Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Black Dogs and Buddhas

The Black Dog of Joy

"We're in this together, the wild, the domestic, the wormy, the laughing ones and the weepers, black dogs and Buddhas....all of us dancing in the stream of everything."
from Trauma Farm by Brian Brett

I am a small inconsequential speck in the vastness of the universe. I am united with every single other organism on the planet. I am insignificant, and a part of Everything, in the selfsame moment, which keeps me humble, and feeling connected to the All That Is, at one and the same time. I gaze at the mystery of the night sky and I know, somewhere up there, is my path Home, through the clouds into another world, where I will journey one day. The mourning dove sings to me in the evening, and the hummingbirds dive-bomb the feeder as twilight falls. In the morning, the  horse's whicker in the fields and the blue jay's call at the seed stump serenade my waking, and I step out to breathe in lake-scent and willow, which brings me full circle, from my earliest rememberings to Now, and I am, in fast-forward, that round-eyed child and this faded-eyed crone, and every age in between. Tell me that Heaven will be as beautiful as this planet and I will set aside all fear. Tell me there will be an ocean, and ancient cedar, and dogs. Yes, let there be dogs and I will not fight those final breaths. A neurosurgeon, a scientist who had no faith in anything unproven, died to the world for seven days, and when he finally woke, he said he had visited heaven. What made my heart leap is that he saw dogs there, leaping and running joyously with the people. I always believed dogs would be there, but now I know it. I will see my boy again. That big black wolf will run joyously to meet me and we will tumble together with the force of our reunion, as he used to throw himself upon me after every absence.  And  then we will  point our noses towards the nearest sea, and walk again, as we did for so long....as I have not been able to do since he's been gone. "Black dogs and Buddhas"........yes, that will be my heaven and, meanwhile, the thought of it comforts my sojourn here, the thought of all that joy, just waiting for me up ahead, in a country I have not yet walked through, yet feel  I know so well, so often have I read stories brought back by those who have briefly left this world, and then returned. For me, Heaven is a big black laughing dog.

Kids,I just finished reading Trauma Farm, whose wonderful quote inspired my prose poem.  And then began Proof of Heaven, A Neurosurgeon's Journey Into the Afterlife, by Eben Alexander, M.D., whose tale of seeing dogs joyously leaping in the heavenly realms made my heart go pitter-pat. 

47 comments:

  1. I see the dog/love/wolf in these pictures and these lines, Sherry! Moving and hopeful.

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  2. A beautiful post, Sherry. I DO believe dogs will be in heaven. I have heard about that book written by the neurosurgeon. It sounds as if he has quite a story. That is a wonderful photo of you and Pup, Sherry. That IS how I picture you and your beloved friend.

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  3. I have read 'Proof of Heaven' and it was inspirational especially how he applies the science and relates his experience to the neocortex function at the ending chapters.

    Your sense of human intuition in your piece is what many a soul does speak.

    We all will meet again, with all who shared our love.

    Gracias mi amiga

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  4. OMG, do you know Brian Brett? I remember when he was just a skinny kid, but he was writing then, too.
    K

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  5. Sherry - your love for Pup is so magnificent! I will simply repeat what I have said before, and echo Mary's sentiment: Pup is there already awaiting your time for you and he are soul mates. NO TEARS! You are still here, wanting so very much to be with him. Still my friend you must wait. He loves you so.

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  6. I love your heaven, Sherry. I'll see you there with my pack of friends.

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  7. Beautiful words. As for me, I don't 'believe' all things are connected. I don't think I 'believe' anything. But over decades I've applied reason to the possibility, and reason tells me we ARE connected and there IS more.

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  8. Your black dog of joy is so much a part of you! He dances with your words, rejoicing in your endless love! So beautiful!

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  9. Lovely. I would love to end up in that heaven too filled with black dogs and Buddhas. Great write. :)

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  10. Sherry, serene, encouraging. You help me breathe. Thank you.

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  11. that's a lovely vision.you see, staying close to nature, being a part of the elemental rhythms, does have a way of evoking these sublime visions, which our humdrum urban life never does.

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  12. Ah Sherry - exquisite - and surrealy synchronisticaly in tune with a poem I wrote just this morning inspired by "wordle words." All is connected - you've expressed such with characteristic lucsciousness :)

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  13. several years back i had a kid tht asked me if they would see their dog in heaven...they were told they would not by a rather conservative person...and my reply to them was what kinda of heaven would that be....smiles...i met a guy who claimed to come back once....a rather fascinating story...i have hope for heaven...smiles.

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  14. I hope all my beloved animals will be there to meet me when I go...there are those who touch your soul and the four legged ones have that ability more than the two legged kind.

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  15. You make me smile! Soul touching words, wonderfully expressed! Beautiful!

    I hope I shall see my dogs again. I had a very brief experience once with the other side. All I can remember, is that a love, or some comforting power enveloped me, greater than anything I have ever known on earth. The peace is what I remembered mostly, and a light. I remember telling my mum, that heaven is goanna be a nice place, and that we shouldn't be afraid to die. When my mum eventually died, I remembered telling her this, and it made it easier to let go, at her bedside. But it never stopped me ever missing her. Now I always feel her love presence close. I do wonder, however, how long we all meet up in heaven for, as each of us carry on our own growth and journey?

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  16. I so love your heaven, Sherry. And I can imagine how beautiful that place going to be...
    Lovely post. I love Pup...:))

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  17. Oh Sherry - none other than you and Pup. I am so glad that you read his book!

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  18. Of course! to all that you wrote! The dogs, the ocean, the connectedness...all of it! Beautiful. inspiring writing Thank you!Tanka Whirl

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  19. Woaaa! Thank you for the journey given by your worda. I was gone through one of the most beautiful trances I ever had. A very cool writing ma'm :)

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  20. Sherry,

    I think you need to set-up a diary, planning ahead..You will be so busy in those heavenly surroundings...Pup has probably passed on an idea about you to those who have gone before..A great party will be had by all...That day, I hope is a while away yet:)
    Happy Sunday Sherry,
    Eileen

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  21. A beautiful post Sherry, so wonderfully expressed.

    Anna :o]

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  22. What a lovely heaven you have Sherry...i would pray for it to come true... thank you for such beautiful vision.

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  23. Oh, Miss Sherry Blue Sky. This is a fantastic piece, which has brought both tears and a smile. Oceans and cedars and my Lake...YES. And always, always dogs.

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  24. ...well, I'm glad you are still on earth :-)

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  25. Beautiful Sherry! Love this idea of heaven.

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  26. far as I can tell - though no expert, and not even a believer - any Heaven without dogs can't rightly call itself such. ~

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  27. Love the image of the big black laughing dog - will not soon be forgotten :)

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  28. I am always happy to return to this post where heaven is here and there, the knowledge of reunion and the actual one.

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  29. i hope that you get that heaven...days and days with a black laughing dog....smiles...

    i know i been here before but couldnt miss the chance to say hi.. hope you are having a good weekend sherry...

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  30. I truly believe if there is a heaven it will be whatever we found best in this life.. if for you it's dogs it dogs... for me, maybe open seas and mountains with open skies above... a beautiful write.

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  31. :-) I've told Bubba he has to stop peeing on the floor or he's not going there. But I guess he knows, he hasn't stopped.

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  32. I hope Heaven is not too different from the place you so beautifully describe. As for dogs, and other beloved pets, I certainly do hope they are there too, waiting for us.

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  33. Sherry this is rich and beautiful as I read it I could feel a journey in the universe..and felt the spirit of the wolf who continues to walk with you.

    Peace my friend..talk soon..

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  34. Reading your prose and having blurry vision with tears..oh, so joyful, passionate expression of feelings! World around is always the one we imagine...Cheers!

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  35. I still love the idea that 'heaven is a big black laughing dog.'

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  36. Beautiful post so wonderfully expressed in words... :)

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  37. yes, if our dogs are there everything will be right

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  38. Heaven is a big black laughing dog and a squidgy velvet furred marmalade cat:)

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  39. Whomsoever we meet in our life, is definitely was connected to us....from the past life.....

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  40. whomsoever we meet in our life, is definitely connected to us from the past life

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  41. I don't know if I should say this here because it is out of context but my simplistic belief is that Earth will become Heaven for those who called it home in their life. People animals and plants alike.

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  42. I like Bjorn's interpretation...and, if he's right, it seems your Heaven will be built from the verses you wrote

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