Note: For a better reading experience, click on the title to read on Substack.
Well, hello there! In case you’ve been wondering about my absence, I was in no-internet-land for a couple of weeks because a tree fell on a power line.
A nice man came and fixed it last Friday, but it’s taken me a few days to get back in the writing groove. Yesterday, I finally put my fingers on the keyboard and was typing away when, oh no! The power went out again. (
And so, I closed my laptop and went back into Wellspring mode. More on that later.
Honestly, I did just fine without being connected to the world-wide-web, except that I really missed Substack. It’s such an easy platform to write on, and I missed interacting with all of you.
I have an offline writing program called OmmWriter which I should have been utilizing while I didn’t have any internet service.
It makes a clicking sound like a typewriter. I love typewriters.
Or how about a notebook and a good pen?
I should have embraced it.
But something happened when I was disconnected.
I disconnected.
I do have a phone and was able to access some things, but mostly I only have one living-in-the-country bar of service, so I just
disconnected.
My motivation to write or do anything else seemed to fly out the window along with the internet.
Speaking of windows, I found myself doing a lot of aimless staring out of them.
Luckily I did, because last Thursday, at 10:00 in the morning, the sweet pea Coyote pup in the photo showed up in my front yard.
At first, I thought it was a Fox. I’ve never ever seen a Fox. But, I’d never seen a Coyote pup either.
Or might she be a Coywolf?
My whole body was vibrating, and my heart was pounding out of my chest.
I couldn’t take my eyes off of her (could be a he, but I’m going to guess she). I most certainly won’t say “it.”
If I had had my eyes pointed at my laptop like I often do, late morning, when my writing flows the best, I might have missed her.
She hung around for half an hour, grazing on the seeds and peanuts I leave for the birds who like to visit Turkey Rock.
Mostly, I worried about where her mama was. Had she just wandered away from the den?
About an hour later, I saw the Turkey party of five nervously pacing on my driveway. Usually, they come up the drive, or out of the woods, march up the hill, and hop on Turkey Rock to nibble.
To be clear, there’s Big Turkey Rock and Little Turkey Rock.
I wondered why they were standing there and glanced at the rock to see little Miss Coyote Pup back nibbling. When she wandered off again, I went out to put more seed for the Turkeys and saw her laying on the edge of the woods, watching me. She got up and disappeared into the trees.
The Turkeys eventually braved up and made their way into the yard.
That night, for the first time in many months, I heard Coyotes howling. VERY close by. And, I wondered if they were calling to little Coyote or if they had already been reunited.
In their howling, which lasted quite a while, I could hear adult howls and young howls! I’m not making this up!
The next morning was rainy, and I was gazing out of the windows again when I saw her, looking pretty wet and bedraggled.
She came for the bird treats again, and this time she came right onto my patio, curiously sniffing everything, before eventually heading back into the woods.
Again, I wondered where her mother was.
A few years ago, I took an online quiz called “The Earth Healing Archetypes” by Asia Suler of One Willow Apothecaries. I’ve spent time studying with Asia in North Carolina, as well as taken several of her courses. Asia is wise beyond her years and has a wealth of magical knowledge.
Everyone on Earth is here for a reason. Not only are we here to learn and grow personally, but you have also come here at this particular time in history to bring an essential gift of healing to the Earth. We are at a turning point on this planet, and you are here to bring some much-needed medicine. — Asia Suler
“The Earth Healing Archetypes Quiz” (it’s free, so you should take it!) was one of my favorite of her offerings.
Online quizzes can sometimes be, well, a little lame. Not this one.
When I got the results, and it said, “The Wellspring,” I had no idea what I was in for. Listening to Asia’s soothing voice introduce me to the concept of the stillness and slowness of this Earth archetype, I was mesmerized, and honestly, my life so far flashed before my eyes.
How, even as a child, I was aware that I just wanted to BE. As I got older, I didn’t like to think much about the past or the future. I still don’t.
Of course, according to Ayurveda, I have a lot of Vata energy, which at first, seems at odds with the stillness and slowness of the Wellspring. Seems more Kapha to me.
But, then again, there’s my Taurus Moon and Taurus Rising, which is all about Earth energy.
And, of course, we embody ALL of the Earth Archetypes, just like we have all three of the doshas present in us. Astrology signs, as well.
But, if you’ve answered the quiz questions honestly, and I did, there will be one archetype that we seem to embody the most.
With each passing year, I feel the energy of the Wellspring more and more.
The truth about water - water heals because it is.
Those who embody the archetype of the Wellspring are not here to do but to BE. Wellspring people embody presence itself. Wellspring people are here to exemplify the transformation of non-doing, patience, and surrender.
This archetype is at odds with the way our culture functions as of this time.
— Asia Suler
For a good part of my life, I’ve struggled with feeling like I’m never doing enough. I would venture to say that a lot of artists feel this way. We can get lost in the reverie of pre-creating.
In the past few weeks, the Universe gave me a gift by taking away the internet. She took away feelings of needing to do and replaced them with feelings of needing to BE.
And so, I would watch Clara the Dove nibbling at Turkey Rock. She seems to prefer the little rock because there’s a birdbath with water to drink.
I would try to spot her with binoculars in the Ash tree when she flies away, but she’s incredibly well camouflaged.
I listened to the hoot of the Owl. Oh my goodness, there’s one right now!
The smaller birds have been loving the Evening Primrose flowers near my windows. I stand statue-still, not wanting to startle them.
I was The Wellspring.
Listening.
Watching.
I haven’t seen Coyote Pup since. But, who knows? Maybe she was here, and I had my eyes back on my laptop, clearing out all the emails that had piled up. I hate email. Really, I do. I delete with a vengeance, especially toxic ones. Fortunately, those are few and far between.
What does Ted Andrews have to say about Coyote?
It is the creator and the jokester. Much magic has been associated with the Coyote, but the magic does not always work. Even in its not working, it serves a purpose. There is always hidden wisdom where the coyote is concerned.
In the tarot deck it is The Fool card. This card is good for anyone with a coyote totem to meditate upon. Its energies are tied to simplicity and trust. It is the card for developing poise in the chaos of life. It stimulates and renews innocence, and it reawakens a childlike wisdom in response to the world. It is the card that reminds us that true teachers of wisdom have a wonderful sense of humor. Through the coyote, we learn to become again as little children with a reawakening of the intellect, creativity, the artistic mind and all of the intuitive faculties. — Ted Andrews, “Animal-Speak”
There is a lot going on in our world right now. Isn’t there always?
These days, I am just focusing on keeping my energy clean and bright.
Not watching the news.
Staying away from toxic people and places.
I dip into social media for a few minutes every day to see what’s going on and then I quickly extricate myself.
I can send Love and Pink energy to my friends living in troubled areas right now. Or those who are just plain troubled.
I can do that best from my quiet sanctuary here on this hill.
I can do that as a Wellspring.
I think one of the most powerful things we can do today is simply try to stay in a healthy positive state as much as possible. It can be a collective wave of healing energy that will help those who can’t get there.
Also a collective wave of healing energy for the Earth.
Dance, sing, be with the plants and the animals. Talk to them. Listen to them. Especially the wise Trees.
there’s a Hopi prophecy going around that reads:
WE are the Warriors of the Rainbow. No need to wait for a new tribe of people.
I have a dear friend who also moved from Jersey City to the country when I did. We are many miles apart, but our hearts are so deeply connected that we have nurtured each other during the past three tumultuous years. She says we’re a “bubble of nourishment” for each other. Plus, we laugh, A LOT.
Last week, deep into Wellspring mode, we were discussing Hummingbirds, and while listening to one of Christy’s messages, a Hummingbird stopped right in front of my face, looked me in the eyes, and flew off.
Just today, in a voice message, she said:
I just want to live in a joyful state and enjoy being here on the Earth.
We can all choose to live life like that. You don’t have to live in the country, or any other place you might think would be perfect or make you happy. Remember all the bitching I did all summer about the bugs?? Even my little slice of Paradise that came my way has its challenges.
We can all turn off the news. Stay away from toxic people and places. Be careful about who and what we let into our energy field.
I’d like to leave you a little Wellspring gift from my time sitting with the Cold River on Saturday. I was all alone. Well, not really. It was just me and the River and the Rocks. And the Trees.
Feet in the water. Best sound in the world.
Oh, wait! Speaking of gifts - since I was absent from here for so long this month, I’m extending my Happy First Anniversary Offer for a special one-of-a-kind gift to anyone who opts into any level of a Paid Subscription through the month of September.
And, for those of you who might be interested in a one-time donation to The Quaking Poplar 🌳, AKA, me, I’ve just added this option.
But, please know, that whether you’re a free or paid subscriber or just a visitor to my page, you are dearly appreciated by me.
Much Love,
Barbara
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I enjoyed reading this so much! Just goes to show how much we may miss while constantly looking at our phones, scrolling through social media, working etc.
Barbara, that little coyote just melted me! I love that she has been visiting you and bringing delight during your involuntary tech vacation -- what a beautiful benefit to stepping away. Ted Andrews's observation about the coyote, that she "stimulates and renews innocence, and it reawakens a childlike wisdom in response to the world" seems to describe perfectly this whole essay. I felt as though I was seeing the world anew again, through the eyes of a wise, curious being. Thank you for allowing us to look through your window, literally and metaphorically!