Eye Contact: Snakes, Owls, Cats, Us, Yikes!
Snake
Friends, I had a staring contest with a snake the other day.
I loved it. I don’t think the snake did. Maybe not a contest so much as I enjoyed having eye contact with the snake until they decided to undulate gracefully away.
Owls
I’ve written before about the owl in my yard. Recently, I came upon an owl early one morning in my neighborhood park. Same species of owl, not sure if they were the same specific owl. We looked at one another intently. Like the snake, I assume with quite different levels of enjoyment.
Cats
Our cats and I make eye contact a lot. They communicate well with “meaningful eyes.” It’s quite clear when they need something, when they are enjoying whatever is happening (or not), if something is happening outside they want us to be aware of, if it is 2:00 on the dot and time for treats, and—in the case of one sweet girl—when I need to lower my voice. Article about cats and smother love.
People
The old cliché that eyes are the windows to the soul is a cliché because it has truth. Eye contact feels intimate; it conveys power and presence. How, when, where and for how long we hold it, and what the rest of our body is doing while we have eye contact matters. Some of that is a matter of choice. But what our eyes convey about us is often out of our control.
I don’t need to have prolonged eye contact in sessions. But looking at each other while in conversation (whether in person or on a video call) can give us each a sense of who the other is. A short time together can help you decide if you want to work with me. Being present in that way is informative. Eye contact gives us a glimpse into a person and how they affect us.
Yikes
Some folk’s eyes are eerily vacant, even when you are making eye contact. Pay attention.
Sometimes there is a disconnect between what the person says and what the eyes show. Pay close attention.
More Animals!
I’m transfixed by the eyes of many animals, too many to list…but OK here’s a few. Have you looked a snapping turtle in the eyes lately? Adorable. Mother deer? Queenly. Wren? They dare you to call them “little.”
Look at the “eyes” on this beautiful polymorphous moth.
Hope to “see” you soon!
Wishing you a peaceful heart,
Mara