“Obstacles cannot crush me. Every obstacle yields to stern resolve. He who is fixed to a star does not change his mind”
Leonardo Da Vinci, The notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci
Something Missing?
Do you ever think that something is missing in your life? Have you found yourself thinking ‘if only my life was easier’ or ‘happier’ or ‘more fulfilling’…[fill in the words that work for you]?
Why isn’t there a manual telling us how to live the ‘best life ever’?
Where to go for help?
Of course we can find lots of advice for personal growth and living a better life, from a many different source. Over the years I’ve tried quite a few myself, its been an addiction of mine. The approach that works for my own self-development has to feel right, although it took me a while to notice, and then trust, my own feelings. And I have found that the things that work for me vary, as I change, as I face different challenges.
But sometimes we can’t even tell WHAT feels right. Sometimes we’re so used to just getting on with it that we’re not sure how we feel any more, or what’s right for us.
I tried one approach, many years ago, that used computerised biofeedback. Sensors were taped to my head to track my brain waves. Videos were then played in front of me. The films change based on the feedback from my brain waves . I don’t pretend to fully understand the details, although I didn’t enjoy it and it didn’t help me.
How Your dog can help
Of course if you share your life with a dog you don’t need any other fancy gadgets. You have a ‘feel-o-meter’ right at your side, because our dogs know exactly how we feel.
Many dog owner’s today can be unhappy about the relationship they have with their dogs. We might think our dog doesn’t love us and that’s why he doesn’t come back when called. We might feel guilty that they’re not getting the right stimulation, or enough walks. There might be something about the dog’s behaviour that we don’t like, she barks too much, he’s scared of the vacuum cleaner, she’s aggressive on the lead. It’s a problem with the dog, right?
Everything is Connected
Leonardo Da Vinci also said
“Learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else”
The world is our mirror, everything that we see outside is a reflection of what we feel and believe inside of ourselves. This principle also applies to the relationship we have with our dog.
“….our dog is our canary in the mineshaft of emotion…”
Behan, K, Your Dog Is Your Mirror
That’s what dogs do, that’s why they’ve managed to live alongside us for so long. Here’s the thing. Any behaviours and traits that we find irritating in our dog can be their response to mirroring something in us that we are avoiding, suppressing or otherwise ignoring for some reason. When we’re happy, they’re responding to that happy feeling. When we’re sad they feel the sadness. When we’re anxious, that anxiety is feeding into them. They just can’t get out of the way of our feelings.
If we use the difficulties that the relationship with our dog brings to us, if we spend time thinking about them then we will get information about how we feel. We will uncover behaviours, beliefs, or traits in ourselves that we were previously not fully aware of. By becoming more aware of, and reflecting on, any feeling of discomfort that our dog brings up in us, we can start to feel our feelings again.
Anubis Therapy
The star I am fixed to is working with the emotional bond between humans and dogs, helping humans heal through their dog relationships. The therapy is called Anubis Therapy. If you are interested in learning more about how the process can help you why don’t you get in touch. It can be a great way to start fixing yourself to your purpose, to your ‘star’!
