The red-tailed hawk, a magnificent bird, boasts up to a 4.8-foot wingspan and a height of 26 inches. The great bird has a maximum diving speed of 120 miles per hour. They are a monogamous species that mate for life and work together as a family unit. The female is much larger than the male.
Our home in Tucson is located next to a wash where small rodents, snakes, and birds reside along with the ever-present danger provided by the red-tailed hawk. A few days ago, in overcast skies, a red-tailed hawk swooped out of the fog and landed with grace in our backyard tree not ten feet from where I sat reading. I was mesmerized by her power and beauty. A short while later she spread her wings, lifted her body from the branch revealing a red tail, and flew into the wash where breakfast was innocently waiting.
The next day the hawk returned and once again rested in the tree branch above where I sat relaxing. This day, I saw the hawk in an entirely different light. I remembered that over the centuries many Native American traditions have viewed this bird as a personal guide. The guidance was different for different people, depending on their situation and the context in which the hawk was encountered. For me, the hawk’s sound cleared my mind causing my thoughts to focus as the bird’s calm strength guided my thoughts.
Such mind clearing is one of the major messages of the bird throughout time. Its voice has a high-pitched extended sound that draws attention to it. (You can listen to it by asking your phone to “make the sound of a red-tailed hawk.”) The sharpness of the sound clears away the busy unimportant thoughts that seem to accompany me more and more lately.
In addition to bringing clarity, the magnificent hawk is a symbol of power, courage, and strength in Native American tradition. Cherokee tradition sees the red-tailed hawk as a “protector spirit” bringing both power and love. The hawk is considered sacred.
What does this all mean in my 21st century world as I sit in my backyard in an Adirondack chair from North Carolina, sipping Columbian coffee, and reading words that appear out of nowhere on my Kindle? Obviously, non-physical consciousness is required to receive the messages around me and give them meaning, or no meaning. Openness to the physical world is also essential to receive the message the red-tailed hawk brings this morning. I am in the presence of a great bird, and perhaps more.
Is the hawk more than a big bird ready to attack the first mouse that happens by? Is there more to the hawk than just its splendid physicality? Can I interpret its arrival in ways that go beyond physical presence? Is the mythology of the hawk relevant in our materialistic world that is so far removed from traditions of the past?
I hear the cry of the hawk’s high note, watch the strong wings extend out, feel the air move, marvel as she leaves the tree revealing again her bright red tail, and swoops down on the unsuspecting rodent. I am moved physically, mentally, and emotionally. My mind clears. My spirit sores. Is this the experience others have had over the centuries? Is there, in this moment, an unspoken gift from the red-tailed hawk, or just a materialistic response to visual observation and sound vibration? Such questions we all answer in our own way.
The great bird leaves a feather behind. The feather, a symbol of positive energy and regeneration.
I reach down, pick up the feather, and caress it gently. For many Native American tribes, the feather has a spiritual meaning. For example, some believe finding a feather meant the universe was telling them to pay attention to their dreams and follow them wherever they may lead. Such feathers were very positive, leading the finder to happiness, love, and success.
Robert Jahn (1930-2017) was a plasma physicist, professor of Aerospace Science and Dean of Engineering at Princeton University. Jahn was a member of the NASA Space Science and Technology Advisory Committee, vice president of the Society for Scientific Exploration, and Chairman of the Board of the International Consciousness Research Laboratories consortium. He was an aerospace engineer for forty years whose main area of research was advanced aerospace propulsion systems, that is, basic hard-core rocket science. I share part of his background with you to give authority to the following that he shared with all of us:
“The mental world and the physical world are not two separate things, as Rene Descartes proposed several hundred years ago…. They are intertwined…two different ways of looking at reality, and they are each legitimate.” (Consciousness, interview by Eva Herr)
With a simple shift in perception, we can see the sacred in everyday life. The great hawk, a gift beyond words, more than a physical entity. For me, this morning, the red-tailed hawk is sacred.
cry of the hawk
long after
it has disappeared
by Kat Avila
I take the feather inside and place it on the end table next to my bed.
Written by: Hartzell Cobbs
Hartzell Cobbs is the retired CEO of Mountain States Group (now Jannus, Inc.), a diverse nonprofit human service organization.
Now Available: THE MOON at the WINDOW
***All royalties from “The Moon at the Window” go to support the work of Smart Strategies for Successful Living.
About the Author: With a sprinkling of exuberance and vitality, Dr. Cobbs is an accomplished author of three books and numerous articles published in different venues throughout his life. Dr. Cobbs’ first book, Thanatos and the Sage: A spiritual approach to Aging (2008), offers a thought-provoking interpretation of the interplay between how to live life with meaningful intentions and the eventuality of coming to terms with death. His second book, Ravenwind (2019) delves into the raven’s role as it relates to Native American myths, legends, and folktales and global history. His reflections on the spirituality of living and dying depicted in his books are threaded throughout the short essays posted on the website for “Smart Strategies for Successful Living” and in his latest book, The Moon at the Window.
Smart Strategies for Successful Living provides an international format for writers to share research, thoughts, and experiences on aging well. One of our writers, Hartzell Cobbs, has compiled and edited articles from the past four years and put them in book form. “The book reveals the thoughts and emotions old age has dealt me” says Hartzell. “I have been surprised by how many aging people have similar experiences to my own.” The book has its genesis in Calcutta (now Kolkata), India, and concludes with reflections in the silence of the Arizona desert.
For additional information: CLICK HERE.
On behalf of Smart Strategies for Successful Living, a special thanks goes to Hartzell Cobbs for his brilliant works as a guest writer and for donating the book royalties from “The Moon at the Window” to us. We greatly treasure his talents and generous support of our website.
