How sweet!
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Should parents go to jail for not vaccinating kids?
Excuse me? With autism running rampant, deaths from the new papilloma vaccine, and many other adverse reactions, there are some out there who are trying to send parents to jail for refusing vaccinations for their children. And social services has taken children away for the same. What kind of country is this when pharmaceutical companies can dictate criminal policy??? Vote here
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21839794/_
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21839794/_
Friday, November 16, 2007
Speaking at the Speed of Light
Author: Kathy Coachpike
Life seems to be moving at the speed of light. I try to bring a grounded presence into every aspect of my daily life. However a fast paced world can often pull me out of my authentic self. Our culture is based on high-speed everything. Speed is becoming a value. The faster something can work or go the more desirable it is. The
element of speed brings many good things, and it may also be taking away just as much.
During EELC programs I drop into `horse time' a spacious place where the breath is deep, the mind reflects, and the pacing is slow. Years ago I would have resisted this. I thought that my quick mind and lightening fast ability to ask questions, solve problems, and jump to future scenarios for possible applications, was one of the most valuable assets of my being. Once I started to work with horses I
saw how this very behavior was not based on my authentic nature, but instead a hyperactive, over functioning performance behavior based on proving to myself, and others, that I was `smart' and that I was `right.' I was living in fear, not in my power. My behavior gave me a false send of safety and security.
This highly mental approach to communications and relationships was detrimental to my success. A heady and often defensive approach took me out of my heart. My breath would become shallow. My lightening speed communication style often over-lapped other people's sentences, cutting them off in mid-thought. Too busy in my own mind finding my next comment, reply or question I failed to hear others.
The last four years horses have taught me to let go of this `false' part of myself. When I attempt to create connection and train horses in this `false' state of being, the horses do not respond well. It takes us twice the amount of energy and time to achieve something together. They turn their hinds, move away, become agitated, or
simply tune out. This is my clue that my breath is short, my mind is full of racing thoughts, and I am trying to achieve through my head and my head alone. One can only imagine the discomfort this false heady approach creates for a sensitive creature.
To be authentic one must learn to distinguish what is real and what is false about the self. High-speed head based means of communication are false. All heart connections start from the heart, not the head. When a person cannot feel their heart it is difficult to create the heart connections.
Those who want to have more companionship (both with horse and humans) must learn the art of a heart-based communications. Heart-based communication occurs when a person is aware of their own heart space, breathing deeply into their body, and adjusting their style (timing, rhythm, and intensity) of communication so another can hear them. They must be willing to sit in a silent pause, not needing to fill it with words. They must be willing to reflect and listen deeply to the communications another is offering them. They must also be sensitive to the energy of those around them. In essence they must learn how to `graze' with inner peace to honor those around them. When two beings are heart based their hearts become synchronized and in essence they begin to see and feel the world in harmony, even if their views differ.
What might shift in your relations if you were to take a breath and pause after someone spoke and before you offered your next thought or question? When do you feel heart connections with others? What is false and what is genuine in your communications with others? Where do you spend most of your time, in your head or in your heart? How do your horses respond to you when you are breathing deeply into your heart space?
Life seems to be moving at the speed of light. I try to bring a grounded presence into every aspect of my daily life. However a fast paced world can often pull me out of my authentic self. Our culture is based on high-speed everything. Speed is becoming a value. The faster something can work or go the more desirable it is. The
element of speed brings many good things, and it may also be taking away just as much.
During EELC programs I drop into `horse time' a spacious place where the breath is deep, the mind reflects, and the pacing is slow. Years ago I would have resisted this. I thought that my quick mind and lightening fast ability to ask questions, solve problems, and jump to future scenarios for possible applications, was one of the most valuable assets of my being. Once I started to work with horses I
saw how this very behavior was not based on my authentic nature, but instead a hyperactive, over functioning performance behavior based on proving to myself, and others, that I was `smart' and that I was `right.' I was living in fear, not in my power. My behavior gave me a false send of safety and security.
This highly mental approach to communications and relationships was detrimental to my success. A heady and often defensive approach took me out of my heart. My breath would become shallow. My lightening speed communication style often over-lapped other people's sentences, cutting them off in mid-thought. Too busy in my own mind finding my next comment, reply or question I failed to hear others.
The last four years horses have taught me to let go of this `false' part of myself. When I attempt to create connection and train horses in this `false' state of being, the horses do not respond well. It takes us twice the amount of energy and time to achieve something together. They turn their hinds, move away, become agitated, or
simply tune out. This is my clue that my breath is short, my mind is full of racing thoughts, and I am trying to achieve through my head and my head alone. One can only imagine the discomfort this false heady approach creates for a sensitive creature.
To be authentic one must learn to distinguish what is real and what is false about the self. High-speed head based means of communication are false. All heart connections start from the heart, not the head. When a person cannot feel their heart it is difficult to create the heart connections.
Those who want to have more companionship (both with horse and humans) must learn the art of a heart-based communications. Heart-based communication occurs when a person is aware of their own heart space, breathing deeply into their body, and adjusting their style (timing, rhythm, and intensity) of communication so another can hear them. They must be willing to sit in a silent pause, not needing to fill it with words. They must be willing to reflect and listen deeply to the communications another is offering them. They must also be sensitive to the energy of those around them. In essence they must learn how to `graze' with inner peace to honor those around them. When two beings are heart based their hearts become synchronized and in essence they begin to see and feel the world in harmony, even if their views differ.
What might shift in your relations if you were to take a breath and pause after someone spoke and before you offered your next thought or question? When do you feel heart connections with others? What is false and what is genuine in your communications with others? Where do you spend most of your time, in your head or in your heart? How do your horses respond to you when you are breathing deeply into your heart space?
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Can't get enough of pugs?
Check out the links to other cool blogs. We've added some of our friends and their pug blogs. Gotta love em!
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Monday, November 05, 2007
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Ellie Mae & Jolene at the Reservoir
What beautiful days we've been having! Inspired by pictures of dogs in leaves, after work we went to the reservoir knowing there would be tons of leaves to have in pictures. Not to mention the beautiful water in the background. We searched and searched and they must do a really good job of keeping the reservoir picnic areas clean. Or maybe the wind had blown all the loose leaves into the woods. But either way, we had no luck with the leaves. The setting sun was gorgeous. Ellie Mae decided she wanted to play some fetch. Jolene kept tossing her head over her shoulder and barking at the BBQ pit on a pole. It stayed right where it was, too! She must really sound ferocious to inanimate objects.
As hard as I tried to keep them on the side of me where the sun was shining on them, not behind them, they still kept going to the other side. And the props I had with me were cute, the reservoir was gorgeous, but no.... the best shot was with their heads in the Walgreen's plastic bag. Go figure. You'll see the abandoned fuzzy rabbit toy in the background.
As a perfect end to a perfect evening, in the midst of acres of perfect grass, Jolene peed on my jacket laying on the ground. They're a litte bit too trained with the puppy pad.
A Note From a Rescue
Cross posted from some different boards - original source unknown.
We don't get the elegantly coiffed, classically beautiful, completely trained, perfectly behaved dog. We get the leftovers. Dogs that other people have incompetently bred, inadequately socialized, ineffectively "trained," and badly treated. Most Rescue dogs have had it. They've been pushed from one lousy situation to another. They've never had proper veterinary care, kind and consistent training, or sufficient company. They've lived outside, in a crate, or in the basement. They're scared, depressed and anxious. Some are angry. Some are sick. Some have given up.
But we are Rescue and we don't give up. We never give up on a dog. We know that a dog is a living being, with a spirit and a heart and feelings. Our dogs are not commodities, things, or garbage. They are part of sacred creation and they deserve as much love and care and respect as the next Westminster champion. So please, please don't come to rescue in the hopes of getting a "bargain," or indeed of "getting" anything. Come to Rescue to give, to love, to save a life -- and to mend your own spirit. For Rescue will reward you in ways you never thought possible. I can promise you this -- a rescue dog will make you a better person.
We don't get the elegantly coiffed, classically beautiful, completely trained, perfectly behaved dog. We get the leftovers. Dogs that other people have incompetently bred, inadequately socialized, ineffectively "trained," and badly treated. Most Rescue dogs have had it. They've been pushed from one lousy situation to another. They've never had proper veterinary care, kind and consistent training, or sufficient company. They've lived outside, in a crate, or in the basement. They're scared, depressed and anxious. Some are angry. Some are sick. Some have given up.
But we are Rescue and we don't give up. We never give up on a dog. We know that a dog is a living being, with a spirit and a heart and feelings. Our dogs are not commodities, things, or garbage. They are part of sacred creation and they deserve as much love and care and respect as the next Westminster champion. So please, please don't come to rescue in the hopes of getting a "bargain," or indeed of "getting" anything. Come to Rescue to give, to love, to save a life -- and to mend your own spirit. For Rescue will reward you in ways you never thought possible. I can promise you this -- a rescue dog will make you a better person.
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