Have you ever thought about the way our dogs connect us to the earth? They live very close to the surface of the earth, enabling them to offer a grounding energy. These ideas are those that took root after reading an interview with an Englishman by the name of  Chris Park. He was  interviewed on the topic of Druids, bee keeping, and oral traditions.

I began toying with connections between people, the earth’s landscape and the animals who inhabit it. Further along I thought about the animals living within our landscape as other beings who awaken us to the natural world. 

Returning to the outdoors no matter how frequent is very healthy and this we know. When we are outside we feel less stress comforted by the fact that in nature we haven’t any expectations placed upon us. Finding peace in the stillness of nature whether deep in the forest, a local park or at night in the cul- de sac, we develop a reverence for the natural world. When we experience animals in the wild they ground us in the present moment, long enough perhaps to recognize that we are a part of nature. 

I then thought that even those people who live in urban areas are not completely removed from this scenario or the effects of it thanks to their dog and sometimes their cats. Yes, many people walk their cats. The cats love it! Walks taken in the morning and evening and just before bed provide a routine trip outside into the natural world because the dog needs to go outside. To me, the fact that the “dog needs to go outside” is so simple to them and quite necessary for us. Not only to alleviate himself but to soak in the energy of the earth. And isn’t it wonderful that the man or woman also goes outside as well? Though the owner may not always want to leave the indoors, the dog forces his hand to get both of them outside. To smell the air, feel the grass, even if it is just to pick up poop, both gain so much. Dogs who get extra time outside to smell their surroundings have less anxiety because they have information about their environment.  The act of walking, being in fresh air, focusing on your dog and then bowing down to the earth. It is followed by a pat on the head but do we think to acknowledge that the dog and the human are caring for one another? The human would probably say he is taking care of the dog, but the dog is taking care of the human as well. That little bit of time for a walk is a break from what can be a mundane existence. I would describe much of our indoor experience as stressful, void of interesting smells, movement of air and disconnected from the energy of the earth. Indeed, being disconnected from the earth’s energy creates a host of physical and mental health issues. The energy of the outdoor environment is a lifeline to wellness. Most would say it is vital to be outside to reap the benefits the rest of the animal world inhabits and it is our dogs who lead us. 

How lucky are we to benefit from the simple act of walking the dog, and nowadays an occasional cat, reconnecting us to the essential life force of the earth!