Many people report unusual sightings after the passing of loved ones, with birds often believed to be a message from beyond. One astrologist has shed light on the significance of seeing robins specifically following a death, and what one should do if they encounter one.
Speaking for tarot reading platform Tarotoo, astrologist Inbaal Honigman explained: “Spiritually, birds symbolise hope and freedom. This is linked to their wings and their ability to fly, which makes it seem as if they’re closer to the divine, to the heavens.
“Angel wings are very bird-like for example. That birds can travel through the skies, appears nothing short of miraculous to humans, as we are flightless.
“Specifically robins stand for the link between heaven and earth, and this bird is seen as a spiritual representation of renewal and rebirth. As a person departs their life here on earth, they undergo a metamorphosis and become a spirit being. Robins are seen as messengers between the living and the deceased.
“When a person passes over, in many ancient cultures they are seen as travelling upwards, their souls soaring and transitioning to an ethereal existence, untethered to the earth plane.”, reports the Liverpool Echo.
This concept isn’t new – the ancient Egyptians also believed in the soul ascending after death, partially in bird form.
The British Museum explained: “Each person was made of several elements: essence (ka) and personality (ba), which joined together in the afterlife to form a perfect being called an akh.
“The ba was usually shown as a human-headed bird. The deceased travelled through the Duat in his own form and in the form of the ba. The goal was to reach a special place called the Field of Reeds – Egyptian heaven.”
Inbaal further elaborated: “The folk saying ‘when robins appear, loved ones are near’ has come to cement the robin’s place in the folklore associated with death and dying. It is a comforting symbol and a reminder that the soul is eternal. The optimism of the robin, bright red through winter, represents spiritual continuity. We, as living souls, do not die, we only change.”
Inbaal also offered advice on what you should do if a Robin appears to you and you think it may be linked to a departed loved one. He suggested: “When seeing a robin, take a moment to say some words of power, blessing those who have gone before.
“Think of friends and relations you’ve lost, and what message they may have for you in this specific moment in your life. You may be trying to come to a decision about your work or the home. The robin calls on you to recall their memory, what would your loved one have advised?”.
Tony Putman, a gardener and budding wildlife photographer, has formed an unlikely friendship with a robin he affectionately calls “good friend Bob.”
After suffering a personal loss, Tony found solace in the old saying ‘when robins appear, loved ones are near’.
Speaking to the BBC, Tony shared how he first encountered Bob during a gardening job in his hometown of Edenbridge. He said: “Bob lives here in Edenbridge – which was my hometown and I work here twice a week when I come to see him.”
He added: “He generally follows me around the garden – he even greets me at the gate sometimes. Normally robins have their young in the spring; they disappear after that – but for whatever reason this year Rob returned after about a month.”
Tony believes that Bob’s return wasn’t just a coincidence. He explained: “And he actually returned at a time that’s quite traumatic in my life. A couple of people that I really cared about became very sick. And the saying is ‘When a robin appears a loved one is near’. I’m not sure how true that is, but it is quite strange that he turned up at a time when I really needed a bit of help I think”.
He added: “And someone that really supported my photography – she died a couple of days ago – and Bob was really following me around a lot the day before and it was very comforting. She actually had photos of him on her wall. And that was quite nice to know. Hopefully, she’s still with me – in different ways.”