What would your animal relatives say about you?
It has been my experience that animals can see into a person’s heart.
There is an alleged Native American legend that says, “When a human dies, there is a bridge they must cross to enter into heaven. At the head of that bridge waits every animal that human encountered during their lifetime. Based on what they know of this person, the animals decide which humans may cross the bridge…and which are turned away.”
While we may believe we treat our domestic animals with care, it’s crucial to ask ourselves: do we truly see them for who they are, or do we view them as mere extensions of our needs?
And what of the rest of our Relatives? Imagine how many members of All Our Relations—birds, spiders, bees, squirrels, raccoons, coyotes, fish, and more—have crossed your path in this lifetime, even if only briefly. Did you treat them with respect?
Do you celebrate and enjoy the sound of each bird’s song or call, or are you caught up in your thoughts, distracted by music or cell phones? Do you treat your animal neighbors carefully, respecting their lives (and your own) by using natural products, or do you pollute your home, yard, and the air with chemicals?
When you visit the zoo, do you respect the hearing of the animals by keeping your voice low and soothing? Do you respect their feelings by finding something to celebrate about their species, or do you make fun of them and judge them based on their appearance?
If there were a judgment, what would your animal relatives say about you? Would they say you were self-centered, too busy to care about how they felt, lived, or died? Or would they say that you had an open heart and did your best to listen to what they had to say and thoughtfully made choices with intent to create a better world for All Our Relations?
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©2011 Rose De Dan. All Rights Reserved. www.reikishamanic.com
A WILD WAY TO HEAL
Rose De Dan, Wild Reiki and Shamanic Healing LLC, is an animal communicator, Reiki Master Teacher, shamanic energy healer, and author. Her classes, sessions and ceremonial work are inspired by wild and domestic animals who have issued a call to action for personal and global healing.
Her book Tails of a Healer: Animals, Reiki and Shamanism features heartwarming stories about animals and their role in her evolution as an energy worker and shamanic healer.
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Love it, I would have thought of only our companion animals and others we’ve directly interacted with. Gives me something to think about
I enjoyed this article and our animal friends.
I have never heard this legend but I really felt it connect deeply. Thank you for sharing this. How we treat others is the golden rule and we should also practice comapssion for all living creatures.
I wish I knew who to attribute the saying to, I would certainly give credit where it is due if I did. But I agree, it resonates as Truth no matter what the source.
Let’s not forget the animals we eat. They deserve respect as they are just as sentient as cats and dogs. Farm Animals are treated as commodities, as something yet they are someone. Most have never gotten to spend time with a cow or pig or chicken to see they are individuals with personalities. They didn’t ask to be on someone’s dinner plate. That is not respect. They have their own reasons for being here. Too bad nobody talks about the elephant in the room.
Great article, Rose. The more I work with animals, here and in spirit, the more each level of my entire being opens up to connect through all of it’s senses. The respect and awareness we have as we cross paths with all our relations is deep – at times for me this comes across in a really subtle manner (simple genuine respect and acknowledgement) or in more actionable ways (awareness, advocating, donations, hands on work, etc.). It’s amazing how natural it becomes to feel totally integrated and connected and appreciate All Our Relations; especially through the work I’ve done through your Bones, Stones, Feathers and Fur class. This work brings me back to the connections I so easily made with animals as a child. The bees at camp that I would let land on my arm and sit there admiring them, not scared. The bunny in the preschool yard that I’d hang out with while all of the other kids played together. The baby bird that fell from our tree that we took to an animal rescue. The tadpoles in the creek that I admired with fascination. The list goes on and on. I hope to see all of these friends again someday 🙂