Awareness of Animals

Awareness of Animals

Today I will share what I have come to realize about the animals, the birds, and perhaps all of Nature. They are all very much aware of their surroundings far more than we realize.

We, as humans, live in a culture that has been defined with a very narrow view of reality. One in which "reasoning and logic" prevails. Ideas brought about by our left brain are allowed as sensible, smart, and reality. Whereas, almost everything brought about by our right brain is deemed as irrational, emotional, unfounded, and pretty much nonsense.

Every one of us has had a moment where our gut-feel has told us one thing, while our heads and reasoning have told us something else. The classic "don't go down that road today" moment. And we often find out later why. In our culture that kind of thinking is deemed as unexplainable, as absurd, yet it consistently is proven to be true. Everyone knows a woman's gut feel is often right, and it's not good to question it. Well, we all have that Inner Truth Within. It does not come from our reasoning skills that have been taught us. It comes from a higher level, from our connection to a greater world around us.

To anyone who owns a dog we know our dogs are more aware. It is often without question. They know when we are coming home early. They know when we are thinking of food. They know when we are thinking of going somewhere. We can't explain how they know these things, but they simply do. We all have seen it, we know it, and we accept it as truth. What is also interesting is we have all seen that dogs have a keen sense of who someone is. They know if a person is good or not, if their intentions are bad today. A Dog Always Knows when someone is up to no good, or a shady character. Even we do with our inner knowing if we turn our reasoning head off and go within to our gut feel and intuition.

I suggest that ALL animals and birds, and perhaps all of life has this same awareness. When someone new enters a forest, a glen, an area by a stream, every animal and bird who lives there goes on alert. They sense us coming. They reach out and feel what we are like just like our dog does. Are we sneaking trying not to be seen like a predator does? Are we wrestling thoughts in our head about our busy day, a world that makes no sense to animals? Are we going around in our head arguing with our boss perhaps... putting out a negative vibration? Or on the other hand, are we peacefully entering their space full of Joy and Love? Are we glad to be entering their home? Do we come with a feeling of gratitude and appreciation ready to share the space with others? Everyone who lives there reaches out with their awareness to see who we are and what is in our thoughts. They know just like our dogs do if we mean well or not. They know if we are open and warm, and come to meet and harmonizing with who lives there.

All the diverse lives who live in these natural spaces know it as home. We humans are the ones who may or may not belong. Many of them are ready to accept us, if we will come into their space with the consciousness found in nature. Once they see we don't mean harm, are in peace in our heads, they don't mind sharing the space as they do with each other. Many species are there living together in harmony, in a greater awareness.

So how do we enter their space? How am I able to get many of my photographs? By joining and harmonizing with them. Sneaking does not work. They know anyone with sneaking thoughts is untrustworthy. It is what a predator does. Instead enter their space open and accepting. Let them know you mean no harm to them, that you visit in peace. Reach out with thoughts and say hello, showing appreciation of their wonderful world.

All of nature has this expanded awareness. They all feel each other and are connected. And at times we can share that awareness, we can feel something on the wind. We can feel the trees, and the animals. We can sense something is around the bend in the trail. But to take this further I'll ask the giant question. ... How is it that most humans have lost this ability? How have we stepped out of this simple awareness of the world around us that everyone else on earth has? How have we separated from this unity, from this consciousness that is shared among all others who live here? We often see children still have this awareness. As Jesus says we must enter The Kingdom as a child. Perhaps innocent and aware, still filled with awe. Do we lose this awareness as we grow up? Have we been steered away from these senses?

I would suggest as a culture, we have separated from Spirit, from Soul, from God. All Native Cultures on earth share some basic truths our modern cultures have walked away from. They can sense and feel if a predator is lurking behind the next tree. They know when the rains are coming. They have a connectedness to what is going on around them. They feel connected to all, not separated. It's a world filled with inner knowing and outward oneness. Native teachers believe God / Great Spirit / Creator by any name, is within all of us, within all beings, all things. They do Morning Prayers, Evening Prayers, Prayers before they eat, Prayers to their fellow beings they are sharing the earth with. They see Holy Spirit, God within all things. They honor and are united with His Consciousness found within us, and all around us every day in all things.

We can each return to this awareness. We can be at peace and learn a reverence for nature, for the animals, for the birds, the trees, even the rocks, and for mother earth, for God's Spirit flows through all things. We can have a Reverence for All of Life as we strive to walk in Harmony and Grace.

                                                                 Job 12:7-10
But ask the animals, and they will teach you,
    or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;
or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
    or let the fish in the sea inform you.
Which of all these does not know
    that the hand of the Lord has done this?
In his hand is the life of every creature
    and the breath of all mankind.

This is the path we need to return to.
A path in balance with all of God's Kingdom.
Every day walking in Appreciation,
in Grace and Prayer.