I still remember well, the day my mother taught me the meaning of Eagle. She was a great teacher as well as a respected Medicine Woman. When she taught it came from her heart and she never talked over you and always looked directly into your eyes. She would place her hand on your shoulder and say, “Young one, sit her with me and I'll teach you something that was taught to me when I was your age”.
One day we were out on a nature walk and searching for plants in the forest, so she could make medicine for some that were in need of it in our village. We were walking in a large clearing high above the village on the mountain. We both looked up and watched the large Eagle that soared effortlessly in the sky above us. Its cry filled the early morning air and as I listened in awe of this truly magnificent creature, my mother told me the story of the Eagle.
Look mother, the Eagle has come to visit us and it watches over us from up there on high. I said. She could tell I was very excited and began to speak to me.
Yes young one, the Eagle is very sacred to our people; he is Creator's messenger. The Eagle carries our prayers to Creator and often he returns with visions and gifts for us. We use the Eagle's feathers for healing and cleansing for they hold great power within them. The eagle has great vision; he is very strong and his strength and great endurance is matched by none.
The Eagle lives in almost complete isolation and you can find their nest up very high and on the face of cliffs. They like the isolation out in the wild for this is how they propagate.
Eagle teaches us that our walk can only be ours and that like with all Creatures great and small we must face life that is before us on its terms. Eagle teaches us that we must be free to choose our own path and that we must also be respectful of others that have chosen to walk other paths. The great Eagle has excellent hearing and eye sight, so when Eagle comes to us it often awakens within us the ability to hear both psychically and spiritually.
The eagle and his mate work together to feed and tend their young ones and if we observe them carefully they teach us that all things must be shared as equals and that there's no one above another. The Eagles eyesight is many times clearer then ours. This teaches us that like the eagle, we to can help others that are going through dark and bothering times by looking at the whole picture and helping them to overcome the stumbling blocks they place in their way.
The Eagle soars effortlessly on the breathe of spirit and its powerful legs allow it to walk easily on land. This teaches us that as we move ahead both physically and spiritually that we must do so with balance. Eagle teaches us that as we rise to the heavens and beyond in our spiritual journey and awareness, that we must remain also well grounded in reality. Eagle teaches us to always strive to be the very best we can be as we evolve to greater heights both spiritually and physically.
Most of what my mother taught me at the time was or seemed way over my head. I found that as I begin to get older that I also understood the lessons she so lovingly took the time to teach me.
译文:
对我而言，鹰意味着什么
时至今日，那一天的情景，仍如在目前，而正是那一天，妈妈教会了我，鹰的意义是什么。妈妈是一个伟大的老师，也是个受人尊重的女医生。她教学的时候，那些话语完全出自于她的内心，她从来不会居高临下，总是凝视着对方的双眼。她会将手搭在你的肩头，说，“孩子，在我身边坐下，听我把当年，我象你这么大的时候学到的知识讲给你听。”
有一天，我和妈妈来到大自然中散步，寻找森林中的一些植物，妈妈要用这些植物做成草药，用于救治我们村里的病人。我们在一处宽阔的空地上漫步，这一处空地，位于我们村子上方的山上。我和妈妈一起抬头，看着高处天空中展翅高飞的雄鹰，它们自由翱翔。鹰的叫声穿透了清晨的宁静，我怀着敬畏聆听着，为这些如此壮观的动物而深感惊叹，这时，我妈妈给我讲了鹰的故事。
看呀妈妈，这只鹰来看我们了，它从高空中向我们俯视。我说。妈妈听出来我的兴奋之情，她开始给我讲起鹰的故事。
不错，孩子，对于我们生活在这里的人们而言，鹰是极其神圣的；他是造物主派来的使者。鹰把我们的祈祷传递给造物主，他也常常从造物主那里带给我们梦想和礼物。我们用鹰的羽毛来治疗疾病、清洁污秽，因为这些羽毛里蕴藏着强大的力量。鹰的视力非常敏锐；他的身体非常强壮，他有着无以伦比的力量，还有坚韧的耐力。
鹰的生活方式几乎是与世隔绝的，他们的巢建造在那些高处的悬崖的表面。他们喜欢独居在野外，也以这样的方式繁衍着后代。
从鹰的身上，我们学会，我们必须以自己的方式，来走我们自己的路，正如其他大大小小的生物一样，我们必须敢于面对展现在我们面前的生活道路。从鹰的身上，我们学会，我们必须要自由选择我们自己的道路，而我们也应该尊重那些选择了其他道路的人们。雄鹰的听觉和视觉都极为出色，因此，鹰接近我们的时候，总会唤醒我们去感受内心深处的能力，让我们既能在灵魂上，又能在精神上感知周围。
鹰和他的配偶一起喂养、照料他们的孩子们，如果我们留意观察的话，就会从他们身上学会，应当将所有的事物与他人彼此分享，因为人与人之间是平等的。鹰有着比我们的眼睛敏锐许多倍的视力。这一点也使我们学会，我们也可以同鹰一样，着眼于整个大局，从而帮助他人度过最黑暗和最困扰的时刻，帮助他们越过挡在他们前进的道路上的障碍。
鹰可以轻松地在空中飞翔，它有力的双腿，也使它能够在地上毫不费力地漫步。从这一点上，我们学会，当我们的身体和精神都一同向前进步的时候，我们必须要掌握这一过程中的平衡。从鹰的身上，我们学会，当我们追求精神上的享受的时候，我们也必须要在现实中脚踏实地生活。从鹰的身上，我们学会，事事努力做到最好，这样，我们就可以在精神上和身体上，得到极大的提升。
那时，妈妈教给我的许多事情，我都不能即刻理解。而，随着年龄的逐步增长，我也慢慢懂得了，可爱的妈妈总是抽出时间教给我的那些事情。