Three Lessons From Puppy Love

1

I almost started Yoga class tonight with a thought about how my heart has expanded in ways I could never imagine.  When I think of my two furry babies, my heart glows and I get a bit giddy.  I was going to mention that could be a state of joy that we all live in all the time.  If we could only see the love and joy around us at all times-- let go of our judgement, misperceptions, fear, anger...okay there's a lot, as Patanjali states in The Yoga Sutras that we have to clean the mirror of, but it is not impossible.  Have you seen the Dalai Lama?  He looks as if he is in a constant state of giddy, bubbling over joy.  Maybe he has a puppy?  Just kidding, I know it comes from a daily practice of meditation and focus on love instead of hate.  Did you see the short video of Guruji Rev. Jaganath Carrera laughing while teaching about the philosophy of Yoga?  I am so grateful for my meditation practice for I get to feel this state of pure bliss for at least a few minutes a day.  And now to get that feeling to bubble to the surface all I have to do is think of my sweet girl and boy snuggling on a doggie bed made for one.

2

J and I just adopted the sweetest 3 legged fuzzball.  We named her Karmella (Karma for short.)  She nips all over Harrison, the Yoga Dog, to get him to play.  Harrison just takes it with a gentlemanly sigh of knowledge, patience and compassion.  Don't worry he plays, wrestles and runs with her -- he's never been so happy to have another dog, 24-7 to play with.  I watch them and can't help but smile. They live in a state of now.  They wake up with wonder of what this moment will bring, not the whole day, just the next moment.  They jump in the car with total surrender to wherever the driver is driving and enjoy the ride, not expecting anything.  Witnessing dogginess is witnessing Yoga in action.

3

This little girl stole my heart when I first met her.  I was worried about adopting a 3 legged dog. Would she be able to go up and down stairs?  Would she be able to play outside? Run?  All of the fear melted away once she put her warm soft head in my lap and licked my hand.  She is pure love.  She doesn't worry about not having a 4th leg.  She doesn't waste anytime feeling sorry for herself.  She just gets up and plays because it is fun.  She snuggles with anyone human, animal that she sees-- enjoying life fully.  She does take her time going down stairs, knowing her limits, but to watch her outside running full speed toward a tennis ball, you wouldn't know she was handicapped.