Close encounters with wildlife

[Michel]

I thought you might like this video A Vegetarian's Nightmare or A Dissertation on Plants Rights.

Amusing. One guy wrote in response to the video, "I'm not a vegetarian because I love animals. I'm a vegetarian because I hate vegetables."

While Siddhartha Gautama was not a hunter, he was also not a vegetarian, so that should give you your answer.

I read somewhere, probably in some commentary, that the Buddha thought that the act of killing, even to survive, would leave a negative trace emotion of guilt in the psyche which might impede one's meditations; and the act of killing, even to survive, was also bad kamma . He apparently did not eat meat that was specifically killed for him, but that it was okay to let others do the killing. I wonder if this idea is in the discourses?

[Jhanananda]

I read somewhere, probably in some commentary, that the Buddha thought that the act of killing, even to survive, would leave a negative trace emotion of guilt in the psyche which might impede one's meditations; and the act of killing, even to survive, was also bad kamma . He apparently did not eat meat that was specifically killed for him, but that it was okay to let others do the killing. I wonder if this idea is in the discourses?

Most of that is commentarial; however, it is true that he asked that animals not be killed to feed him.

From the perspective of an anthropologist, who meditates deeply, and who has studied mysticism cross culturally, it seems to me that much of the lifestyle of most of the mystics is very similar to a hunter-gather, not that all hunter-gathers are enlightened, but the lifestyle leans closer to the mystic's, then civilization does.  So, I believe it is reasonable to say a hunter-gather has a better chance at enlightenment than anyone living in any civilization that ever existed; and yet we know that there were enlightened mystics in most cultures, because the historic record provides the evidence.

[Michel]

From the perspective of an anthropologist, who meditates deeply, and who has studied mysticism cross culturally, it seems to me that much of the lifestyle of most of the mystics is very similar to a hunter-gather, not that all hunter-gathers are enlightened, but the lifestyle leans closer to the mystic's, then civilization does.  So, I believe it is reasonable to say a hunter-gather has a better chance at enlightenment than anyone living in any civilization that ever existed; and yet we know that there were enlightened mystics in most cultures, because the historic record provides the evidence.

How much time in a day would you say a hunter-gatherer would have to devote to meditation and study? In some environments the effort to survive requires far less time, and is far less stressful than in contemporary western civilization. I am thinking of some native tribes of the Amazon rainforests who are masters of that environment. The rain forest is bursting with sustenance, plant medicines, and resources for them to live comfortably. I came to this conclusion from watching television documentaries. I noticed that these natives had plenty of leisure time.

[Jhanananda]

Abundant leisure time characterized most hunter-gatherer societies from the tropics to the deserts to the tundra; however, survival as a hunter-gatherer typically required cycles of famine, and the need to migrate.  Thus, the hunter-gatherer was relatively stress-free, and they had plenty of time for meditation practice, not that all of them engaged in it.  In exchange for abundance people embraced civilization and the stress, and anxiety that comes with it.

[Jhanananda]

The rabbit and I continue to get along well.  In fact whenever I am working in the yard the rabbit will often times come up to me skipping and dancing with joy, and puts its head down at my feet to be pet; and it will want to be pet longer than I have strength in my hands. 

When I get back to work I have to be mindful, because the rabbit will often times be right under my feet the whole time, even when I am using noisy power tools like a circular saw. or a diagonal grinder cutting and shaping steel.

[Jhanananda]

The rabbit is such a character at times, that it makes me laugh.  This evening a neighbor sent me a link to this page on rabbits, which is just so true about the rabbit that I am a caretaker for that I howled with laughter.

[Jhanananda]

Life with a super rabbit:
Two nights ago I saw my rabbit sitting at the end of the parking lot, then I saw it stand up on its hind legs for a long time staring at something, then I saw one of the feral neighborhood cats trot by on the other side of the road.  It seemed to me that our rabbit was letting the cat know it was not welcome.  I guess rabbits are more aggressive than I thought.  Here is a link to a rabbit attacking a snake:

The rabbit is definitely territorial. About a month ago I added a soaker hose to the garden that used to be the rabbit's pen.  To hook up the soaker hose I had to unbury the hose bib, which the rabbit had buried. 

I used a trowel to dig up the hose bib.  The rabbit came over and pushed the pile of dirt back into the hole that I had just dug.  So, I laughed and dug out the hose bib again.  While I was digging the rabbit grabbed the trowel in its mouth and took it out of my hand.  Which just made me laugh harder.

I finally got the soaker hose hooked up, and I have used it for watering the garden since.  The garden has now turned into a jungle, which pleases the rabbit.

A few days ago I took a project that I have been working on out to the garden to work on there in the morning, because it is moist and cool there.  The rabbit loves it when I join it in the garden, and it ran circles around the garden skipping and dancing the whole way.  Don't tell me animals do not have feelings.  I can see this animal does.

[stugandolf]

My close encounter with animals go like this:  While truck/shell  camping in  a remote area sitting on the tailgate early morning, a good, looking  coyote walked at a steady pace about 5 feet away on a 30 degree tangent to the truck.  We saw coyote first at 5 feet, and coyote saw us, for sure, continuing   its steady pace  - not attracting attention - survival. Alternative view: coyote deliberately avoided embarrassment - what self respecting was so close to two leggeds... Anthropocentric perhaps, but coyote is a  well known trickster...  Stu

[Jhanananda]

I have happened upon similar coyote experiences, and I agree with you what self respecting coyote would allow himself to be had by a 2-legged, so, being a trickster, the coyote pretended to not have been had.

[Jhanananda]

As many of you know, this spring I rescued a rabbit.  Over the winter I raked out the garden, turned it over, and composted kitchen scraps in it.  Then the rabbit arrived.  At first I just let the rabbit have the garden.  Since the rabbit had only experienced being in a cage its whole short life it was ecstatic about having a garden plot to run around in, dig in, and have the occasional fresh herb to eat. 

After a month I could see it wanted more room, and the rabbit's careful manicuring was not going to allow any plants to grow, so I let the rabbit out of the garden enclosure.  The rabbit then set to work trimming the entire complex of weeds.  The rabbit has been so thorough about keeping the weeds and grass closely clipped that the entire complex has never looked so tidy.  So, I think inviting rabbits into your yard might mean there will be no need to weed or mow.

On the other hand I decided to plant purple corn in the 2 garden plots, which the rabbit had free reign in.  In anticipation of the rabbit thinking I was planting the corn for it, I built several 1ft diameter x 2 foot long mesh cylinders, which I planned to plant the corn inside of.  It worked out to be easier to plant the corn first, then put the mesh cylinders around the corn.  Well, the rabbit watched me plant the corn, and before I could put the mesh cylinder over the first corn plant the rabbit chewed it down to the nub.  I pushed the rabbit away and put the mesh cylinder over the corn plant with a stake to hold the mesh cylinder up in case the rabbit decided to push the mesh cylinder down.  Well, that corn is the tallest corn plant in the batch.

here is the garden plot with growing cages to keep the rabbit out

Here is the rabbit in the garden working hard to keep the weeds down

Here is the Rabbit gardening next to growing cage

How to Plant a Pet-safe Garden

[Jean]

I had some magical experiences with wildlife over the years. Let's revive this topic 

Summer solstice 2015 - I was meditating in the woods then opened my eyes. A roe deer was staring at me. I could stay in silence, moving slowly and took a picture.



The same happened at the autumnal equinox the same year. I was welcomed by a black woodpecker hammering a tree. I went further and meditated, then opened my eyes. A young roe deer was again staring at me.

A year later at the autumnal equinox a squirrel came to me in day time and a fox in dream time. I wrote this short poem at that time :

"I'm thankful for what the Harvest Moon brought me.
I'm no longer afraid of Her Dark Mysteries.
Now it's time to prepare for longer nights,
Go and meet my beloved to give Her new seeds
From the depth of my feral heart"

[Jean]

~ Surreal swift recovery - May 12th, 2022

I found this swift motionless and almost drown in my toilet at home. It must have found a way in through wall cracks and unfinished false ceiling. They just arrived couple of days ago looking for a place to build their nest. One hour later the bird was warmed up, got an energy boost and was flying back in the blue sky. The gods have been merciful today.

As a reminder, always close the toilet seal. This could save a swift life!



May 16th, 2023

A year after nurturing a Common Swift back to life, they are now nesting under my roof. Non-breeding individuals may spend up to ten months in continuous flight.
I love their 'screaming parties' high-pitched chip notes. This brings me much joy.

~ The Swift ~
There is no creature (except, perhaps,
The angel) so wholly native to
The upper air. His tiny feet
Cannot walk on ground, can cling only.
The wisps and straws he needs to build his nest
He snatches in mid-air. He even sleeps
Borne up by the rising thermals.
This black screamer, rushing at evening
Above our cities, is kin
To the tropical humming-bird, who can fly backwards
Out of the great flower-bells
In the Amazonian forest.
~ John Heath-Stubbs (1918-2006)





Couple of days later, May 24th, 2023 another recovery at home, a jackdaw. This little chap explored our chimney the early morning