August 25, 2010

"It is written on the arched sky,
It looks out from every star...
It is spread out like a legible language
upon the broad face of an unsleeping ocean.
It is the poetry of nature;
It is that which uplifts the spirit within us..."
                   ---John Ruskin

 

I'm curious about the line ... "the poetry of nature ..."

Poems are often about nature or make use of nature metaphors, yet the idea that the natural world around us is literally speaking poetry, using a language is fascinating.  I've never thought of it that way before...

I'm privileged to live in Colorado where Mother Nature is often at her poetic best.  The language is all around me.  Graceful trees, strong mountains, the most breathtaking blue skies...

Yet, the element that always keeps me "reading" the world around me is the appearance of an animal.

When an animal makes an entrance, I feel my pulse quicken and I'm suddenly more attentive and transfixed.  Time melts away.  I am in the present moment.  I have nothing more pressing to do than watch this animal for as long as he or she permits me to...

That, to me, is the definition of a good poem.

The other morning, there were two fox kits playing in the meadow outside my window.  I stopped working, grabbed my binoculars, woke my husband, and watched them---with pure delight---until they somehow sensed my gaze and loped away.

Twenty minutes had passed without me realizing it.

I was lost in a poem...

 

August 18, 2010

"The words that come from the heart allow for a deeper understanding-a melting of spirits, a sense of unity, the liquid of love."

---Rev. Marsha Lehman, M.Ed., MA

The "liquid of love".  Isn't that expression juicy?

A family therapist I know often brings her dog to appointments with clients, especially when she suspects the session might be characterized by the client's mistrust.  Her little dog has a way of breaking through her clients' emotional barriers, melting their defenses and creating a sense of unity among those gathered in her office.  In other words, her canine co-therapist helps her use the  "liquid of love" to get to the true heart of the matter, to reach a deeper understanding.

Animals often help us humans move to the level of the heart, bringing forth a deeper level of expression.

This is one of the reasons I find pet loss counseling so rewarding.  As people gather for their pets' euthanasias and to say good-bye, the best of them comes forth.

Expressions of gratitude.

 Heartfelt apologies.

Appreciation for the simple gift of friendship.

All are present, along with honest displays of sadness and grief.

All mixed together in that seldom-felt "liquid of love"...

 

August 11, 2010

"Why is being heard so healing?"

-Margaret Wheatley

I read a magazine article recently that said the average person "consumes"---that means either reads or hears---100,500 words EVERY DAY.

That's a lot of words.

And a lot of information to take in, sort through, remember, and use.

It's no wonder that, sometimes, I feel like that proverbial small voice crying in the wilderness ... is anybody out there?

Honestly, I feel that there are very, very few people in my life who really HEAR me when I'm communicating.  Many try to listen, try to understand.  But they have their own concerns.  Their own stories.  Their own opinions about what I should do.

They listen, but they don't always hear...

But, there is one soul I can always, always count on to hear me when I need to pour my heart out.  And, I'm sure you can guess who that soul is.  My dog Bear.

He has a soulful gaze that searches my face for signs of what my heart is feeling.  His body language is attentive and conveys a readiness to truly "be there" for me while I'm thinking my thoughts out loud.  And that tail.  It wags when my voice sounds happy, droops when I seem to be sad.

That tail lets me know I'm heard and being heard---even by a dog---is healing.

 

August 4, 2010

"Happiness comes of the capacity to feel deeply, to enjoy simply, to think freely, to risk life, to be needed."                                                                             -Storm Jameson

The bond with a companion animal is characterized by all the qualities mentioned in the above quote.  Sharing life with a pet can make us aware of the depths of unconditional love and the simple pleasures of life.  A pet's companionship can help us feel bolder and more confident about venturing out into the world, participating in events and activities that we wouldn't get involved in on our own.

And research suggests that being needed by our pets can give our lives purpose.  For those who live alone, for the elderly who still want to feel useful in the world, for children who spend time at home after school while parents work, it feels good to be needed by a pet.

I like the feeling, too, even though I'm at that stage in life where I'm often overwhelmed by the needs of so many others.  Still, being needed by a pet is a unique feeling.  They are so utterly and completely dependent on our care.

When I rise to meet my pets' needs, it improves my self-esteem a little.  It reminds me, every day, how good it feels to help and care for another living being, to matter to someone else.

It helps me know I am a responsible, loving presence in the world.  A force for good!

Who knew we could get all that happiness from living with a pet? 

 

July 28, 2010

Our friend, Jean, has joined the blogging world. She is mainly writing about her experiences with her lovely horses, Bud and Pepper.

However, her cat, Mija, has protested the lack of a cat in her posts, and is now offering up her wisdom to readers each Wednesday! What is it about Wednesdays and wisdom?! We thought you would enjoy a piece of wisdom from Mija. Go visit Jean, Mija, and the rest of the gang over at her blog, Two Old Horses and Me.

"Just living is not enough, said the butterfly. One must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower."  --Hans Christian Anderson

It's Wednesday and that means another potcast from Mija.

You may notice that she is sending her message to you from a different pot this week.
In fact, she has three pots in different locations in the yard that she rotates between. In the heat of summer, she favors lying in the shade. And a bed of potting soil that has been slightly dampened makes excellent air conditioning.

Mija is a big fan of gardens. She spends some part every spring, summer and fall day enjoying her outdoor domain. It's why I have to work from home!

Mija can be cranky when she misses out on her daily sojourn in the garden. And really, it's a small thing to give her time with the flowers. She approaches the garden as if she were the duchess of an English manor house. She doesn't work in the garden, mind you. She has a household staff to do such menial tasks. (That would be me.)

What Mija does is enjoy the garden. Every day. To the fullest.

If I weren't so busy weeding, watering and deadheading, I'd have more time to lounge in the garden too.

Is there a lesson here?  It is good to be queen...   Happy Wednesday!

 

July 21, 2010

Simply looking forward to watching a funny movie or laughing with a good friend reduces three different stress hormones in our bodies. Anticipating a humorous experience also boosts our endorphins and human growth hormone, which shores up our immune systems. This means it's actually good for you to take a break and have some fun!

(Source: American Physiological Society annual meeting, April, 2008)

 

July 14, 2010

"The vital function that pets fulfill in this world hasn't been fully recognized.  They keep millions of people sane."

---Eckhart Tolle, Guardians of Being

Sanity.

Isn't that a lofty goal for the 21st century we live in?

I don't know about you, but there are days when the multi-tasking, interruptions, mini-crises, and unexpected demands of the day truly make me feel like I'm "losing it".  And my solution to that level of stress and overwhelm?

Work harder. Work longer. Work more...

But, then I remember my cats and dogs.  They're waiting for me at home.
Grafton and Jewell (my cats) like to eat around 3:30 in the afternoon and have the window in the bedroom opened for them so they can sniff the afternoon air and scold a bunny or two as they pass by...

Bear (my Chessie) is itching to get out in the yard about 4:00 to chase down that wicked tennis ball that lays there by the door, taunting him throughout his day indoors...

And, Beau, (my cocka-pit-poo-who-thinks-he's-a-Chessie) gets a bit frantic if he can't patrol the perimeter of our property by at least 5:00 each day.  After all, he's the only one who seems to grasp the importance of keeping all those pesky neighbor dogs away from our trees and bushes!

Yes, like me, each of my pets has a "schedule" and a job to do.

But, you know what?  They do them and then they're done.

End of stress.

Back to sleeping and hanging around with the humans.

Now that's what I call sanity.

 

July 7, 2010

"Education does not necessarily bring greater wisdom.  Neither does experience.  There are many highly educated people who lack basic wisdom.  And there are many people with decades of experience who still have no understanding of how or why any of it happened.

True wisdom can't be taught in a classroom, nor does it come from repeating negative experiences over and over again.  Wisdom has only one Source---a Presence that lives inside you.

Go within....claim Its wisdom, and you will know what to do next."
                  ---Edward Viljoen and Chris Michaels, Practice the Presence

Most of my writing and teaching career has been spent helping people recognize that they truly do possess their own kind of wisdom.  Then, once they've learned to listen to and trust their intuition, I've showed them the numerous ways they can use it to help themselves and those they care for...

This isn't easy to teach, especially when I'm no expert at doing this myself!  I'm constantly learning more about accessing and communication my own wisdom, too.

In class, when I need to point to a role model, I ask  students to go home and observe their pets.  An animal's inner knowing comes from being deeply connected to exactly who they are and to exactly what they want at any given moment:

I want to go outside and I feel happy about that.
I want to eat my dinner and I'm so excited about it!
I want to take a nap so I'll curl up here in the sun and rest for as long as I want.

As humans, we tend to over-think everything.

I want to go outside and I feel happy just thinking about it, but I should really do some laundry first and gee the grass is long.  Maybe I should mow the lawn first and then sit in the sun....

See what I mean?

What do you really want and what wisdom lies within you about how you can have it?  Take a lesson from your pets and claim it!