By Brad Norman, Arizona
Several years ago I lost my sweet-tempered beagle, Hanna, to old age. My heart felt a bit empty without her love. Each morning I’d wake up and sing HU, which is a love song to God. I’d ask my inner guide for help with my grief.
A hummingbird I named Anna came into my life shortly after my request for the Mahanta’s help. She arrived on a hot summer day when I was using a leaf blower to do yard work. Because of the noise plus all the dust kicking up, I was anxious to finish as quickly as possible, so I was going at a rapid pace.
Inwardly I suddenly heard, “No!” shouted loudly. This startled me, and I turned off the leaf blower.
Then, again inwardly, I heard, “Look up.”
My eyes darted to the thick, overgrown, eight-foot-tall tree in front of me, and I spotted a hummingbird nest only a few feet from where I was working. In my peripheral vision, I spotted a beautiful hummingbird flying near my head. Her brown body sparkled in the sunlight. I turned to look at her, and we faced each other eye to eye.
I immediately saw this mother bird was warning me not to hurt her young. In only a few seconds, with a burst of air from the leaf blower, I would have destroyed her low-hanging nest. Seeing that I’d stopped work and heeded her warning, she flew back and snuggled her body over two tiny eggs, about the size of pencil erasers.
Becoming Friends with Anna
From that day on, I took photos of the nest, hoping to capture the marvelous unfoldment of life it promised. I watched the babies grow from hatchlings to birds in flight—one of the most spectacular things I’ve ever witnessed.
One afternoon I walked out to the backyard to check on the nest. One of the babies had already left it. The second one was still trying to work up courage to take its first flight.
In a nearby tree, Anna flapped her wings and sang with intensity, trying to get the last baby to leave. The nest was now way too small for two birds. It was time for this little one to fend for itself.
Then it happened. I watched as the tiny hummingbird flew away. My heart immediately opened at being able to witness this. The baby bird’s flight seemed to bring me a healing from the loss of my dog, Hanna. It reminded me that Soul is eternal and free and exists because God loves It. By seeing a life just beginning for the bird, love had surprised me by sneaking into my heart unexpectedly.
Friendship with a Hummingbird
The day Anna stopped me from blowing away her nest, she and I became close friends. The hummingbird followed me as I walked around the neighborhood. She watched my son and me play ball in our front yard. She’d alert me to her presence with a kind of high whistle as she flew near. Then Anna would always land in a high tree to play hide-and-seek and watch me. Because of our bond, I’d be able to spot her tucked in among the pine needles, even though the little cones resembled her shape from far away.
Anna started flying around by our house’s back door to signal me that her food, which I had begun providing for her and her brood, needed replenishment. She enjoyed sugar water, but it had to be no more than three days old, clear, and free of red food coloring. Somehow, I registered her preferences from our inner communication, which came to me like a silent whisper in my thoughts.
The experiences with Anna have continued. Each year she lays one or two eggs and builds her nest low enough for me to observe the baby birds from the beginning of their lives. My little acts of kindness—backing off with the leaf blower, putting out food for her, and respecting the space she needs for nests—have built a bond of love and trust between us, just like that between two human friends. This love makes me feel good and happy inside. I’m eager to see her each day.
My Hummingbird Universe Expands
One day I was many miles from home and having a hard day at work. For some relief, I walked outside my office into a nearby, small, grassy area with trees. To my amazement a pair of hummingbirds flew close to my face and sang for a few seconds. My heart instantly opened. It seemed that once again, in this brief encounter, during a time of need, the Mahanta had sent me a special pair of hummingbirds so I would remember God’s love.
It seems that everywhere I go these days, I notice hummingbird knickknacks. They help me stay open to love and gratitude for all of life’s gifts. I find that the Mahanta repeatedly uses hummingbirds, as messengers, to help me remember the inner presence and love of the Holy Spirit, the ECK. These daily-life messages in the physical world are what is known in Eckankar as waking dreams. They remind me of God’s love.
Being a member of Eckankar has taught me that love is the key to life. This love has come to me in many different ways over the years. Now it arrives in very small but powerful ways—on the wings, in the songs, and through the symbols of hummingbirds.
Hummingbird visits serve as small stepping-stones to love. They help me recognize all the golden opportunities around and have made me a much more grateful, happy, loving, and giving person.
—Photos above by Brad Norman; photo below by Kristy Walker
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A Contemplation Seed
You are invited to reflect on the spiritual messages in this story by contemplating on this passage from How the Inner Master Works, by Sri Harold Klemp:
When I first brought out the concept of the waking dream it was very difficult for people to grasp. Things would happen in their life, they got nudges, they responded to intuition, and sometimes they would have a dream where they would see the Dream Master [the Mahanta] come to them and say something, but they needed confirmation.
This confirmation would come to them in their daily life in the outer, physical world. Confirmation in the physical world of some inner direction is what we call the waking dream.
Now it becomes a matter of trust. How much do you trust this inner guidance from the Mahanta, the inner teacher?
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What are your waking dreams? Do any of them involve animals?
Reading this brings such love and joy to my heart. I recently discovered that the sound of the hummingbird’s wings makes the sound of the HU! I have been fortunate enough to have my loved pets return in different bodies with the same antics that they could have left behind! I love them even more because it’s how I recognize them from one lifetime to the next!
I can soooooo relate to this story. Family, friends call me cooky all the time because for as long as I can remember I know things. I either feel it every fiber of my being or I’ll he a voice. Couldn’t tell you if its a man or woman and I’ve never questioned it because to me it doesn’t matter. I can watch tv and ask my husband if he has heard from his father lately because that voice in my head says his name. I no sooner get that questioned out of my mouth and the phone will ring sure enough it’s my father in law or I’ll go to the bathroom an hand my husband my cell phone and tell him when my daughter calls tell her I’m in the bathroom and I will call her in a few minutes because again voice will say her name in my ear. Any after a long illness with idiopathic siezures I could see the pain in my beloved American Staffordshire named Halley. I got Halley when she was 9 weeks old on Thanksgiving morning as my granddaughter who was 4 years old was getting dropped of to spend sometime with mom-mom before 30 people descended on my house for our annual big Thanksgiving dinner. It was love at first sight and I had her by my side for 11 wonderful years. Animal hospital recommended that we put Halley asleep at the age of 5 when she began have siezures due to car accident and she took a slight blow to her head. That’s all it took to change our lives forever. They said with Halley weighing 98lbs that it would be to much for me to take care of because I have multiple sclerosis an was fighting social security plus custody of my 7 year old grandson so my husband’s income was all we had and Halley was on two very expensive medications to limit the siezures and would require vet blood work every 4 months. I told the vet, my husband, grown children and friends that I would sell my house before I would ever put her to sleep. So for 6 years I missed party’s, weddings, camping trips with friends, vacation. My husband and grandson went to everything without me because someone had to be here to give Halley her medications every 12 hours and I’m the only one I trust to do that just like she trusted me when she could no longer hold her urine and would have an accident and the look of humiliation on Halley face was awful. She could no longer play with her toys. When she would try she would fall because of what the phenobarbital does to a dogs nervous system. She could no longer climb in bed with me as she did every night and would sadly lay on the floor and even though sick myself I would grab my blanket and pillow and lay with her to her delight but Halley knew how much it would hurt me the next day and within two months time her health went down hill almost as though she was willing it to happen. I couldn’t take it. I couldn’t take the pain I saw in her eyes. I didn’t handle her crossing over well and cried and cried. Because of this Halley wouldn’t go even after 5 shots she was still standing. They asked us to leave promising she would not leave her. The vet loved Halley. Everyone did. For a year I cried everyday. I missed her so much.I also felt so guilty. I kept telling myself ‘ What if she wasn’t ready? I killed her I would scream. I day I went to get a Reiki session done. That always relaxed me and my daughter thought it would help because it had been 14 months since Halley was gone. I had her cremated and did a beautiful tribute in my living room honoring her and stared at her picture everyday even talking to her. Usually when someone passes close to me I can smell them from time to time but not Halley. Not even a dream which added to my anxiety about what I had done. Anyway right in the beginning of my Reiki I felt this great big wet kiss on my left foot just like Halley use to do and I could smell her so vivid. Before I could open my mouth the instructor said my lands use just have this big hugh brown dog cross over with white down her chest and paws lick your foot and leg. Immediately I thought how does she know that and I also thought nobody is going to believe me and they will say the instructor saw pictures and post on my Facebook page which is true except she said something else.” She said oh my lord she came in with the cutest all white chihuahua and I believe they know each other”. Thats the thing..that chihuahua was ours and we had her before we ever got Halley, so Halley grew up with her and her name was Chiquita and she was 19 yrs old when she past and Halley was 5 yrs old. In fact Halley accident happened because my husband was crying over Chiquita passing of old age and was pulling into our driveway parking the truck and Halley ran in front of the truck which she has never done before but anyway I have no pictures on my Facebook or conversation about her because at the time of Chiquita death I didn’t have Facebook, So it was Halley way of letting me know she was happy and with her best friend and not to feel guilty and she will come see me from time to time when ever I need her. She has kept her word. God bless the miracles of life and death as it all teaches us lessons.
Sherry, Your story brought tears to my eyes, I couldn’t stop crying. When we love someone, something with all our hearts, there has to be an after life. I believe there is, the love for that or any being will never die. Your Halley loved and loves you and will be waiting for you at that rainbow bridge, I firmly believe that. The heart doesn’t forget, the feeling is there and will always be there. When our time comes to pass, we’ll feel all of our loved ones, two legged, and four legged there to meet us. I have to believe this in my heart of hearts. Blessings to you sis.
Such a beautiful experience or story. Interestingly enough, as I was doing my spiritual exercises prior to reading your experience with the humming bird I was introduced to all these difference animals that live in harmony together, in a high forest near Yellowstone Montana. I knew then and it is confirmed that the Mahanta wanted me remember this experience, by introducing me to, your experience with Anna. I thank you. j wyss
Every day I thank the Lord for my pet DoD whose name is littleman he is my heart and soul he never leaves my side he is loyal and showed me his love he has for me every day one way or another
I was hanging out in Willard, Wisconsin less than a few weeks ago with my 80 year old Sedona, Arizona buddy chatting about life in general ~ when a female hummingbird decided to hover outside our screen door for awhile making sure we both noticed it before it leaves for the south for the winter, thus bringing laughter & more love into our wonderful conversation.
Birds are Soul, too, for sure!
Last evening a friend sent me a photo of her backyard and told me how the hummers love the annuals that put out red blossoms. When I lived in Florida. a special hummer would visit the hibiscus shrub by my back sliding glass door. From early childhood, birds have always been wonderful spiritual messengers for me. Appreciated this heart opening story…
Just beautiful Brad!! I liked your story very much. I will put even more attention on my own waking dreams this following week. Very exciting! Thank you so much for sharing. BB