Red bird

[Mooky]

I had a very vivid dream last night.  I was suddenly looking at my left palm and a red bird was trying to land on it.  I would say that it was fluttering about above my palm at first, but it was more like it was a digital image that was flickering in and out of existence.  It finally landed on my hand and I was very excited about it.  I tried to get a friends attention (and did) to show them that a bird had trusted me enough to land in my hand.  I was worried that this would scare the bird away, but the opposite occurred.  The bird turned around about 270 degrees (left to right) and curled up and nestled down in my palm.  I then brought my right hand up to make a bigger platform and to protect the bird more.  I don't know how long I held it there but my next sense was that I had let it go.  It was then that I saw it was a much larger bird than would fit in my hand.  As it spread out its wing and moved away I saw that it had long flowing feathers underneath its wings that had white in them.  And the tail was longer and more flowing and also had some white in it. It was not a cardinal and not a scarlet tanager. Like nothing I have seen before.

This was the most vivid thing I have ever seen in a dream.  That red color of the bird was truly shocking and its affect on me lingers still.  I have had a very good feeling about it all day and my impression is that it is a good omen or sign indicative of some level of accomplishment on my part or something new that is about to bless me.  My only regret is that I did not go lucid during this dream encounter.  I have never had a lucid dream but have been trying to for quite some time.  Primarily in trying to realize when I am driving a car in my dream that I am dreaming (and try to go somewhere of my choosing).  No luck so far.  But, if this red bird returns I hope I can go lucid and ask it questions or something.

I have spent all day searching for answers.  Any thoughts?

[Dakota]

Mookie, What a wonderful dream. I am so glad you have recorded it. I have just posted a recent dream of mine here, Redtail Gifting, which seems similar in many ways, and affected me the way you describe. It was more vivid than real life, and the wonder of the bird trusting me, the fulfilled longing that quenched, and the sense that I had been very blessed by the dream are things you also experienced. You can go back into your dream in a meditation and hae that lucid encounter with your Red Bird as you are hoping for in dreams.

blessings....

[Mooky]

Dakota,

Very interesting.  I went and read your Redtail posting and am surprised about something.  I am not sure why I did this, but I left out of my post something that I wrote in my journal for my dream. When the red bird curled up in my hand, it did so like a cat would.  I see that I did use the words 'curled up' here in this forum but left the cat part out of it.  I also find it interesting that I also have a black cat in real life.   And, you actually kept your bird, albeit sans soul, while I readily let mine go it seems.  I hope mine returns.

 In the days following my dream and posting here several things have occurred.  The marked selloff of the financial markets almost has me believing that I should have sold everything and moved into cash on the morning after my dream.  That would have saved me quite a few dollars in my retirement accounts.  But, the way I look at it is, I could also subsequently invest in something else that loses me any savings I might garner by selling now.  And, I am not getting my usual gut feeling about the markets now in spite of all the negative hype.  And, I am not managing to make any connections whatsoever between the red bird and financial markets (other than 'being in the red'). 

I found one mention on the internet of bird and red in dreams equating to everything is going to be OK.  I also found mention that in Hindu interpretations red is just plain bad to dream about since it is only when we are cut or something that red gushes out.  Personally I do not see that as being a very modern interpretation since these days we can heal most wounds with the proper care.

 The one coincidental thing that has happened to me is that I cut my left hand right in the center of my palm,right on my fate line, a day after the dream.  So, all I can do at this point is to interpret the dream in a very literal sense and make sure this cut does not get infected and take on a life of its own.   

 I like your assertion that meditation might be a pathway to get further information about my dream.  Actually, visualization (Alla Shakti Gawain) is something that I am struggling with and working on at the moment.  When they say you should 'visualize' what you want or how something should be, I do not get an actual image in my mind.  When folks say to 'put your attention in your midsection or on your breathing', I have a hard time with that.  I am not getting the feedback I feel that I need to know that I am doing it correctly and am improving.  That is why I was very excited about seeing the bright red of the bird in my dream.  It is my only recollection ever of actually seeing color in my dreams.  This is why I say that I feel like I have reached some level of sorts.  Because, I have been trying to 'visualize' better during mindfulness meditation. 

 Other than that, I am lost as to the meaning of my dream.  However, when I am out in the world now, every red thing I encounter gets my immediate attention.  A very strange side effect.

Thank you for the blessings and right back at ya

[Dakota]

Hi Mooky,

Very interesting that we have some similar themes running through these two dreams. I don't know what it means, but I am keeping open to the threads that seem similar.

I carry some native american teachings. In my teacher's tradition, Thunderhawk (yes...yes, Dreamhawk, Thunderhawk, Sisterhawk!), Red is a wonderful color. Yes, because it is the color of blood, which is the gifting of Life for us as two leggeds, but importantly it is the color of the Good Red Road, the path of goodness, which requires dedication and sacrifice. It is an honor to be following the Red path. And birds have wings and fly in the air where they are closer to Creator, often carrying our prayers to Creator. So I would see the Red Bird as a very special blessing indeed.

I think that symbols in our life mean different things to each of us. While it is always good to look at other's interpretations of symbols in your dreams or meditations, many of us prefer to connect with our own meanings. That is why it can be so helpful to write them down and reflect on them. It is certainly helpful to work with others and use resources like Tony's Dream Dictionary,(you can find the link on the Dreamhawk site; it is very extensive) but in the end it is your dream, and your associations are extremely important.

As to both of our birds turning into black cats, well, I am going to have to ponder that. Cats eat birds, and carry very different medicine, so it is an interesting puzzle.

 Anytime I dream of Hawks, which is often, it is a spiritual gift for me. That is my own vocabulary. You will need to develop yours. I again would encourage you to re-enter that dream in meditation if you wish, meet your bird again and ask him/her what s/he is sharing with you. Those who work with animal medicine develop relationship with their dream animals who may be guides in their lives. Just a possibility.....

That's a lot for now.

Blessings....

[Mooky]

Dakota,

 Thanks again for some interesting food for thought.  I cannot say what the link might be either.  Although, in my dream the bird only acted like a cat when it curled up in my palm.  I see it again later and it is still a bird.

 Perhaps you need to research Zitkala-Sa.  Read the Wikipedia entry on her.

 I am focusing at the moment on the Chinese mythical Red Bird or Feng Huang (Phoenix).

[Dakota]

Mooky,

Lovely. Focus where your heart leads you.

And thank you so much for Zitkala-Sa. Surely she is a spirit sister of mine....I will follow her shadows to see where they lead.

Aho!
RedBird

[Tony Crisp]

Mooky - I think it is helpful to not try to analyze your dream from single symbols like bird and red. Your dream is a wonderful story and should be understood in context with every event in it. All I can do in commenting on people's dreams is to try to see the dream as a whole.

There might also be some connection with idioms, such as a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

I do not see your bird connected directly with money, but it is a wild creature that materialised in your hand. It was at first flickering then became real.

The bird is a reflection of your deepest feelings, your soul if you wish. It comes from flight, from a wider view of life than a land creature, so it can be like a reflection of your wider awareness, like intuition.

The red colour or the bird - truly shocking - is the colour of blood - but it was not an injury or from a wound but the colour of Life. It is an ancient colour honored by all races as representing death and renewal. In Christian symbolism it means the blood of Life that we all drink, and in drinking it we link with all life.

The hand you held open was showing you willingness to allow and shelter, even nurture life as in nature. In other words it is an openness to the natural in you. A great gift.

Then you let it go and saw that it was a bigger bird than you knew. In fact if you had held onto it it would not have grown. As Blake says, "He who hold to himself a joy, doth the winged life destroy. While he who kisses as it flies, lives in Eternities sunrise."

I believe we need not hold on to what lives in our dreams, for once we have accepted it it lives on in us if we claim it.

So in opening yourself you have let Life touch you in its may ways - life, death and renewal. If you keep open to that it is worth more than money for it will guide you through the times ahead and help you to survive. Life always strives for ultimate survival, and if you open to life. that is what you will have.

Tony

[Dakota]

Dear Dreamhawk and Mooky,

Well, this is why we all post our dreams here. What a wonderful way to approach the dream Mooky had. So  much there to be able to meditate on and integrate into her waking life. Thank you Tony for sharing a 'wider awareness with all of us "Newbies"'.

Mooky, I hope you can spend some time really working with the deeper levels of your dream as T suggests. If you go exploring, surely there are new revelations to be found. I believe that your dream was a huge gifting and that the Red Bird is now a spirit ally of yours, if you choose to claim it.

Blessings,
Dakota

[Mooky]

Tony,

 Thank you for your thoughts on this.  It gives me quite a bit to think about.  I am looking out at the second half of life and developing my intuition is high on my list of interests.  My dreams have returned to a more mundane level, except that I jumped out of a plane the other night.  But even that is nothing as compared to 'seeing' the red of the bird.

 Thanks so much again. (and to Dakota... I'm a him not a her by the way

mook

[Dakota]

Mookie,

Duly noted. My apologies....must have gotten lost in my translation somehow. If there was an emoticon for embarassed, it would be inserted here.

Keep working with your Red Bird. Many things will surely unfold.