Previously Unpublished
TTOUCH FOR AN INJURED BIRD
By Barbara Janelle B.Sc., M.A.
The sudden thump on the window sent me flying out to the deck where I found a young white-breasted nuthatch lying stunned. I scooped it up quickly and started the TTouch on its head. The bird was in severe shock, very still, its mouth wide open and eyes half-shut. It was questionable whether it would live.
WORKING ON THE INJURED BIRD
I worked gently with single finger Cloud Leopard and Raccoon circles on its head and neck. The TTouch seemed to call it back and its mouth closed slightly. The eyes opened and the bird looked at me and then went back into shock again, the mouth gaping, the eyes dimming. Silently, I let my fingers call him back. With the nuthatch’s head facing away from me, I did tiny circles all around the head, neck and shoulders. Because the mouth was gaping so, I TTouched around it and then watched it close. The bird’s eyes opened and it clung to my hand with one foot; the other was curled tight against its body.
I continued the TTouch, using it to gently explore for injury, as well as to call on the body’s own healing mechanisms to get the cells back to full function. Touching each wing and gently spreading it, I found the place on the left shoulder where contact with the window had been made. More very gentle circles there brought a greater sense of wholeness and connection with the rest of the body.
Then I moved on to the tightly curled foot and clenched leg with soft TTouched, and teased the toes into spreading. I placed a finger under the foot and the bird grasped my finger with it. The nuthatch righted itself as I loosened my hold slightly. The eyes were open now and clear, the mouth was shut and the bird sat quietly on my open hand while I continued TTouching it all over.
Every TTouch was a call to order and wholeness, and with each circle the body felt more alive. The bird began testing its push-off with its feet against my fingers but was not yet ready to fly. I used a few single finger Noah’s March strokes from head to tail to connect and bring awareness of the whole body. The bird started to look around and respond to the sounds and movement of the other birds and the red squirrel who were feeding on the railing. The moment came when the nuthatch flew strongly and directly to a branch on the hemlock at the edge of the deck. It sat there briefly and then flew away.
TTOUCH REVERSES DAMAGE
I have worked with many injured birds – some that have hit windows, some that have been caught in the turbulent airstream of cars and trucks, some that have been captured by cats, etc. Of the large number I have worked with, only two have died. If the bird can be gotten to promptly, TTouch revives it quickly. TTouch done immediately after an injury, dramatically and obviously reverses damage. Once an injury has “set,” it takes a lot longer for healing to occur because the body has to go through all the healing phases.
I usually start with single finger Raccoon and Cloud Leopard TTouch around the head to bring the bird out of shock quickly. Although birds do not have ears as we know them, the work around the head seems to act in the same way that work on the acupuncture points on human and animal ears does. Once shock is addressed, I continue with TTouch to explore the rest of the body and encourage the body to heal any areas that are damaged. I know from work on others and myself that swelling and bruising stop immediately and heal fully within minutes with TTouch. I believe this is true with birds too because although I cannot see it, I can feel “spongy” areas return to normal firmness.
I find too that as I work, my level of focus is directly related to the body’s needs. When things are critical, my focus is intense. As the bird begins to recover, my focus diminishes and this is a clear indication to me, along with the bird’s physical recovery signs, that my TTouch work is finishing.
I continue to be amazed and delighted with how effective TTouch is with tiny, fragile creatures like birds as well as with horses, and other animals. This seemingly simple circular TTouch is a first aid kit built into the hand, and anyone can use it to help the healing process.