It’s a sunshine filled
light blue-sky day
playing by the river.
Lush green trees sway,
and the breeze brings the
birdsong melodies through the air.
Finally,
everything
is so perfect.
Finally,
just like you’d always needed.
Finally,
you can rest.
It’s so easy to fall into a deep slumber here.
Suddenly,
you are shocked and jolted,
into a new place
as you awaken back into yourself.
The crows’ call of fate cries out–
and you know that something strange
has come.
Alone and disoriented,
a dark and hungry forest of
strange noises and animals
are now coming to hunt you.
Your daytime tools for comfort
are useless now.
Your incessant talking could
possibly kill you.
Stillness and silence
are required in this new place.
You must feel with your intuition
if you want to survive.
As it gets darker and colder,
there are no coverings and
no blankets for
the soft animal of your own body
and vulnerabilities.
It’s eyes wide open all night with
every hair on your body alert,
naked and exposed,
under the spotlight of the bright moon.
Swirling ghosts’ shadows
peek through the trees,
appearing as old memories
that you tried to forget.
Their voices get louder and louder until they
melt into a slow, blooming remembrance.
They sing songs that you had
forgotten in mind,
but remember in soul.
“Did you try to forget us,
As you put on your fresh face
and pretend peace?
Your good enough satisfactions
And your hungry performances
so perfect and well-rehearsed,
that they have become
empty and void
of the fire of life itself?
Did you forget to live?
To feel, to sense
Your own breath
Even when drowning in grief,
or singing in love?
We will always be here:
Your purpose,
Your fate,
Your daimons,
Your heart,
Your longings,
Your feelings.
Bring us with you this time or we will summon you again.”
Instead of cowering in shame,
or running away,
you spend the night welcoming them and
knowing them,
one by one.
Learning from each,
in a celebration of love.
A forest party of ghosts, wolves,
and other creature friends–
They teach you
how to dance by the fire,
how to howl under the moon,
and how to sing all of the songs again
that you had once known but forgotten.
On Being Summoned into the Wilderness
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