Paws to Heal

I visit Adelaide, South Australia, regularly to conduct clinics at the Holistic Veterinary Clinic. I really enjoy meeting new clients and patients and seeing regulars alike. It brings me joy to see how the animals are making progress with their healing and many of them are just seeing me now for maintenance rather than for new problems. Such is the beauty of natural practices. They bring benefit to both the patient and the practitioner. In fact, most of my regulars can’t wait to get their Bowen and hands on healing sessions and in turn they give me their gratitude after off loading any problems they happen to be still carrying.
It was on my last trip that I received the inspiration for this post.

Over lunchtime I spied a book review in the local paper that caught my eye and my imagination.
It is entitled ‘A dogs view of death’ and I think it should read ‘A dogs view of life’.
It is about a new work by author Garth Stein entitled ‘The Art of Racing in the Rain’ which was apparently inspired by a documentary he saw on Mongolia, detailing the belief that a dog’s next incarnation is to become human.
There follows a transcript from the opening pages that describes the main character, a dog, waiting for his master to come home and reflecting upon his limitations of being ‘stuffed into a dog’s body ‘ when he really feels that he has a human soul. His is influenced in his convictions by the the best thing he’d ever seen on TV since the 1993 Grand Prix when Ayrton Senna proved himself to be a genius in the rain, a documentary that explained everything to him. It made it all clear, told the whole truth; when a dog is finished living his lifetimes as a dog, his next incarnation will be as a man. The dog is old and decides he is ready to be a man now and to adopt human form even if it means leaving behind all he has learned and all he has been. All of his experiences and memories. He tries to force an imprint of his life into the fabric of his soul so that when he looks at his new hands with their thumbs that are able to close tightly around his fingers, he will already know, already see. It’s what’s inside that’s important.

The dog reflects that he has a man’s soul, but the flipside of this is what he can bring to his human life as he forces himself to remember all he has been.
On the notice board at the Holistic Vet Clinic is the following:

CANINE LIFE RULES

If dogs could teach us we would learn things such as

~ when loved ones come home always run to greet them
~ never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride
~ allow the experience of fresh air and wind in your face to be pure
ecstasy
~ when it’s in your best interest, practice obedience
~ let others know when they have invaded your territory
~ take naps and stretch before rising
~ run, romp and play daily
~ thrive on attention and let people touch you
~ avoid biting when a simple growl will do
~ on warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass
~ on hot days, drink lots of water and lay on your back under a shady
tree
~ when you are happy, dance and wag your entire body
~ no matter how often you are scolded, don’t buy into the guilt thing
and pout…run back and make friends
~ delight in the simple joy of a long walk
~ eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough
~ be loyal
~ never pretend to be something you are not
~ if what you want lies buried, dig until you find it
~ when someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle
them gently

So man or dog, if opposable thumbs is the only difference between us, we have much to learn from each other it seems!