Samhain 2009 (1)

Hare and Lynx: The Cycle of Life
c.Lady Raven Ariana

When we look around us we can observe relationships and the patterns of interactions between predator and prey animals. These balances are vital to keeping ecosystems healthy. The predator/prey relationships experience times of change, waxing and waning in order to keep equilibrium over time. Their ebb and flow cycles adapt to seasonal variations that shift because of different climate factors, food availability, other animal/plant species interactions, various other environmental factors and disturbances by humans.

In the North American Rocky Mountain region we can observe the scientific study of the predator/prey cycle in Lynx and Snowshoe Hare. Observation over time has shown that the numbers of Snowshoes and Lynx varies. There are years that there is a population explosion in the Hare, followed by increased births of new Lynx. Then the pattern shifts and the Hare die off, leaving the Lynx to starve and expire from disease. Other years too many Hare and too little Lynx mean starving and diseased Hare.

This relationship is a dance that follows food availability that is affected by precipitation, temperature, specific plant growth, and competition from rivals. What has been discovered is that the amount of food available effects the population of both species. When there is not enough food for Hare, Hare dies. Lynx feeds on Hare. When there are not enough Hare, Lynx dies.

Natural adjustments take consideration of variance over time in climate and other factors affecting food availability for both species. Left intact this allows a dance of ebb and flow where both species survive overall. Some years the Lynx are few, other seasons both Hare and Lynx are scarce, yet during some times we see abundance. In a healthy system the pattern of the dance allows adaptation so that both species and the other plants/animals in co-habitation survive with the maximization of genetic diversity given differences in local climatic variation. Genetic diversity ensures the greatest chance overall of species survival. The more species survive the more everyone survives.

The dance of predator and prey is crucial for all. Balance needs to be achieved in the long term because false unbridled growth of any species for too long can equal disease, starvation, and even the loss of genetic variation.

What does this mean for the Celtic Shaman or other spiritual practitioner? Cycles happen and can be observed over more than a single year and a day. This means that we can be faced with life’s lessons over and over again, seen from different parts of the cycle, even when we think that we have already learned the particular lesson being represented. This also occurs with ancestral issues. We may carry lessons to be worked out that we have inherited from our ancestral lines. These issues might relate to parent/child struggles, creative expression, stress coping patterns, and anything else that has to do with living life in this classroom we call Mother Earth.

What Hare and Lynx can teach us is to use journaling and observation over time to see these larger patterns. We can then read back and see the cycles, how they play out and interact. Perhaps we can apply new tools to create healthy change in our interactions with these patterns. We can even change ourselves, heal, and move on to new lessons.

To learn more about Lynx and Hare read what is known about these animal helpers.
To start go to:

Canadian Lynx:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Lynx

http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Lynx_canadensis.html

http://www.nwf.org/canadalynx

http://ds.dial.pipex.com/agarman/canlynx.htm

Snowshoe Hare:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowshoe_Hare

http://www.museum.state.il.us/exhibits/larson/lepus_americanus.html

http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Lepus_americanus.html

http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/pubs/notebook/smgame/hares.php