What's in it for you?

One of our passions here at Redtail Farm is our connection to the natural world. We find deep peace in the rhythms, sacredness in the wisdom, and certainty of our interdependence on every other piece of the eco-system.

Over the last 3 weeks, some interesting events have come to pass. Laying in bed last night, and then again this morning, I felt compelled to send some thoughts into cyberspace.

The first event was a cougar down in Yelm attaching horses. There were 2 different attacks, 2 different farms, 2 different horses. Horses tend to represent discovering freedom, travel, and new beginnings. The first attempt, the cat tried for the haunches. The second, for the neck. Both times, the horses got away. This is very strange behavior for a cat who seems to be practicing strategies. I have not heard of any more attacks since.

Last week, residents in a downtown Seattle neighborhood started reporting cougar sights near Discovery Park. That is a first... what the heck would draw a cougar into downtown Seattle? We know our city is beautiful, but wouldn't have expected a cougar to think so!

Yesterday, after treeing the cat with dogs and shooting him with a tranquilizer dart, they released him into the Cascade Foothills - a much more suitable location for such a magnificent soul. He was a 2 1/2 year male, 140 pounds, in his prime. The Wildlife agents that had the chance to see him in the tree, in all his glory, before he was drugged, were clearly moved by his majesty.

The next story on the news was the fact that a driver outside of Marymoor Park, near downtown Redmond, struck and killed another adult male cougar. Same question - what the heck is a cougar doing in downtown Redmond?

I have a general rule of thumb for life to help keep me balanced and curious: if I see something once, it is interesting. If I see something twice, I make note of it. If I see something three times, I take action. In this case, action for me meant connecting with Mother Nature, and with the cats in particular. My question, "What's up and what do you need us to know?" Afterwards, I took a visit to my Ted Andrew's Animal Speak book (always by my chair!)

As Ted puts it, "If cougar has shown up in your life, it is time to learn about power. Test your own. Most young cougars learn how to use their power through trial and error. It strengthens them and hones their skills. When cougar shows up as totem, much of the trial has been worked through. Now it is time to assert."

"People may not like your asserting. They may try and keep you in the category they have always kept you. You can choose to remain so, or you can stretch your muscles and show your capabilities."...

"The deer is the cougar's favorite prey. One of the qualities embodied by the deer is gentleness."... "remember that power can be asserted with gently." ...

"The cougar teaches decisiveness in the use of personal power."... "The cougar can teach you how to bring out your power and fill your heart with it in a manner that will enable you to take charge of your life."

Cougar seems to be inviting those of us who will listen, to to ask where does our power want to be asserted, with gentleness and conviction?