Spartacus and I were sitting outside on the porch this morning writing (actually, Spartacus was sleeping) when a cacophony of shrieks and excited chatter erupted behind us. The sound of wings flapping and clattering through the bushes behind me made me fear the worst: a red-shouldered hawk making a meal of one of my smaller songbirds.
Instead of carnage, though, I was stunned to see two Pileated Woodpeckers dancing down the length of a tree behind our house. Two!
I was beyond excited. The last time I was given the gift of a sighting of one of these extraordinary, why birds was exactly 742 days ago. At least, it was 742 posts ago. The day of my 60th birthday, in fact, I was awakened from my dreams by the incessant echoing pecking of a pileated woodpecker right outside my window. What a gift that was.
You surprised me! – Photo: L. Weikel
Double the Message?
While of course I hope you’ll go back and read that post if you’re so inclined, I’m going to repeat here the information I quoted from Animal-Wise* by Ted Andrews:
“PILEATED WOODPECKER – Keynote: Follow your own rhythm, regardless of others
“I am fortunate to have in the woods around my home at least seven types of woodpeckers, including the pileated. All woodpeckers teach us something about a new rhythm at play within our life. Some do so more strongly than others and the pileated woodpecker is one of them.
All woodpeckers have a strong bill, pointed for chipping and digging through the bark of a tree for insects. Their stiff tail is used as a prop, allowing them to ‘drum.’
The pileated is a wary kind of woodpecker. One of the largest, it is not always seen. It is solid black, distinguishing it from most other birds and it has the red crested plumage. Any kind of crown or crest on an animal is usually an indication to follow one’s own thinking.
When the pileated appears, it is time to follow your own thinking and your own rhythms. Be wary of others trying to nudge you into a rhythm or behavior with which you are not comfortable. Trust your own instincts as to the rhythm that works for you. Though others may not understand your thinking processes as you take on new endeavors, do not be dissuaded – even if you do not quite understand them. The pileated reminds us that our way will work best now. Take your thoughts and give them action.”
PIleateds Mirror Dancing – Photo: L. Weikel
Exciting Visit
I have to admit, this encounter with the Pileateds was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before. Not only has it been two years since I last saw one, but that encounter was also from the inside of my bedroom. This sighting was incredibly intimate as we were just yards away from each other and – if they were paying attention – they most certainly would’ve been aware of my presence.
They were intent on checking out the entire length of two trees right behind our porch. I’m not sure if they were searching for food or a nice place to build a nest. But I’ve never seen two birds work in tandem the way they did.
Every once in a while they’d squawk at each other or flare their wings out. It almost seemed as if they were surprised to see each other appear from around the other side of the tree.
I wish I could share the videos with you. Perhaps I’ll try to upload one of them onto my YouTube account page.
In the meantime, I want to share these photos. I’ll leave the musing about the message – the double message – for another day.
This little guy hopped onto the porch this morning as I was having my first cup of coffee. Obviously, I at least had enough of my wits about me to have snuck on him and caught a photo of him (or her…). I chose to think it might be an indication of nascent good fortune.
At first, I was thinking this cricket must be a baby (a nymph?), since it looks like it’s so ‘fresh’ that it hasn’t had a chance to gain its deeper coloration. Hence the title of my post.
But upon reflection, I’m wondering if it might be a cricket that has molted. That thought actually resonates more closely with what I suspect, since if it were a baby, it probably would’ve been much smaller.
Amazing
And wouldn’t you know it? I actually found information precisely on what that might indicate. Again, I’m referencing Animal-Wise by Ted Andrews:
“Most crickets molt at least once, and a cricket may warn us that it is time to shed old beliefs that are no longer suitable. (…)
The cricket should stimulate some self-examination. Are we not seeing things properly? Are we denying our own beliefs? Hav we forgotten how to believe? Is it time to get some new beliefs? Are we exaggerating what we perceive? Are we not hearing the true songs of the people around us? Do we need to listen to what is not being said as much as to what is? Are we not holding true to our beliefs? Are others?
The power of your beliefs is strong now – for good or bad. Do not distort your ideas. Trust in your own intuition before believing others.”
I need to get tonight’s post published.
There’s a lot swirling around, mixed up and intertwined in my thoughts and beliefs that could use shedding, I suspect. Perhaps if I make a point of doing that specific work, that examination and shedding of beliefs, I will call in some new opportunities – possibly a bit of nascent good fortune.
It’s funny how things play out in our lives. It’s also fascinating to see how Spirit will sometimes go to extraordinary lengths to get our attention. In the span of just a few days recently, Flamingo ‘medicine’ has appeared in our lives as a clear and obvious messenger of some sort or another.
To be honest, at first I was simply taken with the ‘kitschy’ aspect of the plastic hangovers from the fifties and sixties when we first spotted them lurking in the garden of our next-door neighbor about a week ago. Karl saw them and started salivating with envy and a scootch of “I told you so.”
OK, I’ll admit it. As soon as I saw them and realized someone else had actually taken the plunge, I regretted having scoffed at Karl’s desire a couple years ago to get a pair of our own. I’ll give him credit (now) – he was ahead of the curve, even if that curve arced backward. (There will be a price to pay. I’ll write about that another day.)
Within Days
Odder still was when, just a few days later, we found ourselves practically shielding our eyes from the neon brilliance of yet another pair of flamingos. We discovered these saucy birds perched on the elevated sand mound of yet a different neighbor at least half a mile away from the first.
I have to admit these two were remarkably photogenic, strategically situated such that their gaze naturally falls upon a pond filled with peepers and frogs at the edge of a stand of woods.
While I cannot say I’ve seen a third set of flamingos (which would ‘seal the deal’ that they are appearing as messengers to us), I must admit to being captivated by the second set. Not only do they grab our attention every time we walk past them, but they’ve also managed to yank us out of a couple of rather cranky moods we found ourselves in recently.
Flamingo’s Message
Of course, I took their photo the first time I laid eyes on them. My initial purpose in doing so was, of course, to share them with you. I had the idea in my head that they might serve as fodder for some evening’s silly or whimsical post.
I’m so glad I did take their photo, because otherwise I might not have realized that they were bringing all of us a message that just might serve us in good stead.
Checking my trusty reference book, Animal-Wise* by Ted Andrews, here is something I thought we all might ponder as we enter this final week of July, in this Coronavirus Pandemic year of 2020:
“(…) When the flamingo appears as a messenger or as a totem, we are entering a time of cleansing and filtering to find that which nourishes and heals the heart. It is a time to follow the heart in all endeavors, in spite of the environment we find ourselves in. (…)
We should also ask ourselves some important questions. Are we discerning about that which is most beneficial to us or are we just accepting whatever comes our way? Are we ignoring the things we love to do? Do we need to pursue what is in our heart? Are we ignoring what we are feeling? Do we need to explore our own healing gifts and abilities? Do we need to let others know how we feel?
Now is the time for healing the heart. Follow your own heart in all your endeavors and seek out only that which will heal and nourish what is dearest to you and your own heart.”
When I got the nudge to explore the meaning of Flamingo medicine this evening and share it here, I never guessed the message would feel so perfect, or the questions so provocative.
As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I’ve received the coolest gift from Spirit on my last two birthdays: the unmistakable appearance of a bird that I felt was bringing me a message about a potential theme in my life for the coming year. Themes and messages, they’re all around us.
Before last year’s appearance of a pileated woodpecker right outside my bedroom window on the morning of my 60th birthday last year, I don’t recall ever having a bird (or any other emissary of the natural world) make a point of showing up in my life on my birthday. And the manner in which the woodpecker showed up last year – hammering me awake, hauling me from the dreamtime – made the bird’s message seem all that more compelling.
I Lost Track
I’ll admit it; while I didn’t forget that the pileated woodpecker had dramatically appeared on the morning of my birthday, I did neglect to check in on whether there was any applicability of the bird’s message as my year unfolded. I hate to admit it, but I lost track of the pileated theme.
Last night, when I reread my post from last year, I immediately noticed the use – twice – of the word ‘wary’ in the quote I included from Animal-Wise*. That, in and of itself, should have been a concept I highlighted in my own consciousness as a watchword for my year.
I don’t know. If I’d exercised vigilance in revisiting the pileated’s message would I have made other choices or picked up on the motives or actions of others before getting blindsided? Would I have allowed myself to become so sidetracked by the needs and desires of a few others that I set aside my own sense of the rhythms and ways in my life? I don’t know.
But I do know I could’ve – and probably should’ve – been more wary.
A Second Chance
Imagine my delight when I awoke yesterday morning to the squawking and incessant voice of a blue jay – again – just outside my bedroom window. Truly, I was delighted. I confess that when I went to sleep the night before I wondered if the pileated would show up again as magically and unmistakably as it had last year. (I have heard it – or them – hammering relentlessly in the small stand of woods on the edge of our property.)
But Blue Jay’s birthday morning wake up call was such a confirmation! I’ve found at least a dozen Blue Jay feathers over the past couple of weeks, probably since the beginning of March. And it’s not as if some poor bird got nailed by a car (or an owl) leaving a pile of feathers. No, it was a couple here and a couple there. Several singlets. And all along at various points along our two and four mile walking routes. Blue Jay has been present.
I feel this is a second chance for me to notice and continue to pay attention to this theme being set for my year.
Joining Heaven and Earth
I’ve looked up the meaning of Blue Jay many times over the years, but I must confess, I only retain a cursory recollection of what many birds and animals represent. Since I’m working with them for others so often, I try not focus on specific characteristics because I don’t want to have any pre-conceived notions when I journey to find power animals for others.
The last time I’d probably looked up Blue Jay for my own edification was when two pairs of blue jays nested above both of the doorways to our home. That was about 15 years ago at least, possibly 20. And all I remembered was that the feathers of blue jays signify the sky (blue) joining heaven (white) and earth (black). Beyond that, I just generally enjoy their somewhat pugnacious attitudes, even if they can be a bit annoying.
Audubon.org
A Different Perspective
So when I looked up Blue Jay again last night, I felt a bit of a chill ripple through me. The message feels like it is much more specific than just some random application of the three colors of its feathers.
“KEYNOTE: The Proper Use of Power CYCLE OF POWER: Year Round
(…) For those to whom the jay comes as a totem, it can reflect lessons in using your own power properly. It can also reflect lessons in not allowing yourself to be placed in a position in which power is misused against you.
(…) It has the ability to link the heavens and earth, to access each for greater power.
The black and white markings found on its blue wings also reflect this same ability. The sky (blue) separates the Heavens (white) and the earth (black). This is a totem that can move between both and tap the primal energies at either level. The jay is aware of this innate ability, and this is reflected in its blue crest – higher knowledge that can be used.
The bright blue crest of the jay should always be a reminder that to wear the crown of true mastership requires dedication, responsibility, and committed development in all things in the physical and the spiritual. The blue jay is a reminder to follow through on all things – to not start something and then leave it dangling.
The blue jay reflects that a time of greater resourcefulness and adaptability is about to unfold. You are going to have ample opportunities to develop and use your abilities. The jay does not usually migrate, staying around all winter, so look for there to be ample time to develop and use your energies to access new levels. It will stay around and work with you as long as you need it.
The blue jay is actually a member of the crow family, and most crows have no fear. Crows and jays alike will gang up to harass and drive off owls and hawks. The jay is fearless, and it is because of this that it can help you to connect with the deepest mysteries of the earth and the greatest of the heavens.
(…)
(…) If the jay has flown into your life, it indicates that you are moving into a time where you can begin to develop the innate royalty that is within you, or simple be a pretender to the throne. It all depends upon you. The jay has no qualms. It will teach you either direction.”
Gauntlet Thrown
Obviously, I’ve excerpted here (and it was still a long post!). And if experience is any lesson, undoubtedly the parts I’ve left out will be the ones that end up having the most significance.
But all in all, I tried to include here the paragraphs that hit me hardest when I read them. In other words, “Yeah, I need to commit. I need to be courageous. I need to do the work.”
I’d say the gauntlet has been thrown. Blue Jay has come knocking and is ready, willing, and able to kick my ass if I don’t develop and use my abilities, apparently in a new or different way than I have so far.
And quite frankly, I feel this relates in particular to developing or offering who I am in service to others in the face of this utterly unique challenge our entire world is facing.
Finally, it’s not lost on me that blue jays are corvids. I’ve known that blue jays, crows, ravens are all corvids, and every time I’ve written about the pandemic I’ve had to stop and make sure I was writing COVID-19 – not corvid. Somehow or another, that feels relevant. Or at least noteworthy.
So Blue Jay’s been showing up in my life for weeks. Insisting on gaining my attention. Now I know it’s going to be pushing me – as a theme and a messenger – all year. I better buckle down.
abcbirds.org
*affiliate link
**Pretty cool: today’s post is #505, leaving 606 remaining to be written!
Karl and I managed to get a shorter (2.2 mile) walk in today before the so-called “bomb cyclone” was scheduled to arrive in our area.
OK, so first of all: Bomb cyclone? Is this what used to be called a bad storm? Do I sound like an old crank wondering out loud about the dramatic monikers we give storms now?
Don’t get me wrong…I realize that a ‘bomb cyclone’ is, indeed a real thing. Indeed, it is a ‘bad storm,’ but one that’s characterized by barometric pressure falling at least 24 millibars (or .71 inches) within the span of 24 hours. Obviously, such a precipitous drop will often cause harsh winds and often bring torrential rain.
The prospect of getting caught in a torrential downpour held no allure, so we got our walk in at the beginning of our day instead of the usual walk at the conclusion of our day.
Sad
Whenever and wherever we walk, we make it a habit not only to pick up whatever trash we may find (the vast majority being cigarette butts, beer, and other bottles), but also to remove any roadkill from the road surface.
We do this in order to protect the black and turkey vultures that live around here from getting hit by vehicles while feasting. Of course, removing roadkill to the side of the road keeps other carrion-eaters such as crows from being in harm’s way as well while doing our ecosystem a solid favor. Our usual response to discovering a creature that didn’t make it across the road is to pick it up, place it respectfully in the grass or weeds on the side of the road, and offer it a few strands of hair in gratitude for its life and in honor of its death.
It’s no big deal – but it is our habit.
As a result, we tend to notice the deaths we encounter on our walks.
Today that meant realizing about half way through our walk that we’d just passed two dead moles. They were next to each other, which added dimension to our discovery and made it all the more remarkable. One was pretty flat, while the other was somewhat sloppily eviscerated. Mealus interruptus, was my thought.
Sad – and Peculiar
After we’d walked about 20 feet further, we discovered yet another dead mole. This one was in pristine condition. Not yet squished, nor did it appear to have been hit by a car. Indeed, it looked, to me, as though it was a dropped meal. I wondered out loud if perhaps a young owl or hawk was practicing its hunting skills and had dropped it. Regardless, it was weird to find three dead moles, all on the left side of the road, within 20 feet of each other.
We continued walking up the hill and, again, about 20 feet further, came upon yet another dead mole. This one, like its brethren before it, seemed to have been felled on the left side of the road. This was getting creepy.
All told, we found six dead moles this morning. The last one we found seemed to lend at least some credence to my suspicion that at least some of the kills were the result of a predator. (A clumsy one, perhaps, but definitely not a four-tired one.) Because I’m odd, I did take a photo of the last one we discovered, just to show how it looked like it had been grasped in the center of its body.
Is There a Message Here?
Even before our official tally reached six, we were wondering what message, if any, Mole might be conveying to us.
In his book Animal-Wise, Ted Andrews states the keynote qualities of Mole to be: “heightened senses (especially touch) and luck in endeavors through one’s own efforts.”
Other attributes ascribed to moles in Animal-Wise: “The mole is well adapted to life underground. The places beneath the earth were often considered mysterious. They were places that lead to the land of the dead and to great treasures. The mole shows us how to dig out our own treasures in life, through our own efforts. In shamanism, they can be guides into the underworld.
…Often for those to whom the mole is a messenger or totem, there is a natural ability to dig beneath the surface of things, to analyze and uncover the hidden.
…The mole’s skin has more organs for touch than any other animal. For those to whom the mole is a totem, the sense of touch is already or will soon become greatly heightened.
…Psychic touch will be a major part of this. Psychic touch is something that should be relied upon by those to whom this animal appears. Do not trust what you see or hear as much as what you feel.
Increasingly those with the mole as a messenger will find that their own sense of touch will let them know what is true. Trusting in what is felt, no matter how strange the impression, will become important.
Moles dig their own ventilation shafts so that they have fresh air. For those to whom the mole is a totem, it will be extremely important for your health to get plenty of fresh air.
…Luck in your endeavors comes now through your own efforts. Treasures you have been seeking are close, but you must continue your efforts.”
Karl and I are both putting in effort on projects that will expand upon the work we’ve been doing for years. We’re both poised to jump with both feet into some new and exciting opportunities. Sometimes – at least I know I can say this for myself – it feels like I’m tunneling in the dark. I’m moving forward more on faith and the feeling, deep within, that this is where I need to be heading.
For now, perhaps this is the message I should take from our discovery. That we need to keep digging. We need to keep moving forward, even if it’s dark and we can’t see much further than the next step or two. If we keep at it, perhaps some unexpected treasures are waiting to be discovered.
Even if I try to find some message we can take from our discovery today, I’m still grieved, nevertheless, that so many little ones failed to make it across the road. I hope the local raptors were able to find the little mole bodies at the side of the road so that at least they didn’t die in vain, but instead contributed to the circle of life.
As I mentioned the other day, I’ve been puzzled by the influx of wasps into my life this summer. I’d even forgotten, until I wrote that post, that I’d been stung by a wasp exactly two weeks before discovering the intricate nest of paper wasps on our home’s office window.
It’s a little disconcerting, I’ll admit. It’s a large nest, and they’re continuing with new construction. And even though I looked them up and discovered that they don’t routinely attack people for sport or entertainment, they will seriously attack you up if you mess with their nest.
That does pose a dilemma, although in our case, I suppose it’s not as bad as it would be if it were on our porch or close to our front door.
Leave Me Alone…
This first tidbit of information on Wasp reminds me, actually, of what I learned about the Copperhead snake that I nearly fell on. Both of these creatures (a) are a bit scary and warrant being given a wide berth; but (b) are not known to go after a human unless we provoke them, either by accidentally stepping on them or going after their nest.
In other words, they leave us alone unless and until we fail to respect their boundaries and get in their faces. That feels significant to me.
On a purely practical note, I didn’t realize it, but they tend to prey on caterpillars and other destructive insects, which I suppose may be one of their greatest contributions to the ecosystem. They also do engage in some pollination, although not – I believe – to the same extent as, say, honeybees. One slightly creepy aspect of their eating habits is that they paralyze their prey instead of killing it. They bring the paralyzed captive back to the nest so the grubs can feast on it, and since it’s not dead, it lasts a bit longer – and doesn’t rot.
Busy, busy wasps; nurturing those grubs – Photo: L. Weikel
Animal-Wise
One of my go-to resources helping me understand why a particular creature may be showing up as a messenger in my life (or in the lives of my clients) are the books by Ted Andrews. While he’s written many, my favorites are Animal Speak, Animal-Wise, and Nature Speak.
The ‘keynote’ expressed in Animal-Wise on Wasp is “Protective nourishment and role fulfillment; dreams fulfilled through practical effort.”
As I read through the couple pages of information, these words popped out at me as being relevant to me and my life right now:
“…(Wasp and its activities) reveals how to construct and nurture our dreams. The six-sided cell is a geometric shape associated with the heart. The grubs are the things of the heart that must be nurtured and hatched in solidness. Dreams without practical preparations are more likely to fail and die. Dreams motivate us, but their fulfillment is based upon work.” (emphasis added)
Wasp grubs (dreams?) – Photo: L. Weikel
Yes, I’m getting a clear message that I need to get to work on manifesting my dreams. Interestingly, Andrews continued: “Wasps have a cycle of power ranging from spring to fall. Late summer it is stronger. Wasps have a tendency to become aggressive in the late summer and early fall. And this cycle is usually at place for those to whom the wasp is a messenger.” (emphasis added)
Andrews then asks some questions that, I must admit, are worthy of my serious contemplation (and getting answered in my journal): “When wasps show up, we should ask ourselves some important questions. Are we feeling paralyzed in the pursuit of our goals? Are we building from the ground up? Are we working solitary or for the group? Are we fulfilling our tasks? Are those around us doing their parts? Are we pursuing our dreams in a practical manner? Are we getting too aggressive in our pursuits?”
I feel it might be worth asking if I am being aggressive enough to achieve my dreams.
He concludes with this thought: “Protection is strong around you now. Dreams will be fulfilled through practical efforts and fulfilling your role and responsibilities.”
Grateful Contemplation and Appreciation
I am grateful for the appearance of these fascinating creatures in my life. It doesn’t escape me that they’ve built their nest precisely in such a way that enables me to watch how they nurture those first, inner grubs – the dreams of the hive – and how they build everything around them.
Seems I’d best get to work.
Building, creating, working – Photo: L. Weikel
One Last Thought
I have to admit, the appearance of this nest from the outside of our house is a bit… disconcerting. I share it with you below.
To me, it looks like a woman, blindfolded, her mouth open in some sort of expression. What is she calling out? Does she represent Justice? Or is she just a mummy?
I’m luckier than most people. Or maybe I’m not – maybe I’m just more acutely aware of the amazing people and experiences that come into my life on an astonishingly frequent basis, and thus feel luckier. And maybe I seem more aware simply because I ‘pay attention to that stuff.’
Take for instance the fact that a new messenger arrived in my life this morning.
This beautiful Winged One literally squawked and resoundingly banged its head right outside my bedroom window until I woke up and paid attention to it. It found me in my dreams, and both boisterously and tenaciously dragged me out of my sleep and into my day. It even danced around the tree, teasingly allowing me to take its photo a number of times, even though the camera kept weirdly shifting to a brilliant white screen when I zoomed in on it.
A Rare Sighting
Some might say it was a Spirit bird for that reason. (And others might say it was just the way the light was hitting the iPhone, Lisa. Settle yourself.)
Either way, at least I did manage to snag a photo I could use to share with all of you, although it doesn’t do justice to the brilliant beauty and captivating authority exuding from my Pileated friend.
I want to note a few things here: We have lived in this house for 34 years. During that time, I have seen a Pileated Woodpecker here on our property one other time, and that was about four years ago or so. It may actually have been in a tree between our house and that of the parents of the infamous Duckhead, which would qualify this Pileated as indeed the first one to make an appearance on our property to our knowledge.
It’s thus extremely odd that this fairly ginormous woodpecker seemed to make a point of diving into my subconscious and pulling me out of a dream to communicate with me. This is particularly true when you consider Pileateds are notoriously shy and generally like to hide from people.
Significance of Pileated Woodpecker
I only just now had a chance to look up the spiritual significance often attributed specifically to Pileated Woodpeckers.
“PILEATED WOODPECKER – Keynote: Follow your own rhythm, regardless of others
“I am fortunate to have in the woods around my home at least seven types of woodpeckers, including the pileated. All woodpeckers teach us something about a new rhythm at play within our life. Some do so more strongly than others and the pileated woodpecker is one of them.
All woodpeckers have a strong bill, pointed for chipping and digging through the bark of a tree for insects. Their stiff tail is used as a prop, allowing them to ‘drum.’
The pileated is a wary kind of woodpecker. One of the largest, it is not always seen. It is solid black, distinguishing it from most other birds and it has the red crested plumage. Any kind of crown or crest on an animal is usually an indication to follow one’s own thinking.
When the pileated appears, it is time to follow your own thinking and your own rhythms. Be wary of others trying to nudge you into a rhythm or behavior with which you are not comfortable. Trust your own instincts as to the rhythm that works for you. Though others may not understand your thinking processes as you take on new endeavors, do not be dissuaded – even if you do not quite understand them. The pileated reminds us that our way will work best now. Take your thoughts and give them action.”
Big Day for This Message
A lot’s been coming to me lately in the form of messages, both overt and subtle. There is no question but that change is charging the air around me. A few times lately, I’ve literally sensed a faint buzzing or sizzling charge in the atmosphere around me.
While I am not fully aware of the changes that are trying to manifest in my life (even though I sense them nearby), I can’t help but honor Pileated Woodpecker for knocking at the door of my dreams this morning: my 60th birthday.
There’s Work to be done. And I’m grateful and excited to feel so supported and encouraged.
