What archetypes have you encountered on your individuation journey? Did they appear in dreams, active imagination, altered states of consciousness, or manifest as unusual animal sightings?
On Sunday, while walking my Siberian Husky in my neighborhood, I spotted a black Sunbird, known as an Amethyst Sunbird, for the first time in my life. I was amazed and perplexed, as I did not know it existed. Sunbirds, usually vibrant in color, have always been my favorite birds. They regularly visit my garden, especially the strelitzia flowers, acting as harbingers of joy. The blackness of the Sunbird felt in alignment with the Winter Solstice, the longest night and darkness. The color black is symbolic of pure potential.
In some traditions, black-colored birds are revered for their spiritual significance and are seen as powerful symbols of mystery, the unknown, transformation, and connection to the divine. Their appearance can signal important events or significant shifts, prompting individuals to pay attention to their surroundings and intuition. Black birds are often considered messengers, believed to carry messages from the spirit world to the living, providing guidance, insight, and wisdom. They are also seen as deeply connected to the natural world and the elements, believed to have the ability to traverse different realms, symbolizing the interconnectedness of all life.
According to Ted Andrews (1993), air serves as the intermediary between Heaven and Earth, inhabited by birds that effortlessly traverse both realms. This connection makes air and birds pivotal in linking spirituality with physical consciousness. When air moves, it transforms into wind, embodying the power of the mind. Birds, in turn, symbolize archetypal energies that influence the mind, urging us to harness these currents. As omens, birds signify initiation into higher levels of control over our lives and surroundings, embodying wisdom in discerning what influences to welcome. Air, the natural domain of birds, is vital to all life; through breathing, we draw in surrounding energies. Birds often symbolize the ability to bridge and embrace new energies and dimensions, inspiring creative expression.
Image credit: Derek Longrigg, https://www.capebirdclub.org.za/
Reference: Animal Speak, Ted Andrews, 1993.
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