After waxing on a bit of a lather during a waning run recently, I noticed a Fox not noticing me as She crossed the road with a fresh kill in Her mouth.  Some kind of rodent, maybe it was a Mouse or a Rat, but admittedly I couldn’t quite zone in enough to attend to the detail or shrewd enough to say for sure. Whatever Nervous Woodland Creature (NWC) it was, perhaps it was down with ‘investing in loss’, less wily  than Fox, let go of a fight and accepted the ‘death of the old self’ without going Straight Outta Woodland. As it were, I remained camouflaged until Fox became aware of me at the border area to the wetlands and scurried away to secure its catch.  I wonder if Ralph Ellison was inspired by his Fox totem when he wrote Invisible Man?

I remember when I was in the woods a while back for a spell, just coming out of my meditation, as I observed Fox trotting merely a stone’s toss from me without flickering an eye as it passed me by. Given Her keen sense of smell and heightened capacity for discrimination and discernment (and my doubly large energy field), Fox’s Sacred Feminine energy is teaching me well in learning Merlin’s skills of concealment, as I learn to fade into the background and adjust my aura to the social environment accordingly (without giving up my power or taking someone else’s). And then a Blue Jay did a ‘fly by’ and rang like a ‘bell of mindfulness’ that I’d rather be a True Wizard than a master illusionist. Moreover, a Grasshopper’s quantum leap reminded me to venture out and take some risks in order to evolve and broadly jump forward.  In blazing my own trail, especially as We approach Fall, I am encouraged to release my fears of leaving others behind and fall back, while springing forward–for there is always freewill and what works for others probably won’t work for me and vice versa.  And then a Praying Mantis encouraged me to listen to my Inner Voice and remember Star Wars Jedi Qwi Gong Jin and spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle’s combined wisdom to quiet my mind, heed stillness, continue to cultivate my internal martial arts practice vis-a-vis remembering to breathe in ‘Righteous Chi’ . . . a walking meditation that is nothing to sneeze at during these changing seasons.

Finally, while recently watching “bush TV” in my backyard garden, I glanced up from the fire and gazed at the glowing Moon illuminating the golden Black Eyed Susan reflecting back my way. I could smell my fragrant flowering consciousness blooming in my own inner garden, even as Summer’s petals paradoxically wilt away.  In the Spirit of nocturnal power, Fox reinforces to Us that We can become the change we want to see by cutting back to Inner Peace, walking with joy in Our steps and following Our bliss.  As We rapidly approach and soon pass the transient Autumn Equinox and Light and Dark become equal as One . . . dare We enjoy the waning Light, welcome the forthcoming Dark and turn Our focus “Yinward”.  When We open Ourselves up to trotting in step with Fox’s tracks, We open up to allowing Ourselves to tap into Our creative energy and act from a heartfelt Inner Space. My encounter with Fox reminds me to be an open conduit for the Universe to flow through my human form in a way that represents Oneness, Diversity in Unity and sheds light on the shadowy veils that try to keep Us in Plato’s Cave. Now, isn’t that Foxy Aquarian footing out of this world?  Excuse me, while I kiss the sky . . .

I Hopi You are well,

Ari