Our President writes weekly for Swedish Magazine NARA. WE translated her text into English.
MY DOGS ARE MY MINI-BUDDHISTS
Living with former stray
dogs is a wonderful learning experience. For several years I have followed
individual street dogs or families groups among the strays. The sense of freedom I feel with them is a kind
of independence, as in constant meditation!
For me, stray dogs are
my mini- Buddhists. They teach me a lot about being in touch with the present. I am their student, invited to take part in
the school of life. Street dogs have no
expectations! And so, they have no
disappointments. Expectations are
something I wrestle with in many different situations. Stay dogs are
unconditional love. I often try to love
unconditionally. In my “pack” of former
strays, when we rest together during the day everything feels like fulfillment.
Street dogs’ intuition
is outstanding. They listen to their inner compass; their intuition is as a survival
tool for them. I practice with my own
inner compass, to rely more on my intuition. If they receive food, they are happy, content
and satisfied. They don’t seek to have
more than they need.
Yet I still practice
my desires, with dreams that I can strive for and share with fellow human
beings.
When (stray) dogs are
adopted, within two weeks they stop to use their internal compass. In most cases they will be “reprogrammed
" by their new owners, just as what happens with most children. Children also drop their intuition, as they
get older. As adults and parents, we
think for the children. It is hard not
to, they need our direction, guidance and experience to learn and grow. Or so we tell ourselves. The same things we do for most of the dogs. We teach them the human language, which
eventually replaces their inner knowledge, their intuition. When we dare to rely as much on intuition as
children and stray dogs do, we find our own divinity within our purpose and
ourselves. We can learn and teach out our
knowledge and have more compassion. To find a balance with the inner knowledge and
to dare share the wisdom together with our community. Close your eyes! Do not look at who's coming with a wisdom
message for you, but listen and the book of knowledge opens up in your mind.
We do not know who our
teachers are! Let your expectations vanish and open your heart to your inner
compass. I thank my mini- Buddhists for this
life's wisdom. They have a free mind
without an ego, such that I aspire to myself.
I'm trying to remember
what my soul already knows.
That's Amore !
Mia Mattsson-Mercer
