hummingbird

New Animal Art Inspired by Sweet Encounter with Hummingbird!

Posted by Barbara Techel
Original available here. Prints available here.

Earlier last week I had a lovely time communing with Hummingbird which inspired this new 8 x 10 dimensional shadow box piece!

I sensed this message wasn’t just for me, but for others too and why I’m delighted to share with you what Hummingbird had to share:

There she was.
So tiny and sweet as can be.
Sitting upon the thinnest of branches in the birch tree.
Admiring her small but mighty self
I heard Hummingbird say,

Isn’t the universe remarkable?

Then slowly turning and looking at the trunk of the tree, using her beak as a pointer, her head moved up and down.

This tree may be one hundred times my stature, but my spirit holds the same vast essence, Hummingbird exclaimed!

How true, I communed back!

Her tender wings fluttered in excitement at my response.

In this moment I am calling you back to ancient wisdom and that you too hold deep in your soul this same essence, Hummingbird said.

It is more magnificent and expansive than you sometimes realize. And I am here in this space of time to remind you to come back to the truth of who you are.

There is nothing to do.

But just sit with me, marvel at nature, and allow her caring, sensitive, and loving qualities to fully envelop you.

And then you will know.

And more importantly, you will feel yourself arriving back once again to your true home that is within.

©Barbara Techel with Hummingbird Spirit

XO

Barb

    

At the HeART of this Winged Messenger

Posted by Barbara Techel

At the HeART of this Winged Messenger

This is only my second page in my art journal. A new creative adventure I’m dabbling in when I have time. I’m really enjoying it.

This little hummingbird I made during an online class with artist, Denise Braun, called Winged Messenger. This was my first attempt at painting a bird. While far from perfect, it really was all about being with that imperfection and getting lost in the page of journaling.

What I loved about this class, among many things really, was how Denise incorporates grounding and meditation. And I was blown away when she read a quote from Mark Nepo’s Book of Awakening that spoke to my all-time favorite quote: And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful that the risk it took to blossom. ~Anais Nin  

That quote has been prominently displayed on my website for over ten years now. No doubt I was meant to be in this art class with Denise.

The last art journal page (and my first actual page!) I shared with you I talked about how I like to come up with a quote or poem using the technique of blackout poetry. Just opening a used book at random and circling words that stand out to me. Then forming a sentence or more from that.

This time, I opened to a page in a book, but didn’t circle the words. Instead, I jotted them down in a notebook. Then took the words, added a few of my own and came up with a short poem.

It speaks to my love of the hummingbird and how my dachshund, Frankie, two weeks after she passed, I’m quite sure visited me as a hummingbird, hovering within inches of face, which I’d never encountered before with a hummingbird. I felt she was letting me know she was okay. I found such comfort in that.

And so this poem came to add to the journal page making it complete:

There is comfort in looking out my window

remembering the gift

of the surge of inspirational energy I felt

but for a brief, suspended in time moment,

before you departed once again

on your solo excursion.

Leaving me in the quiet

of essential truth

of what is real in my soul.

~Barbara Techel

While I felt out of my comfort zone painting that wee little bird, I took my time, trusting and enjoying the process. Just to be in a space of not thinking about my writing or worrying about my to-do list, was balm for my soul. It has me looking forward to more art journal pages ahead!

Wishing you a happy, creative, soulful weekend!

XO,

Barbara

Trapped Inside My Writing Cottage

Posted by Barbara Techel

Trapped Inside My Writing Cottage

This is new.

This darling little fellow.

Who just recently started to sit upon the birch tree branch I have outside my half-moon window of my writing cottage.

He caught my eye as I was doing my yoga practice this morning.

Sitting there so content and might I add, so dang cute!

And he sat, and sat and sat.

So unusual for a hummingbird to sit so long.

It had me reflecting on how Hummingbird has shown up quite often lately in my animal wisdom oracle card readings.

And just two days ago listening live on Facebook as life coach, Cheryl Richardson shared the news of Louise Hay, founder of Hay House Publishing, who passed away at the age of 90 on the very same day that Dr. Wayne Dyer passed away two years ago. As Cheryl talked about Louise and her dedication to helping people heal, a hummingbird landed right outside her window…

and it just sat, and sat, and sat as Cheryl talked so lovingly about Louise.

And this is the thing…life is truly magical. Hummingbird showing up just then as Cheryl talked about Louise reminding us that joy is our birthright…

in life… and in transition.

And while the title of this post is ‘trapped inside my writing cottage’ because when I wanted to walk back in the house after my yoga practice, this little fellow had returned again to sit upon the birch branch.

And he sat, and sat and sat.

His message to me that life is to be savored and enjoyed. That there is no need to rush, but to take in all the joy that abounds.

And so I waited, and waited and waited until he decided it was ready to move on with the day. And then I too opened the door and made my way into the house.

And taking with me the lesson that I am only trapped when I make that choice. But when we make the choice to pause and capture what is right in front of us that the real magic happens and with it comes so much joy.

So much joy.

Thank you for sharing and subscribing to my blog updates.