“I believe that each time we shift from fear to love, even around something as seemingly random as tigers in Bhutan, a tiny healing takes place in our collective fabric.” ~Erin Zawacki Sharaf
Someone just gifted me an incredible lesson on conquering fear and showing love…and the learning actually turned my emotions on a dime. It was so awesome, so powerful, I had to share it with you.
The other day a friend and colleague posted the following on her wall:
“OMG, I just learned that there are still WILD TIGERS in Bhutan!!!! And some have been spotted not far from where I’ll be trekking!! I’m starting now to invite one in… OK, I know it’s a long shot, but I’m so excited by just the possibility of it that I can barely contain myself.”
And then another of our friends and tribe mates posted this response:
“You will come face to face with a wild tiger. I know it.”
Now you have to understand, this tribe isn’t just being optimistic…they actually manifest this stuff ALL THE TIME. Had I read this on any other wall, I would have smiled and chuckled, feeling quite assured it was wishful thinking and any wild tiger would stay FAR away from such people. But this wasn’t just anyone. This was Erin who manifests pretty much amazing and “extremely unlikely” encounters on a regular basis…with lone seals resting on an empty beach…with wolves, killer whales and snow leopards. So when Erin said she wanted to come face to face with the wild tiger in Bhutan, I knew this was going to be a highly likely event…and it scared the crap out of me. I envisioned her walking along a path and turning a corner to be greeted by a lithe, orange beast with mouth opened and sharp teeth bared as a warning that she was about to become his lunch. My insides immediately constricted and recoiled and any joy I had been feeling dancing around to Jason Mraz went deep underground. Matter of fact, I wasn’t only afraid for HER, I felt fear MYSELF, right there in my living room…like I was at risk. And so I did what any other wise, adult woman would do….I gathered up onto my lap Marvin Hamlisch, my 70 basset hound companion, and we huddled together in the lazy-boy, under a thick blanket and pondered how to keep ourselves safe and dissuade Erin from risking life and limb by setting such a wild and crazy intention.
My decision? To take a risk and be the ONE person on Erin’s Facebook thread to not respond with “Yippee”, “How exciting!!!” or “Take me with you!!”, followed by all kinds happy and non-terrified-looking emoji. I instead was going to be the voice of reason, of rational thinking. My reply:
“Wow, FACE TO FACE with a wild tiger…am I the only one who finds that rather…terrifying? I wouldn’t mind an elephant, maybe even a warthog (especially if he dances and sings) but wow, don’t know if I would be that brave!!! Erin will you have guides with you?”
See my strategy? I started with an appeal to the rational mind of others in our tribe who SURELY saw the dangers that lay in wait for our dear friend, and then ended with the motherly check to insure someone, preferably walking in front, would be keeping Erin in safe regions and ensuring any tigers were a solid telephoto shot away and “shooing off” any creatures too close for one’s good.
But then came Erin’s response…ahhh, my wise and beautiful friend:
“Ann, there are so few tigers left and they have adapted to such high altitudes to avoid humans, that I do not have any fear. They have evolved (rightfully so) to be terrified of humans. There are almost never sightings, so this is an extreme unlikelihood…and YET, not impossible. And I have had extremely unlikely encounters with wolves, killer whales and snow leopards, so I’m keeping my mind and heart wide open! My travel partner and I were imagining different ways it could go down…just holding space for the magical but unattached to the outcome. I know they’ll be there and I’ll be sending them love. And yes, we will have a guide 🙂 ”
Of course. How could I have not realized this? I KNEW tigers were almost extinct. Of the original nine subspecies of tigers, three have become extinct in the last 80 years; an average of one every 20 years. It has been predicted all tigers may become extinct in the wild within the next decade. I’ve signed petitions and donated money to prevent their extinction. But my reptilian brain part however doesn’t process or remember that information when sensing potential danger, no matter how very remote the possibility…it goes immediately to visions of snarling cat fangs and escaping to the lazy-boy, blanket and possibly Girl Scout cookies.
Reading Erin’s love-filled response opened my heart wide and once again eased me back into feelings of peace, safety and oneness. Of course I don’t need to worry about her startling a tiger into attacking her. Erin radiates such love, calm and ease that if she encounters a tiger, he will actually feel safe in her presence. Seriously, that is the effect this woman has on everyone and everything. That tiger would feel so fortunate to encounter Erin’s incredible loving spirit, that he would most likely lie down and roll onto his back for a belly rub. I’m not joking…love is THAT powerful.
You know it; you’ve experienced it too..maybe not with wild animals but with colicky babies who calm immediately when put into the right person’s arms. I also witnessed this during my 30 years working in psychiatric units….when an extremely anxious, agitated psychotic individual who had escalated to threatening to stab someone with an ink pen could be talked down off the proverbial ledge with just the right soothing voice, body language and compassion.
What was so illuminating for me about Erin’s tiger was how applicable it is to the other situations in our lives…the recent terrorist bombings and US presidential campaign, both of which can elicit all kinds of wildly negative emotions at any given time. What Erin reminded me so beautifully and with such wisdom is that our energy is what drives our experience. I also believe it drives the energy of others around us and the world as well. You may remember that in 1978, researchers followed a group of 7000 individuals over the course of 3 weeks as they were meditating in hopes of positively effecting a surrounding city. The researchers found the group was not only able to literally transform the collective energy of the city but also reduced global crime rates, violence, and casualties during the times of their meditation by an average of 16%. Suicide rates and automobile accidents also were reduced with all variables accounted for. In fact, there was a 72% reduction in terrorist activity during the times at which this group was meditation. More than 50 additional studies have confirmed this, even publishing the results in the journal of Crime and Justice in 1981.
You may be thinking that there are certain beasts that just aren’t loveable. Believe me, I can think of several right now that could fit under that list, one who shall remain nameless but has a really bad comb-over and absolutely no filter on his very big mouth. There are bullies and terrorists…how can we love them??? Loving doesn’t mean condoning or tolerating their behavior. Love is an energy we put out for what we want to create…in others and the world. It is especially for those who aren’t acting from a place of love, compassion or goodwill, so that love energy will touch some part of them; that maybe it will keep them from acting on one of their hostile impulses or from joining with others who are engaged in an act of violence.
This is one of the reasons I’ve organized the Virtual Worldwide Feminine Meditations for Love & Peace throughout this past year. I know that the feminine energy and love is what the world needs right now. It’s what I need right now.
It’s time to shift from fear to love. It’s time to love the tiger…and all the other beasts that are creating fear in our worlds.
Thanks for standing by me on the journey too, Erin.
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Love & Peace,
Ann
