Hummingbird Shaman

For those who do not know, I have another blog that follows a very different focus from Hummingbird Shaman. Each day I write a universally inspired or channeled message reflective of the messages contained in the ancient Mayan Tzolkin Calendar.

While there is a world of difference between Mayan glyphs and totem spirits they are more alike than first appears. Both lead us in the same direction, to recognize our own spiritual nature and take yet another step into realizing our spirit in the body.

Those steps come one at a time, giving us a chance to renew our consciousness with every breath we take.

This morning my first act to complete was my posting for today in the Mayan Daily Insights. I walk into this task with trepidation (what a word, thank you for giving me a chance to finally use it in a post). I will admit, for someone who speaks so strongly of faith, spiritual guidance, and signs I do have my own bumps in the road.

The very best way to move beyond our fears is to face them, and see them not for the mask that they wear, but for their lack of continuity. Writing the Mayan Daily Insights is a tremendous healing for me because I cannot write about these messages until I face them in myself. My mission is to share with others these insights for their own awakening.

Every blink of an eye can be an awakening.

I find myself facing a crossroad. An opportunity has opened up for me to attend a conference that can help me launch my first book, ready for publication, and finance many more writing projects. The costs for the conference must be covered, and I know the only way this can happen is through some sort of sponsorship or gift. I cannot see where this will come from.

The best I can do for the moment is live in the direction I want to travel, so I am writing my postings in advance so I can attend the conference. Sunday’s post done, I move on to Monday, the day of “Two Oc”. In the Mayan calendar Oc is all about relationships, with the most important relationships being the ones that exist solely within ourselves.

As I type the message I resisted to see in myself, I used the insights as an opportunity to release those old concepts that held me back. I glanced up to look out the window. Amidst all the foliage of my tattered flowering vine that drapes one side of my patio window, I saw a little form resting on a loop of vine that formed what looked a lot like a swing.

The hummingbird was making his appearance, not in his usual butterfly bush location. No, had he landed in his usual spot he would not be seen. Today, for the first time, he’s out on the vine, blending in as he needs to yet standing out through his inspirational presence.

He came to visit long enough support the message of Oc, and to remind me that its all relational. We have the most incredible relationship based experience here on earth, not just the physical aspect but the spiritual guidance and support as well. We can build our relationship with the universe, on a one-to-one, moment to moment basis. Or, we can build our relationship with the void, the darkness, or the lack that exists when we see anything as being “outside ourselves”.

The message did not come in words, but within the presence of the entire universe within that tiny little body. No trumpets sounding. No flags waving. Presence is the loudest silence we will ever know.

What a day this has turned out to be, and it’s not even noon.

For more posts on animal totems and hummingbird wisdom visit http://healingdrumretreat.com. Learn more about your animal power totems, the wisdom they hold, and how you use this wisdom within the pathway of living. Private intuitive & healing sessions are available by phone or email to answer questions that arise you your own spiritual journey.

This particular Sunday morning was off to an early start. Dogs were ready for the day much more readily than I was, and the friend I am visiting could be heard in the next room. I decided to start the day right, and so I was up and about, letting the dogs back inside as soon as I heard the barking.

I knew I had to start work early, so first things first, the computer is on. After a long drive yesterday and a long evening filled with cribbage games and sneaking down the street at midnight to leave a “thank you” banner in the cafe window for its last day, I had not written or posted this mornings Mayan Daily Insights. Still haven’t posted it for that matter, no, I decided this story took precedence.

So the computer finally is up and running, and I open the browser to log in to the Mayan Daily Insights blog. The site was down. This site was down, too. Okay, starting the day with a problem. My hosting company had to reboot, and while the time down was small over a lifetime, it was still at least 15 minutes of down time for my sites.

The server came back up while I was chatting with the host, but my mental “server” didn’t reboot. I sat there, still a little sleepy, logging into a couple site simultaneously. The online conversation with my host still played in my head, and it was not pleasant, but I continued anyway.

Suddenly I became aware of a strange sound. It was like a big wasp. I looked around, and noticed movement just outside the window. A hummingbird was there, looking in the window at me, letting his presence be known. Once spotted he turned and flew around the house, I’m assuming to complete his own mission for morning nectar.

“The hummingbird was just here at the back window”, I told my friend. I knew that there had to be a message contained in that non-nectar hummingbird stop. As I rounded the corner I said, “I’ve just been told off by a one-ounce bird”.

I could hear the message loud and clear by this time. “How much do you think we can fit in such a little body”, he said. “There is not the time, or energy, to hold on to such consuming thoughts”. He was right, and by this time my awareness had shifted to a much lighter space.

And so, I confess – I was put in my place by a one-ounce bird, and I’m darn proud of it.

One afternoon I sat next to the front windows, working on my soon to be published book. The day was cooler than prior, and the door was open, allowing a refreshing breeze inside. I could hear the sound of the birds in the background, with the welcoming tones of life amongst the trees.

Suddenly there was a large thud against the window. I knew immediately what had happened. Curiosity pulled me from my work, and I headed for the door. As I rounded the corner a cat dashed away. I could not see if this cat had any great catch within its teeth, I could only see the tail as it rounded the side of the house.

I turned the other way, to see what had made such a commotion. There, dangling between two branches in the flowers was a red winged blackbird, wings spread out and holding it in place almost like it had been hung out to dry. This bird looked at me with a dazed, non-reactive glare.

Thinking the cat might return before this bird could recuperate, I grabbed the wrapper off a potted plant and gently removed the bird from the flowers. I gave him a healing of love and intent for recovery, and carried him to the back so I could place him in a more protected space.

By the time I reached the back porch he recovered enough to perch, and I left him outside the door on top of a suet feeder. Later I returned to the porch to check on his progress, and as he saw me peak around the corner he took flight and returned to the trees.

The Blackbird Totem Animal

Darkness and the color black often invoke thoughts of the mystic world and magic. It is true sometimes that when we open ourselves to receiving its like reaching a hand into a cosmic grab bag – and you get that invigorating experience of seeing the great surprise that awaits!

The totem spirit legends of the blackbird are no exception. It is thought that the blackbird serves as the crossover between the worlds, its song acting in almost a hypnotic fashion. Those who carry the totem of the blackbird may have a hypnotic quality to their voice and their manners.

In legend the blackbirds of Goddess Rhiannon perched on the tree outside the entrance to the celtic otherworld, singing and serving as the doorkeepers. Their sweet voices allowed many to enter. The blackbird is also found in other celtic legend.

How can you use blackbird energy in your life? If you feel uncertain about your abilities or situation you can call upon the blackbird totem for confidence. These birds are strong and powerful totems, bringing a cheerful energy into the day through song.

For more posts on animal totems and hummingbird wisdom visit http://healingdrumretreat.com. Learn more about your animal power totems, the wisdom they hold, and how you use this wisdom within the pathway of living. Private intuitive healing sessions are available by phone or email.

Since this site focuses on shamanism and totem animals, I’ll give you one guess on today’s topic. What appears in the darkness?

Dusk changed the day at first like a subtle nuance of color in the evening sky, but with each breath the darkness grows. Small figures flitter through the air, darting to and fro in a pattern that defied its own definition.

The wind blows through the trees, demanding everything in its path to follow its direction, but the small winged creature penetrates the force of the wind, carrying its own message into the silence of its flight.

First one, then two could be seen. How do you count something that appears so quickly, and vanishes within the blink of an eye? At one point it seemed that four were darting around the area, satiating their appetite on insects that would otherwise be a nuisance.

As I stood on the walkway these small winged creatures flew across the opening between the trees, darting within inches of my head. Camera in hand I knew my that the odds of capturing a bat in one picture was astronomical, but my desire persisted. One comes into view, then another, and they dance before me and disappear before my finger can complete its own message to the shutter. Magically on this night I find two images of these creatures of the night.

The bat totem is one that is often overlooked, or likely avoided. Folklore has cast a shadow of darkness over this totem of transformation, and those who worship this typecast creature do so in a manner that perpetuates their own darkness.

The bat is the only mammal that flies. Their eyes do not guide them, instead they find their way through their amazing ability to perceive their environment through a wave of energy that begins and ends from within.

The bat totem is often associated with darkness and fear. Some believe it to be the shaman’s symbol of death, not of the physical death but the spiritual transformation that is the amazing combination of release and renewal.

In my perception I see the bat as a sign of walking your own path, and surviving in situations that cannot be resolved in the obvious ways. To see without vision, to be of the earth yet take to the sky, to cross that line between night and day, that is amazing.
This is the way of the bat, a symbol of the subtle power that is so often unseen, but definitely exists. What appears in the darkness may just hold the key to our inner light.

This story is available for reprint in its complete form including credits. Photo and story are originals by http://HummingbirdShaman.com author Estee Taschereau, and are protected under copyright law. Learn more about your totems and totem encounters in a private consultation by phone.

Note: Most bats are of no threat, and bats typically avoid interactions with humans and pets. If you find a bat and are able to approach it the bat is likely wounded or ill. Do not handle, contact animal control. Bat guano is an excellent source of nitrogen for your garden. Protect bats, provide housing for them, and they will repay you a hundred fold by clearing your yard of mosquitoes, consuming up to 500 per night, per bat.

What does it mean, to find the sign of a vulture in your path? Is it an omen? No, this totem animal appears on occasion, and can be seen for its gift and reminder, beyond its worldly task. The vulture, in our day and culture, certainly gets a bad rap. Their looks are far from appealing, and their duty turns the head and likely the nose of many. These birds are scavengers, seeking out the remains of bodies no longer inhabited by spirit. Their job is vital to the health and well-being of the living, and supports the dualistic balance of the planet. Life cannot and does not exist without death.

During my visits to the Oregon desert I watch the vultures that next nearby. In the morning I see the vultures in the schoolyard, each perched on a fencepost, spreading their wings and warming in the morning sun. In the evening I watch as the vultures round the bend at the end of the road, gliding toward the tall pine trees known to be their home each summer. They seem to float as if suspended motionless in the air. In the branches they appear as darkened shapes, almost haunting in appearance.

Though not the most beautiful of birds the vulture has its place in history. Vultures are found in many ancient texts and symbolism.

The vulture is a symbol of the principal female divinity. This bird is found throughout every country where Maya civilization can be traced – Polynesia, Japan, India, Chaldea, Egypt, Greece, and the Peruvian Andes.
Within Egyptian mythology the vulture adorned the headdress of the Goddess Isis, also known as Mau. It was believed that the myth may be traced back to Mayach, for the vulture was the totem of Queen Moo, who’s name means “macaw”. (Augustus Le Plongeon , Queen M’oo and the Egyptian sphinx, Pg 12-14.)

Yesterday the vultures flew in great number over the house in which I am staying, circling around as if they were saying, “finish your story, please”. This morning I walked out of the yard, across to the field where they greet the morning to capture a few photos. As I returned I see a small vulture feather in my path. “Finish your story, please”.

Everything in this world has its purpose, including the vultures nesting down the road. Vultures do not necessarily mean death, and we need not look at them as dark or gloomy. They show us a quiet grace, and help us to transition with that same grace. Look for the sign of a vulture in your path, it may be a happy moment and a sign of change.