Of Nature, Feathers, and Spiritual Signs
Yesterday, I shared the dawn of my spiritual awakening, one which had been forming throughout my life, really. I find it encouraging to look through books with margin notes — yes, I’m one of those — from many years ago and discover how my awakening had been brooded over for decades.
After that night in 2012 — I hope you read the poem “The Birdbath Moon” — many signs started occurring, helpful events that I am sure were summoned to me by the energy which I possessed.
One great help was a weekend conference I attended the summer before that in which the presenter spoke about the pilgrimage known as the Road to Santiago across northern Spain. He had done the pilgrimage, and he referenced and spoke a little about Paulo Coelho’s book on the same topic, The Pilgrimage.
You should see some of my notes in that book and how they led to what would happen within a year. The presenter that weekend wasn’t there to discuss Coelho; his mention of it was simply an interesting side note. I read the book, meditated on it, let it sink in, and thought.
I knew that sort of magic was possible; I knew the experience, the book, and the energy it referenced and contained were all meant for me. I had questioned everything about what I was doing for some time, and I noted the idea of quitting teaching in public education in the book. Little did I know that by the next summer, I would take an early retirement package and start using that energy.
After I retired — and started looking for other work and new possibilities — one day I was walking my puppies up the street. In the book, Coelho talked about omens and nature, so when I saw a flicker feather in the middle of the sidewalk, the energy about it struck me: it was pointing forward. I whispered a thank you, bent down and picked it up, and continued up the street, looking for what I was supposed to see.
Lo and behold, a dove was only two houses up. It looked at me and started hopping. If you know mourning doves, you know how flighty they are. This one stayed on the ground, hopping only eight or so feet in front of the puppies and me. I knew it was leading me. This went on across the front of three more houses and around the corner on the main street. Dove actually led us around the corner!
And as we rounded the corner, I looked ahead and maybe 12 or 15 doves were right in front of us. They saw the dogs and alighted. Except for our guide. He looked casually at us as if to say goodbye and flew to a wire and watched. I looked down and saw the feather he had left.
Flicker and Dove were my first two feathers — gifts from the Universe, from Nature, from these creatures who wanted to say something to me. Magic.
I don’t want this to be long, but I would leave you with an encouragement. If you are seeking, the energy you put out will be answered. Open your mind, eyes, ears, and all your senses and just watch what happens.
I have much more to tell, but for tonight, this is it. Look at my picture. Find the smaller gray feathers and the one yellow/golden and black. Those are my dove and flicker. Oh, you should know that Dove has become my writing muse. Whenever I am slacking, Dove insistently appears — wherever I have traveled. Or Dove has shown itself when I have been nearing completion of projects or embarking on new ones. And Flicker? A woodpecker whose energy speaks of new rhythms of life, of tuning into my own or anyone else’s. Much more here, too, but that is for another post.
I have quite a collection of feathers now — all gifted to me, no purchases, kills, or anything like that. I have seen the feathers fall from some of the birds when I asked for one.
We are all so connected with one another and Nature and the energy of Spirit in all of this Universe. My hope and my vision is multitudes would act on the reality of our integral relationships.
