I have recently told the story of my ritualistic conception under the sign of Black Eagle and that propelled me to learn more about this ancient Totem. The Black Eagle, or the Reichsadler (German for “Imperial Eagle”), is one of the oldest coats of arms in the world, and among the oldest national symbol used in Europe. Its original use dates back to the times of Charlemagne in the 800’s, and from then to the Roman Aquila, or the Eagle Standard. The eagle had quasi-religious importance to the Romans, far beyond being a symbol of the legion – the Roman military went to great lengths to recover it if it were lost; after the devastating Battle in the Teutoburg Forest which sealed the fate of three legions, the Romans spent decades retaliating for defeat while also attempting to recover the three lost eagles.
The black eagle as a totem animal, from shamanic lore:
“Those who have Black Eagle as totem, will find themselves in the roles of spiritual warrior or huntress archetypes and are able to go into very difficult situations and still remain peaceful and grounded, slow and steady, in order to see into areas that are very fertile, but also very shadowy. Black eagle mirrors a person who is internal and must master life internally. The life purpose of those who carry the Black Eagle Totem lies in dealing with the shadow aspect of life, always trying to balance it, never falling in the shadow pit, but bringing balance and harmony with others.”
