Animal Medicine #5

Murmuration.  Isn’t that a lovely word?  It is the collective name for a big gathering of starlings. 

Originally from Europe, starlings are known through most of the world as an “Alien Invasive Species”.  They are considered a pest, but they are also beneficial to us as they mainly feed on insects

Have you ever been privileged to watch what happens when they fly together?  How they sweep through the skies in a magnificently choreographed aerial dance that seems to flow like water.  They are masters of unity.  They are aware that when they can work together, in unity, they are much stronger than each individual could possibly be. 

They understand that which humans are struggling to remember, that there are no boundaries.  They know that it doesn’t matter if there are physical differences between each bird – they are all Starlings.  For millennia, humans have placed boundaries around themselves, boundaries of race, creed, sex, country and by doing this we limit our growth as a species.  If we could also work in unity, we too would find ourselves in a much better place.

How do we start to bring about this unity of Earth?  We communicate.  When starlings are chattering amongst themselves it sounds as if they are aiming to solve all the world’s troubles.  We need to start, as individuals, looking deeply into our relationships with every being and situation we meet.  We need to look at what we favour and what stirs our fears.  Prejudices arise from fear, so this is a good place to start.  What do you fear, and why.  When you understand and accept the ‘why’ you can choose to move away from the fears or to remain within them but with deeper knowledge which can help bring about a better understanding. 

When a murmuration of starlings sweep and soar through the sky, they can seemingly change the direction of their dance with a single thought.  Humans, more subject to individuality and not so skilled at working together for common cause, need to seek within our individual self with honesty, humility, and a willingness to change direction. 

It will certainly take longer for us to change to a new direction – but we can get there.  And it starts with you.