There’s a bird that has fascinated me since childhood—the hoopoe.
With its elegant crown, zebra-striped wings, and quiet mystery, it’s always felt like more than just a bird. Here in Mallorca, a whole family of them lives in my garden, and I often watch them flit from tree to ground, moving with purpose and poise. But just the other day, one came unusually close—right up to my window.
We looked at each other for a moment. Still. Silent.
There was a sense that something was being exchanged without words. A subtle pause in time.
Was it a blessing? A message?
The Hoopoe as Spiritual Guide
In ancient literature and spiritual tradition, the hoopoe is no ordinary bird. It is said to move between the seen and unseen realms—a spiritual guide and messenger of deeper truths.
In the Persian classic The Conference of the Birds, the hoopoe leads a group of birds on a perilous inner journey, urging them to face their fears and seek union with the Divine. It doesn’t offer easy answers—it calls them to transformation.
That moment at the window made me wonder:
What is the hoopoe inviting me to see?
What fear am I being called to face?
What truth am I being asked to follow?
The Noise of the World and the Power of Whispers
We live in a world where the loudest voices often get the most attention. Where urgency, anxiety, and constant stimulation pull us in every direction. It’s so easy to be swept into the maelstrom of noise, to live in reaction rather than reflection.
And yet, life doesn’t always speak in volume.
Sometimes, the most important messages come not with noise—but with presence. Not in shouting—but in whispers.
These whispers can take many forms. They are gentle nudges that awaken something within us and guide us back to our soul’s purpose:
- A sudden encounter with an animal or bird rich in symbolic meaning
- A word, song, or conversation that strikes a deep, unexpected chord
- A chance meeting with a stranger who feels like a messenger
- A chapter in a book that completely shifts your path
A Whisper That Changed Everything
That last one happened to me.
Years ago, I picked up The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho. I read it in one night. And something inside me stirred awake. That book became a whisper—a gentle push that led me to walk the Camino de Santiago for the first time in 2006.
At the time, I was living in a dysfunctional marriage, navigating a stressful job, and anchored in a place that never truly felt like home. But that quiet invitation—a story—shifted the course of my life.
Becoming Who We Truly Are
I’ve come to believe, deeply and wholeheartedly, that every soul is born with a purpose.
Life is not about becoming someone new. It is about remembering who we truly are. We are sculpted by experience, softened through struggle, awakened by beauty. The adventure of life is the gradual unfolding of the self.
As Carl Gustav Jung once wrote:
“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.”
But this becoming doesn’t happen in the noise. It happens in stillness—in the quiet space where truth can finally reach us.
An Invitation to Pause
So, today I invite you:
Step away from the noise.
Take a walk in nature. Open your senses to the miracle of sight, smell, and touch. Breathe deeply. Sit in stillness. Offer gratitude—for your breath, your being, and the mystery of your life.
You are not random.
You are not alone.
You are part of something vast and sacred—a web of meaning, love, and purpose.
And sometimes, all it takes to remember that… is a whisper.
Reino Gevers – Author – Mentor –Speaker
P.S: If you enjoyed this article you might be interested in my very latest book: Sages, Saints and Sinners Get it today on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and where all good books are sold.
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