Solstice Blessings

Magic happens. It's easy to miss sometimes. Especially when I get consumed by the dark storms that run through my mind. The natural habit of negativity-bias kicks in and I end up trapped in an endless cycle of rumination and problem solving that doesn't actually get me anywhere new.  I forget to look up and become blind to the miracles that surround me.

This morning, my eyes were forced open.  The magic screamed,  or maybe squawked, at me.

When I arrived at the river for my daily walk, 1000s of birds perched on the far bank, filling the barren tree tops like leaves. The cacophony was impossible to ignore.  And the sight curious.  Why where all of these birds perched in these particular ten trees?  On this particular morning?  On the winter solstice?  Had they been there before?  What were they doing there now?  What kind of birds where they?

I stood on the river bank and simply watched, exhilarated by the mere sight, wondering if they had a secret message for me personally? Then, in a flash, as if with one mind, the birds jumped into the air and flew directly overhead, piercing the air with their wings and making a sharp sound as if a new kind of wind.  I imagine it's the note of the sound barrier breaking when you're tiny and natural.

They flew directly overhead!  It had to be a sign!!!  I walked up the bank pondering the significance of what it could mean. Less than two minutes later, the birds circled back and landed in the tree DIRECTLY OVERHEAD.  Well this I couldn't ignore.

I stood there and watched. Hundreds of individual birds, that had moved as if one mind, now perched and flitted.  They were obviously each singular.  Yet, somehow intricately connected.

It reminded me of soul groups.  This idea that we are individual humans, but part of a larger soul family. Sometimes an individual moves across town or across the country, but they are still very much a part of the group essence.  They cannot be lost, because while they are technically an individual, they are part of the greater whole.  Like a finger is part of a hand, or a wave is part of the ocean.

We are all part of one soul family and within that a soul collective and within that our own soul essence.  All waves , gulfs and oceans.  All fingers, hands and bodies.  Multiple kinds of singularities.

As I mused, one of the birds dropped a piece of bark directly in front of my feet.  I picked it up, as if a precious gift, and moved closer to the epicenter.  Gazing up, I closed my eyes.

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The birds didn't just make a clattering of melody. Nor was it symphony.  It was an etheric vibration.  Pure sound. 

Sound is the basis for all things. All structures are made of molecules and all molecules are geometric forms. All geometries come from vibration. Which means, the whole world is created from sound. Or as 13th century Christians interpreted it..."In the beginning was the word and the word was with God, and the word was God."

What if the birds were creating sound that can influence structure in the most subtlest form. And what would this sound do if I listened and felt closely?  I'm not sure.

What I do know is that these birds were grackles - you might call them blackbirds. Grackles are originally from Europe and have bright shiny feathers. They easily overcome obstacles and remain chattery and full of joy while they do it.  Their head is especially golden, often seen as symbol of uniting head and heart.  And their being-ness suggests gleeful play and active.

Perhaps these birds where there on this particular solstice morning, as I rose with the sun, to remind me of my joy, to appreciate the small activities and to show me how to gleefully balance emotions through both the head and heart. 

"Take heart! " they say.  "Look up and look for joy!  And remember, that all shall be well!"

Thank you to the mystery.  To the sound that creates. To the reminder to show up and pay attention.
Blessed be and happy solstice.

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