Author Archives: Cynthia Fain

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About Cynthia Fain

Biography of Cynthia Fain: Journeying into the forest, Cynthia Fain met a magical array of intriguing animals, and learned from their great challenges, triumphs and unique wisdom. Hiking on woodland deer trails, communing Biography of Cynthia Fain with ducks at the park, and being charmed by the animals of Ancient Oak wove a web of stories into Cynthia’s life. After graduating from the University of Maryland with a degree in Government and Politics, she pursued work in animal protection organizations. Ms. Fain worked for Friends of Animals in 1989, at their Washington, D.C. office. Serving as the Assistant to the Legislative Director, she monitored and reported on important legislative activity relating to animal protection issues. In 1995 she was hired by the American Humane Association. Working out of their Capitol Hill office, she served as an Assistant to the Executive Director. The American Humane Association is dedicated to the protection of animals and children. Cynthia worked as a Membership Specialist for The Fund for Animals in 2002. The Fund for Animals is one of the nation’s most prominent wildlife protection groups. Volunteer work included an internship with the Maryland Environmental Trust. This is a state government agency that puts land under conservation easements. Serving as a Conservation Easement monitor, Cynthia was proud to be a part of a state wide effort to perpetually preserve our environmental heritage. From 1991 through 1995 she served as a member of the Montgomery Village Environmental Committee. While a member of this committee she monitored many environmental and wildlife issues. This committee made recommendations to the Montgomery Village Board of Directors. Participation in rescuing injured wildlife was part of her mission while serving on the Montgomery Village Wildlife Rescue Team. Biography of Cynthia Fain She served on the Board of Directors of The West Montgomery County Citizen’s Association from 2009 through 2011. This is a civic - environmental organization that strives to protect forests, streams and agricultural areas in the Potomac, MD area. One of Cynthia’s primary missions is to promote non violent solutions to living with wildlife. She is particularly concerned with our constant use of violence to control wildlife populations, such as white tailed deer. She hopes her stories inspire readers to view all creatures as sacred and always turn to non-violence in their attempts to live among other sentient beings. She is currently working on the sequel to Mystical Animals of Ancient Oak, titled More Stories Along The Golden Path of Nature.

We Have Forgotten Our Powers of Observation

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Over the last several decades, as technology has engulfed us, we have totally forgotten about Powers of Observation. What are powers of observation? The powers of observation begin with the realization that our one agenda for the day – is not the only agenda. Other people, and animals also have their daily agendas.

I believe that this loss of honoring one another, in our daily rush and crazy driving, is largely behind the enormous amount of animals and people killed on our nation’s roads. We must begin with honoring life again. Every time we get in our car, we need to SLOW down. Instead of driving as fast and furious as we can, we need to always look around and pull ourselves into sync with the natural world.

I encourage people to slow down, always think about the terrain where you drive. If there are woods, there is bound to be an animal that jumps out. Drive with your peripheral vision. Never take your mind off the realization that another car, a pedestrian, or an animal will suddenly appear. The way we drive today, we are incredibly self absorbed and hooked into cell phones etc. This electronic fascination, does not belong on when we are in the car driving. Every day make it a priority to avoid hitting wildlife when you drive. I guarantee it will reduce the amount of animals killed on our roads.

At night, look for the glow and red of eyes on or right off the road. Anticipate animals will always jump out at night, and be prepared to yield to them. I see many animals run right over at night, and the driver did nothing to avoid hitting them!! This is all too regular of an occurrence on our roads.

Another power of observation exercise is to look for animals every day that are in your home, work or travel environment. What is that animal’s important mission for the day? Learn about the activities of the animals and nature around you. Another important power of observation is to know when you hear a person or animal in distress! If you ever wonder if an animal or person is in distress, go by your gut, and call for help.

A few years ago there was a terrible crime at a store in Bethesda, MD. A woman was being bludgeoned to death, and workers in an adjoining store, heard someone calling out for help, and yet they did nothing about it. This is simply inexcusable. When you hear an animal or person in distress – do not ignore them – do  something and call for help. This woman in the retail store might be alive today, if the workers in the adjoining store had banged on the wall and said we are calling the police. The same thing applies to animals in distress. Use your powers of observation. If you see an animal hit on the road, call for help. Do not just leave the animal to die a slow death. Call the local animal control and tell them there is an emergency and an animal has been hit and needs immediate help.

In my next entry, I will continue writing about this very important issue of powers of observation.

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A World Of Human Conveniences

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In the mid 1990’s, I moved to the community of Ancient Oak, in Darnestown, MD. I was so charmed by the meadows, old trees, and wildlife that I wrote my first book (yet to be published) Mystical Animals of Ancient Oak based on stories there. The 1990’s were a major turning point in the loss of green space, loss of wildlife habitat and over all decline in quality of life in the suburbs. This is when the violence to the deer and the hatred of the deer became very alarming. So much emotional volatility was projected on to these animals.

 What we were really witnessing, was the beginning of what I have come to call A World Of Human Conveniences. We are all in that constant insane rush. Our attitudes became all about us, our agenda and what was convenient for people. We totally left wildlife and their needs out of the picture. I truly believe that this is a very disturbing trend. Within this trend of creating roads, housing etc. without the needs of wildlife in mind, we have stampeded over living communities.

I fear that many people have no idea of the importance of the lives of deer or any other wild animal. Many people have come to associate deer with only negative ideas. And many of the civic and environmental groups whose meetings I attended were obsessed with putting out negative, fear based ideas about deer. We need to return to honoring what wildlife have to endure to live among humans.

I want anyone reading this blog column to go home and start making observations of what wild animals are going through to live among human chaos. I want you to find ways to learn from the deer and other wildlife. Find out what they have to teach you. We need to build a world that has more concern and compassion for other species. I think we have become too self consumed and need to feel more for the plight of other living beings.

In my next column I will speak about the issue of Powers of Observation. We as a species have to re awaken these great powers. This is key in living with other species in a more humane way.

 

Why are we so violent? In my first post I talked about the pressure the human population is putting around the Washington, DC suburbs, and I am sure this is going on in other cities and suburbs as well. I received an email from In Defense of Animals, and they are suing the National Park Service for the decision to kill deer in Rock Creek Park. The NPS is hiring people to shoot deer at night with fire arms and cross bows. Can you imagine, that people near the park would support this massacre? I grew up around Rock Creek Park and cannot believe the level of violence to the deer has escalated to this degree. Imagine, if someone invaded your home and began shooting you! Well that is exactly what we are doing to the animals that inhabit Rock Creek Park. No matter what damage the deer are accused of causing, it is our moral imperative that we find humane, non violent ways of protecting young trees etc. I find it alarming that so many environmental and conservation groups are so quick to blame the deer for environmental damage. But they fail to put this in perspective to the damage that people are doing. I have been a major environmentalist for decades, but I don’t support the use of cruelty to stop tree damage. Bow hunting is particularly disturbing because the deer bleed to death from one or more arrows. The fact that people around the park would support the use of bow hunting to any sentient being is shocking. What is wrong with the people in our suburbs? Why do they support this violence to the deer? What are they emotionally projecting on to the deer? This hatred of deer and violence to the deer has become epidemic in suburban communities. Now that I live near the Blue Ridge Mountains I know I was not crazy when I thought this violence to the deer had grown to outrageous levels. But stepping back from the madness – I believe more then ever that we are going to pay in one way or another for all this tragic oppression and violence to deer. There is no way this is providing any healing for the environment. It only can bring back negativity to communities to shed blood and violence. I’ll always be an environmentalist, but I won’t support those who hate deer and want more violence. And unfortunately in way too many environemntal and conservation meetings that I sat in on, all I ever heard was unilateral hatred of the deer.

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In my first post I talked about the pressure the human population is putting around the Washington, DC suburbs, and I am sure this is going on in other cities and suburbs as well. I received an email from In Defense of Animals, and they are suing the National Park Service for the decision to kill deer in Rock Creek Park. The NPS is hiring people to shoot deer at night with fire arms and cross bows. Can you imagine, that people near the park would support this massacre? I grew up around Rock Creek Park and cannot believe the level of violence to the deer has escalated to this degree. Imagine, if someone invaded your home and began shooting you! Well that is exactly what we are doing to the animals that inhabit Rock Creek Park. No matter what damage the deer are accused of causing, it is our moral imperative that we find humane, non violent ways of protecting young trees etc. I find it alarming that so many environmental and conservation groups are so quick to blame the deer for environmental damage. But they fail to put this in perspective to the damage that people are doing. I have been a major environmentalist for decades, but I don’t support the use of cruelty to stop tree damage. Bow hunting is particularly disturbing because the deer bleed to death from one or more  arrows. The fact that people  around the park would support the use of bow hunting to any sentient being is shocking. What is wrong with the people in our suburbs? Why do they support this violence to the deer? What are they emotionally projecting on to the deer? This hatred of deer and violence to the deer has become epidemic in suburban communities. Now that I live near the Blue Ridge Mountains I know I was not crazy when I thought this violence to the deer had grown to outrageous levels. But stepping back from the madness – I believe more then ever that we are going to pay in one way or another for all this tragic oppression and violence to deer. There is no way this is providing any healing for the environment. It only can bring back negativity to communities to shed blood and violence. I’ll always be an environmentalist, but I won’t support those who hate deer and want more violence. And unfortunately in way too many environemntal and conservation meetings that I sat in on, all I ever heard was unilateral hatred of the deer.

Welcome To My Blog – Promoting Compassion to All of Nature

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Welcome to my blog! I am excited to finally have a blog. My website is – www.MysticalAnimalsofAncientOak.com. As I sit here on the eve of Hurricane Sandy, I look out over the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains. After living in Maryland for most of my life, I relocated to Rockbridge County VA. My life is dedicated to pursuing compassion for all creatures. I write true stories about animals and nature. The Washington, DC area, where I lived most of my life, has become increasingly over developed. The severe loss of forests and farmland is putting people, wildlife and the eco systems under massive strain. As our suburbs became a mass of houses and commercial development, the entire energy of the area changed. I became particularly disturbed at the constant violence towards deer. I teach people to understand that all life forms are here for a sacred purpose. Many organizations, including government agencies, enjoy blaming deer for everything. I am going to be teaching people to view deer, and other wildlife as teachers and not as some enemy. Most of the things that deer are blamed for are primarly human induced imbalances. I lived in areas of Rockville and Potomac, MD where people are hiring bow hunters to kill deer in their yards. Not only is this profoundly inhumane, it is also sending a sick message to our children. It teaches children that barbaric violence is an acceptable way of dealing with conflicts in life.Obviously being wealthy and educated does not mean that people have a heart. This blog will be dedicated to issues about humane living, humane treatment of wildlife, emotional healing. And I also will write about other humanitarian topics. I am intending to bring about a shift in consciousness towards the deer and other wildlife. I believe that an emotionally healed society does not pursue violence. I honor the deer and what they have to go through to live among human chaos. I believe they are tremendously over blamed for environmental damage etc. I am an avid environmentalists, but I do not agree with many of the environmental and conservation groups that the deer are public enemy number one. I hope everyone can learn something positive and healing from my blog. The storm clouds of Sandy are converging around me. May everyone survive the storm. This will be all until my next post.

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