The Gift of Turkey Medicine

Have you ever been bothered by something so much that it sticks with you for a bit?

It’s been almost a month since I discovered the turkey and it’s taken that long for me to process what I saw. 

During May’s forest bathing walk at Magic Tree Sanctuary, I sent my guests out into the forest for an invitation, and as I moved up the trail to our next meeting spot, I saw it.  A pile of feathers strewn every which way in total chaos. 

I’m usually delighted when I find a feather in the forest but this time I was disturbed. It wasn’t a really gruesome scene as the feathers were all that remained of the bird, yet I sensed the violent energy of it. A bobcat, coyote, fox, or another predator had successfully surprise attacked and my discovery of the fresh evidence was so shocking to me that for a second it took my breath away.

I’ve seen dead animals before so I couldn’t quite grasp why I was so bothered but after journaling on it, I started to make peace with it. 

For me, the forest, and especially Magic Tree Sanctuary is a safe haven.  A place where I (and others) come to relax. It has always felt peaceful to me and to discover a violent attack in my place of refuge was jarring. Logically, I know it can happen here but this was the first time it was presented to me.

Our culture tends to view death as something inherently unfair as if something went wrong. Yes, the turkey’s death was violent but it wasn’t bad or evil. Nothing was wrong. It is just the cycle of life. 

You may be thinking clearly something went wrong for the turkey---wrong in the form of a fox. That was my train of thought until I was reminded that at some point we all (as in all of life) become food. Food for another or food for the earth. It’s just a matter of timing.  It was turkey's time. No life is more important than another. Fox ate turkey, yes, but his life isn't more important. The fox's life will end too. Death is inevitable, it’s not a matter of one being more deserving to live than the other. It’s one meeting his time to transition. The turkey’s time to transition was right then and the fox helped in the process. But the fox is not immune. His time will come, too.

Oh, the spirals of life... 

Gathering up the largest feathers, I decided to decorate Magic Tree Sanctuary’s camp space, weaving them into the spokes of the rusted wagon wheel which hangs from the ceiling of the picnic area’s shelter. Per a friend’s suggestion, I spoke a prayer of observance for turkey’s existence, thanking him for his beauty and releasing his spirit. 

When I think of turkey now, I no longer feel disturbed. The medicine he gave to me is a clearer understanding, plus a strong sense of the balance in this place. We don’t have to view discoveries like this in the woods as negative. In fact, it’s the opposite. 

All is well in the forest.  

Forest Love,

Julie

Birth is painful and delightful. Death is painful and delightful. Everything that ends is also the beginning of something else. Pain is not a punishment; pleasure is not a reward. ― Pema Chödrön