The hummingbird holds special meaning in the Baha’i Faith as a symbol of service, joy, and energy. Hummingbirds are known for their small size, beauty, speed, and constant motion – flapping their wings up to 80 times per second. These characteristics have led the hummingbird to be associated with concepts that are important in the Baha’i teachings.
Hummingbird as a Symbol of Service
In the Baha’i writings, hummingbirds are used to symbolize selfless service. ‘Abdu’l-Baha, the son of Baha’u’llah, wrote:
“Let them see you as a fruitful tree, having on your branches nests filled with warbling and singing birds, sweet-voiced nightingales of divine melodies and harmonies, merry meeting places to which the birds may gather. They must find these motives in all your acts and actions.”
Here, ‘Abdu’l-Baha uses the metaphor of a tree sheltering many birds to describe how Baha’is should be sources of kindness, hospitality, and service to those around them. Like hummingbirds gathering to a tree, people should be able to come to Baha’is for support and sustenance.
Hummingbirds subsist mostly on nectar, and they play a vital role in pollinating flowers and plants. As they flit from bloom to bloom gathering food, they incidentally carry pollen from one flower to another, allowing plants to reproduce. In this way, though small, hummingbirds have an outsized impact on nature through an ongoing act of service.
Similarly, Baha’is try to be like hummingbirds by constantly striving to serve others. Through small but consistent acts of service, even one person can have a significant effect on their community and the world at large.
Hummingbird Symbolizing Joy
Hummingbirds also symbolize qualities like joy, happiness, and cheerfulness in the Baha’i Faith. For instance, in a letter to the Baha’is of the East, Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baha’i Faith, wrote:
“They should, in the conduct of all their activities…show forth such joyous meekness that all hearts may be caused to rejoice.”
The energetic, blissful nature of hummingbirds serves as a reminder to Baha’is that they should conduct themselves in an equally positive manner. By manifesting joy and radiance, Baha’is can uplift those around them.
Part of the reason hummingbirds seem so joyful is that they flap their wings constantly to hover. They appear enthralled by their ability to fly and their access to an endless supply of sweet nectar. Similarly, Baha’is believe that one can attain true happiness through spiritual practices like prayer, meditation, and serving others.
Hummingbird Symbolizing Energy
Given their nonstop motion and rapid wing beats, hummingbirds also symbolize energy and activity within the Baha’i Faith. ‘Abdu’l-Baha wrote:
“Be thou like unto a hummingbird in thy eagerness to serve, and a nightingale in melody and song.”
Here the imagery points to the way hummingbirds energetically flit around while serving flowers. Baha’is are meant to emulate this tireless energy and work ethic in propagating the message of the Faith and serving humanity.
Hummingbirds have among the highest metabolism of all animals, needing to consume more than their weight in nectar each day to power their flight muscles and keep up their vigor. Baha’is likewise are meant to “exert every effort” to teach the Faith, support Baha’i communities, and contribute to social betterment.
Though small, hummingbirds have great power and speed, with the ability to fly over 500 miles nonstop across the Gulf of Mexico. Their endurance and strength, despite their diminutive size, makes them an apt symbol for the Baha’is capacity to serve humanity and help advance civilization, no matter how limited their numbers may be.
Examples of Hummingbirds in Baha’i Writings and Culture
References to hummingbirds appear in authorized translations of Baha’i texts as well as in prayers, stories, articles, and songs created by members of the wider Baha’i community.
Authorized Baha’i Texts
In addition to the passages above, hummingbirds are mentioned in the following authorized Baha’i texts:
- In a letter about Baha’is cultivating positive qualities in themselves and others, Shoghi Effendi refers to being “as much the essence of purity as a spotless lily, as much the spirit of faithfulness as the nightingale, as high in purpose as a soaring eagle, as meek in heart as a hummingbird…”
- In a compilation on Baha’i economics, a letter from the Universal House of Justice states: “The factors that, in an environment of unity and justice, lead to material prosperity include service, collaboration, joyous exertion and simplicity—like a hummingbird’s, elegant in form while irrelevant to function.”
- In a message about sustaining growth in Baha’i activity, the Universal House of Justice wrote: “Like the hummingbird that darts from flower to flower, institutions, individuals and agencies eagerly stretch out to explore every opening, every possibility as it presents itself, bend their energies and commit their resources.”
Baha’i Prayers and Poems
Hummingbirds appear in many devotional pieces written by Baha’is themselves. A few examples include:
- A prayer by Lee Tae-Young that asks God to “Please, make me into a hummingbird…Allow me to fly boldly into any spiritual garden and gather the nectar of guidance.”
- A poem by Vida Stanton-Nichols that says: “Come! Let us be gay as a bobolink / Meek as a hummingbird under its wing.”
- Lyrics to a song “Jewel of the Heart” by Barney Leith that state: “I would be Thy songbird and sing only of Thee, Humble and lowly, like the hummingbird.”
Stories and Cultural References
Lastly, hummingbirds appear in Baha’i parables, educational materials, and cultural works:
- One story intended for Baha’i children relates the life of a courageous hummingbird who perseveres in gathering food through a stormy night.
- An article about the Baha’i gardens in Haifa, Israel describes hummingbirds “darting from terrace to terrace like roving spirits.”
- Leila’s Quest, a musical play created for the Baha’i community, includes a hummingbird character named Hummy who encourages the other animals to work together.
Meaning and Impact
For Baha’is, the potent symbolism of the nimble, enthusiastic, servile hummingbird serves as a reminder to emulate these qualities. By striving to be more like the energetic hummingbird – ever-active in propagating the message of Baha’u’llah and serving the betterment of society – Baha’is believe they can help to build a more just, unified, and peaceful world.
Though Baha’is come from diverse backgrounds across the planet, the humble hummingbird gives them a common vision to work towards. The hummingbird symbolizes Baha’i ideals, binding together followers of a common faith into a cohesive global community.
By taking inspiration from the small but powerful hummingbird, each individual Baha’i can find the motivation to arise and serve the Faith, adding their own unique talents and capacities to the collective endeavor to transform society. They see themselves as drops in a limitless ocean, tiny yetEach believing that their own service, however modest, contributes to the advancement of civilization.
Conclusion
The energetic, diligent hummingbird serves as a resonant symbol in the Baha’i Faith. Despite its small size, the hummingbird’s efforts have an outsized impact. This serves as a reminder for Baha’is to constant strive to serve others and promote unity, even if their own capacities seem limited. By emulating the joy, enthusiasm, and dedication of the hummingbird, Baha’is believe they can help to establish greater justice, equality, and solidarity in the world.