The First Signs of Change

Last week as I was walking through the path in the woods near my house, I stopped suddenly because there was a robin right in the middle of the path.  It hopped a few feet ahead, then came back as I stood absolutely still.  I watched as it pulled up some leaves, looking for food.

I took the opportunity to practice “fox walking”, which I learned in the Coyote Mentoring course I took several years ago from Wes Gietz, slowly and silently following the robin as it made its way down the path.

I opened up my field of vision (“owl eyes” from Coyote Mentoring), and saw many other birds flitting around me in the forest.  I saw a hummingbird, more robins and sparrows enjoying the evening. After a little while, another robin came and sat in a tree just above the robin that had stopped me on the path.  My robin flew up to the tree, and very soon chased the other robin off.

I continued down the path, remembering to practice my quiet walking, and keeping my eyes open for the other birds that were in the trees, seeing if I could get close without startling them.

Just before I came to the end of the path, a bird crashed around in the branches as it flew from one tree to the next beside me.  I looked, and saw another (the same?) robin.  After saying hello, I continued my walk, wanting to get home to my dinner.

On the street just around the corner from my home, I heard a loud rustling in the bushes in the neighbor’s yard.  I looked, and there was another robin.  I stopped completely, looked at the bird that was looking at me, and said, “OK! I’m listening! What message do you have for me?”

I received the message to look up the symbolism of the robin.  When I arrived home, I went straight to the computer. 🙂

On several different websites, I learned that robins are symbols of new beginnings.  Just as we may not yet be able to feel the warmth of spring when the robins first return from their winter homes, we know when we see them that spring is on its way.

Knowing that nothing has meaning except the meaning I give it, I chose to see my visits from the robin as a sign that a new season has already begun in my life.  I may not see the material and physical signs, yet I have been sent a message that those more apparent signs are just around the corner. That thought has helped me keep positive through some challenges that have come up over the past week.

Blessings,

Mary