Vegan lifestyle articles that discuss ways of living in peace with humans, animals, and the environment.
Jane Broccolo, Talks
with Pets
April 2016
"Ass-hole, how dare you pity us, when you and your kind suffer more in your own minds, in your own hands, than we. You are the victim. Grow up!"
It was early Spring, 1998, Glastonbury, England.
I was snuggled against the fence around a pasture of sheep munching on the
lush green of their friendly environment, their tails idly wagging at the
joy of being alive on this beautiful day.
Basking in the pastoral delight, my eyes rested on a little lamb prancing up
to his mom for a drink of her milky nourishment.
An approving ewe wandered around checking in with each of her friends before
stopping to linger with the proud mom and her happy little baby.
Then, the ewe set her eyes on mine. I was dumbstruck by those two deep
pools brimming with wisdom and strength that only comes from having endured
much pain and sorrow.
Those eyes told me of her inner resilience in knowing that the most cruel
and painful fate soon awaited her and each one of her friends.
There was a striking peace about her, though she knew that the little
unsuspecting lamb would any day now be wrapped in cellophane labeled,
“Spring Lamb,” just as her very own was once ripped from her nipples by the
same hand of fate.
Not being as evolved as the person with those eyes penetrating mine, I could
only indulge myself in feeling horror, pity, and anger about the fact that
each one in this flock would soon have their lives cut short by slow torture
and anguish.
I took advantage of the moment to let the ewe know what a good person I was,
– after all, I must be a good person if I could feel such pity for her – and
how sorry I felt for her and her family. It made me feel noble to show the
ewe my humble gesture.
I was desperate to assure her that I was wallowing in pain just by my mere
dwelling on her fate. It felt deliciously big of me to feel such intense
pity for her. I hoped – without being aware that I was hoping – that maybe a
god somewhere was watching me.
I showed her my pity not with words, but with feelings, with pain in my
eyes, a grimace on my face.
Her eyes immediately shifted from sisterhood to outrage and disgust.
Lowering her head, she made a beeline for the fence where I was sitting in
the grass. I shrunk away just in time to avoid the angry head charging
through an opening to bang sense into my thick, stupid skull.
She then raised her head and stood with pride…not to be confused with
arrogance. Her glare told me…
“Ass-hole, how dare you pity us, when you and your kind suffer more in your
own minds, in your own hands, than we. You are the victim. Grow up!
“Stop using our journeys as an excuse to indulge in yet another pity party.
“Don’t save us. Empower us. That is the only way you can empower yourself,
the only way joy can eventually reign on this beautiful evolving presence
interpreted by your kind as, ‘life on earth.’ ”
Fast forward to a recent Sunday...
A woman who has an avian sanctuary called me to do a Reiki healing on a hen
who she was convinced had cancer or a virus, and would be dead this week.
I provided some ‘hands-on’ energy work on the hen too frightened for me to
actually touch her. I could definitely feel the sensation of energy flowing
between my hands and the hen, and I could feel the hen taking the energy in.
All the time, I held the thought of her feeling well again. I could feel her
heart was full of gratitude.
I told the woman that though the hen might have cancer as she suspected, it
was of the utmost importance for her not to hold onto her expectation that
the hen was so sick she would be dead in a week.
I urged her to be open to the possibility of the hen’s health improving. I
urged her to keep in mind that at any moment she felt pity, it was
absolutely essential for her to quickly shift from pity for the hen, to
instead, empower the hen with feelings of confidence and well-being. (Here’s
how to do that.)
Yesterday, I saw the woman posted on FB that the hen was improving.
Please stop saving animals with pity. Empower them with confidence, instead.
It will make a world of difference to the world. After all, what one feels,
we all feel.
Thank you.
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