Grouse Archives - Owl Medicine: Shamanic Healing

Photo: L. Weikel

Immersed in Nature

I hope you had a chance to get outside today to take in the brilliance of this early October perfection. Oh my goodness, from the crisp clarity of the atmosphere to the leaves on the trees just beginning to tease of the palette to come, today was most definitely a day to spend as immersed in nature as possible.

I’ll admit, at the moment I have about four running ‘to do’ lists ebbing and flowing between my Day-Timer (yeah, I’m a pen-and-paper list maker) and my journal and even the backs of a couple of envelopes. I’ll also admit to being a tad obsessed with tracking the ongoing drama and cascade of disinformation emanating from the Administration.

In the Cards

I made an effort to listen to the Medicine Cards* I chose this morning: Deer with Grouse underneath. Deer, as I’ve mentioned in other posts, urges ‘gentleness’ as a primary message. Grouse has a lot to do with motion and encourages us to pay attention to how and why we move about in our lives.

A factor crucial to crossing off a few of the things on my lists required me to run out to an art supply store about 45 minutes away. It’s weird to me how different it feels now to pick up and go to the store. There’s an undercurrent of stress to it, which surprises me each time I encounter that tension and identify it. Traveling to places where there are a lot of people walking around has an effect on me now that I honestly never would’ve dreamt of a year ago.

After I secured a small tool that I hope will solve all my current creative issues (I’ll find out tomorrow), I noticed how edgy I was feeling. I was driving home but knew I could not go home until I made a much-needed pit stop at the Tohickon. I needed to honor the main card I’d chosen (Deer) and be gentle with myself – especially after running around doing errands and dealing with people (Grouse).

Cascade of Leaves – Photo: L. Weikel

At the Creek

I pulled up to my favorite spot, where, depending upon the depth of the creek on any given day I can walk out into the middle of the flow and sit on a boulder or I can just lower my windows and stay in the car, watching the water stream past only yards away from me. Today I chose to remain in my car and write in my journal. There’s so much going on both in the outside world and in my own inner life that giving myself permission to simply honor it all by recording it felt like a gentle indulgence.

At one point, a huge gust of wind came and swirled through the upper branches of the trees lining the Tohickon. The noise created was hard to describe – far, far more than a shushing and yet with overtones or perhaps undertones of birdsong. But then I realized, looking up into the sky that there were hundreds and possibly thousands of leaves cascading through the air. There was an entire layer of leaves that did not look like they’d come from any of the trees near me that were definitely being carried by winds aloft. I had to squint to make sure they were in fact leaves and not a flock of tiny migrating birds.

I tried to take a photo but it doesn’t even remotely capture the magic – not even when I try to zoom in so you can see the leaves a little better.

Photo: L. Weikel

Deer Again

Later, Karl and I took one of our longer walks and encountered a field full of deer. I took it as a good sign that they seemed to be completely at ease with us as we walked along the road right beside them. (Granted, the deer around here are a rather entitled lot, as was evidenced the other day when two walked into our driveway and started munching on our hostas.) But I also know they pick up on our energy and it’s not uncommon for them to bolt if our energy is too jagged for their liking.

So all in all, I feel as though – at least for this afternoon – I successfully navigated my little tributary of the treacherous waters that come with living in the midst of a pandemic, extraordinary economic strife, and an unprecedented assault on our democracy (to name a few stressors affecting all of us) and managed to find some calm.

I cannot thank the gentle spirit of Tohickon Creek and the winds aloft enough for sweeping my head and heart free.

Deer in Field 3 Oct 2020 – Photo: L. Weikel

*affiliate link

(T-419)

Tornado Watch? Warnings?

Just last Sunday a tornado touched down only a few miles from our home. It was the first tornado to land in Bucks County in 22 years.

When I left Medicine in Balance earlier this evening, I was bowled over by the wet blanket of dank air that draped over my shoulders as soon as I walked out of the air-conditioned building. It felt like I was walking through warm, musty soup. Looking south, I saw massive thunderheads building.

As I slid into the driver’s seat of my car, I reached into my purse and pulled out my cell phone, switching it from ‘silent.’ My cricket signal for text messages chirped within seconds – a text message from Karl alerting me that our area was under a Tornado Watch until 10:00 p.m. this evening.

It’s Still Wild Out Now

While I am the first to admit that I love wild weather, especially thunderstorms, I also readily acknowledge the unsettled, prickly, hair standing slightly on end feeling that comes with precipitous drops in air pressure that accompany such major storms. It’s a little exciting and scary.

My drive home was highlighted by gorgeous lightning displays. Massive cloud banks flickering pink with slate blue outlines were mesmerizing. The telltale zig-zag of chain lightning also warranted top billing in tonight’s show. Indeed, even as I sat pondering what I might write about tonight, my attention kept getting grabbed by the relentless flashes of light visible through our windows.

We have our whole house fan on and despite that, even as I sit here now, I can hear rain falling from the sky in sheets – but across the road, in the field and trees. All of a sudden the air being pulled in by the fan is 15 degrees cooler. And our wind chimes are crankily clanging one single note; it’s as if they’re stuck in a single-minded, close-loop state.

What Was It I Picked Today?

I’m reminded of the Medicine Cards I chose on my day: Grouse/Raven. I was so preoccupied with my client, and then the other responsibilities of my day that I hadn’t given them a single thought throughout the day.

The key words for Grouse are ‘Sacred Spiral.’ And the pertinent aspect of this card that I was reminded of just moments ago is this:

“…The sacred Spiral is also one of the oldest known symbols for personal power. When you think of Grouse medicine, visualize a whirlpool or even a tornado, for the Sacred Spiral will take you to the center. The spiral is a metaphor for personal vision and enlightenment. Many initiates on Vision Quests pain spiral on their bodies and believe that the Great Mystery will favor them with visions of power and purpose because of this symbol.”

Not sure if there’s any connection here. Or if there’s any significance or message whatsoever. Probably not. But hey – tornadoes are showing up in my life. I’m even being told to watch for them. I’m hoping they start bringing bright flashes of illumination to me and my perspective on my life. I’m craving some new insights.

(T-913)