SOMETIMES ON A DOG WALK, I wonder what’s happened to my dogs. We walk in a wilderness place that they know well, so they take off for while and I’m all alone on the path. When I stand outside myself, or float a few hundred feet in the air, I look down at me and ask, “What’s that guy doing, the only soul in sight?” And then I smile at the answer, “He’s walking his dogs.”
Yesterday after they abandoned me, I had a chance to notice the last of the snow on the ground, scattered patterns here and there. This patch looked like a lion, that like a spaceship, that like an angel with three wings.
I laughed when I noticed that I was using the snow for my personal Rorschach test.
Then I wondered; instead of ink-blots or snow-blots, what if I use the world around me for my test? This stack of massive logs, I saw it first as a barrier, an obstacle, “Don’t Go Here!” then shifted it to be a ladder, easy to climb for a clearer view of my landscape.
The path itself, does it represent my own path, I wondered, hard going up hillsides sometimes, curving later around peaceful glades? Why of course it does…that path is my life! I’d been walking the same physical road for years, unaware that it stands for my destiny, whenever I choose to see it that way. Rocks, trees, sky, city, cars, people — the physical expressions, they’re pictures of my mental and spiritual surroundings, as well.
By the time the pups came dashing back to join me, I saw them as travelers with me along our way, not talking but setting an example: what’s wrong with running your path sometimes instead of walking, what’s wrong with letting the destination take care of itself and simply _being,_ for a while?
Pretend every so-called external thing stands for something internal, and what all of a sudden do we understand about ourselves and about our spiritual choice to visit this planet?
If the pups could talk, I’d ask them. Yet if they could talk, they’d probably say nothing and let me figure it out for myself.
In the Rorschach of the snow image, I see you, richard, a little snow genie coming out of your earthly self, rising above, reaching an arm back into your rucksack for your camera, with eyes sill focused, staring down at the small piece of your snowman self that tumbled out, about to take its picture while wondering what inside part of you it might represent.
just perhaps you led me to see it.
Lovely thought today.
AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!
What a nice breath to take in and let out!!!
Thank you, perfect timing!
I love knowing you are surrounded by living mirrors – so much more fun than blocks and skyscrapers, I think. Quiet, kind and happy energy.
Christina you have a quiet peaceful way about yourself. On a sidenote I wanted to ask you how you managed to make your profile picture-it is really neat….it transports me to a world of where we could view people with their ethers daily and what would it be like.
Thank you for the catalyst.
Hi Jennifer – so glad you like it : ) thank you, I’m humbled!
I took the photo with an iPod4 using the App called “LiveFilter” and a “Retro” filter. Next, I exported to “Photo Toaster” (a very, very fun app!) and added the “Purple Haze” effect. For the bright light, it came from our Christmas lights.
I love the way you think, too, Jennifer. Making lightening connections and being on the edge (where the energy is full of life!). Glad I stopped in just now, I am taking a small break from work. This is far more engaging a place to be. Great to meet you, and to do so here is a true gift. : ) !!!
It has been a balancing act for me over the years. I used to be very introspective both in and out when I was younger and then when more ‘adult’ like things starting coming around I went into a kind of flowing with the rest routine stuff…remembering inside but not bringing too much out and then I sort of reached this feeling of oneness with it all and started to let go of analysis and judgement and discernment (word?) and just to be. To appreciate the snow as it was-just there and nice to have shown itself to me. The tree-oh you’ve grown tall haven’t you. Or the path…how nice you are here. So I guess what I’m saying is I’ve become a dog!
It is our spiritual elections as visiting this planet?
I think the answer is in your deepest latest book, Richard, maybe it’s learning through multiple life cycles not hypnotize ourselves from the very walls, doctrines, churches, realizing that we ourselves climb the stage again and again, increasingly identified with the forms physical, mental and emotional.
So many layers of thought to what appears to be a simple essay on walking your dogs.
>>Pretend every so-called external thing stands for something internal, and what all of a sudden do we understand about ourselves and about our spiritual choice to visit this planet?<<<
Why pretend? Isn't every external thing created by us, drawn to us, by our internal thoughts? I don't know yet why I chose to come to this place in this time, but if you look around my little house, you might get a clue. Everywhere is evidence of what means the most to me…family, both those who have gone before and those who will come after. My dogs, the nearest expression of honesty and pure grace as can be found. My garden, tying me to the earth. My books, full of magic and learning.
Some of us walk the same path every day, so used to it our feet know every rock and rough patch, and mud puddle. And then, for some reason, maybe snow or ice or a new pair of shoes, we venture off the path, and we find a new way. Might get bogged down, stuck in a briar patch. Might find a field of tiny yellow flowers and decide to sit and enjoy the sunshine and have a cookie or two. No chocolate chip. Peanut butter, so the dogs can share. Might find a river too wide to cross, so we have to go back and try again. But we always keep trying. Sometimes we walk with a friend, sometimes we walk alone. The important thing is to realize that the path was there before we even put on our shoes, and it will be there long after we have found our way home.
Serve an idea, some spiritual volley-ball, where we hope different usses play. Another soul all in a flash knows it in the air, a single flying blow she strikes it with her own life, sends it metacolor high over the net of appearances, back to us brighter than ever it was. Game says don’t return it, catch and hold the blessing: we’re understood!
Jennifer, I love the analogy of a dog! The second I read it I laughed out loud and thought, “Oh, I wonder if that would make me a bit like a cat?” I don’t notice a lot of things that happen (my mother used to redo entire rooms and, unless it was drastic, I never noticed). I do notice the trees, though – hmmm. I have a few favorites on our street – I sometimes pretend they watch over us. Maybe they do. . .
Game says don’t return it but pass it on with a greater blessing? Send an idea, a thought, a feeling and watch it expand and ripple outwards growing for the giving…
I would love to see a picture of each of your pups along with their names. I would love to do a little long distance communicating with them! (Only if you have time!)
If our world, our universe, is our projection then what we are seeing is a product of our mind. To see the immensity of ourselves just look skyward on a starry night. Look at the complexity of life on this planet and asked, “Are we the creators of what we see?” If this is the truth we can then take responsibility for everything we see, good or bad, and realize there is a possibility that we can change what we see. How is this possible, and how do we arrive at the moment of realization of who we are and what our capabilities are? Most importantly, how is it we affect a change?