The Healing Power of Gentleness

In Native American medicine Deer teaches us about the healing power of gentleness.

Today I received an inspiring newsletter from Ashley Karr, a woman who has a beautiful gentleness about her and I thought I would share it with you.

‘There are deer everywhere. DEER CROSSING signs sprinkle the roads, and we often have to stop while driving along the country roads to let the sweet creatures cross over. Deer are beautiful, gentle, and majestic. Their eyes are so wide, trusting, and innocent, and it feels like they are blessing you with their grace when you get to look for a moment into those big, black pools.

My friend, Alison recently reminded me of Native American Indian traditions and the deeper meaning they attach to animals. In Native American lore, the deer teaches humans how to use the power of gentleness to touch the hearts and minds of others, especially those that carry emotional pain and cover it with defensiveness. Deer loves people as they are, pain and all, and does not push them to change because gentleness heals all wounds.

Let’s take a few moments now to imagine what it must be like to be around people who exude this type of gentleness and how we may be able to embue this warm, caring energy in our own lives. How can we bring beauty and grace into our environment? How can we camoflage ourselves to move through any situation silently while still staying alert and in tune? How can we let go of any ulterior motives, hidden agendas, and misrepresentations and move through our days with purity of purpose, not needing fanfare or glory to do our work well? How can our gentleness send a message to others that we cannot possibly be able to knowingly hurt anyone or anything so they feel safe and comforted?

Just thinking about this way of being in the world makes me feel more relaxed...more welcoming and open. I feel like being gentle is, in fact, the same as being incredibly strong. No one can possibly hurt you because you understand that anyone acting cruelly is just trying to cover a past pain, and coming in contact with a gentle soul may be exactly what is needed to neutralize and heal the wound.

I encourage anyone reading this to explore how you can be more gentle today and think of past experiences where you approached mean-spiritedness with a gentle nature and difussed any conflict before it even began.’ Ashley Karr

Thank you to Ashley and I also give thanks for the ever growing circle of amazing, talented and gentle loving souls I call friends, who bless my earth walk.

Respectfully,
Alison
Photograph by Christoper Purcell