tribes, gods, spirituality, animals, inner powers
The Rabbit Runner
“ Swoosh!” she flew by a tree with incredible speed. Blood charged through her and she could hear nothing but the rapid pumping of her heart. Oh how this feeling overwhelmed her, consumed her; she was lost in the moment. Her feet flickered across the earth below; the ground seemed to have no place at all when she was like this. When she was an animal, the world was nothing. “Snap” a branch broke as she skimmed past another tree and with a leap burst into a clearing…and then the moment was over. Sama sighed with disappointment, as her blood stopped its dance, and her heart rate became inaudible again. Why can’t I hold onto this yet? She thought out loud and burst forward in an attempt to regain the feeling. It was no use; her animal instincts were gone.
Sama had being practicing ever since she had been declared a woman. Her grandmother, the head of the tribe elders, had told her that she must learn to embrace the animal inside. “ We all bear a part of the wild inside us, but it is those who choose to find it who become great. Understand, no one can be as great as our God the fox, until they see that the fox is no greater than the rabbit” Her grandma’s words echoed in her mind. A rabbit greater than a fox? That was impossible, a rabbit was small and spent its life hiding from danger, a fox was quick, agile, and was the danger. What was her grandma saying? Be meek and pathetic your entire life and you will be great?
A soft chanted broke into her thoughts, and Sama realized that she had walk back to camp without even noticing. The chant was one she recognized well; it was the one she heard every night before it was time to eat. It thanked the gods and blessed all of nature. The last rhythmic lines echoed softly as Sama took her seat.
“ I’m sorry that I am late” Sama whispered to her mother.
“ Do not worry, grandma told us that your were off training. Something about a rabbit and a fox”, her mother mumbled.
A rabbit and a Fox! There it was again, that ridiculous riddle. “ Mother how could a mere rabbit be superior to one of our greatest gods?”
Sama’s mother laughed, “ Don’t tell me that grandma has been telling you riddles again?” As much as everyone respected grandma, Sama’s mother sometimes wished that she would just get to the point. However, she had realized long ago not to question grandma’s decisions. So, instead Sama’s mother just smiled and said, “ I don’t know Sama, I think you might have to figure that one out on your own.”
And, just as if she had being listened to the whole conversation, grandma said, “You are the rabbit Sama…”
“ I am the rabbit?” Sama questioned
“ Yes, you are the rabbit” Her grandma repeated as if it was obvious
“ So I am greater than the fox? Greater than our god?” Sama almost spat out the words in frustration
“ No Sama, you are not greater than the fox, you are as great as Fox.” Sama stopped to ponder this for a moment.
“ So, we are the rabbits, but inside every rabbit there is a fox. Inside everyone of us is God?”
Grandma smiled, “ Yes, you understand, Sama, you are as great as god, because you are part of God. You and God are of one.”
Sama finally understood. “Excuse me”, she said, and she darted away from the table at an incredible speed.
As she whipped through the trees, Sama embraced her animal. This time she felt the blood coursing through her veins, as a river rushing down a mountainside. This time she heard her heart pouding in her ears as rocks tumbling off a cliff. And this time when she leapt, she pushed off with her powerful hind legs and then landed gracefully on all fours. Before continuing to glide off through the woods, a single thought flickered through her mind; together, as one with the universe, you can do more than you ever thought possible.