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:

ROADSIDE VALIDATION

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ONE CLEAR NOTE

ONE CLEAR NOTE

“She was born as music,

a single, mellow note suspended in the air. 

Suspended as if strung from nothing, 

held into possibilities of sound. 

Her clear note hung a lone, sweet tone in the midst of us all;

 as silence captured its ache 

and tenderly, reluctantly released it, 

dipped it lower into a breath of melancholy 

only to lift again to its earlier height

 both rich and real and complete.

one solitary note swaying into the early dawn.“

~ Debi Cimo, Delicate The Alchemy of Emily Greyson

My beloved piano moved on today.

It will be carrying all of the joy and happiness it provided to me,

to a family of children who will now be blessed

by its presence,

its music yet to be created and …

my essence.

Life is a constant process of letting go.

~ Gerean

~~~

LISTEN TO ADAGIO IN G MINOR by TOMASO ALBINONI

BOUND TO SUFFERING

BOUND TO SUFFERING

Empathy

dictates that we,

at the very least,

show the reverence of imagining ourselves

in the place of another.

Compassion

dictates that we feel WITH them.

Mercy

dictates that we take action

to protect other sentient living beings from suffering.

Who is willing to continue to look the other way?

What you allow, will continue.

In empathy, compassion and mercy,

take action.

~ Gerean Pflug for The Animal Spirits

Pigs at Tona Toraja Market in Indonesia. They are mercilessly bound to bamboo poles while still alive, many of them injured. They are refused water or food and left to suffer until a human purchases them for slaughter. Is this mercy? Is this grace? Is this compassion?

SHADOW PURPOSES

SHADOW PURPOSES

“A shadow is never created in darkness.

It is born of

LIGHT.

We can be

blind to it

and blinded by it.

Our shadow asks us to look

at what we don’t want to see.”

~ Terry Tempest Williams

Be brave.  Dare to bear witness.  Trust your soul.

Fear not the shadow.

The LIGHT

will continually purify the shadow

as the shadow is continually faced.

~ Gerean

NOTE: Thank you my dear animal rights activist friend, Eddie Mah,

for delivering this inspiration to me ~ G 

THE PATH

THE PATH

“The darkness

may

affect the travelers

but never

the Path.”

~ Gerean

Image Credit:  The Path, by permission of  wyldraven

AHIMSA

AHIMSA

It is time for

Change

Not just in what we

Do

but what we

Speak

and what we

Think

 The time is

Now.

~~~

AHIMSA

The Compassionate, Healthy, Intelligent, Rational

philosophy of

Life

of Love

of LIGHT

Nonviolence

in relation to sentient, living beings of ALL species.

Awaken.  Evolve.  Transform.

The time is

NOW.

~~~

Video:  A New Philosophy of Life/Neo HUMAN Eve

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

THE FROZEN ANIMATION OF PEACE

Photographer:  Gerean Pflug

~~~~~

THE FROZEN ANIMATION OF PEACE

While WE are

collectively

awakening

thawing

from individual winters

yet unable to recognize

all truth

WE are offered the

opportunity to

choose

peaceful co-existence

one-with-another

illustrated by

peaceful action

from where WE stand.

Thaw. Consider. Animate.

Awaken. Choose. Act.

In the LIGHT

Influence the melting

of hearts

of others.

Be the Peace

you wish to experience.

~~~~~

~ Gerean Pflug for The Animal Spirits

~~~

The Animal Spirits on Facebook

INDIGENOUS LEADERSHIP

Photo:  Frank Waln, Sicangu Lakota

~~~~~

INDIGENOUS LEADERSHIP

REBEL MUSIC

As he calls upon ALL humans to

UNIFY,

his voice and other rebel voices

are reaching the masses:

“We are not protesters,

we are protectors of The Land.

We’ve been doing this for thousands of years.

We are doing this today.

These borders can’t hold us back.”

~ Frank Waln, Lakota, Native American Rapper

~~~~~

Indigenous youth,

the freedom-fighting  generation

of Warriors

of the new millennium

are calling to

The Four Directions

North, South, East and West,

Red, Yellow, Black and White;

Rise up

Speak out

as voices of the voiceless

Become ONE voice

the ultimate defense

not  knives and guns

but words, music and the pen

mightier than the sword

ignite and demand change

Fight a high-stakes battle

against

 fake democracy

dehumanization

injustice

oppression

of living beings afraid of their governments.

Invest in our children

who hold the future of The Earth

in the palms of their hands.

~~~

In times of Revolution

In times of Dissent,

In times of Resistance

In times of Reform,

We rise up

We risk our lives

for Freedom.

“No one is coming to save us

We must do this ourselves.”

~ Frank Waln

~~~~~

November 13, 2014, 4:00 p.m. EST

Watch the MTV Premiere Exclusive of REBEL MUSIC

at:  www.facebook.com/MTV

~~~

VIDEO:  MTV Rebel Music

~~~

This article is a creative reconstruction compiled from video, references and resources

relating to The Indigenous Movement, MTV’s upcoming exclusive Rebel Music event

and public activities of Frank Wahl (Native American activist, musician).

In respect and support of compassionate Indigenous leadership.

Gerean Pflug/ The Animal Spirits

~~~

References and sources:

http://www.rebelmusic.com/#!music/rebel-music/episode/native-america

Frank Waln on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/fwaln?fref=ts

http://www.facebook.com/MTV

JUST AS SCARED AS YOU

JUST AS SCARED AS YOU

Foot slipped into the saddle

shoe

corrective brace

laced tight

when the movement was felt

inside

she was out of control

and she knew

panic

hysteria

seizure

fright

The Silent Power

appeared from thin air

calming her

quieting

holding her there

untying

removing

the threat

once through

so gently removed the intruder and said

“Honey,

look

it’s but a poor cricket

and he’s just as scared as you.”

(In Memory of my Father)

~Gerean Pflug

NOTE:  Because of a bone abnormality I wore leg braces and corrective shoes through my childhood.  I also had a phobia relating to insects.  Happily my legs turned out just fine and as the years pass, I have made peace with The Insect Spirits.  Every year on the evening of November 5th, my earthly birthday, I spend time reading my past writings and either write or choose a piece to publish in memory of my beloved father. This poem reflects an actual memory of one of many occurrences in which my father came to my rescue and influenced the reinstatement of my peace of mind.  He’s since ceased to resist the changing of form and passed on to the “Nother Places,” but I continue to connect with him daily through precious memory.

Cricket Sounds