The Free Radical

We have all been born and raised upon treacherous islands of belief. But beneath the water’s surface (our propensity for emotional storms), everything is connected, in unity, One.

Virtual mountains have been built upon our fundamental errors, rendering a landscape fraught with intellectual danger. It’s unlikely that we’ll ever think our way safely through these encrustations. No, we will live our way and feel our way through instead.

The Forest has come alive again! As my attention firmly rested within the Matrix, the Forest had nothing more to say; it had fallen silent for weeks. But now, as I consciously turn away from the spectacle of disintegration among all the unsustainable systems our civilization has wrought, the Forest re-engages with me, a mutual embrace of our common native state.

The signs of Life’s material demands are written in the snow. Here, Sitka inspects the stains and remains of a very recent rabbit feast. In the impossible jumble of tracks I think I see the signs of Lynx– the one who came weeks ago to instruct us to remember that along with all the dark secrets now coming to light, all of the good and positive which has been secretly guarded comes to light now too.

And more commotions writ large upon the snow lie in store. Not much is clear in these tracks, droppings and stains… except that a large elk is involved. Small predators, perhaps foxes or coyotes, show signs of harassment, but there’s not much overt sign of a kill, except this…

It’s a hunk of mystery meat I persuaded Sitka to refrain from eating. She preferred rolling in it anyway; it stank! Sometimes I honestly don’t know exactly what’s going on out there.

Then, as we were heading back home– not along the river, that magnificent lone elk crossed my path right in front of me. Sitka was already in pursuit, and as soon as Toby saw what was going on, she immediately joined the chase. I really wish the elk would’ve just stood his ground and told the dogs to “Fuck off!” but that’s not Elk’s typical way.

Being such a large animal, Elk moves rather effortlessly through the deep snow at a very comfortable trotting pace. It is his primary strategy to out-distance pursuing predators. He can run at that pace for hours if need be. Fortunately for me, the dogs ended their pursuit within 15 minutes– still way too long, if you ask me though!

Elk’s message to us is one of hitting our stride as we turn away from the spectacle of disintegration and head in the opposite direction– toward integration. There’s no chance that the predatory systems we leave behind will ever catch us again.

The pace at which we move now in order to create the New Earth must be swift enough to provide viable alternatives as our civilized institutions begin to fail, but not so fast as we miss the pertinent details we need to gather along the way. Mouse gave his life as a reminder for just this.

I’m so glad the Forest and I are on amicable speaking terms again!