“Pleasure cannot be experienced when one is grasping it” – Alan Watts
PLAYFULNESS QUICKNESS ENDURANCE
“Be quick to realize that the path is clear and the navigation set; the destination is the heart.”
—Hummingbird
The 340 species of Hummingbird are found only in the Americas, and most, exclusively in South America. Inside this tiny bird is a wealth of information as its memory is astounding. It remembers every flower it has visited and has intricate routes to return to them. Hummingbird knows exactly how long to wait for a flower to generate more nectar so it can come back at the optimum time for its extraction. Hummingbird can recognize humans. It knows who to count on to refill a birdfeeder. Since Hummingbird never stops flapping its wings, it has a high metabolism and must eat every ten minutes. It will consume three times its body weight in bugs and flower nectar every day. Making this possible is its nuanced vision. It sees a large spectrum of colors. Hummingbird has an extra set of eyelids that it uses like goggles while rapidly flying. It also has a capacity for multidimensional flying, moving up and down and side to side effortlessly.
Hummingbird is the great navigator of the world with its ability to travel more than 2,000 miles during a single migration. It is tireless, beating its wings up to 5,400 times per minute so it can fly at speeds of up to thirty-three miles per hour, or hovering in place like a helicopter to drink nectar.
Hummingbird comes in a multitude of colors and is intimately connected to the diverse energy of the chakra system and the rainbow. The Aztecs honored Huitzilopochtli, their god of war, by naming him “Hummingbird of the South.” They saw Hummingbird as strong and sacred. It was categorized, along with Eagle and Hawk, as a symbol of solar power.
In the traditions of the Mayan and Inca, Hummingbird is the representative spirit of the North with the ability to guide us to our ancestors. For many native tribes, Hummingbird is thought to be a little messenger to the gods. Pueblo Indians would ask Hummingbird to send their gratitude to Mother Earth and carry requests for the shamans. Mayan legends also say that Hummingbird is the Sun in disguise and that it is always trying to court the Moon as a partner. For the Mojave it was Hummingbird that was sent to the surface of the Earth when the ancestors were living underground and it found them a path to the light so they could emerge. The Taino of the Caribbean see Hummingbird as a sacred pollinator responsible for abundance. Some tribes believe Hummingbird brought them their sacred tobacco.
Hummingbird is connected to rain. Hopi, Zuni, and Pueblo artisans paint images of it on their water jugs to assure themselves enough of this vital liquid to sustain life. Water is humanity’s nectar. As a Power Animal, Hummingbird could always be counted on to bring the nectar that was needed, and its iridescent feathers are representative of the prism and its corresponding color vibration on our energetic field. The Pima see Hummingbird as playing a role like Dove does in the biblical story of Noah and his ark. According to their myths, Hummingbird was able to find land during floods. The Aztecs would adorn their clothing with Hummingbird feathers and also wear Hummingbird earrings. Their shamans would take sticks and decorate them with these same feathers for help to suck evil out of those who had been cursed by sorcerers.
Hummingbird is a great teacher about lifting ourselves up from negativity whenever it creeps in and then move forward, pushing on to our ultimate destination of a heartfelt existence. Here is the place where we can get off of the treadmill of existence and be in a place of presence and joy.
So, here is my secret treasure map to JOY:
1.) To get there you have to do a check in with where your energy is focused. The hummingbird spends a tremendous amount of time, focused and remembering where the sweetness lies, it is moving towards its goal. If you are focusing on energetic distractions that cause you stress, then you need to bring awareness to the distraction and dissolve it. The energy that you expend should be seen as a treasure, a jewel, your cherished resource and something that you do not just throw around everywhere you go, wasting away on things that do not matter. It should always go towards a good investment from you into a well aligned purpose. Are others stealing your energy? Are you too invested in fixing others? Is is time for an equilibrium of energy into a healthy balance?
2.) There is a place of JOY that lies within the heart, most people never find it because they have no idea what JOY feels like, or the moments of JOY have been so few, the memory of it is fleeting. So what does JOY feel like? What is the source of JOY? How does one increase JOY? To understand JOY we need to know what it is. Many people think that it is a moment in time, like the moment of their marriage or the birth of a child. But joy is more than a moment—it is more than circumstances, it goes to a place well-being. Here are some definitions of JOY.
Webster’s defines joy as “the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires.” That definition seems a little materialistic and missing the depth of it.
Theopedia describes it more spiritually as “a state of mind and an orientation of the heart. It is a settled state of contentment, confidence and hope.”
“Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be alright, and the determined choice to praise God in every situation.” – Rick Warren
First, before reading any further just stop. Do not think, do not expend energy into anything and simply look around you with eyes of appreciation and satisfaction for where you are at this very moment in time. Do this for one minute………How did you feel? This is a great practice of embracing your cherished resources. No judging, no thinking, just being and sinking into the present awareness. Moving from the material into the present is embracing Joy. Where our minds do not kill possibility.
3.) Hummingbird can fly backwards, this is a reminder that by going back in time we risk stagnation. Stop comparing your life to what happened in the past, it is a big obstacle to Joy.
4.) The fear of disappointing others and yourself. This is probably the most oppressive thing we do to block joy. Many of us are in a constant people pleasing mode. It is never about our own Joy, we have a fallacy thinking that if everyone likes me, thinks like me, honors me, cares about me, we will be happy. Not true. Most people will spend five minutes thinking about you. Is your lifetime meant to be molded by a five minute thought from someone else?
5.) The majority of people do not even know what makes them joyful, they are too busy trying to find Joy instead of knowing what it is. You cannot find the sweetness in life if you are stressed out, plain and simple. It may be time to slow down, reevaluate your self imposed deadlines and stop being dictated by fear. Realize your capabilities and cut yourself some slack. To fully experience life you need to let go of life, detached from life. This is the final letting go. When you are free you are not clinging on to anything. might be helpful to make a Joy Journal, pick one thing out of everyday that you want to do for Joy. Write down in the journal your Joy of the day. Write a note to someone, order flowers for yourself or someone else, place something on your altar for personal growth, hold space and pray for a friend in need, give to a needy cause or volunteer some time. Over time you will then start to feel what Joy even feels like.
6.) Hummingbird is full of life and energy and travels the world with no sense of barriers. With great control it can move swiftly wherever it wants to go. It is a symbol of the morning Sun, as the colors burst into the earthly realm, and a reminder to jump into action and pursue your goals with vitality. Hummingbird can be territorial and will attempt to take on any intruder hovering around and dive at it with an angry chirping sound no matter its size. Hummingbird has no fear about expressing its dissatisfaction. It also demonstrates how to get to the heart of any matter and where to find the sweetness in life; this is evidenced by its pointed bill which goes straight for the center of the flower.
Hummingbird brings us messages that we do not have to pay the price for being loved and that everything worthwhile is difficult to obtain. Abundance is within us all, as we are born with it. The trick is being able to receive that which is unconditionally given. When we walk in the knowing that there is plenty, we can see and feel the blessings around us. Hummingbird holds the key to our star lineage, it is the messenger through the silver cord that connects us to everything. Ask Hummingbird to awaken you to your divine presence so that you can work with your divine purpose while on Earth.
Powers of Hummingbird
Call in Hummingbird for:
Complete confidence in the details of your journey.
Quick reactions and to take advantage of an opportunity.
Understanding joy and where to find it.
Awareness from Hummingbird
If Hummingbird comes into your life:
It is time to rest and relax; you may be moving too fast.
A journey is being prepared for you for the purpose of spiritual growth.
You may be too territorial; it is time to allow others inside your protective space.
Energy Center: Heart
Mineral: Seraphinite
Element: Earth
Seraphinite is the perfect stone for Hummingbird. It stimulates the spinal cord and helps to link up all of the chakras, like the hummingbird it knows the journey to enlightenment. It is named for the six winged spirit of the Seraphim, the highest order of angels nearest to God, the place of the ancestors, a journey that the Hummingbird knows well. It is the stone that stimulates kundalini rising along the spine, clearing and activating each chakra along the way opening us up to the angelic realms. As it rises it is especially attuned to the heart chakra and can expand the hearts energy, nurturing yourself and others. It creates the vibration of the “I am” the tone of prana that sustains the ability for peace within the body. This tone is your connection to the angelic realm and the connection to your guides. It is a deep forest green color with patterns of silver that are feather like and reflective of light and come from Lake Baikal in Siberia Russia. It is the stone of JOY. It is a helpful detoxer stimulating the heart and lungs as well as supporting the kidney and the liver, stimulating metabolism and helping with weight loss. It also helps to resolve conflicts and promotes reconciliation and compromise.
For more information about Power Animals visit www.lorimorrison.com. You can also purchase her newly released book The Shaman’s Guide to Power Animals here: mybook.to/
