Dear Spirit to Spirit friend,
In meditation, there is a practice called "no obstacle." It is recognizing that nothing- no thought, no feeling, sensation, experience- can prevent you from attaining spiritual freedom, from resting in the Great Oneness that is. When we begin to see/feel/get that there truly are no obstacles- there are only the sensations we may experience and our attention and/or attachment to them- the deeper nature of everything may be revealed to us.
As I was practicing this stance in meditation the other day, I found myself pondering our relationship with our animal family members- and all animals. Contemplating qualities and depth of relationships. How with some animals we feel an instantaneous depth of connection- as if our souls were destined to be together. And how with others, we may experience connection as more elusive, or seemingly based on wants and needs, or simply that our personalities mesh and our relationship seems to go no deeper.
And, yes, it is true we have different qualities/depth of relationship with each and every one of our human family members and animal family members. And....what if....(quite unconsciously) we are meeting some animal family members with "no obstacle" to depth of connection- and others, we are either consciously or unconsciously meeting them with an assumption about who they are, how they are, what our relationship is or isn't.
What would it be like- for them and for us- if we show up completely open, with "no obstacle", assuming that we and they are interconnected in the deepest aspect of who we are, that the doorway to depth is always open. Who would we be to them? And who would they become to us?
Notice, simply notice. Is there some kind of "obstacle" between you and your animal family member. See what it's like to allow yourself to show up with "no obstacle"- free, open, available to what is present beyond the ordinary connection. Your animal will be ecstatic to meet you here, in the sacred space of who you both are.
In Gratitude & Love, Joanna