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Mojave Desert Experience

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archivist13

archivist13

Skilled Investigator
So I am in Las Vegas this week for work and I had day for myself. I decided to drive out to the Valley of Fire and spent the day wandering around the desert by myself. It was an amazing experience being isolated, alone, and off the grid. When I was leaving at sunset I was driving on a deserted highway where you could see for miles in ever direction and I was literally the only one out there. I had a single coyote come out of nowhere, run across the road 20 yards in front of me, stop on the other side of the road and stood there looking at me for about 30 minutes before walking away into the desert. It had a profound bad impact on me.

Does anybody have a similar experience and is there any folklore or Native American interpretation of coming across a lone coyote in the desert like this? Thanks!
 
Rather than answer myself I did a google search and came up with this: Coyote Symbolism & Meaning | Spirit, Totem & Power Animal

The tales of the coyote in Native American lore is all about the trickster - but I think this site gives a nice overview with some pretty graphics. ;) Pretty much walks the line regarding coyote - complex symbolism. What is significant is that the animal stayed with you for so long and how the animal's interest in you impacted you. A lot to think about, or mediate on. :)

I agree about the power of the desert. Very healing. Transformative.
 
Great stuff! I am pretty middle of the road with this stuff, but I have to admit my experiences in the desert a couple days ago had s profound effect on me and my thoughts on mysticism and stuff are definitely being challenged. Something happened to me that day for sure.
 
Go back. I'd go back, if only for a couple of hours, just to get another moment. Unless it wasn't a pleasant experience, then I wouldn't. :confused:

However, in your first post you wrote: "It had a profound bad impact on me." Did you mean to write 'bad impact' or is that a typo?

If not a typo - how 'bad'? Care to say? Then I wouldn't go back. ;)
 
archivist13 said:
That was a typo. It was an awesome experience. I’m back in DC now but will definitely be returning some day.
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That might explain some of the impact if that was your first experience of the desert. :) Going from lushness (a humid green climate) to one of austere dryness is breathtaking. That was my experience, too, many, many years ago.
 
I have been out west numerous times and been in the mountains, but always with other people (family, friends). This time I was completely alone. I love the forest and grew up in it, but being n the desert alone is so freeing and makes you realize just how empty, in a good way, that the world can actually be. I now Think everybody should spend at least one day by themselves in the desert. Truly life changing.
 
I like the desert. Mojave is a very mysterious place, with lots of strange people living on the edge so to speak. Desolate and isolated yet with highways that bring travelers/tourists in. Extreme heat, hopeless little towns with serious social problems, it's just weird and unsettling in places, yet out in the wilderness away from people it is quite tranquil.

Do an internet image search for Jo-burg and Randsburg California to see some very strange towns.
 
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