When I post an article or video on Facebook about an animal helping to rescue or heal others of its own kind or other species, including human, I have seen comments like these:
Oh, animals are such angels! If only humans could be like them, the world would be a better place.
I wish I could live in the world surrounded by animals. It would be so much more peaceful.
Even the wildest non-human animal does not premeditate harm or hate or act cruelly towards its own or other species as many human animals do.
Animals are full of unconditional love, unlike humans. Only humans destroy each other and everything in the natural world around them.
Animals' consciousness is clear of obstructive, conflicting dynamics. Animals live in their authenticity almost all the time.
These comments seem to propose that humans are malign creatures and animals are saints. They imply that humans and other animals are totally different beings instead of all part of the animal kingdom, each with our unique animal natures and places in the web of life.
This way of thinking also ignores the daily parade of instances where humans act altruistically with compassion and kindness for others of any species even at risk to their own lives. Good news about people’s actions often doesn’t capture attention like reports of harmful actions.
It’s a more complicated, nuanced, mixed bag for human and non-human animals than these comments would suggest. Let’s take a look.
Conflicted Nature I have communicated with animals who are full of conflict and confusion. Examples are some wolf hybrids, bred to be animal companions. They may battle between their wolf instincts and dog nature, sometimes breaking out of houses or enclosures, hurting themselves in the process, or physically harming their people. Other times they may act in a calm, loving, and playful way with people. They can be very difficult to help through counseling, healing, and/or training to live in harmony with their conflicted nature.
There are many instances of dogs who have been raised well in a loving environment and are friendly to people, who unexpectedly turn violent and maim or kill children, adults who have cared for them, or other animals. Their desire to be amiable dog companions conflicts with generations of aggressive breed programming. They may suddenly attack, often acting normal and friendly before and right after they have severely injured or killed other animals or humans. Their internal dynamics are like a battleground.
I have met animals of many species, both domestic and rescued or captive wild animals, who have very contrary impulses, deep fears, and sorrows that move them to act erratically.
Authenticity and Destructiveness A number of wild species, such as bears and lions, hurt or kill members of their own kind, including babies. Chimpanzees in the wild have been witnessed murdering and cannibalizing other chimps.
Like the bad news stories about human behavior, we could list behaviors in other animals that we may find horrifying and cruel, conjuring the derogatory phrase, “acting like animals.” In fact, all of us, human and non-human animal alike, act like the animals we are, with the contradictory impulses and pluses and minuses of our nature. The dark and the light—we animals have it all. Other animals can also be destructive to the environment and other species through overuse of resources. Natural forces, such as disease (epidemics), famine, drought, predation…work to restore balance to species’ populations, just as they do with human populations.
Physical needs or wants can sometimes propel us in destructive directions while our spiritual nature (anima= soul, spirit, breath, air, life) can propel us in kinder or more helpful directions.
Animals are being "authentic" to their nature that includes genetic programming, environmental influences, and their emotional maturity and spiritual consciousness. This applies to human animals, too.
Human Influence Some animal problems are caused by living with humans. Animals can also duplicate the habits and energy of people they live around. I have communicated with domestic animals who pretend or even lie when they feel threatened by potential suffering or even death from humans. I remember a cat who said she was younger because she had heard that old animals are killed by people. Not all difficulties animals have are related to living with humans. Many are caused by the challenges we all have simply surviving on Earth.
Like humans, other animals are capable of making their own decisions and creating their destinies within the limits of the physical reality game. They also embark on their own spiritual journeys and work on challenges and evolve through many lifetimes. Earth is a great instructional field and playground for all.
Other animals can experience mental and emotional confusion and conflict, too. As an animal communicator and counselor, I’ve seen a wide range of states of awareness and trauma in individuals of other species, domestic and wild. They sometimes need help to contact the state of clarity and love within themselves, just as humans do.
The Mirror It is not black and white with humans being evil and animals being pure souls always living in love, truth, and harmony. When people paint humans as the bad guys and animals as the angels, this often reflects their own lack of self-love, unresolved pain and conflict, and that healing acceptance is needed for their own human nature.
Other humans may remind us too much of ourselves for our comfort.It can be hard for us to face the darkness in another human that echoes the darkness we don’t want to face within ourselves. We may find this mirror effect upsetting and try to avoid it.
It is often easier to look at animals and see in them the best parts of ourselves. However, in our cherished relationships with animals, we may find they also mirror our less noble aspects.
This can be irritating or infuriating if we don’t recognize and accept the reflection and use it as an opportunity to grow emotionally and spiritually. Close relationships, no matter the species involved, can show us what we need to become aware of, learn from, and heal as we move forward on our path together.
Compassion for Ourselves Yes, we have much to learn from other animals, including compassion and love for ourselves, warts and all.Our animal friends often show us how they love us just as we are. We can learn from their example the joy of living without the burden of human self-judgment.
Other animals also learn and benefit from contact with us or they wouldn't choose to be in close connection with humans.
We're all here to learn from each other no matter our species and from life as it is, the dark and the light, the good and the bad. When we of any species truly communicate and listen to each other, we can find behind all the costumes of physical appearance and dynamics of interaction, the magnificent love that is the true nature of every being. I wouldn’t want to live in a world without the amazing variety of other species as fellow travelers. These awe-inspiring beings remind us that we are also awe-inspiring. They show us how to navigate the journey with acceptance, joy, and grace.
