Cathartes aura

A proving of Turkey Vulture

Dr. Todd Rowe MD(H), CCH, DHt

Edited by Yolande Grill HMA, CCH

This page contains a brief introduction and some highlights of this proving.  A complete booklet of the proving results with discussion and comparison of Turkey Vulture to other proven bird remedies may be purchased.  Please help support Homeopathic research.

A proving of Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) performed in Phoenix, Arizona in the fall of 1999 consisted of 18 subjects who began taking Cathartes 30C on September 1, 1999. There were 3 male, 16 female and one dream prover. The participant's ages ranged from 21 to 65 years old. Eight proving supervisors monitored the participants closely for the month following taking the remedy and the proving supervisors reported directly to the proving coordinator. One of the subjects took the remedy again at 200C potency six months after the original proving. All participants gave informed consent to participate in this study. This was a partial proving.

Each prover was instructed to take a single daily dosage for a maximum of three days but to stop after any symptoms became apparent. Participants journaled their symptoms over the space of the next month. The specimen was obtained from a fresh automobile road-kill in Northern Arizona. A trituration from the turkey vulture primary tail feather was made to a 3C potency and then hand succussed to a 30C potency. The remedy is now available from the Hahnemann pharmacy.

The proving was a double blind test: neither the provers nor the supervisors knew what the remedy was until after the proving. At the end of the month, provers participated in a videotaped exit meeting and the participant's written journals were reviewed separately. Any participants who had residual symptoms or improvement following the one-month interval were followed subsequently until the symptoms resolved.

A strong central feeling that arose in the proving stemmed around the idea of Catharsis. One prover described it as a "little exorcism going on inside." The Latin name for Vulture is Cathartes. The vulture is a scavenger, one who gets rid of dead, old material. Foraging for food and rummaging through old things were recurrent themes. Much of this had to do with finding or leaving old food lying around; images typical of scavenger animals. Six of the provers described the cathartic cleaning followed by images of cleanliness. For example, many provers cleaned out a lot of their old unneeded possessions during the proving. One prover noted "I am having dreams of dirty going to clean." These themes seem to be common to other scavenger birds. Twelve of the eighteen provers described catharsis followed by feelings of calmness and peace. A number of individuals pursued meditation or yoga, which they either had never done or not done for years. Spirituality (not religion) is a theme of bird remedies.

On the emotional level this had to do with old emotional material from childhood that floated to the surface, was worked through and passed off, leaving the prover calm and peaceful. Several provers related the emotional material to flashbacks from childhood. Many provers noted that they were able to let go of old and dead relationships that they had been carrying with them for years. One prover said: "Overall it feels like a cleaning healing; a lot of emotional residue that I need to get rid of." Another prover reported the following dream: "It was like a therapeutic vacation; complete service but not fancy; you were supported in working out your issues with your family."

Another strong theme was that of flight, flying, and floating. The feeling was that of feeling calm, centered, peaceful and content while flying. When on the ground however there is danger. The vulture is vulnerable on the ground. The ground is not safe and one can fall through. Several provers had dreams of the ground being paper thin and falling through the floor. One prover described a feeling of "vulnerability like an egg without a shell." Finally, the ideas of catharsis and flight were combined in the image of the "phoenix rising from the ashes." The phoenix is a bird that through purification rises to the heights. In the process, a "transformation" occurs that leaves the provers changed.           

Animal images and themes came through quite strongly in the proving (13 out of 18 provers). Dogs (9 provers) and birds (7 provers) were the strongest, while four of the provers had dreams associated with snakes. Some of the animals played the role of guardian. For example, one prover described a feeling of protection throughout the proving by her dog that she had felt before. The maternal animal side came through strongly in images of guardianship and care taking (11 out of 18 provers). In addition to animals serving as guardians, images of taking care of animals were reported. Anxiety about who would play the role of caretaker was also an issue. The aggressive animal side came out in the form of warning followed by biting. For example, "I was warned and then bit by a rattlesnake on my little finger."

Communication and messages were another theme found in the proving. Much of the communication was associated with frustration or feeling blocked in efforts at communication. It is interesting to note that the bird is voiceless. Many provers described frustrating dreams where they were unable to complete tasks. Also there were feelings of threat, irritation, frustration and harassment. Finally, a theme of going back for something that one has forgotten came up frequently. The vulture when it identifies carrion, often does not approach at that time but returns to feed with its community on the following day.

Another theme was the idea of getting away with something. The provers often felt that rules did not apply to them or that rules could be broken. Much of this focuses on the feelings of underground, secret operations. These themes were prominent in the Raven proving as well.

Prominent physical symptoms include draining sebaceous cysts, draining felons, pustular acne, pus pockets on the tonsils and bearing down sensations in the uterus. Commonly affected areas were the throat and head. One prover developed tonsillitis with abscess and her physician said that she had the worst case he had ever seen and nine of the eighteen provers developed sore throats. There was also a tendency towards acne (seven provers). Headaches also were prominent, particularly behind the eyes. Back pain was fairly common, although aching in nature and fairly nondescript.

There was a general tendency towards chilliness, although three provers noted hot flushes. There was a general tendency towards left-sided symptoms.

Hair was a recurring theme in the proving as it is for the vulture. Vultures by necessity become bald to prevent infection.

Itching was another strong theme. Five of the provers noted a strong feeling of formification or bugs crawling on their lower extremities at night. Lice reportedly can be a problem for these birds.

There were no strong food cravings.

Colors that came through most commonly in the proving were red, white, black, green and brown. Red and white were the most prominent. Vultures typically have red beaks and white feet related to urea deposits. Their typical markings are black and brown.

The proving had a dramatic impact on many of the participants. Remarkably, ten of the eighteen participants left the proving with cured symptoms over the first few months and for many these effects lingered over time. The most common cured symptoms were increased energy and feelings of calmness, peacefulness and contentment.