The big round birds that most people picture when they think of turkeys are descended from domestic birds that were originally from Mexico and were symbols of gratitude and abundance long before the American Thanksgiving holiday. Known as Give-Away Eagle in some Native American cultures and Peace Eagle in others, the turkey speaks to the willingness to share or give up just about everything so that others do not go without. They remind us to be grateful for the bounty in our lives and never to take abundance for granted. They also remind us that it is vital to maintain a harmonious relationship with the land and environment.
Key Attributes
Abundance, fertility, gratitude, generosity, sacrifice, and pride.
Chakra Interpretations
Root
Wild turkeys live in forested areas interspersed with clearings. They tend to stay in mostly single-sex flocks, with poults staying with their mothers, that range in size from five to fifty individuals in an area that can be over a thousand acres, and they learn and remember exact details of every inch. You may be most comfortable living in a wooded setting or at the very least in a place where you are rarely alone. For you to feel safe, this may not need to be in the woods, but it does need to be somewhere you can blend in to your environment. It is possible that you don’t live in a traditional family structure but with friends or relatives of your same gender. The Give-Away Eagle aspect says you are the kind of person who takes nothing for granted, that you are grateful for all that you have and are willing to share even if you have very little yourself.
Sacral
Turkey shows that what brings you pleasure is understanding the connection of your existence to your natural and social environment and that you feel a personal responsibility to it. You might be an avid environmentalist and the earth and her creatures are your passion. It could be that you work in the environmental sciences professionally or are the one who starts a recycling plan in your neighborhood, school, or workplace. Another possible passion for you is gifting. If you see or know of someone in need, you will go out of your way to help them.
Solar Plexus
Despite their size, turkeys can run and fly very fast, albeit for short distances. One interpretation of this is to not let other people assume you aren’t capable of being quick on your feet. Female turkeys have brown feathers that help them blend into their environment, and it is usually only the rustling of leaves that gives their presence away. Does your feminine aspect only feel safe and happy when you are invisible? An aspect of the male turkey speaks to his tendency to show off. Like peacocks, male turkeys will puff up their bodies and spread their elaborate feathers to attract a mate. It doesn’t matter if you are competing for love or a job—make sure you aren’t puffing yourself up to be bigger or more important than you are so the lie doesn’t come back to haunt you later. On the other side of this, it might be time for you to show off a little so people take notice of you.
Heart
Turkeys are very social, and the emotional ties they create are long-lasting. It is likely that you have a close relationship with a group of friends that you have known for a very long time. There are several additional possibilities at play here. Most likely, you prefer the company of your same gender and aren’t drawn to monogamous relationships. If you identify with mostly the male aspect of yourself, you probably don’t feel any draw toward parental duties, but if you identify with your feminine side, you are a natural mother and prefer the company of other women. As mentioned, turkey energy is giving, and it undoubtedly brings your heart great satisfaction to be providing for others.
Throat
The turkey has an area of bare skin covering its throat and head called a wattle that changes color depending on the turkey’s mood. This wattle turns vivid red during courtship or if the turkey is angry, but if the bird is calm it remains blue or gray. This says your emotions color how you communicate, allowing others to read you easily. In addition to their classic gobble, turkeys exhibit over twenty distinct vocalizations, which can be heard at least a mile away. This aspect of the turkey says you can benefit others by speaking up for them, even if it is via long-distance communication.
Third Eye
Turkeys have excellent vision, seeing three times more clearly than 20/20, and can detect motion from many yards away. The position of their eyes gives the turkey a visual field of nearly 270 degrees; add to this its ability to rotate its neck and that visual range increases to nearly 360 degrees. The only downside is that they lack binocular vision, so they don’t have much in the way of depth perception. There probably isn’t very much that misses your attention or awareness, but a downside might be that you don’t look very deeply at something—you only see what is on the surface. Another aspect of turkeys is that they have been known to show agitation before inclement weather. It may be that you are prone to headaches or feel slightly dizzy when the barometric pressure changes or you might experience body aches that let you know that it is going to rain.
Crown
Turkeys stay close to the ground during the day to forage but rest high up in trees away from predators at night for safety. It may be difficult for you to relax enough to sleep due to some unspoken or invisible fear or stress. If this is the case, try doing a grounding meditation before bed or even drinking an herbal relaxation tea. Turkey also speaks to you of the power of dream time; use your dreams to draw abundance to you and to help you connect with the natural world from other realms.