Wood Caribou

Picture from www.deer.rr.ualberta.ca Years ago, my husband and I spent a week in Jasper, and hiked the mountains and explored springs, falls, and natural wonders. One of the natural wonders that was a surprise is Wood Caribou. I had no idea that caribou existed as far south as Jasper National Park. Every where we went, we saw signs up advising of Caribou crossing, and notices to stay away from them because they were quite aggressive with humans. We thought that seemed fair since humans are the predator that has caused the most damage to the Wood Caribou. In spring, Caribou climbs to the high alpine meadow of the Rockies. Since hiking trails now lead to some of these meadows, we expected to see herds of them. However, they were invisible. Perhaps this is part of their message to us. Knowing that the males are significantly larger than females, and that both of them will each weigh 450 and 250 pounds respectively, it is hard to believe they could hide so easily. Most Caribou are predominantly brown to olive, with whitish under parts, buttocks and legs. There is some geographic variation. Some populations in Greenland and northeastern Canada have nearly white coats. Both sexes are antlered.  Caribou offers many messages. - every year, take two big trips. A change of scenery allows you to appreciate what you have. - learn how to use your environment to your advantage to feel safe and to enjoy the abundance of it. - do not be afraid of adventure. Being a risk taker keeps us interested in life and helps us stay alert for predators (those who would use us to their own advantage). - enjoy the wilderness and protect it. Everything came from it, and most life depends on it (logging, gas, oil, coal and mining in general). Many blessings, Judy

The Lesson From The Useless Eyebrows

Have you ever complained about something, and called it useless?  I know I have.  When I read this Buddhist teaching, I was cast into a place of asking forgiveness from all those “things” over the years which I labelled useless.  Just because I could not understand their place in the system of “things” did not give me the right to call them useless.  I felt quite humble after I finished this story, and, it stays with me. 

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The Useless Eyebrows                                                
(told by Ven. Master Hsing-Yun) 

Note:  rough drawings from Judy…

Once, a person's eyes, nose, and mouth had a meeting. First the  eyes said, "We, the eyes, are of utmost importance to the body. Everything must be seen by us to know whether it is beautiful or not, big or small, tall or short. Without eyes, walking around will be very difficult. So we, the eyes, are very important. But we have been improperly placed under the eyebrows, which are of no use. It is just not fair!" 

Next, the nose said, "I, the nose, am the most important. Only I can distinguish a good smell from a foul odor. The act of breathing is also dependent on me. If I do not let the breath pass through, everybody will die. So I am the most important. As important as I am, I have been unfairly placed beneath the useless eyebrows. I am most unhappy." 

Then the mouth said, "I am the most important part of the human body. I can speak; if not for me, there would not be any communication among people. I take in the food; if not for me, everybody would die of hunger. Such an important part as myself has been placed in the lowest part of the face. The useless eyebrows, however, have been put on the highest part of the face. This I cannot accept!" 

After the others had spoken, the eyebrows spoke slowly, "Please do not fight anymore. We, the eyebrows, are surely the most useless things; we admit defeat. We are willing to be placed below you." Having said this, the eyebrows settled down below the eyes. Unfortunately, the person no longer looked like a human being. Next, they eyebrows settled down below the nose. It was still horrible; it still did not look like a human being. Then the eyebrows settled down below the mouth. This looked even more ghastly! The eyes, nose, and mouth huddled to discuss the situation again. They concluded that it was best if the eyebrows returned to their original place on the face; it was the most appropriate spot for them. When the eyebrows returned to their original spot, the appearance was once again that of a human being. Thus, we can see that what appears to be the most useless thing can be indeed the most useful.

Many blessings,

Judy

Cedar Waxwing

  

  Cedar Waxwing – picture from www.phase.com

As the leaves float off the trees, flocks of birds hit our yard to pull berries and seeds off the trees.  The last of these flocks this year are the Cedar Waxwings.

Over the past two weeks, when my dog and I walk in the woods, one or two cedar waxwings fly along with us and sing a song of trills and whistles.  Since they are trying very hard to get my attention, I spent some time finding out about the bird.

First, the birds are migratory, and arrive in Calgary in the early spring, any time in March.  They come in flocks of hundreds, and several flocks visit our back yard, and sit on our mountain ash, eating berries.  Cedar Waxwing’s diet is pretty much always fruit and berries (it loves the sweetness of life) except at breeding time, when it will eat insects as well.  In fact, the berries that it eats may affect the coloring of the feathers, making the light red/orange a much more vibrant red, and changing the yellow color to a more orangey-red hue.  

Second, while their favorite habitat is woodland with access to lots of berries, the Waxwing loves to be near open, running water, such as a stream, creek, or river.  Waxwing needs lots of water to help process its sugar rich diet.  

Third, Waxwings mate in early summer, coming together as a pair only for the season.  They make their vows as a couple by passing flower petals or some food back and forth.  They may have two nests through the summer as the eggs hatch within two weeks, and the young leave the nest after eighteen days.  Both parents feed the young.

Waxwing teaches lessons around going beyond the physical demands of the body (food and shelter needs found in the base chakra) and speaks to the joy of belonging, for they belong in flocks and pairs (which is what the second and third chakras, orange and yellow in color are about), and Waxwing sings of the sweetness of life.  Its love of running water is about letting all emotions run off your body.  Feel them to the utmost and then let them go.  It is stuck emotions that cause pain and illness, for many people.  Waxwing’s mask is a reminder that sometimes all that other see is the mask that they perceive.  And, for many of us, our truth is hidden, even from ourselves.  

Wishing you days of light and laughter.

Many blessings,

Judy