(Thanks to Gary Thorp and his book Caught in Fading Light for giving me the language to make this discovery.)
I've discovered that there are essentially two ways of making discoveries. The first one is to wait until something comes to you and the second is to actually go looking for it.
Let's look at it in these terms. There are "still hunters", they are the ones who lie in ambush awaiting their quarry. Then there are the "trackers", the ones who take action in running down their quarry.
I used to be the guy that would sit around and wait for things/opportunities to come to me. Not that it doesn't work once in awhile, it just didn't work for me. Since returning from my wilderness time in Washington, I've become a more assertive person who wants to track down my opportunities.
I'm starting to understand this tracking thing more and more each day. I love to get little pieces of the puzzle that I can put together and begin to follow. I love the possibility of not being "right". I love being able to be on the move and search. I love making connections and discerning along the way with others. I love the possibility that I may catch up to what I've been seeking.
It has come to be a metaphor for my life and faith journey as well. It explains my connection with the wild canines as opposed to the wild felines.
I'm not saying that "ambush hunting" or waiting for something to come to you is bad, actually this involves more patience and willingness to be open to the surprise. I'm willing to say that my preference as well as part of my new way of relating to myself and the world is to be tracking it down.
Funny how even 4 years ago, this language and these metaphors would not have even been in my religious vocabulary, now it is almost the best way I can relate my ideas!
January 31, 2011
January 14, 2011
December 13, 2010
Ancestral Longings
A recent article in our local paper sparked my interest around an issue that until the past year and a half, has been a non-issue for most of my life. The article examines the declining trend of hunting in America today, with 33 states seeing decline in hunting license sales in the past two decades. I encourage you to read the article and make some assessments for yourself about hunting.
I've recently had this urge (ancestral memory if you will) to start hunting. Lots of things have propelled me to this state: my time at Wilderness Awareness School and Tracker School, being around more men who are avid hunters themselves, and reading From Boys to Men of Heart.
As I've mentioned before, I grew up in a family that did not value hunting. I had one uncle who did hunt but throughout most of my childhood I did not relate to him much. There was always this mixing of ideas when it came to the idea of hunting. I grew up in a pacifist religious tradition and when it came to the issue of hunting (specifically using guns), I tended to lump it in with the other issues such as gun violence and injustice. This was so impressed on me that I was not permitted to have toy guns when I was growing up. How I managed to talk my mom into a super-soaker is beyond me... I did always have a fascination with archery in-lieu of firearms. I even used to view my friends that were hunters as somewhat barbaric in my youth and early 20's.
Something profound has happened to me in the past 18 months.
I'm actually longing to become a hunter.
Alot of it has to do with me rethinking the spiritual and initiation implications that are found in hunting. It also has a lot to do with the re-wilding of my self, my community and my faith. I really am becoming the mythical wild man that I have so often read about. I really want to expand on this longing right now and I hope that I can give some more intentionality and focus to this desire to partake in a sacred hunt, harvest an animal and use every part of it as a way of honoring it's life. More to come...
I've recently had this urge (ancestral memory if you will) to start hunting. Lots of things have propelled me to this state: my time at Wilderness Awareness School and Tracker School, being around more men who are avid hunters themselves, and reading From Boys to Men of Heart.
As I've mentioned before, I grew up in a family that did not value hunting. I had one uncle who did hunt but throughout most of my childhood I did not relate to him much. There was always this mixing of ideas when it came to the idea of hunting. I grew up in a pacifist religious tradition and when it came to the issue of hunting (specifically using guns), I tended to lump it in with the other issues such as gun violence and injustice. This was so impressed on me that I was not permitted to have toy guns when I was growing up. How I managed to talk my mom into a super-soaker is beyond me... I did always have a fascination with archery in-lieu of firearms. I even used to view my friends that were hunters as somewhat barbaric in my youth and early 20's.
Something profound has happened to me in the past 18 months.
I'm actually longing to become a hunter.
Alot of it has to do with me rethinking the spiritual and initiation implications that are found in hunting. It also has a lot to do with the re-wilding of my self, my community and my faith. I really am becoming the mythical wild man that I have so often read about. I really want to expand on this longing right now and I hope that I can give some more intentionality and focus to this desire to partake in a sacred hunt, harvest an animal and use every part of it as a way of honoring it's life. More to come...
December 09, 2010
TV and Babies
Study finds that babies (2 and under) who watch a minimum of 60 minutes of TV a day have slower cognitive development than those that watch little to none. Read more by clicking here.
I always struggled with the language that a "TV is the best babysitter there is," now I know why. It seems that it is actually the worst kind of babysitter...
I always struggled with the language that a "TV is the best babysitter there is," now I know why. It seems that it is actually the worst kind of babysitter...