A Dignified Farewell

One of the many birds I feed each day at my home in Southern Oregon, a Western Scrub Jay, approached me from the ground and looked up at me in a way that let me know she was in distress.  I knelt down on the ground about two feet from her, looked into her eyes and sent an inquiry via shared energy.  She hopped twice toward me and transmitted back, “I’m experiencing trauma.”

I was on my way to an appointment.  I decided to create a temporary protective shelter with shade, food and water and check her when I returned.  She hopped to the water dish, dipped her beak for a drink, but leaned sideways, off-balance, on legs that looked quite weak.  I hurried to my appointment and rushed back to check on her.

When I returned she had gone.  She ceased to resist the changing of form and permitted her soul the freedom to cross over to the ‘nother places, to continue her infinite journey as a peaceful, gentle LIGHT that once knew flight on Planet Earth.

For all animals that cross my path while in a state of crossing over, or in the after-state of the soul leaving the Earthly body, I conduct a farewell ceremony of respect, honor and dignity that I believe all sentient beings are worthy of.  I prepare the body with elements I gather from nature, including herbs and aroma producing plants.  I carefully choose a resting spot, a private place, surrounded by nature, usually in the shade of a long-living tree, or shrub.  I prepare a place in the ground and line it with plant material, I place the cushioned body into the ground, add a hand-written note.  I say a prayer requesting an ongoing future journey free from suffering and attach a blessing.

I cover the site with brush, fresh cut tree branches and plants I hand pick from the area. In addition to the flowers that are left atop the burial site, I also place a memorial marker; a rock, stone or trinket.  This time, I prepared an angelic piece of garden art.

Literally moments after placing the memorial and expressing my Farewell of Dignity, a feather fell from the sky and landed at my feet.   I experience an enormous amount of emotional joy in this moment.  It was most assuredly a sign, from the Spirit places, acknowledging and honoring my choice, to validate life and the crossing of the soul in respect and reverence of a life and LIGHT that mattered every bit as much as my own.

A DIGNIFIED FAREWELL

Your nameless, lifeless body,

ignored by the masses of “humanity,”

so often invalidated

by those who hold

their own lives so dear.

~~~~~

Last respects

withheld

 funeral, ceremony,  nor memorial  considered

for

WHO

was so recently

a breathing,

feeling,

living being.

~~~~~

I pause to make significant note,

in honor of your meaningful existence,

I ask

a BLESSING

upon your soul,

now ceased to resist the changing of form,

passing on to the ‘nother places.

And in reverent, heartfelt whisper

send  you  intentional confirmation that

“YOU mattered

… to me.”

~~~

 ~Gerean Pflug for The Animal Spirits

All rights reserved by Gerean Pflug, author, August 2020.  Reposts permitted and welcome when accompanied with a link back to this post.

Also read, Roadside Validation:

https://animalspirits222.wordpress.com/2014/10/31/roadside-validation/

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THE MERCILESS GORGE UPON THE DEAD

We are the living graves of murdered beasts,
Slaughtered to satisfy our appetites.
We never pause to wonder at our feasts,
If animals, like men, can possibly have rights.
We pray on Sundays that we may have light,
To guide our footsteps on the path we tread.
We’re sick of War, we do not want to fight –
The thought of it now fills our hearts with dread,
And yet – we gorge ourselves upon the dead.
Like carrion crows, we live and feed on meat,
Regardless of the suffering and pain
We cause by doing so, if thus we treat
Defenseless animals for sport or gain,
How can we hope in this world to attain
The PEACE we say we are so anxious for.
We pray for it, o’er hecatombs of slain,
To God, while outraging the moral law.
Thus cruelty begets its offspring – WAR

~ George Bernard Shaw (1856 – 1950)

Thanks to Shannon Amos, Vegan Animal Rights Activist, for inspiring this post.

Image Credit:  269Life

~ Gerean Pflug for The Animal Spirits

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THE PATH

THE PATH

“The darkness

may

affect the travelers

but never

the Path.”

~ Gerean

Image Credit:  The Path, by permission of  wyldraven

RATS, COCKROACHES AND POLAR BEARS

(Image Credit Unknown)

RATS, COCKROACHES AND POLAR BEARS

 The sun grew hot in the Arctic

Toxins rose from the ocean floor

Habitat  destroyed

Driven to extinction

Unaccounted for.

~~~~~

We swam in search of icebergs

Hundreds of miles or more

My cubs drowned from exhaustion

Before I reached the shore.

~~~~~

Once on land I searched for food

I couldn’t find it anywhere

Invisible on Ice – Ignored on Land

The humans did not care.

~~~~~

Left to seek friends from low places

Among garbage and poisonous air

“Come dine with us, we have plenty to share,”

said

The rats and cockroaches

of the dumpsters and landfills

To The Earth’s

Last Polar Bear.

~~~

~ Written by Gerean Pflug for The Animal Spirits

November 15, 2014 All Rights Reserved

Copies and Re-posts permitted with a link back to this page

~~~~~

The Arctic Ice is melting

The water, air and natural habitats are being destroyed by the human species.

We are facing mass extinction.

What can you do?

Make every personal choice in compassionate protection of The Earth as a top priority.

In intense consciousness . . .

Accept personal responsibility. . .

Become Educated ~ Take Action~ Lend Voice ~

~ Gerean Pflug for The Animal Spirits

The Animal Spirits on Facebook

WHEN MATADORS BECOME ACTIVISTS

PHOTO NOTE:  The name of the Matador in this photo is unknown.

Some say, the Matador’s posture is not one of sadness, but one of defiance to the bull.

This post ponders the few Matadors who have choosen to walk away.

The matador

looks into the eyes

of a sentient, living being,

and sees it’s soul,

stops in the middle of an unfair fight,

walks to a ledge inside the stadium,

sits down,

hangs his head

and begins to cry.

~~~

A number of bullfighters throughout history, after recognizing the sentience of the living being they are torturing, have walked away from bullfighting forever.  One such ex-bullfighter, turned animal rights activist was Alvaro Munera, who was quoted:

“And suddenly, I looked at the bull.

He had this innocence

that all animals have in their eyes,

and he looked at me with this pleading.

It was like a cry for justice,

deep down inside of me.

I describe it as being like a prayer –

because if one confesses,

it is hoped, that one is forgiven.

I felt like the worst shit on earth.”

~~~

Chiquilín, another repentant bullfighter,

claims to have seen bulls weeping.

He says that he cannot kill even a fly nowadays.

~~~

Read excerpts from the Alvaro Munera interview here:

http://humansarefree.com/2012/07/bullfighter-becomes-fierce-animal.html

~~~

Blessings on those who from a place of empathy and compassion,

take action to protect, defend and lend voice,

to innocent, sentient, living beings,

who cannot speak for themselves.

We feel.  We suffer.

And in our suffering . . .

We suffer as equals.

Choose compassion.

~Gerean Pflug for The Animal Spirits

~~~

THE SORROW THAT HAS NO SPEECH

From lab, from cage and from forests,

From slaughterhouse stalls, comes the wail

Of my tortured kin.

They proclaim the sin

Of the mighty against the frail. …

For love is the true religion,

And love is the law sublime;

And all that is wrought,

where love is not

Will die at the touch of time.

Oh, shame on the mothers of mortals

Who have not stopped to teach

Of the sorrow that lies

in an animal’s eyes,

The sorrow that has no speech.

~~~

~Ella Wheeler Wilcox

~~~

PHOTO:  269LIFE.com

~~~

Blessings on those

who from a place of empathy and compassion

take action

to protect, defend and lend voice to

innocent, sentient, living beings

who cannot speak for themselves.

~~~

 TEACH CHILDREN COMPASSION AS A WAY OF LIFE

~~~

~Gerean Pflug for The Animal Spirits

~~~

‘TWAS THE WHIP THAT SPOKE

~~~~~

The beasts are very wise,

Their mouths are clean of lies,

They talk one to the other,

Bullock to bullock brothers

Resting after their labors,

Each in stall with his neighbors,

But man with goad and whip,

Breaks up their fellowship,

Shouts in their silky ears

Filling their soul with fears.

When he has plowed the land,

He says: “they understand.”

But the beasts in stall together,

Freed from the yoke and tether,

Say as the torn flank smoke:

“Nay, ’twas the whip that spoke.”

(Rudyard Kipling, The Beasts are Very Wise)

~~~~~

~~~

Blessings on those

who from a place of empathy and compassion

defend, protect and lend voice

to innocent, sentient, living beings

who cannot speak for themselves.

~~~~

Sentient Living Beings . . .

We feel.

We suffer.

When we suffer

We suffer as equals.

Please be compassionate in action.

~~~

~Gerean Pflug for The Animal Spirits

~~~

Share this:

I cry . . . and then I reblog and share on my social networking platforms. Every individual action taken to lend voice to innocent, sentient, living being matters. Every living being matters. Please show compassion in action. ~Gerean Pflug for The Animal Spirits

WHY I DO IT ~ LYRICS BY IFEEL

WARNING!  This post is rated R for ADULT subject matter, images and graphic language.  I have obtained permission to post the following lyrics  from IFEEL directly.  None of the images included in this post are from the IFEEL campaign, but all images have a link encoded to their location.  Reblogs are permitted and encouraged.  Copies, reprints and alterations must be approved by IFEEL (links provided below).

Today we are witness to literally millions of sentient beings being taken from their environments against their will, they are:  exploited, mistreated, abused, tortured, maimed and killed.   According to Animal Welfare Institute (ADI), EVERY HOUR, some 1,000,000 chickens, 13,000 pigs and 4,000 cows are slaughtered for human consumption in the United States. It is a process that takes place far from public view, and one that few know very much about.  Although all sentient beings feel in equality, there is certainly no equality in the manner in which the human species treats the animal species.  I cannot stand it anymore.  I have decided to lend voice to innocent, living beings who cannot speak for themselves, thus this blog was created.

IFEEL, a hip-hop/rap artist  has appeared on the animal rights scene with fury.  He pulls no punches, minces no words and does not hold back one iota of passion nor intention in the delivery of his message.  He works from his heart and soul using the tools of his talent, his words and his influence.   I admire his music and his honesty.  The lyrics to “Why I Do It” are bold and without apology, as all of our words should be as we strive to right this gross injustice.

Blessings on those who lend voice to living beings who cannot speak for themselves!

~Gerean Pflug for The Animal Spirits

~~~~~

WHY I DO IT ~LYRICS BY IFEEL

“I DO IT WITH A PEN, NOT A KNIFE OR A GUN

I TALK THE TALK, I DON’T WALK I F*CKIN RUN

AND IF I COULD I WOULD BURN IT ALL LIKE A SUN

ASHES TO ASHES – THAT DAY WILL COME

I DO IT COS IT’S SAD TO SEE WHAT WE’VE BECOME

I DO IT COS THERE IS MUCH MORE TO BE DONE

I DO IT FOR YALL WHO CARE – F*CK MASS APPEAL

IF YOU FEEL IT IN YOUR HEART THEN YOU KNOW THAT IT’S REAL

I DO IT COS THE MONEY RIPS THE HEART OUT WITH STEEL

SO THEY CANNOT HEAR THE PAIN AND THE FEAR THAT THEY FEEL

I DO IT COS IT’S SO DAMN EASY TO KILL

BREED IT FEED IT CUT IT SHIP IT –

SERVE A HAPPY MEAL

~~~

~~~

I DO IT COS THEY

STEAL EM BEAT EM BREED EM

AND BLEED EM TREAT EM

LIKE TRASH –

THROW EM AWAY WHEN THEY DON’T NEED EM

~~~

THAT’S SICK –

NO COMPROMISE (NOOOOO)

NOTHIN BUT THE FREEDOM

YES WE GETTIN EVEN –

NOTHIN BUT THE FREEDOM (NOOOOO)

~~~
THIS AIN’T ABOUT THE FAME, THIS AIN’T ABOUT THE BITCHES

IT’S REALLY SIMPLE, LET ME

SHOW YOU SOME PICTURES

THIS IS WHY I DO IT – THIS IS WHY I DO IT – THIS IS WHY I DO IT

~~~

~~~
I DO IT FOR THE CALF IN BOX 44

HE CAN ONLY STAND UP AND FALL ON THE FLOOR

I DO IT FOR THE DOG SKINNED ALIVE FOR FUR RABBIT IN A BAG

– SCARED –

WAITIN TO BE SERVED

LITTLE PIGS WHOSE CRIES WILL NEVER BE HEARD

I DO IT FOR THE MICE AND EVERY SINGLE BIRD

I DO IT FOR THE CHICKEN WITH A HEAD CUT OFF

EVERY SLICE F*CKIN BURNS TILL THE HEAD COMES OFF

I DO IT FOR THE HORSE CHOPPED UP FOR A SAUSAGE

IT’S SAD HOW SOME PEOPLE NEVER LEARNED NOT TO BE SAVAGE

I DO IT FOR MY DOGS AND CATS

IN EVERY JAIL

WITH NO CHANCE OF BAIL –

IN THIS MAN MADE HELL

I DO IT FOR THE CHICKS GETTING GROUND UP ALIVE

COWS IN THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE TERRIFIED BEFORE THEY DIE

I DO IT FOR THE DUCK GETTIN STUFFED TO DEATH

I’LL DO IT TILL I DIE – TILL MY LAST F*CKIN BREATH AHHHHH

~~~
THIS AIN’T ABOUT THE FAME, THIS AIN’T ABOUT THE BITCHES

IT’S REALLY SIMPLE, LET ME

SHOW YOU SOME PICTURES

THIS IS WHY I DO IT – THIS IS WHY I DO IT – THIS IS WHY I DO IT

~~~

~~~
I DO IT COS I’M PISSED AND SICK OF ALL THE LIES

I DO IT COS I CRY WHEN I LOOK INTO THOSE EYES

I DO IT FOR THE DOLPHIN SLICED UP ALIVE

I DO IT FOR THE PITBULLS FIGHTIN TILL THEY DIE

I DO IT FOR THE NAMELESS BODY ON THE PRODUCTION LINE

EVERYDAY A MASSACRE – PAIN IS HEINOUS ALL THE TIME

I DO IT COS I HEAR EM SCREAMIN WHEREVER THEY HIDE EM

AND EVEN IF THEY SHIP EM AND FLY EM – WE STILL GONNA FIND EM

~~~

I DO IT FOR THE BIRDS IN THE BATTERY CAGES

I DO IT FOR THE MODERN-DAY SLAVES IN THE CAGES

CHIMP IN A SEAT WITH A SKULL CRACKED OPEN

CAT WITH NO SLEEP WITH A MOUTH WIDE OPEN

I DO IT COS OF WEAK-ASS HUNTING LITTLE BITCHES

BIG GUNS

NO BALLS

SNAPPIN THEIR LITTLE PICTURES

KILL EM WHILE THEY CAN –

TILL WE GET SOME GLITCHES

F*CK THE BANDAID –

WE GONNA NEED SOME STITCHES

~~~

dead-wolf-flickr-commons.jpg

~~~
THIS AIN’T ABOUT THE FAME,

THIS AIN’T ABOUT THE BITCHES

IT’S REALLY SIMPLE, LET ME

SHOW YOU SOME PICTURES

THIS IS WHY I DO IT –

THIS IS WHY I DO IT –

THIS IS WHY I DO IT
WHY DO IT

WHY DO IT DO IT.”

~~~

In factories, thousands of baby chicks are ground up alive.

~~~~~

Credits:

ANIMAL IN ME ~ Released November 2012.

Written and performed by IFEEL

Produced by Freek van Workum 2012

All rights reserved. www.MusicIFEEL.com

Why I do it ~ sound track by IFEEL

http://ifeel.bandcamp.com/track/why-i-do-it

IFEEL on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ifeel/192685487497183

TO KILL A WHALE

~~~

TO KILL A WHALE

by Gerean Pflug

~~~

Diesel powered ships

fueled by money, greed

and humans paid to crew

hunger to kill for pay

mega sized pointy spears

of monolith resistant steel

built-in hooks with jagged edges

spools of ropes and cording

explosive penthrite-tipped

cannon powered violent action

heartless slaughter intended

body piercing harpoon style

into ideal depth of the flesh

nylon cords extend

tight and quick is what it takes

to pull the pin of delivery

grenade ladened weaponry

detonation of their payload

obliteration of the body

agonizing screams of pain

desperate thrashing

a futile fight to survive

the  slow death lasts

up to a half hour or more

while hanging on to threads of life

the shots and injuries continue

empathy non existent

compassion withheld

 at last the lower jaw relaxes

flippers cease to paddle

active motion slows

flotation no longer possible

the sink begins

once innocent, sentient, living beings

majestic royalty of the seas of an entire planet

now spirits passed on to the ‘nother places

lifeless, nameless, mammoth bodies

hauled by ropes

attached to arms of men

through life blood thickened waters

ultimate bounty is declared

liquid assets pending

cash prizes collected

goods liquidated

to meat markets hidden

behind signs that proclaim

“It is finished.”

in the name of scientific research.

~~~~~

Written by:  Gerean Pflug for The Animal Spirits, all rights reserved

Copy permitted with a link back to this page.

~~~~

Japanese whaling ships

under the guise of scientific research

slaughter hundreds upon hundreds of endangered whales each year.

They kill the planet’s wildlife in protected whale sanctuaries.

This is not only illegal, it is immoral.

The suffering inflicted upon the whales is unspeakable.

They feel.

They suffer.

We suffer as equals.

Blessings on those who out of empathy and compassion

 give voice to living beings who cannot speak for themselves.

Blessings on International Heroes:

Captain Paul Watson,

the crew and volunteers of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society

and every individual of the international community

who take action in support of their work.

~~~~~

NOTE:  The above writing is inspired by the work of The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.

Follow The Sea Shepherd on Facebook at:  http://www.facebook.com/TheAnimalSpirits?ref=hl#!/seashepherdconservationsociety?fref=ts

Additional Resource: “The Inner Lives of Whales” ~  Society for the Advancement of Animal Wellbeing