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The Hummingbird, the Parrot and the Owl:
An Ayurvedic fairy tale
by
Carla Kimball
© Carla Kimball, 1998
All rights reserved.
Once upon every moment of time, in every forest of the kingdom, there live a hummingbird, a parrot, and an owl. Now while they are all birds, and all can fly, they lead very different lives and have very different likes and dislikes.
As we all know, the hummingbird loves to move. It flits from here to there, its wings in a perpetual state of motion, pausing briefly to drink the nectar of a flower and then move on. It is small, light, suppleand moves easily in its body. The hummingbird, whose name is Vata, is energetic, enthusiastic and creative and loves to get things going. It is imaginative, curious and able to quickly grasp complex situations. While capable of focused, organized action, especially when there is a particularly sweet flower within its reach, this hummingbird often doesn’t hang around for very long. It is a good initiator, but leaves the follow-up to others.
The parrot, on the other hand, is passionate and talkative, with lustrous coloring and bright, inquisitive eyes. This parrot, called Pitta, loves to speak and often is a leader for the other birds in the forest. The parrot transforms the forest from its dull, ordinaryappearance to a brilliant display of color, light and sound. It has a strong sense of purpose, is very intelligent, and loves a challenge. The parrot is a very particular bird, meticulously looking for the truth in all things, from the smallest details, like the quickest route between its home and the edge of the forest, to the most universal of questions, like what is the truth about the very interesting forest and kingdom in which it lives.
And, then there’s the owl. The large, gentle, loving owl with the big round eyes and a slow and stately pace. The owl loves to embrace all that come to it in the gentle sweep of its wings. Known as Kapha, the owl is kind, caring, compassionate, very patient and loving. The owl is mentally calm, confident, loyal, steady and very stable. The owl is the strongest of all the birds in the forest, and often carries with it a sense of physical vigor and contentment and is the healthiest of all birds.
As it so happens, there are many forests in this kingdom. Each forest is a living being, depending on the harmonious interactions of all the creatures and vegetation within for its health and well-being. Each forest must have some owls, some parrots, and some hummingbirds or it would not be a forest in this kingdom. However, the precise number of each varies from forest to forest. The very specific mix of birds residing in the forest is unique to that forest and is determined at the time the forest is born and will continue as long as the forest lives. Some forests have far more owls than parrots and hummingbirds; some have about the same number parrots and hummingbirds, but very few owls. Still others seem to have an equal number of each bird residing in their trees. The possible variations of this mix of birds is infinite. Each forest has its own unique size, shape and character depending on the specific mix of birds in residence. If there is peace in the land and there are a lot of hummingbirds, the forest seems alive with movement. If there are a lot of parrots, the forest glows with the brilliant plumage and exudes orderliness. If, on the other hand, the forest is dominated by owls, there is a loving gentleness and grace that seems to emanate from the forest.
When the kingdom is at peace, the birds all live together harmoniously and the forests each thrive and stay healthy. But, as is so often the case, peace and happiness are rare events. Especially in this kingdom where three dragons - the Vata dragon, the Pitta dragon, and the Kapha dragon - roam and ravage the forests. When one of these ferocious dragons attacks a forest, it seems to cast a spell on only one particular type of bird - the Vata dragon seems only to casts it spell on the hummingbirds; the Pitta dragon on the parrots, and the Kapha dragon on the owls. These dragons are dangerous because they exhale foul air that is especially toxic to that one bird and they are surrounded by an aura that is most attractive that same bird and disrupts its nature. The auras are filled with foreign and mysterious elements that will aggravate the bird by exaggerating it’s basic nature.
When a bird is in the presence of its own personal dragon, it loses its relationship to the forest, caught up in the magical web laid by the dragon. If the forest and the birds do not protect themselves and pacify the dragon, the forest can become more and more uncomfortable and eventually all kinds of illnesses begin to threaten the health of the trees and other living creatures in the forest.
The forests, though, have a significant arsenal of defenses against these dragons. Fortunately, there are only certain times of day and seasons of the year when each of these dragons emerges from its lair and stalks its prey. And, the parrots, hummingbirds, and owls each have their own guardian fairies to help them pacify the destructive effects of the dragons. So while most of the time, the dragons cannot be banished from the kingdom, they can often be enticed to return quietly to their lairs and not wreck havoc on the forests. Unfortunately, most forest never learn how to beckon these fairies, and so are always subject to the whim of the dragons.
When the Vata dragon descends on the forest, its breath is very cold, wintryand dry. The aura that surrounds this dragon causes the hummingbird to begin to live a fast, chaotic, irregular lifestyle. The hummingbird becomes like the wind, flying to more and more and more flowers, its tiny wings beating faster and faster. Things like lots of travel, busy schedules, computers and mass media, loud noises and music are some of the mysterious elements of its aura, and can drive the hummingbird to frenetic speeds. This dragon is most likely to enter a forest between 3:00 and 7:00 in the morning and evening, and especially in the fall and the winter. As the forest begins to age, it becomes especially susceptible to the spell of the Vata dragon.
The poor hummingbirds, when their dragons are rampant, begin to wear themselves out. The aura that surrounds the dragon dries and saps the hummingbirds’ life energy. From all their activity, the forest becomes drier and drier. The hummingbirds feel the cold more intensely. They have more gas and bloating and have a very low tolerance for pain. They clearly become distracted, scattered, disconnected from their small bodies, and tend to fly around in space without any connection to the forest. Under this magic spell, they have a tendency to over-work and tire themselves out, but then seem to find it hard to sleep. When life is especially stressful for the hummingbirds under this spell, the forest is filled with a sense of fear, anxiety and foreboding.
The Vata guardian fairies, if called in early enough, can easily neutralize the effects of the Vata dragons and ward off any long term damage to the forest. Vata magic is very simple. Slow, gentle, quiet music and activities begin to calm the frenetic, chaotic pace that often accompanies a Vata dragon. Hot baths warm up the cold air blown in by the dragon. When the hummingbird engages in gentle, relaxing, soothing, rhythmic exercises like gentle yoga, tai-chi, walking, light bicycling and easy rhythmic dancing, it begins to recuperate and the natural rhythms of its flight and life. Grounding exercises, like yoga and dance, that remind the hummingbird of its connection to the earth and the forest help to pull it back from the spacey fringes that it tends to drift toward when under the spell of the dragon. Yoga practices which emphasize a quiet, regular, ujjayi breath, forward bends and the hips, pelvis and lower abdomen all help to quiet the hummingbird and to bring it back into itself. The hummingbird begins to feel most harmonious when it follows a regular schedule in which there are few flowers to choose from and many quiet breaks. With this Vata magic, the chaotic forces of the Vata dragon are pacified, and the hummingbird can return to its harmonious nature.
The Pitta dragon, in contrast, has a very different effect on the parrots of the forest. It’s breath is hot and fiery, wet and oily. The aura that surrounds this dragon is filled with too much heat; too much hot and spicy food; skipped meals; smoking, alcohol and caffeine; time pressures, deadlines and excessive activity. This dragon is most likely to enter the forest between 11:00 and 3:00 during the day and at night. The Summer is its favorite and most active season and the forest tends to be most susceptible to its influences during its adult years.
The fiery breath and aura of the dragon overheat the forest and work the parrots up into a pitch. They become hypersensitive to the heat, and find themselves sweating excessively (these are very special birds) with a strong odor. They tend to flush easily and become prone to skin diseases. They often experience hyperacidity or heartburn. As their agitation becomes more pronounced they become angry, irritable, snapping at all who come their way. They also begin to insist that everything be perfect and can become excessively critical of others when not pleased. The parrots also can become very egotistical and concerned about appearances. They want to look good to others and so they preen and look at themselves in the mirror, making sure that every feather is in its place. These parrots can become very loud and boisterous and disturb the harmony of the forest.
The Pitta guardian fairy has a very cooling effect on these parrots and so neutralizes the damaging fiery effects of the Pitta dragon. Once again, the Pitta magic is very simple. This fairy encourages the parrots to forget about their image and begin to find the inherent pleasure of doing an activity for its own sake. The fairy finds ways to help the parrots avoid conflict and too much work. She offers cool showers, cool evening walks and activities like swimming, skiing, and moderate exercise which does not generate excessive heat. The fairy feeds the parrots foods that are cooling and limit the hot spices. The parrots are encouraged to practice cooling yoga postures, alternating between forward and backward bends that help to dissipate the heat in the center of the body. As this magic begins to take effect, the Pitta dragon retreats and the parrots once again offer their brilliant plumage to the forest in a balanced harmonious way that is pleasing to the rest of the creatures of this forest.
When the Kapha dragon enters the forest, its breath is cool, damp, humid, and heavy. Its aura is filled with rich, sweet, heavy food; too much sleep; too little exercise; and a lack of variety and stimulation. The ponderous Kapha dragon is especially pronounced between 7:00 and 11:00 in the morning and evening, and in the Spring. The forest is especially susceptible to this dragon in its very early years of rapid growth.
The owl is most sensitive to the effects of this dragon and will begin to swell and gain weight under its influence. Its feathers and skin become oily and it can become excessively congested or feel very heavy and lethargic. It is unable to get excited easily and begins to get exceptionally greedy and possessive, becoming very attached to things, ideas and other creatures. Its thinking becomes very rigid and conservative.If not careful, the owl could find itself too heavy to fly and end up sleeping all day and night.
The Kapha guardian fairy has a very different magic than the other fairies. This fairy must be very active, stimulating the owl to want to engage and move and do new things. This fairy presents lots of new activities, aerobic exercise, power yoga, heavy, physical labor, light diet with hot spices and without many sweets, dairy, oils and other heavy foods. She encourages the owl to do yoga postures that emphasize strength, stamina and the upper body. With this magic, the owl re-emerges into its true beauty, vitality and strength, returning the forest to its natural state of harmony, grace and health.
Because each forest has its own unique blend of hummingbirds, owls and parrots, each forest is affected differently by the presence of these dragons. If there are a lot of parrots and the Pitta dragon enters the forest, then the entire nature of the forest is effected. But normally, if there are only a few parrots in the forest, then it is unlikely that there will be much effect on the overall forest, unless this dragon is unrelenting and especially forceful in its attack.So, forests with a large number of hummingbirds, need to be sure to always have the magic of the Vata fairy on hand to pacify the Vata dragon and need to be less vigilant about the Pitta and Kapha dragons. Forests with large numbers of either owls or parrots will need to have the magic of the Kapha or Pitta fairies readily available in case of attack, but will not need to call on the Vata fairy frequently. Sadly, though, very few forests know the secret yogic practices that will beckon these fairies. The practice to call the Vata fairy is pranayama, conscious control of the breath.The practice to call the Pitta fairy is the chanting of the mantras such as Om. A devotional meditation on a divine form is the practice to call the Kapha fairy.
One day, in one particular forest, there lived 100 hummingbirds, 80 parrots and 25 owls. It was winter, and the parrots in this forest were relatively content. They were calming down after a particularly difficult summer bout with their dragon. The owls were doing fine as well. They had had a long respite from the dangers of their dragon, although recently, on especially damp days, they were beginning to feel the sluggishness of this dragon’s breath. The Vata dragon, though, was very, very active and the hummingbirds were in the throes of their struggle against this dragon. The dragon’s cold, dry breath had made their skin especially dry. The grueling schedule that they had set for themselves during this winter season had been filled with more travel than usual, lots of work on the computer, and far too many activities. All hundred hummingbirds were flying about in a whirlwind of frenetic activity, and nothing the owls or parrots could do would calm them down. The entire forest was feeling scattered, with no centering forces to keep it healthy. The effects of all this activity was wearing the forest out. All the creatures in the forest were caught up in this frenetic pace, and the forest was about to become seriously ill.
On this day, when the activity had been especially chaotic and the forest was feeling very gaseous, uncentered and out of control, it finally decided that it must take matters into its own hand. It decided to consult with a friendly neighboring forest who reminded it that the Vata guardian fairy was always available to help out, she only needed to be called. The neighboring forest suggested a simple breathing exercise for quieting the activity of the forest and beckoning this fairy. And after only a short time of practicing this pranayama, and to the great surprise and relief of the forest, the fairy began to weave her magic spell. She fed the hummingbirds warm, rich, soothing foods. She asked the forest to take warm baths. She brought the hummingbirds back into the body of the forest by suggesting physical activity over mental activity. She took away all the confusing choices and began to simplify the life of the forest, creating a regular routine of daily activity. It took a few days, but as soon as this magic began taking effect, the hummingbirds were calming down and the forest felt better. After about a week of quiet, restful, regular activity, things had returned to normal and the forest was feeling much better. It had to watch out, though, and keep the fairy close by, because with so many hummingbirds in the middle of winter, the Vata dragon could easily overwhelm the forest again.
And so goes the story of the hummingbird, the parrot and the owl, once upon every moment of time, in every forest in the land.
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The moral to this story is that as a forest you can stay healthier and more balanced if you get to know your bird population. If you have a large number of hummingbirds, be on the look out for the Vata dragon, especially in winter, and remember that the Vata guardian fairy begins to share her magical, calming touch when you practice quieting pranayama. If there are a lot of parrots in residence, keep the cooling Pitta fairy close at hand by chanting mantras, especially in the summer and when the Pitta dragon is stalking. If there are more owls than anything else, then absolutely watch out for the Kapha dragons and practice devotional meditations to keep the Kapha fairy at your beck and call. No matter what kind of birds seem most plentiful in your forest, remember that the lesser dragons can still have an effect, and those fairies magic might need to be enlisted.
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Carla Kimball wrote this article several years ago while teaching a course entitled "Yoga and Ayurveda". Although she no longer offers that course, she continues to have a strong interest in Ayurveda and has most recently applied her understanding of Ayurvedic energetic principles to helping people create balance, presence and clarity in their lives. She is now a public speaking coach and "presence specialist" and has developed a highly effective model for relaxed and authentic presentations entitled Elemental Speakingsm: A roadmap to speaking with confidence and connection. Using the five elements - air, earth, fire, water, and space - as metaphor, this model can be effective in any stressful situation including public speaking. Carla has a very unique approach to relaxed, confident and authentic speaking and currently offers a wide range of public speaking programs and coaching services. If you'd like more information about Carla Kimball or her programs you email her assistant, Anne, (anne@riverways.com).
(You may freely copy and distribute this article as long as you keep the content intact and unchanged including title, author, Author's biography, copyright notice, text, contact information, and this entire notice. )
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