Nature's Balance...

Monday I was startled out of meditation by a loud BANG against the house or window.  I wasn’t sure which.  So I came out of meditation and hollered up to my husband to see if it had been him.  He replied: No, I thought it was you!  In my head I responded - and you didn’t come running!? lol J

Upon investigation I spotted the Hawk outside, just under a window, standing on its dead prey – a Morning Dove.  It sat there and sat there looking around for several minutes with its intense eyes, as if vigilantly watching for a way of escape.  And then it took off with its prey, landing only a few feet away on the patio, and then hopped its way under some big juniper bushes with its catch in its talons.  It was there nearly an hour before it took off again, leaving behind a pile of feathers. 

 Our initial response was one of shock and sadness.  Nature’s way seems cruel at times, from our limited human perspective.  It was a startling sight to see for sure, as well as sobering.  We romanticize about nature and animals being so innocent, so pure, giving them human-like qualities.  But they are only being true to their nature, their inherent survival nature.  We were reminded that what we witnessed *is* the balance of Nature – life and death – the natural cycle of life.  Of course.  It is the way of things…  DH and I had been reflecting on the need for acceptance of the way of things over the weekend.  That through acceptance of what is, we can come into an inner space of peace and balance with life.   It is so easy to come out of this balance with life, to resist the way of things, and consequently suffer – emotionally and otherwise.  The Hawk and Dove incident was just a small reminder of the precarious balance between life and death, as well as the relationship between acceptance and suffering.  I found the symbolism quite interesting as well – a Hawk and a Dove – a bird of peace and a bird of prey...   The balance of Nature.

 It’s the paradox of fragility and stability,

vulnerability and power,
form and formless,
and learning to live

the fragile nature of the balance…

~

Photo of Hawk and Dove taken through the window
by DH

~

The stone balance on the pedestal is the
same one I did on Feb. 8th.
Amazingly it's still standing,
after a couple of good snowfalls
and wind -
except for the "bird's" topknot...