Understanding Our Dreams

Dreams can be incredibly challenging to understand. There are many types of dreams. Some dreams can be an overflow from a busy life, a way to process and complete the complexity of the day. Other dreams can be a type of venting, used to release and unwind, a form of self healing. Dreams can be very symbolic, not something to take at face value but a representation for a belief or idea, something that is typically not visual but conceptual.

“Dreams” can also be a way of carrying into our day-to-day consciousness an astral experience or even a snippet from a past life. I’ve personally experienced times when I’ve worked on releasing a deeply rooted belief and it’s stronghold on my future and found myself bringing up a past-life experience through a dream. These types of dreams showed me that the belief in this life began in a former life, and spun into this life with a twist to give it a different perspective and another opportunity to heal something that did not fully release the first time around. Is it karma? Yes, but this is a view on karma that is not focused on being punished or payback for something done “unto others”. Karma often begins within ourselves with a conflict between what we feel is right and an event where we had to make a choice outside our values.

Hummingbirds in my Dreams

Is there a specific concept that can be drawn from hummingbirds in dreams? Dream interpretation takes a scientific, intellectual approach toward finding hidden meanings. In the case of the hummingbird we can look at the qualities of the hummingbird: it’s unique wing design and movement make the hummingbird captivating and special to many individuals. Size makes a difference, too, as well as time, and many hummingbird encounters are  ”fast and furious”, with the hummingbird coming and going in a flash.

It’s not just the hummingbird that makes a mark in our dreams, for there are many other details that are usually wrapped up in the story presented in a dream.

Where do dreams come from?

What is the source of the dream, is it our soul or spirit speaking out in a way that gets our attention? Or are dreams the fragments of the day being processed by the brain?  From a scientific perspective I must share that I have no formal training in dream interpretation, what I share is my training and observations on the spiritual aspect, seen through the soul or higher self perspective.

The meaning of dreams can run deep. When we turn toward our introspective self we can take some very black and white ideas and mix them into a great big “gray area”, the place where we ask that question, “What does this mean to me?” This inner quest to understand and know our own truths is jam-packed with life: emotion and experiences, and a lifetime’s accumulative value that give a very personal, unique story.

What are dreams meant to do for us? Are dreams messages from the spirit world? Are they communications from ourselves that have to be in an attention-getting form to make us pay attention? Or could dreams be an expression of who we are behind our thoughts and actions?  To this we could say “All the above”, and mean it in so many ways.

Answers to the questions about Hummingbirds in Dreams

Two readers asked similar questions about two very different hummingbird dreams:

In the dream of the two hummingbirds outside the window, and the conversation within the dream, there’s some soul-searching going on about  the boundaries in your life, your responsibilities and just how far your “circle” extends. You’re in the midst of conflict between choices to be made and your core values, and this is a common cause of conflict for any of us, when the choices of today do not uphold what we have been taught or what we value. You may want to schedule a session to bring into consciousness the conflict so you can shift your perspective and make clearer choices that uphold your values.

In the case of the blue hummingbird: we have a strong unconscious defense system that is intended to keep us safe and whole. Uncovering hidden thoughts and beliefs that hold any perception of “less than” or weakness of any kind can make us feel very vulnerable and exposed. Dreams are at times the only way we let ourselves peak into our own fears and feelings. It takes a big step to face our fears, but then how much time and energy does it take to keep hiding from ourselves? Glad to hear you are working toward releasing your depression.

Thank you both for asking your questions! Responses on the Hummingbird Shaman website are kept within the bounds of the threads of life that we commonly share. This gives benefit to all the readers while protecting your privacy. For a more in-depth personalized perspective I’d recommend scheduling a session to uncover the connections between core values, beliefs, life choices, and even past life experiences that are affecting you now.

The Meaning of Hummingbirds In Dreams © 2012 Estee Taschereau, HummingbirdShaman.com™. Estee offers MetaVisionary™ sessions via phone and Skype to help you unlock the visionary and meta-designer in you. Use our contact form now to schedule.

Since that first post the stories continued, and to this day individuals across our hummingbird-filled countries share their stories of hope and love. Each story helps us to confirm something that never hold still: the very essence of life that is woven into our lives. We can keep this essence alive by offering experiences, sharing the stories through facebook or google+. Thank you everyone for playing a part in this ongoing community of spirit.

Elizabeth’s Hummingbird Story

A HummingbirdShaman reader shared with us:

As my dear friend was about to pass on at the age of 100…The morning was filled with sadness for I knew it would be my last conversation with my dear friend and neighbor. He looked up and reached out to me… His eyes could barely open. He inquired if “they” would let him take his teeth. I found it funny that he was thinking about that. I replied with my usual sick humor… Yes you can, I sure as hell don’t want them. He chuckled …He drifted off again… I kissed him and wished him a sweet journey. As I started to leave his side he said: I think I’ll take the hummingbirds too then! the hell you will I quipped ;

That was Saturday the last time we spoke. Monday morning I was called as he took his final breath. I thought nothing about our last few words until later that morning…. I went outside to look at the winter garden a bit confused with sun shining. As I looked toward my neighbors yard to find some comfort…all the flowers we enjoyed… There between our two yards laid Rubio, our alpha male humming bird… I couldn’t believe it. We have been feeding him year round for 9 years. My tears turned to laughter as I thought… He got the last laugh!

Coincidence? A new little alpha male took his place before the sun set. I placed Rubio in one of my plants that sits just below one of my feeders….

Sleep well my two wonderful gifts. I will carry on feeding duties until we meet again.
Eliabeth

Thank you Elizabeth for sharing your story.

Coincidence or Symbolic?

Earlier in the same day as this story arrived I was asked during a reading session to look from the eyes of the spiritual perspective at the upcoming passing of an animal companion. I could see this animal within what could be described as a cocoon of energy, very clearly wrapped up within this very private experience. There were no barriers to our communication, not the phone lines, or in this case Skype, nor any language barriers as this blessed spirit in four-legged form shared a message with me to translate into words for it’s owner.

The passage of the alpha hummingbird so close to the time of the neighbor’s passing, is it coincidental, symbolic, or a sign meant to show that an ending is also a beginning? No one can say for sure, and even if we had concrete scientific proof that too can be questioned. Not everything in life should fall under such scrutiny. In this case the heart and the soul hold the answer and the meaning, clearing stating, “I need nothing else, I am one with my own truth”.

Living within our Network of Love

Our words, our thoughts, and our interactions weave together so delicately, with seemingly unrelated and distinctly different worlds crossing in a web of connectivity that cannot be seen by the eyes. What form they appear in may differ, it could be the appearance of a hummingbird, a casual comment or a last laugh. Each carries the same ingredient, the lingering fragrance of the soul that leads us back to that connective moment and the love we have shared. What better way to reinforce the essence of love, it doesn’t matter if it is through what seems like a strange comment, or rambling, or even a little “twisted humor”. Anything that allows us to connect is a good thing.

Thank you again for sharing your story, Elizabeth, and reminding us that it is not an end but a renewal and transition. The alpha hummingbird who shared hummingbird moments with these two neighbors for nine years will indeed be missed, but a new opportunity opened for a young alpha hummingbird. Life will be different, but those delicate threads remain, giving us a chance to weave an alliance between sadness and laughter, between the old and the new. Life and death are simply lines we cross, but our love spans across anything that may appear to be a border.

God Bless,

Estee
HummingbirdShaman

The Hummingbird Connection  © 2011 Estee Taschereau, HummingbirdShaman.com™. Estee offers MetaVisionary™ sessions via phone and Skype to help you unlock the visionary and meta-designer in you. Use our contact form now to schedule.

Hummingbirds in Winter

There are three hummingbirds who live near me year-round. The feeders may not empty nearly as fast during this time of year as the summer, but they continue to visit. During these freezing times the hummingbirds stay much closer, conserving their energy to sustain body temperature.

Hummingbird Food – Simple Sugar Water

Hummingbirds do eat bugs, lots of them, and this gives them the protein they need, but they also drink nectar and our home-brewed sugar water to give them the carbohydrate boost they need. As for me I rarely consume sugar, at least white sugar, but keep a 10 lb bag for you know who. How ironic to run out of sugar just in time for the ice storm.

Already mid afternoon and the temperature has not risen. Time for drastic measures. I bundled up, braving the dangerous 100  yard walk across the ice to my neighbor’s house. “Can I borrow a cup of sugar?” Yes, I was suddenly living the life of a cliché. My neighbor was glad to help, passing to me the rest of the bag that didn’t quite fit in the sugar storage container. Within no time I was ready to prepare a new batch of sugar-water for my fine feather friends.

Tomorrow will bring warmer weather, and soon enough the ice will be gone. For today I’m happy for these hummingbird moments and what has turned out to be a very pass through the land of cliche’.

Hummingbird In Winter and Happy Cliches © 2011 Estee Taschereau, HummingbirdShaman.com™. Estee offers MetaVisionary™ sessions via phone and Skype to help you unlock the visionary and meta-designer in you. Call now to schedule.

Lis’ Hummingbird Story

My brother passed away summer 2010- he was the “Vice-President” of the “Hummingbird” dorms at school. Since his passing I had a very unique experience happen- a baby hummingbird was outside my classroom door crying for his mom. I looked around and there was no nest to be found…the custodian mentioned that he had already taken it across the street, but it somehow ended up back on our campus! It wasn’t hurt, it was just hungry and lonely. I took the risk of taking it home and nursed it for a week. I mixed sugar and water and even tried feeding it bugs! At this point- my goal was just to help it survive and the thought of a connection with my brother didn’t cross my mind. My father came home to visit for a week for his birthday and he helped me nurse it as well. After a few days we figured it was time to let it go because it was already trying to fly in the butterfly house. We tried to release it, but it came back to the butterfly house so we figured we would give it another night. The next day, we slowly tried to coax it out and also introduced it to the feeder so that it would know how to feed from it and where to find it. We were happy to see it fly away, but it didn’t go very far. It stayed perched on the tree right next to my back patio. For weeks I witnessed it feed and woke up to it chirping on that same tree! It was such a beautiful experience! Months went by, and more hummingbirds came by and joined it. I was able to take great pictures of all of this! It wasn’t until someone mentioned a spiritual connection to my brother that I actually gave it a thought…I realized that it was his way of letting us know that everything was Ok. Since then, I have seen a couple hummingbirds flying nearby when I am feeling sad. Most recently, during Thanksgiving, I spent all night crying and when I woke up and went out to the patio- I saw a hummingbird feeding! It had been at least a couple months since we had any hummingbirds around! I’m not sure if my story means anything to anyone else, but I just figured I would share.

Sharing Our Stories

Oftentimes we keep the more subtle experiences in our lives to ourselves. We train ourselves to do this, having our childhood observations and stories dismissed by the adults around us in their attempts to direct our attention to “more important things”. But those insights that come to us on these more inward levels, isn’t that what feeds us in a way that thought and logic can’t even fathom?

I learned many years ago that, at least in terms of our soul-energetics and subtle abilities, the most powerful influence we have is sharing. When we share our experience we give others the opportunity to acknowledge their own experiences, and put into words something that may have been only a feeling.

Thank you Lis for sharing your story, and God bless. Perhaps this young hummingbird came into your life for such a long time period to give you opportunity to share and care. Thank you for giving us a reminder to step outside our closed doors and reach out so we don’t forget how precious our time shared can be. While the loss of your brother in your life runs deep so does the love that still lives within your heart. He is very fortunate to have you within his circle, even beyond the days he walked beside you.

God bless.

A Sign As Subtle As A Hummingbird © 2011 Estee Taschereau, HummingbirdShaman.com™. Estee offers both soul-message and medical intuitive sessions and the many levels of life’s energy. Meta-counseling and informational sessions via phone and Skype. Call now to schedule.

Ami’s Story of Hummingbird Dreams

“Greetings and blessings, I have always felt an affinity for hummingbirds and have had visits from them many times throughout my life. For the first time I was visited in a dream by a group of humming birds that were above my head and poking almost seemed like they were furiously drilling into my skull. One of the hummingbirds beak had broken off and i tried to fix it , attempting to put it back on. I cant remember if i succeeded. I would love some insight into this dream as i cant get it out of my head. Can you help?”

Signs and Symbols in Dreams

Hi Amy!  I remember a dream I had a few years back, I was lying on the grass in my garden looking up at the wonderful columbine flowers, and not just one but two hummingbirds appeared to feed. My sense of wonder was just as strong in my dream as it is in my waking hours. Since then, over the next few years, I’ve worked that part of the garden, cultivating more and more columbine into the area.

Whether related or not my hummingbird population has grown, and the circle of encounters has expanded over a mile away from my home and the feeders. My role, self appointed, is guardian and provider, quietly in the background.

What do the hummingbirds bring? A chance to return home again, not in the sense of my house but home in the sense of my soul and conscious awareness. Dreaming of hummingbirds can we a welcoming way to introduce our soul-self into our day-to-day consciousness.

Knock Knock, Who’s There?

Dreams can be like riddles, and don’t we love our mysteries!

You, as a soul-presence, show me the times when you allow yourself to release your attention from the “world ways” and let yourself be in the open but fragile space where your awareness blossoms. Perhaps the hummingbirds tapping on your head were saying just that, “we see you in there”, as though you were the blossom they seek. That’s 100% a compliment!

I state all of this in a playful way, even tossing in a “knock, knock, who’s there”. I do so as a celebration of our spirit as we seek to shine, love, and share our amazing self with a presence far greater than anything allowed in many of our world-focused. What I have found over the years is that in retaining that child-friendly curiosity even in my adult years I am more easily able to live in my soul-awareness.

Dreams about Hummingbirds: The Hummingbird as a Sign of Self

One of the most common thread in the stories shared by others on hummingbird encounters is that they give us a safe, welcoming space to ask that question, “Is what I have perceived real?”, or even more deeply felt, “am I real?” without crushing us with the veil of fear or envy that we sometimes get from the people in our lives.

These wonderful, interactive, and bold spirits with their amazing abilities of flight are a great gift to us in these times when our thinking-self is the most encouraged “muscle”. Thank you for sharing your dream with us as you open your mind toward seeing the subtle yet most powerful part that makes you who you are.

How this hummingbird dream fits within your life, and the message that your soul-self is seeking to express are best explored more deeply during a private reading session. Please contact me through the contact form or the google-voice connection to schedule.

You’ve inspired, me, and I’ll be writing more on this topic in the near future, so stay tuned! Thank you for sharing!

Estee
HummingbirdShaman

Dreams About Hummingbirds what do they mean? ©2011 HummingbirdShaman.com. Learn more about your divine presence and message of your soul through a soul-presence reading session. Questions are always welcome. By appointment, these sessions are offered through phone or Skype.

A hummingbird will sometimes feed and then find a place nearby where it can blend in and watch over its domain. In this story Amber is the precious one watched over at one time, and the guardian in another time.

Amber’s Hummingbird Stories

“Hi, i have a couple of hummingbird stories, once i had a boyfriend with a serious personality disorder and it was a hard time for me to realize it and set boundaries if he chose not to enter into a healing process, anyway we were in a park near my house and i was trying to explain to him how unhappy this relationship was for me and i was just crying not talking because it was useless it seems, and this hummingbird kept flying really close to my head, i felt like she was trying to communicate something not sure what though (becomes a little more clear as i read your site), and another time we were talking probably arguing on the phone and i was crying again i think, and he said that a hummingbird was hovering in front of the window where he was standing on the phone.”

“That was a few years ago, then yesterday i was in a crowded market in the produce isle and i saw a hummingbird just sitting on the ground! its head was the brightest pink and its wings were beautiful green and blue i could not believe what it was doing just standing there! anyway i immediately put down my basket and picked her/him up and proceeded to go outside, excusing myself through all the people in my way, it struggled a little bit but i talked to her and told her she would be free soon and she seemed to calm down a little bit. then i got to this tree flower area outside and opened one hand so it was sitting on my palm. first it just seemed to list slightly and its eyes closed, i thought it was going to die! then it sort of shifted its wings around a bit and i though maybe it was injured and could not fly. I wondered what to do and thought about leaving it in the area while i went back to the store because i has asked another customer to stand and watch my purse because i could not carry it out. then i saw a pigeon standing nearby and i thought the pigeon might hurt her if i did. anyway i just continued looking amazed as she looked around with her little head and then soon she just took off and went straight up i followed her and she went so high in the sky. i talked to a friend who worked in the store and he said that it had come in through the roof and they had been trying to catch it for four hours! poor thing must have been exhausted and starving i do not know how it could even still fly! anyway it after i had that conversation with him i went past the same tree on my way home and i saw a hummingbird drinking from the flowers there, i do not know if it was the same one, but i walk by that tree alot and i have never seen hummingbirds there before. i was wondering if that bird was there to send healing to the people in the store as well as me and what its message could be relating to? thanks and blessings”

Stepping Up and Acting When Needed

How often do we get buried within our own thoughts, giving more to the tiny details of life and ignoring a soul in distress? It can take so little of our time to take action to assist another life, even without being asked. We can do so in many ways, whether its bringing that tired trapped bird to safety, or hovering outside a window just to shift someone from a darkened frame of mind. Our presence can make a world of difference, and soon enough life goes on.

Thank you Amber for sharing your story!  God blessings to you for helping in a moment of distress.

Hummingbirds, why do we see them as anything special?  ©2011 HummingbirdShaman.com. Learn more about your divine presence and message of your soul through a soul-presence reading session. Questions are always welcome. By appointment, these sessions are offered through phone or Skype.

This morning I offer you this reprint of the Lily and the Grapevine, and hope that you enjoy it as I have. Have a wonderful hummingbird day.

THE LILY AND THE GRAPE VINE

” I wish I wore a humming-bird,” exclaimed a white lily as it drooped its head with a fragrant sigh, after the kiss of the beautiful little bird which had just departed on its buzzing wings, to dally with other flowers.

“I wish I were a hummingbird, and had wings to carry me wherever I wished to go. I am tired of standing here, with my feet in the ground, and destitute of the power to move one inch from this place. I have only the same objects to look at from morning to night, unless some being more happy than myself—blessed with the power of motion, coined this way. And there, that rose tree just in front of me, is growing so lofty, that it will soon shut me out from a glimpse of the path.”

“How fine it would be to be a bird, and go everywhere and see everything. I believe if my feet were not stuck so fast in the earth, I could fly as well as any bird; my leaves are large and would do very well for wings. I am determined to get out of this hateful place.” So saying, the lily drew up its head with unwonted energy, and tasking its strength to the utmost, attempted to extricate itself from the earth.

A grape vine which had grown wise with age, was leaning over an arbor near at hand, and its leaves shook with suppressed laughter, as it witnessed the vain attempts of the lily to depart from its native soil. After a few moments spent in the effort, the lily paused and dropped its head again upon its stem, discouraged by perceiving it had not moved a hair’s breadth from its former position.

“If there would only come a blast of wind now, I believe it would help me out,” sighed the lily.

“What arc you trying to do” asked the grapevine. “I am trying to get out of this place,” replied the lily. “I have lived here long enough, and now I wish to see something more of the world. I shall never know anything if I stay here. If I were only a humming bird then I should be so happy.”

“How would you be happier if you were a humming-bird than you are now?” asked the vine. “O, I could fly about from flower to flower, and drink the honey from their cups, as the birds do now from mine, and I could fly so high in the air and learn a great many new things.”

“But if you were a humming-bird you could not fly as high as if you were an eagle, and if you were an eagle, you would not learn as much as if you were a man ; do you suppose you would be contented if you were a humming-bird ? or would you wish to be an eagle or a man?”

Why I would wish to be the best of anything, if I knew what that was; but I do not know anything finer than a humming-bird—its colors are so beautiful, and it flies so swiftly, and it comes to visit us so often. I should not like to be a man, for they are not much better off than the plants. They cannot fly.”

“True,” returned the grapevine, “but yet they are endowed with faculties superior to those of any other animals, and though they are destitute of wings, their ingenuity is sufficient to devise means which will enable them to move with wonderful velocity; and then they have the advantage of moving near the earth, so that they can have a clear view of all its beauties. You would not like to live in the sky, would you, if there were no earth for contrast.

“No, if there were nothing but its eternal blue, I should not, but this evening primrose which stands just behind me, told me the other night, when she awoke just before my hour of repose, that every night, the sky was studded with a thousand brilliants, like the sun in hue, but so mild and gentle that he was not afraid to look them in the face, and that they danced with unwearied movements, and sang to her the live-long night. I tried to keep awake that night, so that I might see them too, but I could not.”

“If you were a humming bird, you would probably have as much difficulty in keeping yourself awake in the night as you now do, so that flying would do you little good except as it gave you the power of motion.” “Well, then I would wish to be a man at once, if I could see more and do as I chose ; but here I must stand a poor miserable lily, without the power to move an inch from my position, and shut in by tall shrubs all around me. I wish I were a man.”

“But do you not suppose if you were a man, you would wish to be something else directly?”

“No, what should I wish to be?”

“You say that a man is better than a bird, and I am sure there can be nothing better than a man, unless it is a woman. However that may be, if you are not contented as a lily, you probably would not be so as a man—there would still be things that you would not know, or be, or do, and you would not be any better satisfied than you are now.”

“I have heard of a man who conquered the whole world, and was then very unhappy. because he had not other worlds to conquer.”

“I wonder how you learned so much; I do not think you need to talk to me for being discontentcd, when you stand there so high that you can see everything, and learn ever so much, I am sure if I were a grape vine I would be very quiet.”

‘”My situation is not so much better than yours as you seem to suppose, my vision is as much circumscribed by tall trees, as yours by tall shrubs, and the higher I am, the more I am troubled by the wind. The way in which I learn the little I know, is by listening attentively to all I can hear, and observing and reflecting on all that passes under my notice. If yon would do the same, you would be vastly wiser than you will by desiring to become other than nature made you.”

“You seem to say that wisdom is very valuable, and you confess that men are wiser than plants can be, so I do not see why I should not desire to be a man.”

“Do you suppose you could become a man, if you wished it ever-so-much.”

“I do not know—perhaps I could.”

“If you could, it would be more reasonable to desire to become such, but I have heard of many, who when they became what they desired to be, were less happy than ever, for their desires increased with their faculties, and they were never satisfied.”

“But I am sure I should be perfectly satisfied, if I were possessed of the power which you atribute to man.”

“Perhaps you would not think men so wise and powerful if you were a man. I believe the wisest among them, do not have a very high opinion of human wisdom. I have heard of an ancient sage, who desiring to send his son to a certain court, found him unwilling to go, because he did not wish to betray his ignorance among the wise and great. To his objections the father answered, ‘go my son, and see with how little wisdom kingdoms are ruled.’  And if I may judge from all I have hcard, and read in the books left at times under my shade, although there are some wise men in the world, the majority are far from being so. A wise plant is far better than a foolish man. The amount of information that an individual possesses, does not make him wise.”

“What then is it to be wise I ask, if it is not to be well informed ?”

“To be wise, is to improve all the powers which nature has given us, and to be satisfied with that.”

“Well,” said the lily, ” I do not see but I may be wise tonight as well as ever: and quietly folding its leaves at the fading of day, it went to its accustomed rest.

(Story found in the The Oberlin evangelist: Volume 5 – Page 88, 1843.)