By Scott Riviere, North Carolina
I used to travel to the Brazilian rain forest a couple of times each year to learn more about hyacinth macaws—a rare, beautiful bird which is on the verge of extinction. With a lifespan of approximately seventy-five years, hyacinth macaws are largest of the macaws, with a longer tail and bigger beak than any other parrot. In an avocado grove thirty miles south of Miami, Florida, I established a breeding farm for endangered species of parrots. There, we were successful in breeding and propagating hyacinth macaws and other rare parrots.
I continued my preservation work in Florida for eighteen years. Before I left the state to move to North Carolina, my birds went to live at a Floridian jungle site established in the 1930s. Visitors may wander along its paths and appreciate the wildlife, including monkeys that range free in the jungle canopy. I made arrangements to build geodesic domes that would mimic a tropical environment for my variety of parrots. Within these open-air, wire-mesh domes, the hyacinth macaws and other parrots could fly free.
Part of the Flock
A year later, I returned to Florida and walked along the path at the jungle site. Although I could no longer claim them as mine, I’d hoped to visit the birds or at least catch a glimpse of them. While surrounded by other visitors, I suddenly heard a horrendous uproar of birds screaming and yelling. The site’s caretaker tried to figure out what was happening. The birds had never made this kind of commotion.
We quickly realized that the macaws, including the hyacinths, had spotted me from their home in the big geodesic dome. It was as if they were calling, “Scott’s here!” Their greetings traveled from dome to dome as they successfully communicated their excitement at seeing me again. As I approached each dome, they flew from the side nearest me in raucous acknowledgment.
I recalled that whenever I’d entered the Florida grove where they used to live, the birds always gave me a similar reception with all their love. After I’d leave the grove, they’d retreat to their aviaries and be quiet.
I stood still now, feeling chills of happiness at their greetings. Even though I had cared for the birds for all those years, they hadn’t been my pets. But to them, I must have become part of their flock. They had not forgotten me. Their remembrance of me filled my heart with the joy of receiving God’s love in this way.
“Show Me Love”
Now I share my new home in North Carolina with Blue, one of the birds I hatched and raised from a pair of wild hyacinth macaws. Blue has cobalt-blue coloring and rings of bright yellow around her eyes and beak. I took her with me from Florida when I moved, not knowing that someday she would help me experience even more of God’s love.
I’ve come to realize, since studying the teachings of Eckankar, that giving and receiving love is really the most important thing. It’s why we’re here. That’s our purpose. But I’d been wanting a deeper connection and understanding of what love is in order to spiritually unfold more.
I decided to take a short nap one afternoon. As I climbed into bed, I began to lightly sing HU, an ancient sound from the Creator that gently weaves through all life. I asked my spiritual guide, the Inner Master, “Show me love.” Then I went to sleep.
About forty minutes later, I awakened to find Blue standing on my leg on top of the covers. This was quite remarkable. Blue’s cage was in the sunroom in my large house, and she’d never been to the second floor. But on this day, she had figured out how to open her birdcage door and break out.
To arrive in my bedroom, one of four on that floor, Blue had to go through a foreign environment. She’d walked through the sunroom and living room, then climbed up the stairs to a landing and another set of stairs. She had walked through all the rooms until arriving at mine. Then she’d carefully climbed up my sheet from the floor and perched on my leg.
Accepting the Love
I began to awaken, focus on the bird, and whisper, “Blue?”
Blue walked across my body and up to my chest. She placed her head under my neck and dropped down, spreading her expansive wings across my heart. I felt a wave of divine love coming through this Soul. Blue’s love took me higher and higher into a profound spiritual experience.
People talk about giving love, but it’s not always easy to accept love. Blue opened my heart to accept more love that day. I think this is what I was looking for when I asked, “Show me love.” I wanted the flow of love to be greater so I could give and share it.
Blue served as a carrier of divine love. This experience assured me that divine love is with us always. But sometimes we need to ask for the blessing of being shown.
—Photos by Scott Riviere
Scott, Thanks for sharing your story of divine love. Ask and you shall receive if the heart is open.
And we never know where or how the love of the Eck , the Mahanta or Sugmad may arrive.
I have a female hyacinth I call her Star. Everytime I walk by her I say “Hi Star” Now when she sees me she says in a clear voice Hi Star. Her love is amazing. She is a little over a year old. Most amazing buddy I ever had.
I had a beautiful Severe Macaw “Rikki” for 22 years (adopted 1998 as adult). When she paased away at the end of February. I was devastated. She apparently had Proventicular Disease. I recently got a new bird, a beautiful young (1 1/2 years) Greenwing Macaw! Safari is now the new baby in my life. She already speaks a lot of words and is very affectionate!
What an amazing story of love! I could feel the divine love spreading through my heart as I read it. I would love to meet this beautiful bird and I also would love to see hyacinths in the wild! Thank you for your love for the birds and your story!!!
Your story brought tears to my eyes. My husband’s African Gray kept me company 24/7 for 4 years. She brought me more laughter than I’d ever experienced, along with much awe of how intelligent birds can be. Unfortunately, I developed Bird Fancier’s Lung Disease so we had to find another home for her. Two years later, we still greatly mourn the loss of her, but are so thankful for the joy and love she provided.
My Wife Passed In October
Last Year…She Left Me A Pair
Of GreenWings..Dino N Big Bird..
They Turned 21 in January And July…Ive Taken Them To San Fran And Across the Country..
Recently To The Rocket Launch In Canaveral. Then to Key West..They Are Whats Keeping Me Alive….
I have two African grays one raised from a chick the other I rescued he is more of a man’s bird I’ve got bitten so many times by him trying to feed him water him etc. I sleep in a lazy boy and one morning I woke up and there was a bird on my knee thinking it was the one I raised from a chick. To my shock it was the one that I rescued and bit me all the time couldn’t believe now we get along pretty good no biting anyway even at night put them both to bed and they give me kisses every night. I love them so much and he didn’t say a peep for 2 years now he’s peeping and taking a bath like my other bird he watching him I’m waiting for him to say a word and that will be a happy day. They give me so much joy the one I raised he talks all the time. But I also felt that same love when I woke up and realized what bird it was. God bless you.
This warmed my heart when I read it. I also have such a love for birds. My Africa gray name shotzie her name is German for sweetheart. I love and adore her. I have had several cockotoos in my life. They are the most lovely birds and the sweetest. But my gray I love the most. She has given me so much love and warmed my heart. There is a calming in having birds. When my day is bad she seems to know and gives me extra love as if knowing I’m struggling with something in my heart. I know what you mean when you say they are like spiritual healing to your soul. There is no other love like that a parrot can give. Thank you for sharing your story.
Kathy Bridgeman
Fayetteville NC
There’s more to animals, birds and other creatures than just being present, as depicted in this wonderful story. Thank you Scott for sharing this wonderful story of divine love.
Yet another amazing story Scott. I feel privileged to have some of Blues feathers, A very special gift. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
What an amazing and uplifting story, thank you so much!
That story is such a heart opener! I heard you tell it at a major Eck seminar. Since then I have told it to many friends. It seems to reach right into the heart and fills you with so much love! Thank you so much!
Dear Scott, Thanks for sharing your macaw story! I enjoyed it! We saw a couple of these wild macaw birds when we were touring the Amazon R. at a lodge in N. Peru last May! They flew to our restaurant for some cracker snacks from the tourists. They are truly beautiful! I even bought a painting of Macaws from a local artist! They are so beHUtiful! 🙂 🙂
Thank you for the.beautiful love I feel thru your story. My arahata Wini gave us these beautiful Animals are Soul cards today at the initial meeting of our ECK Dream 1
Discourses Satsang. And yours was the first to come up on the blog.
Ahhh! Thank you for opening my.heart more. Which has been my request to the Mahanta , coming thru more via you. Much gratitude.
It was so nice to meet you at the Animals are Soul workshop. I was telling a friend today about your loving experience with Blue, tears came into her eyes.
I attended the workshop because I love animals so much and because I recently lost my two senior cats three months apart. It’s been such a painful and sad time for me, they’ve been my little family for 19 years.
It’s very healing to hear stories of the spiritual nature of animals and how deeply they love their people.
Your story is every chela’s wish. How divine love is demonstrated through many angles. Yes when we ask for divine love we must be prepared to give it out.
Thanks for sharing.
What a beautiful reminder and demonstration of divine love.
As I read the part of your story where Blue opened her wings across your chest, I too felt the love flow through my heart. Thank you for sharing your beautiful story so many people could share in your precious experience of divine love.
This is a “blue”tiful story! This bird has the tenacity and love of Scott’s poodle from the “A Poodle’s Mothering.” Wonderful!
It’s beautiful the way master responded to your request of “Show me Love” and to get the love from a bird is even more amazing. I’m beginning to feel amazed at the way Eck,the holy spirit or Voice of God communicates or works with us every day. And it is always a great joy to feel the love of God lifting us higher into greater states of awareness and helping us throughout our lives to be more happy,contented and productive.
Hi Scott
I have a green wing macaw,
So I know of the love that comes from God through these wonderful birds.
I can come in from work lay down and go to sleep and when I wake up my green wing is sleeping on my legs or on my chest. Also when she see me drive up in my truck she start calling for me. She call me papa. There is so much more.