Most hawks will stand on a falconer’s glove within the first few minutes of being trapped from the wild. The hawk will likely puff himself up to look menacing and spread his wings to appear larger, but he will stand there and not bate (jump) from the glove despite his distrust and fear. It’s a remarkable thing, really.

One of the first challenges a falconer must overcome when manning a wild hawk is to get the bird to eat from his glove. While the bird may not relax his dramatic pose for the first hours and possibly day or two, the moment he does is the moment he begins to consider eating from the glove. Some will eat right away (according to their disposition and hunger) while others will give the famous stare at the falconer’s head for hours on end without ever looking down to the glove.

The final moments before the hawk finally eats from the glove are some of the most interesting in the manning process. Emotions typically run high (especially for the apprentice falconer), as the milestone is as significant to the bird’s development as it is to the falconer’s confidence.

The hawk, running on the instinctive flightiness that in part kept him alive during the first few months of life typically comes almost to the point of reaching down and eating several times but interrupts his certain meal by looking around nervously, pulling his legs against the anklets and jesses he is now fitted with or bating. He nearly yields and then makes an intense effort to escape the pressure of the moment.

I’ve seen many people take the same approach to yielding to their higher self. They are drawn to it and they give part of themselves but then pull sheepishly or violently away, instead of yielding and moving past their reluctance and fears in a swift and final manner. To my mind it matters not whether they distrust themselves, others or the process itself, the point is that they don’t relax sufficiently in themselves to let their higher nature permeate the lower.

Any falconer will tell you that the moment the hawk finally does lower his defenses sufficiently to bow down and grab the food is one of the most exhilirating in the manning process. Any angel will tell you that the moment the body, mind and heart of a man finally accedes to his higher self is one of the most vitalizing in the making of a true man.

The principles are the same, thought the application is different. You can take comfort in the fact that your falconer – the angel you are – is absolutely trustworthy. You needn’t spend any more time wrestling with your angel as Jacob was reported to have so long ago. You will lose nothing by submitting to him (or her). In fact, the upside is limitless.

Delay no more, come down from your widening gyre and let the falconer know he is heard!