Awakening True Identity

Rather than looking broadly and perhaps too vaguely at our responsibilities toward "the earth," we might specifically look at our relationship with animals (not only our pets) and recognize their essential equality with us, awakening our true identity with them, in our bodies, minds and hearts, as fellow "children of God."

My own impulse in this direction has been strengthened and affirmed not only by sessions at the 2015 Parliament concerning faith traditions and our relations with animals, but even more so by the dream I had about one week before the Parliament, where the word "biovinity" appeared and meant: We must awaken to a condition of reverence for all life - for every individual living being - not only in word, but in our daily deeds, in what we buy and what we eat and do not eat (those being the most direct actions which most of us have the great fortune and affluence to be able to most easily change).

At the Parliament, one speaker pointed out that to "love" our pets, yet fail to extend that same affectionate love toward ALL animals, reduces our "love" to mere sentimentality.

"Are we willing to, as Joe Miller used to say, really feel without sentimentality?" - Murshid Saadi Neil Douglas-Klotz, "Dances of Innocence, Dances of Experience," October 2015

For me, this is about "reclaiming the heart of our humanity," the theme of the 2015 Parliament. With loving perspective, we gain strength and courage to become more able to recognize that for too long we have erred in thinking we have some "right" to oppress others. Only then can we intentionally begin the walk away from actions that oppress others (here, in addition to other races, creeds, genders, castes, etc., our animal siblings).

I feel inspired, and also duty-bound, to take up this concentration. May we all recognize this ground-swell of intention and take up our own parts in it.

May all beings be well, may all beings be happy.