Messenger

• Native Americans believe that the hawk is a visionary of insight, adaptability and openness who helps unveil the messages that the universe sends out. They believe the universe is always communicating, but people are often too busy or too distracted to hear those messages. The hawk helps people to not only see what the universe is telling them, but also understand and interpret the messages. Seeing a hawk means a message is coming and attention should be paid.
  
  

Life Choices

• American Indians believe that recognizing a hawk as your totem will enable you to live a more fulfilling life. This applies not only on a spiritual level, but also to everyday life decisions. They believe the hawk can empower you to soar, while teaching you to keep your feet on the ground. And just as there are smaller birds that sometimes try to attack the hawk, Native Americans believe that if the hawk is your totem, you will find "smaller" people who don't understand your ability to soar and will try to hinder your success.
  
  

Relationships

• The hawk's influence also affects relationships. Hawks mate for life. It may take a person with a hawk totem longer to find a life partner because of his intense desire to soar. Not only is it difficult finding a partner who can understand that desire, but the person himself may not have accepted that trait or is fearful of soaring like the hawk.
  
  

Watching for Negative Traits

• People who are connected to the hawk possess many of the same traits as a hawk. Although there are many positive traits, heed must also be paid to some of what could be perceived as negative traits. Native Americans believe that a hawk person has the ability to use her words just as the hawk uses its beak and talons and sometimes the message that a hawk person delivers to someone is not delivered in a positive or tactful way. There is also a tendency for hawk people to become arrogant because others don't have the same intuitiveness they do.