Releasing and Welcoming – Honouring the Shift

This morning before my Saturday Weekend Warrior yoga class, I was guided down to the lake to help me to ground and centre myself via my connection to Mother Earth.  I also wanted to release some salt into the lake in order to complete a cleansing process I was guided to do within my home.  As I released the salt and said some prayers I immediately felt a release of tension and pain I was holding within.  I felt deep resounding peace, knowing that my part in this process was complete.  I felt only love and healing as all the sadness and pain was carried away with the receding waters.  I felt purified and cleansed, now true healing can finally happen and be sealed in LOVE.  This LOVE is who we all are and it is the glue that binds us through our hearts.  This is a beautiful bond and connection that we all share, and I deeply eternally honour and respect it.

Once my Sacred Ceremony was complete I was guided up the bank to stand under a tree, one in which I see many varying faces, always observing me.  I feel the LOVE that this tree has for me and I return the LOVE to it.

Looking up I saw a bird I did not recognize, yet I was so enchanted by its yellow speckled belly, black crest, red cap and long beak.  It stayed and posed for me for a short while and then I looked away only briefly and she was gone.  I knew that this bird brought me a message and I would look into that later.

When I came home searched to see what kind of bird that was who had come to me and what I found out is that it was a FLICKER, a member of the WOODPECKER family.  Right away I was guided to my Animal Speak book by Ted Andrews and this is the beautiful and most Divinely timed message that I received……

FLICKER

Keynote – New Rhythm of Growth and Healing Love

Cycle of Power – Summer (especially around the Solstice) – very interesting as it is barely Spring

Flickers are woodpeckers in the process of changing from life in the trees to life on the ground.  Because of the tapping and drumming that all woodpeckers do in their search for food, they have connections to new rhythms coming into your life.

The Chippewa medicine man Sun Bear speaks of the flicker as the totem for the Strong Sun Moon in Medicine Wheel astrology.  This corresponds to the period between June 21 – July 22, or the sign of Cancer in traditional astrology (my Ascendant is Cancer).  To the Native Americans it is an especially courageous bird.  

The flicker is a golden winged woodpecker.  It often has a red patch on the back of its head and a black crescent on its breast, all of which are very symbolic.  When it flies up from the grass, it takes off in a strong, bounding flight, flashing the gold of its wings.  When a flicker comes into your life, it will reflect new bounding leaps of spiritual growth.

The red on the back of its head reflects a stimulation of the chakra centres of the head – the throat, brow and crown chakras.  These centres will be stimulated into new activity.  This reflects the latent talents and intuition are going to be activated to a greater degree.  It usually reflects, especially when it is a red shafted flicker, that the stimulation of the latent talents is going to be a catalyst for major creative changes in your life.  Your physical and material life is going to change.  When it is a Yellow shafted flicker, the changes will occur more in your own perception than in the outer world.  

The black crescent is also significant, more so because it is over the breast area.  The moon is a symbol of sensitivity and emotions.  The black colour of the moon often reflects the phase known as the New Moon.  The flicker thus symbolizes a new sensitivity of the heart that is about to be awakened.  This will stimulate new healing energies, and it can reflect that you will experience emotions more intensely.  

The woodpecker has ties to Roman Mythology as well.  The Roman god Picus, with whom Circe fell in love, refused to accept the sun as a father in law.  Because of this Circe turned him into a woodpecker.  Meditation and studying this tale, as well as some of the Native American tales of the flicker, will provide insight into the role it will play in your life.  

The name of the flicker actually comes from one of the sounds it makes.  It can make a variety of sounds, and during the mating season it displays great musical talents.  Of course, the drumming it makes is also tied to the mysteries of music and rhythm, and anyone with a flicker as a totem should begin to study the use of percussion instruments.  (this is very interesting to me as this morning I mentioned to my yoga class that I wanted some casinets).  They are powerful tools for healing and for inducing altered states of consciousness.  

Flickers and other woodpeckers are the master drummers.  They can link you to any other rhythm in the world.  They can help teach you to align with the heartbeat of the planet or the heartbeat of other animals.  Its drumming is a reminder of the natural rhythms of the universe and that when we are not in synchronicity with them, things do not work for us.  

The flicker is the most numerous member of the woodpecker family.  They live in a variety of woods and other environments across the county.  They build their nests in holds and they are very particular about the cleanliness of the home.  They make excellent parents, both sharing in the responsibility.  This is especially important as flicker babies are very demanding.  

The flicker has a stout, sharp bill with which it does its drumming on trees in search for insects and other food.  It has a long tongue, giving it an ability to extract nutrition from the holes it creates with the bill.  The mouth and any part of it is the beginning point for digestion and nurturing – through food or words.  This reflects the role a flicker can play in your life.  

The flicker also has two toes in front and two in back on its feet.  This is different from most birds, but this balance also reflects their ability to maintain balance on the side of trees.  It facilitates their climbing ability.  For those with with this totem, it can reflect a new balance coming into your life, regardless of the conditions.  Anytime there is balance there is greater health.  

To the Pueblo peoples and other Native Americans, the feathers were considered religious articles.  A red feather on a prayer stick usually reflected war against some enemy – physical or spiritual.  When the feathers were worn in the hair, it indicated the individual was a member of the medicine society.  The same energy that can be used for war can also be used for healing.  This is what flicker teaches.  

If flicker has come into your life, it indicates a time of rapid growth and trust.  Flicker will awaken a new rhythm and the ability and opportunity to manifest all healing love.  

This was a most beautiful message to receive at the end of a very emotionally challenging and foundation crumbling week.  As I read the message I was struck at the beauty in the ways in which the Universe totally supports us if only we are willing to take notice and listen.

I AM so GRATEFUL that I have been taught to observe and listen, extracting the messages that the supportive Universe is continually sending to me.  In all situations in my life currently, I feel and hold only LOVE, deep resounding HEALING LOVE within me.

Thank you to the powers that be that flow beautifully and eternally through me.

Sending all my Rainbow sisters and brothers of my heart so much LOVE, LIGHT, RESPECT and GRATITUDE.

WE ARE LOVE.  WE ARE LIGHT.  WE ARE ONE.  WALK IN PEACE – GIVE LOVE.

Namaste, Lisa xo

Image source – Google