Animal Instincts

Dr. Dolittle was onto something when he talked to the animals. Wild creatures and domestic pets have strong spiritual connections to their surroundings, whether they’re roaming the Great Plains of the Midwest or running in a neighborhood backyard. As humans, we can learn from observing them.

This week I received a holiday card from two friends featuring a photo of them swimming with a dolphin. All three faces were expressions of joy and peace. Dolphins are documented for having healing instincts, which is why they are used in non-profit therapy programs for children, like Island Dolphin Care.

Dolphins don’t have a corner on the market when it comes to animal instincts and spiritual connections. When I lived in Louisville while employed with Brown-Forman, I often ventured to Churchill Downs to watch the thoroughbreds race. Their forms and statures were among the finest examples of God’s craftsmanship. I was always amazed at how the horses clicked with everything in their midsts: the day’s temperature, track conditions, smells in the air, and the other equines. Not to mention the levels of communications they shared with their respective jockeys. Director Steven Spielberg has a new movie that opens Christmas Day, War Horse, which is the epic story one animal’s amazing journey and how it tapped into instincts and spirituality. As you can imagine, it’s at the top of my list of films to see before the end of the year.

While I don’t have a dolphin (not even a goldfish for that matter) or a horse, I do have a dog. Bucky, my 15-year-old rescued Lab-mix, (see photo below) has amazing spiritual energy. I can’t tell you how many times, he has sensed a non-physical presence, regardless of where he might be at the time. Inside an enclosed traveling car, he’s been known to bark unexpectedly at the exact moment when I’ve missed a turn for my destination. It’s not until I’m miles down the road, I realized he was relaying information to me. While lounging in the house, Buck’s been known to stare at the ceiling and whimper. Obviously, he’s aware of an energy source that I’m not. Animals, in general, pay close attention to their physical and non-physical worlds. For example, it’s often noted that they’re the first to sense upcoming severe weather changes.

The animal kingdom is also quick to adapt to its environment. When Bucky was younger, he would greet me with barks and his “happy dance” when I’d come home because he had heard the garage door open prior to my even entering the house. However, as he approached his older phase, his hearing shut down and his eye sight weakened. Nonetheless, he figured out a way to know when I returned home: he began to take his naps with his butt up against the front door. Even with two of his senses failing, he used his instincts to adapt to his life’s changes – and in this particular case, when his rear-end was nudged as I opened the door, he was still able to greet me like he had in the past.

Regardless of what’s in your own menagerie, take time to learn lessons from your pets. Perhaps, the greatest one of all, especially during this holiday season, is how they express unconditional love. As I’m ending this installment, Bucky just brushed against my leg. I sense that he agrees!

Love and light,

Tony

www.tony-morris.com

Bucky and "friends"