Hummingbird Shaman

Many of the stories posted on this site are about a certain walk at a park overlooking beautiful Mt. Rainier in Washington State. In fact, the whole mission behind Hummingbird Shaman began with a hummingbird encounter at that park. Time and time again the hummingbirds have found me, and I have found them.

Lately I have conducted my dog walks at a walking trail instead. There is water, a bonus for a black lab, and no driving is needed. The drawback is the limited visits with my hummingbird friends at the park. We are now at the time of year when the encounters resume, making it worthy of a visit.

Today though we opted for the trail. Upon finishing an Intuitive Reading Session by phone, the mainstay of my healing and counseling practice, I quickly gathered leash and dog and headed for the trail, with just enough time for a short walk and swim before the sun set. As I walked down the stairs toward the trail I heard a familiar sound: the sound of a hummingbird call.

I stopped and looking around at the nearby trees. So many trees, such a little bird. Again I heard the call. “Come out where I can see you”, I relayed with my spiritual voice, and I continued down the stairs before the dog could complain about the delay.

We began our walk along the trail, stopping so the dog could pick up the newest aromas, and again the hummingbird called out. Suddenly I saw the little body hovering between two trees, remaining there long enough for me to spot him before returning to a branch. “You found me, and I found you”, came to mind almost as quickly as the smile.

There is a time to let our presence be known, in those times when there is an open heart ready to receive us. In those moments we can take that step, let our presence be known, and if those times do not come often enough we can encourage those around us to be a little more receptive to our being.

Hummingbird Shaman Editor and Author Estee Taschereau offers clear, compassionate assistance to individuals who seek to understand their own path and abilities. Phone sessions are available in the US, as well as sessions via Skype. Visit IntuitiveMeaning.com for more articles on totem spirits and shamanism.

This story begins with a simple hummingbird encounter taking place just minutes ago. I glanced out the window as I was waiting for my computer to complete its task, and saw a strong male hummingbird lingering at an unusually low spot in relation to the feeder. Suddenly he dropped like a lead weight, disappearing from my site.

“Peekaboo”, I thought, and just like a child I headed for the window. Keeping my movements minimal and slow, I peeked down to the brown ferns and rhodie, wondering if my little hummingbird friend was still near. As suddenly as he disappeared he returned, rising up from the foliage like a warrior rising up to meet his opponent. I was glad to have a window separating us, for I had no intention to engage in battle over sugar water.

The hummingbird quickly rose to the feeder, and his initial nervous twitching seemed to subside as he drank in his nectar. The hummingbirds have made it clear that they do not like this new feeder location. It is far too open for their taste.

It may seem more reasonable that a hummingbird would be more concerned about its safety and well-being than larger creatures, but even the lion will find a safe place where they can be the observer, and a time when they can turn their attention inward.

We are not that far removed from the animal world. Our fascination for totem animals in spirit form shows us the attributes and qualities we share with animals. It is only reasonable for us to share a similar need to hide during certain times.

We hide our spark as we ride on the crowded bus or plane. We reserve our personal tastes and needs as we serve in our business. Just like the caged tiger we don’t always have the conditions we seek so we can feel at ease, so we isolate ourselves in our thoughts, drifting into our mind instead of experiencing through our consciousness.

There are ways we can create a safer, more secure environment for ourselves, building our world from the inside. These tools can be found in the book, “Being Here Now – Find your center, Stand your ground”, now available in ebook and paperback format. Learn simple techniques for self awareness and personal ownership.

Estee Taschereau is the Editor and Author of Hummingbird Shaman, offering individual sessions for discovery of the true spark that animates you.

“The hummingbird is back”, my friend shared, totally out of the blue.  “The last time I saw him was the last time you were here”.  I turned and looked out the window at the feeder.  Sure enough, it was one of the light brown hummingbird that migrates from Mexico.  I was glad to see one, and even happier to know that fresh food was in the feeder.  I’d known for a few weeks that they were near.  The time was now.

Later that morning I returned to the ranch down the road, to the house I had been staying at while its owners were away.  This beautiful country setting was a peaceful place to work on my writings.  Later that day I made an excuse to drive into town.  My true mission was to buy a feeder, I couldn’t find the one in storage at the house I was staying at, and the time for providing food was now.  I filled my new feeder and hung it on a small cedar tree within sight.

It didn’t take long for this sweet treat to be discovered.  In the morning I walked out on the patio to sand my drum ring before the Healing Drum Retreat weekend.  It was dry, at least, and sunny off and on.  The dog was delighted I was within reach, and I found a stick protruding through the middle of the drum with her sweet eyes saying, “play with me”. Sand the drum, throw the stick. Repeat.

Suddenly I heard the loudest whirling sound.  I looked around, and saw a little figure swoop past the feeder and onto a nearby branch. After a minute the temptation was too much to bear, and he returned to the feeder for a drink.

Camera time, the drum can wait.  Funny, I had the camera within reach of the door.  I chose a chair closer to the feeder, and waited.  Soon I heard those wild wings resonate like a loud buzzing as a sign of this hummingbird’s approach.  Was this variety louder than the local hummingbird’s, or was it just a lot less noisy out here in the country?  I was careful in my movement to avoid spooking this bird, after all we had just met.  After a battery failure and change I managed four good pictures.

Later that day I  noticed that we had not one but two birds visiting, and fighting over the feeder.  Welcome back, little brown wonders!

Yesterday I honored my dogs with a walk at the off-leash park.  We skipped the day before, it was rainy and cold in comparision to my earlier days in the desert.  Angie was not going to let me skip another day, and demonstrated her anxiousness by pacing and whining.  Enough with the whining, let’s go!! 

When we entered the dog park I whistled to alert my friends, the hummingbirds living within the park.  Silly me, it’s not as if they do not know, for on my walk I could feel thier presence, and at one point I turned to see who was watching me.  I saw the erratic flying pattern in the distance, knowing it had to be a hummingbird, and then he disappeared into the outline of the tree behind him.  So, today is watching day, eh?   But now I have jumped ahead in the story.  Let’s go back to the beginning.

Within the minute that it takes to get settled into our walk my upper-level hummingbird friend appeared.  I was already past his tree, so I called out to him, “Hello, why don’t you join me on the walk today?”  Oh sure, why not?  He sat quietly on his tree, without his usual commentary or “lesson of the day”.  I continued on in the walk, still keyed-up from my busy day and all the things I felt I needed to accomplish, and now I needed a fast-paced walk to burn off the kinetic energy.  As we passed each meeting place, and to this day I have found four regular ones where the hummingbirds meet me, I called out to them.  The foliage is heavy now, and its becoming more difficult to spot that little body in so much greenery.  

I kept a good pace this day, for it was cold, especially for late May, and there was a good chance that rain could encourage an even faster pace back to the car.  I did not see any hummingbirds at any of my other stopping points, not on this round.  At some point my focus turned to the meaning of my hummingbird encounters.  What was the meaning of this journey?

To be continued in part II – Captivated by his Presence

Estee Taschereau is a medical intuitive and clairvoyant counselor and consultant, offering sessions for personal and professional growth toward a healthier self. Sessions by phone can be scheduled through the contact form, in-person sessions are also available in the Greater Seattle area.

Today’s walk was quite mellow. I began with a greeting from my upper-park level hummingbird friend from his less-obvious perch in a larger tree, but he always picks the same spot, a little more barren and visible. When I recognized him, he flew up from the tree, then up above me, zoomed in an erratic pattern of zig-zagging back toward his perch, but instead of landing he circled up over me again and disappeared into the sun. Now I will admit that the brightness made it difficult to watch him, but no matter which form he took at this point he was gone.

He reminded me of a story shared during one of the Peruvian gratitude ceremonies of the condor and the hummingbird. Both birds claimed that they were strong enough to fly to the sun. The other animals thought this should be settled, and so the next morning the hummingbird and the condor were to compete, and show who would be the first to fly to the sun. In the morning all the animals gathered, and the condor was ready to fly, but there was no sign of the hummingbird. They waited, and waited again. Finally the condor decided that he had waited long enough, and he would prove his great strength. He began his flight, working his strong wings hard as he rose higher and higher. Finally he began to tire, and slow in his movement. All the sudden the hummingbird appeared, having remained hidden in the feathers of the condor’s neck. The hummingbird continued the journey onward into the sky, proving he could fly higher than the condor.

The story offered from within the story is about moving through the earth plane as high as one can go, like the condor, and only then can we emerge as the hummingbird to continue the journey further. This is also a story that shows us that no great feat is ever a solo journey.

As I continued my walk I was greeted by another friend along the long winding road. Today was a good day for walking. These photo’s were taken on this day during my walk. The upper photo was a surprise, I thought he was long gone before my camera could complete it’s slow cycle.

Estee Taschereau is a medical intuitive and clairvoyant counselor and consultant, offering sessions for personal and professional growth toward a healthier self. Sessions can be scheduled through the shopping cart or through the contact form.

The Great Spirit Hummingbird flew quickly down the road, with great care taken to assure my attention. He rounded a small tree, and as he emerged from the other side a hawk appeared. The hawk could not have come from this tiny tree, it was far too small and unable to support the weight of a hawk. I would have seen this hawk as well as I passed within feet of this tree a minute before. My mind tried to reason through this experience, but I quickly caught hold of my rampant thoughts and accepted the vision.

What message was shared with me that day, and why did it take me all evening to finally hear it? The totem spirit Hummingbird manifested from the energy of joy. The totem spirit hawk is a messenger, a teller of truths, and brought clarity and conclusion within my vision.

“It is that easy.” Ah, of course I could not hear it earlier, I was trying too hard! Catch-22, isn’t it, trying so hard to hear something so simple? This was a story of shape-shifting, but to bring it into a new light, it’s just about change. Change within our heart, mind or soul and the concept of shape shifting are so much alike: one moment it is one thing, the next moment it is different. As I walked up the hill I spoke to Great Spirit, and I knew this interaction was a powerful one. The communication given to me was amazing as is, but hey, why not bring it to form and really make a point? Thank you Great Spirit!

My conclusion on this interaction with hummingbird, hawk, and Great Spirit:

1. This gift came to me when I was most receptive to receiving. I was enjoying my physical environment, yet had my connection to my source. For that moment I stepped out of trying.

2. I was open and in-the-moment. Sometimes I jump ahead of myself, and form a conclusion or opinion of what I should be receiving. That’s a very limiting way of receiving, and gives no grace to the giver, but how often do we use this tactic? Far too often. Some call this state of openness as “come as a little child”.

This was a thrilling experience, one I hope to experience again. I don’t think I could ever lose the state of excitement and awe in seeing this transformation. I do, at times, cloud over the beauty of my own transformations. This event took place in April 2008, and yet today, May 13, as I complete my rendition of the story, I remind myself of that feeling, of complete surrender to the guidance of the Great Spirit in whatever form it may take.

The photo shown above is a view of Mt. Rainier in Western Washington State. The tree that the hummingbird circled around is next to the shelter at the bottom of the picture. This tree has delicate branches, not able to support the weight of a hawk.

Estee Taschereau is a Spiritual Counselor, providing individual sessions in Life Optimization and Energy Release through Awareness. Phone Sessions can be scheduled through the marketplace at:

www.shamanstore.hummingbirdshaman.com

It was a Saturday afternoon, and I was enjoying another quiet walk with the dogs at the park overlooking the valley and our beautiful dormant volcanic mountain off in the distance.  I stopped to chatter with my first hummingbird friend at our usual meeting place.  Our interaction was brief, simply an exchange of greeting and appreciation of the day.  Since I began my Hummingbird Chronicles I have identified 4 other hummingbirds, each with their own perching area and territory. 

It was time to walk up the long winding road and finish our play-time for the day.  As I walked up the hill quietly while internally talking to source, clearing and shifting within.  Though I was aware of the depth and intensity of this interaction with Source, for some reason I shifted my awareness, and thought about the hummingbird I had seen flying by this area a few days prior.  Perching areas are not so clear along this trail, too many evergreens to see a tiny little bird.  Within a blink of an eye a small form came out of no-where; zooming down the hill alongside the trail where I was walking.

I followed his pathway, clearly seeing this was my newest little hummingbird friend. He continued down the hill, following the contours of the path, and then turned sharply to circle round a small tree.  A split-second later he rounded the other side of the tree, but something was very different.  What could have happened in that moment in time?  Subscribe to our feed, and here more of this hummingbird shaman adventure!   Stay tuned for part 2 of “Is Anything What It Appears To Be?”.

Estee Taschereau is a Spiritual Counselor, providing individual sessions in Life Optimization and Energy Release through Awareness.  Phone Sessions can be scheduled through the marketplace at: www.shamanstore.hummingbirdshaman.com

On 4/21/08 Y.D. replied with the following question:

I feel I have been blessed and I am wondering if what I read is true- is such an encounter a calling to be a healer using the power of flowers- aromatherapy?

Y.D.

Here is my response:

Y.D.,

As to the message contained in the experience – there are many sources of interpretation based on specific tangible components of either conscious or dream experiences, kind of like a “one-size-fits-all” approach.  Yes, there is value in the symbolic information.  Now though, let’s look at this in a different light: Your experience was a spiritual awakening, or moment of spiritual awareness.  The message is very unique to you.  I see the intent focusing on your stepping out of time and space as we know it.  You may not have thought of it in this way, but looking back, you felt very different during that time, didn’t you?  You were very focused, and playful, and your energy flowed more freely.  You were in a state of timelessness!  Some people work for years to experience such a feeling!   Any level of awareness, like your experience, is priceless.  Working with aromatherapy may be a very powerful way to bring back the memory of this experience, so it would be like a tool for you to help you step back into that timeless state.  Working as a healer is wonderful but not necessary, the primary point (one that many do not realize) is that the self awareness and realization is the most important part, that’s where the beauty lies, and where source exists.

Thank you so much for sharing this story!

Estee/Hummingbird Shaman

HummingbirdShaman.com

p.s. You ARE blessed, this experience was unique and exciting, with no harm coming to the birds.  You are blessed, and bless you again for taking such good care of our friends.

04/27/08

The story does not end here.  I felt as though more could be said on the topic of ‘being a healer’.  We are all healers, and we give to others in one form or another, seen or unseen, whether we recognize it or not. Please allow me to note two ‘ways of thinking’:  1) healing, by definition, is the ability to change and restore to wholeness; and 2) true healing comes about through our ability to have, let go, and receive.  Hence, even through the aid of others, it is always self healing.  As a healer I can accept credit for my ability to create a safe space for change, and lead another into their next step, but the healing itself, the change, is within them, and I honor this.  I will write more in the future about healing, and have already sent the request to the hummingbird spirits to teach me even more.

I wrote the last section as an after-thought, please feel free to comment, for our interaction aids us in our movement. 

On 4/21/08, Estee Taschereau, Hummingbird Shaman wrote:
There certainly is a message from this interaction, and this is how I see it -

The hummingbirds set ‘the tone’, but a part of you that resides over your physical appearance, let’s call it your higher self, took this open doorway that the hummingbirds created, and brought a playfulness and joy
into your physical world. Wonderful! You listened and followed in the game, and it sounds like you enjoyed it, and took it as a wonderful healing as well.

It’s funny, I was reminded just yesterday of my early encounters with hummingbirds. When I was 13 years old I helped at my sister’s fishing resort during the summer. There were many hummingbirds in the area, and they would sometimes get trapped in the boathouse, and try to escape at the windows, which would not open. I would catch them with a fishing net and set them free, never once hurting one. This experience had been forgotten until Sunday,April 20, 2008, when I recollected that time and shared it with someone during a Body Mind Spirit Expo in Portland, Oregon,, and then I return home to find you had written to me that same day of such a similar experience. Amazing, isn’t it? What I find interesting is that you had a pair, not just one. Very keen observation!

You have created such a wonderful loving interaction with these amazing
hummingbirds, and so graciously shared it with your roommate. It looks
like your roommate is still a little surprised by the experience.

Blessings,
Estee
HummingbirdShaman.com

April 25, 2008:  Today is a warmer day, around 60 degrees, with a gentle wind.  I took my dogs for our usual walk, but business took me out of town, and now it had been several days since my last visit.  We walked down the long service road to the lower level, and I checked the usual meeting places for my hummingbird encounters.  No sign of anyone, but this had been the first pass, the “hello, I’m here”.  We circled around for the return up the hill, and I took one more pass by the bench.  I checked each tree for that little form resting on a branch, but the trees are all blooming now, and it’s getting harder to spot so little a bird.  Ah, there he was.  I saw the glistening of his breast feathers, that metalic red sheen.  He’s such a beautiful male specimen. 

He spoke to me of commitment and focus.  Yes, worthy topics.  He also stated that there was something I needed, a healing.  I agreed, the last week had been a whirlwind, and I felt depleted and spun by all the activity.  “Alright, I’ll sit on the bench for a while”, and I walked to the bench 10 feet away from me.  As soon as I sat he shot up from his branch, rising up in a curve, stopping several feet above me.  He spread his tail feathers out to show his power.  “I am here with you, I am watching over you”, he said.  Then he returned to his perch, and remained for another minute.  

I stayed at the bench a few more minutes and then began my walk up the hill.  I have seen another bird, I believe female, flying along the hill.  This bird is the transmutation bird I spoke of earlier.  Today I spotted her, perched on a branch along the road.  “Hello!”, I whispered to her.  She did not wish to be seen by the others walking up the hill, and gave only her presence as a greeting.  I diverted my attention for a moment, and when I returned she was gone. 

This was a good day, and I returned home to see my friends chasing each other in the feeder area of my garden.  I have at least four hummingbirds residing nearby and dining at my gourmet feeders.   We welcomed the warmth on this early spring day, and for a moment time did not matter.