me at ease.
2. The next time I revisited the Thunderbird Shaman I was drawn to the shape under the curve of the beak, like a ball of light. There is a lot of energy there at the throat with the lightning bolts pointing inwards with the three faces. If lightning was a weapon in a war against enemies why is it pointing that way? So I pondered and realised I have felt like there was a war against me but really I could be at war with my own mind/ thoughts.
3. Behind the large eye of the eagle I was intrigued by the small shape which I felt in my ears. This felt like it enabled the removal of some evil spirits bothering me{stopping me from live-ing}. There is a great strong heart of love within the Thunderbird Shaman, to give to ALL; a warm cove of orange, tangerine and feathers. I can go there and rest & feel protected. Or is it letting go of what is restricting me, transforming?
4. As briefly as I can: I{eye} the sun{son}=Love O{ps. it has a dot inside it, seen at the belly & all face there}.
The end result of my artwork is a beautiful opportunity to create healing art for people, you wish to direct to me, thank you! Greg also just told me he was speaking with someone very keen who could organise a group together if I could do workshops for them in mandala art and dowsing. So the Thunderbird Shaman has beaten his wings and it rains on me.
Hi Mitch,
Lovely to read your observations of Thunderbird Man, and to hear about your experiences in nature. Next time you head out to the park, take some organic Ghee (clarified butter), or even a stick of descent organic butter from the store and rub it over the wound on the tree. This will seal it and keep the tree’s essential moisture contained within, helping it to heal. Then “Fuck You” becomes “Thank You” from the tree!
Next time you go out to listen to nature, try bringing some organic fennel or sweet fennel seeds and chew them slowly and very thoroughly; or you can use a few drops of sweet fennel essential oil under your tongue. This will open your energy field naturally and let you feel and sense what’s happening in and around you more easily. Let me know what happens. It’s cheaper than pot and works well :-).
When listening to nature, if you focus on the “feelings” arising inside you instead of trying to listen as though talking to another human, the feelings will bring up the meaning of Her messages. Laying next to a creek or water that flows naturally is a great way to begin this training. Once you have a sense of what She’s saying, open your heart and send Her a message through “intention”, or send your emotions out as sounds that represent your feeling and message. Then wait while being still. Soon, you may find yourself having a lovely, healing, opening dialogue with the water. The water is intimate with all she brings life to, just as a mother is intimate with her children. There, you may find your new spiritual teacher!
Love and chi,
Paul
Hi Rick!
Using high intensity weight training can help metabolize toxins in your body, stimulate healthy appetite, and facilitate deep rest and sleep. If you have a fungal infection, fatigue is a common side-effect so you need to be careful to keep your lifting sessions limited to only that which you can do without leaving the gym spent. I recommend neurotonic training, which requires that you load the bar with a 4-6 rep load and only complete half that number of reps per set. Rest aproximately 3:30 between sets and when you feel unable to recover to the freshness of your first few sets, it’s time to quit. I recommend no more than 4-8 sets, which can be divided among two exercises; you can go to 10 neurotonic sets if you authentically have the energy and find you are sleeping well and recovering well between training sessions.
If you find yourself craving sweets, be careful to stick to the foods that are within the boundaries of your anti-fungal diet plan. If you are using the method correctly, you should notice an improvement in your sex drive and if you are over-training, you sex drive will diminish, as will sleep quality in general.
Fill out the questionnaires in my HTEM&BH! book and follow the plan as laid out in the book and you should be feeling better than ever soon!
Much chi,
Paul Chek
Hi Paul,
I see from your picture a very powerful animal, both physically and spiritually. The physical power is in the strong legs and powerful chest. The spiritual power is represented in what appears to be a relative comparison to the human chakra system. Staring at the top of the head and creating the overall theme of power and grace is the golden crown chakra. This is the birds direct connection to the spirit wisdom. Below we progress through the various chakras, notably the very distinct and powerful throat and chest chakras being fully open. The bird is then rooted strongly in the physical realm with it’s strong body.
Symbolically the bird represents freedom and wisdom. The freedom comes from being both physically strong without limitation and the power of the higher faculties, mental and spiritual.
—–
Paul I quite enjoy your blog and am amazed at the personal attention you give to people who comment. I have learned much from your perspectives and incorporated many aspects of your teachings. Yesterday I played with the idea of the nature speaking to my inner being. I took my bike to a secluded spot by the lake and took some quite time to listen to nature and feel what it was telling me — boy was it alive. I also passed a fellow traveler on a path who was completely entranced by the forest area, he was crouched down and appeared to be gazing in contemplation very deeply at the nature in front of him. I was envious of his deep connection. In my mind as I passed I said ‘peace be with you.’ I ended up at my own spot that felt right and eventually made my way to a tree that I ended up touching to feel its lifeforce. It told me that it was indeed alive but had a weakened lifeforce. Upon inspection I could see a limb that was hacked off prior as well as a large crack near the base of the tree. I ended up climbing it and got to a point halfway up and realized that somebody had carved some bark off and carved ‘fuck you’ into the limb. I wasn’t surprised by this, more so disappointed, so I put my foot over this and said ‘love you’ instead. After that a runner went by and we made eye contact and smiled at each other.
I feel a lot better when I get a chance to be by myself in nature as I feel it recharged my batteries, which get drained from modern living (computers, desk job, car, society programming etc).
Much love,
Mitch
Hi Paul,
Great post. After highschool I went into an Art College for 3 years and it’s always amazing to see the amount of open-thinkers that attend a college filled with creativity. I believe wisdom and creativity are best friends and there is almost reclaiming of childlike wonder, enthusiasm and lust for life that comes from really expressing yourself through art. I guess you can only truly express yourself when you become connected with yourself. This is why majority of society outcasts art and artists, and instead they ‘worry about the next generation of iphone’ and give little care about the rest of the world and it’s destruction at the hands of the greedy and the hands that are strangling peoples health.
Hey Paul, quick question. I sent you a message through the ‘contact me’ so if you end up answering through that message thats ok. A part of the message I sent asked you if it is ok for me to do some High Intensity Weight Lifting whilst being on an anti-fungal diet to cleanse and heal my body? Would this be putting my body under to much stress? Your book ‘H.T.E.M.B.H.’ arrives on friday. Can’t wait!
Thanks Paul
Deary Aya,
Great to hear! It’s actually quite amazing once you experience how much personal growth can come from something as simple and fun as creating art. I’ve always been amazed at how much fear people have over simply “playing” with paper and color. In most cases, it is the judging mind that creates our own self-imposed limitations.
Many, for example, have thought that I was strange, odd, because I talk to plants and talk about such things as animal spirits and power animals. What most fail to realize is that the human genome has the “software” to communicate to pretty much every living organism contained in our biological history. It’s not the “modern human” that checks email and drives cars, but the paleo-human within, that is well built into our subconscious mind that does the communicating. Once one learns to use “the parts of themselves they’ve forgotten about”, it is as though the world grows wildly and to the degree that one realizes that they can indeed connect with most any aspect of nature and that She does listen and respond, one naturally begins to feel “safe” in the world again. Much of humanities pains and fears stem, paradoxically, from our becoming so technologically advanced that we feel our life is going to fall apart if our toaster quits or the battery in our phone goes dead…
To master the basics of life is, to know how to live “with the basics”. When we build so-called knowledge without the essential foundation afforded by the basic understandings of how nature actually works, we become smart people that forget how to live naturally. That equates to being smart people that live unnaturally; worried about the next generation of iphone without any concern that the rainforest is being cut down. Or being so smart that you don’t pay attention to the fact that the water levels are rising and native tribes have been sending warnings for years that their crops are failing and the mountain tops no longer have snow on them and their water resources are drying up due to “white mans” abuses of nature; what could they know, they are primitive people…
Any road to holism is a road to long-term well-being.
Much appreciation for your willingness to participate Aya!
Love and chi,
Paul Chek
Hi paul, what your drawing says to me is.. i am that,it brings up feelings of freedom, all knowing with a big heart. the eagle is the first expirience i had with animal spirits, more recently i got to know my serpent spirit, they have imparted to me strong visions, understaning and truth. more and more i feel shamanic healing is my life path,and when you write about animal spirits, nature, chi and healing it reminds me of what i know. The interaction with my animal spirits have helped me see the mystery and majesty of life all around us, heaven trully is hear on earth. (hard to understand when theres so much suffering)
I recently started painting after watching aviva gold(you prob know her) and its very uncanny that you have drawn the thunderbird, when it is so relevent to my life now, everything that i draw is revolving around eagles, serpents, shamans and the tree of life and your right, so much healing can take place with drawing and unbound play.
love aya