Friday, July 18, 2008

Peacock Feather Dilemma

(After writing this piece, I learned a dear friend is literally off her feet for a while with a cast on one ankle and a boot on the other. Having only recently retired, she's much too young and in too good a physical condition for this inconvenience, though it could happen to anyone at any age. I dedicate this post to her. I wonder, should I give her some peacock feathers?)

Are peacock feathers displayed inside the house good or bad luck? This is my dilemma. The owner of several male peacocks offered me some of the birds' feathers. "No," I was assured by the feather-giver, "I did not chase down the birds and pluck their tail feathers. These colorful birds are molting. Peacock feathers displayed inside your house may bring you good luck!" That was all I needed to hear to convince me to give these iridescent green and blue colored feather plumes an opportunity to work their magic in my life.
I welcomed these good luck omens to thwart Murphy's Law that continues to impact my daily life since I first wrote about a series of persistent undesired events to which I have been relentlessly subjected. Murphy's Law is the one that predicts everything that can go wrong will go wrong. In my case, that has included household mechanical objects breaking down, with a few even beyond repair, along with a sprinkling of unusual personal medical matters. (See earlier posts with links on right side bar.)

One reader suggested I was experiencing bad juju brought on by evil spirits which I determined was hoodoo for sure. Certain suggested remedies to counteract these malignant forces may have played the devil with those spirits, subsequently lessening the ill effects of some of those original problems. Also, my personal ongoing efforts have been reaping results and resolutions, despite new unwelcome issues that perversely persist in emerging.

I'd been ripe for needing more magic, when coincidentally I discovered on YouTube that John Fogerty recorded a tune "You've Got The Magic" on an unreleased album titled "Hoodoo." I immediately concluded that song meant I had the magic all right, now that I had these lucky peacock feathers. That's what I thought until I later learned the rest of the male peacocks story. I then began to wonder if those birds had encountered evil spirits and bad magic, too.

But I didn't know about possible bad magic connected to peacock feathers then, as I was busily conducting a quick Internet search about positive belief systems associated with these good luck bearers. I learned peacocks and their feathers are described as representing protection, safe-guarding, harmony, good luck, serenity, peace of mind, and relaxation. The unnamed Google site writer additionally notes:

"This bird is also valued as a protection for the psychic self. There has been lore that writes that to have a peacock feather within the home this helps to safe guard any of the energy in the environment. I personally have always had peacock feathers in my home, even when I was a child in my room. I also know that some native people also use the peacock feathers in fans and some crafting. While I have heard some individuals speak of not having them in the home but I can say that nothing has never come about for me. I found the feathers and consider them to be a gift from The Creator."

What was meant by, "...some individuals speak of not having them in the home but I can say nothing has never come about for me"? Is possible bad luck being intimated here? I also note the writer to whom bad luck has not occurred "...found the feathers... ." Does the fact I was given the feathers rather than having found them make a difference in the magic flow of positive versus negative energy? I think it's important to consider all these little intricacies. These may be the fine print guiding how magic works, just like the fine print of legal agreements. Perhaps magic shouldn't be over-simplified any more than life can be.

So, suddenly complicating matters is my encountering unexpected new information indicating that peacock feathers displayed inside a home are not always considered good luck. The Google link notes that while
"In India the peacock was believed to have a thousand eyes in its feathers... In Java, the peacock was associated with the Devil. In Mosul in northern Iraq, there is a sect of Yezidis who hold that the Devil is not evil, and call him the Peacock Angel.' Also, I noted, "Myth has the peacock representing fidelity, as it dies of grief, or remains single, if it loses its mate."

Additional contradictions between good versus bad luck omens emerged as I learned more about the story of the male peacocks from whom my feathers came. I don't like to even think about the misery to which those birds have been subjected. Not only are they molting, but I wonder now if they may be depressed, too. How would that affect the magic? Consider this, the three cocks were each deserted by their mate. How else to say it, other than, those female birds abandoned my feather-donating male birds -- the peahens literally flew the coop together.

What does that say about fidelity? The whereabouts of these missing partners, the much more drab appearing hens, is unknown. They have been absent for so long, their owners no longer expect they will return. Speculation is that after fleeing their mates, the hens may even have been victims of the area's wildlife predators. On the other hand, the hens may well be living a whole new life. Surely they wouldn't have aligned themselves with new bird companions, would they?

Obvious to me is the fact the abandoned male peacocks have been decidedly unlucky birds. Molting or not, no wonder they're dropping their tail feathers. Life must be disappointing to them, with or without their awesome filigree-like plumes tipped with those strikingly penetrating eyes that have been compared to an evil eye.

Have I been mesmerized by evil spirits, because I think the delicate peacock feathers projecting a play of sharp bright dark blue and green colors, are most attractive and fascinating to gaze upon? The colorful patterns provide glimpses of white accents surrounding those hypnotic piercing black eyes.

I hope I've made the correct decision, because these frond-like feathers stand majestically tall in a corner of my home, hopefully bringing me good luck.





17 comments:

  1. I don't know about the bad or good luck attached to peacock feathers but I have quite a few of them due to the peacock that went wild in our area and dropped a lot of prime feathers. I have kept them now a year and can't think whether there has been any increase in intuitiveness nor any block to bad feelings. They are very beautiful though and I appreciate that part but will watch more carefully to see if they are bringing anything else with them.

    Our peacock has been trying to tempt the wild turkey hens, the neighbor's guinea fowl, and has had competition for a single male ring-necked pheasant.

    Since I have not heard either calling recently nor seen a lot of turkey hens close to the house, perhaps mating occurred or it's over for another year. It could be interesting what young show up... if any.

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  2. I don't know about the good luck thing but they're pretty and I like them.

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  3. You are a fountain of information Joared. I didn't know all this about peacock feathers; but I have always been drawn to them...and have always had them in my home...so has my eldest daughter, Jenna. We both are very ethereal people, but that's another story. Thanks so much sweetie....

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  4. rain, kay & joy: Sounds like three votes for the positive good luck aspects of peacock feathers. Hope all perceive the wry humor that is the intent of this piece, as I am not superstitious and do not take myth and magic seriously.

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  5. Well, it sounds like 'you pays your money and you takes your choice'...I guess it all depends on how strong your feelings are for having the Beauty of these Magical Feathers around your home and who cares what they bring--Good or Bad Luck...More to the point, I Vote for Beauty in your abode!

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  6. I like peacock feathers, very attractive but know nothing about their relationship to luck.

    However here is one of my favorite stories about life and luck.

    There is a Chinese story of an old farmer who had an old horse for tilling his fields. One day the horse escaped into the hills and when all the farmer's neighbors sympathized with the old man over his bad luck, the farmer replied, " Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?" A week later the horse returned with a herd of wild horses from the hills and this time the neighbors congratulated the farmer on his good luck. His reply was, " Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?" Then, when the farmer's son was attempting to tame one of the wild horses, he fell off its back and broke his leg. Everyone thought this very bad luck. Not the farmer, whose only reaction was, " Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?" Some weeks later the army marched into the village and conscripted every able-bodied youth they found there. When they saw the farmer's son with his broken leg they let him off. Now was that good luck? Bad luck? Who knows?

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  7. oldoldlady: I'm with you and "beauty in the abode."

    Bob: That's a perfect story pretty much summarizing my thoughts on luck:
    "Good luck? Bad luck? Who knows?"

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  8. I was walking along the streets of NYC, and i came across a vendor selling earrings.

    And there was a pair of peacock feathers that caught my eye.

    I purchased them, and wear them occassionally and where i sleep they rest.

    Everything that catches our eyes, happens for a reason, even though we don't know it. I just went with the flow...

    (And looked up some information also to ease my own curiosity :) )


    www.myspace.com/joebarilla

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  9. It is extremely interesting for me to read that post. Thanks for it. I like such themes and anything connected to them. I definitely want to read more soon.

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  10. To say that a beautiful peacock feather is bad luck is utterly insane to me.I've had peacock feathers in my home for many many years and consider them a blessing...not a curse.
    If you "believe" that peacock feathers, or anything else for that matter will bring you bad luck..then it will!

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  11. I have always loved the beautiful feathers. I moved to a place where a half a mile away they have arouond fifty peacocks. Many males.I am addicted to the beautiful birds and feathers. I have learned alot from the owner of the peacocks. They shead their feathers around August when its real hot. I have fed four of them and they leave me their feathers. I went over to see if I could buy some from my neighbor and he said I could have what ever I could find. I have picked them up for three years now. I have around 1900 in vases in my house and can't wait for next year to get more. I do give them as gifts. If they are bad luck I would surely know it by now. I know I can't ever get enough of them. I watch them all the time. Their beauty is ao amazing to me . I guess they start growing the feathers back and by summer for breeding season they have a full tail. I have come to the conclusion that the females are really nasty and god made the males beautiful so they could get some action so to speak. They have a dance they have to do and believe me it is a sight to see. I am so happy to hae them so close. I have learned the pecocks calls and talk to them. I can call them and they run across the field for food. They eat out of my hands. Sorry to bore you with my addiction but I ran across this site and could not resist. Not to worry I think its all in the persons head about bad luck. Thanks for listening. Email me if you want.

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  12. I lived in Africa for 10 years on a farm. We had 5 peacocks. I had vases full of the feathers. We seemed to have bad luck. The ducks all mysteriously died. An interior farmhouse wall suddenly fell down. A sink split in half. Always something happening. Then one day this English colonial who had lived in India for years visited us. He told me the feathers were bad luck and to get rid of them. I did, both the feathers and the peacocks which were a pain in the ass with their earsplitting cries like that of a baby. Once I did, everything lifted, like a dark cloud.

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  13. Interesting...I have peacocks in my apt. complex. I enduring mating season, one sleeps in the tree outside my window and his mate roosts under my bedroom window. They scream very loudly during mating season. The females only come around for a short time, then the males molt. There are 2 mature males that are losing feathers left and right. I have been collecting them, not just the ones with the eyes but all of them. They're so beautiful. I already had a vase of them that someone gave me. He lived on a peacock farm. I went to visit and one of the males saw his reflection in my paint and scratched my car from one end to the other, even breaking a tail light where he saw himself in the silver. He made himself sick all over one side he fought himself so hard. My friend went to chase him away and stepped on his tail. Some of the feathers came out. I kept them. I couldn't find a job, got a job and had to move, got in a car wreck, lost that job, got that job back, lost it again, had to move to get another. I think I'm going to get rid of them and just keep the ones I came by naturally. This freaks me out a little. I never knew they could be considered bad luck!

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  14. Oh, I dont know what to think but my dad came home with one and died suddenly 6mo later at 54. Then 6 yrs later, my sister and mom were murdered in our beautiful, loving home by an intruder. When i heard that they may bring bad luck, I just wont have them around. Beautiful bird. Hate to b superstitious but.......

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  15. All these comments have been very interesting, but I am left in confusion about how I feel now about the beautiful feathers I have in a vase outside my villa in Spain. The birds live here - 2 males and 1 female - they really "own" the house and the area and we live alongside them very happily. I had heard of the "bad luck" issue but can´t remember how, so I looked up this information on the internet and found all your comments. I am a little superstitious, but don´t want to draw negative vibes towards me or my family - so deciding to keep an open and positive mind on the matter and just enjoy looking at the feathers. Don´t think I will bring them all into the house though - just in case !!!

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  16. The reason some of you experience bad luck is because peacock a bird with a crown (...of little feathers, you can see them in any picture of a peacock). In Africa, to use the bird you have to have special ritual done onto the bird because of that crown, peacock is a bird of kings, and no part of it is to be used by the common folk (kings seem to have everything, but remember they are people who live very hard lives, always making sacrifices, from their personal time to their private life, always been escrutinized by the public eye and always having to act a certain way, maintaining composture, sacrificing their freedom for their people, facing bureaucracy, politics, betrayals and wars everyday, etc.. The power to rule doesn´t come without heavy responsabilities and heavy sacrifices). Also, it is a bird of male power, never to be used by women (remember the beautiful feathers come from the male peacock, the female peafowl doesn´t have them (for a reason), and there are other birds that carry the female power in their feathers). Hope this enlightens you all.

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    1. Not all kings or autocratic leaders lead the kind of hard life you describe, but that’s an idealized view to consider which some may choose to believe about themselves and would have their followers believe the same. Good luck, bad luck there seems to be no one conclusive view one way or the other. Of course another question might be, is there any such thing as “luck” influencing anything a person does?

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