Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Birds - Wings of Compassion

Female Finch
The Finch.  These are just a few of our feathered friends that visit us daily.  We have several types of feeders to attract different types of birds, which we get a good variety of.  Even though my favorite bird is the Gambel's Quail, I love all birds.

Male Finch sweet talking to the female Finch
In the beginning I was really surprised how quickly the birds arrived - and continue to do so in groups.  I think the word got out that there is free food and water at Rocki's Resort (that's what hubby calls our back yard)

Young male Finch
Not only do our feathered friends enjoy food, water and baths, but also a nice little patio with a misting system to keep them nice and cool. We also have our Tibetan Prayer Flags all around the patio.  Prayers are carried by the wind to others, and now the birds are blessed and carry them on their wings where ever they go.

"Look, it's Rocki...and she has more food!"
Kuan Yin (female buddha of compassion) is a standing statue in our back yard and the birds love her.  Everyday as I tend to our feathered friends, I also hose down the patio and make sure Kuan Yin is clean.

Male Gila Woodpecker
Okay, so this is not a finch, but I just thought I would include Woody.  It's hard to see it, but Male Gila Woodpeckers have a bright red cap on the crown of their head.  As with most of my patio pics, I have to take them through the arcadia screen door.  He loves the peanut butter suet and definitely enjoys it.  I can't tell you how excited I was when he first came to our patio - and when I identified him!

Hope you enjoyed this little visit of our Finch friends.  And Woody too of course.  Who knows, maybe the next time you see a bird it might be carrying wings of compassion.

Peace,
Rocki

3 comments:

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

Yes! I enjoyed the visit. I love to see the variety of birds in other areas that are the same and the different variety than I have. I love em all. They enjoy Carol's Cafe'.

xx, Carol

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

O, I forgot. I love your prayer flags. I am in the process of creating my version of them for a peace project I am participating in. I would like to know more about yours.

Rocki Adams said...

Awe thank you Carol! Hey, I've heard about Carol's Cafe'...a little birdie told me :)

I saw that page, that is wonderful! I was going to explain, but here's a copy/paste that explains quite well about Tibetan Prayer Flags:

"Prayer Flags are inscribed with auspicious symbols, invocations, prayers, and mantras. Tibetan Buddhists for centuries have planted these flags outside their homes and places of spiritual practice for the wind to carry the beneficent vibrations across the countryside. Prayer flags are said to bring happiness, long life and prosperity to the flag planter and those in the vicinity. Dharma prints bear traditional Buddhist symbols, protectors and enlightened beings. As the Buddhist spiritual approach is non-theistic, the elements of Tantric iconography do not stand for external beings, but represent aspects of enlightened mind i.e. compassion, perfect action, fearlessness, etc. Displayed with respect, Dharma prints impart a feeling of harmony and bring to mind the precious teachings.

The prayer flag tradition is ancient, dating back thousands of years in India and to the shamanistic Bon tradition of pre-Buddhist Tibet. Bonpo priests used solid colored cloth flags, perhaps with their magical symbols, to balance the elements both internally and externally. The 5 colors of prayer flags represent the 5 basic elements: yellow-earth, green–water, red-fire, white-air, blue-space. Balancing these elements externally brings harmony to the environment. Balancing the elements internally brings health to the body and the mind.

Buddhists added their own texts to increase the power of the flags. There are ancient symbols, prayers and mantras for generating compassion, health, wish fulfillment, and for overcoming diseases, natural disasters and other obstacles. In this present dark-age disharmony reigns and the elements are way out of balance. The earth needs healing like never before. Prayer flags moving in the wind generate a natural positive energy. Acting on a spiritual level the emanating vibrations protect from harm and bring harmony to everything touched by the wind.

[̲̅̅L̲̅][̲̅̅O̲̅][̲̅̅v̲̅][̲̅̅E̅]
Rocki