Running in Circles with Nature: Encounters with the Ravens, Maypies, Hawks, Turkeys, and Snakes

Last weekend I went for a run on the trails.  But as I do, running for me is not about achieving any destination, speed, or time goal, rather an experience to be in my body and feel what it can do, especially in relationship to the hills and woods near my home.  So often when I run, I do as I do with intentional slow nature connection outings, I choose my route based on how my body is feeling, and allow myself to change my mind at any moment and veer off course and explore.  Connecting with nature is easiest when moving slowly, even slower than normal, especially when starting out.  However with experience and attention it’s even possible to do when running, especially if you are willing to abandon your progress to stop at any moment.

As I’ve said, nature connection is something best done often, repeatedly, and over time.  Last week there was a rock formation I could see across the valley. It drew my attention and I knew I wanted to go there sometime, but not that day.  On my run on this day, I found myself boxed in by people everywhere I went and wanting some space, I ducked off the trail only to realize I was near where that rock outcropping I saw was and decided to find it.  When I did, I saw that someone had been there before, cutting down trees and leaving them laying there on the ground.  I dodged and weaved through the scrub over and around the dead downed trees and eventually found the outcropping that drew me to it a week prior.

At first, I looked around and stood on the rock overlooking the valley taking in the sights.  Another beautiful vista. It was nice, but I’ve seen it and many like it so much in my life, I wasn’t satisfied with just another pretty view.  I thought, that “Is all I was drawn here for?”  There must be more. Another familiar experience, and often it leads to contentment in the present moment, but this time there really was more, as is often true when I’m called there by an instinct or curiosity, not just my desire to reach a destination.

Then an old raven landed in a tree 15 yards from me.  He was on top of the tree and I was on top of the rock cliff with a steep long drop to the base of the tree.  I’ve encountered ravens many times before, each time is different.  He watched me and I watched him. Knowing I was no threat, he continued his business of looking around the valley and gully and calling out to his raven kin.  Then I saw his scene, a red tail hawk was soaring over the valley and another raven was attacking it fighting it off.  Raven screaming at it, hawk crying back.  Diving, fighting, rolling, tumbling in the air, regaining flight, over and over again.  Eventually the hawk would be driven off, but the ravens stayed.  Keeping watch.  Communicating with a variety of distinct words.  Then the hawk returned and a new raven would go fight it off and the scene would repeat.  Another raven came to keep watch in a pine tree farther from me while my friend moved on to a new task.  The top 1/8th of the tree was dead, the rest still thriving.  I stayed long enough that the ravens rotated again, my friend returning.

Eventually hearing the messages for me from this mirroring of myself in nature, I gave thanks to the rock, the land, the birds, the trees, and moved on returning back to my run.  I could tell the message for me was done by the shift in energy in myself.  I could have stayed longer, but it felt respectful to my friends to leave them to their business and I needed to return to my business in the human world.

I headed back down to the valley I was overlooking and encountered two bull snakes at different times.  Confirming for me the magic and transformative experience of nature I just had.  I also encountered some people again back down in the valley enjoying nature in the ways they were.  The brief exchanges, numbers, and mannerisms of the people also important in my process.

I went home and told my story to my family, in several stages.  First just the literal encounters of the journey with my partner and kids, later the deeper symbolism and meaning for me when alone with my partner.  Some parts of our stories can be shared with the public, some, more private and magical require care and trust that it will be held well.

Then running again this morning, a few days later, on the exact same route I encountered a turkey on the trail near where I took my detour a few days prior.  I’ve encountered turkeys in these hills too, knowing what they represent to me in general, and knowing the teachings of the directions I’m able to hear deeper the unique message of today as it waddled off to the south bobbing its head, pointing, gesturing as it went.

Back down in the valley I didn’t see the snakes this time, but looking back up to the outcropping I caught a glimpse of the hawk again, repeating its soaring path, and a magpie suddenly appeared in a tree nearby.  Another bird I’ve had frequent encounters and conversations with.  I watched it look around, watching me, looking back behind itself, and all around.  Again knowing I’m not a threat willing to stay and talk.  A different kind of conversation, which takes a different kind of listening.

These conversations happen over and over, and unlike our instant text messaging or emails, these conversations take place over days, weeks, seasons, or even years.  As I write this a red-headed finch perches on my porch railing  outside my door .  One of the first friends I ever encountered on my first Vision Quest well over a decade ago now. Ever growing circles of relationships.  Relationships and conversations with the land, with the non-human realm, and most importantly for us as humans with our uniquely human duties, with relationship and conversations ourselves and our own inner compass.

Are you ready to reconnect and learn how to listen? To the non-human realm and to your self? Reach out and connect with us today for individual or group programs to help you learn to listen and navigate our world.