Meaningful Creatures.

I had an unusual visitor yesterday. A sparrow hawk flew low across the lawn at dusk and landed on the garden table about ten feet away, and there she sat for some time seemingly unconcerned at my close presence. I don’t think I’ve ever been closer than a hundred yards from a sparrow hawk before.

I’ve heard it said that unusual encounters with birds are meaningful. It’s said that birds come to us in such circumstances with messages, so I wonder what message a sparrow hawk would have been bearing. Furthermore, would I want to know? I don’t know. How can I know? That’s the problem with arcane traditions.

Coincidentally, I’ve also been drawn into some extended conversation on YouTube with a Canadian woman who’s into shamanism (and Denmark.) She tells me that it’s a good idea to don a mask of your spirit animal and dance to the sound of native drums. She says that it produces a powerful experience, bringing you face to face with the animal and teaching you valuable lessons.

Well, I’ve twice been told that my spirit animal is the bear, so even though I’m degenerating ever further into eccentric behaviour, I think I might give it a miss. I’m not sure yet that a bear is something I would want to come face to face with.