|
|
|
|
“While the arts were making us spiritually viable, hunting did the heavy lifting of not only keeping us alive, but inspiring us. To abhor hunting is to hate the place from which you came, which is akin to hating yourself in some distant, abstract way.”
Steven Rinella
|
|
It's been a while, several moons in fact, since I've last sent out a Lumen Letter.
When I wasn't rehearsing, performing, or teaching this fall, I was learning about, training for, and experiencing the hunt. My off days were spent in the field, seeking out some of the most elusive western big game, and in the process, gaining new perspectives on hunting and reclaiming some lost aspects of my human nature. I now believe one cannot truly understand and appreciate the art of hunting until they find themselves out on the hunt, but my hopes with sharing my philosophies and first-hand experiences from my initiatory hunting season is to bring more awareness to the complex beauty of hunting while smashing stereotypes.
✨the huntress awakens✨
When walking down a path of living in greater connection with all life that roams the land, sea, and sky, there are crossroads along the way where you face uncomfortable, challenging situations that ultimately lead to profound growth. I believe one aspect of aligning with the human spirit and honoring the web of life means I am taking the responsibility of all life that I consume into my own hands, quite literally. I’ve felt called to hunt for several years now, and this fall initiated me into deepening my unfolding journey as a wild woman by awakening the huntress within.
Growing up in Southeastern Virginia, I was never a big fan of hunting, as I was only familiar with the negative stereotype of racist rednecks drinking Bud Light and shooting shit for bragging rights and wall mounts. The more I’ve immersed myself in the world of hunting, and the more I’ve been exposed to the immensely positive aspects of hunting, the greater appreciation I have for the pursuit of wild game - better nourishment and health, conservation efforts hunting provides, and taking full responsibility with vast respect for the life you consume.
I’ve now been on three hunts for Blacktail Deer in Western Oregon this hunting season here in the PNW. While I didn’t fill my tags this initiatory hunting season, I do feel even more connected to these creatures I have identified with and called a spirit animal and ally of sorts throughout my life. Quietly walking the woods from dawn til dusk, embodying the elusive nature of black tail deer has opened a portal into greater communion with these beings. I am at once mourning the loss of coming home empty handed, and feeling equally blessed for the experiences I was a part of during my time in the woods. Hunting is hard work, and there’s great nuance and complexity to the hunt.
But still, you keep hunting. With the closing of general buck season in Western Oregon, followed a short period of time to pursue Roosevelt Elk in the late general elk season. Planning to do some true backcountry hunting, my wild woods man and I began our trek with a river crossing that required us to take off our shoes and traverse the cold waters - this may have served as an omen for the arduous journey ahead. We wound up hiking back to our truck that night, cold and wet, and alas, without even the sighting of an elk. But one day and one's mindset can make all the difference. The first day brings pouring rains, 6 river crossings, and practically downhill skiing on the side of a muddy mountain. The next day brings views of sunshine caressing gentle mountain slopes with rising mist as we peacefully walk a trail where elk sign is abundant. Still no elk, but hey, I feel pretty damn lucky to challenge myself physically and psychologically, come out on the other side feeling stronger and more resilient, while also taking in the great glory of this landscape.
“While hunting, I’ve cried at the beauty of mountains covered in snow. I’ve learned to own up to my past mistakes, to admit them freely, and then to behave better the next time around. I’ve learned to see the earth as a thing that breathes and writhes and brings forth life. I see these revelations as a form of grace and art, as beautiful as the things we humans attempt to capture through music, dance, and poetry. And as I’ve become aware of this, it has become increasingly difficult for me to see hunting as altogether outside of civilization. Maybe stalking the woods is as vital to the human condition as playing music or putting words to paper. Maybe hunting has as much of a claim on our civilized selves as anything else. After all, the earliest forms of representational art reflect hunters and prey. While the arts were making us spiritually viable, hunting did the heavy lifting of not only keeping us alive, but inspiring us. To abhor hunting is to hate the place from which you came, which is akin to hating yourself in some distant, abstract way.”
- Steven Rinella
A man who merges carnal instinct, culinary wit, and philosophical wisdom, Steven Rinella gets after the heart of the matter when it comes to humans and hunting. I felt it was important to share his quote here in the context of my offerings, as he poses a potentially challenging concept to wrap our modern, domesticated human minds around: hunting is innately human.
+ + +
It was a cold October morning, the air biting and the ground hardened over with frost. Dawn was approaching, and with the day’s first light, we set off for the hunt. Aside from the quiet peace that comes with waking up at 5am to prepare for a day of hunting, the most prevalent perspective that I’m learning more and more during those early morning hours is that nature makes no promises; Nature is brutal, beautiful, and everything in between. When greeting the hunt with the sunrise, there is great potential and excitement, but never any promise. And as the sun sets, you may be going home empty handed, but you always walk away with more knowledge, experience, and appreciation for the art of the hunt and that which you are hunting.
|
|
I'm closing this letter with this podcast episode, as I feel the sentiments shared in this conversation reflect and delve deeper into some of the aspects I've attempted to shed light on in my own writings above. I'm thrilled that Daniel Vitalis is back in action, with his new podcast, WildFed.
Deb Perkins, bear biologist, and now “The Personal Ecologist” inspires us to bring “exquisite attention” to our interactions in nature to foster a deeper connection to our local ecology. She shares fascinating stories from her years as a field biologist studying bears all over North America, and we chat about her work in ecological habitat design.
|
|
May you honor and respect where you came from.
Luminous love,
Jessica
|
|
winter solstice women's gathering
|
|
|
Friday Dec. 20th
6pm - 9pm
Nearing Winter Solstice, the rebirth of the light cycle, we will take this time of dark incubation to gather and weave the visions we wish to dream into being with the coming of the light.
|
|
|
Give the gift of personalized wellness this holiday season.
I'm dropping generous discounts on Integrative Healing and Virtual Luminosity gift cards! These in-home or screen-to-screen sessions offer highly customized healing movement and holistic lifestyle guidance. Whether focusing on a specific short term goal or long term lifestyle redesign, I’m here to support and facilitate growth, awareness, and empowerment on one's wellness journey.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
