Living in Harmony with Other Species
I live in a remote forest area at the foothills of the Billawin Mountains (Victoria Range) in Gariwerd (Grampians), Western Victoria, Australia. It’s about four hours from Melbourne and six from Adelaide. Despite being far from the bustling cities, I feel more connected to life here than ever before.
Four years ago, I experienced a profound inner shift that began with an encounter with a small, fluffy bird with an oversized beak and an incredibly confident stare. Blossom, as I came to know her, is a tawny frogmouth, a native Australian owl. She wasn’t injured but had been orphaned and was in care until she could fly on her own.
One day, when the wildlife carer had to leave for a while, I was asked to look after her. Everything was fine until I had to clean Blossom’s cage. Getting her out was easy as she perched obediently but returning her was another story. She had moved to a different branch and I needed to pick her up and place her back. I’d never handled a tawny frogmouth before and her combination of fluff and sharp beak was quite intimidating.
Gently, I picked her up, unsure of what would happen next. To my surprise, she walked up my arm, climbed onto my chest, nestled into my neck, and chirped softly. In that moment, our bond was sealed. For the next six months, despite our differences—she, a carnivorous night owl, and me, a morning-loving vegan human—we met every day until she was ready to be released into the wild.
Simply by spending time with Blossom, I accessed a different form of inner communication, one that felt ancient and deeply embedded in all of us but somehow forgotten. This connection showed me that the divide between the ‘wild’ and human world is an illusion. We are all beings sharing this existence, each with a story, a presence, and a purpose.
By adopting a compassionate, non-violent approach, we blur the boundaries between species. It takes time, but this mutual respect fosters trust. On my land, there are no fences or invisible lines marking who belongs where. There’s only a shared understanding that this place is a sanctuary for all beings.
Living as a vegan has further deepened this connection. I believe animals sense when a human doesn’t consume animal products. There’s an unmistakable shift in their response—a calmness and ease that suggests they recognise a non-threatening energy. Embracing veganism has allowed me to be more attuned to the animals around me, communicating not through words but through presence, body language, and energy.
Harmony with other species goes beyond avoiding harm; it’s about actively engaging in a spirit of kinship and respect. Recognising their right to exist, their inherent value, enriches the shared web of life. This existence isn’t about human dominance but about participating in a delicate dance of interconnectedness. By moving with care and reverence, we rediscover that we are not separate from nature; we are part of it. And in remembering this, we find a path to live in harmony with all other species.
