Eye to Eye

One of the most incredible (captivating) experiences I have in the wild is sharing a moment with the wildlife I encounter- eye to eye, being to being. Have you experienced this lately?

I don't necessarily encourage seeking this out. Wildlife typically benefit from space from humans.

Questions for Reflections

There is no right or wrong here. Rather than feeling shame or judgement around your responses, honor the honest connection you are making with yourself. Notice how you feel, and consider what these reflections tell you about your personal boundaries and communication styles.

When you talk to family, friends, colleagues and strangers,
- Do you generally feel comfortable making eye contact?
- How does your comfort level shift when you're with different people?
- Are you aware of eye contact during a conversation?
- Do you feel pressure to make eye contact, even if it generally feels uncomfortable?
- Do you feel confident with owning your personal needs and boundaries around eye contact?

If you have a pet,
- Can you understand how they're feeling or what they're communicating through eye contact?
- Do you find it's easier to share eye contact with your pet than another person?
- How much of their understanding of you, do you think, comes from those moments of shared eye contact?

Nature Practice

Take a short journey through nature, or even down the street amidst some trees.

See if you can feel or notice when wildlife is looking at you.
Give this a try when you're moving briskly, and then when you're still.

Ask yourself,
- Do you notice that your awareness shifts depending on your movement?
- Do you find yourself more comfortable, or less, depending on your awareness of eye contact?

See if you can share a moment of eye contact with wildlife.
Starting with a bird or squirrel might be best to start with, and please be sure to research safe practices for wildlife interactions. Staring down your neighborly bear won't do anyone good...

Ask yourself,
- Did you feel an immediate emotional response when you made eye contact? What was it?
- Do you feel any fear or disconnection in this moment?
- How do you think they're experiencing this interaction differently than you are?
- What do you think they're communicating to you in this moment?
- What can you learn about them in this moment?
- What can you communicate to them in this moment?
- Has your connection changed with the animal during this moment?
- Has your connection has changed with the animal's species as a whole in this moment?

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