Discrimination of animals / Discriminacion de animales.

Lately I have encountered quite a lot of discrimination towards a certain dog breed; podencos

It is said that they are stupid, stubborn, useless, bad… people say this to justify the abuse, abandonment and isolation many podencos suffer.

It’s very sad. And even more: it’s without a trace of truth. Of course, an animal will mistrust you, it won’t do what you want, it will even fear you, if you abandon him, hit him, let him suffer from hunger, cold and thirst. It’s normal that it won’t be some cute lapdog then, if you isolate him from contact with other people and dogs!

But if you treat an animal with respect, love and understanding, if you know how and animal Works, knowing that it’s a living being with emotions and needs like everyone else, then you will find in this animal an unconditional friend, a living being who will love you without limits, and thousand times more loyal tan many human beings.

Let’s look at slavery: that was possible “thanks” to the idea that black people were beasts, didn’t feel, that they were wild animals, that you could treat them however you wanted because they didn’t feel anything anyway. It was justified by discrimination, ignorance and a lack of education.

Unfortunately, we still treat animals in a bad way, and we are far away from reaching a relation based on respect and wisdom. We still justify the mistreatment of animals by saying “they don’t feel, they don’t have emotions”.

And I’m fed up with these false justifications. I’m fed up with the hypocrisy, the lack of education, the ignorance of so many humans.

For me, every living being, every single one, no matter if you find it unimportant, scary, and disgusting or whatsoever, deserves love!! Every living being deserves love, respect and sympathy.

Why discriminate some, and treat others good? Why create this difference? Aren’t people able to see that on this Earth we are only temporal visitors, that we are part of nature and that we should coexist with Nature and all its beautiful creations?

One of the steps towards wisdom is this: understanding that you shouldn’t discriminate any living being. Because we are all part of the Earth. And loving all the other living beings is one of the best practices of compassion and love.

Namaste

How could anyone ever say that Podencos are stupid, ugly and unsocial?!!
¿Como alguien puede decir que los podencos son tontos, feos y asociales?!!

When I look into the eyes of an animal, I don't see an animal. I see a living being. I see a friend. I see a soul.
Cuando miro en los ojos de un animal, no veo un animal. Veo un ser vivo. Veo un amigo. Veo una alma. 

Últimamente me he encontrado con mucha discriminación hacia una raza de perros; los podencos.

Se dice que son tontos, inútiles, cabezotas, que son malos. Dicen todo aquello para justificar el maltrato, el abandono y el aislamiento a las cuales mucha gente somete a los podencos.

Es triste. Y aun mas; es sin ninguna base de verdad. Claro, un animal va ser desconfiado, no va hacer lo que tú quieres, incluso tiene miedo hacia ti, si tu le abandonas, le pegas, le haces sufrir hambre. Es normal que entonces no sea un perrito cariñoso y social, si le aíslas socialmente de contacto con otras personas y perros!

Pero si tratas a un animal con amor, respeto y entendimiento, sabiendo cómo funciona, sabiendo que es un ser vivo con emocionas y necesidades como todos, entonces vas a encontrar en ese animal un compañero incondicional, un ser vivo que te quiere sin limitaciones, y mil veces más fiel que la mayoría de los humanos.

Miramos a la esclavitud: eso fue posible “gracias” a la superposición que los negros eran bestias, que no sentían, que eran animales salvajes, que podrías tratarles como querías porque no tenían emociones. Se justificó por la discriminación, la ignorancia y falta de educación. 

Pero con los animales aún estamos lejos de alcanzar una relación de respeto y sabiduría.  Aun justificamos el mal tratamiento de muchos animales con la frase “no sienten, no tienen emociones como nosotros”.

Y estoy harta de esas falsas justificaciones. Estoy harta de la hipocresía, la falta de educación, la ignorancia de tantas personas.

Para mí, cada ser vivo, cada uno, da igual como de poco importante lo consideras, da igual si te da miedo o asco o lo que sea, merece amor! Cada ser vivo merece respeto, amor y comprensión.

¿Por qué discriminar a unos, y a otros tratarles bien? ¿Por qué crear esa diferencia? ¿La gente no es capaz de ver que en esta Tierra nosotros solo somos visitantes temporáneos, que somos parte de la naturaleza y que hay que convivir con la Naturaleza y todas sus creaciones bellas?

Uno de los pasos hacia la sabiduría es entender eso. Es entender que no hay que discriminar, diferenciar a ningún ser vivo. Porque todos somos parte de la Tierra. Y amar a todos los otros seres vivos es una de los mejores ejercicios de compasión y amor.  

Namaste

La ciencia ha encontrado una cura para muchas cosas, pero no ha encontrado una remedia contra el mayor mal de todos: la apatía de los seres humanos. 

Losing an animal friend

Today I’m going to write about something that might not be so cheerful, but is certainly a part of life; death.

To be more specific; the death of my best furry friend, my dog. Some people will say it was just a dog, that grieving over a dog is not comparable to grieving human death. But he was part of the family, for over 8 years, and his death was too early and too sudden.

The most difficult part of losing a living being, who was such a big part of my life, is that he will never come back. I can adopt a thousand dogs, and no one will ever be like him. There isn’t a single dog in the world who has the same beautiful eyes, the incredible capacity to be the best of friends. No one will ever make the same happy barking sounds again when I come home, nor sit by my side in difficult times.

He was the best of friends, a loyal companion, a living being who gave so much joy, laughter, love and peace.

Never shall I say that an animal is not capable of loving, of caring, of being an emotional and intelligent being. Having lived so many years by his side has taught me how amazing it can be to love another living being unconditionally.

Never again. Never again will he sit on my feet while I study, never again will I be able to embrace him while sitting in the sun. Never again can I laugh about his pranks and intelligence. All the never again’s, all the small things, all the thousands of memories…Like a mantra it keeps going on in my head.

It leaves me behind in sadness, with an emptiness so big you can’t believe it’s possible for 17 kilos of fur and intelligent eyes and limitless energy to leave such a void.

Never again is a long time. It’s too long. It’s too difficult to imagine. But that’s how things are, that’s the way life is. That’s the risk of loving another living being with all your heart.

But you know what? I would do it all over again. I would love another dog just as much, care for it just like I cared for him, because there are many, many dogs out there that deserve to live happily and in safety. Even though it means that eventually I will lose them.

All I can say to lighten up is that we gave him the best possible life. Full of freedom, love, care. And he lived healthy until his last hour.

I want to add some quotes, to celebrate the endless love, joy and peace other living beings can bring into our lives.

"Dogs have a way of finding the people who need them, Filling an emptiness we don't even know we have."

"When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving much advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a gentle and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares."

“Grief is so painfully real, regardless of its origin. The love of, and attachment to, an animal friend can equal that of human relationships. Likewise, the loss of an animal can be just as devastating.”

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened.”

The greatest lesson I have learnt from this? Live as if someone left the gate open!! :)

What I learnt from climbing a mountain/ Lo que aprendí de escalar una montaña

Until the moment when I saw this quote I had no idea how to put my recent experiences into words. But now the words flow freely once more.

How true it is. You never conquer a mountain. A mountain is unconquerable. It is a magical place with its own personality and it is subject to no one but Time. It is a place you travel to, passing through hardships and obstacles, and once you’ve survived all that you will be rewarded.

The reward may be beautiful sights, it may be new experiences. It may even be the acquisition of knowledge and insights about life itself.  

It is no wonder that in many religions the mountain is symbol of divinity. Didn’t the Greek gods live on the mountain Olympia? Didn’t Moses receive the Ten Commands on a mountain? There are infinite examples of how mountains are intimately bound to many religions, being either the place where divine events occur or where the divine beings live.

Even I perceive this magical feeling high up in the mountains. It’s hard to be an atheist in such a wild, merciless and beautiful realm. The cold, the deep blue lakes, the brave few plants who survive there, the hard rock, the clouds soaring by, the biting wind. It all surrounds you. And because of this grandness and omnipresent being of the mountain, you will feel that there is more between heaven and earth. You will feel that this mountain has personality, and that despite permitting you to be there now, it could just as easy turn your back to you and make you perish.

The knowledge I have gained on the day I climbed up to a mountain to 2600 meters was something I already knew since some time, but had never really felt the importance of it:

Climbing a mountain is the perfect metaphor for living a life. What the end goal is isn’t important. What matters is nothing more and nothing less than the journey itself, and what decisions you make during that grand adventure.

Every single step in your life you must take with mindfulness. Don’t go rushing to your final goal, because then you will miss the whole point of life’s journey and the probability that you fall and fail will increase greatly.

Love each step, care for it and observe it. Some steps might be hard, some might be easy, and there might come a moment when you consider it impossible to continue. But you have to believe in yourself, and continue, because knowledge and life experiences will be the reward. Understand that with every step you will learn something if you are open-minded enough. Understand that without all the previous steps you would not be at this point right now.

So, what am I trying to say to you, dear reader, is this; visit the mountains. High or low, many mountains can give you unforgettable experiences. Not only for their beauty and serenity, but also for their lessons.

The high mountains will teach you to be humble, but it will also make you feel more alive and connected to this beautiful Earth than ever before.  

Namaste

“No realmente conquistas a una montaña.  Conquistas a tu mismo. Superaras enfermedades y todo lo demás – tu dolor, tu sufrimiento, tus miedos – para llegar a la cima”

Hasta el momento que vi esta frase no tenía ni idea de cómo convertir mis experiencias recientes a palabras. Pero ahora las palabras han vuelto a fluir libremente.

Qué cierto es!  Nunca se puede conquistar una montaña. Una montaña es inconquistable. Es un lugar mágico, con su propia personalidad y está sujeto a nadie más que al Tiempo. Es un lugar a la cual viajas, donde pasas por dificultades y obstáculos, y una vez que lo hayas sobrevivido todo, serás recompensado.

La recompensa puede ser paisajes increíblemente preciosos, puede ser nuevas experiencias. Incluso puede ser la adquisición de conocimientos y revelaciones sobre la vida misma.

No es de extrañar que en muchas religiones la montaña sea el símbolo de la divinidad. ¿No es así que los dioses griegos vivían en la montaña Olympia? ¿No recibió Moisés los Diez Mandamientos en una montaña? Hay infinidad de ejemplos de cómo las montañas se encuentran íntimamente ligados a muchas religiones, siendo o el lugar donde se producen los acontecimientos divinos o donde viven los seres divinos.

Incluso yo percibo esa sensación mágica en lo alto de las montañas. Es difícil ser una persona ateo en un mundo tan salvaje, implacable y hermoso. El frío, los lagos de azul oscuro, las pocas plantas valientes que sobreviven allí, la piedra dura, las nubes, el viento fuerte y helado. Todo esto te rodea. Y debido a la grandeza y el ser omnipresente de la montaña, te sentirás que hay algo más entre el cielo y la tierra. Te sentirás que esta montaña tiene personalidad, y que a pesar de que te permite estar allí en ese momento, podría fácilmente convertirse en contra de ti  y hacerte perecer.

Los conocimientos que personalmente he adquirido en el día cuando subí a una montaña de 2.600 metros era algo que ya sabía desde hace tiempo, pero nunca había sentido la importancia de ello:

Escalar una montaña es la metáfora perfecta sobre el vivir una vida. Lo que es el objetivo final no tiene importancia. Lo que importa no es nada más y nada menos que el viaje en sí, y las decisiones que tomes durante esa gran aventura.

Cada paso en tu vida debes realizarlo con atención plena. No vayas con prisas hacia tu meta final, porque entonces te pierdes todo el sentido del viaje, y la probabilidad de que te caes y fallas aumentará en gran medida.

Ama cada paso, cuídalo y observarlo. Algunos pasos pueden ser difíciles, algunos podrían ser fáciles, y puede llegar un momento en el que crees que es imposible continuar. Pero tienes que creer en ti mismo, y continuar, porque los conocimientos y experiencias de vida serán la recompensa. Entiende que con cada paso se aprende algo si tienes la mente abierta. Entiende que sin todos los pasos anteriores no estarías en este mismo punto en este momento.

Por lo tanto, lo que estoy tratando de decir, querido lector, es lo siguiente: visitad las montañas. Altos o bajos, muchas montañas te pueden dar experiencias inolvidables. No sólo por su belleza y serenidad, sino también por sus lecciones.

Las altas montañas te enseñarán a ser humilde, pero también te hará sentir más vivo y conectado a nuestra hermosa Tierra que nunca antes.

Namaste

Seasonal changes/ Cambios estacionales

The last few days it has started to rain.

If you live in a rainy country, you might ask yourself: well, this not a very interesting thing to talk about! But here, in the part of Spain where I live, we don't have rain for several months a year, so the arrival of the first end-of-summer rains feels like a true blessing.

The joy and lightness one feels at waking up to a fresh, green, and bright world. If there is one thing I love, it is to awaken early in the morning when it has just rained. Beautiful. The world is full of life and the mountains look so clear. The landscape of dark clouds, greens and sometimes a little sunshine is spectacular.

It is the arrival of seasonal change that I adore. In a place where it can snow nearby in the mountains, but in the summer the temperatures reach up to 35 degrees, the seasonal changes are an extraordinary event if you take the time to observe it, and I welcome them with joy and admiration.

And now, although there is a possibility that the temperatures will go back to its former summer level, I know that the summer’s grip has been broken. I know that there will come an end to this summer. And days like these, so fresh and alive, are full of promises. Promises of new life in the nature, of cooler temperatures and amazing thunderstorms, of the end of forest fires. Of the start of a new season for me to explore the world on foot. Summer is not the best time for hiking if you live in a Mediterranean climate, but when the seasons change, it's such a joy!

I cannot wait to get out my hiking equipment and walk, walk, walk through nature and feel the life energy that is in every plant and animal, in every landscape and in every cloud formation.

How very, very beautiful is this world. You only have to open yourself to its splendor and beauty, and you will see, with both your eyes and soul.

Los últimos días ha empezado a llover.

Si vives en una zona lluviosa, quizás te dirás: ¡bueno, esto no es una cosa muy interesante sobre la cual hablar! Pero aquí, en la parte de España donde yo vivo, no tenemos lluvia durante varios meses al año, por lo cual la llegada de las primeras lluvias al final del verano se recibe como una verdadera bendición.

¡La alegría y ligereza que uno siente al despertar en un mundo fresco, verde y claro! Si hay una cosa que me encanta, es despertarme temprano por la mañana cuando acaba de llover. Es hermosísimo. El mundo está lleno de vida y las montañas se ven tan claro desde mi casa. El paisaje de nubes oscuras, verdes y, a veces un poco de sol, es simplemente espectacular.

Adoro la llegada del cambio de estaciones. En un lugar donde puede nevar en las montañas cercanas en invierno, pero en el verano las temperaturas alcanzan los 35 grados, los cambios estacionales son un acontecimiento extraordinario si tomas el tiempo para observarlo, y yo lo vivo con alegría y admiración.

Y ahora, aunque existe la posibilidad de que las temperaturas volverán a su nivel anterior de pleno verano, yo sé que la fuerza del verano está disminuyendo. Sé que llegará un fin a este verano. Y los días como hoy, tan frescos y vivos, están llenos de promesas. Promesas de nueva vida en la naturaleza, de las temperaturas más frías y tormentas increíbles, de finales de los incendios forestales. La promesa de una nueva temporada para mí de explorar el mundo a pie. El verano no es el mejor momento para ir de excursión, si vives en el clima mediterráneo, pero cuando tiene lugar el cambio de las estaciones, ¡es un momento de gran alegría!

No puedo esperar a salir de senderismo y caminar, caminar, caminar a través de la naturaleza y sentir la energía de vida que hay en cada planta y animal, en cada paisaje y en cada cielo.

¡Qué hermoso es este mundo! Sólo tienes que abrirte a su esplendor y belleza, y verás, con tanto los ojos como con tu alma.

Living in the now

We are alive. There is no doubt about that. 

But are you conscious? Are you awake? Or does the world go by in a blur, without you noticing all its beauty and splendor? Are you only awake sometimes, only aware of the surrounding world once in a while?

To be truly conscious, or mindful as some call it nowadays, you must be in the NOW. It’s hard, as we humans tend to jump from thoughts about the past, to the past, and then reflect all our hopes, expectations and fears onto the future. We are busier with mentally analyzing the past and creating all sorts of possible outcomes for the future then that we are living in the present.

What I love about the word present is that it has a double meaning;

• Present, the period of time now occurring.
• Present, a gift.

The present, this right moment, is a gift. You have nothing else but this right moment. You might think, well, I have a car, a house, a family, money etc. But actually, all that wouldn't be able to exist without the present moment!

Isn't that just beautiful? I find it a beautiful idea. And it’s a powerful idea. Because once you realize that NOW is all there is, you will be filled with awe and marvel, and feel a lot more grateful and awake.

Why not try it? Feel conscious about the fact that all there is is the present moment, and that you should accept it as a gift. Expand your being, until you feel so calm, so deeply in harmony, that it becomes like a meditative state of mind. It’s a little hard at the beginning, but once you get the trick, its fun. And better even, it’s healthy. People who live in the present moment are in general happier!! Now, who doesn’t want that!? http://www.ted.com/talks/matt_killingsworth_want_to_be_happier_stay_in_the_moment.html

But, besides being in the present, there are more fun things to do! Why not try observing our surroundings? Go outside, and observe something that is insignificant for you. Something you walk past often, and never have taken the time for to see nor observe it. It could be a stone, a little feather or even just drops of water. Observe it. Describe what it looks like, where it might have come from, and just look. Does it still seem insignificant to you?

We are surrounded by beauty. Not once or twice a day. Every single moment is beautiful, alive, and joyful. If you feel down, maybe it’s because you’re letting the present slip away while your mind is too busy with the past and future.

Besides, not all people value beauty in the simple things surrounding us. In this period of human history, in which we are bombed with endless pictures and movies of the most beautiful places on earth, we forget to be humble. We forget that beauty is in life itself. We make ourselves believe that the only beauty that surrounds us is found in dazzling sunsets, perfect white beaches and picturesque landscapes.  

Beauty is found in life itself. And so is joy. Beauty and joy is found in Nature. Live in the moment, and don’t waste your years wondering in the past or worrying about the future. 

I have added a few nice quotes to this text , plus a couple of photo's, to show the beauty of the nature that surrounds us. 

Namaste