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2.22.2007

Four coyotes

Harold Jarche got me thinking about coyotes and free range chickens with his post and link to Coyote teaching. That calls for a story.

Coyote Appetite lives near a barnyard filled with stupid chickens. Coyote thinks there are signs everywhere that say: "Free Lunch". Coyote Appetite is extremely hungry. She knows she is doing the right thing to take advantage of the situation. The Rancher thinks differently. He shoots at Coyote every chance he gets. The Rancher appears to be one of the chickens himself. The chickens think "stupid Rancher -- stupid Coyote".

Coyote Curmudgeon is extremely clever, but he is too smart for his own good. Coyote thinks his size is an advantage wherever he roams. The more he knows, the more he can dominate, intimidate and over-power the free rangers and wild gamers. Coyote thinks his short tail is an advantage over long tail wild gamers like pheasants and road runners. Coyote Curmudgeon is his own worst enemy. Instead of getting shot at by a rancher for being hungry, he shoots himself in the foot by being clever. Coyote Curmudgeon gets beat by the little critters who take advantage of his determination and self righteousness. Meep Meep!

Coyote Contrarian is in between everything. In between over-simplifications and simplicity, Coyote complicates everything. Between today and tomorrow, Coyote travels in dreamtime's symbolism. Between struggling and quitting, Coyote gets it done with ease. Between convictions and clarity, Coyote is confusion. Between all or nothing, Coyote is a little of both and none of the above. Coyote Contrarian shows Coyote Appetite and Coyote Curmudgeon what is missing, mistaken, cyclical and wise.

Coyote Mind sees like a hawk and flies like an eagle. Coyote Mind can see what will happen next when being hungry or too smart for his/her own good. Coyote Mind sees the good he does and the difference she makes in between this and that. S/he gets the biggest picture and the smallest detail. Coyote Mind tells a medicine story of four coyotes.

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2 comments:

  1. Anonymous2/22/2007 3:20 PM

    What a fun story (and taxonomy)! It will give me something to think about the rest of the afternoon.

    Which Coyote dominates in you?

    (I envy your ability to write daily provocative posts.)

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  2. Tom Haskins2/22/2007 4:30 PM

    Thanks Roger!
    At this point in my life, Coyote Mind dominates. Perhaps that's how I can write "daily provocative posts". I launch off of other's blogs a lot rather than come up with inspirations in isolation. I got 3 pages of ideas today from a discussion I jumped in on another blog.

    I've been hungry, too smart for my own good and Mr. In-between somewhere along the way. My puppet troupe of Grumpy Grownups combined curmudgeons and contrarians, so I got a lot of experience empathizing with both to write their lines into the videos I produced and to improvise their dialogue on stage.

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