In the evolution of humanity, symbolism has been used to expand our knowledge of the surrounding universe. Drawings in caves, and typing this sentence right now are just two examples of symbolism. To put it another way, humanity is made up of endless symbols that we use constantly, to describe the meaning of our world.
By doing so, we provide our own perspective on life. Using hummingbird symbolism conveys the idea that, although we feel small, we are able to accomplish extraordinary things.
Have you ever watched hummingbirds eat the sweet nectar that many of us offer, so we can see the beauty in the tiny creatures? Spending five minutes birdwatching is enough to give anyone a peaceful sensation, but why are hummingbirds so special?
Hummingbird Symbolism and Meaning
Watching a hummingbird gracefully eating its sweet nectar. I see a tiny bird creating the art of infinity with its wings. The hummingbirds’ only concern is nourishing themselves with this sweet liquid. A hummingbird’s flight pattern creates a figure-eight shape which is a known symbol of infinity.
Although they cannot smell, a hummingbird seeks out only the sweetest of foods. Hummingbirds are picky eaters and will go out of their way to find just the right nectar, yet they may have to travel for 500 miles straight without rest or food. Hummingbirds will go out of their way to take care of themselves, even if it means extra strain.
This symbolizes our need to push ourselves and our greater need for self-care. Many people find sitting alone in silence for five minutes one of the hardest tasks to endure, but it’s worth it to establish a connection with your inner self.
Hummingbirds represent the courage to step outside ourselves, face the odds against us, adapt to constantly changing circumstances, and reach fulfillment.
It’s amazing that hummingbirds are unable to walk due to them being the smallest, lightest bird in the world, yet they are the only birds that can hover for long periods of time, fly backward, and even upside down.
Another attribute hummingbirds carry is their bright colorful feathers that are so easy to spot, but they can be easily pulled out in the event a predator catches them. As they are so small, but so fast and have such detailed eyesight, losing their feathers is a last resort. This resembles those times when things do not go our way, and we get knocked down.
A hummingbird’s wings grow back, just as we stand back up and move forward when we get hurt.
Expert Tip: Hummingbirds have a distinct memory and as they migrate, they choose the same pathways, same feeding spot, and choose to mingle in the same places every season. They remember when they have close calls, and they quickly learn what not to do, resembling our journey through life.
Hummingbird Symbolism: Native American Meaning
As devoted defenders and caretakers of their homeland. Native American culture values the hummingbird for all of its beauty and the attributes to persevere through hardship. The Apache Tribe, The Cherokee Tribe, and The Myan Tribe are just three groups of Native Americans that carry legends about hummingbirds.
Symbolizing the enduring hardship, a bountiful season on the horizon, and the magic of love. It is to be considered a sign from the Great Spirit the importance of looking ahead in a positive light using the Great Spirit’s wisdom to guide their path.
Hummingbird Symbolism: An Apache Tribe Legend
Located in the southwestern part of North America, the Apache tribe sees a hummingbird as a giver of life and good weather. In this legend, Wind Dancer, a deaf man with the miraculous gift of singing, brings good weather when he sings. One day, he encountered a woman in need.
As she struggled to escape from a wolf, he saved her. Realizing the spark of love they shared. Being saved by Wind Dancer, Bright Rain married him but he was killed defending his land and the Apache fought a harsh winter.
With his tribe struggling to survive, he had to do something, so Wind Dancer came to Bright Rain in the form of a hummingbird. He chose to whisper his sweet, magical songs to her continuously, resulting in a turning point in their tribe as he once again, brought good weather, saving his family.
Hummingbird Symbolism: A Cherokee Tribe Legend
In the eastern part of North America, the Cherokee tribe maintained their homestead. This is a legend about tobacco, but the hummingbird is the hero. It is said that there was a time in history that animals and humans had the same language. At this point in time, there was only one tobacco plant in existence.
Tobacco was highly valued for medicinal and spiritual uses. Anyway, an evil goose decided to steal the tobacco plant from the tribe, leaving them sick and miserable. Different animals tried to get the plant back, but the goose managed to kill each animal that went anywhere near it.
This Old Woman was gravely ill, and that pushed a hummingbird to boldly set out to finally bring back the tobacco plant Using the abilities given by The Great Spirit, he was able to navigate and avoid attacks from the goose with his quick movement and fast reflexes, he lost some feathers, but returned to the tribe with the plant.
He saved the Old Woman’s life and was given the name Medicine Man from then on.
Hummingbird Symbolism: A Myan Tribe Legend
In the lower region of Central America, the Myan Tribe being very connected to the surrounding spirits believes that the Great God created hummingbirds from the leftovers of other birds that were created. They admired the bright colors of hummingbirds along with their exceptional strength to fly.
Expert Tip: The Sun acknowledged two particular hummingbirds and blessed them for marriage. The sun promised their feathers would glisten every time they looked at him and now he disguises himself as a hummingbird while chasing after the moon.
Hummingbird Symbolism: An Eastern Perspective
Hummingbirds themselves are only found in the western hemisphere, but their fossils are found in the east. Sunbirds, a controversial relative of hummingbirds, are a reference point for those in the Eastern Hemisphere. The cultural importance of hummingbirds in the East includes an ancient Chinese tradition called Feng Shui.
A Tia Chi practice is known as Hummingbird Qigong and an Aztec legend about a heroic hummingbird that sacrificed his life for his friend.
Hummingbird Symbolism in Feng Chi
Feng Shui uses energy forces to create harmony between people and their environment. The nature that surrounds us creates Ql/chi/energy that disperses into the world. It is believed that when a true sense of balance is reached, you become a hummingbird.
Hummingbirds are said to be filled with positive chi, representing healing, inner peace, and a spiritual connection with Feng Shui.
Hummingbird Symbolism in Tia Chi
Hummingbird Qigong is a common healing practice of meditation and restoration. This type of meditation involves the healing sound of humming. Humming brings with it life and restorative energy that creates an atmosphere of peace.
Hummingbird Symbolism Through an Aztec Legend
In this legend, an oak tree and a hummingbird were close friends. One day, a fire emerged, and like all of his other animal friends ran away as far and as fast as they could, the hummingbird stayed put. He refused to walk away from a friend in despair, so he tried pulling the tree out of the ground by its roots and that didn’t work.
Frantically trying to save his friend, he tried bringing water with his tiny beak to put out the nasty forest fire. The more the animals begged him to leave the forest, the angrier he became, until he eventually screamed “I’m doing the best I can” and chose to sacrifice his life for a friend.
The theme of this legend is the willingness to sacrifice your own comfort for the sake of others, especially those closest to you.
Hummingbird Symbolism: A Christian Meaning
Hummingbirds represent a message of resurrection, and rebirth after darkness. They also represent messages from loved ones who have passed away. This can be either a loved one who recently passed or reaching out as some sort of comfort in a way. Sometimes it is a symbol of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Hummingbird Symbolism: A Celtic Viewpoint
Hummingbirds are particularly special in Celtic Mythology because they interact directly with gods and mortals. These tiny birds hold a big meaning in Celtic folklore by being the very symbol of courage and guidance from the divine.
Hummingbird Symbolism: African Culture
Although hummingbirds do not play a huge role in African culture, they are viewed as a sign of fertility and fattening. Becoming a hummingbird indicates the highest state of perfection has been reached.
Having a Sunbird (eastern hummingbird) as your spirit animal gives you a sense of freedom in both the tangible and intangible worlds, both the human realm and the spiritual realm.
Hummingbird Symbolism in Dreams
As a general rule of thumb, when hummingbirds appear in dreams, they symbolize inner intelligence, new ideas, and determination. Hummingbirds are small creatures that travel long distances. In comparison, our ambitions might look so much bigger than it seems we can take on, scaring us away from new pathways.
To be like a hummingbird is to embrace new challenges head-on just like the hummingbird does every time it migrates.
Hummingbirds are well aware of the treacherous journey they have and even with the ability to hibernate, they still choose the long journey every season to enjoy that sweet sense of accomplishment when it arrives back home.
There is a potential that seeing a hummingbird in your dreams means you need to re-evaluate your life and stop wasting time and energy on nonsense because these forces are what is pulling you away from your hopes and dreams. Hummingbirds represent the pull of freedom and independence without limit.
This next chapter in your life will surely bring healing, joy, and prosperity if you are willing to go with the flow to get the most out of your journey into the future. Both physically and spiritually. If you are willing to dive deeper into the energy a hummingbird carries, you must separate the bird from the action that makes up your dream.
While some dreams signify progress, others resemble obstacles. Where one dream means you are striving, another means you are beating around the bush. However, they all have one thing in common the embrace of positive change.
Being a hummingbird in your dream symbolizes the creation and manifestation of your inner thoughts. It could be encouraging you to search within yourself and give all of your ideas a try. Because you always remember every significant aspect of your journey, the action of learning is what really counts.
Seeing a flying hummingbird or a flock of hummingbirds in your dream reveals your endless potential. You are surrounded by opportunities all leading to a life of fulfillment.
Your smallest ideas will have a big impact as long as you follow through and acknowledge your need for spiritual connection and support to feel empowerment What you are lacking now will soon become plentiful.
Catching and holding a hummingbird in your dream, suggests that you are too controlling others’ free spirit and need to take a closer look at other people’s ideas instead of your own. You potentially have an inability to let go, preventing you from accessing your longings, but it is time to take action and start a new chapter.
Don’t suffocate those who thrive on the gift of freedom by dismissing all their ideas. You strive to be in the spotlight, to be successful and prosperous, but take caution that you don’t trample other’s dreams with your longing to stick out and be seen.
Expert Tip: Hugging a hummingbird in your dream resembles confidence in a big accomplishment that will soon be fulfilled. You are very proud of the ideas which you hold dear, so you hold them close to protect them as your accomplishments are achieved.
Seeing a hummingbird in your house, a dead hummingbird, or a hummingbird that is attacking you resembles a deep sense of hopelessness. You might feel as if setbacks are consuming you, and you cannot see past the next hurdle, but pushing forward is the only option.
You are wasting your time by letting the past haunt you and avoiding the future. It is time to embrace the hurdles, socialize with others, share your hopes and dreams, and move on to the next chapter. The ending of this phase begins another adventure with endless potential.
Hummingbird as Your Spirit Animal
A spirit animal is a spirit that guides and protects you throughout your life. You share your inner personality with your spirit animal. In order to discover your spirit animal, you need to search within yourself and be willing to let your spirit lead you.
Having a hummingbird as a spirit animal helps you connect with your inner self through little uplifting messages in life. The aerodynamics of a hummingbird’s wings make them unique flyers that can depict the concept of continuity and eternity. The flying pattern hummingbirds have, looks almost like a figure 8, further signifying infinity.
Your ideas are infamous. A hummingbird is a sign of love, life, happiness, and the best parts of human existence. The hummingbird’s tenacity is a reminder to see the beauty in the little things. Some things certainly aren’t little, on the contrary, they are very large and difficult and make you lose hope.
Life’s journeys can get hard, but with a mindset of ambition, having a quick ability to swiftly change directions at any given time, there is always a lightness of being, joy to be experienced, and the enthusiasm to keep moving.
A Hummingbird Totem
A hummingbird is a totem of fearlessness. Carrying immense amounts of courage to protect your lightness of being. You claim your territory and will do whatever it takes to protect it. Also, having endurance and perseverance in life.
It invites you to hold true to yourself and be open to change, adapt to and accept change with wise reflection and optimism in your hopes and dreams.
The Importance of a Hummingbird
Hummingbirds are revitalizing creatures. They are good for the soul and are used as an encouraging icon in many cultures and religions. Hummingbirds always resemble positive change, even if it symbolizes a hard transition.
A hummingbird is a symbol of the destination, not the hardship, the empowerment of success, not the time spent in pain. The hummingbird species are not always focused on in different religions and cultures, but where hummingbirds are present positivity resides.
Expert Tip: From legends of Native Americans to the meaning of dreams, a hummingbird always carries a good vibe with it, wherever it is used and however it is portrayed.
Hummingbird tattoo meaning
There is an infinity of different bird breeds around the world, and as for the tattoos, these animals usually depict a feeling of freedom, peace, and good luck. However, not all the birds are the same and therefore it shouldn’t be thought that all of them have the same meaning.
Hummingbirds have always been a breed with a very important meaning for many cultures, since they imply the desire of staying far from negativity and keeping always focused and moving forward to our goals, therefore, a tattoo of this bird represents positive thinking in those who wear them.
The heart of a hummingbird beats 1200 times a minute, it is a very agile and fast bird and therefore it represents things such as energy, strength, resistance, joy, freedom, and independence.
From my point of view, this tattoo is the best graphic representation of an enormous will to live and to enjoy life while we have it since it is short and we must make good use of the time.
Hummingbird Mythology and Folklore
There is so much Hummingbird mythology and folklore just in the Americas alone.
One of the oldest is about their Aztec god, Huītzilōpōchtli. He is the sun god and he wears a bracelet made of feathers of the hummingbird on his left wrist. The ancient Aztec believe that when their warriors died, they would be changed into birds and fly off to meet Huītzilōpōchtli.
Mexicans have a tale in which a kindhearted hummingbird taught a woman to make colorful baskets which are p to this day used during the Day of the Dead celebration.
In the Bahamas and the surrounding areas, these beautifully colored birds were considered a symbol of rebirth, peace, and protection. The Taino people had warriors who were called Calibri Warriors. Calibri means Hummingbirds in their language.
Native Americans, specifically Hopi, Zuni, Paiute, and Cherokee tribes, all have folklore about the birds helping their people at some point. The tales range from helping a medicine man get tobacco plants to heal people to being bringers of rain.
Other hummingbird mythology and folklore concentrate on the birds’ connection to the earth. They are viewed as messengers to the gods and spirits as well as symbols of joy, love, and bringers of love.
