My path recently crossed a band of six puppies… caring for them and seeing them grow and take contact with the world has been such a blessing. It has made me reflect many aspects of life and how it forms, shapes and cultures us. Culture, as cultivation, is such an important part of growing up – albeit many aspects of it are unconscious – Something pups themselves do not mind but we people do. So what have been my learnings:
1) Puppy eyes are full of trust. They come into this world fully trusting. It is this space and cultures of good and bad that may or may not support that trust. Unless there is damage to the pup, one way or another, that trust and bond stays. How to cultivate trust has been wonderful to experience.
2) I can try to see the world through those eyes. J.L. Moreno, the founder of psychodrama, which is an experiential method of here-and-now, understood that changing places with the other one gets to experience something from that being’s space. He called it role-reversal, a key method in psychodrama.
Taking role reversal with a small pup gives a huge perspective.
3) Those eyes, which see the good and bad, tell me about me as a person, and as a representative of the human race. I often wonder why dogs, and here specifically Indies, trust us at all! We have done our best to make their lives miserable (yes, there are excellent pet parents to whom this does not apply at all, and there are people who keep mistreating dogs in ways that are beyond comprehension – and everything in between. And this applies to people as well.) Eyes tell us stories of experience which seems to be neglected.
4) Pups are curious, they experience the beginner’s mind. Every day is full of new experiences. We try hard to reach this state, try to let go of memories and experiences with diverse success. We pay large sums to learn how to do this in various courses. I have done that too! And pups just are. It is so amazing. It is a lesson of joy and discovery.
5) Discrimination and space in the world. Indies are often discriminated as being ‘stray dogs’ as if that includes all what they are. They are very intelligent, have excellent senses, extremely resilient, resourceful and agile – just as we want communities and organisations to be. I am reminded of a cartoon where a ‘breed dog’ asks another dog what breed she is. The answer is something like this: My dad was a dog, and my mom was a dog – I am 100 % pure dog! Something to ponder in our human relations too. I am a 100 % human.
I am grateful for these lessons. And I hope these now 5 pups ultimately find loving forever homes and bring their blessings to those space.
Have a wonderful day!