"Birds soar above us, serving as a link between our earthbound lives and the glorious mystery of the beyond. They inspire us to look up, to reach out, to yearn for more," writes Arin Murphy-Hiscock, a lover of these marvelous creatures and an explorer of New Age spirituality for more than twenty years. She is a third-degree Wiccan High Priestess in the Black Forest Clan.

The author has a keen sense of avian knowledge and winsome ways of sharing what she calls the "Symbology & Significance of These Divine Winged Messengers." She covers 62 birds, noting each one's name, species, and common variants, geographic distribution; environment; physical description; interesting facts; myths, folklore, and cultural associations; and omens and divinatory meaning.

Here are some of our favorite spiritual tips:

  • After seeing a robin, "try adding a dash of bright red to your wardrobe."
  • The woodpecker admonishes us to relish working hard.
  • The pelican challenges us "to give selflessly to others."
  • The owl appears in our lives as a cue to search for wisdom.
  • The mockingbird signifies improvisation which offers a way out of being stuck.
  • The hummingbird's message can be summed up as "live your life to the fullest within your means; don't hold back. Give it your all, but remember to relax and sip the sweetness along the way. Make sure to balance all your commitments in order to best apportion your energy."