No Going Back – Viking Ships & Half Hearted Swings – by Jesse Wolf Hardin

by Anima on February 7th, 2009

5 Comments

No Going Back: Viking Ships & Half-Hearted Swings

by Jesse Wolf Hardin (www.animacenter.org)

Wildness is ultra-expressive kids, unbowed women and unpaved nature, the irrepressible dandelion and the pet-scaring coyotes skulking within the city walls. It is also a state where our needs take precedence over custom and schedule, where we are self defined rather than defined by other’s expectations… where we respond to our instincts and hearts, act to realize our hopes, live our wildest dreams.

While I didn’t think of it as such at the time, traipsing to New Mexico with hardly even the price of gas was surely a wild thing for me to do, a rejection of not only the normal, safe way of doing things but of the mindset that there is anything in the world an impassioned body cannot accomplish with the right balance of impassioned effort or inexplicable miracle or magic. It was this that I drove my school bus camper home onto the land that became the Animá Sanctuary, across the fabled seven river crossings from a road and into what had once been a Mogollon Indian ceremonial center. It was wildly unreasonable but true to heart for me to cover the earnest money required for my very earnest offer, by selling both my motorcycle and the engine out of our bus — the absolutely only other transportation that we had.

Years later I read about how ancient Viking warriors had disembarked on a raid of and English or other enclave, only to find themselves confronted by a much larger contingent of defenders. The chiefs would on occasion set fire to their own ships’ sails rather than order a retreat, thereby ensuring that their men would give their all, guaranteeing there would be no “half-hearted swings.” By then I had covered the bus with wooden cabin sides and trimmed it with a river-gazing porch, dressing if not totally concealing the metal form that had been both vehicle and home. On the front I attached, for the general benefit of sentiment, history, my own gratification, and the curiosity of any guest to actually notice – a metal plaque embossed with an image of the Viking’s iconic shield-strapped vessel. It is a reminder of the importance of taking risks in order to fully live the adventure of our life and purpose, whether that means selling everything to buy land, or renting a studio to teach dance, or writing blogs publicly telling the truth and struggle of your growth for the first time. Daring to wildly stretch, grow, love and manifest, savor and celebrate

By the way, originally the word “viking” was a verb not a noun, and certainly not yet the generic term for a group of diverse and far flung Nordic tribes. It was a verb, a word denoting action… meaning not to raid or plunder, but simply (and boldly) to venture.

To read a full detailed history of the founding and development of the Animá Center & Sanctuary, please go to the Archives list on the left side of this page and click on the Animá History heading under Teachings & Practice. Thank you.

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Amy

February 8, 2009 at 12:08 am

Thanks for sharing this inspiring story of how you arrived in the canyon. It truly puts into perspective our own excuses for not tackling our labors of love in full force of spirit. I hope that you will share more of how the journey continued!
Yael

February 9, 2009 at 6:37 am

I cannot even begin to tell you how each time I read what you write I feel something stir inside me, something that whispers ‘yes, this is it’. I have sent in my application for The Medicine Woman Core course and look so forward to beginning, although, with all that I have read I feel perhaps I have take a small step already. Thank you for sharing of yourself and your family. I look forward to reading more.
Stacey

February 9, 2009 at 9:46 am

Wolf,
I love this post….I have so much to share with you all…and these inspiring words are once again both an affirmation and an inspiration to continue on this path that I have begun to journey! For, I am EVERYDAY, a VIKING!

Stacey
WhiteWitch

February 10, 2009 at 1:36 pm

Thank you for posting this In Norway we have an expression that means to “go on viking”. That’s what the vikings did when they went out and fought. I’m not sure if it makes sense in English. Anyway, I didn’t understand what “viking” actually meant until now
Anima

February 10, 2009 at 3:59 pm

I really appreciate these comments. Amy and Yael, as students you too are entering uncharted waters– as you further explore the capacity and depth of yourselves. It is good to hear from you in Norway, WhiteWitch. And Stacey, you continue to impress us facing so much uncertainty and change so bravely. To mercilessly paraphrase Robert Crumb: Keep on viking.