Contemplative Walking

I have practiced a few forms of meditative walking, but not since my dog Ixa came into my life. When I walk, in my urban environment, with Ixa, the distractions defeat me: aggressive dogs, cats and squirrels, kids, street crossings, and leashes.









I also used to jog on a treadmill, and I'd find a steady pace that provided a deep, moving meditation. I miss that.



Last week, I set up a treadmill at home, for Ixa and I to use together. I simply wanted peaceful and comfortable walking. But, it turns out to offer a meditative experience, not only for me, but for her, too! She lowers her head and focuses on the path, present in her stride. It's so tranquil, and an enormous change from her normal on-guard, sniffy, excited tromp through the city.

Surprisingly, the treadmill is our little spaceship for contemplative walking. But, perhaps, one day, we'll make a nice labyrinth!

Steven Seagal

Mystical dog incident

While being interviewed by PETA, Seagal was asked to provide an example of a special interaction with an animal. To lend context and meaning to his animal rights work, Seagal offered the story about a dog which approached him during his early aikido years in Japan. Seagal described feeling as if he had known this white dog forever. After keeping the dog for a few days, the dog (by barking) warned Seagal that his dojo was on fire. Seagal quickly summoned help to put out the fire. He never saw the dog again.[27]

Seagal Wiki Page

Doglandia

Doglandia, the dog discussion forum, has launched!

Doglandia is Here!

Doglandia is meant to be a small and friendly forum for open minded discussions on dogness, our lives with dogs, and all the fascinating wonders that arise from there. A couple of friends and I were interested in having a place where folks with open minds could come and chat, learn, teach, and celebrate differences of perspective. We tossed around some ideas, and Doglandia is what we came up with.

The Doglandia forum is a bare bones operation, no bells or whistles ... and we are liking it like that!

Stop in and have a look around!

Celtic Dog

Celtic Dog: The dog animal symbol also maintains a pure root meaning throughout time and culture. That meaning is loyalty, of course. Man (and woman's) best friend, the dog symbolizes the strong bond of companionship felt between human and animal.

The dog was considered to be good luck in the village, and as such, the symbol of the dog was commonly found in Celtic décor, clothing, etc. There are reports that the dog symbol is a harbinger of good health. More likely, the dog's companionship warded away the illnesses loneliness and rejection cause.

Further, a Celt was rarely found hunting without a hound nearby. Dogs were necessities in life, and therefore highly regarded.

From What's Your Sign

Shaman Dog

Wojciech Cejrowski:

"The dogs of wild tribes are usually poor: skinny, suppurated, often sick. But Indians usually look poor too. You don’t see fat people among them. They’re regularly undernourished and the life in the jungle requires a lot of effort. An Indian doesn’t have much time to rest because he’s fighting to survive every day. So if he doesn’t eat and rest enough, he doesn’t have time to grow fat. So Indian dogs are skinny just like their owners.

With the exception of the shaman’s dog.

No one refuses to give food to the shaman’s dog. It’s wiser to deny oneself and give this dog a piece of meat, bone or at least a baked fish as soon as he comes – SO HE WOULD GO AWAY. Because when he’s standing at the threshold of the shelter… and is looking searchingly… people feel uncomfortable. And if he growled… children would start crying of fear.

The shaman’s dog isn’t a welcomed guest, just like a witch’s cat. Never and nowhere.

It’s mainly because this animal is trained to deliver special messages and it usually turns out that when the message is good, the shaman comes personally. But when there’s a more nasty case, he sends his dog. A dog that’s wiser than some people. He’s as cunning as the shaman himself. And he’s trained, which is an unknown and distressing thing in the jungle.

It’s very easy to recognize it (not only because of the overweight) – the shaman’s dog carries a characteristic pouch with “sanctities” around his neck.

These “sanctities” can be used for the protection of the dog. So we would say that they’re his good luck charms. But it could be that the dog got a task to drag the evil eye, sorrows or even death. In that case they won’t be good luck charms, but “bait” that “attracts” the Bad Power (and then leave the power on the doorstep on which the dog pisses.)

I didn’t know all of this when the shaman’s dog came to my shelter for the first time.

Listen... " ...
http://www.cejrowski.com/en/stories/index.php?p=2&PHPSESSID=1c997f98d5455d914924b1a28d9

Enlightened Dog

from http://bighominid.blogspot.com/2005/09/buddhist-dog.html

TEMPLE GOING TO THE DOGS

Fri Sep 16,10:31 AM ET

The newest acolyte at a temple on an outlying South Korea island is a dog who has learned to sit, stay and perform Buddhist prayer rituals alongside the monks.

Monks at Buljang Temple on Chindo island off the southwest coast said the stray called "Hama" now joined them at prayer.

Hama -- Korean for hippopotamus -- follows monks into the temple and bows in the same manner for prayer, a temple official said. Some local Buddhists, who believe in reincarnation, are wondering what Hama may have been in a past life.

"Since about a month ago, when the monks were performing a ceremony paying respect to Buddha, they were joined by this one-year-old dog," the official said by telephone.

Hama is one of a traditional Korean breed called chindo, which originated on the island.

Hama's exploits have made the national news in South Korea and attracted a lot of curious onlookers to the temple, where about 30 other stray dogs live.

"The dog bows just like a monk," said college student Park Sang-jin, who visited the temple after hearing about Hama.