The Grand Illusion of Scale and the Sancity of All Life?

[Heyoka_11]

Hello Everyone,

I'd like to tell you about something which happened this morning. Nothing really that much out of the ordinary, but something that has prompted me to write of one of the most valuable lessons in my life.

Whilst driving on a remote country road this morning, I passed over a small bird which had obviously been struck and killed. I glanced in the rear view mirror, only to see a broken wing wave at me in the breeze, then fall back to the lifeless body. As has happened before, I continued to drive a short way down the road, all the time knowing that I would have to go back and rescue this birds mortal remains from the middle of the road. Actually, the further I drove, the louder the voice in my head became, "Get back there and rescue me!"

It was a juvenile pigeon, perhaps too young to possess the necessary skills to avoid speeding cars, but often collisions occur no matter what we, or an animal may do. I picked up the bird and nestled it amongst the bushes on the side of the road. I petted and blessed it, wishing it's spirit well. It does not sit well with me to leave a once beautiful creature in the road, only to end up wafer thin the following day. Taking care of its remains is to give respect and honour to a life that once was.

So what's the lesson here? I think that it is that life is life, no matter how big, no matter how small, it is only a matter of scale that separates we humans from a whale, a pigeon, or from an ant. Many humans make a clear distiction between themselves and other lifeforms, giving little thought or regard to animal or insect life. Often that distinction is based upon the possession of salience, or the level of intelligence that we think a species of animal may have. I fear that this is a grave mistake, as life itself is precious, in all it's forms.

For my own part, it was being stripped of this grand illusion of scale which engendered this respect for all life. How would we feel if we encountered an alien species which stood one hundred feet tall, and we were little more than ants to them? How would we feel if they decided to squash us under foot, based upon this same illusion of scale? I don't think that we would be very happy at all, but it would be a lesson in the learning for us as a species.

So, if acknowledged, how can we strip ourselves of this grand illusion based on scale? For me it was quite simple, and I am in no way unique, so this simple act should be sufficient. Just take the time to stop and observe the way simpler life forms play out around you. It could be finding the time to watch as a spider spins it web, or marvelling at the gradual building of a birds nest. It could be any of a million different things! What is important here is that we ocassionally find the time to stop and observe, instead of hurrying by, indifferent to the beauty that actually surrounds us.

I understand that many Avalonians are already in the space of which I speak, but there maybe some who are not. I am sure that most of us do find the time to observe nature carefully on the odd ocassion, but speaking personally, it was of great benefit to make a regular event out of it.

I recall a key ring that I possessed in my teen years. It was a trinket, posted out after a family member made a donation to a childrens charity. On it was engraved the following;

"A Man Never Stands So Tall as When He Stoops to Help a Child"

Same concept I guess........humility.

Best Wishes to All,

Tony.

[Lord Sidious]

The measure of a man or woman is how they treat those weaker than them.
You passed the test nugget.
Glad to know you.

[Heyoka_11]

The measure of a man or woman is how they treat those weaker than them.
You passed the test nugget.
Glad to know you.

Thank you for the kind thought Rob. Likewise my friend.

[Sierra]

One evening, there was only one bird left on my patio, a baby female junco. She was sad and grieving and cold. I said come huddle in the corner by my bed, out of the wind, worried and not understanding. The next morning, I found her in the corner by my bed, where she had died. She was perfect and I do not know why she died. I buried her under the rosebushes under the Redwood.

We talked her and I perfectly clearly. She knew she was dying and I did not want to hear it.

It affects me so to this day. I feel as if I let her down, that I could have comforted her more.

Sierra

[Marianne]

Well done, Tony.

[Heyoka_11]

It affects me so to this day. I feel as if I let her down, that I could have comforted her more.

Thanks Sierra,

We don't forget things like that, do we? But what more could you have done? You were able to provide shelter, and gave the little bird a more dignified setting in which to leave it's life behind.

I have had similiar events in the past, and what used to rattle me most was my inability to change the outcome. It was as if I should have been able to, but could not. I used to feel awfully cheated by death, and am told by family that as a young child I would enter into a two week mourning if any of the pets died!

[Tane Mahuta]

THankyou for the post Heyoka

TM

[Marianne]

One evening, there was only one bird left on my patio, a baby female junco. She was sad and grieving and cold. I said come huddle in the corner by my bed, out of the wind, worried and not understanding. The next morning, I found her in the corner by my bed, where she had died. She was perfect and I do not know why she died. I buried her under the rosebushes under the Redwood.

We talked her and I perfectly clearly. She knew she was dying and I did not want to hear it.

It affects me so to this day. I feel as if I let her down, that I could have comforted her more.

Sierra

Sierra, perhaps that little bird came to show you something you needed to know, as a totem animal. My totem animals are Owl and Frog, and they have taught me since I was a child.

Perhaps it would help you if you do something to connect with birds--maybe put up a feeder, or plant something in the garden that would feed or shelter them.

I love your name, BTW.

Marianne

[Lord Sidious]

One evening, there was only one bird left on my patio, a baby female junco. She was sad and grieving and cold. I said come huddle in the corner by my bed, out of the wind, worried and not understanding. The next morning, I found her in the corner by my bed, where she had died. She was perfect and I do not know why she died. I buried her under the rosebushes under the Redwood.

We talked her and I perfectly clearly. She knew she was dying and I did not want to hear it.

It affects me so to this day. I feel as if I let her down, that I could have comforted her more.

Sierra

Sierra, perhaps that little bird came to show you something you needed to know, as a totem animal. My totem animals are Owl and Frog, and they have taught me since I was a child.

Perhaps it would help you if you do something to connect with birds--maybe put up a feeder, or plant something in the garden that would feed or shelter them.

I love your name, BTW.

Marianne

How do we find out what our totem animals are?
I have two familiars, both Siamese cats.

[Marianne]

I knew because of events that happened with my totems, over the course of years. It was a 'felt' thing.
I think I have a book of finding your totems -- let me go pile into my library and I'll post some info for you.
Oh you have familiars -- how lovely. I wish I had a cat or two, or ten.

[PurpleLama]

Ha! I almost posted earlier, and didn't, as I have nine cats who are entirely too "familiar" if you ask me. I try to tell them about the sanctity of all life, and they say if it's smaller and slower then it's food and that's what's really sacred. Of course, I try to tell them that's only true if it's for food and not for sport, but I'm not sure they can tell the difference. They won't acknowledge it even if they do.


there is a set of "medicine cards" used in a similar fashion to a tarot deck that can be used for determining ones totem and animal spirit guides. I'll gladly draw a few for you, sid, but I can't attest to the accuracy 'by remote'.

[Heyoka_11]

Ha! I almost posted earlier, and didn't, as I have nine cats who are entirely too "familiar" if you ask me. I try to tell them about the sanctity of all life, and they say if it's smaller and slower then it's food and that's what's really sacred. Of course, I try to tell them that's only true if it's for food and not for sport, but I'm not sure they can tell the difference. They won't acknowledge it even if they do.

G'day PL,

I too have used this approach with my two felines, but they simply feign an inability to converse in the English language. They have no problem understanding "breakfast" or "dinner" mind you!

[Marianne]

How do we find out what our totem animals are?
[/QUOTE]

I found some info but need to sort through it. In the meantime, think back over your life to remember if any animals kept making an appearance in your life, or if you had dreams about certain animals.
Think about the circumstances, and notice any patterns. Tony's sanctity of life post resonated with me because that was a lesson Frog has taught me, beginning at age 12. I don't think Frog is in the Cherokee tradition (which is a part of my culture), but that doesn't matter to me.

PL's medicine cards sound like a good idea--but you can also think on the above questions, to gain a deeper knowing.

Marianne

[WhiteFeather]

Very Heartfelt Story My Brother, & Thank You.
Namaste - I honor the place in you
in which the entire universe dwells.
I honor the place in you
which is of love, of truth, of light, and of peace.
I honor the place in you where,
if you are in that place in you,
and I am in that place in me,
then there is only one of us.

[Sierra]

I have had similiar events in the past, and what used to rattle me most was my inability to change the outcome. It was as if I should have been able to, but could not. I used to feel awfully cheated by death, and am told by family that as a young child I would enter into a two week mourning if any of the pets died!

That is it exactly Heyoka, I was not able to change the outcome. I do that mourning thing too lol (excessively she says with embarrassment...).




Sierra, perhaps that little bird came to show you something you needed to know, as a totem animal. My totem animals are Owl and Frog, and they have taught me since I was a child.

Perhaps it would help you if you do something to connect with birds--maybe put up a feeder, or plant something in the garden that would feed or shelter them.

I love your name, BTW.

Marianne

Thank you Marianne :) I love my name too. It is the best name I ever had! Yes, birdies and me have a thing and the yard is all set up for them (multiple feeds, two bird baths). I originally set it up as a floor show for my arthritic and aged McKnao (see black cat on the left), who would lie on the bed at my feet and watch the birdies while I pootered away. I wanted him to be able to still see life even though he couldn't move around as much.

I don't know who my totems are. I have "talked" with several kinds of animals. The one time I seriously shamaned in an "emergency" state, I visioned to the West a Grizzly and to the North, a Polar. They were huge: Both were upright with forepaws held up facing me. I rode a wolf through a virgin green forest in that vision.

[Orph]

Okay, so you're out for a walk and you come upon a skunk with its head stuck in a paper coffee cup. You know the kind, from Starbucks, with a dome shaped plastic cover and a hole in the top. What do you do? .......................... I did the only thing I could do, knowing full well what the outcome was going to be. But, if you love nature, and animals, you can't just walk away. So here's a lesson on the "should haves" that at the time I didn't know to do.


What I should have done was to take off all clothing that was of any value, meaning, clothes you'd rather not have to throw away. (Obviously you have to stay decently dressed). The next thing I should have done was to sacrifice one article of clothing. In my case it would've been the T-shirt I was wearing. Take the sacrificial piece of clothing and gently put it over the top of the tail and hindquarters of the skunk. The next thing I should have done was to position myself alongside of the skunk facing the same way as the skunk. Do not stand in front of the skunk in a face-to-face position. The skunk can't see you with it's head stuck in the cup anyway, but that's not the reason you line up alongside of the skunk.


Next, you gently put one hand on the skunks shoulder just behind it's head and hold the skunk firmly in place. You grab both the cup and the plastic lid, because they both need to come off together. Then you pull the cup/lid off. You may have to really really tug to get that sucker off of it's head. I couldn't believe how tight it was on there. As soon as you get that cup off then ZOOOOOM! You're outta' there. You can see the mistakes I made, including being face-to-face with a scared skunk when the lid came off. I wasn't able to get turned around fast enough to escape. That's why you put yourself alongside the skunk, facing the same way. Makes for a faster getaway.


But it was all worth it because a few minutes later a wave of energy, (or something), from Mother Nature washed over me and it said "Thank you. I can breathe again."

[Sierra]

Oh Orph! You are my HERO!!! (And I am memorizing your advice ...) (just in case...)

Sierra :wave:

[Heyoka_11]

Very Heartfelt Story My Brother, & Thank You.

And thank you WhiteFeather, for a very heartfelt and wonderfully composed reply.

I see that your avatar is all grown up now. Much better!

[Heyoka_11]

But it was all worth it because a few minutes later a wave of "Thank you. I can breathe again" from mother nature washed over me.

Thank you Orph for a great post.

What I have quoted from your post is very, very real. Some may interpret it as just a wave of self satisfaction, and as justified as that may be, what you are describing transcends any egoistic response.

A few months ago, with only a few minutes before the arrival of the bus which would take me to the local airport, I spotted a shag (feathered kind...see below) that had become trapped in an outdoor sports enclosure; the netting type, including roof. It had found a rip in the material, and having mistaken the astro-turf for real grass, found it's way in. It was a stinking hot Summer's day, and the poor thing was already in a distressed state. Cut to the chase Tony! OK, finally, after much argy-bargy, I managed to get it back through the hole in the netting, at which point it swung around and clamped onto one of my fingers. Check it's beak out. That is meant for catching fish. Ouch!! The lesson here............grab shags by the neck, immediately below the head, not at the base.

I do these things out of a sense of duty these days, and neither try to remember them, nor place great significance on them. Nonetheless, I know that, as you say, mother nature does want to reward us with an unmistakable "Thank you", and would rather that we not forget.

9621

A shag of the feathered variety.

[Sierra]

Once a humming bird got trapped in the office (glass house basically with a corrugated roof, two sliding doors open at all times for cooling) and had been all night. Its wings were laboring slowly as it tried to find a way out. I was so panicked I stood in the doorway holding a red purse on my chest (because humming birds are attracted to red), then went D'oh, grabbed the humming bird feeder, hung it in the doorway to the outside and we went away and hid.

The humming bird BEELINED for the feeder and drank from every single opening nonstop for five minutes. After I put the bird feeder back in its usual place (by the bedroom door at waist height about 4 feet away), he visited all summer long, doing a full landing every time, folding its wings and resting while drinking at the opening we could see him best. Highly unusual behavior. We felt very honored.

[PurpleLama]

Orph kicks ass like Chuck Norris for even the attempt.

[D-Day]

Tony, you truly are a great man and I am honoured to call you friend.

Your OP was a beautifully touching story and it moved me a great deal, I thank you for that.

You're full of surprises, and I love it... keep 'em coming :)

[mosquito]

A beautiful story, thank you.

I'm reminded of a few years ago, I found a wasp that was still very much alive but with an injured wing. I decided to attempt to help it recover, not the easiest of tasks ! I made it a nest of dandelion heads, and fed it on honey, I couldn't think of anything else to do, and the internet wasn't exactly awash with information on wasp rescue. It lasted about 2 days before finally succumbing to the inevitable.
I couldn't (and still can't !) believe how upset I was, and how grieved that I hadn't done enough.

[Orph]

I couldn't (and still can't !) believe how upset I was, and how grieved that I hadn't done enough.But your grieving was for a purpose. Would you rather be someone who wasn't saddened by the circumstances? (Of course not). Be thankful that you felt and feel the way you do. Much better to go through life being able to feel emotions, than not.

[Heyoka_11]

he visited all summer long, doing a full landing every time, folding its wings and resting while drinking at the opening we could see him best. Highly unusual behavior. We felt very honored.

What a fantastic reward you received, and I bet the honour that you felt didn't diminish one iota as the Summer passed.

[Lord Sidious]

Making a sacrifice of yourself for something much weaker than you, then feeling regret, loss and the other things, I feel is part of the test here.
As I said to Tony, well done, you guys all passed that test.
It may only seem small, it is not.
This is a huge thing for your soul to experience.

[Heyoka_11]

This is a huge thing for your soul to experience.

Yeah.......you are spot on, it is. This is one of the hallmarks of what it is to be human, even though it carries with it pain.

The only danger I see is in dwelling on it to the point that we start thinking how clever we are, becoming pious in the process.

Thanks mate.

[meeradas]

When i was very young, one day i found a baby sparrow [no feathers yet, just hatched] who must have fallen from a high up nest. Absolutely helpless, belly looked as if he/she had some inner damage.
I didn't know what to do.
After a long while of thinking about it, i took a large stone and... killed the bird.
...
I knew instantly that was wrong.
I should have at least tried keeping the bird alive or even bring it up.
My pain was agonizing, nearly unbearable for quite some time. And, I hated myself.
This remains one of the most terrible things i've done in this life (as this wasn't an accident, but a conscious decision to end life).
...
This episode brought me a lot of 'bird karma', soon after.
In short, i had to take care of birds [most of them came flying into the house] for a full 21 years without a break, after that incident.
Had to look after a range of sparrows, blackbirds, pigeons, budgies, lovebirds, even an amazon (there's a pic of him in my profile).
The guilt's gone now. And I'm grateful for everything.

Nothing [well, maybe the sea] can touch me as deeply as birds, since then.

Thank you for 'listening'.

[Heyoka_11]

When i was very young, one day i found a baby sparrow [no feathers yet, just hatched] who must have fallen from a high up nest. Absolutely helpless, belly looked as if he/she had some inner damage.
I didn't know what to do.
After a long while of thinking about it, i took a large stone and... killed the bird.
...
I knew instantly that was wrong.
I should have at least tried keeping the bird alive or even bring it up.
My pain was agonizing, nearly unbearable for quite some time. And, I hated myself.
This remains one of the most terrible things i've done in this life (as this wasn't an accident, but a conscious decision to end life).
...
This episode brought me a lot of 'bird karma', soon after.
In short, i had to take care of birds [most of them came flying into the house] for a full 21 years without a break, after that incident.
Had to look after a range of sparrows, blackbirds, pigeons, budgies, lovebirds, even an amazon (there's a pic of him in my profile).
The guilt's gone now. And I'm grateful for everything.

Nothing [well, maybe the sea] can touch me as deeply as birds, since then.

Thank you for 'listening'.

Thanks for the post meeradas.

I once tried to do exactly as you wished you had. What a mess I made! I adopted a fledgling that had fallen from a tree in a storm, and proceeded to feed it all the wrong foods. It would make such a fuss went I entered the room where it was. I think it survived for a couple of weeks, and died in the middle of the night. I actually heard it's last little rustle, only to check on it and find that it had died. I felt massive guilt for having tried and failed!

I have no doubt that I would have reacted exactly as you in the circumstances, had I decided to kill the bird. But you did not allow it to suffer, instead choosing to suffer yourself. Bravo!

[meeradas]

... and my "Bravos" to you for trying! Thank you, Heyoka. Highly appreciated.

[grapevine]

Hello Everyone,

I'd like to tell you about something which happened this morning. Nothing really that much out of the ordinary, but something that has prompted me to write of one of the most valuable lessons in my life.

Whilst driving on a remote country road this morning, I passed over a small bird which had obviously been struck and killed. I glanced in the rear view mirror, only to see a broken wing wave at me in the breeze, then fall back to the lifeless body. As has happened before, I continued to drive a short way down the road, all the time knowing that I would have to go back and rescue this birds mortal remains from the middle of the road. Actually, the further I drove, the louder the voice in my head became, "Get back there and rescue me!"

It was a juvenile pigeon, perhaps too young to possess the necessary skills to avoid speeding cars, but often collisions occur no matter what we, or an animal may do. I picked up the bird and nestled it amongst the bushes on the side of the road. I petted and blessed it, wishing it's spirit well. It does not sit well with me to leave a once beautiful creature in the road, only to end up wafer thin the following day. Taking care of its remains is to give respect and honour to a life that once was.

So what's the lesson here? I think that it is that life is life, no matter how big, no matter how small, it is only a matter of scale that separates we humans from a whale, a pigeon, or from an ant. Many humans make a clear distiction between themselves and other lifeforms, giving little thought or regard to animal or insect life. Often that distinction is based upon the possession of salience, or the level of intelligence that we think a species of animal may have. I fear that this is a grave mistake, as life itself is precious, in all it's forms.

For my own part, it was being stripped of this grand illusion of scale which engendered this respect for all life. How would we feel if we encountered an alien species which stood one hundred feet tall, and we were little more than ants to them? How would we feel if they decided to squash us under foot, based upon this same illusion of scale? I don't think that we would be very happy at all, but it would be a lesson in the learning for us as a species.

So, if acknowledged, how can we strip ourselves of this grand illusion based on scale? For me it was quite simple, and I am in no way unique, so this simple act should be sufficient. Just take the time to stop and observe the way simpler life forms play out around you. It could be finding the time to watch as a spider spins it web, or marvelling at the gradual building of a birds nest. It could be any of a million different things! What is important here is that we ocassionally find the time to stop and observe, instead of hurrying by, indifferent to the beauty that actually surrounds us.

I understand that many Avalonians are already in the space of which I speak, but there maybe some who are not. I am sure that most of us do find the time to observe nature carefully on the odd ocassion, but speaking personally, it was of great benefit to make a regular event out of it.

I recall a key ring that I possessed in my teen years. It was a trinket, posted out after a family member made a donation to a childrens charity. On it was engraved the following;

"A Man Never Stands So Tall as When He Stoops to Help a Child"

Same concept I guess........humility.

Best Wishes to All,

Tony.

This is a wonderful post - thank you Tony. In our immediate vicinities we can can do a lot, but what can we do worldwide?

Just before logging into the forum this morning I watched Food Inc- the link has been given in the forum before. It's a 90 minute docu-film about the food industry in USA and of course the rest of the world. I could not watch it all. Even on the farms where animals were allowed to live as they were meant to (so called "organic") there was no respect for them at all. Poor little bastards. One way of looking at the world is as a giant terrarium and everything in it is cyclical. We are just top of the food chain that's all. And the food chain is run by just 4 or 5 companies, all based on profit (greed). Love is the most important message but isn't a large part of that love respect?

[Heyoka_11]

A beautiful story, thank you.

I'm reminded of a few years ago, I found a wasp that was still very much alive but with an injured wing. I decided to attempt to help it recover, not the easiest of tasks ! I made it a nest of dandelion heads, and fed it on honey, I couldn't think of anything else to do, and the internet wasn't exactly awash with information on wasp rescue. It lasted about 2 days before finally succumbing to the inevitable.
I couldn't (and still can't !) believe how upset I was, and how grieved that I hadn't done enough.

mariposafe, you are a star! A wasp no less. And making a nest out of dandelion heads, trying to make it feel at home. What a wonderful heart you have. I think this is the best tale so far, and you did all that was humanly possible.

To me, this is akin to childhood innocence recaptured, or perhaps never lost to begin with. Thinking back to when we were children, we all lived in a fantasy world of our own imaginings, and those imaginings were as real as, well, the "real" world. We lose so much in our efforts to grow up and fit in, but acts of kindness such as those on this thread speak of the determination of some to hold onto that innocence. We all want to save an endangered or injured animal, we wish with all our hearts that we had total control overt he situation, and could alleviate suffering. We may not yet possess those abilities, but we will, one day. These selfless acts are keeping us all in practice for that time. As Lord Sidious has said, they are actually acts of great significance, and if I may add, on a Cosmic scale.

Can I extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who is contributing to this thread, as it is fast becoming quite a testament to the beauty of the human spirit.

[Heyoka_11]

Hi w1ndmill, and thanks for joining in.


In our immediate vicinities we can do a lot, but what can we do worldwide?

I honestly don't think that we are able to do much on a truly worldwide scale, yet. We are living in the darkest of days, make no mistake about it. I fear that even thinking that we should be trying to change things on a global scale is a terrible distraction. There is a far more important task at hand, that being to simply get our own back yards in order, and in so doing, set an example for others. Most are not able to provide food for themselves, and are reduced to shopping at the same outlets where most of the produce has questionable origins. What to do? Honestly, eat more vegetables and fruit, and fish for meat perhaps. Try wherever possible to not buy products that you know are produced by one of those four or five multinationals. Any effort you make will reverberate cosmically as well.


Even on the farms where animals were allowed to live as they were meant to (so called "organic") there was no respect for them at all. Poor little bastards.

Poor little bastards indeed! I have watched this doco a number of times, and occasionally will just watch a few minutes, especially the film shot at the hen farm. Enough to make you weep!
All you can do is to ensure that your buying choices do not support these industries. That is easy to say, and damned near impossible to do. Bless you food prior to consumption. Avoid taking on the guilt associated with buying these products if and when it is unavoidable. You did not create this terrible situation and you would rather it be otherwise. It is what is in your heart that matters here.


Love is the most important message but isn't a large part of that love respect?

If you are talking respect for all creatures, absolutely! We just don't see much of it in the food industry. Either toward the animals that are raised, or to the hapless consumer.

This will change, as you know. Please be patient, and remember that you are not to blame.

Can anyone else add to this, or give an opposing point of view perhaps?

[Marianne]

It is heartbreaking to see how animals are treated. I see glimmers of change though, such as the growing organic market for free range chickens, eggs, and grass fed beef. My brother has a small scale farm with ethical treatment of animals, raising beef cattle and meat chickens, as well as the laying hens for eggs. He could sell more if he had more land to work on, and he has made one expansion already. These products cost more, but the quality is clearly superior and worth the extra cost.

The extra cost is a problem, I know. In this economy, money is tight ... I guess it's a matter of deciding what's important, and cutting costs where you can. Quality food, REAL food that actually nourishes the body, is at the top of my list. I cut costs elsewhere so I have enough money for good food.

I grew up having a family cow that my mom milked twice a day. She used to wake me up very early when no one else was up yet, and we would go out to feed and milk Bessie, our cow. She taught me how to do it correctly. I loved the way Bessie smelled, and the warmth of her flank. In order to get milk, we bred her each year and she birthed a calf. We always hoped it would be female so we'd have another milking cow but it always was a male, who was raised for awhile (long enough for me to grow close to him) then he was sent to the slaughterhouse. I was besotted with grief and guilt for weeks, and it's the reason I am a mostly-vegetarian now. So if the cattle industry were depending on me for economic survival, they would be holding tin cups on the street corner!

Let's talk tofu over in the Food section!
Marianne

PS: Think local. My brother knows his customers, they know him and his values.

[Lord Sidious]

This is what happens to those who think they can treat the ''animals'' like crap.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7zk4as9kzA

The ''animals'' were put here for us to exploit, if you believe the abrahamic fairy tales.
Nature, both flora and fauna, is an integral part of our life here on the planet.
Abuse nature, you abuse yourself.
Treat nature well, you treat yourself well.
The rule of three people, the rule of three.

[Heyoka_11]

This is what happens to those who think they can treat the ''animals'' like crap.

Thank you Rob.

And for those of us who are a bit hard of hearing (like me), here are the lyrics to Iron Maiden's "Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner ", so that you can sing along.


Hear the rime of the ancient mariner
See his eye as he stops one of three
Mesmerises one of the wedding guests
Stay here and listen to the nightmares of the sea.

And the music plays on, as the bride passes by
Caught by his spell and the mariner tells his tale.

Driven south to the land of the snow and ice
To a place where nobody's been
Through the snow fog flies on the albatross
Hailed in God's name, hoping good luck it brings.

And the ship sails on, back to the North
Through the fog and ice and the albatross follows on.

The mariner kills the bird of good omen
His shipmates cry against what he's done
But when the fog clears, they justify him
And make themselves a part of the crime.

Sailing on and on and north across the sea
Sailing on and on and north 'til all is calm.

The albatross begins with its vengeance
A terrible curse a thirst has begun
His shipmates blame bad luck on the mariner
About his neck, the dead bird is hung.

And the curse goes on and on at sea
And the verse goes on and on for them and me.

"Day after day, day after day,
we stuck nor breath nor motion
as idle as a painted ship upon a painted ocean
Water, water everywhere and
all the boards did shrink
Water, water everywhere nor any drop to drink."

There calls the mariner
There comes a ship over the line
But how can she sail with no wind in her sails and no tide.

See...onward she comes
Onward she nears out of the sun
See, she has no crew
She has no life, wait but there's two.

Death and she Life in Death,
They throw their dice for the crew
She wins the mariner and he belongs to her now.
Then...crew one by one
they drop down dead, two hundred men
She...she, Life in Death.
She lets him live, her chosen one.

"One after one by the star dogged moon,
too quick for groan or sigh
each turned his face with a ghastly pang
and cursed me with his eye
four times fifty living men
(and I heard nor sigh nor groan)
with heavy thump, a lifeless lump,
they dropped down one by one."

The curse it lives on in their eyes
The mariner he wished he'd die
Along with the sea creatures
But they lived on, so did he.

And by the light of the moon
He prays for their beauty not doom
With heart he blesses them
God's creatures all of them too.

Then the spell starts to break
The albatross falls from his neck
Sinks down like lead into the sea
Then down in falls comes the rain.

Hear the groans of the long dead seamen
See them stir and they start to rise
Bodies lifted by good spirits
None of them speak and they're lifelesss in their eyes

And revenge is still sought, penance starts again
Cast into a trance and the nightmare carries on.

Now the curse is finally lifted
And the mariner sights his home
spirits go from the long dead bodies
Form their own light and the mariner's left alone.

And then a boat came sailing towards him
It was a joy he could not believe
The pilot's boat, his son and the hermit,
Penance of life will fall onto him.

And the ship it sinks like lead into the sea
And the hermit shrieves the mariner of his sins.

The mariner's bound to tell of his story
To tell this tale wherever he goes
To teach God's word by his own example
That we must love all things that God made.

And the wedding guest's a sad and wiser man
And the tale goes on and on and on.

[kathymarie]

I have 10...one inside and 9 outside with my dog.....I too am interested in finding out about totems....I think mine may be a crow or raven....without going into details about it does anyone have any ideas on this animal as totem?

I knew because of events that happened with my totems, over the course of years. It was a 'felt' thing.
I think I have a book of finding your totems -- let me go pile into my library and I'll post some info for you.
Oh you have familiars -- how lovely. I wish I had a cat or two, or ten.

[Lord Sidious]

Who would have thought that Iron Maiden would do stuff like that?
If you know them, you would.
This is a musical version of the 222 stanza poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, with the same name.
Bruce Dickinson, the singer, is well known for his interest in occult/esoteric arts.
So, you will get a heap of ''unusual'' songs from them.

[heyokah]

I have 10...one inside and 9 outside with my dog.....I too am interested in finding out about totems....I think mine may be a crow or raven....without going into details about it does anyone have any ideas on this animal as totem?

I'm a heyokah as well with crow/raven as one of my main totem animals.

http://morningstar.netfirms.com/crowmedicine.html

http://rosefirewalker.wordpress.com/2008/05/20/a-common-bird-with-uncommon-power-crow-medicine/

Enjoy !

[conk]

Wonderful story. I always say a prayer for animals I see on the road. It stings my heart to see them there, knowing their little bodies will be crushed and mangled. I have thought about stopping often, but was afraid of the high traffic on most of my routes. Bless you for doing this wonderful deed.

One afternoon my 8 year old daughter came yelling, "a birdie, a birdie". A small bird had hit the glass door and stunned itself. We picked it up and it appeared to have a broken wing. Now what, I thought? My daughter instantly answered my mental question. "We have to take it to the vet". We placed the little critter in a shoe box full of soft stuff and started looking. Most vets don't know what to do with a bird. We finally found out there was a specialist in the north part of town. A young attendant took the bird home and nursed it to health. Good ending. Good lesson for the child. This is the same child (now 17) who made me stop and give a homeless guy $20 yesterday. She gave him the money and said "God loves you". We both burst into tears afterwards. She laughingly asked why we were crying. I told her it was our heart telling us that we had made the right decision.

[Fred Steeves]

Great thread Tony, these are the little things we do that we tend to keep to ourselves...Don't we? Last week, a rat appeared on our back patio outside the sliding glass doors. Our dogs are old now, and USED to love to chase squirrels before they got too slow, so I said "get em!". Well guess what, one old dog ain't as slow as we thought, she ripped outside and grabbed that thing before it went 10 feet.

I rushed outside just in time to see the massive death shake, broken back, broken neck, game instantly over. It was paralyzed, and gave it's last breath as I picked it up. I felt terrible. The look on it's face told the story of the shock of unforeseen instant violent death. It was too late to undo what I had done, but a funny feeling came over me at that point. The soul of this little creature hadn't even had time to exit the body yet, and I could sense this. I laid him on the ground, knelt down til we were face to face, and simply apologized. Also in the wordless psychic language I calmed the poor freaked out little soul, explained what had happened, and helped ease it on out smoothly to be on it's way. I sensed that I was forgiven.

[Marianne]

Conk and Fred, now you've made me cry!

[Heyoka_11]

these are the little things we do that we tend to keep to ourselves...Don't we?

That's right Fred, we do. Which begs the question........why? For my own part, I keep these things to myself because I do not think that they would even register if dropped into an average conversation. Is this a case of choosing silence over being misunderstood , or worse, ridiculed. Your thoughts?

Regards the rat, I am sure that you were forgiven, as you had not foreseen the outcome.