We had a particularly powerful workshop last October with Rose De Dan of Wild Reiki and Shamanic Healing. According to Rose and other shamans who look at life from an alternative frame, Windwalker the cougar, near the end of his days, had hung onto life to be here through the last retreat of the year.  People had flown in from around the country to see him one last time. Rose made him the focus of the workshop with ceremonies honoring him and his courage and beauty of spirit. Paralyzed in his hind legs, he lay regally and greeted each participant with warmth and dignity, purring his way through the entire visit. People in turn helped him into his wheelchair, groomed him, lay with him in the grass. At the end of the weekend Rose and Debbie, her assistant, came to say goodbye, realizing they would not see him again in this world. Windwalker, who had been unable to walk for weeks, struggled to his feet. Step by difficult step he managed to unsteadily but purposefully make his way over to meet them. Tears streaming, Rose and Debbie said goodbye. Windwalker passed away peacefully in Jean’s arms a few weeks later.  

The entire weekend had such moments of power and beauty. At the end one of the participants, a Native American pipe carrier in the Lakota Sioux tradition, handed us a check. She said “You need to have a sacred white buffalo calf on the land.” We were stunned. To have such a responsibility and honor, caring for a representative of a people’s sacred tradition is daunting. But it is a gift one cannot refuse.

She said “The white buffalo teachings are very significant to many of the tribes, teaching the correct way of interacting with each other, pulling the tribe together. She teaches the value of right relationship with the people; the land. At the time the white buffalo came to the Lakota they were in conflict and she brought unity. She left them with the Sacred Pipe as a way to communicate with the Great Spirit, teaching unity and coming back around in full circle.”

I asked her why she was giving this to Earthfire. She replied “The land here is ancient Indian ground. This is a way to honor the elders, the ancient ones who have come before us. Earthfire’s vision is of teaching people how to come back into circle through animals. It all just fit.”  She dedicated her gift to Chief Buddy Redbow and Sequoia, whose teachings were all about right relations.

In a book called White Buffalo Teachings by Chief Arvol Looking Horse he wrote: “Nineteen generations ago the beautiful spirit we now refer to as White Buffalo Calf Woman brought the Sacred C’anupa (Sacred Pipe) to our People. She taught the People the Seven Sacred Rites and how to walk on Mother Earth in a sacred manner. Pte-san win-yan. As she left, she turned into a young beautiful white buffalo and then she walked over the hill and out of sight. This is where she received her name, White Buffalo Calf Woman.  She gifted us with the Seven Sacred Rites that still sustain our People today. The person who smokes the sacred pipe achieves union with all Beings. By smoking this C’anupa, you will make direct personal contact with the Great Mystery. . . Following the Way of this Sacred C’anupa, you will walk in a sacred way upon the earth, for the Earth is your grandmother and your mother and she is sacred. . .”

“She told us her Spirit would return to help us one day in times of great hardship, and that we would recognize her.”

How do you find a white buffalo calf? We did the research and located a place that raised buffalo that carried white buffalo genes. We put in a request. We waited. We prepared as best we could mentally.

Five days ago we got a call. . . a little white buffalo girl had just been born! And now she is here. Every day she grows stronger.  We wait with anticipation to see what she will teach.

White Buffalo Teachings by Chief Arvol Looking Horse, 19^th Generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Pipe of the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota Great Sioux Nation HYT Publishing www.haveyouthought.com.

Chief Arvol Looking Horse talks about his hopes for world peace between all nations.  “I encourage the Nations to pray in their own ways and to revive their own ancient traditions for love and respect, which are the foundations stones of all Indigenous cultures.”  He ends the book with a prayer for All Our Relations . . . Mitakuye Oyasin.

 

Inspired by Rose DeDan’s shamanic journey with our cougar Windwalker soon after he left the earth, an artist and a musician from California Institute for the Arts, who had been touched deeply during his life, worked together to express Rose’s vision through music and film.

This is the story of the final days with Windwalker, who lived at Earthfire Institute Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center.

Windwalker is a cougar who came into what appeared to be a spiritual state of beauty and gentleness as he reached a ripe old age. In his book Alzheimer’s Isn’t What You Think It Is, Elmer Green describes how statements of great spiritual wisdom came through his wife even as Alzheimer’s destroyed her physical brain and left her unable to speak for months. It was as if she were occupying two worlds at once, bringing glimpses from beyond. Perhaps as age weakens the grip of biological forces on the brain, a similar thing happens with all old creatures—humans and animals—allowing a connection with the larger life forces to blossom.

As he neared the end of his days, he became more and more connected to humans and was a powerful force in the retreats. At 13 years of age, the vets said he would soon pass away from from congestive heart failure, but he so wanted to teach about cougars and the possibilities for a better human-wildlife connection, that he stayed, against all odds, for another whole year. He passed away just after finishing the last retreat of 2011, where several people had flown in just to see him one more time.

Thanks to Rose De Dan for footage from her Walk on the Wild Side retreat, in September 2011 and to Chris Ahrens and Adam Lamar for their original music.

Uintah in the Wildlife Garden. (C) Earthfire

 We were never able to handle Uintah. We couldn’t overcome the hard wiring of fear of humans. Some wolves have it more than others.

 He was afraid.  He was afraid of humans; afraid of being touched; afraid of any fast movement, especially afraid of having a leash put on him, and despite all our efforts he remained that way. We asked an animal communicator if perhaps she could find a way to connect with him. She said he got a glimmering that humans might be a source of companionship – that had never occurred to him before. But whether that glimmer was too brief; or that through the unhappy reality of not having enough time to take advantage of that brief opening, I don’t know, but between his reasons and ours there was no change in his behavior.

 This went on for several unsatisfactory years. He lived with Cucumber, that determined self-transformed little wolf with a huge spirit. We hoped that her change from fearful, to outgoing (for a wolf) would influence him. It didn’t but he loved her and howled for her whenever she came in the house (her personally earned right, from her perspective). The only other connection that lonely wolf had was Boychuk, our German Shepherd, whom he adored. But Boychuk wasn’t actually that interested in Uintah. Seeing him trying to get Boychuk to come visit always made me sad.

 Then one evening Jean called me …Uintah seemed to be colicking. His belly was swollen and he was obviously in severe distress. Colic is a veterinary emergency in any animal. You have only a few hours before it is fatal. How to get him into a crate and drive the 16 miles to Jane, the vet on emergency call? With the help of Boychuk we managed.

Uintah, fresh from the emergency vet visit and into the office. (c) Earthfire.

 We were at the vet late into the night as Jane tried to diagnose him without success. She called in a sonogram specialist to help. The specialist kept saying “I’ve never seen anything like this,” until I thought I would scream. His stomach was so distended that it squeezed all the surrounding organs against his ribs, blocking off blood flow to his heart and brain. He began to have violent seizures. Jane finally passed a tube down his throat and instead of gas, out came pints and pints of liquid. That relieved the pressure and later that night we were able to bring him home, though with no answers as to what was caused the problem or if it would happen again.

 Because he was so ill we wanted to keep him warm. Our cabin was currently occupied by a shy coyote with a broken leg so the only other option was the office. He entered without much fuss. He was exhausted and the medication against the seizures made him pretty out of it. Boychuk helped babysit him through the night, keeping him calm.

Uintah beginning to relax in the office. (c) Earthfire

 In the morning, I called my staff to warn them that there would be a wolf in the office. It was Marie’s first day of work and I felt it only fair to tell her she didn’t have to come in. Then we then brought in Cucumber to help ease him. His whole limited world was now with him – Cucumber and Boychuk. We hoped their being totally relaxed would give him a point of reference about the danger level. 

 Marie arrived at 9 am, slowly opened the door, went to the desk and quietly started to work. As the morning progressed and Uintah began to feel better, to our utter surprise, he started to tentatively explore the office, with what I can best describe as the feel of a kid in a candy store. His life had been so circumscribed because of his fear that he had been exposed to very little. He explored with a combination of curiosity, fascination with this new world, and caution. He accepted the presence of Marie. When I finally thought about a camera I was able to get a little of his reaction on film. You can see the sense of dawning aliveness.

 Something had shifted in him. Perhaps the original message from years ago along with the fact that when he was most vulnerable and helpless we were there for him and he was safe. All I can say is that there was a dramatic shift. Though skittish about it, he actually allowed me to stroke him all over. He clearly enjoyed the contact, though it was a bit much for him and it could only be a few moments at a time.  But it was astonishing.

Jill's first moments with the reluctantly reluctant Uintah. (c) Earthfire

 The next evening I had dinner with Jill, the energy healer who had helped Apricot, a wolf with neurological symptoms from having had distemper in her brain. I mentioned the puzzle of Uintah. Jill’s specialty is paralyzed human nervous systems, and her immediate reaction was “it’s the vagus nerve.” She explained that the nerve ennervates the stomach muscles, making them contract. She guessed that for some reason it had apparently stopped sending signals to the stomach, thus it stopped moving and that might be one reason it filled with fluid. She also said that the vagus nerve runs from the brain through the heart to the digestion and in her understanding, is associated with the emotion of feeling connected and cared for.

 Because western medicine could give no cause, we didn’t know if or when it could happen again. I asked Jill if she would work on him from her alternative healing framework.

 She entered the enclosure with Jean. Cucumber and Boychuk were in there to calm him and Jean did the magic thing he somehow does whenever he takes an animal to the vet -  he goes into a state where his presence reassures them.

Uintah finally giving in to Jill's healing touch. (c) Earthfire

 Gradually, Uintah accepted Jill’s hands on him. Slowly, slowly, he began to relax as she gently sent information to calm and connect up the nerve with the stomach, and from her point of view, address the emotional lack of connection as well. He was sitting on top of his box bolt upright as she worked. You could see him fighting the relaxation as his self preservation instincts kicked in – he would not let himself lie down. But you could see also see the relaxation taking him over more and more deeply. Any of you who have had energy work and suddenly startle awake as if not knowing where you were going and coming back for momentary reassurance that you are still embodied, can understand what we saw as he would relax, then jerk awake, relax, then jerk awake. But Jill kept patiently at it and gradually he succumbed to a deep trance. While still sitting! Survival runs deep in a wolf.

 For 45 minutes Jill worked on him, moving her hands around his head, neck and stomach as she felt the flow, he allowing her to move her hands wherever they needed to go, obviously enjoying it. It was stunning.

Part Two: So far Uintah’s stomach has been working well and he is alive and vibrant, thriving on the extra care. The next step in his amazing transformation came when we held a retreat the following weekend. But that is another story. Stay tuned!

 On September 19th, Susan had the pleasure of speaking to the Revolution4Evolution.  You can view her webinar above, and read her thoughts and suggestions below on how you can get involved, too!

 “The animals of the planet are in desperate peril and they are fully aware of this. No less than human beings are doing in all parts of the world, they are seeking sanctuary.” ~ Alice Walker, Selected Writings

 Each morning Jean and I meditate with the help of a wild animal. For the last year it has been Cucumber, the Little Wolf that Could, who insists on being with us.  We begin with asking the animals and plants and trees and land to lend us their presence and their unique wisdom…and then we call out an invitation to any human souls who are seeking a connection with the animal world and would like to share their unique and special selves to enrich our endeavors here. And then you expressed interest!

 I am late in this letter because we had an animal emergency and when that happens Jean and I stop everything else. Uintah , a very shy wolf whom we were never able to touch, had a mysterious type of colic and we have been working through the nights to help save him.  For the first time he has let us touch him. Life threatening illness has helped pierce the veil between humans and this wolf -he has asked for help and let us in. They so want to live.

 Ways to help: Nature and Animals

 We have so few structures or institutes in our culture that help support clear and deep thinking related to the natural systems that sustain us. We need to start to restructure our society to support us in our search for deeper connection which will result in different values and actions.  We are each struggling, often alone, with enormous pressures against us – inside our own brains, partly wired to focus on the immediate, and the outside pressures that reinforce that instead of spending some time with eternal values as the basis for our existence.  

—Slow down inside. It is not possible to be mindful if we are rushed, stressed, harried. Breathe and notice the incredible life forms and beauty around you . Let them speak to you. We cannot hear the subtle and lovely voices and wisdom of other living beings without allowing ourselves to be quiet.

 —Give a 10% tithe of your time to support the systems of life that sustain us. Giving money is not enough. We each need to take personal responsibility to do something for our planet and the living beings without a voice that live upon it.

 —Practice mindfulness ; encourage it in others; from local sacred activism mediation or discussion groups. A few minutes reflective practice in the morning will help us not get so lost and driven. Encourage meditation in the schools.  I heard of a school in Colorado that is based on meditation  and the students are doing remarkable things We need more of that.

 —Practice mindful eating, thanking the living forms that are giving their lives for us be they animal or vegetable and being aware where they came from.  Help develop a course in school on where food comes from.  Not political – just factual. There is no “free” food. Anything we grow and eat takes from some other living being in some way, from the space, water, soil and land we use to grow it and all the systems it takes to get it to our table. We need to practice and teach us to be respectful and not wasteful, taking only what we need.

Jean & Huckleberry Bear

 —Support organizations that are trying to save land for the animals – without land and space there is nothing and our love for the animals alone does not help them.  There are many – you can research them or contact us for a list of some of the most active but a good start is wild.org or the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative.  Both focus on wildlife corridors.

Ways to help: Earthfire

 —Help us grow our community and take the vision we have out to the world any way you can.  Send  people to our website, our Facebook page, You Tube channel, Twitter feed and our blog.  We would welcome your comments and stories, photos and experiences.  We also have an online chat community through Ning at earthfireinstitutecommunity.ning.com.  Please e-mail us at earthfire@ida.net for details on any of this.

 —Help us with ideas and places we should connect with and let them know about us.

 —Send us ideas for retreats or retreat leaders; great books and videos for our library.

 —Send us ideas  or contacts for places where I can speak.

 —Our two biggest needs are fantastic staff, and funds. We are looking for an understudy assistant director and animal handler to work with myself and Jean to ensure continuity . These people have to be committed and realistic. We also need funds to be able to pay them . We need to continue improve the enclosures for the animal, especially play gardens for the bears.  To donate, please go to http://earthfireinstitute.org/support/.

Susan Eirich

 I look forward to what we can help make happen together.

 With love to all of you from myself, Jean and the animals of Earthfire.

 Susan

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

“A visit to Earthfire Institute ‘should’ be a requirement for all human beings. I seize every opportunity to share the value of wolves with others. Being around and with Jean, Susan and the beloved animals was such a gift. I will always remember and treasure this experience.” Della Moher, Seattle, WA

“I gained an even deeper love and appreciation for these magnificent creatures. And insight from Susan and Jean about the animals’ lives in the wild, and the dangers they are now facing. The wisdom and knowledge of patience they both exhibited is inspiring.” Kris Fahlstrom, Lake Forest Park, WA

“In four days, the animals, with help from the humans involved, taught me some very important life lessons. Very wise animals. Thank you for the program and the peace that now is in my life once again. I will do whatever I can to promote this special piece of Earth and the harmony between man and animals.” Donna Safley, Zion, IL

Rose will be coming back next year (the workshop is already 1/3 full). We are putting together a video of the weekend, and will have a full article in our upcoming November, hard-copy newsletter.

Click here to view the embedded video.