Message on the Fog

A story of great changes

It was very early morning. The day was a damp, wet, fifty degrees. A heavy fog had drifted in overnight and was nestled thick to the ground crawling and roaming between the trees. In the east you could just make out the glowing halo of the sun, a good sign the fog may break in an hour or so. But at the moment the best one could see was about thirty feet. It was dense and thick.

We were heading to town for a needed appointment. So we got an early start knowing this may take quite a while this morning. We reached the end of the driveway and turned onto the gravel country lane heading towards town. We could see only a car length or two past the truck hood. In a few feet we stopped. There was a shadow right in the middle of the road.

The shadow was dark and had vast wings reaching out a good half of the road width. The body was shorter so we slowly crept a little closer through the fog to see who it was. ... Finally we could make it out. It was a large bird. There in the center of the road with wings stretched out wide was a Turkey Vulture. He stood there staring right at us. He wasn't moving. Wings stretched wide as if to say Halt! Don't Pass. We sat there staring at him. He stared back.

Then very slowly he did a very deep bow towards us with wings still out wide. Like an usher greeting one at the door. When he completed his bow he lifted his head looking straight at us. He then slowly turned around facing away and began hopping down the center of the lane. His wings were still wide as he very slowly escorted us forward. We followed at his pace with the clutch half in creeping along. This certainly has meaning we thought. This isn't something one sees every day. We wondered what the Animal Spirit books might say on a Vulture, bowing at one in the middle of the road on a foggy day. But we doubted the books would have included such detail.

As we moved ahead we were startled as a dark shadow caught our eye on the left fence post at the side of the narrow road. Then another matching shadow appeared on the right side of us. There on each side of us seated on top of the fence posts were two Vultures. They sat motionless with wings stretched out wide. They watched us as we slowly crept past. That made three Vultures now. There has to be significance in this.

We continued to move forward at half a mile an hour following the Vulture hopping down the road. He never changed his stance. Each hop was a measured distance forwards with wings uplifted broad. Hop, Rest, Hop, Rest, he slowly ushered us forwards. The two side vultures just stared as they slowly were masked by the fog behind us. As we slowly made our way a few feet more ahead we again saw a shadow to the left and then another to the right. There were two more vultures equally watching us. Again wings outstretched just staring. That made five now. Four staring at us from the fog and one slowly leading us ahead.

As we came to the next two posts we were no longer surprised. We just stared silently ourselves, as we crept past two more vultures. This was beyond explanation. They just stared at us wings broad we sat silently now wondering what this was about. Seven we counted. This was like a parade with the Marshall symbolically leading us down the road. Wait... we were the parade!
We looked at each other speechless, and again at the vultures staring.

On the next two posts were two more shadowing through the fog. Same formal pose with wings broad. Looking at us unmoving as we slowly, silently, crept past. Then two more. Then again two more after that. ... We were now at five on each side of us. Ten Vultures formally holding wings high for us. Like saluting, honoring. We sat silent wondering. There were no words we could say now.

We continued slowly following the one in the road leading us ceremonially ahead. Then he abruptly stopped with a quick dip of the wings. We stopped silently wondering what came next. He very slowly turned himself around so he could stare right at us. He stood there as impressive as he could be with wings as broad as he could hold them. He stared right at us for a frozen moment, taking in the experience, making sure we were getting this. Then he slowly brought the wings forward and did a deep bow. As he stayed bowed he very slowly hopped backwards towards the side of the road. He was honoring us and moving out of the way ushering us to proceed. We slowly drove past as he watched at the edge of the road.

There were no more Vultures that morning. Eleven in all were there in the heavy chill of the fog. A planned ceremony waiting for us. Ten bordered the procession, as one guided us through down the path.

As we drove on to town we tried to process it all. Vultures are about cleansing what is no longer needed. They don't care how bad it is. They only care about cleansing. They fly effortlessly higher than Eagles. They can soar for hours without flapping, just riding the thermal breeze. To many they are honored equal to Eagles. There are some prophecies that talk of when the Eagle and the Condor will join together, to bring Peace. They will bring the people from the corners of the earth in strength and balance. Eleven is also significant. 11:11. It represents the New World. The old being cleansed as we step forward into a new age of earth, or a new earth altogether. The message of this day slowly formed.

Many times that summer on my journeys I would see a field of Vultures. I would now stop whenever I saw them to wave and honor them. As I counted each group always had eleven Vultures. They reinforced the message over and over across the land.

One day I had parked and was entering a restraint. Vultures saw and came in flying low right over me. I stopped and bowed deeply as I remembered. I looked at counted ten. Ten? Did I miscount. I kept watching as they circled. There were ten. Then I distinctly, very clearly heard...

"There are Eleven. YOU are the eleventh."

Yes, We all count on this journey.
Great Spirit, God, shines through all of us, every one of his creatures.
Even Vultures carry the words. ... All is Changing.
Have Faith and Know.
And thank all of the spirits in so many forms that walk and fly with us on this journey.