Spirit of the Blue Heron

ROLE: ~ Peace Maker ~

LESSON: ~ Balance between relating and standing alone ~

ELEMENT: ~ Air/Water ~

WIND: ~ East ~ Peace & Illumination ~

MEDICINE: ~ Uniqueness ~

KEYWORDS: ~ Ability to Stand Alone ~ Uniqueness ~

~ Independence ~ Call to Balance ~ Self-Esteem ~

~ Boundaries ~ Dignity ~ Exploration ~ Peace ~ Fluidity ~





Peace



As with all of the Creature Beings of the Earth Mother, the coloring of the Great Blue Heron’s feathers is significant, as each color carries with it special attributes unique to that Creature. Blue in nature is connection to Father Sky and represents Peace and Tranquility. In Esoteric thought, deep blue is also the color of the sixth chakra which corresponds to the third eye. Hence, insight and psychic vision are also emphasized here.



Although the Great Blue Heron is by nature a predominantly solitary bird, during mating season, Herons will gather in clusters to nest and raise young in what are called colonies. It is quite remarkable to witness the peace and harmony that abounds in these colonies, and is a testimony to the ability of a highly independent creature to adapt to communal life.



Just as the Blue Heron must find within him/herself the ability to live in cooperative peace with other members of the colony, so does the two-legged beside whom Heron fly enter the Earthwalk with the theme of Peace. This may either be a natural state of “Being” for one with this bird as a Primary Totem, or in the instance where Great Blue Heron has surfaced as either a Messenger or Lesson Totem, the Lesson then becomes finding Inner Peace and Tranquility.



If Great Blue Heron is one of the Primary Totems, throughout life much interest will be focused in establishing and maintaining Peace. Initially however, this quest for harmony may manifest as the Blue Heron Soul attempting to direct Others to such a state, preliminarily failing to recognize that Peace must first come from “Within”.



When Blue Heron Soul finds that Peace within the “Self”, the lesson gained in the journey there will be shared as a means of guiding Others to finding that same Peace within. Yet when in peaceful attunement and harmony with Self, the two-legged beside whom Blue Heron flies will also emit a powerful and profound tranquil vibration that will effect all around them and inspire the burgeoning soul to become in balance and harmony with All, a priceless Gift to give indeed!



Uniqueness



As a member of the Stork family, these large birds are distinctive in appearance in part due to their blue feathers which can range in color from dusky slate-gray to a deep blue. Their long legs, which serve them well as they wade through the shallows of swamps and wetlands, and elongated neck are also distinguishing characteristics of these splendid birds.



When wading through water in search of prey or standing and observing their surroundings, these birds are the picture of grace and stateliness, yet when in flight their appearance is a bit gangly as they fly with their heads supported between their shoulders, rather than stretched out before them as is typical of their White Crane cousins. Their blue feathers are also a feature that distinguishes them from other members of the Crane family. These separating characteristics suggest that those beside whom Great Blue Heron flies will also be individualists who will utilize their own differences to elicit change in the world around them.



For the two-legged with Blue Heron as a Totem, there will be a desire to establish themselves as a unique and independent Being, often making these souls the revolutionaries that disrupt the status quo of society in order to elicit change and evolution. Although this is a trait with many challenges, when operating from it’s Highest Vibration, Blue Heron Souls teach the rest of us the value and importance of each individual contribution to the Whole.



When young, the Blue Heron individual will be quite unusual in either appearance or mannerisms in ways that they may often find themselves ostracized by peer members. In extreme circumstances, even their own family members will tend to distance themselves, forcing the Blue Heron individual to establish separate and independent lives at an early age.



The teen-age years which are often met with a sense of awkwardness for any human maturing and evolving, are particularly painful for the one beside whom Blue Heron flies, as their appearance and/or behavior will tend to set them apart at a time in their growth when they seek the most to integrate and “blend in”. Often, there will be ling limbs, above average height and uncoordinated gait that may be the object of ridicule during the angst of their emerging from childhood toward adulthood.



Yet with sufficient maturation, these very souls that were once considered “odd looking” suddenly blossom into stunning adults that may quickly find themselves thrust into the attention and admiration of many suitors. More than a few fashion models and actor/actresses have Blue Heron predominately placed amongst their Primary Totems, as the very characteristics that once set them painfully apart, becomes an attracting force of beauty and grace that pulls others toward them. Even in those instance when there is not great “physical beauty”, there will be a special spark to these individuals that will later draw positive attention with a great deal of magnetic force.



On a spiritual level, there will also be a phase of awkwardness and groping for identity. Many revolutionary ideas are first conceptualized by the Blue Heron individual, as they will not be content with watching society operate in the same mode it has done for generations. As a child this independent thought will be a great consternation to parents and guardians, yet as the body, mind and soul of Blue Heron grows and develops, this same ability to think independently may serve them in professions such as exploration and research, politics and scientific discovery and invention as these souls once more learn to transform what was once viewed as a “liability” into an asset.



Ability to Stand Alone



One of the dominant physical characteristics of the Great Blue Heron are its long, spindly legs. Like all members of the Stork family, Blue Heron utilizes these elongated limbs to wade through the marshes and swamplands that constitute their natural environment, in search of the food that swims in the water or crawls along the spongy banks.



It is not uncommon to see a Great Blue Heron standing with one leg drawn up in a resting position, and balancing like a seasoned acrobat on the other leg. Herons are often spied dozing while standing thus on one foot as well and as discussed earlier, then to prefer solitude and their own company.



This particular set of keywords indicated a powerful Lesson for those who share this Earthwalk with Blue Heron Totem, as there will be many experience in learning to operate independently and to trust and rely heavily on the Self. This can be a dual-edged sword, however, as much like the Heron must find the proper equilibrium to balance on one leg, the two-legged beside whom Heron flies must also learn the delicate balance and counter-balance between independence and cooperative loving and living with Others.



Often times there are likely two distinctive scenarios which contribute to the development of the Blue Heron individual. The first such set of circumstances is where the human counterpart enters along the Sacred Hoop of Life as a very peaceful and sensitive person that seeks out the company of Others, yet is often rejected by the very Souls he/she loves and trusts the most. This may establish a fear of rejection, and often effects their later interactions in adult relationships, as there is often the inherent fear or expectation that as soon as a bond of love or trust is formed, they will be rejected or betrayed. Until the Blue Heron individual can heal from these painful episodes, examine the lessons that they have been present to teach, and integrate the experience to find a better center of balance, they will often either shut themselves off emotionally to avoid future “hurts”, or they may become lost in the repetitive pattern of choosing partners that will ultimately fulfill their expectations of abandonment.



The second grouping of Blue Heron individuals are often highly independent, seemingly from birth, and tend to prefer the solitude and comfort of their own company over interacting with family members and friends. There is a sense about these Souls that they are capable of handling any task so long as they are left alone to their own devices to accomplish it. The difficulty surfaces when they ignore the interactions with their fellow human that is a vital and integral part of our life in flesh. Until these individuals are fully able to embrace the understanding that we are all here to interconnect with our fellow two-leggeds and the animals of the Ina Maka, or Mother Earth, there will be an underlying restlessness and general dissatisfaction with life. Their challenge thus becomes learning to find the harmony between time spent alone, and time spent with their fellow Earth inhabitants.



In both instances, the primary focus is upon gaining enough self-confidence that they are well capable of relying upon their own highly developed sense of timing and action, and tempering it with embracing loving relationships that operate within healthy parameters and involve requisite sharing and co-nurturing with the respect of individual freedom and independence. Yet when this fine balance is struck, the end result is a beauty to behold and often leads these Souls down the pathway as impartial judges, counselors and artists who convey through their choice of medium a world in which all live in true Harmony.

.....I post this because Herons are very important to my family. Whenever anything of great importance happens in our family, we have a visit on our pond from our Heron. The last few mornings, as I have been leaving for work, I have had a Heron fly-over...Yes, something great is on the horizon. Just watch...

T