Recently I received this email from a HummingbirdShaman.com reader who asked about her own encounters and the hidden meaning. This reprint is by permission:
“I was looking on the internet tonight trying to get an idea of the symbolism of my hummingbird experience. I came across your site and wondered if you’d have any input on this. Here is my hummingbird story:
When our baby passed away, I had the ultrasound in the morning confirming the death, that afternoon I went for the acupuncture that induced me. I was in a haze that whole day. Felt like I was floating. I was in the van by myself, my Mom had come to help me care for the boys, and I was leaving our street on the way to acupuncture. It was on January 26th. As I was stopped at the stop sign as I was leaving our street a hummingbird flew down and sat on my windshield before I turned. It shocked me and I noted it. It was very odd. You don’t see many hummingbirds in January in Oregon.
Yesterday I was out for a run and I thought about that hummingbird. It was still there in my head. I thought about how I haven’t seen a hummingbird since that day.
Today my three sons and I were getting ready to leave for the library and a hummingbird actually flew into our house! It took me about 20 minutes to catch it in our butterfly net but can you believe it, a hummingbird flew into my house one day after I “asked” to see a hummingbird.
I was just wondering if you could see any symbolism in this?”
Thank you,
Jill
Hello Jill,
While we are all sad at the loss of your child, there is so much beauty in the insights you have shared. The hummingbird gives us connectivity between the spiritual plane and our worldly experiences. I often take walks and am greeted by the hummingbird. Sometimes they watch me in silence, sometimes they share their wisdom, and sometimes they give a healing hello that is so powerful it feels like I am standing in a wind tunnel.
You have some amazing examples of the support of our spiritual presence. I’ve not heard of such a creative example as your windshield story! Yes there are some hummingbirds that stay year-round along the coast. I am in the Seattle area, and have two that live with me year-round. During our unusual hard snow I was replacing feeders 2-3 x/day to keep them thawed.
Your story comes at a surprising time, during a visit with Kaye, my teaching partner for an event called the Healing Drum Retreat. I read your story to her, and she asked to be a part of the response:
“Your story reminds me so much of my own experience with Bruce and a red tailed hawk. When Bruce passed all of the sudden three red tailed hawks began circling above my house. Now, whenever I think of Bruce, in that spiritual connectivity, the red tailed hawks appear near my home, on the road, wherever. They are there to help me with the sadness, to understand that the person I grieve for is alive in the spiritual plane and within my heart. I don’t feel like I am alone in my thoughts and feelings, the hawks always appears when I need it.”
The first time is more of an awakening, the second is the opportunity to open your heart and accept the healing. The bird came not just to your house, but inside. You faced with experience with a gentle approach in catching and releasing the bird without harming it. This reflects your own personal healing journey, to face your own experiences with grace. You remind me of my own experience in my teen years when I rescued many a hummingbird as they frantically tried to escape through the boathouse windows, catching them in a fishing net and carrying them outside. This hummingbird was willing to risk its own precious life to help you in your journey, but there was no other option, we do what we must do without thought of our own wellbeing. The first hummingbird came to awaken and heal you so you could drive home safely. The second came to give you opportunity to give back. Beautiful!
Cool post, just subscribed.
Theres so little out there about Shamans, but thankfully this site does cover it.
This morning I saw a hummingbird stop three times on the same branch. I saw this 3 weeks before as well on the same branch. Is there any meaning to this?
There are two things happening: first the hummingbird repeatedly shows itself to you, and second you turned your awareness to see it and bring meaning to the event. Hummingbirds are great at awakening us and helping us reset our mind from the chatter to greater presence. Nice!
Today at around 10am I was visited by a hummingbird on my balcony as I was throwing bread out for the birds. I was so amazed and in awe to see it! It just stared at me and flew up to me in hands reach and I just stared back at it. Then it flew away. It brought me geart joy & peace on the inside & I came back in to look up the significance of the hummingbird. The encounter truly BLESSED me! I will never forget it long as I live!
What a wonderful story! He came to you to show you that you are seen and watched over. They are great guardians, and appreciate those who care for others (such as the birds). Do you have a hummingbird feeder? Might be a nice addition if its not in the sun (the sun makes the food go rancid quickly).
Congratulations on your hummingbird visit! More to come!
I have been getting Raiki and consciousness calibrations (Applied Kinesiology) from my chiropractor and guru. He is an enlightened being at 788 if you are familiar with Power Vs. Force level of consciousness calibrations. I have been going through a difficult grieving time after my true love broke up with me. She loves me but can’t come out of the closet to old friends and family. I have been devistated for 3 months now, crying, praying and meditating, doing visualizations filing my chakras with healing light and sending it to my fearful ex. When he calibrated us both at 333 each, and the relationship also calibrated at 333, it was an uncanny set of numbers. I have tried to share a bit by email with my love, but I know she is on her own journey and may not be a vibrational match to this info, since she’s in such denial.
This last Friday, when my Raiki started, my guru looked up and saw a hummingbird through the window. He said that was a good sign. Just wondering if it is validation that we will be back together when she can come out? What do you make of this statement he made and seeing a hummingbird through the window? I must admit, I was on the edge of suicidal when I saw him, and he had to talk me “up” from it. Said we don’t come back if we end it oursleves. he said i wasn’t alone(I have no family) because of so many spirit guides as he looked around my head. What do you think? Much love, Beth
Hummingbirds are always a good sign, but they can mean many different things. Focus on setting parameters for yourself, not rigid but clear.
I recently had a visit from an old boyfriend whom I have not seen in years. A very difficult personality; brilliant, resourceful, and creative; yet critical, disapproving, and emotionally abusive. I have always loved him, but feared being in his presence. I have moved some distance from him and he asked if he could visit en route to another destination. He arrived and lapsed back into his cold, disapproving manner within a day. While I have struggled to maintain compassion and dissolve judgment, at the same time I would shine the light of discernment of personality features (psychologist by occupation)to protect from the impending insult. I have not been able to integrate this and I just woke up this morning and realized that I can genuinely love this person just as he is without making a case against him or attempting to defend his flaws in order to feel kindness, while at the same time disallowing his destructive behavior access to my spirit. The generalization of this idea; loving someone just the way they are, looking at the reality of their behavior and realizing that with an easily set boundary, walls built from the illusion of fear can be opened and judgment is no longer even necessary. Within five minutes of this organization of thought, a hummingbird came to my window eye-level and hovered for some seconds before darting away. I am sure they are common to this area, but this is the first one that I have seen in the year that I have lived here. It seemed to mark a milestone for me.
Thank you Rebecca, what an awesome realization for you! Yes, they show up in the most important times, in major shifts within our lives. Our ability to be strong is not related to size, the hummingbird shows us this truth.