Today I Saw....

A beautiful little hummingbird.

As I was talking on the phone with my beloved this morning, I went out on deck to see the butterfly that flew past the window. Curious to see what kind it was and if it stopped by my butterfly bush, to my delight it did. It was a Swallowtail I believe. As I was telling my beloved that it was the first butterfly I'd seen in a long time. Just as I was about to say, I haven't seen any hummingbirds in like forever....one flew past, stopped at the bush and hovered for less than a minute then flew off.

So I wondered what is the meaning of the hummingbird. Here is what I've found online:

*Bobby Lake-Thom/Spirits of the Earth:
Hummingbird is a very good sign. She is a good-luck messenger. She takes our prayers to the Great Creator. She is a doctor and healer. The Hummingbird has the power to travel long distances under great odds and obstacles. Her colors promote healing and balance. She is very smart and very spiritual. She can teach us how to soul-travel, develop psychic powers of the mind, and how to be graceful.

*Hummingbird medicine is herbal; it shows us how to use flowers for healing.
They teach us how to draw life essence from flowers
and create your own medicines.

This totem reminds us to explore the past and extract the sweetness from it.
It can help you find joy and sweetness in any situation.
Grab joy as swiftly as you can.

*In Native American culture, a hummingbird symbolizes timless joy and the Nectar of Life. It's a symbol for accomplishing that which seems impossible and will teach you how to find the miracle of joyful living from your own life circumstances.

They are really spectacular birds, and have a lot to teach a person about self discovery and healing.

Animal-Speak: The Spiritual & Magical Powers of Creatures Great & Small

By: Ted Andrews

*(from rainbowcrystal.com)The hummingbird is unique in that it can fly not only forward, but backward and sideways. It also has an unusual hovering pattern, and can move its wings in a figure eight pattern -- a symbol for infinity.

*This flying pattern also has meaning for us. So often, we find ourselves stuck in time: lost in regret about or longing for the past, or hoping (often without much true hope) that the future will be better, hanging our dreams on a distant cloud.

*Hummingbird shows us how to re-visit the past for the purpose of releasing it instead of being caught in a permanently backward flight pattern. It also helps us to see that if we step aside we may see our life differently.

*Hummingbird teaches us to transcend time, to recognize that what has happened in the past and what might happen in the future is not nearly as important as what we are experiencing now. It teaches us to hover in the moment, to appreciate its sweetness.

And since I saw them both, here's what I've found on butterflies:
*Butterfly - Transformation.Butterfly fearlessly leaves the safety of its cocoon to meet a new world in a new form, trusting its untried wings to allow it to fly. It is a powerful symbol for anyone who's contemplating or in the midst of a major change.

*The Russian word for butterfly is bábochka. It is a diminutive form of "babka" meaning grandmother, also called "babushka". Incidently, this is also true for Polish, Babka or Babci means Grandmother. A babka is also a cake (very delicious too I might add :D)

*The Ancient Greek word for "butterfly" is psȳchē, which primarily means 'soul' or 'mind'.

*Butterflies are also seen as the symbol of rebirth.

So maybe, this is nature's way of trying to tell me something. I'm trying to make it a point to pay some more attention to the world around me, as I have asked the Goddess to show me what to do and guide me there. Never know where the answers will come from.