Paws4Bliss Events Calendar
This e- newsletter is exclusively designed to inspire you and keep you on track with upcoming events. Enjoy!
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Please click on the links below to learn more about each workshop.
Friday June 10th, 7:00 - 9:00pm
Paws4Bliss FREE Intro Talk
Location: Divine Mine, 11566 - 24th Street SE, Calgary AB
Friday June 17th , 7:00pm-10:00pm
Canine Companion Mindfulness Meditations Session 1&2
Location: Sit Happens! #16, 2333 - 18 Avenue NE
Saturday, June 18th, 9:00am - 11:00am
Canine Meditation Hike
Location: Glenfield section of Fish Creek park, the Bannister Road entrance. (Across from McInnis and Holloway Funeral Home).
Sunday, June 19th, 9:00am - 5:00pm
Canine Reiki Level 1
Location: Sit Happens! #16, 2333 - 18 Avenue NE
Tuesday, June 21st, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Paws4Bliss FREE Meditation Webinar
Location: Self Connection Books, #125, 4611 Bowness Road NW, Calgary, AB
Fridays June 24th, 7:00pm-9:00pm
Canine Companion Mindfulness Meditations Session 3&4
Location: Sit Happens! #16, 2333 - 18 Avenue NE
To register for these workshops contact Sangavasini by phone at 403-390-6894 or by e-mail unleash@paws4bliss.com
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Lessons from the Wise Ones- the Furry Sages.
My dear and wise friend Nina always says: Dogs hold the Key to the Universe. I completely agree with her. The articles you find in Zen From the Den are submitted to Paws4Bliss by canine zen-masters and wet nosed meditation experts alike. Read on and find where our furry friends can lead us if we are willing to listen and follow in their tracks.
This month’s article is submitted by Dudley. Dudley is a greyhound; a beautiful brindle boy. To be more precise: he is an ex-racer who was adopted from the race tracks. Dudley ran on the Wichita, Kansas race track which is now closed for good. (J) After he ended his racing career he found the most loving home you can ever imagine, in which he is retiring. It is common for greyhounds to go by a different name in their retired life than the one used during the racing career. Dudley’s racing name was: Hunkaburninlove. Anybody who meets Dudley can attest that he sure is the embodiment of his racing name! Sensitive as he is, Dudley is known to be a natural healer simply by being there, by radiating his unconditional love. Not only that, he is also a very wise sage. Experience has taught me that when puzzled with life’s deepest questions, one deep stare from Dudley is enough for him to transfer his wisdom directly on to you if you are ready to receive it. Without further delay, let’s welcome Dudley with a warm round of a-paws!
“Hello everyone, my name is Dudley. The introduction was quite long so I will not spend many more words as I believe that ultimate wisdom lies in stillness. When I was asked to share some of my wisdom through this article, it was very clear to me what I wanted to pass on to human beings. I can say it in two words: Just Stop. That’s it. Just stop for a moment, whatever you are doing. Stop running around, stop hurrying, and stop feeling stressed out. Just take a breath and look around you. Have you been aware of your surroundings? Have you heard the sounds? Have you taken in the scents? Have you felt the coolness of the rain on your face? You see, when you are running around you do not notice the magic that is right in front of you. It is not somewhere in the future. It is not some place, some time. It is only now, it is very simple. And yet: by most human beings overlooked. In that regard they are very much like greyhounds on a racetrack. Just running around, following a lure that is not even real!
So: throughout the day, just take time to paws and breathe. Do what we canines do. Poke up your nose and sniff the air. Perk up your ears and be aware of all the sounds that you hear. Look at everything with intensity, as if it was the last thing you would see today. Literally; become so intense in experiencing through the senses, as if it was the last day of your life, the last chance for you to experience this. Then you can discover the magical, vibrant world that us canine companions live in. Then you can understand why racing around just doesn’t get you anywhere. All you are doing is running around in circles, yet expecting different results, that are all. Kind of crazy really. Just Stop. Welcome to my world.”
Since in order to speak, one must first listen, learn to speak by listening
– Rumi
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Making a Difference One Step at the Time
This section of the newsletter was inspired during a walk with Coco out in nature. I looked at the footprints she had left on the ground. “This is all she leaves behind”, I thought. Looking around at the trash on the ground I noticed the ‘footprints’ that humans had left. I was wondering how we can reduce these artificial foot prints so we only leave ones like Coco did. As I was picking up the trash I realized that taking pawsitive action is part of this. In Footprints you will find ways of how we can make a difference in the world through taking action with awareness. As Einstein said so beautifully: “A problem can never be solved with the same mind that created it in the first place”. The awareness part plays an equally important role as the action part – unconscious behavior like judgement is just part of the problem and will not solve it. We have to apply both: action and awareness and take responsibility to find creative solutions. You make a difference, whether you believe it or not. Let us all make it a pawsitive difference!
We all live in on planet Earth. We can increase our impact through joined efforts. Let’s join hands in creating a civilization of peace through community.
Tug of War -What does the mind have to do with a dog toy?
Many of us have experienced this; playing tug-of-war with our canine companion. We pull and pull, and they pull back in return. The harder we pull the more resistance the dog will give in return. Then, the moment we let go, the dog will usually let go fairly quickly and drop the toy. When we stop pulling, the tug-of-war comes to an end. As long as we hang on tightly, it will continue as this never tires the dog.
The human mind works in a very similar way. Just today I was aware of how resistance is constantly happening in my inner space. I really would like to recommend you to try this: spend at least one hour with full awareness, and see when and how long you are resisting what is happening. To give you some examples that are easy to relate to: traffic jams, people getting on your nerves, having to wait in a line up… This resistance can come in many ways: mental and emotional resistance by getting irritated, frustrated, annoyed, angry, and a strong sense of “NO, I don’t want this!” A deep inner growl might build if we don’t pay attention that can soon become like an outer howl, snarling at everybody and everything that comes our way and blaming everything else as we go.
Even though most of us are not aware of this; the resistance also exists on the physical level. Can you feel the muscles tighten if you speak to someone and you don’t agree with this person? How does your body react when you get angry at somebody cutting you off in traffic? Usually we do not pay attention to our bodies. Resistance is experienced through the body as contraction, tightness. Notice this when you are sitting or lying down: is your body completely relaxed?
This is the tug-of-war that is happening in our inner space between the being and the mind. The mind is constantly resisting everything. The more we try to stop this, the harder it will pull back. The more we put up a fight, the more resistance will be build. The moment we become aware of what is happening, the war has come to an end.
You might wonder: what is the use of this practice of becoming aware of resistance? The answer is simple, and actually the practice itself will give you a better answer than words can. This tug-of-war game in our inner space is not as innocent as it seems as it does in the way we play with our canine companion. While this war is going on without awareness it creates all kinds of havoc. It can create stress, anxiety, depression, frustration, not enjoying life and so forth on a mental and emotional level. On a physical level it can create all kinds of illnesses, like painful neck and shoulders due to stress, high blood pressure, heart conditions, only to name a few.
The choice is up to you. Would you like to paws, sniff the fresh air, being fully present and wag your tail? Or would you like to go about life growling and snarling, lingering in the past or longing for a brighter future that will never come if we do not change our mental set up. When we become aware, we have the freedom to choose to change our life, that’s all.
Practicing Awareness will end the inner Tug-of –War, end the depression, and will lead us on a path to instant freedom.
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In the Spotlight: Insights into sighthounds: Greyhounds
Sharing the bliss by sharing your tails
I would like to dedicate this month’s article to a greyt soul who has recently crossed the rainbow bridge; I would like to dedicate this to Service – Service Hound to be precise and in the name of Service. Service was, just like Dudley, also a greyhound rescued from the race track. He left very special, soft, velvety foot prints on the hearts of all of those who knew him. Service enriched our lives with so many different lessons; how to be patient, playful, goofy, accept and take things as they come (he had bone cancer), to be of Service to others, and most of all: to never give up. He kept his spirit high until the last moment, reminding us over and over again that it is ok to let go. That that is the ultimate form of love.
May this following article be an inspiration for you to learn more about the greyhounds and to inspire you that just like the “ex-racers”, us humans can move from being competitors to being companions too. Enjoy!
Following article has been taken off the site: http://dogspired.com/dog-facts/greyhounds-competitors-to-companions/
“Most greyhounds are retired racetrack competitors who have been rescued by adoption organizations. Although some organizations might have greyhound puppies or dogs that have never been trained for the track, they are more the exception than the rule.
Greyhounds make particularly loving pets. In spite of their early training for the race track, they love people and tend to be quite sociable.
Greyhound racing is still recognized as one of the nation’s largest spectator sports. It is legal in 16 states.
Being a companion instead of a competitive racer involves a dramatic change in a greyhound’s routine. He must be given time to adjust to his new surroundings. For example, a retired racing greyhound has probably never been in a house before. As a result, he might be tense and possibly withdrawn.
However, following a brief adjustment period, these retired racers are very intelligent and adaptable dogs that fit easily into their new environment. They appear grateful for their new homes, and reward their new owners with endless affection. In spite of their training or racing experience, they are not dogs whose spirit has been broken. At least not for long.
It is the greyhound’s nature to run. They are sprinters that can run up to 45 miles an hour for very short periods. They travel so fast that they can get far away very quickly, become disoriented, and then lost. Track greyhounds also have had no experience with cars and do not recognize them as a hazard. They do not know how to defend themselves except by flight, and will often “freeze” if attacked.
As a pet, greyhounds need to be leashed at all times, or kept in a fenced area. They are not barkers by nature, but will bark if excited, or will try to tell you something, like needing to go out.
By nature, greyhounds are a gentle, docile breed that tends to avoid confrontation. Every greyhound that is raised with love and affection will make a wonderful, loving, devoted pet. Greyhounds quickly become attached to their new owners, thrive on pleasing them, and never tire of being pampered. Many people say that they are the best pets they ever had!”
Do you have an inspiring story like this one that you would like to share in this newsletter? We at Paws4Bliss would love to hear from you! Please e-mail your story to unleash@paws4bliss.com
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Book of the Month
Angel Animals - Divine Messengers of Miracles
By Allen & Linda Anderson
Angel Animals is a collection of stories by ordinary people about the spiritual lessons and truths they've learned from animals. Part one focuses on what angel animals teach people about relationships. Part two covers how angel animals provide lessons on handling life's challenges. In part three angel animals impart lessons on death, dying, and the afterlife. Whether these animals are daily companions or creatures observed in nature, they demonstrate gratitude, survival, courage, and forgiveness. The stories are touching, humorous, and remarkably inspiring. Each one includes a meditation or a question or comment to help readers carry the spirit of these angel animals into their own lives.
Click here to purchase "Angel Animals" from The Divine Mine online store.
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CD of the Month
Healing Sanctuary
By Dean Evenson
 Leave your anxiety, tension, stress and fear at the gate and enter a Healing Sanctuary of relaxing and releasing sound in this gorgeous release from mystical flutist. In this serene space, personal or even planetary turmoil will lose their grip on the psyche as gentle waves of peace wash over the listener. Flutes, harps, keyboards and guitars gently drift in and out, creating tranquil soundscapes that are perfect for the healing arts, meditation, relaxation and sleep time.
Divine Mine
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