OUR ANIMAL GURUS

For almost 40 years, i'd been looking for something like this. Something simple, without any mystical or abstract intellectual depths.

On reflection, i suppose it was obvious that animals knew a way of life without any such depths.

There are hundreds of ways to misinterpret ideas. The tendency is to associate new ideas with something we already know.

This has little to do with mindfulness or focusing on the present moment. It also has nothing to do with Shamanism... nothing to do with finding your animal spirit... not any sort of belief system.

What i am suggesting is common sense, observation, and empathy with animals' methods of staying safe, without any spiritual or mystical connotations.

If my unprofessional writing style leaves any remaining doubt, or unanswered questions, please go straight to the experts: observe animals for yourself.

We must play at 'going on the lookout'. Watching for movements all around and out of the corners of our eyes like blackbirds – listening-out for dogs and humans like a hare does – and smelling on the wind for coffee or food cooking, just as the hedgehog will smell for apples and beetles.

This is not a tradition of teaching with theories and beliefs... but proving by example.

Animals are always here to guide us with first hand experience. They give freely and ask nothing back.

If they've lived through a winter they understand suffering, yet remain open and full of hope.

The teaching tradition would be safe in their hands, safe from pompous and abstract ideas.

I've been practising these 'animal teachings' for around 15 years now, and there are worlds still to discover, but i'm getting old and slow, with too many illnesses to care for.

My dearest wish is that younger people – who have so much more time and experimental energy – will understand what i'm saying, develop it, and... who knows what they could discover...