Three Feathers: Gifts of the Winged Ones

While Peru gifted us with sacred landscapes, ceremonies, and encounters beyond words—we, too, arrived bearing gifts. And many of those gifts had feathers.

Before setting foot in the Andes, most of us had already been visited. Bald Eagles and their young eaglets appeared in our lives in ways that felt intentional. For me, the connection began on July 4th—Independence Day in the U.S.—and continued until my departure. I watched two young eagles perch beside their mother, growing strong enough to fledge, forage, and fly into their own freedom. Their presence felt like a quiet transmission of strength and readiness.

Other Starseeds had eagle nests nearby. Through quiet honoring, they found themselves interacting with these majestic birds—some even had eagles land on their rooftops. Where eagles were absent, other messengers arrived. One traveler spotted a rare pair of black hawks nesting near her Sedona backyard—one of only four known pairs in Arizona. She offered owl feathers to our group and to Mama María Apaza, a gesture of reverence and connection.

Birds continued to show up in unexpected ways. One participant witnessed the arrival of a feathered being. When she calmly shared the experience, it felt ancient—offering a timeless connection that defied explanation.

Throughout our journey, the presence of the bird tribes was unmistakable. A hummingbird hovered behind our transport van, feeding on wildflowers as if blessing our path. In Aguas Calientes, we watched songbirds feed their young on live wires strung high above the rushing waters below. These quiet sightings felt like threads in a larger tapestry.

And then, during ceremony, the sky opened. More than twenty Cara Cara falcons—Mexican Eagles—spiraled above us. It was Mama Doña María Apaza who noticed first. She walked over, gently gathered our attention, and pointed upward. We looked. And there they were—circling in silence, bearing witness.

Gifts from the Heart

Among the offerings to Mama Apaza and her family, one Starseed presented three feathers: Eagle, Hawk, and Vulture—a local trifecta gathered through personal encounters. Alongside the feathers was a hand-painted card and photos of each bird who had gifted them. The Apaza community responded with audible delight—“Oooohs” rippling through the circle.

Other gifts included owl feathers, crystals, and items carried from the heart. These were not just tokens—they were transmissions. Each one carried a story, a prayer, a piece of the journey.

Prophecy in Stone

There’s a prophecy shared across the Americas: when the Eagle of the North and the Condor of the South fly together, the Earth will begin to heal. To me, it’s a living reminder that paths can converge, and with that convergence comes the opportunity to share the wings of responsibility.

But like any meaningful journey, the story didn’t end with a flight back toward North America. Many of us continued to encounter and build a slow, steady path—one that honors the Earth and the world we hope to co-create, both individually and collectively.

It begins with us: choosing peace amid external chaos, gathering in community with like-minded souls, and embracing integration. In our region, that meant deepening our understanding of birds of prey and continuing to support the raptor community financially.

They may be small steps—or sometimes bold leaps—but together, they’re making our choices and our impact visible.

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“You were born with wings, why prefer to crawl through life?” — Rumi