Tag: Owls

The Owl

The Owl

_tsl6552Buddy and I begin our walk at dusk–that time when darkness starts to overtake light, when the mysteries of night begin to unfold. I glance ahead and see The Owl. She’s on the ground picking at some morsel. When she lifts off, her wingspan fills the air with silent majesty.

simone-lipscomb-6354We know her. She lives and hunts in the trees surrounding our home. She has watched us before as we amble under green branches reaching toward the heavens. We have watched her.

She is more tolerant of us this day and flies onto a nearby limb. We move forward slowly, Buddy responding to my ‘shuuuu’ and finger to lips by crouching down and freezing. It’s a move we often practice with squirrels and birds.

simone-lipscomb-6352We creep up and see her looking into the woods. We freeze. She turns and looks our way and then makes eye contact with me and is unashamed to stare–with her big, round, dark eyes–straight through me, to the other side.

She glances back to the woods, unconcerned about the black and white canine and his human.

Several rounds of watching for dinner and watching us occur until she sees something of interest and flies to the ground, grabs it and eats it. A large insect perhaps. Then she lifts those massive, sturdy wings once more and finds another branch on which to perch.

_tsl6448Buddy follows her with his eyes, then looks at me. We crouch down and slowly move forward. This time we are much closer to her chosen tree. More staring at me, my soul…making eye contact with her eyes that appear as pools of black liquid…gateways into the Unknown.

The intense, heart-opening yoga practice I just completed has opened me and I let her in, expose the vulnerable core. She doesn’t look away…for a very long time. Neither do I.

_tsl6498The moment eventually breaks. We turn and leave the woods to her and her hunt. Buddy wonders where his box turtle friend has been this week. I am hesitant to inform him that the turtle might have been a guest at the Owl’s banquet. Years ago I came upon a red-tailed hawk eating a turtle. I thought that was impossible.

_tsl6538Birds of prey remind me that everything is possible when my intention is strong and I am willing to see into the darkness to seek the light.

Caught in the Slipstream

Caught in the Slipstream

bike-2I was happy to be on the bicycle again on the backcountry trail after many late nights monitoring sea turtle nests. The sudden shuffle of branches on the live oak tree near my helmet startled me. The first thing I saw was thick, feathered legs with long black talons as they dove within a foot of my head and passed in front of me.

Image taken at a rehab facility of a barred owl.
Barred owl.

The rest of the barred owl came into view after it nearly touched my left shoulder with outstretched wings. Even though the wings made no sound, I could feel the slipstream as it seemed to draw me forward.

I admit there may have been some vocal expression of surprise that escaped me prior to laughter. Gratitude to my feathered friend quickly followed.

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Barred owls

After the initial surprise subsided I began to ponder the encounter as I pedaled. The immediate thought I had dealt with owl medicine. Something that is hidden is about to come to light. Owls teach us the secrets of the night for they are they eyes of the night and can see what most of us cannot see. They teach us to see through illusion.

Later in the day, before beginning meditation, I read a passage about the Hebrew letter being studied this week. Ayin–“When we learn to lift our hearts, minds, and spirits above the world of illusion, then we can see clearly.” Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki, Illuminations.

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Barred owl in rehab facility.

The theme of the day is clearly learning to see through illusions. The owl dramatically and clearly gave me that message.  I’ll allow my subconscious mind to be caught in the slipstream of the owl’s flight over the next several days and see how the message unfolds.

Simone Lipscomb OwlGuides and teachers are always nearby. Our task is to simply be aware when guidance appears.