Happy Valentine’s Day!
Love. It really is all about love.
I recently returned from a five-day retreat in Tucson with my yoga teacher, Rama Jyoti Vernon. It was a beautiful time of diving deep into my spiritual practice, and opening more fully into the love that permeates all.
In addition to her decades of pioneering work in bringing yoga to the West, Rama has spent much of her life in many of the most war-torn regions of the world, bringing her conflict resolution and international diplomacy skills to create peace and understanding in the midst of severe conflict. Rama has said,
“Love is the greatest power in the Universe, it’s the greatest healer and it transcends all the boundaries and all borders we have created with our own self-limitations.”
Our animal friends also teach us about pure love in so many ways. From the animals who share our homes and lives, to the wild ones who share our planet, animals often have a transcendent understanding of love.
Through my practice, I have the great honor of working with these masters of love every day. One of them is Oberon, a rescued pigeon who lives with his person in Brooklyn, New York. I have been supporting Oberon and his person with animal communication and Reiki as he is an elder and experiencing some physical challenges. Oberon says he thinks he is around 15 years old. He has a physical disability that makes him unable to live on his own, and several years ago, he marched up to his person on the sidewalk and asked to be taken in.
In a recent Reiki session, Oberon gave the most beautiful communication about his work in the world and with his person, and the greater work of pigeons everywhere. He said,
“We pigeons are here on a big mission of service to people, particularly in cities. We have a big job, and so there need to be large numbers of us to do our work. In many places, pigeons are one of the only contacts people have with the wild and natural world. We love to befriend humans. We are a gentle species, full of joy and zest for life. We fill cities and urban areas with the vibration of kindness and love.”
“I chose to live inside with my person and our other animal friends. Many other pigeons choose to live their lives outside and take care of each other and the humans who interact with them. We love to share our lives with people–we love it when they feed us and enjoy spending time with us. Sometimes, we are the only friends that people have. We love to be of service in this way. We shine our bright light over all the world.”
So often, we humans have patterns and fears that keep us from experiencing the pure love that we are as souls. So many animals are here as our teachers. Animals don’t see the boundaries that divide us; they see our hearts.
On this Valentine’s Day, I wish you and your loved ones this deep sweetness, bliss and love that is our birthright as spiritual beings.
Warm blessings and love,
Nancy
