of yogis, dogs and humans

Those who have had an experience of meditation often cite the plenitude feeling, which can go with this mental state: acute perceptions, intense feeling of being part of a broader whole, profound presence to the instant. No discontinuity, no analytical thought, just harmony and the deep, elementary feeling of being part of the universe, alive… This may seem light-years far from the interactions that we have with dogs when we connect with them and some differences immediately jump out: two subjects involved, movement often part of the game, to only cite the most obvious ones. But for me, the deepest connection states with dogs bear some similarities: same acute activation of all sensory channels – directed towards the other -, same deep presence – to the other -, same prevalence of intuitive mental processes, same bliss feeling. In essence: two animals attracted by each other and acting in concert, following the elementary force of emotions and sensations, beyond words and rationality. Of course, the fluidity of such interactions can imply a lot of practise, as exemplified in dog sports. But I have seen deep relationships, nurtured by beautiful everyday complicities between humans and dogs, who have never attended one training lesson, nor used a treat bag for all their life. As a matter of fact, connection comes into multiple forms: the exchange of a fleeting eye glance at a crossroad (“where do we go now?”), the pleasure of a warm contact and a familiar scent while sitting close together, the intense concentration of two animals cooperating in a rubble search, or the joyful proximity of smiling faces upon awakening in the morning. The fact that any subjective experience is unique, as part of the dynamic of life and as mental process of an individual in his singularity, does not imply that key principles underlying it cannot be unravelled. What is at the core of the deep reward feeling elicited by connection and of the propensity of dogs and humans to bond? Recently, scientists have used the powerful tools of genetics, neuroimaging, genomics and behavioural sciences to pinpoint the key part played by some neuropeptide systems, such as oxytocin. They have also explored the factors – experience, personality traits, propensity to empathy -, which influence the mutual evaluation of emotional states between dogs and humans. A notable suggestion from these studies is that humans may employ related mental mechanisms to process emotional expressions from con-specifics and from dogs. Could this mean that the way we treat our dogs, and animals in general, may someh

ow reflect the way we treat our human fellows? Connection, as expression of trust, relationship, and finally of the deep attraction, which develops so easily between dogs and their human fellows, stains every single interaction and can be used as a potent reinforcer. But far beyond this utilitarian view, it is one of the elementary joys that make life worth living, just as the sight of a starry sky, the caress of the breeze or the warmth of a sunray on the face. During the last decades, humans have deeply changed the face of our planet: poisoning oceans, exhausting the earth, denying living creatures confined in concentration universes or erased from the surface of the globe the right to live their life, shaped by million’s years of evolution. At the dawn of this New Year, may our dogs remind us of the ancient and profound connection between humans and other creatures, of the meaning of what we term humanity, and of what matters in a human life... 0 Comments Submit a Comment Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Comment * Name * Email * Website Submit Comment Δ The Joy of Learning by Frances McCormack | 2nd August 2022 | Connection | 0 Comments Curiosity, discovery, success, confidence, understanding, growth: all of these things can nurture a joy of learning for its own sake Read More In praise of naughty dogs by Frances McCormack | 31st January 2022 | Connection , Life with Dogs | 14 Comments .. a desire for solutions to problems that weren’t problems until someone else outside of the relationship suggested they were. Read More Connection starts with invitation by Sarah Owings | 1st January 2019 | Connection | 15 Comments Connection thrives in the absence of expectations, a precious freedom that fills the space between two beings when there is no agenda, no time limit, no “have to get it done.” Read More Connection is a dynamic quantity by Silvia Franken | 31st December 2018 | Connection | 1 Comment Connection is a dynamic product of three ingredients: an emotional bond, memory and mental focus. Read More A deep trust and love for each other by Kay Laurence | 31st December 2018 | Connection | 8 Comments I learnt about connection with my horse Magnum. He was untouchable when he came to us, caught wild, taken to the sales – and ended up with us – because my daughter fell in love with him. Read More A lesson in connection by Susan Friedman | 31st December 2018 | Connection | 6 Comments At first, it barely made it through the door. But it kept tapping and when I let it in, it had connection written all over it.

It surprises me that it is a lesson I need repeated so often. Read More Feeling comfortable by Time Collie | 30th December 2018 | Connection | 1 Comment We take time to train, but how connected are we as their trainer? Read More of yogis, dogs and humans by Kay Laurence | 29th December 2018 | Connection | 0 Comments Connection, as expression of trust, relationship, and finally of the deep attraction, which develops so easily between dogs and their human fellows, stains every single interaction and can be used as a potent reinforcer. Read More What does connection look like? by Kay Laurence | 27th December 2018 | Connection | 3 Comments It comes in many forms. Walking together, sitting quietly together, sharing a mental or physical task. Individuals can be connected without looking at each other; just feeling each other’s presence is perhaps the strongest type of connection. These activities can all be done with or without connection, but with connection they appear fluent. Read More Connection: A Conversation for Life by Kay Laurence | 26th December 2018 | Connection | 8 Comments In the busy-ness of life connection can be the last thing considered. Living with a dog is about developing a relationship and all successful relationships are based on connection. So just what is connection and why is it important? Read More