Condor

Symbol of power, health, and devotion.

The condor was considered one of the most sacred birds that tied the earth and heaven together. The condor is considered the king of the skies and he carries the dead to the underworld. Condors represented the gods of the air to the Incas and they believed that condors carried prayers and received answers from the gods. Native Americans believe that the condor represents goodness, justice, leadership, and wisdom – the four values. The condor was believed to be able to spread its great wings to gather clouds and fertilize the land with rainwater.

The condor plays a part in the Eagle Condor prophecy which states that the people would be divided. Some would follow the eagle, and some would follow the condor. They would live apart and then reunite. When they reunited the eagle would almost destroy the condor, but not quite. They would separate again. Later they would meet again and join as one in unity.

The Andes people believed the condor was a sacred bird. When the Spanish overtook them, the condor became a symbol of freedom and peace. Peruvians considered the condor to be a symbol of the Thunderbird because of their large wingspan.

Today, condors symbolize conservation and thankfulness. They eat the carrion and this symbolizes renewal. We should use what nature gives us wisely. Condors only have one mate and they both are devoted to their babies. They have mastered the Air Element and are a symbol of riding the changing currents in our lives. Native American healers wear condor feathers in their healing rituals.

The condor is the national bird of Columbia, Chili, Bolivia, Argentina, Peru, and Ecuador and appears on their national coat of arms.