“The
creatures who dwell in this book, from the rabbit in the desert to a German
shepherd named Kirby, teach us how to live in the moment, how to be peaceful,
how to trust, how to share strength and power, how to face fears, how to heal
and how to love.” Margot Lasher
At my local library I encountered a book that
left me speechless due to its introspection, reflections and fascinating true stories about communication with non-human animals.
Margot
Lasher’s And the Animals will Teach You was published in the year 1996,
and I conclude that her book was able to anticipate scientific discoveries about the
cognitive and emotional intelligence of non-human animals.
It is surprising that this marvel was
overlooked. Perhaps, it had something to do with the fact that it was written
by an intelligent woman who meshed psychological knowledge with personal
insights and observations; the world was not prepared to acknowledge the deep
interconnection with other beings, the pith of her message.
If you have a special interest in relationships between human beings and non-human animals, this book is for you. If you perceive more about non-human animals than what you were taught in traditional education, this book will resonate with you, and reassure you.
I was mesmerized by how Margot
Lasher shares her observations about relationships, and how these precious connections support our daily lives
in various ways. The author embraces and
honors her interactions with animals and how attuned she is with them.
There are three reasons why I cherish this unique read. First, her stories are riveting. Once you begin reading one of her intriguing anecdotes, you cannot put it down. Secondly, her insights are infused with wisdom, intuition and knowledge. She is a keen observer of everyone around her. Finally, her brief powerful poetical descriptions caress the heart and inspire the mind.
“In New England after a snowstorm, the sun
comes out and the trees and ground and houses and ponds are all shining in
whiteness. You walk outside and you feel a deep happiness at being alive. You
feel awe in the presence of such beauty, and privileged to be part of this
incredible setting. It stretches out like the night sky, sunlight touching snow
in every direction. In this world you feel happy and blessed just to be alive.
You feel the connectedness, the oneness of everything. You feel love for
everything. I think animals feel this boundless love. Everything is full of
wonder; everything makes them happy. Everything is an adventure in being
alive.”
Her words encourage us to seek peace within ourselves, to dive into our source of strength and power.
“From feeling happy with an animal, you
gain a deeper awareness of your own happiness. When you and an animal are
together in the feeling of happiness, echoing the happiness between you, the
feeling takes on a new richness and depth. Pure happiness echoes within and
between you.”
The energy
of Lasher’s book leaves an indelible imprint in my mind.
“When you
are experiencing the fragrance of a flower, the motion of your own body, or the
happiness of an animal, you are experiencing awareness. When you are tuned in,
completely focused, you are one with the fragrance, the motion, the happiness.
You are the awareness. The core of yourself is your awareness. The nature of
animals is pure awareness.”
And the Animals will Teach You offers an
exquisite journey for the mind, vivid sceneries, and stories that reveal the wonders
of transformation, protection and friendship; along this path, Lasher guides us
into our inner wisdom. Her experiences explore the depth of communication with
animals, the nature of living in harmony.
“Animals
are tuned exquisitely to harmony. Awareness of harmony is awareness of the
energy of the whole. Animals live essentially in harmony.”
Margot Lasher is a psychologist who
specializes in relational theory. She has taught many workshops on empathy, and
is also the author of The Art and Practice of Compassion and Empathy.
