For most of us, we live within a boundary system made up of human standards that are either acceptable or unacceptable. Some people find it hard to imagine their lives “living their vision” because many of us don’t know how to find our vision. By taking a closer look at the way our animal companions live, we will see their inner spirit, and then allow them to unlock ours.
Animals instinctively live freely day-to-day and moment to moment. Even though they remember past loves, losses or traumas, they strive to live in the present of each day. Pets also live with an unbounded fullness and give themselves to life. They don’t hold back and don’t have barriers standing around them. They are ready to love completely, unconditionally and without hesitation. For these reasons, they are wonderful teachers of how we as humans can live with vision.
Pet Tip #1
Live in the Present — Moment to Moment
As humans, we’ve learned to live either in the past, the future, or a combination of the two, and often avoid living in the present. By striving to live in the present like our animal counterparts we allow ourselves to embody our experiences, feel them and better understand them for what they are, not what we may think they are. We can live with a greater sense of worth if we choose to live moment to moment like our pets do.
Pet Tip #2
Live Life Fully — Give Yourself to Life
Pets live with a lighthearted fullness and because they give themselves to life, they take nothing from it. If we learn to live by giving ourselves to our lives, then we automatically become givers to life. We will feel the fullness of life because we are a part of it. If we are donating or contributing to life we are less likely to find ourselves standing on the outside looking into our life. We are also not going to be only taking from life. We will be full participants in our life.
Pet Tip #3
Lower the Outer Walls — Tear Down the Barriers
Pets tend to invite others into their life, easily and without hesitation because they don’t have the same prefabricated walls or barriers set up as a means of protection. For animals, they come into this world without barriers. They don’t create them, and do not hide behind them. If we as humans could open our lives up to the world without predetermined ideas and thoughts, we would be able to engage the world freely, like our animal friends do. Pets are able to be re-homed again, with and without the aide of positive social training at times, because they do not create walls and barriers to their world. They don’t hold back and we can learn to do the same.
Pet Tip #4
Allow Yourself to Love — Without Hesitation & Unconditionally
We often find it easier to block love than to either offer it, or receive it. The fear of losing something or someone we cherish, makes blocking an automatic and natural response. We came into this world without fear—wanting to be loved and wanting to love. Think of a newborn infant or baby animal. They entered this world, needing love and wanting to love. It’s a widely known fact that babies, animals or human, will die without love (i.e. touch, warmth, food, cuddling, all of which are primal acts of love). Our pets love without hesitation and they love unconditionally. This type of love is an open door to their hearts. Their unconditional love opens the door to the hearts of those they love. Since we know strength is in numbers, when we combine our hearts with others, we and our pets become stronger.
By connecting to the lifestyle our animal friends live by, we can open up our own world and learn what’s inside of our inner spirit. We can unlock our inner spirit by unlocking our inhibitions. If we live life freely and give ourselves to life, if we don’t create barriers that surround us and if we open ourselves up giving love and receiving love—we make it possible to begin the process of living with vision.
But what is living with vision? Living with vision is not just some kind of spiritual spitter-spatter nonsensical idea. It is practical and scientifically based. Living with Vision is the re-tooled term that describes the early and very influential school of psychology developed in the 1950’s and '60’s by Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers. Their theory was known as the Humanistic Theory, which asserts that people will make rational and conscious decisions regarding their lives. It optimistically suggests that individuals will be drawn to reach toward their greatest potential.
Living with Vision, is rising to Your Self to what you know you can do. It is living with the empowerment of the gifts that are inside of each one of us.
So… how can we live with vision with our pets? By following their mantra and their lifestyle, we can open our life up to their free world. For our animal friends, words and language are only a small part of the communication process. Animals pick up on the energy behind others. They listen for the intentions of another person, beast or situation. If we stop, listen and find our energy source, we can reach inside it to find our deepest life intentions and we will by default, pull out from within, our own life vision. Take some time out and connect with your own inner spirit through an animal companion’s freedom of spirit. Enjoy learning what your gifts are and what your visions might be. Once identified take pleasure in working towards living with visions with your faithful companions by your side.
Donald and Sara Hassler are co-authors of the award-winning children’s book, Loving Marley, and reside in Connecticut with Marley and Belle ,the real-life inspiration for the PugTale Adventures storybooks (www.lovingmarley.com.) The Hasslers are active members of the press and write exclusive feature articles for several publications. Their columns are also published in Pug Talk Magazine. Visit them online at www.responsiblepetowner.com.