Hummingbird Shaman

With such a busy schedule I am dedicated to any opportunity to bring the dogs to the park.  The Lab needs her space, and my older precious one needs her slow walk.  Friday was one such day, knowing that I would not be available for the next few days.  On this day I wanted to see the presence of the little winged one, the hummingbird who visits at the upper level.

On my arrival I looked, but no hummingbirds, even in the places they think I cannot see.  I lingered as long as I could.  I noticed one of the walkers I have talked with in the past, a delightful senior woman with sparkle in her eyes.  We walked slowly together, conversing about our animal companions.

We continued to walk together, for this walker was willing to pace her own movement to my shadow dog’s slower steps.  As we circled the lower level I mentioned that we were heading for the stairs.  My walking companion said, “me too”, and so we completed our journey slowly climbing the two flights of stairs.

As we neared the top I mentioned the return of the hummingbirds, and glanced over to the trees to see if my friend arrived.  “No, she’s not there”.  Then my walking partner bent down for some reason.  Suddenly a little form rose above the trees long enough to be seen, and darted down to the lower level.  “Ah, the hummingbird was there”, but seen only by me.   I shared this sighting with my friend, and she looked, but nothing could be seen.

Sometimes wonderful sights comes to us in that split second when our attention is diverted.  Still these great blessings do exist.  Some we are aware of, and many fold so gently into our lives that we cannot distinguish them from what we call “normal”.

This little playful spirit returned, spinning high into the sky before darting into the tall trees to the west.  For every blessing, small or large, visual or imagined, I am grateful.

Estee Taschereau offers private intuitive sessions for clarity and new perspectives, as well as classes designed to empower and restore.

My latest walk in the multi-tiered park came late one afternoon on a very warm day, warm at least for early February.  The parking lot closest to the hummingbird tree was full, so I parked on the other side, and took the dogs down the path to the south.  This was quite a deviation from my normal path.

It was a good day for me.  Not so much on productivity, but that part of us is just that, only part of it.  This day, and most of this week had been a whirlwind of growth and change.  How could I stand in one place when so much was moving within me?

I’m not arguing, I’ve actually been enjoying the ride, though I know it has to change at some point.  The cycles in life are a key part of our experience on this planet.

The dogs had a great time socializing, and so did their owner.  I stopped to chat with several other dog walkers, enjoying my social interactions.  I turned to walk up the hill to get to the other side (of the hill, not the other side of the road, this isn’t about a chicken, this is the hummingbird site).

As I walked up the hill I only made it half way up the path when I heard a frantic little “voice” in the distance.  I knew it was a hummingbird friend, and I was surprised when he came racing down the hill, zoomed over my head, and continued down the path and around a corner.  As he whizzed by I heard him convey, “I waited, but you took too long, and now I have to leave”.

I knew what he meant.  His little body needed nourishment.  The amazingly fast beating of his wings takes a great deal of energy.  This was the message of the day?  Alright, I’ll accept it.

Later that evening I spoke to a close friend, someone who I will be co-teaching a meditation class with via telephone in the early spring.  Her life has changed quite a bit lately, and her transitions are powerful, and still she wondered why she was tired.  “Well, here’s the message I received today”, I shared, “We have to understand when we have a lot happening that we have to respond to it, whether it is more sleep, a better diet, whatever is needed to respond to our life experiences”.  I shared the story of the hummingbird experience, and she agreed.  “Nice story”, she said, “very timely”.

Timing is everything, just as the expression states.  But it’s not just timing our steps forward.  Sometimes timing is slowing down, or stopping altogether.  Timing is about responding to our world on all levels and dimensions: inside or out this is our world, our lives, our experience.

Estee Taschereau is a clairvoyant counselor and consultant providing live, private sessions via phone.