A Sign from George Washington at Mount Vernon?

[betwixtworlds]

My Mount Vernon Experience

I stood on the bank overlooking the Potomac, with Mount Vernon behind me, and I thought it would be a good time to ask George Washington for advice. I wasn’t sure where the soul of George resided these days, but I thought I’d ask and see if I could get an answer.

As I’m very troubled about the future of our country. I asked what we can do, or what are we supposed to do to save it?

Soaring over the river, I saw a large bird, most probably a Red Tailed Hawk. It was followed by three smaller birds. The smaller birds might have been hawks, too. As the larger bird moved up or down, the three smaller birds followed it. I could not tell if they were chasing the bird out of their territory or if they were the larger bird’s children and following along. I also don’t know how large juvenile hawks are in October. The smaller birds were not hostile. It was not anything like crows mobbing a larger bird.

Eventually, the larger bird veered towards the southwest while the smaller birds veered towards the southeast.

My intuition says I should pay attention to this, but I’ve thought about it for a week now with no answer. If anyone has an idea to the meaning, please let me know in the comments.

Comments

[jprussell]

Huh, fascinating! Too bad it wasn't a bald eagle to really hit you over the head with "this is a sign! Pay attention!"

That being said, yeah, the juxtaposition of the location, your question, and this remarkable sight sounds like you were getting some kind of message. I wish I had a more "ah-hah!" insight to offer, but instead I just have some vague notions. Whatever you think of what I or others might say, I think you couldn't go wrong to meditate on it and/or pray to whichever God(s) you worship for steering.

As for my impressions, well, I generally see hawks/falcons as fairly favorable signs, in part because they are especially holy to Frige (Freyja). We only get them seasonally here in Houston (on their way to and from southern migration destinations), so I tend to get gluts of sightings in the spring and fall, and very rarely otherwise. Actually, just this morning, as I was driving to work, one flew in just in front of and above me from the east, continued a bit along the southbound road I was on, and then veered off west. I've been trying to work out what that was about all day.

Anyhow, the presence of the other birds is also interesting, but puzzling. If they were obviously hostile, like mockingbirds dive-bombing the hawk to drive it off, that would imply that whatever the hawk represents was beset by enemies, but peaceful following, and then separation doesn't really give me that feeling. The first thought that popped into my mind was a focus on the separation - some three smaller, weaker entities have been following the lead of whatever the hawk represents, but will soon be going their own way. Given the context of your question, that's not entirely reassuring, especially if the hawk represents "America." On the other hand, as I typed those words, the political usage of "hawk" for "pro-war" came to mind, and so a more positive interpretation than, say, the upcoming breakup of the US, might be the departure of former supporters from the pro-war camp. Whatever the case, what the three lesser/subordinate entities might be is a tough question.

Lastly, I'd say that it's entirely possible the omen was more personal to you - maybe it was an answer about what you should do, which may or may not have an obvious wider impact - is there some figure, ideal, or goal that you have followed that should be let go? Are there three "things" of some kind in your life that are currently subordinated to something else, and perhaps should not be?

I'm sorry all of this is so vague and I don't have more to offer, but I hope it spurs some helpful thoughts, and if you do work it out, I'm interested to hear what you come up with!

Jeff

[betwixtworlds]

Thank you Jeff! These are wonderful ideas to contemplate. I didn't think of it as a personal omen, and that might be the case. "War Hawks" is another intriguing possibility. I appreciate the insights.

[randomactsofkarmasc]

In college, I learned about hawks having incredible eyesight... my professor joked that if hawks could read, they could read a newspaper from 70 feet away. And they can see more of the spectrum than we can. So my initial reaction is that the hawk is far-seeing (or perhaps fore-seeing).

I researched juvenile hawks... apparently hawks reach maturity in 2-3 years. As juveniles, they explore new territory, but the article was unclear if they completely leave their parents or not. (https://theworldsrarestbirds.com/how-long-do-hawks-live/). The idea of the three smaller birds being offspring of the larger bird is appealing and, since they weren't hostile, seems plausible. (We have lots of hawks around here. Families do tend to hang out as they soar, sometimes "tailing" each other, sometimes finding other thermals, and then meeting back up.)

They both veered South, which is Fire and Summer. The smaller/younger birds toward the East (Air and Spring); the older birds toward the West (Water and Autumn). (Younger going toward Spring and older going toward Autumn seems appropriate.)

Now, why hawks and not eagles? Eagles represent Zeus; hawks represent Apollo. (Buzzard hawks specifically represent Artemis.) Hawks were also considered Solar by the Egyptians. I have in my notes that Egyptians consider hawks as representing the Supreme God, in which were united the three great attributes of creation, preservation, and destruction. (It would take me a while to figure out the citation, but I promise I read it somewhere good.) Hawks also symbolized Horus (though usually he was a falcon) (still a raptor).

So the big hawk is a Unity, with a Trinity (creation, preservation, and destruction)...

Then something else to consider: George Washington was a Freemason and you just leveled up, correct? I looked up Masonic symbolism (https://masonicfind.com/masonic-symbols#Two-Headed_Eagle); eagle represents Sulfur in alchemy (which is Fire) and represents "the reconciliation between matter and spirit". This could apply to your personal journey or it could apply to the country.

I'm thinking George Washington intended it as guidance for your personal journey. I think any of us would automatically assume an eagle meant America. A hawk is close enough to share some symbolism, but different enough to make us stop and think. And your hawk (Fire) is turning West (Water). Water (to me) is Spirit. (And Fire is Soul.) Perhaps you are heading toward an alchemical initiation. Or marriage. (I cannot be a Mason this incarnation, so I really don't know much about the Masonic path. But maybe this fits in there somehow.)

If George is referring to our country, it gives me hope. We will have a changing of the guard, so to speak (the eagle giving way to the hawk, the father giving way to the son). Creation, preservation, and destruction are still together, so our future is not writ in stone yet.

[betwixtworlds]

Thanks, Random! I didn't know it took 2-3 years for juvenile hawks to mature. It makes me think that those three smaller ones were children. The three smaller ones could very well be the birth of a new cycle. Perhaps another Fourth Turning.

The alchemical references could be something George might have thought about in his time. As the four elements are represented here -- the hawk is soaring in the air and I am gazing from the earth -- that is symbolism to ponder.

Like I also mentioned to Jeff, I had not considered this to be a personal omen and perhaps George could be telling me how to act as a Mason and how to conduct my life through these times.

I appreciate your insights!