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“For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly…like those among Men who live by Sharping & Robbing he is generally poor and often very lousy. Besides he is a rank Coward: The little King Bird not bigger than a Sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the District. He is therefore by no means a proper Emblem for the brave and honest Cincinnati of America who have driven all the King birds from our Country . . .I am on this account not displeased that the Figure is not known as a Bald Eagle, but looks more like a Turkey. For the Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America . . . He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on.”
When Ben Franklin wrote this passage in a letter to his daughter he was remarking on a six long year debate as what bird would be our nation's symbol. He was also certainly tapping into something archetypal about the future of our country. The turkey is a native bird to America and in various tribes is known as the Earth, Night, Give-away, South and Peace Eagle. In Hopi cosmology, Turkey was the first bird to raise the sun in the sky and thus burning his head. In other legends, turkey was known to share knowledge with humans in how to raise corn and fight off evil spirits. Turkey outsmarted Owl and challenged Eagle in combat.
According to Ted Andrews in his book Animal Speak, the turkey’s cycle of power is in autumn and represents shared blessings and harvest. The fact that they can live upwards of 12 years reflects the 12 month cycle of continuous abundance and honoring of Mother Earth. The male is known to keep several hen companions and sometimes the females will put their eggs in one common nest, another symbol of shared abundance. In male turkeys there is also a fleshy antenna like growth near the forehead, representing 6th chakra energy often called the Third Eye. This is the chakra of dreams and clear vision and if you dream of a turkey you are certainly accessing this power. Here are some dreams and waking visions of this noble bird
I am in my car and then suddenly I see a large male turkey (about four feet tall!) with beautifully colorful feathers crossing the road. Then a smaller hen…another and then another! Five turkeys in all. I watched in joy and wonderment as they crossed my path and went out of sight into the woods.
This dream is a powerful reminder of the abundance in one’s life. The male turkey with his hens is a beautiful symbol of shared blessing literally crossing the dreamer’s path! The joy and wonderment is an excellent indication of integrating both male and female energies and enjoying the harvest of one’s integrity, courage and creative vision brought to earth (grounded). Five is also a number of sensuality, creativity, physicality and humanity.
I'm on a beach and we're going to have a cookout. We're preparing the turkey on an open flame. The turkey has a male human head. It strikes me as odd, but not too odd. We pile wood on him and now it's time to get the fire going. Things turn cartoon-like. A strange bag contraption is supposed to squeeze oil through a long tube and then water is also going to be used. I watch as the oil and water compete for which one will get there first -- little cartoon beings are working the machine. It goes in comically slow motion. Then the fire finally starts…
In this dream excerpt, the turkey with male human head in the fire at a cookout would be a clear symbol of 6th chakra energy (higher vision) being alchemically cooked, transformed and channeled into creative action. There is opposite tensions here at play to enhance this energy: Oil and water competing…two polar belief systems that need to sit a while (cook) in order to create a third new way (system). This is ‘odd but not too odd’ would suggest this process is a bit uncomfortable perhaps even ‘comically slow’ for the dreamer but not rushing or forcing the situation is necessary…there are beings at work and the fire does finally start.
This Thanksgiving holiday why not embrace and honor this wild bird who was once endangered: A warning that there is no such thing as ‘everlasting’ natural resources. Could you imagine life without the turkey? And what if Ben Franklin won the debate and the turkey was our national symbol? Perhaps we Americans would access these noble qualities of gratitude, integrity, courage, shared blessings and most of all higher visioning all year long instead of just the third Thursday in November. Happy Thanksgiving.
For more info: Animal Dream Series
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