Learning to listen to the wisdom of each creature inhabiting the vast web of life.

Currently, there appears to be an epidemic of loneliness in our modern Western society.  Because the pace of life is so fast and stressful, we have a tendency to fall prey to distraction and often are therefore not truly present to one another. I wonder - is part of this loneliness a result of the fact that so few people know how to have a personal relationship with any element of creation besides other human beings, and perhaps pets? One of the things that indigenous cultures can teach us involves the capacity to rely on the counsel of the benevolent inner spirit indwelling each plant, animal and landscape.  In this pictograph painted up to 7,000 years ago in red hematite on the sandstone wall of The Great Gallery, we see an anthropomorph figure receiving counsel from two animal creatures, one at each ear.  

If I understand Navajo philosophy correctly (and here I hope that my Dineh friends will correct me if I'm wrong), each aspect of the natural world can become present to us in three different forms.  First is the "outer form."  Taking a raven as an example (because that is one of the spirit-animals that speaks to me most often in the desert), we can talk about the jet-black bird as an ornithologist or avid bird watcher might perceive it.  Thus, we can learn to understand the raven's eating habits, social interactions with other ravens, and capacity for extreme intelligence, for example.  However, eventually we learn to move beyond simply an awareness of the bird's outer form, and come into contact with its "inner form."  This involves a receptivity to the generalized raven spirit (or raven "archetype," perhaps) that indwells any individual raven we might encounter.  This might occur, for example, when we are engaged in a vision quest in which we are seeking answers to a particular question.  Suddenly, a raven might appear, speaking wisdom to us by enabling us to interpret its behavior or some other symbolic gesture at that particular moment  For me, the appearance of a creature's inner form is a rare occurrence, although it is common practice for a medicine person or shaman.  Finally, there is the ability of the raven to speak to us within our own feelings, desires and insights.  This is called the "secret form," the third aspect of the raven. For me, this is a more common occurrence.  Here, it is important that I remember to attribute my insights and feelings as coming from more than just myself.

Imagine what our lives would be like if we could learn to experience - on a regular basis - the inner and secret forms of the creatures that are most meaningful to us!  We would become less affected by the fickle nature and behavior of other human beings, and more present to the wisdom coming to us continually from the Creator through all of the various creatures inhabiting the entire web of life.  What would this kind of enhanced capacity for wisdom do to our economic and lifestyle practices?  If every element of creation could speak to us at any moment, wouldn't we learn to live more respectfully and less consumptively on the land?

Photo: The Great Gallery, Horseshoe Canyon, Canyonlands National Park, UT; May 24, 2013