We have been inviting Hummingbirds into our garden since last summer.  I don’t know why we never thought of it before, possibly because we were too busy doing things we thought were more important than to entertain these dear little creatures . . .  Well, enough of that.  

Last summer we had, maybe, half a dozen.  This Spring, we eagerly awaited their return and when we hung out the nectar feeder, exactly one little hummer showed up and hung around for a week or so before his friends arrived.  He seemed lonely, but we didn’t know what to do about it.  Perhaps he flew even faster than his friends.

I noticed, last summer, that the hummers seemed to enjoy it when I would meditate on the back porch, where the feeder was hanging:  occasionally I would open my eyes to find one of them right in my face, curiously checking out my mantra.   They don’t seem to be a bit afraid of humans or other birds.  Our cat does not seem to intimidate them, but then Sita is old, and probably doesn’t intimidate many other creatures.

Today, when I sat to meditate, I had a hard time staying focused, because we had 4-6 of the little creatures (they move so fast it’s hard to tell how many there actually are).  I have alw

ays had a feeling that they fly back and forth between the worlds,  that they are really half-angelic.  I know they enjoy the sound of ‘Hu’ most of all, which indicates that they are the Messengers of the Divine Presence.  It would seem that I am not alone in this perception:

There is a belief that Hummingbirds,  in some way, are messengers between worlds.  As such, they help shamans keep nature and spirit in balance.  The Cochti have a story about ancient people who lost faith in the Great Mother.  In anger,  she deprived them of rain for four years.  The people noticed that the only creature who thrived during this drought was the Hummingbird.   When they studied his habits, the shamans learned that the Hummingbird had a secret passageway to the underworld.   Periodically,  he went there to gather honey.   Further study revealed that this doorway was open to the Hummingbird alone because s/he had never lost faith in the Great Mother.   This information inspired the people to regain faith.  After that the Great Mother took care of them.  

(http://hummingbirdworld.com/h/native_american.htm)