Yesterday evening with temperature still close to 100 degrees, I was descending down a steep trail and suddenly I felt my panther walking beside me on my right side! In the shamanic tradition we have animal totems that we are in deep kinship with. My panther and I have been together for 32 years and have been on many magical adventures together all over the country. In fact, it was my meeting with him that opened the door to shamanism.
 

As I walked down the mountain, I felt him brushing his black fur against my leg, looking up at me. He will do this once in a while when I am hiking or even out walking in the street to get my attention. I had just speed-hiked up this same trail I was hiking down as a "cardio" I do three times a week. I figure it's about a 1500 foot ascent and I go up as quickly as I can. My record is 9 minutes! Of course, stopping to throw-up once! I always go at twilight because that's the time of day my soul feels most in alignment with. Three minutes into the climb I felt a weird pain in my shin two inches below my right knee. An ache I hadn't felt in a very long time perhaps since my soccer days - commonly referred to as a "shin-splint." I thought, "Uh-oh!"  

I stopped and stretched both knees and made the decision to keep climbing. The pain had lessened and was not bad enough to turn back. I was determined to make the summit and not retreat. On these speed-climbs, I love challenging myself and really pushing my breathing capacity. "I AM NOT STOPPING!" I yelled in my head! This trail is all "up" for a solid 9 minutes and you are continually out of breath the whole way - and some part of me loves it! With one last drive, I finally made the Summit! 
 

I waited for my legs to stop shaking from the exertion and stretched again - a lot. As I readied myself to go back down, I reminded myself to be super-careful, given the pain in my shin and encouraged myself out loud: "Go slow, brother." I descended, making very small careful steps on the steep-grade covered with slippery red rock shale and a minute later is when my panther showed up and as I said kept brushing up against me. I felt like he wanted to go first so I gave him the secret verbal signal that we have exchanged for three decades which means take the lead. He jumped ahead and we continued down and it occurred to me maybe he senses a rattlesnake - this has happened before - his radar feels something ahead. In 14 years in Sedona I have only seen 4 rattlesnakes - so the odds are great but in this moment I am in prime-rattlesnake-time - twilight and big heat - this is "happy hour" for them! I keep my eye out scanning the trail up ahead and the bushes on either side and extended my hearing-awareness, listening for that distinct rattle.
 

I notice my panther brother keeps looking back at me which is unusual - I feel he's checking on me. Then I become aware of a strange feeling as I'm walking - it's like I am floating! I sense what feels like a cushion of air underneath each step I take! I wonder if I am just  lightheaded from the climb but the air cushion continues to line the path and my steps feel like I am lightly bouncing! My panther turns his head around again focusing his green eyes on my feet as if confirming something then continues down the trail.  In that moment, I get it!  As he moves in the lead, he is creating with his powerful energy a cushion of air to help soften the impact of each one of my foot-falls to protect my shin! Wow! How amazing! Unbelievable! How creative and thoughtful. How magical! I called up ahead, excited "A Ho, my brother, A Ho! Thank you for taking care of me!" He glanced back, smiling at me. The floating sensation sustained all the way down to the bottom, my shin no worse, in fact, somewhat better!

Another "new happening" I have never witnessed in my life-long practice of shamanism. I am deeply honored and so grateful for his friendship. There are forces in this world that want to be our friends, brothers and sisters. I invite you to reach out to them! As always - if you honor them, they will honor you.