can you hear the hummingbirds?

Sebastian Slovin, Co-Founder of Nature Unplugged, Speaker, and Author of The Adventures of Enu and Ashes in the Ocean

If I were to claim to have a super power it would be this: I can hear hummingbirds nearly all the time… at least when I’m outside, and when it’s daytime, and when I’m in San Diego or some other happening hummingbird spot. They seem to follow me around, and it’s awesome!

I think about hummingbirds often and the little buzzing beings have been a major source of inspiration over the years. Hummingbird encounters at my favorite local park are what inspired me to write The Adventures of Enu. I look at hummingbirds as little reminders to be present. There have been countless times I’ve been out mindlessly walking and then out of nowhere comes the peculiar call of the hummingbird to wake me up again.

A few years ago, when I was just getting into leading surf and yoga retreats internationally, I found myself completely overwhelmed by all the things I had to do to get ready for the trip. At the time I was working with a great friend and professional surfer John Maher. We were gearing up to take a group of people down to Nicaragua for a 10 day trip. Doing this type of work had always been my dream, though I suppose I never realized how much goes into facilitating a retreat. I had so many things on my mind: finding accommodation, working out all the finances, arranging flights from different cities, getting all the surf gear ready, checking the weather and surf forecasts, arranging transportation. The list went on and on.

I found myself overwhelmed and desperately needing a break from all the tasks at hand. So, I headed over to my favorite park for a quick stroll. As I drove to the park I was completely lost in thought. Have you ever driven somewhere and then upon arrival wondered how you got there because you had almost no recollection of the drive? Well, that was my experience on this particular day. I got out of my car and set out on an afternoon stroll around the beautiful park.

I went off past the duck pond and on to the hiking trail. I meandered through the coastal sage scrub and oak trees as I normally do. I had been walking for probably 20 minutes before it hit me. I hadn’t heard a single hummingbird, or bird for that matter, since entering the park! San Dieguito Park happens to be a total hummingbird mecca (my opinion) and I typically hear one within the first couple minutes. What was going on? What happened to the hummingbirds? I wondered. At the moment I began to question what was going on I realized I had been so consumed with thoughts and worries, to-do lists, and arrangements regarding the Nicaragua trip that I had completely missed out on my walk. I was so focused on the upcoming trip and my internal dialogue was so “noisy” that I was hardly aware of anything else. There was no space for anything else.

With that realization my internal chatter began to quiet as if someone had turned down a dimmer switch. As my mind quieted down, the sounds of the birds chirping and chipping began to flow in. A moment later, I heard the high-pitched call of the mighty hummingbird. I smiled as I watched the tiny bird dart overhead. I then looked around at my surroundings. The colors of the trees and flowers were suddenly vibrant with life. Of course, the beauty and the birds were there the whole time but I wasn’t there for them. I was too busy thinking about where I was going to be.

That day has always stood out for me as a reminder to ask myself, can I hear the hummingbirds? This reminder has really helped improve my skills at locating hummingbirds. More importantly however, it’s helped me bring more attention to life as it unfolds moment by moment. It’s helped me bring that quality of awareness to listening to myself, other people, and to the world around me. Regardless of my surroundings or what I’m doing, I’ve made it a habit to ask myself, can I hear the hummingbirds? When I ask this simple question it completely changes the quality of my communication, my relationships, and my life.