I'm not exactly sure why I posed this question to my animal family back in 2001. Maybe I was bored. Maybe it came from a comment from a consult, a class I was teaching or the need for a topic for the paper edition of HeartsongHeartmagic newsletter. Maybe it was just pure curiosity; to see if I asked a philosophical question to my family,would I actually get an answer? The reason doesn't really matter.
What does matter is it was a simple question. And as I went to each species in my house, the answers given were fascinating and very individual based on each personality and experience.
Once again the question: "If there is one thing you would tell a human, what would it be?"
And their answers:
 |
| Lareda |
Parity (society finch): "We are all unique. Don't treat us all alike."
Lareda (black hooded finch): "Love us for who we are, not who you want us to be."
Merlin (white hooded finch): "Be guided by your wisdom. You all hive it within you to do what' best for all of us. It's up to you."
Emmy (peach-faced lovebird): "Don't mass produce us as a consumer good. We have a soul, a personality. We are not things. We are beings."
Sophie (cat): "I don't know. They're not going to listen anyway. They'll just do what they want without considering anyone but themselves.
Mac (cat): "Be kind. Take acre of yourselves first before thinking you can take care of others."
Kirby (cat): "Quite belly-aching about everything and do something about it. It doesn't help to complain. Think of what you can do individually. It all adds up.:
Poindexter (hamster): "Know us for the gentle sensitive souls that we are. We do not make good first time pets for younger children. We need gentle hands, soft touches."
Thumper (rabbit): "Don't keep us caged all the time. Life is much more fun when you can get out and see the world around you."
AJ (rabbit): "Rabbits are not a dime a dozen. We procreate so much because of the prey/predator factor. Treat us as individuals not as a group experimentation. We are not lab experiments, we are entities just the same you you are. The sooner you realize this, the sooner harmony can be restored."
There were no answers from the fish. It wasn't because they didn't have an answer. I don't think they wanted to speak at the time. They would later; a very long, open conversation. I "interviewed" them for one of the editions of the newsletter.
Since then, I've learned if I ask a question, I get an answer. I may not always like the answer (the fish interview had some tough comments about tank life), but I always KNOW the answer is right for the situation and question. And I ask LOTS of questions. Not only with the animals, but in everything I do. I ask if things are to stay or leave my house, where do things go if leaving, what am I to do next, what needs to be cleared so I can fulfill my dreams, how should I go about my day? If I can ask, there's an answer waiting to be found. I'm like a detective asking for clues to solve a mystery; my mystery, my life. The who. what, how and where of my life takes shape when I ask the questions.
It's how I ask the question that creates an answer. Asking "why" questions lead to more questions and usually a 'because' answer. Think of the 3 year-old constantly asking his/her mother why questions. "Why is the sky blue?" "Why is the grass green?" "Why do I have to do this?" "Why are you doing that?" "Why? Why? Why?"
In frustration, the last answer is normally, "Because...because I said so...because it just is!" I call why questions round-robin questions; they keep going and going around and around without a clear answer. Very rarely do why questions pay off.
How, what, or where questions are layered. They need an explanation, a reason, or a longer answer than why questions. They lend themselves to ask more, deeper questions. "What reason did you do that?" How does that work?" "Where do I find...?" "What do I need to know...?" These kinds of questions lead to better and more concise answers, better discussion, better communication, better conversations. It's within the conversation that communication with anything becomes natural.
Sounds silly, but I 'talk' to everything. And the strange thing is, I get conversation back. Everything is energy-based. Communication is part of that energy.
Try it and see for yourself. If you have trouble asking questions, try yes and no questions. These are the easiest to feel or sense. Usually there's a gut feeling with yes or no questions; it either feels right or it doesn't. If you're still not sure, you can use muscle-testing, a pendulum or a mental gauge to get the answer.
Remember, though, to keep the questions simple. It's much easier to answer a simply phrased question, than a complex one.
So ask, ask, ask away. You'd be surprised how much the world opens its door when you ask.
By the way, if you could tell animals one thing, what would it be?
As always thanks so much for visiting. Hope to see you again soon. :-)
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