Hummingbird Shaman - Symbols of Divine Presence » awareness

Raptors and Shamanism

Hummingbird Shaman — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:57:31 +0000

After a fun-filled weekend I shared my goodbyes with a good friend as they prepared for a long drive home. “Have an safe drive home”, was the idea, but with humor we used words like “uneventful”. Safety is important, but why make it boring? With that we turn a blessing into an intention, and asked for a sighting or two of the raptor kind, whether it be an eagle, red tail hawk, or any other member of this impressive winged group.

Hawks, eagles, vultures, and falcons are in the raptor family. What exactly defines raptor? These birds are carnivorous, meaning they eat other animals. Vultures typically select dead animals, like road kill, while others go for live prey.

It was not so long ago that I stood outside my home and saw an eagle, something that is not an everyday event. The eagle moved quickly across the sky, never repeating any portion of its path like the hawks I see more often.

Raptors and Shamanism

Raptors have been honored in the native cultures and the world of shamanism since early times. The attributes of these amazing birds such as their strength, powerful vision, and speed as virtues that man can emulate. The most common attribute is the intensity of these birds.

What stands out most with the raptors of the world, the eagles, red tail hawks, falcons, and vultures is their awareness. All attention is given to the moment – now is the key to achieving any goal. Their focus is honored in expressions such as “an eagle eye”. We’ve all heard the expression, “a bird’s eye view”. It has been found that our human brain only registers a small portion of what our eyes see. How much of our observations are vision based, and how much is achieved by conscious focus?

There are 290 Falconiformes, or raptors, worldwide. This includes the nocturnal or night hunters, such as owls. In the U.S. there are regulations that restrict the ownership of raptor feathers or other body parts. These regulations are in place to protect the population of threatened species.

My friend followed up with me later that evening with an email to let me know that the prediction we made earlier was close, with the sighting of a hawk, a falcon, and two eagles. No vultures this trip, they were currently residing in the southern states for the winter. What a great way to add a little excitement to any drive, with an unexpected sighting of a raptor in action.

Raptors and Shamanism © 2010 HummingbirdShaman.com. Intuitive Meaning Editor and Author Estee Taschereau offers clear, compassionate spirit-level insights to individuals who seek to understand their own path and heighten their own abilities. Phone sessions are available in the US, as well as sessions via Skype.

Pileated Woodpecker – Awareness and Teamwork

Hummingbird Shaman — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 15:48:21 +0000

I’ve enjoyed the times I am able to work in my home office, which for me is an ever-moving location in search of sun light and visual connection to nature. On one particular morning I welcomed an interruption to my writing when I heard the sound of the pileated woodpecker outside my door.

The Sound of a Pileated Woodpecker

The warm morning allowed me to leave the window down, and I could hear the chirping of the many birds: the chickadees, blue jays, and flickers that have been frequenting the feeders. What caught my attention was a new call, the bold and distinctive sound of a pileated woodpecker.

I looked outside but could not see much with the brightness of the sun and the contrast created by the leaves of the cherry tree, but I could see the outline of this huge bird. I carefully opened the door with camera in hand, and stepped outside. There was not one bird, but also the mate. They chose to move to higher ground, and were an awesome site as they spread their wings and so casually flew up onto a nearby telephone pole. Their placement gave them a view of me as well as a view of each other.

The Spirit of the Pileated Woodpecker

This bird is the largest woodpecker in the U.S., and the sound created by its large strong beak against the bark and wood of a snag tree can be heard at great distance. Their voice is nearly as strong as the beating of their nature-drum. My first interaction with the pileated was preceded by the sound of his beak beating loudly on a hollowed tree.

One reference I am reminded of is the association between native american flutes and the pileated woodpecker. What a natural! Who’s idea was the flute? Perhaps it was a creative connection between the resourceful bird and the inventive man. No matter what our stories the pileated flute is a wonderful addition to our world, creating sound through the management of space.

The Meaning of Pileated – Awareness and Teamwork

The cap of this woodpecker is typically what is most noticed, with a large red crown. Pileated means cap, and the pileated wears his with grace. What can we say about the crown and our consciousness? The crown energy center is the gateway between body and spirit, and can easily be equated to wisdom and purpose. The interactivity of this pair of pileated woodpeckers spoke clearly of alliance and consciousness. Even the cap speaks out of communication and teamwork, bringing awareness and purpose into the same moment in time.

Pileated Woodpeckers and Relationships

Pileated woodpeckers mate for life, and stay together year-round. In this respect they differ from the hummingbird, a bird that lives more independent, even in raising their young.

This brings a thought to mind, the idea of totem animals in relation to people. We can have a totem, a symbol of an attribute we seek to develop within ourselves, that comes to us for a moment or for a lifetime. The pileated, being such a committed, purposeful bird, may be seen as a lifetime totem, for it takes time and endurance to show our true sense of commitment and community in action. The bright red cap can be seen as a sign of higher purpose delivered in every moment of life.

Pileated Woodpecker – Awareness and Teamwork © 2011 Estee Taschereau, Hummingbird Shaman™ and Walk With Wings™. Estee brings over 30 years as a spiritual counselor to help individuals gain a more fulfilling and purposeful focus in their personal and professional world, guiding them in their own awareness and appreciation of their life path and abilities. Sessions are available via phone or Skype, by appointment. Please use the contact form for scheduling.

Seeing Our Own Reflection

Hummingbird Shaman — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 19:21:12 +0000

You Can Read The Sky..

There is a passage in the bible when Jesus says, paraphrased, “You can read the sky and predict what will be tomorrow, yet you cannot read the signs of the times”. Many take this passage quite literally, but many of our spiritual texts go far deeper than is initially seen.

Seeing our own reflection. Is there purpose behind the face that we are sensory creatures, seeing the world around us but not ourselves? Some will answer, “I see myself all the time”, turning to their mirrors and other methods of reflection.

Sensory World

If we revisit the idea that we are sensory creatures we will see that our walk in life is a relational space. In simpler words, we have two side: the experiences with the outside world that cause a sensory response, and our perception of those sensory reactions. Take it a step further and we could question the word “reaction”. Is that not the return or repetition of an action? Where does the action begin? Certainly we could say that it is the stimulus, and that would make the world around us as the origin of our life experiences. Let’s go a bit deeper.

Everything We See

Without our own participation, our awareness and sensory abilities, there would be no “reaction”. That would make us the origin of everything we see, sense, and experience. This gives us great power in our ability to create our own life and the wisdom that is drawn from the many moments of our life.

“You can read the sky, but how well do you read ‘the times’?” What is ‘the times’? Is it the world around us? SInce we are aware, and we sense and react, then isn’t ‘the times’ something that comes from within?

Seeing Our Own Reflection

Seeing our own reflection: it’s an act within. As I typed this article I truly enjoyed the play of words. Each time I wrote ‘sensory creature’ I actually wrote ‘sensory being’, but then back-spaced and re-wrote it. The creature reacts, responding to the world around it and playing its role. It is the sensory ‘being’ who is the owner, the origin, and the creator. This is the moral of the story and the bottom line, we are here to be more than a reaction, we are here as ‘being’ so we can Walk with Wings.

© 2011. HummingbirdShaman.com™: Walk With Wings™ is offered by spiritual healing mentor and counselor Estee Taschereau. Spirit and Soul Level Healing Sessions are available for those who seek clarity and resolution. All sessions are by appointment, offered via phone (US or Canada) or Skype (international). Join our Facebook Page today, just click “like” to be a part of the community!

Celebrating an Inspiration and Symbol of Power – Bald Eagle Appreciation Day

Hummingbird Shaman — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 20:45:30 +0000

We turn to the world around us and ask “what is the meaning?”. There is not always a concrete clear answer when we think we need one, and we find ourselves challenged during those times when we must be within. Sometimes those signs come in a most unusual way, so symbolic in nature. In fact, the most questioned and appreciated signs do come from nature.

January 15th and 16th is celebrated as Bald Eagle Appreciation Day, with the 27th annual event happening in Southwest Iowa. This symbolic creature was adopted as our national bird in the early days of our country, but why do we need a national bird? Perhaps we make a statement, a demonstration to imply our power and our freedom by implying a connection to those who naturally possess an ability that we must develop.

As humans we have available to us so many abilities, and we are able to refine and build our skills through conscious focus and application. In our early history we’ve turned to the world around us to discover and explore, seeing amazing qualities that we admired and emulated. Many a story has been passed down through generations, a tradition that some cultures still honor in our modern times.

The eagle offers us a look at the abilities of physical strength, keen vision, and commanding presence. We’ve associated the eagle with spiritual connections as well, with one such example in the ancient Mayan Tzolkin calendar honoring the eagle in the symbolic glyph of “Men”, the eagle.

Many have shared stories of the appearance of hummingbirds in their lives, and seen symbolic meaning. They have felt the personal connection with the hummingbird, as though this tiny winged wonder was sent through some divine source. The hummingbird can hide so easily in the brush, and move about easily outside our normal perception. Yet the hummingbird can command our attention if so desired.

We choose what we see, and even though we live surrounded by so many and so much, but we often live in our “own little world”. When the hummingbird appears we cannot help but shift our attention. It is the same with the eagle, and though our interaction with the eagle is “from afar” we still marvel at its appearance. I have found my day change dramatically on the days when I see an eagle. I have heard stories of eagles appearing at a time of loss, and then again during a wedding in a way that could only be a sign of spirit.

Today I offer the thought of honoring the eagle as a sign of honor and a symbol of freedom. Bald Eagle Appreciation Day is just around the corner, and I am grateful that I am in a place to see this amazing creature in flight.

The Greatest Gift of Awareness

Hummingbird Shaman — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 17:02:29 +0000

Lately I’ve been spending a great deal of my time away from my personal working space, the space where the hummingbirds gather. Each day when I return I hear the calling of the hummingbird to greet me, sometimes from a hidden space, and sometimes in a location where I can see them. I typically glance at their feeders to make sure they have the nectar supply they need, but most often the feeders are fine, so the sharp tone of the hummingbird must be directed at something other than food.

Hummingbirds are known as fierce fighters, protecting their food sources from other hummingbirds. I often see a hummingbird approach a feeder only to be chased off by another. The key beneath maintaining their territory is awareness, knowing their boundaries and keeping an eye on their domain.

Awareness is the key to maintaining just about anything we do in life. At an early age we learn the boundaries of the yard, and stay out of the street. Later we learn the boundaries in playing games, using the right equipment and playing by the rules. It is through awareness that we come out the winner, at least most of the time.

We are no different than the hummingbird in our need to be aware of our territories and boundaries, and there are many levels for us to address: we maintain our relationships, adhering the saying the right thing, doing what we promise, and acting in a way that benefits both parties; we carry those exact same ideas into our work, only shifting the rules to suit the environment; and we return to our home and use our awareness to interact with our environment through color, texture, and the many things that surround us.

How well do we handle our awareness? Do we give thought before we take action, and what purpose is contained within the thought? Is it a thought filled with love, support, endurance, and building? Awareness is both an ability and a tool in our day-to-day living, one that can be practiced and refined to give us the greatest life experience.

Estee Taschereau, Author and Editor of Hummingbird Shaman, offers the book Being Here Now, a guide to greater awareness and tools for self awareness and personal ownership. Individual sessions are available to guide you into greater personal awareness, release, and more clarity in life.

Awareness is a Gift

Hummingbird Shaman — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 22:00:35 +0000

It has been an interesting day, with great insights flowing in quickly, but gracefully. I walk down the hallway, and round the corner into my office. There perched at the feeder is the older male hummingbird. His stance is strong, a powerful presence for such a little body. A message comes through, but somehow becomes tangled in the thoughts, and so I wait. I still my mind, and hold stillness both with body and spirit.

As I watch he drinks the nectar, then moves his head slightly to and fro, bringing alignment between his focus and awareness of his surroundings. “Now I understand”, I echo back to him energetically. To this hummingbird, and in fact most every animal in existence, the moment is everything. For all our evolution, for all the steps we have taken to be more, we have distracted ourselves from the most basic of gifts: awareness. We think about tomorrow, linger in the past, dream of another, in fact we spend the majority of our time anywhere but here.

While we must still face the world we have created, with so much of our reward placed outward or in the future, we cannot lose by returning at least some of our focus to now. Be in the moment, and relish the nectar of now.

Awareness is truly a gift. We can appreciate the physical world we live in. We can experience our reactions and assessments of the moment. Most certainly we can realize our spirital presence, and feel the amazing flow as our creative nature glides so beautifully into manifestation. If we are lucky, and attentive, we might just have a combination of all three levels of awareness. No matter which we allow there is no doubt that awareness makes the moment complete.

Vultures in my Dreams

Hummingbird Shaman — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:11:15 +0000

This week I have returned to the Oregon desert for a working visit, which means sleeping within mere feet of the vulture roost. This tree is the seasonal home to 30 vultures, give or take. My first night here was a restless one, waking often to hear the breathing of the animals that had gathered in my room or notice a flickering light. By early morning, just before dawn, each time I awakened I brought in awareness of writing a posting about the day as it appears in the Mayan Tzolkin calendar.

The date given in my dream was not in synch with this actual day, but my nocturnal writings did focus on Cib, the vulture. In this current 13 day cycle Cib does not appear. The last occurrence was July 31st, giving us 12 Cib. The energy of this day was present to aid us in our expansion of thoughts by bringing understanding of where we have been and through this awareness we will have a better grasp of where we are going.

My dream focused clearly on 2 Cib. I could not step past my curiosity, and did my research to see when the next occurrence of this combination the two wheels in the Tzolkin calendar would connect the number two and Cib, the vulture. This day will fall on November 28, 2008. Ah, I can feel the reaction already, that ominous energy that rises like a premonition. Premonitions don’t always have to be tragic in their message, they are only a sign.

: vultures on fence

On this upcoming day, still months away, I look forward to seeing how this dream-state interpretation of two Cib unfolds. The presence of source is best found not to the events that surround us, but in the offerings of the universe and how we carry those gifts into the world in which we live.

I could not have imagined earlier that I would dream of vultures, or write about them. We never know where life will take us, or how our awareness will unfold. To my surprise I found out that the vultures were sunning themselves, warming their wings in the early morning sun. This day has truly been an adventure, and its only just begun.

This posting contains a clairvoyant interpretation of the Mayan Tzolkin Calendar, a spiritually focused calendar, presented by Estee Taschereau through her venue YinYangPower.com