by Irene Siu
“Faith is the bird that feels the light when the dawn is still dark”
- Rabindranath Tagore
click to enlarge
I am reminded of sleepless nights on retreat.
I would toss and turn, mind processing all the events and conversations of the day. I would resist checking the clock. Eventually I would hear the birds chirping. A slight feeling of disappointment would settle over me, as the birds were a signal that morning had arrived, and I would not be getting back to sleep.
As the retreat progressed, sleep continued to be elusive. I started looking forward to hearing the bird song – it helped me tell time. Their singing kept me company during the early hours – always so reliable, so consistent.
Something struck me about their singing. I noticed they would quiet down, then go silent just as the sun started to rise above the horizon. I wondered what they were thinking. I imagined them all tucked cozy in their nests, watching in awe as the beautiful sun rose. I delighted in the idea that even birds would be so taken by wonder.
I like to think I witnessed the unwavering faith these birds held. Day after day, they would sing in the dark, knowing with all their being the sun would rise again. Maybe it was built into their nature - a belief that only if they sang, would then the sun rise. And so they did. They sang. And as the light appeared they would pause to take it all in – a moment of gratitude - before carrying on with their day.
I am curious as to how birds behave during sunset. Do they sing in preparation? Do they give a moment of silence - a moment of honouring – before the light retreats below the horizon? Would they hold the same appreciation? I want to say they do. I will believe they do, because just as they have faith the light will be there for them, they know the dark can be too.
Irene Siu came to Callanish through a friend, after an invasive breast cancer diagnosis in 2017. She has since attended 2 life-changing retreats, and holds deep appreciation for a community that allows people to show up as they are. Irene continues on a path of nurturing her most authentic self.