Here’s where the hummingbird sits in the medicine wheel.
The Wind of the South — Serpent.
We use our senses to perceive ourselves and the world, and the serpent (snake) helps us hone our instincts. Like the snake sheds its skin, it shows us how to free our shadows, past, and the narratives that keep us stuck.
The Wind of the West — Jaguar.
Jaguar shows us how to transcend old beliefs, ideas, and emotions, rise above the weight of negative feelings, and transform darkness into light.
The Wind of the North — Hummingbird.
We’ll explore hummingbirds more below. For now, know that the hummingbird shows us how our experiences are part of an epic, spectacular journey. The hummingbird teaches us to enjoy life's sweet nectar and embrace love, harmony, beauty, and joy at every turn.
The Wind of the East — Eagle.The
Eagle guides us beyond our limited perceptions of ourselves, our bodies, and our minds, and helps us see the big picture. Eagle carries us above the mountains and clouds where we can fly wing-to-wing with Spirit and see the sacred vision of Oneness.
It surprised me as I was learning all this. How does a hummingbird fit in with a serpent, jaguar, and eagle?
I’d imagine some other predator-type animal would be next.
Nope. I’ve always been fascinated by these little birds since seeing them as a kid up north in the woods. Everyone would make such a big fuss when one would arrive at its feeder — “Look! Hummingbird!”
We’d race to the window for a glimpse and sit in awe as it drank sweet nectar before buzzing off to continue its flight.
Hummingbirds are unique creatures, and their journey is medicine for writers.
Hummingbirds feed from the sweetest nectar of life. They don’t stay comfortable, warm, and safe in a bougie little nest they made for themselves. They’re called to make an epic journey, and off they go! They don’t stay put and plan to leave later — maybe when I retire, grow bigger wings, or rack up enough miles to upgrade to business class. When they’re called, they GO. Fully present. Fully in the moment.
They act on their intuitive guidance. They don’t map their route — they take off and start the journey, knowing the journey IS the way.
Just like a writer doesn’t know how a blog post, book, or poem series will go, a writer starts.
The writing journey is the way.
The hummingbird get up and go reminds me of writing. Once we dive into the writing process, we can’t just stay warm and cozy, writing about all the familiar topics. Shit — I used to write about food, then motherhood, and now I’m venturing into earth-keeper medicine and how a hummingbird is like a writer. An epic journey indeed. And I also have a deep knowing that I’m just getting started.
Here are 11 ways writers can adopt hummingbird energy:
1. Shapeshifting
High shamans apparently leave no tracks in the snow — the power of invisibility. They’re shapeshifters who know they’re the same as the mountains, rivers, plants, and animals. Writers are one with a chair, desk, notebook, and computer. We move quickly and deftly, pen in hand, fading into the background of a busy cafe, lost in our creation.
2. Masters of Time
Hummingbirds are the smallest birds in the world. Of the few who migrate, their travels can span hundreds or thousands of miles. It's as if they bend time. This is where we experience an internal knowing that past, present, and future happen simultaneously. Ever been lost in a writing project where time doesn’t exist? This writing flow is where we’re most effective, let out our best work, and lose track of our bodies. This feeling is what most writers associate with their best writing sessions.
3. Predictability
Some backyard birders report that hummingbirds have predictable migration patterns. They can migrate at the same time each year, even arriving and leaving the same backyards within days. We writers cling to our writing routines — same time, same desk, same music, same drinks in our favorite mugs. Routines provide us with a safe, familiar container from which to create.
4. Acrobatics
Hummingbirds are the only species that can fly in many directions— forward, backward, sideways, mid-air, and upside-down. They can even fly in the rain while shaking the water off their heads.
Writer, I see you jumping in and out of chapters, going from blog to book to Twitter, navigating household interruptions, chair-dancing from drinking too much tea, and not wanting to leave the page because good nectar is coming through.
5. Soundtracks for Flow
Wondering where hummingbirds got their name? It comes from the humming sound their wings create while flying. Whenever one approached one of my bird feeders, I jumped because I thought it was a bee. Notice your writerly sounds — the tap of the keyboard, the whir of a fan, the vibration of your throat clearing, the click of a mouse. These make up the soundtrack to your writing. If you’re ever feeling stuck at the page, sit and write about what you hear. It can be a great launching pad.
6. Voracious Appetites
Hummingbirds have a fast metabolism — nearly 100 times faster than an elephant. They eat nectar and insects — ants, gnats, mosquitoes, and wasps — all day to fuel their survival, every 15 minutes.
Maybe you’ve seen the memes saying that writers are magical creatures who transform coffee into words. Writing works up an appetite. How many handfuls of almonds can you pop in your mouth? How many cups of coffee or tea? I’m snacking on spicy dark chocolate as I write this.
7. We Move Quickly
The tiny hummingbird has both speed and stamina. Direct flights clock in at about 30 mph and up to 60 mph in a dive. Give a writer a deadline, and we’ll release torrential amounts of words in an impossibly short time. When we’re mindful not to edit while we write, we can hammer out SFDs (surrendered first drafts) before we finish a cup of tea.
8. We Value Rest
With their neck-breaking velocity, hummingbirds also know how to chill. They’re among a few species that experience very deep sleep when settled in a favorite safe perching place. They enter a hibernation-like state called Torpor, where their body temperature and heart rate drop and their breathing slows to the point that it looks like they’ve stopped breathing. Writers know that writing tired is akin to writing drunk — I don’t recommend either. A well-rested brain is a creative one.
9. We’re Not Social Creatures
Hummingbirds fly alone during migration — not with a flock. They travel during the day, staying low to the ground so they can catch lots of snacks. Writing is a solo activity. We write alone but with fellow creatives inside my Intuitive Writing School Community. It makes the quietness of writing less lonely.
10. We Have a Keen Eye
Hummingbirds use their eyes to find flowers, preferring red ones, while humans often loathe the red pen because of a trauma-inducing high school teacher. We writers have a keen eye for catching little typos and finding words that are pleasing to the eye. We also have a third eye — our sixth chakra to help us intuitively see what we need to see.
11. We’re Sacred
In ancient Mexico, people associated hummingbirds with royalty and warriors. Even today, some Mexican tribes believe they’re a manifestation or messenger of the dead. They also appear in mythology as healers who support those in need. When you tell people at a party that you’re a writer, it often brings lots of questions. If you’ve spent any time with morning pages, you also know that writing is incredibly healing.
You are a gift, and your stories matter. When we remember that we’re sacred, we shift and begin to participate in creation. Instead of watching opportunities pass us by, we recognize that we continually create new possibilities with our words.
Instead of following an outdated life plan handed down to us by family and society, we choose to create a new, bigger one that fulfills our souls' desires.
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