Community Update

I have always spent a lot of time outside.  I’ve always enjoyed fresh air and the quiet space under the canopy of the trees. As a child I lived for mud puddles, playing in the rain, and pine cone fights with the boys I sent most of my time playing with.   (I don’t recommend this though because when your parents have to hold you down and pull out the tips of the pine cones from your arms it hurts really bad - just ask my parents - I am sure they will tell you all about it.)

I have marveled at the birds, insects, mammals, plants, trees, and clouds most of my life.  As much as I have always loved all these things I had never slowed down enough to really find a way to enjoy them in their uniqueness and to look at their connection to one another.

Today, September 14, 2013 marks the anniversary of my journey of two years into slowing down enough to truly enjoy the beauty of the earth and all its wonders and wanders.  

Two years ago today I began what those of us in the “Nature Connection” lineage that Wild Intelligence is a part of like to call the 30 Day Sit Spot Challenge.

When one begins the 30 day sit spot challenge they are committing to doing nothing - while sitting outside - every single day - for at least 15 minutes.  (I knew it would be a real challenge. Committing to anything these days with our super busy schedule for any days in a row is difficult – much less 30 days in a row. Then getting nothing “done” while you are doing it I mean who has time for that? Seriously.)

Before Sept 14, 2011 I had been walking my woods pretty regularly - when I had time.  On Thanksgiving November 2010 we built our first "official trail" through the woods.  I was so happy.  I no longer had to leave my home to go walk in the woods.  What a luxury.  It was awesome.  I walked the trail pretty regularly.  

At some point I decided I needed to give myself some extra motivation. (Thankfully, I know that I sometimes need an extra push to keep myself doing things that are good for me.)  I began walking the trail with the intention of looking for 5 new things a week- taking notes.  It worked and I was hooked.  I believe this is the real beginning of my dive into becoming a “naturalist” – whatever that really means.

To be clear, I don’t consider myself a "naturalist" by any stretch, but I believe I am on the journey of the naturalist.  I am constantly chasing down natural mysteries.  Those two words alone get my blood flowing and my adrenal glands pumping.  For me, there is nothing like not knowing something that catches my eye, having to figure out HOW to figure out what it is and then following that journey to wherever it leads me.  Even now as I write this I’m thinking of the very long list of notes I have of mysteries to solve and how exciting it is to me when I can mark one off.  

About the same time I started hearing the words “Sit Spot” or “Secret Spot.” I liked the sound of it, but who has time to just sit – at least if I’m walking I’m getting some exercise - I'm getting something "done".  None the less – I find Jon Young to be very inspiring and he said it would change my life, so I decided to give it a try.

I started sitting – in different places every day, but mostly I sat looking over the giant gully in our woods between two truly magnificent Sour Wood Trees.  The thing about sitting here was I couldn’t see in all directions and if my neighbors were out it looked like I was staring right at their yard – not that they ever even glanced my way.

I began the journey of looking for the right spot to sit.

I found this picturesque spot towards the North corner of our property overlooking another neighbor’s field and the creek.  I was way up in the woods on the hill looking down.

I started my challenge in this spot.

It was the first place I witnessed the Carolina Chickadees freezing when a Coopers Hawk is on the hunt.  It is the first place I saw a gray fox and at the same time the slow intentional movements of a squirrel that was a little too close and needed to get to safety undetected.  I had close deer encounters over and over again.  I actually saw a mama fox taking food back to her den once. I was watching it unfold before my eyes through my binoculars so I can’t tell you what she was carrying.

I gave up this spot about 90 days into my sit spot challenge because I was convinced the birds were elsewhere – how was I ever going to learn this "bird language" thing if there were no birds around me. That’s the story I kept telling myself…  It was going to be better somewhere else.  

My bird language mentor, Rick, cautioned me from moving, but I am hard headed and knew I had to do what I had to do.

I don't regret it, but I see how wrong I was.

In reflection, it was a good choice to move because “The Overlook Spot” was just too far from my house for me to keep up my pace.  It took me well over 5 minutes to get there. I needed to keep it doable for me to go to.

I have since moved and settled into a place my kids named “Fairy Land” when they were very young.  I face the east, the sunrise.  I have come to know the trees here and the various species of birds that live here. I have watched the same two northern cardinals raise numerous young.  I have had a chipmunk walk over my foot.  I have delighted in watching young raccoons delight in the muscadines and persimmons.    I’ve even had a coopers hawk fly so close that when its tail feathers opened as it passed me by I could hear the sound.  “THWACK!” and feel the air from it on my face.

In these two years, trees have fallen. Fawns have been born.  The old buck that passes through is as interested in me as I am him.  A new family of Carolina Wrens moved in to the dead pine fall just across from where I sit.  And I too feel like I have moved in.  The Tufted Titmouse and Carolina Chickadees often follow me to my spot as they know I bring the sunflower seeds they love so much.  I have come to recognize of few of the greediest squirrels and have given them names.  I wonder what they call me…

When I started the challenge I managed to make it to a sit spot (not always my anchor point in Fairy Land) for about 120 days in a row.  30 days turned into 45.  45 days turned into 60.  60 days turned to 90 and so on.  I just could not help myself.  Honestly, I still can’t help myself.  I don’t make it every day any more – though I try really hard. My family is very supportive of me getting there because they also see the difference it makes in my life.

I don’t go to my sit spot to see exciting things like coyotes or to get really close to deer.  I go to my sit spot because it helps me to be a better person and to live in accordance with what I believe to be right.

I can’t escape anything when I am there all I can do is watch the process of earth unfold through the seasons. Cycles become clearer, my own patterns make more sense to me, and I feel more alive.  On days I can’t make it all the way down to Fairy Land (which is about 3 minutes from my home) I sit on my front porch or other sweet spots close to my home.

If I don’t go more than 3 days in a row I have to ask myself what am I avoiding? And then, I make myself go.

I believe that having a committed sit spot practice makes me a better human.

I try my best to give myself 50 minutes a day which is a life time to most people.  That’s my ideal.  I get 50 minutes maybe 3 times a week – if I am lucky.  I usually sit for anywhere between 20 and 40 minutes.  On super busy days I think taking at least 15 minutes from my front porch with my morning coffee is good.  I still unplug and tune in.

Sitting in the woods this morning reflecting on what a journey sit spot continues to be the sun was shining brightly on my face. The cool fall breeze was blowing from the NorthEast.  A Red Tailed Hawk was calling from the south. The Crows were harassing a Sharp Shin Hawk – or maybe it was the other way around.   I thought of Wild Intelligence and the new adult Coyotes who are beginning  their year long immersion into nature connection this very weekend.  What a journey they are now on as they learn to see through the eyes of the ancestors and many of the great teachers the way the earth spins. How we are all held together by the silken threads of the spider’s web and how delicate the masterpiece is.

They are so lucky.

We are so lucky.

I am so lucky.

Happy Sit Spot Anniversary to me!  Here is to many more years of quiet connection and quiet contemplation with myself and all the great mysteries that are constantly unfolding right before all of our eyes.

Until next time-

Sarah Hubbard

Wild Intelligence Executive Director