The Story of Raven

Last updated on: June 22, 2018 at 12:26 pm by Mark Nepo

The Story of Raven 2018-06-22T12:26:17-05:00 Mark Nepo

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I was in Vancouver at the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia when I entered a rotunda whose seats are scalloped like ripples in a deep lake. At the center of the ripples, where the stone would have dropped, is an enormous wood sculpture of a large bird on a half-open shell in which humans are waking. Some of the waking figures are eager to come out, while others are hesitant. The larger than life carving is on a stone pedestal, settled in a mass of fine pebbles which are patterned in ripples as well.

The sculpture was carved out of yellow cedar by the legendary Haida artist Bill Reid. It took him ten years to carve. This is all the more remarkable in that he chose to carve such a large statue because he had Parkinson’s disease and could no longer rely on his steadiness to carve small.

The carving portrays the creation story of the Haida people of British Columbia, which centers on the image of Raven; a powerfully wise spirit and trickster who is often depicted atop a clamshell washed ashore in which the first humans are coming alive. Raven is pecking at the shell, coaxing the first humans to come out into the world. Raven’s coaxing is wise because our human destiny requires that we come out of our shell to complete the world. But Raven’s coaxing is of the trickster because once in the world, the journey is not easy and the struggle is ongoing, and knowing as much we might not want to be born. For each generation, the challenge is the same: How to leave our shell and how to help each other live once out of our shell?

I circled Raven several times and felt the presence of Spirit in my own small life, urging me to step out of my shell. I thought of my tribe and realized that the call of every community is to facilitate birth in every way possible and then to help each other on our way once we’re here.

As if all this wasn’t enough, I then learned that before the museum was built, a WWII fort stood in this very spot. And below Bill Reid’s carving is a worn out gun turret. In fact, the architect planned to sit Raven over the turret as a symbol that how we come together can meet and repair how we come apart. Directly above Raven is a circular window in the ceiling, letting in the sky.

This huge, yellow-cedar statue, carved by a trembling man and placed between the remnants of war and the open sky, is a true totem: a living image to remind us that though we are born alone, we must live together. I invoke the totem of Raven: of Spirit coaxing us to crawl out of our shells, to stand on the earth, and to find our way together. History is a tribute to the many ways the human tribe has tried. Why gather and open all these stories, some triumphant, some failed? Because, can’t you feel the sea calling? Can’t you feel the land waiting? Can’t you feel the press of our shell? Can’t you feel the wise trickster Raven coaxing us to do more than watch? It is our turn.

A Question to Walk With: Our limited or expanded sense of community depends on whether we believe in a world that is not connected or in a world that is inextricably woven together. Bring four or five friends together. In conversation, have each of you tell a story of a time when you felt disconnected from the rest of life and of a time when you felt knit into the fabric of the Universe.

This excerpt is from my new book, More Together Than Alone: Discovering the Power and Spirit of Community in Our Lives and in the World*, which will be published next month by Atria Books.*

*photo credit: Pixaby

Mark's weekly reflections

Previous Post

June 11, 2018

Life Around the Fire

Next Post

June 25, 2018 The Aspen Grove

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 3i projects current events emotional states Heart in the news Mark's weekly reflections Michele's vlogs poetry Three Intentions happenings Uncategorized writing/books

Select a Month November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz