Mindfulness Through Birdwatching

(air hissing) (air clicking) (gentle music) Headspace Studio. (metal jangling) (air rumbling) (gentle upbeat music) Hi friends. It's Rosie here. Welcome to Radio Headspace and to Thursday. The other day, I was driving on the freeway listening to Lithium on SiriusXM. Well, it was more like snailing than driving. As I sat in my car feeling the frustration that often arises when I'm rushing to get to someplace, I happened to glance over and see two hummingbirds zoom across my windshield and dart into some foliage at the base of a grand tree. Wherever they were going, they were going to get there faster than I could. "That's cool," I thought, immediately disconnecting from the tension that was building. It's during these moments when I feel the monotony of my day that I remember to turn my attention to what I can see and what I can hear. (traffic humming) Have you ever taken a moment to truly listen to the world around you, to the birdsong that fills the air during the springtime? As they build their nests and find new territory, their joyous activities produce birdsong that can uplift our spirits. Today, we're going to explore the enchanting world of birdwatching and how it can be a pathway to mindfulness. We'll encourage you to find a quiet spot in nature. Listen to the melodic symphony of birdsong, and combine it with mindful meditation to relax and de-stress. (birds tweeting) Hummingbirds have always been my favorite. As a kid, I would hear the old pre-Columbian Mexican myths of this bird. It was known as the courier of the Gods. Mayans called the hummingbird (speaks in Mayan) These beautiful creatures hold a significant place in Maya folklore with various mythical tales surrounding their existence. According to one myth, when the Maya Gods faced the dilemma of creating new animals due to a shortage of corn and mud, they realized they needed a creature to carry wishes and thoughts across distances. To address this need, they made a tiny arrow made of jade, and, with a gentle breath, they sent the arrow soaring into the skies giving rise to the graceful hummingbird. Legend has it that the hummingbird's feathers possessed an ethereal quality, allowing it to approach flowers with such delicacy that not a single petal would move. Its iridescent feathers shined under the sun shimmering like raindrops. (birds tweeting) Last spring, during a particularly rough season, I had lost two contract jobs that I was really counting on to pay my rent, and I was trying everything I could to stay positive. And one thing that helps me stay positive is being in nature. At that time, we'd been watching some birds in our backyard and would consistently see one hummingbird in a particular area. They're also very territorial. We followed its tracks and found a tiny nest with two tiny hummingbird eggs. I immediately called my abuelita. "They're good luck," she said in Spanish. Two weeks later, the baby...