"Morning Walk" from Gracious Wild

This excerpt from my book Gracious Wild tells of how a female northern harrier hawk began joining me on my morning walks on a lonely island I lived on. Her presence was one of my first confirmations that my encounters with the wild had a broader purpose:

The female hawk's territory included this coreopsis forest.

Every morning, I walked into the coreopsis forest to check on the harbor. I followed the trail through the chest-high field of golden blossoms to the crest of the cliff overlooking the bay. There was a large opening in the coreopsis forest here, and an assemblage of large rocks topped by a stone cross stood in the center. This was a monument to a Spanish explorer famous for his exploits in the region. I’d try to get here early while the island was still at rest so I could linger, take in the view of the quiet harbor, and enjoy the short, meditative hike.

Along with the burst into color on the island, I acquired company on my walk to and from the stone cross. Each morning as I crossed the runway and started on the trail, I would hear an approaching keen. At first her cry blared then faded, but as it got closer, it turned into a ceaseless yelling. The female harrier hawk Morappeared coursing straight at me, her dark eyes piercing mine and her brown wings flapping sharply. She came right at eye level set on running me down, mouth open, screaming like mad. The trail was gently sloped, bearing me hard upon her. Just as we were about to collide, I abruptly swiveled on my feet to follow the turn of the path downhill. She immediately pivoted on her wingtips to mirror me.

We then traveled in tandem, my feet and her wings falling in unison. She hovered just 10 or 15 feet above my left shoulder. At times she’d have more to say and I’d turn to her with some smart quip. Wonder where I’m going this morning madam? Other mornings we’d travel in silence listening to each other’s movement and breath. She became so accustomed to expecting me that I often found her waiting at an old fencepost at the turn in the trail. She’d lift off as I approached and take position at my left flank. Her mate was usually in attendance, but he hung back and watched from afar.

The morning company of the harriers brought me limitless solace. Not only did they offer me much yearned for companionship, but they sparked a sense of magic in my being that I hadn’t remembered. I felt a kind of wonder that brought me out of the scientific detachment I clung so desperately to. With the harriers, I didn’t have to pull away and remain swirling in my intellectual dialect. I wasn’t required to pose theories and assign numbers to their movement. I was afforded the opportunity to respond and offered the chance to be a part of the experience.

During my enchanting walk each quiet morning, I re-entered a childhood of the natural world. My movement into hawk territory was no guilt-heavy intrusion into a place I didn’t belong, but rather a visit home. Here I acquired a sense of awe akin with the wild ones. The maiden harrier’s banter was calling me to something bigger than myself, to a purpose I felt stirring in my soul.

I'm Ready and the Story Always Has Been...

I've had a manuscript in hand for some time now and, as I have the courage, am submitting it to different publishers. I have worked over all the materials I need to submit including the manuscript, the synopsis, the market analysis, etc. a couple of times and just finished another go around. It's now time to start putting the work out there in whatever form I can. I'm ready and the story always has been...

SYNOPSIS OF THE BOOK
A first-hand account of magic in detail, Gracious Wild: A Spiritual Journey with Hawks is the story of a young, Western woman’s path out of the mundane world of scientific research and into the vast shamanic realms of the imagination. Her guides on this quest are a series of wild and captive hawks in the flesh. For those of you wondering what birds of prey have to say to us, this is a powerful window into their world. For those of you wondering if you have what it takes to practice shamanism, this is a strong case in your favor.

So often we in modern-day society are told that shamanic initiation and training takes place by connecting with Earth-based cultures such as those found in Mongolia, Tibet or Peru, but what if you could follow this path here at home without having to gain acceptance into a foreign culture?

We expect intense initiation rites like near-death experiences, starvation or prolonged isolation to be part of the shamanic path, but what if you had access to all the guidance needed without such extremes? AND what if you could get started in your twenties or thirties rather than waiting until later in life?

Through the eyes of the woman in Gracious Wild you can see how absolutely accessible this powerful healing technique is to all of us. It begins with spending time living and working in nature.

We first find the young woman alone on a foggy, windswept island in the Pacific. She nearly succumbs to her innermost fears be it for a handful of northern harrier hawks that fly across the open ocean to take up residence with her. While watching the raptors raise their families the woman begins to find and cultivate her own gift for finding grace in the everyday.

She takes her visions back to the mainland and soon finds herself in the company of a special harrier hawk trained to work with people. While developing a relationship with Thalia, the young woman learns how to contact the spirit world regularly. The synchronicities between her shamanic journey work and her training with Thalia reveal the interplay between shadow and light that allows both of their spirits to move into their true expression.

Soon Graccia, a red-tailed hawk, enters the scene and charms the leading lady from the start with her endless curiosity and carefree spirit. The woman teaches the red-tail how to work from the glove and Graccia, using love as the catalyst, shows the woman how to share the extraordinary. Together, they are able to forage friendships and open their hearts. Graccia’s presence is absolutely life-changing. The messages she brings are worth sharing.

Gracious Wild teaches by example. It is one of those true healing stories that takes you out of the rational “how to” trap of the mind and into an instinctual experience that pervades all layers of being: body, mind, heart and soul. In reading this story you will discover a new perspective on an old way, allowing you to dream your own path to enlightenment.

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Let me know what you think by posting a comment. Know an agent or publisher that might be someone good for me to meet? Please send them my way!