The survival and the thriving of the human race is intimately tied to the natural world around us.  Once we realize that, and change the way we perceive it and ourselves, things will get better here on earth for everyone. We cannot separate ourselves from the natural world, or from Gaia. That is an illusion our species has been using to make ourselves feel more important than we are. But now that so many of us understand that, we can work to re-vitalize and enhance our connection with the nature spirits, faeries, plants, animals, insects and elemental beings.

When we decide we want to work with nature spirits and hidden folk, we can simply hold that intention and ask them how we can work together. We can make it formal and go outside and announce our intention, then ask for guidance. We can make it informal and hold an open space within ourselves around that intention. We might be called to make an altar reflecting our intention so they see it. They are always on the lookout for humans who want to work together in partnership.

They can read our hearts and can feel that we have good intentions. But it takes more than that. They have much to teach us and they may want a commitment, and perhaps even test us to see if our intention is true. They may watch us and our actions carefully and may drop signs here and there to see if we are paying attention.

Their messages can come in ordinary reality through direct communication and synchronicities. When we are getting the same message over and over from different sources, that is a sign to pay attention.  Messages can also come in non-ordinary reality through direct communication in journey, meditation, or dreams. Sometimes the messages are a request for a direct and practical service like setting out a bird feeder or planting a pollinator garden, and others may be more metaphysical like a request for a blessing or sending gratitude or love to an area or being.

A caution here is to not presume to know what nature wants without asking them. If we are not careful, we can project our own feelings and beliefs on the situation. This is where we need to be impeccable with asking permission. We don’t have to have any special psychic skills, we can simply get quiet and breathe and attune ourselves to the situation. What feels like truth in our body? We can also use methods like pendulum dowsing and kinesiology to ask questions and receive answers. If you want to work with nature, I highly recommend learning kinesiology and how to set up conings from Machelle Small Wright at Perelandra Ltd.

Even though I do a lot of spirit work in the Otherworld, I had a practical request from nature recently. At the end of December it got very cold, and we had a lot of snow that hung around for a week, unusual for the Pacific northwest. I saw a friend post on social media that she put out warm sugar water for hummingbirds in her area. I thought that was such a kind, thoughtful action. A few days after that I saw a hummingbird come by the glass door to my back balcony. I began to draw the hummingbird card several times in my morning meditations. Then I was washing dishes and looking out the kitchen window, and I saw it come to my geranium hanging outside. The plants don’t usually winter over well as they are susceptible to frost, but this one not only lived, it had a small pink flower. In January! The hummingbird came right to it and looked at me through the window. Finally I got the message. This little bird was asking for assistance.

A few weeks earlier I had just come across a small handmade feeder that a friend had given me years ago. Too small to use in Arizona where we would have dozens of birds drinking two large feeders dry a day, I somehow held onto it and it arrived in Oregon with me. However the plastic cup with the red lid was not with it. I had seen it somewhere recently too, but it wasn’t in any of the places I thought to look. I called Wild Birds Unlimited to see if they had replacement cup and they did not. Later that day I opened a basket in the bathroom cabinet and there it was. Everything lined up so I could be of assistance to my hummingbird relative. It’s a tough time of year for them with few flowers in bloom. I feel a connection between us as I fill the small cup every day for her.

I asked if she had a message for me to share. She said, “It is no accident we are the green color of the heart energy. Our wings make a sound vibration that all beings can resonate to with their heartspace, not just human, but all beings – animals, insects, plants, minerals, elementals. Our wings help weave joy and beauty into the web of life. Dispelling heavy energy, we bring healing lightness wherever we go.”

I met Brenda Salgado, a healer in the Toltec tradition at the Faerie and Human Relation Congress last summer. She said that hummingbird helps with miraculous healing. Its wings and motion seem almost beyond the realms of possibility, and hummingbird can help in healing cases where miracles are needed. Humanity needs miraculous healing right now, to heal this illusion of separation that keeps us from realizing our true nature.

I visualize what the world will be like when humans are in communication and collaboration with animals and plants, hidden folk and elementals, and truly realizing that all beings are our relatives. Together we can create wondrous relationships, works of art, and systems of thriving that nourish us all.