Amazing Symbolic Synchronicity:
““BIRDIE” SANDERS: “HIS EYE IS ON THE SPARROW””

A remarkable and unprecedented phenomenon occurred amidst a political speech given by Bernie Sanders in Portland, Oregon on “Good Friday” March 25, 2016. An unexpected sparrow appeared onstage on the floor next to Bernie, and before a crowd of thousands. Instead of immediately flying away, the bird perched on the podium, looking at Bernie, as he smiled and gestured appreciatively to his feathered kindred spirit. The experience lasted amazingly long, about half a minute. Sanders declared the bird a symbol of peace, and no more war. Joy and delight lifted the spirits of all in attendance, and in millions who re-watched on Internet and TV.

To the soul and symbolism deficient, the story ends there, a fluke, a joke, as meaningful or as meaningless as Trump bragging about his holdings, financial or genital. What such lost souls miss is any awareness of profound and multi-faceted synchronicity. To the urbane smug and clueless, Nature lacks intelligence and the ability to communicate with humans, and to them, ever-inferior “nature” doesn’t even merit upper case first letter status.

To others, The Divine, if recognized at all, appeared in Nature long ago only as a biblical burning bush, miraculously not consumed by fire. For yet others, The Divine can be believed by some to have visited a human man’s skull, blessing the highly profitable, infernal civilian-toasting wars of a fiery Bush-in-chief.

Some of us see things differently. For some of us, we live simultaneously in a world at once mundane, as well as soulful and spiritual. Certain times are more revealing than others, as is the case here. In matters of soul and spirit, there is room for alternate or simultaneous meaning, quite the contrast to the right-or-wrong of hard science, or the right-or-wrong heartless hard heads at Fox News. No war, holy or unholy, happens in the symbolic realm, where Jesus stories can coexist peaceably with the likes of medieval folklore and with timeless Nature lore. To appreciate the symbolic realm, no religious conversion is necessary, nor even belief or disbelief in a human historical Jesus.

In his introduction to his 1994 classic book, Animal Speak, (the late) Ted Andrews writes that “…within most scriptures and mythologies of the world…. divine forces speak to humans through the natural world.” By page 2, we learn that “Birds have often been considered the symbols of the soul. Their ability to fly reflects the ability within us to rise to new awareness, bridging the earth and the heavens…. Birds each have their own peculiar characteristics, but they can all be used to stimulate greater flights of hope, inspiration and ideas.” Bernie’s bird, and ours at this time, is sparrow.

SPARROW perspective # 1: Jesus Christ’s Loyal Loving Bird (Plus More)

Ted Andrews, on page 191 of Animal Speak, tells us, that amongst other things, legend has it that SPARROW “… was the one bird present throughout the crucifixion of Christ, making it a symbol of longsuffering.” Before you smirk or cringe, consider this. Sanders’ speech was scheduled to start at Noon PDT on “Good Friday,” the commemoration of Christ’s crucifixion. As an ex-Catholic, I remember that the most sacred time on Good Friday was considered to be (local time) Noon to 3 pm, the time, corresponding precisely to Bernie’s speech. Jesus Christ was a legendary former Jewish carpenter; Bernie Sanders is a Jewish former carpenter. Jesus was considered a threat to imperial Rome, as Bernie is considered a threat to his American Empire war-profiteering political adversaries. J.C. was also despised and disowned by some other Jews. Consider Bernie in relation to “Killary” and the ever-militaristic, torture-loving AIPAC. Jesus preached, “Love thy neighbor as thy self.” Bernie, moved by the special presence of sparrow declared, “No more war.”

Ted Andrews also writes that during the Middle Ages, SPARROW was a symbol for the lower classes, with “tales of how the insignificant sparrow triumphed over such powerful enemies as … eagles” (emphasis mine) “---the traditional symbols of … those who mistreated the peasants.” (Note that Trump attempted to have a photo op with a real bald eagle, which turned to attack him.) Andrews continues: “The sparrow…. will awaken … a new sense of dignity and self-worth, helping you to triumph in spite of outer circumstances.”

SPARROW perspective # 2: THE GODDESS OF LOVE’S BIRD (and More)

Leah M. Bostwick’s “Sparrow Animal Totem Symbolism and Meanings” at www.sunsigns.org/sparrow resonates with Ted Andrews’ perspectives on SPARROW, but adds more. For one thing, “…even something as small as a sparrow can triumph in this great big world.” Sparrows, with their strength in numbers and integrity, co-create productive, caring, creative, vigilant, even fierce, yet compassionate, collaborative community. [The 99%]

Further, Leah tells us that the ancient Greeks considered sparrow as Aphrodite’s pet. Venus, the Roman name for Aphrodite, was overhead in the Zodiacal sign of Pisces at about Noon, the official start of Bernie’s presentation. Venus expresses Her Love most readily and completely being in the sign of Pisces, blessing Bernie, birdie, and the many thousands there in community in Portland. Astrologically, on that special day, several planetary characters celebrated together on high with lovely and loving Venus.

SPARROW perspective # 3: “His Eye Is On The Sparrow”

In 1905, Civillia Durfee Martin wrote the lyrics to this classic gospel spiritual. The joyful spirit of twenty-year-bedridden Mrs. Doolittle of Elmira, New York was explained to Ms. Martin as, “His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.” Thus a song was born.

This song, created by white Christians and sung by some white singers, was particularly inspiring to numerous Afro-Americans, including Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. Various talented Afro-American singers rendered their own versions over the years, including Mahalia Jackson, Marvin Gaye and Lauryn Hill, to name only few. Perhaps Bernie Sanders should consider it as his campaign song, or at least an instrumental version of the song. Imagine this song being sung across America at the site of hate-burnt Afro-American churches, outside mosques and synagogues, in the streets of Ferguson, and wherever love is acutely needed. “Now is a Needed Time.”

“With the power of love, anything is possible.” --- Jimi Hendrix