Shall We Dance?

Shall We Dance?

I'd like to reshare this blog that I wrote some time ago, because I love this concept and it is still very relevant to my work:

I’ve been having some rather vivid dreams recently and last night was no exception.  Between that, and some half-awake musings in the small hours, I woke this morning with a picture in my head – a new image and understanding of my relationship with my beautiful feline friend Kali, and indeed, to a greater or lesser extent, with all the animals I’ve ever known.

Obviously our animal friends don’t share a spoken language with us, but that doesn’t mean that they are any less expressive.  Perhaps my work as a sign language interpreter comes into play here.  I am used to having to process meaning from a visual source.  Obviously this is again using a form of human communication, however it is very much dependent on facial expression and body language.

Animals also communicate using these channels, within the physical parameters of their species.  As with Deaf people who cannot learn to speak as hearing people do, due to the lack of auditory feedback, animals also cannot learn to use our vocal language.  It is therefore down to us to learn to communicate in ways that we can share.

This morning it was as if some connection suddenly became clear for me and I saw this interaction in terms of a beautiful ‘dance’ and Kali my wonderful teacher.  She has an amazing range of styles at her pawtips!  Sometimes she instructs me with great flow and elegance, like a ballerina.  At other times, thanks to her Oriental blood (she’s a Cornish Rex, related to Siamese) her style is more passionate, fiery or elemental.  I, on the other hand, often feel like I’m clumping around in hobnail boots!  However with infinite patience, forbearance and grace she repeats the lesson, showing me when to advance and when to withdraw, when to raise my energy and when to hold it in.

This amazing teacher – and all the others I have met along the way – seem to look deep into my soul and challenge me to bring out the best in myself, to go further within, accessing resources I barely knew existed.  What Masters they are!

She teaches me how to hold my space and how to use my energy to be authentic and powerful in myself, without needing to engage in competition with others.  She also shows me how to be in the moment and how to know joy in the simple things in life.

What are your animals saying to you?  What lessons are they seeking to share?  What messages lie behind those eyes?