Feathers mean a lot right from travel to the spiritual and it has myriad of meanings. Seeing feathers on our path is often considered a message from loved ones or having a connection from the other side of life. Feathers are undoubtedly a product of the birds and are inseparable from the bird.
They take up an avian kind of meaning and there is a symbolic meaning attached to the birds as they represent freedom and inspiration. It also symbolizes travel and not only travel but with mind and spirit.
Many different areas have associated different meanings with feathers for example the Iroquois used feathers to give thanks to the bounty and organize a ceremony called the Great Feather dance and are seen everywhere during the dance.
The Iroquois don this as robes and weave them in their hair and tie them to the animals also as an act of gratitude and was considered a process of reverence and honors the great gods and goddesses.
The triple goddesses were known as Deohako and were derived from the staples of the tribes like the Corn, Beas, and the Squash.
What do feathers symbolize?
One very common question that a lot of people ask is “what does feathers symbolize” and they have different meanings in different areas and for different people. Generally, feathers are considered symbols of thanks and appreciation.
In some areas, these are also considered symbols of fertility as in the Iroquois and many other tribes. The attachment of feathers to the animals, plants, oneself is considered a ceremonial action that promotes the growth and abundance of the person it is attached to.
It is easy to understand the connection behind it as birds fly in the air and are connected to heaven and similarly, feathers belong to birds which indirectly means they consort the gods/goddesses.
It is considered that feathers have the power to communicate the messages directly to the audience and waving feathers is considered ritually a way of whooshing wishes to the celestial energies.
It is a mutual connection and works both ways where many cultures use feathers to lift the motivation of individuals and sending prayers to the gods of heaven.
Meanings of finding feathers
Finding feathers and pennies on our path is considered to be a message from the dearly departed souls. Most people believe that it is a sign from heaven from a loved one who has passed away and this makes it a very uplifting thought.
Therefore, feathers are a symbol of heaven and have been released from the burdens of the world. Since our loved ones cannot always stay with us together, feathers are a symbol of the soul of the passed ones who are no longer bounded by the earth and its gravity and are free to ascend in any direction.
They represent a lot of different things to a lot of different people and there are a few overreaching concepts that describe the symbolic meaning of the feathers. WHAT DO THE FEATHERS SYMBOLIZE .There are a lot of possible meanings of finding feathers in our path which are-
1. If the feathers are a good communication tool for sending and getting messages from the gods, then their appearance is the reminder of a bigger voice or something higher in power.
2. They are also considered as a symbol of the loved ones who want to reach out to us. This can be a loved one who has passed into a non-physical state and is a reminder of being loved by an infinite number of people.
3. The feathers are also a reminder to count our blessings and be thankful for all the good and bad things going on in our lives.
4. These are a symbol of levity and they remind us to ease up all the seriousness and it is important to take a breath, relax and enjoy.
What does a feather symbolize in Native American culture?
Every member of any particular tribe represents different feathers in different ways either from the wings/tails and has a different meaning of energy and symbolic meaning. Different feathers were used for different purposes in the American culture like healing, cleansing, blessing, or awakening.
The feathers were awarded by Lakota Sioux to the members of the tribe when they earned them and also use to rain or for the success of the process of catching and hunting fish.
It is believed that the feathers protect the homes and help in curing the sick. They are also used in love songs, the lullabies and are also used in corn grinding and social dancing. The American tribal members used to wear the feathers when they wanted to overcome their limitations and fears and used to purify them before.
It was believed that the negative features of the feather do not pass to the recipient if it was purified and is a blessed gift. The down feathers also had a special meaning to the Native Americans and were a bridge between the Spirit world and the mother earth.
They were considered sacred and were considered a blessing. The quill of the feather represents balance in the culture and whenever a person is experiencing mental anguish many ceremonies were conducted to restore the balance.
What does a feather do?
Every different feather on a bird’s body is very finely tuned and has an important role in all the activities that the bird performs. It allows the birds to fly and help them to show odd, stay warm, blend in and keep them dry.
They are evolved in certain species of birds as airfoil that helps in an efficient flight. In the case of the other birds, they evolve in extreme shapes and give an ornate display. The primary function of a feather in the case of the birds is to help in-flight and permitting the bird to go into the skies.
In the case of humans, the feather has certain emotional aspects attached to it, the beliefs, the attributes but physically does not have a task that it helps the humans to perform.
Different types of feathers and meanings
Feathers are available in different colors and different sizes. All the different feathers have different meanings associated with them. The detailed meaning of different feathers is given below-
1. White feather
One of the most common feathers that most of us find in our paths is a white feather which makes people ask questions like “what do white feathers symbolize?”.
A white feather can be a gift from the angels who might be letting the recipient know that they support you to give a little reminder and take better care of yourself. It is also considered as a message of hope and comfort from different people and it helps them to reassure them that everything will turn out to be okay in the end.
If the user has lost someone who they love then it can also be considered as a message to let the people know that they have come into a spiritual realm and are watching over the recipient for their protection. This can be the case if someone thinks of the recipient at a particular time.
2. Pink feather
Pink has always been considered a color of unconditional love and if it crossed the path then it is believed that the angels are informing the person that they love and support the recipient forever.
This is a sign of love and has the power to overcome all the problems and wounds and help one to pass through some of the toughest times of their lives. It is a reminder of love rather than criticism, judgment and can be an answer to all the problems.
3. Red feather
The red color is a symbol of vitality, life force, physical energy, passion, strength, and courage and if a person is encountered with a red feather then it informs the recipient that they are becoming stronger and regaining their strength.
If one is in the middle of the project and is wondering if they went about in the wrong direction then red is considered a confirmation of the choice and is the sign of courage and passion.
4. Orange Feather
Though it is not very common, it is possible that one may stumble across an orange feather which symbolizes creativity, balance, intuition, expression of emotions, and harmony.
It allows the recipient to allow them to follow a creative endeavor and it encourages a person. This informs the recipient to follow their emotions and be spontaneous in their loves to have fun.
5. Yellow feather
Another very controversial feather is the yellow-colored feather and a lot of people do not have any idea about what does a yellow feather symbolize. It is the color of the sun and gives a person hope, confidence, optimism, and a feel-good feeling. A yellow feather is considered to be a reminder to stay fun, light-hearted, and to be positive in every situation of life and accept the fact that you are enough.
6. Green feather
Since green is the color of prosperity, abundance, and good fortune it gives the recipient a message to be encouraged and to move forward with the plans they have made. It is a color of peace and harmony and is a daily reminder of calming down the mind and body; it encourages the recipient to spend more time with nature and calming the person down.
7. Blue feather
A blue feather is considered to be a reminder of the need to communicate clearly and to listen to the people around you with love and trust. It has calming and peaceful energy associated with it and encourages the person to find deep truths within them.
8. Grey feather
Gray is the color of being neutral and is a sign that not everything in the world is black and white but there is something in the middle of it and has different viewpoints.
A grey feather is a reminder to take a step back and rethink a situation clearly when the recipient is unable to find the answer. It helps to read in between the lines and think about the middle ways to solve a problem.
Many other colored feathers can be found in our paths like the brown feather, the black feather, and the multicolored feather. All of these have the same characteristics associated with them as their color. For instance, the brown feather suggests that the time of happiness is coming fast and it won’t be easy.
The recipient might have to go through many hardships before the success but they will see the light at the end of the tunnel soon. The black and white feather represents hope and balance. It makes the recipient think that all is not lost and a huge change may be on the way. Something might be stopping one on their wat bur it is up to them to let it go and change their perspective on the situation.
What do feathers symbolize in tattoos?
A feather tattoo symbolizes the lightness of the air, the spirituality, and the ascent of the person to heaven. It denotes supernatural divination and they mean different things based on the different colors.
The Egyptian goddesses Ma’ used to wear a single feather in her headdress and single weather used to weigh against the heart of the deceased. It symbolizes the people who wished to cross over and gain entrance to the afterlife.
The feather tattoos represent the crossing over or going to heaven and are made in the memory of a loving one. These tattoos represent the motifs like the peacock feather and symbolize dance, rain, pride, and magnificence. WHAT DO THE FEATHERS SYMBOLIZE A peacock dances in rain and the feather represents fertility, greenery, and even the unique beauty of a person.
The red feather tattoos are sought in different cultures like the Polynesian and were reserved for royalty. It symbolizes status and high-rank and a white feather of the heron bird symbolically gives a woman who rose above everyone else and helped to achieve her goals.
In most mythologies, the feathers are associated with the purity of the heart and soul and for the native Americans it is a powerful symbol and it connects them to the spirits of the birds. Feathers hold a symbolic meaning since they belong to birds who are one of the most beautiful living creatures and in terms of tattoo design also remains one of the most popular.
A feather tattoo is a good blend with other tattoos and looks pretty on the arm and the color combination and the color combination brings out an attractive look. They symbolize different characters found in the birds including truth, courage, bravery, travel, freedom, and more and some of the cultures and civilizations view feather messages from the spirit world.
The tattoo is ideal for both men and women when it is made on the visible areas of the body. The feather tattoo holds significance in terms of spiritual protection and the dream catcher which is a widely known symbol and has a feather attached to it below lets the bad dreams vessel away.
It is a very beautifully designed tattoo and looks elegant in the place and is suitable for women. The color that is used to make it visible and brightens the places it’s worn.
They also symbolize good dreams and it targets to appeal to the beliefs of the people. The people who live and believe in magic wear a tattoo from a bird that demonstrated their character and sacredness.
What do feathers represent spiritually?
The features of the feathers are a powerful symbol of hope and spiritual growth and are a direct communication from the higher heavenly realms. Spiritually also every feather has a different meaning depending on its color-
1. Black feathers- The feathers are sent as a warning to watch over the business ventures that are associated with the recipient and their friends. The senses should be kept open all the time and they need to protect themselves because of the ongoing growth and development.
Watch around carefully for the people who might try to bring you down and it is a warning for all the negativity around and the advice is to clean the house including all the people who are not good for the recipient spiritually.
2. Yellow feathers- These signs that it is time to be happy again and work for prosperity; it is about spreading the joy within and focusing on all the positive things around.
3. White feathers- These signify that the angels are watching over and finding it means that they are being protected. They have a higher purpose in life and it needs to be fulfilled and stop making excuses and live the dream. It is also a color of purification and having hope and faith.
The higher realms are always looking over the recipient and it is a message from the loved ones from the other side that they are fine.
4. Red feathers- The color red is always about passion and living life passionately. It signifies security and purpose in life which can be felt deeply within the soul. One needs to stand with courage, strength, passion, and power.
5. Brown feathers- One needs to find more ground and stability in their life and should be attracted to the recipient. They should long for your friendship and give priority to a high in their life.
6. Green feathers- This means health, success, money, and healing. It is very exciting as it tells about what higher dreams the recipient needs to be aware of and a new surprise/job that awaits them.
What does a feather necklace symbolize?
Feathers in fashion have been an important part of history for centuries which has been very obvious as many different cultures have been associating different meanings with feathers.
Some have been thinking of it as a connection to the sky, birds, heavens, angels, freedom, and truth. In Egyptian mythology, an ostrich feather was associated with Ma’at which is a symbol of truth and justice.
For people wearing a feathered necklace, it gives them a sense of peace and connection to the spiritual realms. The pendants remind them of the angel friends and a tin of earrings that were made featuring all the wing and feather charms.
There are many different interpretations of the symbolic meaning of feathers and some people believe that it represents truth, speed, lightness, and protection. If one dreams about feathers and their ability then one can move freely in their life and if they dream about a white feather then it indicates a fresh start and innocence.
White feathers appearing out of nowhere
One of the most common signs of the white feathers is the spiritual realm associated with them and the belief that they are considered a powerful sign in the universe. If white feathers should up during a path then, one should pay attention to the message that they are giving.
The spiritual meaning of a white feather in life is done when the desires are requested and answered. These feathers show up after a period of disappointment and grief and they are a way to encourage and informing about the universal flow of energy.
What bird has white and black feathers?
A grackle is a bird that has yellow eyes and two broad tail feathers which are black and white. They usually move around in a flock. The black and white feather may be toned, mottled, barred, or spotted and it may have a dark or a pale tip.
What does the feather symbolize in forest gump?
The starting scene of the movie Forest Gump is a white feather floating about in the breeze and landing next to the tennis-shoe clad of the main protagonist while he is sitting with a box of chocolates in his lap. The feather is used as a metaphor for life along with the box of chocolates and it can be blown away randomly by the wind.
Thus, feathers have been symbolic and have meaning both in real life and in the movies. Stumbling across a feather is one of the most common phenomena of our daily lives and understanding the meaning of different kinds of feathers is very important and interesting.
