Nesting Doves and a Totem

The baby doves in the nest outside my window are growing fast, and they are SO cute, absolutely adorable, their fluffy heads bobbing up and down as they cuddle against the soft, smooth breast of their mother.  The parents are extremely attentive, never leaving the nest alone, even for a moment, and constantly nuzzle and nourish the little cutie-pies.

I believe that animals occupy spiritual realms that are as equally valid and vibrant as those in which human beings participate.  In fact, I often think their spiritual lives are superior to ours as their minds are un-burdened with the overgrown analytical faculties that often cloud our own abilities to dwell in spiritual connection with ourselves.  And I believe a rich potential exists for spiritual communication among species and am intrigued by spiritual totems and the messaging of animals around us.  And so, as I sit in the presence of this family of doves outside my window, who’ve chosen to place their nest within perfect bird’s-eye-view of ME as I sit typing away at my computer, I tune myself to their joys, needs, and concerns, and I observe.

There is no doubt that I am equally engaged in a time of birthing, tending, and growing nestlings of my own.  My personal life has sprung anew with rich relationships and a new home, and I am in the midst of re-working my professional paths.  Plus - the obvious - I’ve begun a Garden Blog!  Large swaths of my re-creation have been muddled with poor visibility into the road ahead, and crippling anxiety ensues when unforeseen twists and turns in the pathway arise.  The doves sing aloud at these times, louder than usual, when dawning and dusk occur and newness is eminent.  She uses her voice to celebrate the coming change and guide others to sustaining waters.

As the mother dove sits facing my window from her perch in the nest, watching me throughout the day as carefully and constantly as she watches her young,  I tend the newness of my own life as steadily and tenderly as she tends her own, and we eye each other thoughtfully.  I’ll keep the feeder full of her favorite seeds, and she’ll sing in the evening, and we’ll celebrate the newness of life.  We’ll celebrate it together.

(See The Message of the Dove from “Animal Speak” by Ted Andrews for some of the ideas I mentioned here.  Thank you very much, Lee, for the link.)