Ok, so if this is about human exchange, why the animals? Read on.
It’s been a tough week for me in some ways. I’m nearing the end of week 2 of something called The Presence Process (a book by Michael Brown) that takes 10 weeks, one week for each session. It’s not a complicated process at all but is meant to help you see how and why you react to things with upset, stalking them and really looking at them to understand yourself and how you react to things out of past experiences. The point is to learn to respond (implies responsibility) instead of react.
It’s been a tough week for me in some ways. I’m nearing the end of week 2 of something called The Presence Process (a book by Michael Brown) that takes 10 weeks, one week for each session. It’s not a complicated process at all but is meant to help you see how and why you react to things with upset, stalking them and really looking at them to understand yourself and how you react to things out of past experiences. The point is to learn to respond (implies responsibility) instead of react.
Well, just as the author forewarned, things have popped up and seemed exaggerated while going through this process. When you’re really paying attention to the things that get your goat, you realize how uncomfortable you become when your ego is bruised. That woman who was rude to me on the phone, who does she think she is? That comment I left on a blog post seemed to be totally misunderstood – how can I communicate it better, and how could he have thought that of me?
This Thanksgiving week, having a relatively compact house full of 10 adults, one baby and two dogs for four days stretched me to my limits energetically. When others don’t “do it” just the way you do (and why the hell not?), first you get that internal upset, and then you say “and why does this bother me?”
Thankfully we had a gorgeous week with temps in the 50s, very unusual for this time of year. This meant we could go outside and play. Don and the kids played ping pong in the garage, basketball and foursquare on the driveway, and we all went for a lovely walk Friday (but no Lesley, how we missed her). We wandered through the barn (where we found kitty Bishop in her secret hiding place), took Rusty the Brittany Spaniel for a walk through the woods and by the pond. (Above may be one of the last photos of Rusty, a 14-year old who is now blind.)
Animals are consistently faithful, responsive, loving, forgiving. They don’t have egos. They have personalities, but not egos (although some domesticated animals do seem to take on human emotions).
Watching Rusty romp on the path made my heart long to be that free. Free from previous hurts that make me see new experiences through a projecting lens that need not be there.
14 comments:
This is so very soulful, Ruth. You are on a very intimate but necessary journey and you have described it here so well. Now, if we all could join your caravan--all throughout the world--we would indeed have a new earth.
Thanks for your vulnerability!
Hi Ruth.
I am just starting week 6.
It is starting to be funny now (it wasn't at week 2) to see my "stuff" being played out in my life.
This is such a cool process. I am glad I have another fellow traveller.
peace to you.
Ginnie, thank you so much for your support. I would love to have you along. This is the most important thing I've done, I feel. Interesting how things come when you need them. I thought twice about being so open about it, but hey, it's my blog and what are we here for?
THR, I'm glad to hear it! I look forward to the humor. :| While it's been difficult, I wouldn't go back for anything. I'm really glad to have a fellow traveler too. Very cool. Thank you again for introducing me to this book.
BTW, I began the 2012 book by Pinchbeck, and wow, it is something else altogether, but fascinating. I can only read a few pages at a time, and I feel I've gotten enough to think about for a week.
Yeah, i read his first book,
Breaking Open the Head
because I had similiar experiences as he had and wanted to read about them.
But I did find his writing hard going.
lovely pictures Ruth, I can see them but difficult to read as We all have eye infection at home. Can't really see what I am typing too. Eye infection is pretty common here and it has a rare distinction of being called 'Madras eye' named after my city. Even if you get an eye infection in Bombay or Delhi it is called a Madras eye.
Sorry for typing mistakes Ruth
Jennifer, yes, it is definitely a dense reading project. I would like to hear more about what you wrote if you care to chat about it on email. I'll try emailing you, or you can email me.
Rauf, I'm sorry about your infection! Huh, I wonder about the origin of "Madras eye." Get better soon. That must be annoying. Thank you for your comment.
what a beautiful post.
so nice to see photos of the farm and hear about your journey.
you are the strongest and most amazing person i know.
Oh,Lesley, thank you for your words.
It is very interesting how similar thehealingroom's photo icon is to Aunt Ginnie's isn't it? When you see them small next to eachother here.
Thanks so much for that entry. It seems everything in my life is poignant lately, as well. I am so senstitive, too. I seem to be in the right place at all the right times to witness perfection, as a result of my intentions.
Rachel, yes, I had not noticed that about THR's and Ginnie's profile icons. They are very similar, trees even lean the same way.
I think as we become more aware, we see more and more synchronicity. The essence of things is profoundly beautiful, if we can only see it.
As a kid I always thought "Why can't I just live the life of my cat? He gets to stay at home when I go to school, he doesn't seem to care or hold grudges, he doesn't have to deal with hard human emotions." Ecky would have a lot to say about that I trust.
I love the one with the cat.... I wonder why... And that is true that animals don't have egos. Personnally, they are the only stable thing in my life.... They keep me sane....
Peter, I know.
MP, we were surprised to find Bishop in that box. She was safe and happy. I've heard others feel that way about their pets. Have you seen "The Queen"? QEII in the movie (and in real life I think) is more able to relate to animals than to people.
Rachel,
I love the synchronicities too.
And my name is Jennie very similiar to Ginnie!
I'm sure we could find more too.
Post a Comment