moonlight Archives - Owl Medicine: Shamanic Healing

Barred Owl – Photo: Lehigh Valley Zoo (lvzoo.org)

Magical Day

Between us, Karl and I experienced quite the magical day today. We’re both feeling a bit ‘blissed out’ by it all, to be honest. It’s not that there was any heavy lifting involved. I think sometimes it’s just a matter of expanding our awareness enough to drink it in that can leave us needing to just power down and be still.

Karl began his day with a gorgeous Red Fox crossing in front of his car and then trotting confidently across a field. I wasn’t with him, but it was almost the first thing out of his mouth when he arrived home. He kept marveling at the creature’s robust health and the stunning color and condition of its coat.

Fox can signify a variety of messages, from family matters to creativity to using camouflage to keep oneself and one’s family safe and out of harm’s way. Karl’s trip happened to be all about family and the beauty of the Fox felt like a wonderful omen. His trip ended up being especially loving and sweet.

On his way home, he spotted an enormous Bald Eagle perched in a tree overhanging a road near our house. While we both know they’ve made a powerful resurgence in the area over the years, we never seem to lose our sense of excitement and awe when visited by Eagle.

Recently, most of my sightings have been along the Tohickon or the Lenape Sipu, and almost always when I’ve been alone. (Although I did see two just last Sunday when taking a walk with my friend along the Delaware!) I can’t tell you how often I’ve seen a crestfallen look sweep across Karl’s face when I recount seeing an Eagle.

So it was especially meaningful to have Bald Eagle visit Karl today. He finally felt like he was part of the club. And best of all, the raptor was scoping out potential quarry on a branch close enough to Karl that its markings were unmistakable. A powerful gift from Spirit.

Eagle – Photo: L. Weikel

My Magic

I’d already experienced an afternoon that reinforced for me how unbelievably lucky I am to do what I do. Maybe it’s more accurate to say ‘to witness what I do.’ Because really – I just create the space and watch things unfold. Anyway, it’s hard to describe, which is why I tend to dance around it most of the time, or not even bring it up at all.

Anyway, I knew I needed to walk after the session I had. I needed to ground myself; I needed to make sure I was back in my body. By the time we set out darkness had fallen. The constellations were stunning in spite of the brilliance of the half moon above.

Just short of a mile into our walk, I turned around to untangle myself from Brutus’s leash when a meteor suddenly streaked through the sky, right to left. It was surprisingly low on the horizon and large – burning a brilliant yellow with an outline of crimson. And it crossed the sky slowly (for a meteor) – it wasn’t some little blip. While I yelped out to Karl when I saw it, my gasp and garbled, “Look! Oh! WOW!” didn’t sink in quickly enough for him to see it.

There was something special going on in the cosmos tonight. Like I said, the constellations seemed especially vibrant and obvious. And by that I mean, the patterns seemed emphasized somehow. The sky was filled with stars, as usual, and often I just drink them all in with my eyes wide as possible. But tonight felt different.

Our Shared Magic

Finally, another mile into our walk the call of a Barred Owl echoed through the woods to our left. I could hardly contain my excitement. I don’t remember ever hearing a Barred Owl up here in our environs. The first time I’d ever heard one (and then heard several) was a few years ago in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina.

I stopped dead in my tracks. “Did you hear that?” I whispered.

Of course he had. It was the only sound in this silent February night. The “Who cooks for youoooooooo” call of the owl was coming from the same vicinity the coyotes had been howling a few nights ago. There must be a lot of action down there along that part of the creek.

The Barred Owl hooted another several times (one of which you can hear, above) giving me a chance to record it on my phone. It’s almost as if it knew when I had because as soon as I was satisfied, it went silent. I can’t explain why, but this encounter, too, felt…different. Magical, if you will.

(T+63)

Getting Out the Door

Karl and I took a walk this evening. I realize this is not, in itself, “BREAKING NEWS,” especially since we’ve managed a walk every single day that it hasn’t rained so far this year. It’s a solid start to the decade.

Anyway, it was around 6:30 p.m. when we made it out the door tonight, so darkness was ‘full-on.’

Let me be clear: tonight was one of those nights when we just barely made it out the door. Neither one of us was inclined to brave the cold, probably because it’s been so mild up to this point. Hearing the wind pick up and blow the front door open made it seem even colder than it was.

Indeed, I think we were each hoping the other would just boldly back out or at the very least express a sincere, compelling, and justifiable desire to remain home.

Alas, whining about how cold we were before we’d even gone outside failed to meet that threshold. Whining that we were sore, or just plain tired and cranky didn’t work either. Whining, while routinely attempted, rarely if ever wins the day in this household.

We did, however, cut Sheila some slack. We allowed her to remain asleep, snuggled in her blankets, snoring rhythmically. She’s been under the weather recently. She’s on antibiotics for what seems like a low-grade infection in a couple of places. But she’s also experiencing some other age-related issues, and we don’t want to stress her.

She may drag her heels when we start out on a walk, but regardless of whether we go two or four miles, once she’s warmed to the idea, she’s all in. (Spartacus, on the other hand, is always game.)

Blue Light

As soon as we started walking up the road this evening, we were enchanted. The moon was rising, and had climbed to about a third of the way up into the sky. Puffy clouds were in the sky, and the moon’s reflection was so distinctly brilliant, it bounced off the clouds and it almost looked like a very overcast day.

Yet everything was tinged in a distinctly blue light. For the most part, the sky was astonishingly clear (especially given how cloudy it had been late this afternoon when snow squalls threatened), which only made the distinct ease of viewing the cumulus clouds even more stunning.

All the way around (yes, we only did the ‘walk-around’ of 2.2 miles), we kept marveling at the brightness illuminating the fields, filtering through the leafless branches of the woods, and the blue tinge to absolutely everything.

Is It Cheating?

We walked a long chunk of the distance in silence. Discussing politics, especially recent events, felt like we were fouling the environment. Talk of work was far too mundane to bring out into the blue light.

Was it cheating to deliberately wait until we stood a good chance of hearing the Great Horned Owls and the Screech Owls we’d heard a few nights ago, calling to each other across the ravine slashed into the earth by the Tohickon?

Who cares? We both needed a restorative dose of Mother Earth. And I have to tell you: it was more than worth the effort to bundle up!

If you have a chance, take in that stunning moon that’s so very close to fullness. Look at the world through cornflower blue lenses. I guarantee you won’t regret it.

(T-688)