Wednesday 30 April 2014

Animal Kingdom

There are so many aspects of our cognition, habits and behaviours that are extremely disconnected from our fellow species. We share this planet with them, we eat food, we find shelter and we create offspring, and we have many physical aspects that make us less strong or agile or sensory focused than other beings. Our minds have created customs, reilgions, transportation, physical structures and tools and communities that can communicate across nations in an instant. Does this make us better, happier than our animal neighbours? We will never know. But when is the last time you experienced another species taking their own life? Animals can become depressed, we know this, but it is often because of neglect in a domestic setting or the loss of a mate or child. This is normal grief. Our minds have the ability to take our thoughts, emotions and actions to a far different place that can be deadly for themselves and others. Why not take some time to connect with another species and try to observe their balanced lifestyle? Pet shops, your sister's cat or a nearby farm are great places to wander next to a different kind of soul, an animal soul. What are your favourite moments with animals?

4 comments:

  1. I do this every day and they can teach us a lot about life if we observe. Hug B

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  2. Never thought of this before. Animals don't have suicide tendencies.

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  3. I think that we actually can learn a lot about ourselves by connecting with animals. I think that it opens up a part of us that would otherwise remain closed. There is a quote I love "If you've never loved an animal, a part of your heart has never opened" and I think that's so true. Besides, isn't it impossible not to smile when a puppy is wagging its tail at you or when a cat is purring in your presence??

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  4. The only neurotic animals are those raised with humans. This has to do with Somatic Therapy. Animals, in the wild, know how to discharge trauma out of their bodies.

    We, too, need to do this. See Peter Levine, "Waking the Tiger, Healing Trauma." With my clients, they learn how to discharge the toxic emotional residue within them---physically---like animals. There's plenty of trauma stored within us, usually due to abuse: emotional, physical, verbal and psychological.

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