After I moved to Oregon from western Colorado and we were in the process of divorcing, this story came to me from my ex-husband, Tom, who speaks here of property in rural Western Colorado that we shared, and will both always love. We would sit on the back porch and watch the eagles mentioned soar over the valley, always in pair. Here is a story of sweet and profound healing in Tom's words:
"Background: in the fall of 2004 J. and Y. (Note from Beth: friends of ours who bought the property from us) found a 5-year old golden eagle male sitting on a large boulder just at the edge of the Leroux Creek canyon. He was sick with West Nile Virus and the dogs were barking at him. They called S. (who works with raptors) who came and got the ill bird and took him to the Ark Recovery Project where they nursed the bird back to full health.
There is a healing ritual among the Cochiti Pueblo Indians, located in New Mexico, where an ill individual, especially a child, releases an eagle to obtain a healing.
November 2004: A. a 16-year old Cochiti Pueblo boy who has leukemia, his mother, his brother, a medicine man from the tribe, S. and C., the lady from the Ark Recovery Project and some others including me, J. and Y. show up at the property to release the eagle from the rock where he was found. When the eagle came out of its crate, its mate appeared overhead. As we all walked from the parking lot to the edge of the canyon, the eagle never took his eyes off of A. As soon as A. released it and it began to fly, its mate was there (they mate for life). They, and two other eagles, soared overhead (for our benefit, or more likely out of sheer joy) for several minutes. I couldn't stop weeping.
In the pictures the medicine man is putting his offering of tobacco on the drum before he does the eagle chant. The last picture is difficult to see but the eagle is in the left center of the frame flying away. His wings and tail blend in with the juniper trees in the background. The beautiful hills across Leroux Creek are in the background.
The next installment of the story is that 6 months later, A. was doing well, and in remission from his leukemia."
From Beth:
I have told this story to many groups since Tom shared it with me in late 2004. I share it with Hospice volunteer training groups to talk about the mystery of healing; many hearts have been opened by this story. I continue to be moved by its power; the picture of the restored eagle flying awaywith the backdrop of the hills I lived with and will always love, brings tears to my eyes each time I look at it. My personal healing of the sorrow over the loss of the marriage and the land there continues due in no small part to connection through this ritual. My heart is full of gratitude as I write this for many things, most of all, that we-humans are much more a part of the web of all life than we usually are aware or can take in.
This story, like all good stories, connects and heals on many levels. Although I don't know any more info about what has transpired with the young man, A., my heart tells me that he, and his entire community, were made whole by the eagle-medicine, regardless of what happens to his body.
Beth P.
Host, Virtual Tea House
Beth Patterson
Tea Drinker and Vision-Seeker
www.virtualteahouse.com