Of Cats and Dogs

What have we done to our sisters and brothers? How could we let our pride get in the way of our innate drive to become one with humanity? We have turned the world, which was formerly representative of Eden, into a place where the dog eats the dog.

But tell me, when the dogs prey on the dogs what happens to the cats? Yes the cats who represent the formerly persecuted and hunted which were below the dogs in status and merit. As the dogs fight over the bones and flesh of their most recent capture, the cats lurk in the shadows observing silently. They look upon the discord and the ravaging that is raping the land and species. The cats begin gathering and quickly reproduce in great numbers now that they are no longer hunted. As the dogs’ numbers dwindle, the cats continue to grow in size and strength, readying themselves for when they can take the thrown that they previously had centuries ago. As the dogs ignorantly continue to fight over which pack is better or stronger, the cats prepare for the attack.

As the attack is launched the dogs fearfully clutch to their tribes and are quickly overtaken. They attempt to cling to the rest of their brethren, but the once strong unity and power is nothing but a memory. The cats have quickly shifted from the hunted to the hunters and the dogs are their prey. The dogs howl pleas of mercy and aid, but their howls go unanswered. The cats fail to recognize that all though their language and culture is different, the howls that they utter are the same. After being pushed to near extinction by the dogs, the cats saw their chance for revenge and survival and they took it. These felines were clever and cunning in ways that were developed by their ancestors as a result of being oppressed. As they now take the reins and have ultimate control over the dogs, the cunning and cleverness will drift from the felines into the oppressed canines and will continue the cycle of oppressor and oppressed. So who is in the right within this story?

Neither is right and neither is wrong. They are just pawns in a cycle driven by the hunger for power and innate impulse for survival. The question is not who is right, but how can we fix this cycle? How can we turn our brothers and sisters from the tempest of power? How can we turn our friends away from striving for separateness and toward the unity that burns within us all? Is it too late, or is that what those in power would like us to believe? Perhaps the few felines and canines who can see beyond our few differences to the divine presence that exists in us all can convince one person at a time to lay down their arms. This may seem small, but as the word spreads, one person will become the masses. The dawning of a new era is upon us, one that escapes the strife that has plagued us for several millennia and will arrive at a place where the peace and love of Eden is revisited and recreated.

Some may call me an idealist or a dreamer, but those are only the people who do not want to see change or do not believe that it could occur. It can occur and will, we should not have to wait until we reach the heavens to finally rest in peace. We were born with the drive towards the peace that lies within, all we have to do is recognize and live this peace. Let us come to truly know humanity as it was originally intended. Let us move away from the fighting and the strife. Let us arrive at a place where we are no longer plagued by quarrels of cats and dogs.

Drifting Moments

As I move along in this life, I hope to become more in touch with my spiritual side each and every moment. I say each moment because this moment, right this very instant is my entire life. I cannot create a better past for myself, so I will not to dwell on it. Also, if I use this present moment to focus on the future and all the plans I want to make, I will lose track of my life as these plans either play out or are dissolved. There is little certainty in this life, but we do tend to believe that our hopes and wishes will bring a more concrete certainty. I can’t waste the present dreading or looking forward to the future, I need to make the present an adventure that will differentiate itself from the rest of my past when it passes as all moments do.

So here I am, attempting to live in the moment, because the moment is all I have to live. On my mind at this moment is the thought that will quell my worries and calm the storm inside my soul. I hope to make this statement one I live by. I also will recognize that others may be living by this belief as well and as a result I will let go of the jealousy, anger, and depressive thoughts that previously frequented my mind.

I will arrive at the belief that the person with whom I am interacting is, at that moment, the most important person in my life. This label is fluid as my day progresses, because to reserve the label of importance for one person is to negate the other 6 billion people on this planet. Nothing can take me away from the cherished time that I have with that person. Time is short and an opportunity like this may present itself everyday or never again, we can never be sure. This is a unique opportunity to know God through interaction with others. No interaction is the same, because no person is the same. But for all of our differences, the fact remains that we were created in God’s image and we all have that mark upon our souls. I seek to see and learn more about that mark within others as well as within myself. When putting no specialness or favorite label upon myself or others, I will be able to see people as the manifestations of the divine that they were created to be. Help me see this good and equality in others, as well as finding it in myself. You have been holding me and carrying me for my entire life. Now is the time that I stand upon my shaky legs and do your service with you as my guide. Help me cherish this realization as the trials and tribulations become almost too much to handle. Help me become all I was created to be.

To go with the drift of things,

To yield with a grace to reason,

To bow and accept the end

Of a love or of a season.

-Robert Frost

Quick Random Meditative Thoughts...

Fulfillment can be reached when we learn to love everyone and everything that is encompassed by the spirit. If we treat everything as the manifestation of the spirit that it is, our eyes will be truly opened to the importance of compassion in the world today. The spirit resides in all of us and transcends all of us. It goes beyond all of the individual differences in personality, belief, culture, dogma, while at the same time, including these differences. Once spirit is reflected on in this manner, it makes life simpler to attain answers to. Though, as with most answers, they do lead to more and more unanswered questions. However, this answer is unique in the fact that it can serve as a guideline and a launch pad to delve into deeper and more complex questions. When the realization of the all encompassing nature of spirit occurs, it brings a lot of thoughts to the surface that seem so simple, yet were previously never realized before.

For example, this realization has shown me the reasons behind why we feel bad when jealousy, suspicion, control, anger, and distrust overtake our minds and actions. Why are these emotions collectively viewed as negative emotions? I believe that it is because they put intense strain on both the spirit within us as well as the spirit in the victims of our expression. If we learn to treat others with the love that we would direct toward God, then we would be able to look at these emotions without judging them. Experiences or thoughts without emotion attached to them are quickly forgotten or tucked away in a rarely used portion of the mind. So, if we learn to treat each other as the true manifestations of God, Spirit, Divine, Soul, or whatever you choose to label it as, then these maladaptive patterns we have fallen into in the social realm will dissipate.

Also when in times of depression and loneliness, remember this ancient truth: “When you seek happiness for yourself, it will always elude you. When you seek happiness for others, you will find it yourself."

In this world, it seems like losing touch with the innocence that we had in our youth is not viewed as unfortunate, but instead it is expected. However, it seems to me that adulthood is nothing more than the most well thought out game of pretend of our lives. Never lose sight of your youth, because that is one game of hide and seek that may not end as easily as when your mom would call you in from the dark... so keep those eyes on the horizon.

Receive healing, strengthen peace on our planet.