A few weeks ago, I was able to do something that has been on my “bucket list” for a long time: visit the Bat Cave at El Malpais National Monument in my home state of New Mexico.
On warm summer evenings, Brazilian free-tailed bats burst from a lava tube known as Bat Cave for a night of hunting insects over the lava flows of El Malpais National Monument.
This bat cave is known for its magnificent “fly outs” in the summer months, and while I’ve known about this place for many years, I’ve visited the area in the fall and winter, but never in the summer. So this summer was the year!
It was an extraordinary experience filled with joy, sweetness, and awe.
NPS Photo
About an hour before sunset, I hiked the short trail to the bat cave, and found a spot by the side to sit and wait for the sun to go down. The evening was cool and windy, and even though it was July, I needed a jacket. 
As I settled, I checked in with the bats in anticipation. I knew that a “scout bat” would be the first to emerge, and if conditions were good, would return to let the other bats know it was time to fly. I connected with the scout bat and asked if the time was getting close.
“Not yet”, Scout Bat replied.
The wind was strong, and I wondered if this would impact the bats’ flight.
“It may change our direction and timing, but we often fly in wind, no problem.”
While I waited in anticipation, I asked the bats about their colony, about their experience, and about how they viewed the humans who come to watch their flights.
“Our colony is healthy and stable. We have been here for many many generations. We are a male colony. (Bats segregate by gender in the caves.) We all live and work here together. Our mates gather nearby.
We are aware of the humans and their delight in being with us. We feel their heartbeats with our echolocation! We feel their excitement and respect for us.
We are balancing the energies of the earth, and while our physical purpose of flight is to feed, we are also aware of the energetic impact of our colony, our echolocation, and our balance-keeping partnership with the insects who are our food.”
And then, Scout Bat came in with the message,
“I’m coming out again now.”
I waited, and in a minute or so, in the dimming light of dusk, I saw a solitary bat come out of the cave, fly a circle around the mouth, and then fly back in.
“It’s time! The others will be out soon.”
I waited….held my breath…and then, they came.
Massive swirls of bats, exiting the cave, spiraling around the entrance, and then flying. Thousands and thousands and thousands of them.
And the spot I had chosen was directly in their flight path.
I stood, mesmerized, as the bats swirled and flew around me. They flew so close I could feel the air from their wings as they passed me by the hundreds and thousands. I heard their echolocation, a chorus of beauty, and knew that they were aware of exactly where I was, how much space my body took up, and that they were able to expertly navigate around me.
I really have no words for the overwhelming sense of magic and beauty that I felt in the bats’ presence. Their energy was soft, so deeply gentle, and filled with what I can only describe as kindness, benevolence, and love.
I had a similar feeling as I’ve had when I’ve been in the water in the presence of dolphins and whales. The power of their presence, and their sheer numbers, was breathtaking.
Tears ran down my cheeks and all I could say, telepathically to them, was “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”
The flight went on for over 30 minutes…a constant river of bats emerging from the cave and into the night sky. Finally, reluctantly, I knew I had to leave and begin the short hike back to my car. The bats were still flying, but as darkness fell, I felt full, complete, and like I had been in a holy place.
My heart was bursting with gratitude and love for these beautiful beings and the energy they allowed me to be a part of for a short time. The feeling stayed with me for the rest of the evening, and I feel asleep with the sounds of the bats’ echolocation symphony and the soft beat of their wings in my ears.
