It’s for the Birds

litebeing, , , ,

Hello litebeings,

Just yesterday I was meeting with my spiritual director about how bored I am with my life and that I rarely can generate excitement anymore. This existential angst has been in play a few months, as transiting Saturn joins transiting Pluto in my 12th house.

After waking this morning I draw the blinds in my dining room which faces the backyard. I see something I have never seen before. Initially, I thought I spied a few sparrows getting ready to disperse. But this was a whole ‘nother event. I witnessed what looked like a few hundred blackbirds literally carpet the backyard and eventually come close to darkening the morning sky in flight. I rushed to turn on my phone to take a picture but it seemed like I was too late. But they swooped back down just a few yards from view, giving me a small window to capture their images on my phone.

I know that these shots do not really show the scope of this bird convention. The limits of the camera and my inability to go outside to get a wider shot prevented me from transferring my experience to “form” adequately. Let me tell you though: seeing these birds en masse took my breath away. I felt both awe and fear, trying to understand why they were gathering here. Was it a sign for me? Was there something going on that led them here? ( Sometimes it is not about me. )

I did a little digging and prayed they were not a ” murder of crows ” signaling death and bad luck. Honestly, I was feeling that way for weeks before the birds arrived. What I discovered is that blackbirds, among other bird species, migrate together in winter to keep them safe. I did not know any of this and it led me to wonder how many other natural encounters may not have been cosmic in origin.

And yet, why can’t it be both? Before the internet, I would have had to go to the library and research this phenomenon if I wanted some understanding. And before there were libraries, I probably would have accepted that they were coming to see me!

I have had several unusual bird encounters, especially around the early 2000s when Neptune was conjunct my Ascendant. I learned then that birds are ruled by Aquarius ( my rising sign ) and that fact was important to me then. I am actually fond of birds but was a bit frightened of the power wielded by the magnitude of their numbers. Yet, when they soared together in flight, my fear turned to delight as I witnessed such extraordinary beauty in motion.

Here is some bird interpretation courtesy of my fave symbolism site :

Birds that are black do not give up their secrets easily. They love to watch us marvel over their messages. Blackbirds demand our commitment to learning their wisdom and do not reveal their meanings unless they are convinced we’ve devoted ourselves completely to the path of understanding.

Part of this understanding comes from the clear perception of the dark and light sides of the universe.

This concept of light and dark is a fundamental concept of alchemy which is: Transition and Transformation. It deals with the ability to accept there are both black and white energies, and they most both exist in order for our world to exist.

The bird itself is symbolic of life in the heavens (higher ideals, higher path of knowing). The color black is symbolic of pure potential.

Consider: what is not exposed, is unknown. What is not known, holds infinite possibility. So, between the two, (the meaning of birds, and the meaning of the color black) there is no limit to human transformation – all we have to do is gently pull the shades down of our rational mind, and start sojourning with our darkly feathered friends.

This all comes about because birds are (metaphorically and mythologically speaking), situated in proximity to the higher energies of the Universe. This also positions them as heavenly or divine oracles and messengers in cultural myths across the globe.

Blackbirds and birds of black or dark colors are special among their airy clan as they are symbolic of:

  • Magic
  • Mystery
  • Secrets
  • The Unknown
  • Pure Potential
  • Unobvious Perception

When I consider where my thoughts and energy have been recently, this interpretation is eerily on point. I need more time to process, but I realize that the duality of dark and light is important for me to integrate, yet again. It is also interesting that a bit later today I spoke to my former supervisor on the phone and heard whistling. He told me that what I was hearing was the new parakeet he just brought home. Another bird? hmmm.

So tell me, have you had any unique bird encounters? Please describe them to us in the comments section.

update: Look what I was given later today:

more bird medicine!

Published by litebeing

Seeking magic and awe in ordinary moments

18 Comments

  1. Pingback: Prescient Nudgings and Signs of 2020 ~ A Sober Review – litebeing chronicles

  3. Reblogged this on litebeing chronicles and commented:

    Hey litebeings! I am reblogging this recent post on my birds encounter because I now see it as foreshadowing. Take this repost as a prelude to fresh new material about these “uncertain times. ” May love and peace be with you always ❤

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  4. Wonderful animal totem messages you dug up. If they were crows, one message they bring is simply “change”. I’d say that applies to all of us in this present moment, in no small way.

    I lived for a few years at a rental house that, first, was on a 1/4 acre lot and it was also across the street from 2 school grounds that were next to a park, so there was a big open area across the street from me.

    In my time there, I got to watch a crow couple teaching their two young crows how to fly. The parents would fly to the next stop (tree, pole, whatever) and squawk like crazy for the young ones to follow. As soon as their kids came, then they moved to the next stop. Rinse, repeat.

    You used the word “convention”. In that time I also came to realize that the crows literally did that. Every single day, regardless of season, at right around 4 pm, they would fly into the park and gather in the trees. As new arrivals approached, the others would squawk like crazy, then settle down until the next ones arrived. I do think they were literally having a daily meeting.

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    1. Thank you for sharing your experiences with crows and reframing their message as simply “change”. I do not know which type of birds visited, only that they were blackbirds. And they seemed to be having a brief convention in my back yard. Perhaps they are holding longer conventions elsewhere on Gaia.

      Wishing you a blessed Solstice if you observe and thanks for commenting. ❤

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  7. Loved your post Linda and the story from Karin above my own, Blackbirds are a frequent visitor to my garden and we have had the privilege of a nesting pair this Spring and Summer, along with sparrows and robin.. We have three pairs that visit but they can be very territorial too, shooing each other off especially from around the feeders I put out..
    I did know they migrate and not always are the winter blackbirds in our garden the same ones who fledged in the Summer months…
    What I have noticed since spending more time gazing out my window this year, is we are attracting many more species too our garden and we had around ten long-tail-tits swoop in for a ten minute feed the other day much to my delight.. We have coal-tits and blue-tits on the nut feeders regular..
    But these also attract the predators and what I have seen land several times on our fence is the Sparrow Hawk.. Thankfully he didn’t get breakfast from my garden sparrows… But when unusual birds appear like this I always take them as a Sign and look up their meanings..

    I was fascinated with you encounter with so many Blackbirds all at once, and you did well to capture them before they flew off again..

    Sending Love my friend.. ❤

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    1. Thanks Sue for sharing your bird encounters and the different “characters” appear and disappear. This encounter I captured really helped shift my awareness, albeit temporarily. We need more awe and nature does not disappoint.

      love on this Solstice night to you ❤

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  8. Thanks for sharing these observations. I wasn’t aware of the fact that blackbirds gather together. I have only seen them as single birds. Amazing how they seemed on point with their symbolism for you.

    I have a story to share.
    I was preparing the script for the workshop on divine guidance and needed a story to share in the chapter about synchronicities.
    Then I was in the office and heard a bird flying against the window twice. I went to check whether he was injured or alright.

    Amazingly, it was a canary bird with some ruffled feathers at the head. Usually, canaries don’t fly around here. He must have escaped from a cage somewhere. Outside it was winter and almost freezing. The bird recovered soon after his encounter with the window and flew away.

    I wondered what the bird meant to tell me. It reminded me of my son who has blond hair. And his haircut somehow looked similar to the bird’s funny ruffled feathers at the head.

    Later it turned out that during that very same time my younger son (who has blond hair) was locked out because he had forgotten his keys and tried to get into the house.

    Now, this story was not so much about the symbolism of a canary or whatever that bird was, but more about the synchronicity of the events.

    And after this workshop thing was over, I saw several goldfinches. I took them as a sign that it was time to celebrate.

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    1. Hi Karin,
      What a great synch you shared about your son. It is great you were able make that connection and take action. It is such a joy to see you commenting here. I love comments, as you know, and your presence is meaningful to me ( and many).

      hugs, Linda

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