During the time before awakening, I have had some experiences that have opened me up to more than the box of the mind. I moved to the tropics not too long ago at that time and so I was a beginner within the rainforest environment. I went to stay for couple of nights in a resort that was located within a national park located about an hours drive North of the river that was crossable by ferry. Then it was another hour or so drive to the first small town with a small colonial style hospital.
The resort had lovely villas that were connected by a windy concrete path. I had a lovely dinner at the restaurant and then at around 8pm I headed to my villa. The pathway was not very well lit and there was debris on it too. I stepped on what I thought was a fallen branch and to my surprise it moved. It was a snake and it swirled around and bit my leg. I didn't feel any pain but only a type of cold at the spot. It was so quick and within a second I was transported into a completely different reality. From one which included spending a relaxing evening in my beautiful villa and the next day enjoying the beach and the rainforest surroundings to a reality where the possibility of death was present and real. It is amazing how quickly everything changes. All other concerns and worries become insignificant and the main thing I could hear was the strong rhythm and the beat of my heart.
Considering myself as an independent strong woman at that time, my mind quickly pre-planned the next course of action. I remember noticing just how calm I was, matter of fact. I just did what needed to be done. I figured I wasn't going to stay the night so I went to my villa, packed my bag and walked to the reception. The friendly couple that took on a caretakers position only two weeks ago were luckily still there as the reception closes in the evening. I calmly said 'I think I have a problem. I was just bitten by a snake'.
And the lady caretaker screamed and sprung into action. They were not really sure what they needed to do and they panicked on my behalf too. They told me to sit down and the woman put on a dressing on my leg. She was shaking so the dressing was loose and later when I walked it kept on falling off. The man phoned the Royal Flying Doctors who cover the remote regions and they advised him that if I'm not dead already, I should have about 13 hours time for any poison to start operating.
The whole scene was quite comical and I was somewhat separated from it all. It was like I stepped aside and was an observer who also kept on hearing my own heartbeat.
The doctor on the phone told us that I should be transported to the nearest hospital, which was 2 hours drive away. It was decided that the woman was going to drive me. I vividly remember that event and especially the drive through the rainforest. I remember how alive the dark forest appeared to me that was lining the white unsealed road. There were many little animals scurrying away from the light of the car. I remember how bright the stars were that were shimmering above us through the canopy. I remember the sound of the woman talking, she probably thought she was helping but I could not concentrate on anything she was saying. It felt like humming. There was a huge chasm between us, one that could not be crossed at that time. I was in a space where death was real. And yet I was so alive then, during that drive. As never before. I felt the stars, I felt the air, I felt the forest. I felt the joy of living, the thrill of being alive. I felt my heartbeat and I could even hear it with my ears. Thump, thump, thump, like the rhythm of life. I felt the intense presence of the living creatures in the forest, even the air was sparkling and dancing.
Each breath I took so delicious, so life giving. I could feel the air as it traveled down my throat into the lungs. I was breathing so deeply and deliberately. Thump thump my heart was beating strongly. I was able to perceive so many different things at the same time. The forest, the starts, the beating heart, the humming of the woman, the car. I could feel its wheels touching and interacting with the stones of the road, its texture so white and so reflective in the brightness of the car lights. The rhythm of nature was breathing itself drawing the in and out breath just like me, in unison. I felt one with it, one with the forest. The stars.
I have never experienced anything like it, and the woman kept on humming but I was in a completely different world, different reality.
And we made it to the ferry, crossed the river and then made it to the hospital. They had to call in the doctor, a lovely man originally from Canada. I stayed in this gorgeous colonial style hospital overnight. The snake that bit me was poisonous, they can tell by the shape of the bites. But the doctor said it must have fed just before that, and so its poison sacks were empty. Yes I was lucky for sure. And because of what I experienced, I had no trauma. Went back to work the next day. In the next week I had two more encounters with a snake. I was walking in a botanic gardens and a small green python fell on me. Yes snakes sometimes do fall of the trees, I've seen them.
Few days later, I was sitting by the lake, leaning on back on my hands when I felt something on my right hand. As I turned around to look a snake twisted itself into a spiral and jumped into the lake. So quickly that I didn't even have time to react. And yes, the snakes can jump, I've seen them do that at other times too.
This experience has changed me profoundly, it opened me up to other realities and it asked of me to find a way to feel that kind of aliveness, that kind of perception again. And so I did. Without having to experience dramatic things. And in this way also, I am grateful to my sister snake for the initiation, for this gift.