ONENESS

As Spring approaches and my heart turns to the beauty of sunshine and warmer days, I am reminded also that with the arrival of summer and joy being outside more, swimming, hiking, bicycling and the many things I do from Spring through Fall, I also realize that there is at least one big drawback to the outdoors in warm weather....mosquitoes. I really dislike those tiny little creatures that bring on so much angst. However, one of the species gave me a very big message one time about 10 years ago that carried a lesson in oneness that I'll never forget.

I went on a Vision Quest in Idaho. For those of you who don't know what a Vision Quest is I'll give a quick description. I, along with about 8 others went to a very remote area with a Native American Shaman. The Quest is a very personal experience and is over a nine day period of time. The first 3 days are spent cleansing your body of toxins, hunting for a quest site, and doing some internal work on what you hope to accomplish during the 3 days that you spend totally alone, with minimal gear and 3 gallons of water..no food. Once you find the area that "calls" to you, the shaman looks at the site for suitability, then cleanses it and marks out a 15 foot
circle that you will live within for those three days. The day that you leave for your site there is a sweat lodge for final cleansing and smudging. The sites were very far apart so you see no-one for those three days. The shaman walks the area within which the sites are, but is careful that you don't see or hear him. Once a day you walk outside your circle and if you have a problem or are in trouble or need anything, you can leave a "marker" inside an area that has been agreed upon prior to your individual quest.

So....3 days, alone, in a remote wilderness; no toys, no music (except my own singing to myself, the trees and whatever bear might be wandering in the area), no books to read....what to do all day, and all night - sleep seemed to be pretty elusive. However, we had a journal to write in and I had some drawing materials, both of which I used extensively.

One afternoon I was drawing some of the surrounding area and a mosquito lit on my forearm. I stopped sketching, looked at the mosquito and pondered its purpose on earth. It came to me that only the female mosquito bites. They use the philandered blood to feed their young. The young are often eaten by fish, little fish get eaten by bigger fish, bigger fish get eaten by people or caught and used for by products in dog and cat food. Some of the fish die a natural death and become part of the soil as they are washed ashore or after being cleaned by fishermen/women, the discarded parts become compost. Out of the soil that has been enriched by the fish discard, plants, trees, gardens are nourished. This nourished food is eaten by people, animals, birds... then the real lesson hit me. That bit of blood the mosquito carried from my arm would go through a very great circle of life and therefore, I would be part of many things which ultimately means that I am one with all. It was the first time that I truly understood the "Oneness" concept and I have a mosquito to thank for that. I tend to look at mosquitoes differently now, as well as everything around me. I AM one with all and that truth has awakened a part of my that is large indeed.

Think about it, my friends, and awaken to a new YOU. Nemaste. Live large and consciously.