Peripheral or Wide Angle Vision...

is an important part of Nature Awareness it helps us to raise our levels of awareness by allowing us to experience beyond tunnel vision which is what most of us use most of the time, tunnel vision is like having horse blinkers on. So how do you get someone into peripheral vision? Start by getting everyone to stand in a space where, when they have their arms stretched out (as in picture below), they are not knocking into the person next to them, now begin by asking everyone to look straight ahead and throughout the whole of the exercise ask them to keep looking straight ahead, at this stage individuals are in tunnel vision, which is represented by the small dotted lines in the picture below.

With their arms stretched directly out in front of them, ask them to slowly move their arms further and further apart while still looking straight ahead, get them to watch their hands as they move them further apart and to keep doing this until their hands disappear from view. If their hands go out of view, ask them to bring them back into view and getting them to wiggle their fingers this helps them to see their hands at the extreme end of their peripheral, throughout they must continue to look straight ahead. Once they are able to see their hands and fingers while looking ahead, they are effectively in peripheral vision.

Some will ask you ‘do I have to do this exercise every time I want to get out of tunnel vision and into peripheral vision?’ The answer is NO, to help them get in and out of tunnel/peripheral particularly when they are blindfolded I usually get them to imagine that they are switching on a light (or you can choose something else), when they have done this several times it will become second nature to them provided they practice at it.

Some may want to know how to get out of peripheral vision, I say to them, simply turn the light off, might I suggest tough that by practising peripheral vision individuals levels of awareness will increase and you may find that they prefer this over tunnel vision, as tunnel vision is exactly what it suggests, ‘your vision is limited’. It is worth noting that for the facilitator this also comes with practise and in order to explain effectively how it works to your group, you might find it useful to practise it several times yourself before asking your group to engage with it.

The picture below best illustrates both tunnel and peripheral vision. For example you may find that your attention is drawn to the fox in the middle of the picture, this represents tunnel vision. However, if you enter into peripheral vision you will now see the two Native Americans on horseback moving through the trees. I have found that when people truly get into peripheral vision they experience the games and nature in way that they never have before, there is much more to see and experience.

Woodland Encounter by Bev Doolittle

Urban and Rural Tracking & Detecting movement that is no longer there.

As a young soldier on patrol in Belfast in the 70's we had to watch out for animals of a different nature. Once while on patrol we observed in one street that the door knockers were all horses' heads, except for one which was a dogs head...


Every day you pass by Mrs Smith's house you notice that she has two bottles of gold top milk on her door step, then one day as you pass you notice two gold and three red top...

Chances were these houses were being used as either a safe house, bomb factory or training house?

Then one day I am in the countryside as part of a cordon while a search team goes into a derelict building to look for a weapons cache, as I moved around the wooded area I spotted a small plastic doll nailed to a tree pointing in the direction of a large lone tree sitting on a hill top which was indicting in the direction of three trees.

Could this be were the weapons are really hidden? Having an awareness can inform you of concentric rings that are not necessarily moving in the moment but have left tracks for you to follow after the event.

Why?

I came across this on Bushcraft UK forum and thought I would share it with you. It seems some people are just so completely unaware that they have no regard for nature what so ever.

I felt sad when I saw this and I am pleased I did not come across them at the time.

The tree on the right and several others it seems caught fire as a result of the fire spreading through the roots, the problem here is the fire can burn this way for a long time and ignite many other trees.

Click on logo to read more on this.

The Wild Boar & Red Deer as Teachers

I saw my first UK Wild Boar yesterday along with some Red Deer and I wanted to know what they represented in terms of a Spirit Animal, so here it is:

THE WILD BOAR...

has been the symbol of warriors for centuries. The Celts believed that the Boar, which they called Torc or Bacrie, was their ally in war and there are many Celtic myths surrounding this noble animal. Native American Indians make war masks in the likeness of the Wild Boar to frighten and intimidate their enemies.

The Boar’s head was used by many cultures as symbols of their countries of coat of arms. In particular Richard III of England took the Wild Boar as his personal Totem and coat of arms. The Wild Boar is mostly seen as a masculine entity and Totem, enriching the male virtues of bravery, nobility and fierceness in battle. The Wild Boar spirit will balance out male energy and ground the more virtuous aspects of the masculine nature.

The powerful Wild Boar has large tusks that can be deadly. They are fierce animals and signify the warrior spirit. This animal needs close body contact and tends to live in groups of fifty or more. They are clannish in nature but are wary of outsiders. Wild Boars are mostly thought of as noble and brave animals that enjoy social interaction within their group.

The Wild Boar possesses many animal virtues that are powerful and valuable and which any person would be wise to emulate or divine. One who has the power of the Wild Boar will see enhanced courage, fearlessness, and nobility; an increased ability to strategically plan action aimed at obtaining success. Prosperity, re-birth and chivalry are also all part of this noble totem’s magic.

The Brave Wild Boar Totem possesses the following virtues: Warrior strength, warrior mind, fierceness in battle, chivalry, nobility, prosperity, strategic skills, deadly accuracy, personal power, re-birth, organization, successful confrontation, comrade, respected leadership and pure masculine energy.

Wild Boar Animal Pearls are said to impart their particular magical virtues to their owner. Wild Boar Pearls are characteristic of its host animal; they possess all the awesome characteristics that may be seen in the Wild Boar itself; the nobility and courage of this animal is contained within the pearl waiting for its proper owner to bestow its inner magic to that unique and fortunate individual.

For century’s warriors, kings, leaders, strategic planners, army generals, shamans, spiritualists and practitioners of the occult have used Wild Boar animal pearls to transfer the powerful magical energy of the Wild Boar to themselves and to others in need of this commanding animal magic.

Wild Boar pearls are highly sought after by any wishing to absorb Wild Boar virtues into their lives and develop stronger mental abilities such as those embodied by this powerful creature. The owner of a Wild Boar pearl will see their lives, spiritual energy and mental clarity imbued with all of the virtues attributed to the “Warrior” of the lands, the Wild Boar. The Wild Boar animal totem is a strong spirit and its magical properties are one of the most influential of all animal totems. Strength, leadership, courage, warrior strength, nobility, prosperity, and so much more can be integrated into the spirit of the possessor of this magical pearl and the Wild Boar.

Copyright © 2006: Zahir Karbani UK Registration Number 253932

See also some Boar-ing stories http://wild-tracking.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/some-boar-ing-stories.html

THE RED DEER

With his impressive rack of antlers, Red Deer makes an awesome sight. His power and agility makes Red Deer, a challenge to hunt. For that reason, the Europeans regarded Him the “Lord of the Forest.” For many chieftains and kings, to bring Him down was proof of their power. Because of his regal bearing and grandeur, Red Deer became a part of European religions.

Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) is the Eurasian twin of North America Elk (Cervus elaphus). The largest surviving member of the ancient British forests, He first appeared before the Ice Age. After surviving the Ice Age, Red Deer went to North America and developed a separate life as Elk (Wapiti). There, He became a part of people’s religious lives also.

During the fall mating season, Red Deer uses his rack of antlers as a weapon to prove his worth to the Hinds (Females), He challenges other Stags for kingship of the Herd. In the rutting season, about a hundred Deer join together into one herd until winter. Then Stags separate to form their Bachelor Herds, while Hinds stay together in their group.

Red Deer offers a glimpse into the sacredness of nature. His regal bearing inspires people with awe. Because of Red Deer’s connection with ancient lives, He brings the old religions alive. He teaches what is worthy of worship and what is not.

Red Deer’s Wisdom Includes:

Connecting to The Ancient Past, Having Pride, Being Independent, Being Royal.