GUIDING SIGNS OF NATURE

  keywords: feather, dove, nature, mysticism, crest
   
Sunday, September 19, 2010 - While finishing a walk around the neighborhood this morning with my husband, he noticed three beautiful blue jay feathers lying on the grass, each one unique.  I took the treasures in hand, wondering what might be their significance relative to the thoughts we had shared during our morning walk.

Just three days prior to this, while shopping at Wild Birds Unlimited in Warwick for some bird food, I got into a conversation with the store manager, Suzanne.  I shared a story about a blue jay.  You see, one morning on looking out the kitchen window, I spied a cardinal on our picnic table.  Seconds after the cardinal appeared, a blue jay landed on the table, two feet away from the cardinal.  The blue jay took an aggressive hop forward and then suddenly stopped, stock still.  On the table between the cardinal and the blue jay sat a white badminton birdy, it’s bald head pointed skyward like the head of a dove.  “Three birdies,” I marveled to myself, “red, white, and blue!”

       
Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Wild Birds Unlimited              Aspects birdfeeders produced in
Celebrate 30 Years - free Project FeederWatch guide.          Warren, RI for Wild Birds Unlimited.
 
Mystical experience? Absolutely. By definition mystical is an adjective that means “spiritually significant or symbolic.”  Mysticism is really no more than that.  By definition, mysticism is a noun that means “the doctrine that it is possible to achieve communion with God through contemplation and love without the medium of human reason.”  Nature is mysticism in its purest form.  Nature JUST IS.
  
Ralph Waldo Emerson makes this observation in his book, Nature, “that the primary forms, as the sky, the mountain, the tree, the animal, give us delight in and for themselves; a pleasure arising from outline, color, motion, and grouping.”  Later in the book Emerson spells it out with three simple statements...

1. Words are signs of natural facts.
2. Particular natural facts are symbols of particular spiritual facts.
3. Nature is the symbol of spirit.  

What aspect of spirits are symbolized by three blue jay feathers?

Words are signs of natural facts: First of all, "jay" is the bird call of a blue jay.  Additionally, ”Jay” is derived from an Old French word gai, meaning gay.  The Latin name for the blue jay is Cyanocitta cristata, which translates as “crested blue chattering bird," so we imagine a happy chattering bird.  

The sign of three feathers connects to one of the definitions of the word crest: a heraldic device, such as a plumed helmet, placed above the shield in a coat of arms and used separately on seals, silver ware, note paper, etc.
  
    
                       Examples of coat of arms from my ancestry
 
Particular natural facts are symbols of particular spiritual facts: “In Christianity feathers represented virtues. In fact, an image of three feathers were made into signet rings - each feather symbolizing Charity, Hope, and Faith [three aspects of spirit].  These rings were worn as a symbol of a virtuous soul - they were also used as wax seals. The ring would be dipped in warm wax then pressed against documents to seal the closure. The recipient would know the documents came from a virtuous man by the indication of the three-feather symbol in the wax.” (from whats-your-sign.com) The seal would convey that within are intentions of goodness and integrity.
 

Nature is the symbol of spirit.  To Emerson’s third point, the blue jay symbolizes many traits, however, in the spiritual realm, the blue jay represents clarity and vision. In Native American symbolism, the azure of the jay against the blue sky indicated a “double vision” or double clarity. This visual “blue on blue” concept speaks of purity of the soul, truth of the heart, and clarity of thought. whats-your-sign.com This supports the spritual intentions of goodness and integrity.

The significance of “The Three Birdies” on the picnic table is instantly evident.  A quiet dove intervenes between two aggressive birds.  This suggests a mediation of the bipartisan politics of the red states and the blue states, Democratic and Republican - perhaps a foretelling of events yet to unfold. 

 
Upon hearing “The Three Birdies” story, Suzanne, the bird store manager, shared several facts about blue jays.  They are the vigilant watch birds of neighborhood, calling out warning to other birds if a hawk or owl is sighted.  Blue jays use a wide range of vocalization and are able to mimic other birds. As birds of clarity and intelligence, the cunning blue jay will cry like a hawk in order to scare other birds away from a bird feeder.  
 
What could it mean for my husband to find three blue jay feathers.  Could this be his totem?  Ii will tell you that my husband is, in fact, a vigilant man of goodness and high integrity.  Neither a Democrat nor a hard-core Republican, but a True Blue - loyal and unwavering in his support for liberty, and a descendent of a navy officer who served as Captain of the U.S.S. Constitution during peace time.  (To read more about the amazing Blue Jay visit biokids.)
 
The primary symbolism of the Dove is that of peace, and the most withstanding meaning of the Dove is Hope.  Are you also aware of the dove as a symbol of motherhood?  Did you know doves produce their own milk?  It's called "crop milk" or "pigeons milk." It's an oddity in nature for birds to produce their own milk to feed their young. From this unique ability, we can glean symbolism of nurturing. 

Following the branches of my family tree, I discovered the existance of the Casse coat of arms, depicted above.  Did you notice the rising dove atop the world?  This dove is said to symbolize peace and constant love.  Did you notice the wings of the world?  These wings symbolize protection, as does the shield of any traditional coat of arms.  Could all of this possibly mean that mothers hold the power, wisdom, and spirit to bring real peace and protection to the world than they realize?  Perhaps there is clarity in this thought.
   
If you would like, click here to read more about the sign of the dove.  As you walk outside among nature, try to attune yourself to the guiding signs will appear at your very feet.  Lil hoot (below) was inspired by a half of a black walnut shell, found lying on the sidewalk.
        
    
 
For artistic animal inspiration, check out this short film - Hare Tactics - created by a 19-year-old student of animation.  The word animate means "to give life to, to give spirit to, to give inspire."

Then come back here and we'll continue as I take you on an unusual birdwalk with the story Make Way for Younglings, where you'll learn more bird signs and listen to unique bird calls.