Spirit Animal - Horse and Teaching Community

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Volunteers put off their Christmas plans to bring blankets and feed to help keep the trapped horses alive. (Courtesy of Sara Olofsson) 

" The saga of two starving horses who inspired an entire community was drawing to a successful close after volunteers finally got the animals out of their snow-bound prison late Tuesday night.   "They came out of their kilometre-long trench and they're either sitting in the bush overnight or they're trying to bring them out a little ways and then they'll park them for the night," explained Lana Jeck, matriarch of the family that found the animals on the side of Mount Renshaw a week ago.  Every day since then, a growing number of locals have been trudging up the mountain with shovels in hand to dig out a pathway of escape through two-metre-deep snow for the horses, who are believed to have been abandoned by an Alberta hunter.  "If things go according to plan, they should be out [Wednesday]," said Lana. "It will have been a week of lots of people and their good hearts and strong backs, moving snow."  Read more at Volunteers free horses trapped by snow on B.C. mountain   Last Updated: Wednesday, December 24, 2008 | 1:43 PM MT  The Canadian Press 

Horses in general, have long been known as healers.  Horse has also been a good example of community, and how one fits into community. 

The year 2009 is a year of change, of closing off old habits and challenges, and setting in motion new ways of behaving.  Horse has been a primary catalyst over the last ten years, in creating situations where people band together regardless of politics, ethnicity, or religion.  Horse has none of those things.  She does have social structure, however, horse does not lie or cheat to the others in her community.

One of Buddha's teachings, paraphrased, is "save the animals and save ourselves!"  When we follow the examples of the Horse, or the Whale or Dolphin who also live in community, we will refute the alienation and selfishness that has consumed Man over the last ten years. 

As Horse showed itself lacking in all that is necessary to survive, scarcity disappeared as those around it undid the scarcity by bringing in food and blankets for shelter from the cold.   Horse is teaching us how to help one another, for Horse did not choose to be left on the mountain.

May you begin by finding your community this day, and may the blessings in your life abound in 2009!

Judy@angelsandancestors.com