Canary
Inspiration: Light
Healing Color: Yellow
Message: Light adds joy to your path.

"The Canary is a songbird that makes a wonderful pet. The Canary's ancestors, Green Finches from the Canary Islands, were first domesticated in the 1400s for their singing grace. Bred for hundreds of years toward yellow, the Canary now wins the prize for that sunshiny, cheerful color; the term canary yellow comes from this bird's bright hues. If you bring home a Canary, make sure it was bred in captivity (as most are these days), and if you prefer a singer, bring home a male Canary.

"Bird Wisdom: Canary is a small bird, full of love and light. Do you already own a Canary? Then you have a strong affinity for the sun and the color yellow. People and animals, especially cars, are attracted to you because you possess this inner light that shines so strongly. If Canary appears today, you have a chance to spread sunshine to those around you.

"Inspired by Canary, you sing with a beautiful voice, if only in the shower. Play different types of music until you find a style or a rhythm that you and your Canary adore. Canaries are thought to expand their brains when they sing, contradicting the stereotype of 'bird brains.' Take a lesson from Canary, and expand your mind and singing repertoire to inspire others.

"Canary's sunshiny color calls to mind spiritual light. Do you know someone who had a near-death experience and returned from the light? Or perhaps you will soon meet someone who can help you on your own light journey. Those who connect to a deeper purpose and spiritual calling to assist others in the world are known as 'light beings.' Like Canary, they bring joy and lightness to others.

"Broken Wing: In the reverse position, Canary tells you to focus on your surroundings in order to find more lightness of being. If you own a Canary, you may have to move the bird's cage to find a quiet spot in the house so that he sings. Apply the principles of feng shui, the Chinese art of arranging objects, to create a more harmonious home. Try realigning your furniture to make your home seem warmer and brighter to all who enter it.

"Canary in the Broken Wing position may signal a song that is being silenced. Are you stifling your talents, not letting others hear your song? Or is your silence due to emotional reasons, such as a problem you haven't talked about? Seek out a close friend or family member whom you can trust and who will listen to you. Don't let the 'cat swallow the canary.' Tell your friends or family what's wrong. Canary reminds you that enlightenment means losing the mental cage holding you back. Whether your problem involves a relationship, your job, or your health, let your light shine and your voice be heard.

"Have you recently lost someone, or is a dark cloud hanging over you? Try wearing something yellow to brighten your mood. Your usual colors of brown and black are not apropos today. If you have nothing yellow to wear, purchase a yellow scarf or shirt to wear on days when you want to feel lighter. Or spend a day in the sunshine, or relax in your sunroom. Sip some freshly squeezed yellow lemonade, and imagine that you are drinking in liquid sunshine to relieve stress that you may feel at this time.

"Bird Vision: Canary suggests the following exercise to help you feel light and renewed: Find a quiet place. Sit comfortably in your favorite chair. Place the Canary card in front of you. Clear your mind. Then breathe in through your nose, and let the breath fill your lungs. As you breathe in, envision the yellow rays surrounding Canary radiating into the top of your head, or your crown chakra. Imagine these rays awakening every inch of your body, flowing through your veins, from your head down your neck, into your arms, and all the way to your fingertips, and then flowing back to your heart, through your stomach, into your pelvis, down your legs, and finally into your toes. Bathe in this sunshine; feel refreshed and full of song like Canary. Imagine you are a 'light being,' and your rays are ready to shine and emit warmth, comfort, and joy to others.

"Bird Lore: The Birdman of Alcatraz is a Hollywood movie that tells the life story of Robert Stroud, a convicted murderer who kept three hundred Canaries in two adjacent cells for over twenty years.”