I’m like a bird…

You have the freedom to be yourself, your true self, here and now – and nothing can stand in your way!

Jonathan Livingstone Seagull – Richard Bach

 

The Eagle

Watch a bird soaring high and you will find your own soul moving up with it…

 

The Loner

The symbols abound… Birds have been the symbols of war and peace, heartiness (the American turkey) and national pride (the peacock in India); wisdom (owl) and freedom (sea gull); spiritual awareness (hawk) and power (eagle), death (raven) and immortality (phoenix)  (Birds: Symbols and Meanings)

Vulture atop the Taj Mahal

The alchemists used the bird as a symbol similarly. The essential thing about birds is that they, having as their domain the air element, mediate between the earthly realm and the heaven world. The alchemist in observing the flight of birds, recognised in them a picture of the human soul undergoing spiritual development. 

Reach for the skies

My alma mater, St. Xavier’s, Mumbai, used the eagle as a symbol to soar high, and reach for the skies with its motto: Provocans ad Volandum (provoke to fly)

I still remember a part of the lyrics from the college song:

Reach for the sky,

Let you light shine

Like an eagle, let your spirit fly

Pictures of birds are quite a challenge to capture… Here are some of my personal favorites.

Feel free to share some of your thoughts when you think of birds…

 

Mr. Fidgety

Stalker in the field

 

 

 

Bush bird

Sea bird

 

 

 

Down by the river side

Another stalker