The Blessings of a Hummingbird

I was working on my computer, when my son told me that a hummingbird had hit the sliding glass door outside my bedroom. He told me that my very eager cat, Annie, quickly retrieved it and brought it into my bedroom. Annie released the bird and when I found it, it was pressed up against one of the windows in my room. I approached it with the intention that I would cause it no harm. I slowly moved towards it and gently took it into my hands. It made a slight noise and allowed me to pick it up. I took it outside and stood for 5 minutes or so holding it in one of my hands. I noticed how it relaxed into my palm and began to breathe, as if it were catching its breath. As I held this tiny little bird I felt a rush of emotion. I had always seen them in flight or hovering as they sipped nectar from a flower. To have one so still, was indeed a gift. I was caught by the beauty and minute detail of this precious little bird. It’s back an emerald green, shimmered in the sunlight. The tiny feathers were outlined in black. Its neck had a tiny patch of crimson shaped in a diamond. Its long slim black beak was about an inch in length. It’s tiny eyes shut for a bit, and as its breath became fuller, I opened my hand and the hummingbird took flight and landed high in a tree branch.

I was left with a feeling of awe, and that I had been blessed with hummingbird medicine. Throughout my trainings, I have embraced the elements of Nature. I notice the different animals that present themselves to me throughout my day and look to the meaning of their visits. It’s interesting, that hummingbird is the spirit animal name that I was given several years ago during a sacred ritual. To have one actually land in my hand, be still, recuperate and fly into the heavens, I took as a blessing.

Hummingbird is a symbol of tireless joy and the nectar of life. It reflects the mystery of cause and affect and can teach us how to extract the nectar or juice of our life. They teach us how to heal our self and open our heart to others. When we open our heart, we become as light as a feather and life becomes rich with the essence of who we are.

The hummingbird is able to explore and embrace the past, thus creating deep healing and a sense of peace. Finding peace is the key to coming to terms with what we have endured and experienced. By consenting to this peace, we are able to fully embrace all of who we are.

As I reflect on all the changes that I am personally going through, having hummingbird visit me is a way to remind myself of all that I have to be grateful for. When I can stay in the moment and embrace my life as a perfect unfolding, regardless of the changing circumstances, I can return to joy. This brings me back to my innate birthright of living a life of peace, love and light.

Life is full of shifting and changing perceptions and attitudes. Hummingbird reminds us to embrace the joy, the sadness, and the fleeting moments of happiness. It’s as if we embrace the full catastrophe of life. This is a Greek term that defines living a life that is full of ever changing emotions and moods. It’s the ability to catch a moment of pure joy, only to collapse the next moment into one of despair. This inner knowingness and wisdom alerts us that within a second the joy we experience may very well shift into another feeling of being. How flexible are you? And how quickly can you come back to center after fully embracing the passing emotion?