The magic of Frigatebird
Dec. 26th, 2011 05:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
aviaI'm not comfortable calling this "totem" or "spirit animal" because, that is not my culture. But, I realise that because Sarusiel has Frigatebird as one of Her sacred animals, I probably should research what is thought to be magical associations of Frigatebird.
And... I didn't find anything. Or, not anything useful. Just some short things, really they say nothing to me at all.
So, I decide to read about Frigatebird, and try to understand the magic of this being on my own, as well as how the bird is related to Sarusiel.
These are my beginning notes.
---
One of the first things I notice, is that male frigatebirds are the ones with the puffy red throat. Sarusiel is a female deity, but, still does have that throat that can be puffy. I think this is another part of how She blurs ideas of gender and sex with joy. If She wishes to appear with parts that are thought as "male", She can, and, I think that She does this on purpose to show that it doesn't matter what parts you have, or what personality you have, you are the being you say you are.
Like many birds, this is a colorful display. Birds, particularly male-appearing birds are one of nature's most blessed beings when it comes to bright displays that show their strength and health. Sarusiel also, as a Sun deity, believes in showing your strength on the outside. Male, female, non-binary, bigender, trigender, any kind of gender, it doesn't matter: you should wear your bright colors on the outside. Don't be afraid to "be puffed up" and show your strength. That is Sarusiel's message that She is using the image of the frigatebird to show.
So, what else about a frigatebird? One thing to notice, the frigatebird is very good at being a bird... and bad at being everything else! Frigatebirds do not like to swim or walk, they are bad at it. They are literally beings of air... they spend days and days, up to a week, just soaring in the air. So, if you can say, "the nature of a bird is flying", then a frigatebird is one of the most "bird-like birds", and also in this way, is so strong at being a bird that it is weak in other things.
Still, the frigatebird survives very well. 3 of 5 species of frigatebird is not endangered. The other two have some danger, because of a small population to begin (they live only on particular islands) and predators that are brought to the islands by humans. The frigatebird is very bad at doing anything except the one thing it does, but it does that well, and it is good at staying alive!
The message here from the frigatebird, and a message that Sarusiel believes in also, is this: it's okay if you can do only one thing. It doesn't matter if you can't do the things society expects you to do. It doesn't matter if you don't have a "lot" of interests or skills. It doesn't matter if all you do is the same thing, every day. If it works for you, then... it's works! Don't be ashamed if you have only one skill, don't be ashamed if you're not good at living in most of society, or if the only way you can survive is something that people think is silly or wrong. Don't be ashamed of the one hobby or thing you like to do over and over. Do that one thing and be proud of it! All the world is not full of people who can, or want to, do everything. It's okay to be particular, too.
The frigatebird also steals food from other birds. Among humans, this makes them feel that the bird has a "bad image". Again, the message here, is that sometimes you will do things to survive that are not socially accepted. Sometimes, people outside judge that as a "bad behaviour". But, to your kind, this is just the ordinary way of living and does not have a moral issue. For example, autistic people, and stimming. This is a behaviour can be judged "bad" and "needs to be cured" by the outside world, and people look down on us because of this. But, we realise it's not a moral problem to stim. So, the frigatebird (and Sarusiel) says, look at things you do that other people consider to be "bad", and ask, is this a real moral issue, or, is it someone's outside judgment?
Frigatebirds care for their children for a long time in bird years, and there is an important message here too. It's okay to have care. It's okay to be a child. There's not need to rush what's natural. A creature will become able to take care of its own self, at its own time, so, don't try and force people to "grow up". Though, frigatebirds only care for their own species, attacking and eating the chicks of other birds. Like many animals, the wisdom here is, protect your own. This can be a strong message particularly for minority groups, because we can end up spending a lot of our energy on majority groups, who don't need our help as much as we need it. Sometimes, too, if you are weak, you have to rely on the energy of others.
Even if it means, you also make them weaker. It's not good to make people weaker, this should not be used for a reason to do it on purpose. But, Frigatebird can show a way to forgive your self, if you have been in a situation where you had to hurt other people to survive. For example, for a person who is suicidal, to place their stress on another person more than they can handle, to survive. That person has a life too, and they should not be forced to carry stress more than is okay for them. They should be allowed to say no. But, sometimes, it happens. Frigatebird does not say this is "good" behaviour, but, shows that it's possible to accept, this happens in life. To survive, sometimes, you can't always do only "good" things.
Related to the child situation, frigatebirds also raise only one egg at one time. Again, this message is, focus the resources you have, to making sure one situation comes out good. It's okay to spread your resources far, to have what people think, as "balanced life". But, it's also okay to focus them all in one place. If you are the type of person who get better results when you lock your bedroom door for a month and work on a project without stopping, Frigatebird says, this can work, too! Don't feel shame. Because frigatebirds can soar over the ocean for long times, you can also find in following the ways of this bird, the strength to make you do that project well and stay devoted. So, Frigatebird is a good partner for Sarusiel, who needs the people who follow Her to do a lot of work for their own selves.
Even the young frigatebirds, show this energy focus behaviour. They spend long periods of time seeming to be dead while they wait for their parents will return with food. But, when they return, they become immediately very loud and attracting attention. It's okay to save your energy for one big project. It's okay to ignore doing some things if it means you have spoons for the one thing you need to do in that day. Sometimes, it really can help.
In the end, the message of Frigatebird, seems to be: don't be ashamed to have a single focus in your life, if it works for you.
And... I didn't find anything. Or, not anything useful. Just some short things, really they say nothing to me at all.
So, I decide to read about Frigatebird, and try to understand the magic of this being on my own, as well as how the bird is related to Sarusiel.
These are my beginning notes.
---
One of the first things I notice, is that male frigatebirds are the ones with the puffy red throat. Sarusiel is a female deity, but, still does have that throat that can be puffy. I think this is another part of how She blurs ideas of gender and sex with joy. If She wishes to appear with parts that are thought as "male", She can, and, I think that She does this on purpose to show that it doesn't matter what parts you have, or what personality you have, you are the being you say you are.
Like many birds, this is a colorful display. Birds, particularly male-appearing birds are one of nature's most blessed beings when it comes to bright displays that show their strength and health. Sarusiel also, as a Sun deity, believes in showing your strength on the outside. Male, female, non-binary, bigender, trigender, any kind of gender, it doesn't matter: you should wear your bright colors on the outside. Don't be afraid to "be puffed up" and show your strength. That is Sarusiel's message that She is using the image of the frigatebird to show.
So, what else about a frigatebird? One thing to notice, the frigatebird is very good at being a bird... and bad at being everything else! Frigatebirds do not like to swim or walk, they are bad at it. They are literally beings of air... they spend days and days, up to a week, just soaring in the air. So, if you can say, "the nature of a bird is flying", then a frigatebird is one of the most "bird-like birds", and also in this way, is so strong at being a bird that it is weak in other things.
Still, the frigatebird survives very well. 3 of 5 species of frigatebird is not endangered. The other two have some danger, because of a small population to begin (they live only on particular islands) and predators that are brought to the islands by humans. The frigatebird is very bad at doing anything except the one thing it does, but it does that well, and it is good at staying alive!
The message here from the frigatebird, and a message that Sarusiel believes in also, is this: it's okay if you can do only one thing. It doesn't matter if you can't do the things society expects you to do. It doesn't matter if you don't have a "lot" of interests or skills. It doesn't matter if all you do is the same thing, every day. If it works for you, then... it's works! Don't be ashamed if you have only one skill, don't be ashamed if you're not good at living in most of society, or if the only way you can survive is something that people think is silly or wrong. Don't be ashamed of the one hobby or thing you like to do over and over. Do that one thing and be proud of it! All the world is not full of people who can, or want to, do everything. It's okay to be particular, too.
The frigatebird also steals food from other birds. Among humans, this makes them feel that the bird has a "bad image". Again, the message here, is that sometimes you will do things to survive that are not socially accepted. Sometimes, people outside judge that as a "bad behaviour". But, to your kind, this is just the ordinary way of living and does not have a moral issue. For example, autistic people, and stimming. This is a behaviour can be judged "bad" and "needs to be cured" by the outside world, and people look down on us because of this. But, we realise it's not a moral problem to stim. So, the frigatebird (and Sarusiel) says, look at things you do that other people consider to be "bad", and ask, is this a real moral issue, or, is it someone's outside judgment?
Frigatebirds care for their children for a long time in bird years, and there is an important message here too. It's okay to have care. It's okay to be a child. There's not need to rush what's natural. A creature will become able to take care of its own self, at its own time, so, don't try and force people to "grow up". Though, frigatebirds only care for their own species, attacking and eating the chicks of other birds. Like many animals, the wisdom here is, protect your own. This can be a strong message particularly for minority groups, because we can end up spending a lot of our energy on majority groups, who don't need our help as much as we need it. Sometimes, too, if you are weak, you have to rely on the energy of others.
Even if it means, you also make them weaker. It's not good to make people weaker, this should not be used for a reason to do it on purpose. But, Frigatebird can show a way to forgive your self, if you have been in a situation where you had to hurt other people to survive. For example, for a person who is suicidal, to place their stress on another person more than they can handle, to survive. That person has a life too, and they should not be forced to carry stress more than is okay for them. They should be allowed to say no. But, sometimes, it happens. Frigatebird does not say this is "good" behaviour, but, shows that it's possible to accept, this happens in life. To survive, sometimes, you can't always do only "good" things.
Related to the child situation, frigatebirds also raise only one egg at one time. Again, this message is, focus the resources you have, to making sure one situation comes out good. It's okay to spread your resources far, to have what people think, as "balanced life". But, it's also okay to focus them all in one place. If you are the type of person who get better results when you lock your bedroom door for a month and work on a project without stopping, Frigatebird says, this can work, too! Don't feel shame. Because frigatebirds can soar over the ocean for long times, you can also find in following the ways of this bird, the strength to make you do that project well and stay devoted. So, Frigatebird is a good partner for Sarusiel, who needs the people who follow Her to do a lot of work for their own selves.
Even the young frigatebirds, show this energy focus behaviour. They spend long periods of time seeming to be dead while they wait for their parents will return with food. But, when they return, they become immediately very loud and attracting attention. It's okay to save your energy for one big project. It's okay to ignore doing some things if it means you have spoons for the one thing you need to do in that day. Sometimes, it really can help.
In the end, the message of Frigatebird, seems to be: don't be ashamed to have a single focus in your life, if it works for you.
