The sense of being stared at.

 

 I woke up last night (as I usually do) and got up to let my pups outside. I think it was around 4:30a.

As soon as I opened the door, I felt that feeling and looked up into the forest.

There they were...alert and very attentive to what I and my Chi and Toy Fox terrier were up to.

Laying pristinely on the ground no more than 40 feet away from where I was standing were three very small deer. Necks all stretched and those giant ears radaring the air.

Is funny how we can feel when we’re being stared at. There’s a whole science to this...see the book titled “The Sense of Being Stared At and Other Unexplained Powers of the Human Mind” by Rupert Sheldrake. This fascinating world of invisible connections is explained in full detail here.

But back to my story, I didn’t want these deer to run off. After all I was only going to be a few minutes then lights out and back to bed...I wished the same for the deer.

So I didn’t stare at them since I knew they’d feel the energy this would direct at them and they’d surely bolt. Instead, I took quick glances and wondered what they were thinking as they intently watched Pieces and Willis move about before they came back inside.

Both my pups have lost most of their hearing...so I suspected they wouldn’t even notice these three little deer laying on the ground nearby. But I wasn’t sure if they might smell them or if they too would feel the sense of being stared at and glance back in their direction.

None of that happened. We went back inside...the larger of the three deer stood up so silently...but none ran off at least before I closed the door and turned off the light.

I was kind of hoping they’d still be laying there when I went back outside this morning...but I knew better. I knew they most likely bolted as soon as we were out of sight.

I wonder so many things about the wild. Like how quick movement can be a threat..as is the sense of being stared at. I would imagine if you’re seen running off by a potential predator you’re more likely to be chased than if you sit still in the hopes that you’re not seen to begin with.

What a blessing it was to experience this last night...and to be reminded that we live in the wild. We’re surrounded by it. And somehow that’s very comforting to me.


Carry on.




#wildhearted

Photo Credit: Image by Jeanine from Pixabay