80. ~ Vulture ~

Vultures are relatives of eagle, hawks and falcons. The turkey vulture has a small bald-red-head. It has large legs and feet. The middle toe is very long. Their wings are long and their wingspan is great. Vultures are capable of soaring to great heights. Their plumage is very dense. They do not kill their own food. They feed on prey that is already dead. They sit and watch the approach of death while anticipating their next dinner. These large birds are able to perform elaborate aerial acrobatics. They often fly in groups. To some people they are called 'peace eagles'. Vultures can see eight times better than humans. Their unique digestive system is a thousand times higher in resistance to botulism. They will make a hiss noise by forcing air through their bill, abut they do not have a true voice of their own. The turkey vulture or buzzard has a long tail. They are graceful when in flight. They will dry out their wings in the sunlight by spreading and stretching them out wide. They especially prefer to do this in the morning sunlight. When a vulture soars, they do so for hours without ever having to flap their wings. They are one with the wind. They are Earth Mothers's greatest housekeepers, and they're very good at it. Vultures do not display the bold courage of eagles and falcons.

Medicine:

There may be an important three month journey ahead for you. It may be a physical, spiritual, mental or emotional one. Vultures also tell us that sacrifice and suffering are a natural part of life, but that it is always only a temporary condition. Vulture medicine teaches you can stomach much more during tough times than you believe is possible. They teach us to keep our spirits up. They tell us our time is soon to come, but for now we must be one with the winds of change for a while longer. Vulture medicine teaches us to use our sense of smell, eye sight and our body language to communicate with. Vultures teach us that actions can and do speak louder than words. The message of the vulture is to make the best we can out of a bad situation. It also teaches you may be or go into a career that most people could not tolerate.