Uncle Sam and the tangled turn-on

I’ve been having trouble deciding on what to write about for this newsletter. I felt like I could somehow link together the recent discovery of the female snake clitoris and an attempted threesome involving a handful of viagra and a pair of twin brothers with the winter solstice to create an incredible newsletter celebrating the ecstasy of orgasm and our own inner light. And believe me, I am pretty darn sure I could have tied all of this together with one neat and tidy scintillating bow. However, these are now stories I am saving for another time. This is largely because this morning I felt like I was seized by the power of the holy spirit, shakti, the divine cosmos, or some such sense of spiritual awakening bliss when I witnessed a breathtaking display of two bald eagles in the middle of their “cartwheel courtship flight”. 

At first there were three eagles seemingly in a game of chase and then two of them became more intimate and started to play in the air in a way that appeared like they were captivated by one another and dancing in mid-flight. The enormous size of these majestic creatures was absolutely awing as I saw them floating with sublime agility in front of me while I perched at the window. I sat in the comfort of my parents’ warm winter home and watched these formidable birds of prey lock their talons and free-fall towards the water. They separated their embrace only moments before they landed on the ice sheets below them. The birds tangled and tousled over and over again repeating their interlocking and intimate pirouettes. My mother exclaimed that we were witnessing part of their mating ritual and from that information I got very excited and eagerly wanted to know more about how America’s national bird actually has sex.

So, I did some research and it turns out not only are these phenomenal creatures known for their daredevil-esque acrobatic sex, but they are also known for being a shining example of successful animal mating monogamy. Their courting rituals can last for hours and their bonds with one another can last for a lifetime. There is a caveat though, in the sense that this specimen of avian magnificence has a version of monogamy that isn't always exclusive to just two creatures. Sometimes, they prefer triads when it comes to pair bonding. In other words, America’s national bird is decidedly quite comfortable with threesomes.

And so what wisdom can I bring you from learning these incredible tidbits of animal kingdom information and how does it possibly relate to the winter solstice that is presently upon us? Well, I think it’s notable that during this time of scarcity and darkness, passion is still all around us and the craving for connection is so animalistically innate. I also think it’s astounding that nature is offering us all a quiet time to cultivate our desires so as the days lengthen and the light outside grows we are slowly given the gift and opportunity for rebirth. We all have the potential for this magical transition regardless of our gender or sexual orientation.

I am also so grateful to have witnessed the eagles in their loving embrace so I can remember that courtship is beautiful, and it is often best when we can allow ourselves to truly savor our time when in partnership. The cartwheel dive of the eagles also strikes me that they might not be so different from humans in that excitement and adrenaline could play a role in the way they perceive attraction and even lust. Exposing ourselves to potentially dangerous situations when dating has been shown to ramp up our turn-on for our partners with repeated success.

Lastly, the eagles are a bit inspiring in that monogamy can be super hot! However, our own personal version of a committed partnered relationship does not have to look like what mainstream society views as traditional. On the contrary, there are many permutations of what deep intimate love can look like, and we don’t have to choose a pre-ordained way of being in union or a prescriptive way of sharing our human bonded connection. And if the thought of stepping outside of the norm of what the popular public deems as morally acceptable scares you, then just remember our friends the bald eagles and that Uncle Sam may also actually find non-traditional ways of loving to be more natural than we think.

With these thoughts in mind, may you all celebrate whatever style of family you are part of as the holidays draw near. May we also take the time to appreciate the wonders of nature as the sun shifts from moving southward and begins to travel on its journey back towards the north.