When I began to study birds from an esoteric point of view, I soon realized that there is a specific message, or keyword, attached to every species of bird. Each bird acts as a messenger for the Divine by bringing to us its own individual message at a time when we most need to hear guidance. These messages are words of wisdom and advice, and they can help us to identify talents we are not using, or the negative beliefs and thought patterns that are holding us back. Once these messages are understood and applied to our lives, they can be a valuable source of direction as we progress on our spiritual journeys.
Birds convey their messages to us in myriad ways, including through dreams, by acting out of character in our presence, by becoming part of our lives as pets, or through our having an affinity for a particular bird.
Messages of birds to which we have an affinity
Some people have an attraction and love for one particular bird. Collecting ornamental owls is a common favourite, and I know at least two people who collect ornaments and artefacts of guinea fowls because of a love for these birds. Others who have an affinity for ravens and crows enjoy collecting stories, poems and pictures of them. In many ways, these birds have become their personal totem.
An attraction for a particular bird is really an underlying attraction to the message, or the archetypal pattern, that the bird holds. One lady I know who loves owls and has ornaments of owls all over her house finds that people are often asking her for advice and relying on her wisdom (the message of the owl); another person I know who also has a love of owls and collects them, wishes she could be more wise in her decision-making because she has a tendency to act first and think afterwards.
People who have an affinity to crows identify with the shape-shifter archetype. Shamans of many cultural tribes are known to be able to temporarily change their physical appearance (or shape-shift) when they move into a different level of consciousness.
On a practical level, shape-shifting is representative of the many faces we have to our personality; in this respect, people who relate to the archetype of the crow tend to have an adaptable personality and they are able to relate easily to all kinds of different people. Conversely, people who show the shadow side of the crow are those who tend not to be consistent in their beliefs, changing their opinions depending on whom they're with at the time.
Companies that use a bird as their logo are also identifying their businesses with the messages of that bird.
When a bird acts out of character
When a bird wants to convey a message to us, it will try to catch our attention by acting out of character. If we are sitting at the coast and a flock of gulls flies overhead, there is nothing unusual about this; similarly, when we see birds hopping around the garden feeding on worms and insects, sitting in trees and shrubs singing, or splashing around in the bird bath, this is normal behaviour. It is when they behave in unusual ways that we have to take note.
We mustn't start thinking that every bird that flies past the window or sits on the roof of our house is conveying a message. A one-off sighting of a bird not normally seen in the garden doesn't necessarily mean there is a message, either, because birds can be thrown off course in their migration flights or can literally decide to take a new route that might entail stopping off in our garden for a break along the way. Also, the ecology around us is constantly changing, so new birds move into suburban areas while other familiar garden birds move out. The first bird we hear singing in the morning or the last bird we hear in the evening is not significant, nor is hearing a commotion in the garden as a group of sparrows fight over a piece of bread.
However, if a bird flies into the house, dive-bombs us, persistently hovers around, comes and sits next to us, raps on a window, or displays any other unusual behaviour, then we must be alert to the possibility that a message is being brought to us.
Obviously, birds that suddenly appear next to you or fly into your house are going to be those birds commonly found in your particular area. If you were in the middle of London, England, for example, you wouldn't expect to see an ostrich ambling up your garden path, or a flamingo sitting on your washing line. (If this does happen, the only message here is that you probably shouldn't have had that extra glass of wine at lunch!) Every bird has a specific message, and the most pertinent message you need to hear at any given time will always be delivered in some way. If the bird with that message is not found in your area, then the bird will perhaps appear in a dream, or maybe even on a card that you have been sent.
What to do when we get a message
When you realize that a bird is conveying a message to you, you can find help in my book, Birds: Divine Messengers, which details the individual messages of each species of bird, derived from spiritual guidance through my own intuition. Look up the bird's message in my book, and take a moment to see how that message applies to your life at that particular time. The bird's message may simply be giving you advice on what to do in a current situation, and in this respect its guidance is often quite obvious. Other times, the bird may be advising you on a negative thought pattern that is stopping you from moving forward in life. In this case, it may not be so obvious how the message applies to your life, and it may be necessary to take the keyword and look at every aspect of its meaning before its message becomes clear.
Invoking help from birds
As we can invoke traditional angels to help us in any given situation, we can call on a specific bird whenever we feel we need the attributes of that bird's message to help us through a particular point in our lives. Say, for example, a situation arises where you need to be strong. Sit quietly, close your eyes, and take three deep breaths to relax. Picture an eagle in your mind and ask the eagle to help you to be strong in that situation. Know that the help is forthcoming, and then thank the eagle for its help.
As part of the angelic realm, and therefore part of the Divine, birds are very special. I hope this article has helped you to understand this and given you some guidance for moving forward into a more positive life.
From Birds: Divine Messengers, © 2006 by Andrea Wansbury, published by Findhorn Press.
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