This morning as my husband and I were walking out to the car to go to work I was surprised to see 4 deer pull their heads up and look directly at me only 20 feet from where we stood. I talked to them for a moment and they just stared not really bothered by this interruption to their morning. They were standing next to our parked car so we had to walk towards them to get in and my husband got as close as 8 feet. Then, as we were about to drive out, we saw the rest of the herd walking down into our yard with their buck. In total, there were about a dozen deer. What a way to start out your morning, huh?
Living in the Rocky Mountains, I always marvel at the wildlife as we see it more frequently living among them in their habitat. We’ve had bear get into our metal shed and tear it up, hear the coyote howl regularly all through the year, see the bunnies and fox. If we had a fresh snowfall the night before, in the morning the yard is transformed into a wonderland of tracks. It is such a blissful sight to take in.
When I was a little girl and saw Disney’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”, I always fantasized playing and walking and just being with the animals like Snow White. When I’d go to the zoo and see the wild tigers and elephants, I’d wonder what it would feel like to curl up with one of those big creatures and experience their energy and power. Dr. Wayne Dyer in his book, There’s a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem [BARGAIN PRICE] (Paperback) quotes from Pantanjali (author of Yoga Sutras who lived C. First to Third Century B.C):
“When a person is steadfast in his abstention from harming others, then all living creatures will cease to feel enmity in his presence.”
Dyer talks about St. Francis of Assisi and how he would tame wild wolves that were destroying livestock by merely being in their presence. 
Wild animals would feel the love that radiated from him; doves would fly to his hands. They all ceased to feel enmity. What a wonderful image. St. Francis didn’t have any special powers – no more than you or I. He just made himself available to and aligned himself with the Creator. ~~~ (Picture by Microsoft Office Clipart.)
There is a series of books I read sometime ago that I fell in love with. They’re about a tracker’s life and experiences in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. The tracker and author’s name is Tom Brown Jr. and when he was a child all he wanted to do was spend time in his beloved Pine Barrens. When he was around 7 he met another boy, Rick, about his age that liked the same things. Rick had an elder that taught them about the seasons and wildlife and how to walk in harmony with nature – his name was Stalking Wolf (Grandfather). In the beginning of his book, The Tracker, Tom describes what he felt about Stalking Wolf when he says:
“Stalking Wolf taught us how to be silent and watch what was going on. He had a special look that said he was giving us a hint to something that would seem obvious to us in a moment. When he saw that I didn’t understand why he had to be silent to see better, he said, “Go feed the birds.””
All the experiences and mysteries of the woods, birds and wild creatures unfold in these books as he learns to listen, track and move in harmony with nature.
Like St. Francis of Assisi and Tom Brown Jr., we can also learn to experience the wonder of nature if we approach it with reverence and are steadfast in abstaining from harming others, as Pantanjali said. Animals can discern your intention from the energies we give off. They can read our hearts and sense more about us than we know about ourselves. As we become more awakened, the animals will respond to our new beingness and we’ll walk among them in harmony and peace. Can you imagine that?!
Tom has a tracking school in New Jersey – Tom Brown Jr.’s Tracking School. He has written 16 books and I’ve listed a few you might be interested in:
The Tracker
Awakening Spirits
The Way of the Scout
The Quest: One Man’s Search for Peace, Insight, and Healing in an Endangered World (Paperback)
The Vision: The Dramatic True Story of One Man’s Search for Enlightenment (Religion and Spirituality) (Paperback)
The Search: The Continuing Story of the Tracker
SPECIAL NOTE: I apologize to my fellow bloggers for not being as active in reading your posts and stumbling and commenting. I just started a full-time job this week. I haven’t had as much time to keep up with the feeds and e-mails and I’m a little overwhelmed. I hope to get a handle on it as I get used to being back into the corporate world. Thank you for your continued support and patience.
Pat from the ol’ kitchen table
First of all – WOW – 4 deer face to face? (says the city girl)
Must have been a beautiful sight. Beautiful quotes Pat..
I am trying to learn to approach the world around with a great reverence for all life around me. That being said, I still abhor snakes (I recently had a long conversation about this with the Walgreen lady)
Is that terrible? Can’t help it Pat, can’t help it.
Its funny that you mentioned Snow White – I did think Disney when I read this post 🙂
But hey, at least my relationship with my dog is improving. She’s great – she really is. But this beige carpet/doggie terrorist problem was getting pretty bad.
I know I sort of went off a tangent but she’s the only animal I’m really around nowadays 🙂 Unless I were to see a deer on the way to school (I live further away from the city now – I hear this is possible)
Which, then, I will be sure to think of you 🙂
Hi Pat,
Congratulations on your job! Don’t worry about commenting … just keep writing! I’ve really been enjoying your blog lately (but haven’t had much time to comment, either!).
I’m lovin’ witnessing your amazing journey!
Blessings,
Andrea
JEMi – thank you for stopping by again. I really enjoy your comments. Yes, it was a beautiful sight seeing the deer. I could feel their presence, their energy, and connection.
With you being a city girl I can appreciate your not having too many experiences with wildlife and nature. You probably have never hugged a tree – have you?
When you can get to a place where you can quiet the chatter in your mind, you’ll find a magical connection to everything around you. It will be like a whole new world has opened up to you.
Enjoy that lovely dog – he might have a few things he might like to show you if you’re willing to consider the possibilities.
Hope you’ll stop back again. I like our chats.
Andrea – thank you so much for your comment and I am happy you’re enjoying the posts.
Yes, the writing is almost like journaling to me with my life experiences. And then sometimes, I sit down with no ideas and am amazed at the end when I’ve written something. It’s almost as if someone is writing through me – I sometimes wonder where it comes from (I know you do).
I’m a bit overwhelmed with spam and the usual e-mails and feeds I’ve signed up for and haven’t kept up with. I keep putting them in a folder as I don’t think my laptop can handle it. It has frozen up a couple of times.
I’m thankful for my job and I’m learning to let go of being so attached to form and being identified with it. It’s time to learn these lessons and I hope I pass.
I appreciate you and the energy you’re putting out into the world. Thank you for being my blogger friend and thank you for your support.
Blessings
Hi Pat,
Very interesting article. I have lived in village and seen many wild creatures, like deers that you have seen, even tigers( from quite a large distance in forest) and many other I don’t know their name exactly.
Unfortunately, I didn’t pay much attention about them and to be honest I still do not have much inclination and interests to the animals. That is why I don’t have even dog or cat in my home. I don’t know why this is. I even don’t like to go to the zoo. But, I like birds and love to watch different programs on TV channels about animals.
Congratulation that you’ve got new full time job. It is all about time management. I suggest you also to focus more on your job and adopt blogging as part-time at this time.
Jirel – thank you for your visit and for your comment. I’m happy that you found my post interesting even though you haven’t much interest or inclination towards animals. I guess it’s like they say, “Different strokes for different folks.” (I think that’s how the quote goes??)
When you’re out in nature taking a walk – anywhere really – you can feel the energy if you’re open to it. Animals can exchange that energy too. It’s just another way to share the life that’s all around us.
I appreciate your support and including me in your carnivals at times. Thank you. Hope you’ll come back again and share.
Pat, like Andrea, it has been amazing watching your journey the past few months. Loved the story. Congratulations on the new job. I haven’t been commenting or keeping up with my reading, etc. lately either. I have had family visiting and then this weekend I am going out of town so I will really get behind then. Life does that to you sometimes.
Patricia
Patricia – thank you for reading and commenting. I enjoy your feedback. And thank you for enjoying my journey. I’m learning alot, I think, and trust others will gain some insight as I tell my stories and share.
Playing catch up too with feeds coming in and articles that look so interesting from everyone out there and their blogs I enjoy. I’m reading a little at a time.
Thank you for stopping back and supporting me. I appreciate you and your journey as well.
From the kitchen table.