When our family returned from Indian Wells late at night a week ago Monday, we couldn’t find our dog, Rhodie. We decided she was with our neighbor caretaker, and went to bed unworried.
The next morning, however, my wife found her in a remote part of our yard lying listlessly on the ground. She was breathing, but wouldn’t respond to any stimulation.
Rhodie is a golden lab, and has been with us around 15 years now. She is dearly loved and has added great joy to the family activity over the years. Suggestions that she may be nearing the end of her time on earth have surfaced in recent weeks as she has slowed down her momentum, so the first thought was, “This may be the time.”
I carried her up to the house and put her on her soft bed on the patio. She was limp, oblivious to my actions, and heavy to carry, but I succeeded in plunking her down in her favorite position. Motionless, she was not even slightly interested in eating or drinking.
Shortly, after walking away, I challenged the aggressive suggestion that she was dying. Yes, she had lived a long time, and yes, if she went, it would be okay. The family was prepared for that transition. I consented. But my Christian Science view of Life rebelled against accepting death under any circumstance.
Life is eternal! I protested. Rhodie is an eternal idea of God that was never born into matter, and will never leave matter, I affirmed.
I decided to improve my understanding of what Rhodie was as an idea of God, instead of buying into the picture of living and dying in matter.
And Christian Science teaches this truth. Christian Science, as Jesus taught also, explains that the physical body, as a shell of mortal mind, is never the sum and substance of anyone, including animals. We, in our true identity, are spiritual beings at-one with our Maker in Spirit.
God’s ideas lived before so-called material existence, and they live forever after it. Life is eternal in Spirit. It is never IN matter.
I caught a clearer glimpse of Rhodie as God’s idea in Mind, and not in matter, than ever before. It brought me great peace.
As a spiritual idea, she was not ill, she was not weak, she was not mortal, she was not dying, and never would die, I agreed. She was living her eternal spiritual life in Mind right now. And that truth would never change.
In a few hours, to the delight of all, Rhodie started to respond to taking in some water, and soon, food. She got up and moved a bit, very clumsily, then more, and soon started roaming the yard as was her customary practice in weeks past. It was a resurrection for the family to witness. Awesome!
Hmmm…I just realized that this all occurred at the beginning of Easter week. How cool…
Rhodie has been her usual self ever since. And everyone is happy about it.
“Never accept death as real and happening, even when it appears a natural thing to occur,” I gained from this experience.
Death is not natural, ever. Death doesn’t happen, ever. Life is the real, and it’s eternal.
When animals and people pass on, they do not die in the process. They continue living in Spirit, which is where they had always lived. This truth, understood, heals. It dispels, to increasing degree, the illusion of death and dying here on earth until we get to the full realization of Life in Spirit, where the suggestion of death doesn’t even occur in the first place. Oh what a glorious day that will be…
This is another Top Ten blog. A keeper!! This is helpful to me not only with my 2 doggies but with me as a person. Lots of good ideas here to reall study. Thank you, Evan!
Mary
I had captioned a photo of my four dogbuddies “spiritual beings having a doggie experience” [am unsure where i heard the maxim- “we are spiritual beings having a human experience”-it applies i’m sure!]
Oh Evan, thank you so much for this — the strong affirmation of eternal Life. Our loved kitty (almost 15 years) passed on last week and these spiritual facts are very helpful and uplifting.
I’ve heard it said that animals are “lesser” ideas of God, and therefore may not respond to prayer. Also, it’s been said that because they can’t reason or pray or “raise their thought” they might not be healed.
Thanks so much for your post, which dispels those claims.
I think animals know how to pray. Have you ever felt a bit down, and had your loving companion dog come over, nuzzle you a bit, lay down next to you and comfort you with his presence? Or maybe a kitty purring in your lap humming the harmonies of Love? Bringing a bit of joy your way?… The are ideas of Love, and their presence heals.
i agree their presence heals, when i look into their eyes, i see them “there” being present and showing me love. my dog “rubio” stares at me when i’m disturbed by something and i tell him ” i’m sorry”, then it’s ok.
Hi Evan: Thanks for sharing Rhodie’s healing. That’s wonderful! Our animal friends are really expressions of Love and they bring so much joy into our lives. Nothing is more peaceful than having Hazel and Beanie snuggled next to me in bed purring
their lovely song! Peggy
when my dogbuddy “dingdong” jumped out of my car back window driving on the freeway during rush hour traffic, i didn’t know until the car behind honked and told me what happened.using the principals of c.s.in my prayers for him the next four days until the local pound called me to “bail”him out, he only had a little “ding” on his forehead and was well because he was cared for by his creator.the highway patrol had to stop the freeway traffic to get him i was told.i thank mary baker eddy for her unfailing love of mankind.an evan as anon says your blog is a “keeper”thank you and god bless!!!
Evan,
Re animals praying
Several years ago, I was getting our family off to church. Things were rushed, but I finally had everyone loaded in the car. As I went to close the door to the house, I looked down at our beloved dog and thought, “Oh no, dogs don’t have church!” I felt so sorry about this, because I love church. And I thought briefly about churches that have special services for blessing animals, but that’s not the same. Then, right on the heels of that thought came understanding, “My dog, who regularly demonstrates unconditional love, doesn’t need to have church!”
And here I thought I was the superior being…
Thanks for these posts. They are always helpful.
Some questions for Evan…You write below:
“Suggestions that she may be nearing the end of her time on earth have surfaced in recent weeks as she has slowed down her momentum…”
Did Rhodie pick up on this thought, I wonder, the way we people sometimes ” pick up” a cold by the talk around us?
And then did she in turn manifest the belief?
Finally, your belief changed and she responded to your treatment?
Just wondering.
Yes, I believe you bring out a very important point. And it’s a point that jump-started my prayers for Rhodie when all looked so dim. I sensed that perhaps the belief of decline had accelerated immensely while we were away and weren’t able to watch closely what was happening. It’s like mortal mind waited for an opportunity when the guard was down. This is not to say that we have to live life worried about what problem may come next, but to not let the error suggestion grow in the first place. Like a weed seedling starting to sprout and growing very slow at first, but then suddenly taking off and devouring all space around it. Evil suggestions need to be trounced at inception! Don’t give them a chance to grow and take root.
Thanks,