I've been getting some peculiar messages about dogs. Not really about dogs, but messages with the word "dog" in them. Of course, I immediately think it has something to do with my dog, Pixie, but then again my website, business, and email name is kyote DOG, so I know they apply to me.
The first scrap I recieved at the dog park is this one:
I wondered what this meant. I assume it's my message from the universe for the day. One of the problems I had understanding it was that I couldn't make out the word after "Gifts". I finally decided it was "for", so the message reads "Gifts for the Dogs", but It could be "Gifts IN the Dogs" Naaaah.
I have, lately, been thinking about how much happiness my little dog has brought into my life. She is a gift herself and deserves many gifts in return. She gets her little doggy treats quite often since food is her dearest desire, and she gets a nice warm and loving home as well, so gifted she is, but this explaination didn't resonate. It does say for the dogS, so that means it's not exclusive to one. I decided to just wait a bit and see what else showed up.
First thing this morning on the dog walk I picked up this card:
Back to the dogs again:
On this card is some student's note from a children's book calls "The Heavenly Zoo". The story is part of the Mahabaharata, one of two Classical Sanskrit epics from ancient India. In this story, five brothers begin a journey to the heavens with all but the eldest, Yudistira, falling off along the way to follow their hearts to do something close to their nature (Arjuna, the all-powerful, joins a battle for his country: Sahadeva, the all-wise, joins holy men in study and prayer, etc.). By the time the entrance to heaven is reached, only Yudistira remains with his faithful dog. He is invited to enter, but only if he leaves his dog behind. He refuses to do so because his dog had given his heart to him.
How can having the gift of a dog's heart be a barrier to heaven? What kind of heaven is this that won't allow dogs. This will take some thought.
So: five brothers enter heaven by following their hearts and their natures, and one refuses because he holds the heart of his dog. Does this mean that having the responsiblity of someone's love makes following your own heart impossible? It does make it harder, perhaps, to recognize the pure impulse of your own beating desire when other's wishes and needs must be considered.
Or is that merely an excuse.
Trying another approach, since the dog is a symbol of loyalty, and perhaps in this context means unwavering loyalty, perhaps his dedication to his dog rather than his own heart kept him from fulfilling his true purpose.
In my own life, I realize that it's very difficult for me to really see who I am under the cover of my social obligations, family life, work life, etc., all that I've given my heart to. I know who I want to be, who others want me to be, but not really who I am. I can see how I use love for animals or people as a way to keep the discovery of my true self, my true heart, from my consciousness; or romance as a way to keep from growing, by repeating disfunctional old patterns for the sake of temporal happiness.
Maybe the gifts I need to give myself is permission to actually BE myself, to interact cleanly and clearly with others as my fullest and most present self. Perhaps I won't do that because I fear the loss of love when my loved ones meet my true face, but maybe that's what one needs to show in order to live more authentically and truly create heaven on earth. Love indeed, has a place and leads the way to heaven, but ultimately the love of the universe in it's broadest and truest sense is the love that's needed. Narrowing our focus to a single object misses the point.
There is more to be gained here in these messages from the universe, and I will be pondering them for a while. If you have any insights to bring to this, please comment.
Love,
Kristine
