Right or Wrong is the all eternal big ass Cosmic Joke

We spend our lives justifying our actions.  We create wars and crusades in the name of right.   Being ‘right’ serves to increase our sense of what we believe to be true – BUT this justified and defended truth is an illusion.

Defending our positions or justifying our actions, as the philosophers of old will tell you - creates resistance to those very positions.

What does this have to do with animals – when you force an issue, you teach nothing – you only create a reactive animal who will submit or fight.  There is no respect and trust in either of those states of mind.

Justification and defence puts us in the clouds.  Moves us away from the fundamental is-ness which is what we should be focussing upon.  The is-ness is the information that we can look at which will provide us options on what needs doing.  When we look at and respond to the is-ness, we are choosing to take responsibility. 

The cloudy look and feel of our lives is exactly that.  Blurred and confused.  The goal – conscious action – is the essence.  Clear conscious action is only possible if we take responsibility – which is choosing – in every moment.

Mashatu the horse had an insect bite on his belly around his genital area.  I was alerted to the swelling when applying fly spray one morning.  He alerted me as he lifted his Ieg as though to kick – he did not kick, but he had made it clear he was sensitive.  I had to rush to work and called a groom friend to attend to the ailment.  My friend in all his wisdom did not halter the horse as I suggested to ‘force the issue’.  He let Mashatu communicate his sensitivity, and worked around the sensitivity.  He sent me a video of exactly where the concern was, and there was no reactive behaviour from the horse in the process – because he had let Mashatu do what he needed to do – and had not removed Mashatu sense of having control.  So often, in our attempts as animal people to do what needs doing, we take the short cuts – and force animals to cooperate – how many times have you forced your dog to take a bath or get in the car to go to the vet.  When in fact, if we simply work moment by moment, and look at what is being communicated to us – the is-ness, we can make huge leaps with the animals, and stay in a trusting proactive relationship.

I drive a car – too many carbon emissions.  I purchase food in a grocery store and all too often I add a plastic or imported component to the trolley.  I have dogs and horses as companion animals.   I work with captive animals.  My hobbies require carbon emissions for me to enact.  My home is not as eco-friendly as it could be.  My clothing is not all made from hemp, and I have leather boots and do not know where that leather comes from.  I also have plastic on my sport shoes.  Etcetera etcetera.

This glass house cannot throw stones.  Throwing stones, is in effect justification and defence. 

So – I could be a complete and radical hippie, which in today’s society would probably have me arrested – living off the land I have not purchased and having zero impact on the planet – is a challenge, and anyone that does it is someone I really really respect. 

The lesson: – I need to consciously choose my compromise. 

What am I doing that is not congruent with the harmony I wish for in nature?  When I see my actions in this light, I need to then take personal responsibility for those actions.  This does not mean I must justify what I do because of the actions of another or a current state of the environment. 

For example, having dogs as pets – Judgement – it perpetuates domestic animals in our environment; is potentially cruel as it may be perpetuating an industry that is not always ethical; continues the trend of ‘un-wilding’ dogs that used to live perfectly well without people.  Perpetuates supportive industry like parasite control, dog nutrition, veterinary practise which comes with chemical processes etcetera etcetera.  I could defend myself and say yes, but what is the difference between keeping dogs and other people eating meat thereby slaughtering cows.  I could justify the actions by saying – yes, but I only support rescued dogs.  I could even pull the emotional blinder, and say yes, but humans and dogs are meant to be together.

While any of the above may be true, it is not necessary to even raise defence or justification.  The moment I do this, I do not OWN my actions.  Truth – I keep dogs.  Question – how am I going to keep dogs – for the good of the whole.

A friend provided me with a great analogy – he said we all go through life with a wheelbarrow of stones.  The stones represent our beliefs, justifications, defence systems – basically anything that stands in the way of us being conscious.  When we are not conscious, we cannot choose or take responsibility for our place on earth.  As we go through life, we should be taking those stones off the wheel barrow, one by one.  Lightening our load, so we can see clearly, and act with the greater good in mind.  I wonder how often I am adding plaster to cover the stones, or cement to stick them into a bundled mess.

So grateful for animals.  They constantly remind me to look closely and respond to what is rather than what I am trying to force.  When we really pay attention we notice so much information that the animals are trying to share with us.  I recently watched a trainer working with a Raven.  We videoed the session and noticed when going through the recording that every time the Raven felt unconfident, it chose to go to the spot where it always succeeds at the start and end of every session.  It was taking solace in the comfort of the area no doubt, but probably also communicating that it was a little over-whelmed with the part of the session, and perhaps it wished for it to end – thus signifying an ‘end of session’ posture.

When the trainers notice this type of behaviour, rather than focus on what they want, and then make the choice to respect and respond to the behaviour by simplifying the training – this is conscious responsible choice.  Most exciting - Take a look – the joke – the animal and trainer are not getting it wrong – because there is no right or wrong - they are simply doing what needs doing so that everyone can succeed!!!