Leave People Better Than You Found Them

I saw something recently that really hit home for me, as it is something that matches what I truly admire as well.

What do you admire most in a person?

The ability to leave people better than they found them

 To have conversations that heal instead of hurt

To make people feel safe instead of judged

To be the reason someone walks away smiling instead of questioning their worth

That is a rare kind of beautiful 

I strive to show up this way every day. While I may not be perfect at it, it continues to be a daily goal for me. Whether it is a work setting, a personal relationship or with strangers - it can and in many cases I have been able to witness - what a palpable difference is usually makes.

Even if the impact of your interaction isn't evident at the time, or ever known for that matter, holding that intention to show up in the world that way is what is important.

I invite you to consider this when you are interacting with other human beings. We don't need to do it perfectly. Over time, it may become more and more natural for us. (I think of it as if we are building a muscle.) To me, the most important thing is having the goal to show up this way, a genuine desire to leave people better than we found them.

If you feel inspired, you can also substitute the word "people" with animals and strive to treat animals (4 legged and winged) that way as well. I get to witness this all the time, watching the kindness and respect that exists between animals and across different species of animals. The ways they interact with each other, support and look out for each other has never stopped putting a smile on my face and in my heart. It encourages me to keep doing better. 

We may not love what we see happening in the world. It may be down right painful to observe. It may feel overwhelmingly negative at times. What is going on around us may leave us feeling helpless and defeated - wondering what we can do. Fortunately for us, the one thing we are able to do is be responsible for the way we treat one another. 

What if this was not a rarity but rather the way we all showed up for and interacted with each other? 

Leaving people better than we found them

Having conversations that heal instead of hurt

Making people feel safe instead of judged

Being the reason someone walks away smiling instead of questioning their worth

I ponder this quite often . . . What would happen if we were lifting each other up, if we were letting everyone we interact with know they have been seen, heard, valued and appreciated? What would this world be like if we all showed up this way for everyone we interacted with? If we left people better than we found them? 

Just for today, would you consider giving it a try? And if you like how it feels, and/or you get to see how someone else responds to being treated like this, would you consider doing it again? And again? As I said, holding this intention / desire is key, perfection is not a requirement. I can't help but think this might be a way for each of us to make a big collective positive impact on the world.

 

Animal Communication and Energy Sessions - Updated

 Animal Services: 

I have been able to communicate with animals since I was a little girl and began doing it professionally over 20 years ago. That was around the same time that I studied energy healing and became a Reiki practitioner so my services include both energy healing sessions and animal communication sessions. Over the years, I have studied and practiced many other energy healing modalities so I use an assortment of approaches when working with energy.

Since both types of sessions can be done from a distance, I don’t need to be in person with the animal. I have learned over the years that because of how sensitive I am to energy, working with animals this way (from a distance) actually provides a greater depth of information as I can tune into just them and not other animals or people in the house. I work off of a picture and tune into their energy field that way.

Communication is mainly telepathic, with the added benefit of my ability to literally feel inside my body what an animal is feeling inside of theirs (both physical and emotional). 

I primarily work with dogs, cats, horses / donkeys - and have also had the pleasure of working with other animals as well, such as birds, ducks, rabbits and elephants. So basically, I can communicate with all animals - it is just more common for me to work with dogs, cats and horses.

Details of Animal Communication sessions: These sessions are ideal for when you have specific questions for your pet i.e. Do you like this or that? What do you think of . . . , etc. They are also good when you want to prepare your pet for change i.e. new place to live, new family member coming, or some other event that will disrupt the routine/schedule in your home. Communication is two-way, where I can share information with them as well as get answers to your questions from them.

Animals communicate in a multitude of ways: by sending images / pictures telepathically, through sensations that I feel in my body (both physical sensations and emotions) as well as via words and phrases that come through. I put all of that together in order to get a clear "answer."

A lot of people think communicating with animals works the same as human communication where I could say, "Can you tell me why you have been throwing up?" and the animal says "Well it all started after X so I suspect that is probably the reason." or "Yes, I think I am allergic to Y which is in the new food that my mom has been feeding me." LOL. 

Since animals don't speak in full sentences like humans do, time is spent during the first part of the session explaining how I plan to work with them and ensuring the animal feels safe and comfortable with me. From there I share the questions their guardian has and begin to tune into what I am feeling / receiving from the animal. It typically involves delving deeper into some areas and then piecing the information together to understand the response they are giving me. Answers tend to be far more complex than most people expect. 

Because of all the above mentioned, I set a limit on the number of questions I can do per session. In one session, I can do up to 3 questions. So 1-3 questions is considered 1 session, 4-6 questions would require 2 session sessions and 7-9 questions would require 3 sessions. 

Sessions are not done over the phone, as it is important for me to be fully present with the animal and their energy in order to receive the clearest information. We pick a time where the animal is likely to be calm/quiet and I connect with the animal at that time. 

Immediately afterwards, I type up notes of everything the animal shared with me and send that to the guardian via email. The benefit is that the guardian then has a record of the session and the answers provided by their pet, which they can refer back to whenever they want.

I can also communicate with animals who have crossed over the Rainbow Bridge so if you have questions for a pet that has passed away, that is also an option. In the case of communicating with animals who have passed away, we don't need to set a specific time for the session but everything else written here applies.

Fee is $100 per session (via Venmo, Zelle or Paypal) 

Details of Energy Healing sessions: (I also do energy healing sessions for humans and it works the same). These sessions are ideal when there has been an injury, a surgery or something else that is challenging for the body to recover from. They are also a good fit for brand new pets, especially when you have adopted a rescue who may have experienced trauma. They are also very common with aging pets when guardians are looking for information on how their pets are feeling both physically and emotionally. 

Before the session, I ask the pet guardian to share what their concern is regarding the animals physical or emotional health so that I know what to focus on. (With humans, I ask them what their Intention is for the session so that I can focus on their intention and see what might be blocking them from it.)

During the session, which lasts about 1 hour, I tune into what I am picking up (physical and emotional information) from the animal. The session focuses on sending healing energy to those specific areas of concern - to clear areas where energy is blocked and to provide energetic support to areas that are weakened, etc. 

I also work with the animal to allow them to bring the energy to any other area of their body that they feel could use support. I share this information with the guardian afterwards so they are aware of what else might be going on with their animal, both physically and emotionally.

Additionally, I provide information to the guardian if I sense that the animal may need to have a check up with their veterinarian (i.e. I can sense when something in their body feels off or concerning, where a trip to the vet may be in the animals best interest, for instance there are specific body sensations I feel when I suspect an animal might have a bladder infection or I will pick up on pain somewhere in their body that may need to be looked into further by your animals veterinarian.) 

Immediately after the session, I write up a detailed summary of everything I learned and send it via email. A lot of people refer to my sessions as a "reading" because I usually pick up more information than someone expects to receive. i.e. a guardian may expect a sentence or two response from me but it often ends up being multiple paragraphs. Since there is such depth and complexity to the insights and guidance I receive, there is a surprising amount of information that can come through. Again, the benefit of the detailed notes is that the human client and/or the guardian have something they can refer back to to refresh their memories when needed.

Fee is $150 per session (via Venmo, Zelle or Paypal) whether it is for an animal or a human.

What I need before either type of session: 

Picture: I will need a clear picture of the animal (or the human) preferably one where I can see their eyes, as that is the easiest way for me to connect with their energy. (send to me via email)

Permission: Animals are more open to working with me if they know that their guardian supports the session. Their loyalty is with their guardian so if you tell your pet that you have asked me to work with them and why, the session will be much more successful. 

Animals also appreciate being shown respect so it is important that they know ahead of time that I will be connecting with them and when we will have the session so they don't feel caught off guard by my connecting with them energetically. I have found that sessions are much richer and more helpful when a guardian shares this information with their animal ahead of time. (and you don't have to be an animal communicator to do this - you can just talk to your pet, addressing the points above and they will understand)  :-) 

With animals who have crossed the Rainbow Bridge, I only need a picture of them and the questions their guardian(s) have for them. It never hurts to tell them you have asked me to connect with them, but they are usually pretty receptive to communicating with me either way.

What are my hours?

I typically book sessions between 12 noon and 5pm. I do my best to be as accommodating as possible so I have availability 7 days a week and when necessary I can find additional time slots.

Why I sometimes ask for more information:

Often times I ask guardians for additional information about their questions before a session with their pet. It isn't because I am not good at communicating with animals.  :-)  The reason I do this is so that I can communicate more specifically with their pet. For instance, a guardian may have a question like "Do you like your pet sitter?" I will ask the guardian why they are asking, as it is helpful for me to know what they are seeing/sensing that inspired the question. Is their pet acting strangely before the pet sitter comes? or afterwards? Does the guardian have concerns about the pet sitter? If so, what are those concerns? I am able to then use that information to more quickly address the guardian's question and get clearer information from their pet.

This is the case with many questions guardians have such as: Do you like your new food? or Do you like the veterinarian we are seeing? Do you like your new dog/cat sibling? Do you miss going to Dog Shows? How are you feeling? etc.  The more information I have about why the guardian is asking that question, the easier it is for me to get specific answers from their animal. 

For me and the way I work, the more open a guardian can be with me, the more helpful the information I receive from their pet will be. I view the relationship between myself and the guardian as a partnership - one where we work together so that I can provide the best assistance possible. 

Are you ready for a session? Have questions?

If you are interested in a session (animal communication or energy healing), or have questions not answered here, please email me at: maureenburkley@gmail.com or reikimaureen@yahoo.com.

Follow The Nudges

Many years ago, after having a nice long walk along the shore, I sat down on the sand to watch the sun set. Once the sun was in its final decent, I was suddenly aware of how cold it had gotten and how frozen my feet felt. I couldn't wait to get home and put on a big warm sweatshirt and my Ugg boots. As I started to get up, out of the blue I got a nudge to sit down and wait another minute. I didn't want to, I really wanted to get warm - LOL - but something inside of me said, "Just wait" so I did. In less than a minute, the color of the sky changed so dramatically it took my breath away. I sat there with my jaw hanging open, so glad I had listened to that inner voice. In that moment, I no longer felt cold, or noticed that my feet had turned into ice blocks. For a few minutes I just sat in awe and took it all in. What I was seeing was so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes and made my heart smile. 

This is what I refer to as a "nudge" . . . a sudden thought that seems to come out of no where that guides you in a particular moment. It could be a thought to do something or say something or maybe it is to NOT do something. You can call them anything you'd like. (a gut instinct? a random inspiration? etc.) What is more important to me is that we pay attention when these feelings or knowings come to us out of the blue.

I happen to believe we are constantly being assisted / guided through these nudges. I don't know exactly who is guiding us or giving us what I refer to as "nudges" . . . Do we have angels? I don't know for sure so I tend to just refer to the who as "The Universe" or an "Inner-knowing." 

Admitting this may make me "woo woo" in some people's book, which is fine. We are all entitled to believe what we want, right?  The purpose of this blog is to shine the light on this topic so that you might be more likely to notice if/when you get your own nudges. 

Over the years, I have learned that any time I received and followed a nudge, I was really glad that I did. Additionally, I have found that it is important to trust them and follow through on them, even when I don't know why I got the nudge in the first place. 

Sometimes if we are lucky, we get immediate feedback on why we got the nudge. Sometimes a lot of time passes before we understand why we felt inspired to do something. And yet there are times where we never know. For me, what is more important is to trust there is a reason - whether we know what that reason is or not.

Maybe you've felt a nudge to leave the house earlier or later, to take a different route or just stay still for a few minutes. Maybe it was a nudge to ask a niece or nephew how they were doing or the random thought to leave a party and get home.

As an example: Have you ever felt like you should take a pause before proceeding when you get a green light - and then a second later you see someone running the red light and realize they would have collided with you if you had already started driving? 

Or have you ever felt nudged to give a stranger a compliment or had a feeling that you should reach out to someone you had lost touch with? I believe that all of these things are examples of the guidance we receive. 

The past few years, I have had a lot of these experiences that showed up in big and small ways. One time, it was a nudge to walk over to the older gentleman who I saw walking around the parking lot as I was leaving the grocery store to see if he needed help (and he was grateful that I did because he couldn't remember where he had parked his car and together we were able to find it). Another time, it was a nudge to get an old group of friends together, not knowing that one of the people had been diagnosed with inoperable cancer and wouldn't be around much longer. 

Just last fall, I felt another nudge to write a letter to someone from high school. He was my high school boyfriend's best friend over 40 years ago and he was also the boyfriend of one of my best friends. We hung out a lot given our mutual connections. Out of the blue old memories of him were popping into my mind. Not in a "ooh, I wonder if we are meant to be together" sort of way - LOL - it felt more like a "reach out and let him know how much you appreciated his kindness and how grateful you are that he was so protective of you when you really needed to have someone stand up for you." (The truth was, when I thought about those old times, I could easily see that he treated me with more respect than my boyfriend did).

I was resistant at first. Not wanting to come across as a dork, I was sure he would think I had reached a new level of weird when he got the letter but the nudge wouldn't go away so I did it. It was actually pretty easy to write the letter once I got started because I truly did appreciate him and the way he treated me all those years ago so the words just flowed from my heart onto the page. I delivered the letter, he was gracious and thanked me and then that was it. Did I kind of still feel like a dork? Yes I did. :-) But I also trusted there had to be a reason I got such a strong push to write the letter. 

Just a few weeks ago, I received the sad news that this friend had passed away. Of course my first reaction was shock and sadness. My second reaction was gratitude that I had followed the nudge. At least he knew how much I appreciated him. I didn't have to wish I could have talked to him one more time because I had already shared from my heart how grateful I was for the way he treated me. 

Our nudges don't always lead to something so dramatic and so sad - often times they are quiet little bits of encouragement that make life a little bit easier, put a smile on our faces or in our hearts or they do that for someone else.  

I have found that the more we notice these nudges, the more often they come. (Or maybe the more often we benefit from what we had previously not seen or paid attention to.) All I know is that I feel grateful every time I receive and follow through on one. Maybe you feel the same way.

If you feel like sharing an example of a nudge you received and how you responded, I would love to hear it and I bet others would too. 

 

Did We Misread The Signs?

Over the years, I have observed that most people think that they communicate far better than they actually do.  :-)  

Let's admit it, clear communication is not always easy. Between our style differences and myriad of delivery options (i.e. text, email, phone or face to face) things can get muddy pretty quickly. 

On top of that, when we notice how often we make assumptions and/or how often our assumptions are incorrect, it adds another layer of complexity to something that could be pretty straightforward.  

One of my greatest learnings is that if we can continue to come from a place of curiosity, to ask questions before making assumptions (or to confirm or deny our assumptions) our chances of communication mishaps diminishes greatly. Add in some genuine compassion and the quality of our communication can get even better.

An example of this occurred over two decades ago. It has stuck with me for all these years because it made such an impression on me and has always served as a great reminder of how important it is to check our assumptions before we attach ourselves to them and how big of a role compassion can play in good communication. 

I was facilitating a 3 day off-site meeting for a team of managers that I had been working with for a few years. Several times a year, the Senior Manager of the group and I would get together and discuss challenges he was noticing in his organization. I would come up with a proposed agenda for an offsite meeting, with input from 1:1's with his team. Then together, he and I would refine the agenda to make sure it met his needs and objectives. Over the years, we worked together incredibly well and I really enjoyed working with he and his team. 

At this particular off-site, the team was unusually quiet. It dawned on me that the one person on the team who was always super engaged in these off-sites was not engaged at all. While he wasn't an official lead, he was a leader none-the-less. He was usually the first person to chime in with answers, thoughts and questions . . . and the more he participated, the more the other team members participated. Truth be told, he was my favorite person on the team, partly because he was such a nice person and also because I could always count on him to bring energy and enthusiasm to these team meetings. It was evident that he was genuinely interested in improving how their organization functioned.

During the first half of the day, he had been extremely quiet, not engaging at all and quite literally "checked out." I assumed maybe the agenda was not meeting his needs (and I had been doing some mental gymnastics over how I could have been so off-base with what we designed) or maybe he was tired of these off-sites or bored with me being the one to facilitate them. At the start of the lunch break, the Senior Manager expressed his concern to me, sharing that he also was worried about how disengaged everyone seemed to be. I told him I would do a little digging/exploring during the lunch break and see if I could figure out how we could get things back on track. I was able to check in with a few folks to ask how they were finding the session so far and they all said it was "fine" - which isn't always the response you want - LOL - but that was what they said.

I eventually found my favorite team member - who rather than eating with the rest of the team was walking around the parking lot by himself. In my head, I was trying out various conversation starters. "I've noticed you are really checked out today" felt too confrontational even though it was the truth. "What's going on with you?" also felt a little edgy. "Do you not want to be here today?' even said with kindness didn't feel right either. By the time I made it across the parking lot and was standing in front of him, out popped "Are you ok?" and then I was quiet. He said, "Ya, I am fine." but I knew it wasn't the truth. After a moment of silence I said, "Is there anything I can do?" and then added "Are we off the mark for what the team really needs from this session?"

I heard him take a big in-breath and then he exhaled loudly, like he was composing himself for what he was about to say. For a moment, I thought he was going to tell me to mind my own business or that he thought the off-site agenda was terrible so I braced myself for that . . . but then he began speaking and I was shocked by what he said. 

After gesturing his suggestion that we sit down, he told me that when he got home from work the previous night, he discovered his girlfriend had moved out. All of her things were gone, no note of explanation and no clue what had caused her to leave. He said he had tried calling her but she didn't / wouldn't answer. After a long sleepless night, he still couldn't shut his brain off, as he tried to figure out what he had done that made her so unhappy or what he had missed. Had she been trying to tell him something that he hadn't heard or understood? It quickly became apparent that he was doing everything he could to NOT cry in front of me. 

It was then my turn for a big in-breath and what I heard myself say next was a mixture of compassion, understanding and space. (In that moment, I didn't realize it was going to be so powerful and/or that it would become the way I responded most often from then on). 

Starting with telling him how sorry I was that this had happened, he attempted to wave me off, saying something like "it's not that big of a deal." I continued by saying "I cannot imagine what that must have been like for you when you got home last night - the shock and confusion." His guard came down a bit and he admitted it threw him off so much he was having trouble breathing at first. I quietly said "I am so sorry you are going through all of this." and then added "I can't believe you managed to come here today, I think I might have still been under the covers having a big cry if this had happened to me." 

That was it. Nothing fancy, just a compassionate response that matched his level of vulnerability. We sat in silence for a few more moments and then I said, "Will you let me know if there is anything I can do?" 

His response surprised me - it was as if compassion and understanding was what he needed - some "permission " of sorts to feel what he was feeling. 

He said he knew he hadn't been engaged all day and that he was sorry for that. He also added that he saw how quiet the team had been and he wasn't sure why because he knew the agenda was focused on what the team needed most. He promised to do his best to participate more the rest of the day. Assuring him that it was OK if he didn't, I reminded him that taking care of his own needs ought to be his priority while he processed his way through the shock of what had occurred the night before. 

Glancing down at my watch, I knew I needed to get myself back in the conference room and get the session restarted, so I let him know that and reminded him that he was under no pressure, that it was OK to take his time and that I would see him in the room if and when he was ready to return. As I was walking away, he said "You won't tell anyone what I just told you will you?" and I said "Of course not." Then I added "Thank you for trusting me enough to share it with me."

I offer up this example as something to consider - something to ponder. I am not saying my approach is the "right" one or a perfect one. (or that I manage to do this every time I am about to fall into the "assumption hole.") Certainly depending on the circumstances, a different approach may be needed. It is merely being shared as a way to demonstrate what kind of outcome we can get from a curious and compassionate approach. It can also help demonstrate how easy it is to fall into an assumption and how finding the appropriate question to ask is a very important step in the equation.  

The next time you catch yourself on the verge of making an assumption (or realize you just made one) maybe you can stop and ponder this:

- Am I sure this true? Or it is an assumption I am making? 

- Do I have enough information to proceed?

- Is there anything that needs to be clarified?

- Am I taking this personally when it isn't about me?

- How can I ask a question without putting this person on the defensive?

- How can I demonstrate compassion? 

And as a final point, I have found that often our best interactions aren't from where we fixed an issue or gave the person the answer. It tends to be from when we listen more than we talk and where we give the other person the room to decide what they want to share and what they want to do next. 

It never ceased to amaze me how showing someone a little compassion can open the door for them to see their right next step. I personally don't believe our role is to "fix" people or give them the answers but rather to hold space for them while they find their own way.

 

 

Focusing On What We CAN Control

I originally wrote part of this back in 2019. Since it still feels relevant, I am adding to it and sharing it again.

It's probably no surprise that I hold the belief that we should treat all living things with kindness and respect. I guess it kind of goes hand in hand with being an animal communicator and an empath. Yet I am still delighted when I receive a sweet little piece of confirmation that my approach is appreciated.

A few years ago, I was sitting at the kitchen table, working on the computer when I heard what sounded like yelling outside the house. My German shepherd, Kino, heard it at the same time as me and began to bark. With his barking drowning out the commotion, I couldn't distinguish what the sounds were exactly so I got up to look out the kitchen window.

Much to my disappointment I saw three kids bothering a crow that was on my front lawn.  They were flapping their arms and lunging towards him aggressively, while yelling "Caw Caw."  I ran out the front door. The kids ran away and the crow flew up over my house. I felt so bad for the crow. I don't ever like to see anyone (human or animal) be teased or frightened and I knew I had to say something . . . and in that moment, I knew it needed to be the crow.

I got to the edge of the walkway where the driveway begins but I couldn't see him anywhere. I had no idea if he was still around but I hoped that he would be able to hear me and began speaking to him. I told him that I was very sorry he had been treated that way and I hoped he knew he was always welcome in my yard.

I questioned for a moment whether I was crazy or not, trying to talk to a crow that may be long gone but then I heard a sound above my head. When I looked at the top of the garage there he was, walking to the edge of the roof line so I could see him. He stared at me with what appeared to be a complete recognition of what I had just said. 

Telling him again that I was sorry about what happened, I reminded him that I appreciated his presence and hoped that he was ok. After a few more seconds of eye contact, he turned around and flew off the roof of the garage. 

Satisfied with the outcome, I went back inside the house and explained to Kino what had occurred. It made me realize how well the situation illustrated the very thing that many people have been grappling with lately - which is around the importance of focusing on what we CAN control.  

I'm not going to lie - I DID have the thought that I'd like to run outside and yell at the kids for being unkind to the crow but I knew doing that would just create more negative energy and likely not change the kids behavior.  

What I DID have control over was speaking to the crow and showing him respect so that is what I decided to do. Coming from my heart in that conversation, the energy I put out was more positive and loving, which is an energy I would prefer to be in and around. 

We all get to choose, in each moment, how we are going to react and respond to things. Are we going to complain about what other people are doing or what we think they should be doing differently? Or are we going to look at what is within OUR control at that moment. I'm certainly not perfect in my responses all the time but I do know that each time I respond from a place of love instead of judgement, I feel a whole lot better. Each time I am able to focus on where my words might actually make a difference I feel more empowered.

Update: Two years ago, I lost my beloved Kino. The following day two crows showed up in my yard. Day after day, week after week, these two crows came every single day. They were there at sun up and stayed throughout the day so I began feeding them and putting out fresh water for them. 

One day, with a heavy heart I finally pushed myself to buy a watermelon. I absolutely love watermelon but it was something I hadn't been able to eat since Kino had passed because he also loved watermelon so much and the thought of dicing one up without him there under the cutting board was more than I felt my heart could handle.

That day I managed to cut up a watermelon. In honor of my sweet boy, I decided to bring some of it out back to share with the crows. They were thrilled that I shared some with them, so it was something I began doing weekly. I never got tired of seeing their excitement when I walked out with a dish of the juicy red fruit for them. Seeing their excitement over this "treat" helped me tap into joy again (and I was able to resume my addiction to watermelon.)  :-) 

I am sure it is no surprise that my love and respect for crows deepened even more in the months after Kino passed away. They were my anchor and I have no doubt that Kino sent them because he knew if any bird was already in my heart, it was the crows.

Each time I see a crow, no matter where I am, it reminds me to pause and make sure I am focusing on the things that I CAN control . . . my responses and reactions to things, my own life and my own path. They serve as a reminder to me to look at myself and what I can do - rather than looking at what others are doing (or not doing) and put any of my energy or attention there. 

Here are some questions for you to ponder if you'd like to: Where are you putting your attention? Where is your energy going? Are you focusing on things you can control? Or are you focusing on things outside of your control? Often times, observing that and making some shifts and adjustments on where we are putting our energy and attention can make a big positive difference in how we feel, how things unfold in our own lives. Would you be willing to give it a try?

Empathy, Kindness and Love Towards Animals

For quite a while now I have been following Plumes, whose real name is Loris Assadian. He is a Frenchman who plays his guitar and sings to wild animals that are in sanctuaries and wildlife preserves, etc. I have seen him sing to lions, tigers, bears, monkeys, elephants, rhinos, emus, camels, horses, donkeys, giraffes, alligators, etc.  He has fast become one of my favorite human beings on this planet. His heart is so beautiful. 

I am not sure what touches me more . . . the kindness, compassion and respect that he exudes as he sings to them or the heart-melting reactions you see from the animals. By the way they respond to the music - clearly there is something very special, very healing in what he is doing.

You can find these videos (most are short - just a few minutes long and there are also compilations that are longer, 10-20 minutes long) on Youtube, Facebook, Instagram and maybe even other social media platforms. 

I share all this - not just to encourage you to find his videos so that you can feel more joy in your heart - but also to give some context to the rest of this blog . . . Plumes (Loris Assadian) has just written his first book (in both English and French) and you can pre-order one now. 

Here is information that he just posted yesterday. I want to support him because he is someone who doesn't just talk about concepts like empathy, kindness, love and compassion - he embodies them in who he is and models them in how he interacts with animals. 

His message is one that resonates deeply with my heart so I am sharing about him in the hopes that his book will be able to reach an even wider audience.

About the book - in his words:

I’m so excited to share that my very first book, "Plumes and Rugimodor’s Hill", is coming out! 

Writing this story has been incredibly important to me because I wanted to create a tale that celebrates empathy, kindness, and love towards animals. 

Through this adventure, I hope to inspire readers of all ages to see the world through a more compassionate lens.

The book will be available in both English and French, so even more readers can enjoy the journey!

To make this dream a reality, I need 300 pre-orders for the book to see the light of day. 

If this story speaks to you, please consider pre-ordering your copy and helping bring Plumes and Rugimodor’s Hill into the world.

Pre-order yours today using this link

https://www.dashbook.fr/book/plumes-and-rugimodor-s-hill

And he also shares more about the book here:

The Book's Genesis - in his words:

For several years now, I’ve had the privilege of meeting all kinds of animals. 

Through my songs, I try to create moments of gentleness and to remind 

people that behind every animal lies an emotion, a personality that we do 

not always take the time to understand.

Plumes and Rugimodor's hill was born from that very idea.

Through the story of Rugimodor, a bull whom an entire village believes 

to be dangerous, I wanted to tell an adventure that speaks of empathy, 

listening, and compassion.

This book is also a declaration of love for animals. It invites young readers 

to look beyond appearances and to wonder what the beings around them are 

feeling, whether they have two legs or four.

What readers will find unique about this story is the central role of music. 

The hero does not fight with a sword : he uses a song. Music becomes a 

universal language capable of building bridges where words fail.

I hope this story will make children laugh, dream, and reflect, but above all, 

that it will leave a small seed in their hearts: the desire to always try to 

understand before judging, and to listen before fighting.

Because sometimes, behind the roar of a monster, there is simply a 

father’s love.

The Elephant and the Blind Men

Many, many years ago, I was told a story about blind men meeting an elephant. This story continues to pop into my head (and has for the last several years). It is based on a book called "The Elephant In The Dark" written by Idries Shah. Here is a summary written about the book:

A group of blind men heard that a strange animal called an elephant had been brought to the town, but none of them were aware of its shape and form. Out of curiosity, they said: "We must inspect and know it by touch, of which we are capable." So, they sought it out and when they found it, they groped about it. 

In the case of the first person, whose hand landed on the trunk, he said "This being is like a thick snake". 

For another one whose hand reached its ear, it seemed like a kind of fan. 

As for another person, whose hand was upon its leg, they said, "the elephant is a pillar like a tree-trunk." 

The blind man who placed his hand upon its side said the elephant, "is a wall". 

Another who felt its tail, described it as a rope. 

The last felt its tusk, stating the elephant is that which is hard, smooth and like a spear.

The blind men discover their disagreements, assume others are lying, come to blows. 

It is obvious to me why this story keeps coming into my mind, as it seems to be an accurate depiction of what is continuing to play out in our world. I see people passionately holding on to certain beliefs based on what they believe to be true (i.e. what part of the elephant they are touching) . . . and I see people coming to blows over what other people are saying because based on what THEY believe, certainly the other people must be lying (or they are conspiracy theorists or idiots).  :-)

In those cases what we aren't considering is that maybe it's ALL true. Maybe because we are only looking at one piece of the pie (or elephant) and because we aren't seeing the big picture (the whole elephant), we aren't able to see that each of us may be holding a piece of the truth. 

Maybe what we see feels like the truth because it is based on what we have learned, what we have experienced, what we have been exposed to. Maybe it's not that we're "blind" but because we're wearing different glasses, with different prescriptions (or filters), we are seeing something different. 

So here is something to consider . . . What if we are ALL correct? What if all of us are touching the elephant but the elephant is so big that we can only understand the part of the elephant that is right in front of us? 

How much unity might we be able to create if we considered that we are "right" and so are the other people whose views we are fighting against? I invite you to sit with that a moment . . .

What do you think would happen if we approached others with curiosity rather than condemnation for having a different belief or understanding?  Is it possible we may learn something? Could we ask more questions and possibly gain a deeper understanding of why someone holds a different belief? Could we even look for points of agreement? 

Maybe from there, we could talk a bit more and learn how both perspectives could be true. Or at least say "thank you for sharing more about your perspective" That might at least leave a door ajar for future discussions rather than slam a door closed, right?

Is this something you would consider? I am not saying you have to - I am merely suggesting that maybe a different approach might bring about different outcomes. Maybe it will bring more harmony to our interactions with the people who are touching a different part of the elephant. Maybe we can begin to build bridges instead of burning the bridges down.