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The peacock
is a protective and powerful bird. Much mystery and mysticism
surround this magnificent creature. This special animal touches
many cultures, from the Native American to the Egyptians, Hindus,
Greek Mythology, and even Christianity.
To the Native
Americans, the peacock most closely describes the phoenix - the
bird who dies in the fires of life and is ressurrected from its
own flames and ashes - and thus is related to immortality. It
is also seen as a symbol of fertility and potency. Due to the
many eyes in its feathers, it is also associated with wisdom,
visions, and heightened watchfulness.
The Egyptians
seem to have the most correlations for the peacock. It was linked
to the worship of the sun god, Amon-Ra, held sacred (second only
to the ibis) for its ability to destroy poisonous snakes, and
associated with the all seeing eye of Horus.
For the Hindus,
it was associated with hindra, the god of thunder who transformed
into a peacock to escape the demon Ravana, thus being endowed
with 100 eyes.
In Greek Mythology,
the goddess Hera found the watchman, Argus, sleeping on duty.
When he was killed, Hera placed his eyes on the peacock - her
favorite bird.
Even in Christianity,
the peacock is used to symbolize the death and resurrection of
Jesus.
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