Your Pet May Be Having Spiritual Experiences!

by Robert Wilkinson

Yes, it seems that scientifically animals can experience spiritual sensations, since these originate in the part of the brain that humans share with the creatures. That's why your meditations really do affect your pets as well as your general environment!

From a fascinating Discovery Channel by Jennifer Viegas via MSNBC, Animals said to have spiritual experiences, these are findings reported by "a prominent neurologist who has analyzed the processes of spiritual sensation for over three decades."

The article makes the point that it's difficult for us to know what those "spiritual experiences" are, since for the most part we don't share a common language with our creature friends. Of course, those who are owned by cats know differently, since cats are very clear in communicating their expectations to us!

Still, the inability to directly experience what another being experiences will always lead to some uncertainty. We can barely (sometimes) communicate a subjective experience to another person using words, since various words mean different things to different people.

However, much progress has been made in intra-species communications in the past several decades due to us learning how various animal species communicate. Beyond the obvious verbal cues, I have found the ability to communicate with animals on subjective direct levels also involves using the Astral, or emotional, vehicle to communicate feelings beyond words.

Anyway, back to the subject of animals having spiritual experiences. Kevin Nelson, a professor of neurology who has been studying this stuff for over 30 years, tells us that "it is still reasonable to conclude that since the most primitive areas of our brain happen to be the spiritual, then we can expect that animals are also capable of spiritual experiences..."

Here's a little more from the article:

...A Neurology journal study, for example, determined that out-of-body experiences in humans are likely caused by the brain's arousal system, which regulates different states of consciousness.

"In humans, we know that if we disrupt the (brain) region where vision, sense of motion, orientation in the Earth's gravitational field, and knowing the position of our body all come together, then out-of-body experiences can be caused literally by the flip of a switch," he said. "There is absolutely no reason to believe it is any different for a dog, cat, or primate’s brain."

Other mammals also probably have near-death experiences comparable to those reported by certain humans, he believes. Such people often say they saw a light and felt as though they were moving down a tunnel.

The tunnel phenomenon "is caused by the eye's susceptibility to the low blood flow that occurs with fainting or cardiac arrest," he said. "As blood flow diminishes, vision fails peripherally first. There is no reason to believe that other animals are any different from us."

Nelson added, "What they make of the tunnel is another matter...."

Mystical experiences — moments that inspire a sense of mystery and wonderment — arise within the limbic system, he said. When specific parts of this system are removed from animal brains, mind-altering drugs like LSD have no effect.

Since other animals, such as non-human primates, horses, cats and dogs, also possess similar brain structures, it is possible that they too experience mystical moments, and may even have a sense of spiritual oneness, according to Nelson.

Marc Bekoff, a professor emeritus of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder, also believes animals have spiritual experiences, which he defines as experiences that are nonmaterial, intangible, introspective and comparable to what humans have.

By all means check out the entire article, and for those who have a bond with a creature, this could open whole new doors of communication and perception between you and them. On that note, I am aware that my cat is beaming thoughts into my brain to pet him.....

© Copyright 2009 Robert Wilkinson

Comments

[Morvah]

Thank you for this Robert. I'm not normally given to much whimsy but I am certain that a particular dog I had 20 years ago will be waiting for me in that tunnel. Best friend I ever had - Aquarian!

[BritLitChik]

My black kitty, Chloe, is absolutely the most intuitive, emotional 4-legged friend I've ever had. When I have stomach flu, she lays next to my stomach; when my knees were operated on, she laid next to them; migraine - around my head. She just knows.

And as my life is opening and filling up with happiness, now she just wants to hang out.

Chloe and I have a very spiritual relationship. And yes, Robert - they know how to beam 'pet me now' very well.

[Micheline]

ya, i see animals do this kind of stuff all the time. animals are beings toooo
thanks for this Robert!

[Diane]

Robert, my deeply beloved feline companion, Caitlin Marie, died yesterday morning at 5:45 AM (Samhain). She was my heart's companion and my baby for 13 years. She was SOOOO intuitive and kind and compassionate - always knew when people were suffering and immediately went to comfort them. I feel quite disconsolate losing her. Thank you for this article honoring our animal companions.

[Morvah]

Diane, I'm so sorry to hear of your sad loss - our cats are such unique, wise little beings who know us so well and their loss is a great sorrow.

Our little 1845 Cornish miner's terraced cottage has a back kitchen which used to have a 'slab' - a cast iron coal burning range. It was removed in the 50's to build on a bathroom so now there's a wall and doorway in its place. The dog we have now often sits staring intently at this space, especially in the evenings, with his ears cocked as if watching and listening to someone. I'd love to know what he can see!

[Sue Moon]

I'll add my 2 cents about my beloved Thundercat. He was a long haired orange half Main Coon cat of stellar intelligence and wisdom. I could write a book about his healing abilities with others and myself. When he was dying I was crying and asked him why he had to go in this way, in a flash my mind filled with his energy and he said, "....I leave so you can move into the next phase of your life." There was more, but how these creatures know us so much more than we even know ourselves is pretty amazing.

[ull]

Cats sees a lot!