How blessed I feel to be able to come home at the end of October to some bounty and to be able to eat it straight from the plant without worry.
I am finding it soothing, these days, to draw symmetries. And then, because I am who I am, I cannot quite follow convention.
I have not picked up a snake since junior high when I was old enough to begin working and the days playing in streams and ponds pretty much came to an end. It’s not something one forgets. And today, there was a black rat snake in the garden (Note: they are harmless and eat small rodents.)
By the time I noticed what was going on, it he snake was completely terrified from having been pulled out from under some heavy farm equipment with a rake. The goal was to bring it to the woods behind the garden, but first to make sure it did not get caught in the machinery.
I invited myself into the fray, gently and securely held the snake about an inch below its head, invited its release from below the rake, and then gave it my other arm for it to wrap around, and it hugged me around my back and to the top of the arm that was holding its head.
Someone else opened the garden gate and I went into the trees and released it into the underbrush. I doubt it helped that I talked softly to it, acknowledging its fear, and apologizing for dislocating it.
It felt like an honor to have this short dance. The musky odor was not so nice; I also appreciated it as a very cool super power.
It takes incredible strength to take on the sorrows and poisons of others. How many times have you witnessed someone who is awe-inspiringly dedicated to bringing out change to society, but does so at the expense of his or her own health or intimate relationships? Have you felt yourself getting worn down by trying to make things better?
The archetype of Nilakantha (who drank up the poison churned up by the devis to save humanity) includes what most of the tales of Shiva tell us: that Shiva was able to drink the poison and become stronger from the experience because he was already strong from deep, long term practices.
When we ourselves wish to serve, we must serve ourselves also, and perhaps first. To have the strength and boundaries to ourselves live richly and fully while serving those who are suffering or wreaking destruction without such service destroying ourselves means we must have a practice that enables us to come from a place of light even when going into darkness. (Doesn’t get much more challenging than that).
To some extent, for modern yogis, this includes a physical practice. For all yogis, it means a steady practice of meditation and a way of life that aligns with nature.
