Today, for the first time, my mother’s dog and my cat will meet. The prospect of this makes my mouth dry and my heart pound. I want them to be friends, so that we can spend time together as a family.
Even more importantly, if my cat, Arjuna, could spend the days I care for my mother with me, I wouldn’t return home in the evenings to a lonely pal who wants to play, when all I want is sleep.
But these two souls have polar energy: Mischief lives up to his name as a hyper Yorkie, who, like a dervish spins around the house, over furniture and under beds. He often barks and whines, but with his glistening, dark eyes and tiny smile, he wins hearts.
Meanwhile, Arjuna eschews chaos and, like a Buddha, exudes calmness. She can be ruthless when her boundaries are threatened.
For weeks we have worked toward this moment. A handful of times I left Arjuna at my mother’s while I took Mischief for a walk. This exposed them to each other’s scents without yet meeting.
Until today, when I call on my Beloved and bring them together.
They first see each other through a window, the dog outside, Arjuna inside. Mischief leaps toward the glass, and Arjuna bolts. I lovingly catch her, so she must stay and see him—give him a chance—and she does. She takes two steps toward him, then scurries away.
Next I place her on the kitchen counter and invite Mischief in. While I cook potatoes and eggs for breakfast, the animals eye each other. When Mischief leaps upward at her, Arjuna crouches, hisses and bears her fangs.
Mischief backs off and heads to the living room, while Arjuna seizes the opportunity to leap from the counter and run. I turn off the stove and follow.
They stand face-to-face in the hallway.
Uncertain what to do, I hover above them. Suddenly, Mischief lunges forward. Arjuna stretches out her front leg, bears her claw and takes a grand swipe at his nose, missing by inches. Then she wheels around and runs.
Mischief chases. They tear around the living room, under the coffee table and in front of an antique chest.
This has been my fear, that the meeting of these two animals whom I love would end in war.
They stop by the couch. Two feet apart, they’re ready to fight. I kneel between them and speak in a low voice. “It’s okay. You’re safe.”
I call on the Beloved.
With my left hand I pet Mischief from ears to tail, his fur bristly under my palm. With my right hand, I pet Arjuna, her fur soft as mink. The intensity settles, as though we are kneeling in a cloud of love. Around us the air smells rich and salty from my favorite comfort food, eggs. My own heart settles.
I’m reminded of a line from the poem by the 19th-century saint Swami Ji titled “Make the Mind Your Friend.”
Let us place ourselves at His feet, you and me.
Through that satsang we will gain something.
In this moment we all bask in the love of the Divine current.
This experience reflects my life these days. When a challenge arises, my first impulse is to flee or fight. But instead I sit at the feet of my Beloved. It massages my neck and down my spine. It soothes until my mind settles and becomes friendly.
Thus a new reality emerges: love.
In this alternative place, there are no mistakes and no differences, only One great whole, whose song we dance to throughout eternity.
I stop petting these sweet souls, and they tentatively stand. Arjuna turns and slinks away, finding a hiding place near an overstuffed chair. Meanwhile, Mischief scurries off in search of my mother.
No doubt there will be more such meetings in their lives and my own. During each I will bring in the love of the Divine current, to soothe and calm until I fully know that I am It.
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Once again I love what you have written!
Thank you, Sonja. I so appreciate you tuning in here.
Lesley:
Having let the ten year old cats work things out with the 18 month old Murphy dog has worked well. Neither Murphy nor the cats care for the sight of the squirt bottle. I don’t even have to use it I just pick it up. They have grown to love or tolerate each other in their own particular way—the goofy kid vs. the old cats. Pretty much like we all are.
Thank you, John. You story encourages me. I will ready my squirt bottle for the next round. Truly we all are goofy and old and so many other things all in one. Sorting through to connect with our most kind and generous self is key.
Cats and dogs….hmmmm. Always grist for the mill, Lesley’s commentary on her life piques my early morning creativity! Canine and feline…positive and negative…polarity at its most feral! In this world, nothing can be known without comparing it to something else. That’s how we make decisions and choices to secure our happiness. What if there was a way to be “self-contented”…happy internally without any need for an outside stimulus or condition? There is a way! I am just learning this “way”, always a beginning student and forever being tested and trained in my stability in this “way”. I flunk all the time and seek my happiness externally, like a thirsty nomad in the desert who spots an oasis in the distance…only to realize after struggling to get there that it is a mirage! No water! Oh my gosh, isn’t this the stark truth about “things” in this world that we desperately crave? Eternally grateful to the Beloved, my cravings are beginning to subside and be substituted by a gushing geyser of inspirational Love internally…without the need for any outside stimulus! But I am just beginning!
Al, such a beautiful flow of writing, you did. Truly the voice of the Divine flowing through! I love your oasis metaphor. All that we seek in the material world ends as that dry non-oasis.
I too am such a child on this journey and yet am blessed daily with the geyser of love you mention. Thank you for joining in the conversation here. You bring the true oasis.
What a great metaphor of life ….it’s challenges…it’s polarity…how we each choose to allow…to watch …to be…And in that moment choose love & patience …or..forcefully try to direct things…& then… is a third choice available ? The journey continues…
Thanks, Lesley…loved it !!!
What you say is lovely, Susan. Yes, bringing in the love and patience always wins any moment. Learning how to do this is one of the most valuable lessons I’ve ever had. Thank you for joining in.
Wonderful story, so beautifully written. Can’t wait to see a photo of Arjuna and Mischief curled up together!!!
Much love, my dear
Qatana, I will be happy to see that scene too one day, in the Divine will. Thank you for your kind words and for tuning in!
Surprisingly, since I consider myself a dog person, I find myself identifying with Ajjuna, and recognizing how quickly my claws can come out, with my lower world attitudes of fear and self protectiveness, hissing at what isn’t familiar or comfortable to me. Like Arjuna I have my Beloved to soothe me as I face all of it.
Great story for contmeplation, Lesley.
Thank you!
Thank you, Sheila. It is funny for me, who has always been a dog person, to find myself between these two blessed souls, which Al so aptly called the positive and negative. I guess that is a good sign that I am finding myself in the middle, at least during this event. Others may find me more polarized, but fortunately we do have the Beloved to help us center.
This brought a smile to me, as well – try petting both animals again, then switching hands and petting them, so that their scents get mingled…I found that helped me “acclimate” various pets to each other….now, “bonding” may take longer…let them circle a bit, but keep that spray bottle handy if they get violent. Ah, yes a zen moment, for sure…patience required! Animals do reflect your own tension, and sense when you love another one, so cats particularly need to feel equal attention. Diplomacy is another helpful skill. Good Luck!
Such a beautiful response, Andrea. The Zen, the diplomacy, the blending of essence into One. Thank you for your kind direction. I will follow all of it, and especially the love that pervades what you wrote. Blessings, dear soul.
Beautiful story and powerful metaphor for life, Lesley. The scene is so vivid, you kneeling with both of them, a hand on each, with plenty of love to go around. What an accurate description of our relationship to the Divine! I identify so strongly with that scene. I find myself in the middle of opposite polarities so often, but it just now occurs to me that instead of trying to ground the energy to calm them, I could as easily be projecting the Shabda flow to exude love for and among us all — “a cloud of love” as you describe it. Lucky little creatures to have your touch to calm and comfort them. As always, I learn so much from your posts. Thank you for this beautiful creation!
Thank you, Rudy. You have a way of bringing me back to my own stories and deepening the lesson for me. Truly we can float in the “cloud of love” anytime we are willing. And when we do, all creatures benefit.
In a general way I never have much time for small, noisy, excitable little dogs like yorkies, but as soon as I saw the picture at the beginning of your blog my heart melted as you say. Such a bright, loving little face, and anxioius too in case he’s done something “wrong” in his excitement. Dogs are so endearingly transparent – would that we humans were so honest about our feelings! A squirt bottle is an excellent idea. I use a childs water-pistol on our 800kg young Limousin bull who is rather over-enthusiastic about helping with my chores in the cowshed and so long as I hit the bulls-eye it always does the trick. Accuracy is everything!
Liz, your farm stories always bring a smile to my face. To imagine you, in your human body, next to an over-ehtuhusaistic bull really makes me chuckle. I will take my love pistol with me next time and use it in the way you advise. In fact my whole life today could use a good squirt!
How perfect a story. Thank You for sharing this experience!
Cogent observations Lesley. In my experience Corvo th’ Quantum Dog is the perfect embodiment of mind, and so wiiling to be a friend. It’s a simple matter of turning control around, from doing it on Corvo’s terms to Being in Its loving embrace. For reference, Corvo is more handsome than any dog ought to be, 50 lbs and all muscle, and he can pretty much fly.
Beautifully said, Glenn. Yes, all solutions lie within the Divine’s loving embrace. Corvo sounds amazing. My old doggie pal Alma could fly too and she could swim amazing distances, but mostly she embodied love. I thought she would live forever but was sorely mistaken. Of course she does live on in spirit.
We shared a moment here out of time
Bathed in tears, My fears drowned in love
Purged my double vision of rusty grime
His grace makes spirit soar like a dove
Thank you, Love!
Tim, thank you for this beautiful poem. I didn’t know you wrote poetry and am so happy to find out. I resonate with this. Truly we are bathed in our tears and they do drown us of love. We know the One and soar. Love it!
Lesley, your writings are such a gift to us all! I am swept away whenever your post anything on your blog! Each story in itself is an adventure but then we get the gift of your channeling a spiritual meaning to be contemplated in that story! Yes the Dog and Cat are two opposites just as the mind is dualistic and you were able to bring the gift of love into this situation and try to bring harmony or a balance with the two! Well done!
Life’s reflection is amazing when tuned in. Being around Meo (our cat) has transported me back to my childhood although I had no cat as a child. There are so many things I’ve been shown to review and revise through this relationship. Some are easier than others. What I love in this article is how you call on The Beloved. Sometimes I crash through an experience and this slips me, however the moment I remember IT IS beyond instant. That is what is priceless to me to be taught with True and Deep love how to BE.
As always thank you for your work my friend, we just never know how our words will touch another, It is part of the adventure these constant gifts.
Bendiciones querida…:-) <3
Logan, you bring up such a wonderful point about what sparks our revision. Just last Sunday my mother and I watched a movie that left us both sad. We talked, and through doing so, washed away some dead images from both of our high school days. Later I received such a surge of love I could barely drive my car home.
Each episode such as this allows me to sit more comfortably in the Beingness with the Beloved. It is wonderful to hear your process, fellow adventurer.
Another moving and inspiring treasure Lesley.
It reminds me of a day at the park with my daughters 85 lb Siberian Husky named Blue. He ran me around the outside of the track chasing other animals and had me careening left and right with no relief.
Like the mind can be it was quite a struggle to rein him in and keep a steady pace but with much coaxing he finally allowed me to take charge and was content to simply go for a walk.
That is a fabulous analogy, Deborah. I can just see that huge dog dragging you all over the park. My mind is wanting to do that to me today, and I keep calling on the Beloved and thus calming the mind down to a walking pace. Thank you from bringing me this perfect image in the perfect now. Beautiful!