Attunement with Nature

Just about the time the clouds shifted, and the beautiful blue sky that was hidden all morning emerged, three black crows landed on the tree next to me and started singing. Their concert continued for more than twenty minutes, lulling me into peaceful contentment.

If you squint you'll see the trio of crows sitting close together on the lower left branch in the photo. Without a zoom feature on my phone it looks like the birds are far away, but I could feel and see them as close neighbors.

Relaxing into the cadence of the music I wondered about the influence these sounds were having on my brain. I had just spent two days at the Wise Heart, Mindful Brain conference with Dan Siegel and Jack Kornfield learning about interpersonal neurobiology. Research now shows how mindful awareness stimulates very similar areas of the brain as listening to jazz music. Both have the ability to place us into a state of gentle self-attunement. Noticing my experience while listening to these birds, I felt an inner bliss and joy. It was a kind of recognition that expanded my sense of me to include my interconnection to the natural environment around me. I felt "in-tune" with the birds, the environment, and myself. When was the last time you celebrated the emerging light with your feathered friends?

I started to wonder if these were in fact crows or ravens? I didn't know the difference. A visit to wikipedia gave some background, but I found myself much more interested in the symbolic meaning of both birds in folklore and occult circles. In Buddhism, for example, the crow is associated with protection. The Dharmapala, the protector of the Dharma, is represented by the crow in one of his physical forms. The crow has also heralded the birth of several Dalai Lama. I will reflect on these qualities of my trio of visitors today. Whatever their purpose in sharing space with me, I warmly welcome the tradition of protection they bring. What are the symbols of protection in your life?