loving art, science and creative kids
3/25/2017 7:35:14 PM
The Gossips
Acrylic on Canvas/ 12” by 36”/ $325
How Animals Teach
A birdie with a yellow bill,
Hopped upon the window sill,
Cocked his shining eye and said:
Ain’t you ‘shamed, you sleepy head!
This poem, by Robert Louis Stevenson, had an impact on me as a child. It reminded me that messages of wisdom can be found in the natural world for those who pay close attention. The birds and animals that share our planet are more intelligent and complex than most people imagine, and they have a lot to teach us.
A friend recently relayed a story about a goose that sought help from a policeman who was sitting in his car. The officer assumed the goose wanted food when she pecked at his window, quaked and walked away—but that was not the case. When ignored, the goose returned until the man exited his car and followed to see what she wanted. He was led to a grassy spot where a newly hatched chick’s feet were tangled in a cord. Amidst loud but unaggressive honking, the concerned mother stood by while the policeman’s female partner rescued the panicked gosling and set it free near an adjacent creek. The mother mother then hustled her brood to the water and all was well.
People talk about training their pets but rarely do they mention how their animals train them. We direct cats to litter boxes, teach dogs to fetch balls and even train them to be the eyes of blind people. I proudly taught my black poodle to jump through a hoop, but it is only recently that I thought about what I too learned from the experience. Patience, caring, fun are a few words that come to mind. Just because we don’t speak their language, doesn’t mean animals are not intelligent or that we can’t learn from them.
Our cat, Franny, can tell time. She sits by her food bowl at 7 each morning and promptly at 5:30 in the afternoon. She has trained us to feed her on time—which is fine, because she returns the favor. Somehow, she knows exactly when to wake up our adopted son so that he is never late for work. Much to my surprise, Franny didn’t miss a beat when daylight savings time arrived. How can that be?
A wealthy acquaintance sent his son to a private boarding school during his high school years. On the day he first arrived, he was assigned a horse to care for and exercise during his stay. All students were required to feed, brush and ride their animals rain or shine. Many of the arriving freshmen had been spoiled by indulgent adults who never required them to do a bit of work. Quite a few were raised by maids or nannies and suffered from having been emotionally neglected by their parents. Learning to care and be responsible for an animal was a life altering experience for these youth. Though the horses required their attention, they learned that caring for another living organism has rewards. Being trusted by and receiving unconditional love from their horses were life altering experiences for the majority of students.
Animals are often used as an aid for mentally or physically ill people.
A young woman I know spent many years suffering from severe depression. As her life went from bad to worse she was could not motivate herself to prepare meals or clean the apartment. Obtaining and keeping employment was a distant dream—that is, until she got a care-dog. Her perky pet was not the least bit concerned with her depression but rather trusted her to care for his needs. He required a morning walk and wanted to be fed several times each day. Her dog needed someone to brush his long hairs, bathe him occasionally, and play with him regularly. Though at times the animal was a burden, he gave a lot back in return.
Since dogs live in the moment, he taught her to do so as well. His daily walks improved his owner’s health and the regular outings made her look fit and energized. Since he was well cared for, he was happy and flourished, which made the woman feel appreciated. Though she still suffered from occasional bouts of depression, she became more content and less depressed. She and her dog managed to get through bad times knowing that good moments will return. The dog gave the woman a love that was nonjudgmental. A few wet licks, a hug, and a friendly wagging tail is all it took for me to know that the two are a joyful team.
I recently read about how prisoners in many western states have become cowboys who train wild horses. For example, in Nevada, for the past 17 years felons have been allowed to leave their minimum-security prison to spend eight hours a day on a ranch where they are addressed as “horse trainer” instead of “inmate.” They represent a tough bunch of men who were incarcerated because their aggressive, impatient behaviors led to conflicts with the law. Some were drug dealers, others burglars, and many were in prison because of assault. By the time they learn to train temperamental mustangs, however, they go through a transformation.
Man and horse bond around a number of issues. Neither are used to being caged. When captured, both react by becoming mean and scary. Yet, in order to be released, they have to exhibit a softer way of acting that embraces respect and trust.
When a trainer is first put in a pen with a mustang, he confronts a wild, angry, snorting animal. It can take weeks before the horse is willing to be touched and many more days before it can be haltered, saddled, and ridden. The trainer works with his animal in a stressful and usually dangerous environment. As one man put it, “climbing a 1000 lb. beast that keeps bucking you to the dirt also requires true grit.” When the trainers return to prison at day’s end, other convicts and guards do not mess with them. As they develop feelings of self-worth they, give off an aura that exudes self-confidence while showing respect for all living things.
Though the horses are put up for adoption every four months, the inmates remain supervised until their sentences are complete. Since they are treated like men, instead of prisoners, and because they love what they are doing, they quickly discard defensive behaviors and learn patience. Working with horses requires requires emotional control and focus on what they are doing. Acquiring these skills help them gain employment upon their release.
Veterinarian, Vint Virga, agrees that animals teach us a great deal about being human. Their attention to the present, is a demonstration in how to savor the moment rather than be distracted by past and future thoughts. By taking a cue from their behavior, we learn to focus on what is most important.
Animals tune into impressions taken from their environment and then trust and act on instincts. If we too learn to acknowledge hunches, we will become more open to choices and opportunities. They also teach us not to take ourselves too seriously and work all of the time by demonstrating that rest and play are also vital to happiness. They vary moments of rest and relaxation with periods for discovery, invention, and joy. Animals become fully absorbed when playing and do not worry about how good they are at the game. When my dog played catch, she became completely focused and never paid attention to distractions in the environment.
Pets exude unconditional love for those who take the time to know and share their world. A few kind words, a belly rub and neck scratch will produce a friend who is there to greet you when you return from a busy day. By paying attention to the lessons they teach, you will learn how to live in a circle of warmth, comfort, and delight.
I look forward to hearing from you. Please share your stories of what you learned from animals on my blog site.
References:
Hernandez,Dan, True grit: how wild horses are turning Nevada Inmates into cowboys. The Guardian, Feb 25, 2015. https://www.theguardian.com/global/2015/feb/25/true-grit-wild-horses-nevada-inmates-cowboys
Virga,Vint, THe Soul of All living Creatures, 10 Things Animals Can Teach Us about Being Human, Psychology Today.https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-soul-all-living-creatures/201501/10-things-animals-can-teach-us-about-being-human
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CELEBRATE! and learn about hands-on learning and the growth of art and science museums by naive but passionate directors from throughout the country. Laugh and cry with them as you read their stories of trying to navigate the quagmire of running a non-profit organization.
Upcoming Book Talks
Old Boys Club - Tigard - April 28, 2017
Museum of Natural and Cultural History, University of Oregon,
Eugene - May 23, 2017
Lake Oswego Library - June 20, 2017
High Desert Museum, Bend - October 5, 2017
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3/18/2017 9:20:16 PM
Eastern Oregon Contemplative
Acrylic on Canvas /Gold Frame/ 21" by 25"/ $ 450
Oh Boy! Stressed Again!
Over the years I’ve written about how children raised in trauma develop fight and flight responses in order to survive. They learn to react quickly when stressed but find it difficult to step back to analyze complex situations. I, and many of my friends, have the opposite problem. We live in our thoughts and are poorly equipped to cope with emergencies that require immediate action. Our minds work overtime, developing worrisome scenarios that may or may not occur in the future. We too are stressed and need to have coping mechanisms, but in a slightly different way.
What makes you calm? Is it a drive in the country? A walk in the woods? Yoga? Meditation? A good book? Do you fall asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow or do you lie awake tossing and turning for hours? When you hear disturbing news can you compartmentalize it so that it does not take over your entire consciousness and ruin your day?
A friend of mine told me that her husband has the ability to put his problems in a box, to take out and explore when the time is right. Whether it is pain or sad news, the input is immediately compartmentalized to be dealt with in a calm manner at the appropriate time. He is “way cool” for I strive for this type of control.
Though stress is destructive when it becomes too much to deal with, it can be good. It keeps life from becoming boring and also helps us perform in dangerous situations. Whether it is good or bad depends on coping mechanisms which dictate a reaction or response. When a situation appears to be overwhelming, we become anxious, which undermines our ability to effectively respond. The pressure also can have a negative effect on our health.
The challenge is to be able to respond quickly and effectively and to leave negative health responses behind. This includes not worrying in advance about something that may never occur, but being prepared in case it does. For instance, a person facing an operation should not worry twice. The operation should be faced with relative equanimity. once the results are known, then it is time to respond. Bad news can then be used as a spur to action. Stress is helpful when it is motivational but not when ‘what if?’ worries continue without end.
Ancient societies used flight or fight training when responding to the many physical dangers they encountered. A wild boar or roaring lion would arouse self-preservation reflexes that were immediately activated since they had been practiced many times in advance. When confronting a dangerous situation, their adrenaline, cortisol levels and heart rate increased to give them enough energy to respond by hiding, running, or attacking. Heightened alertness, muscle preparedness, slowing digestive and immune systems enabled them to move in ways that were essential to their survival. In other words, they were saved by an energized sympathetic nervous system where sensorimotor abilities were integrated with the psychological parts of their brain, allowing them to control emotions and act with speed.
Though the dangers faced today are different, they still exist, and our responses also require training and practice. Our stressors may be triggered by raging road drivers, aggressive skateboarders, or an assault rather than wild animals, but these encounters are no less stressful. Our muscles tense and blood pressure rises just as rapidly as in primordial cultures. These stress signals are a call to action requiring quick reflexes and knowledge in ways to respond.
There can be mental consequences for those who give little thought or practice to emergency situations. The adverse effects of stress may remain for an extended period of time even after the threat is over. Most people I know ignore the fact that our society also has stressors that require attention. We too need to be prepared and gain the skills necessary to survive with a minimum of stress.
One way to discover what is needed is to play a mind game. Begin by sitting quietly in a chair, closing your eyes and imagine dangerous scenarios and how you will respond. Note what when you start to become anxious. The exercise will help you discover what type of training you need in order to lower your stress. Will physical exercise help you improve reflex reaction time? Will classes in personal safety, self-defense or balance lower your stress threshold? One of my teachers suggested I practice shouting with gusto so I will be heard in an emergency. Being prepared for natural and man-made disasters can provide relief from anticipatory worry. Assembling extra water, food, and clothing, and knowing how to turn off gas, water and electricity are basic to handling potential crises.
Meditation was a crutch for me when a tree came smashing down on my roof, shaking the house as though in an earthquake. Glass flew everywhere while rainwater poured through a broken skylight and windows. My immediate reaction was panic, followed by jumping up with confusion about how to respond. My heart beat wildly and I am sure my adrenaline levels peaked. I had to calm myself before I could think and did so by thinking, “Marilynne, you are a meditator—breathe deeply. It took one minute to gain control because of having practiced meditation for many years. Once calm, I assessed the situation was able to respond immediately.
Those who participate in military, fire, or police training are taught how to deal with emergencies. Most ordinary citizens are not. Yet, we need to have these skills for there are bound to be times when we will be vulnerable. Preparation for natural disasters makes sense and should include having a meeting place to go to in case of emergency. Assessing risks and having emergency devices on hand will provide peace of mind.
It is also important to have your body in shape to handle various situations. Exercises that improve balance and reflexes and participating in self-defense, personal safety, and cyber-safety classes can be helpful. Just the process of regular practice can be a stress reducer. And, don’t forget, adequate sleep, a healthy diet and maintaining appropriate weight. The list goes on to include meditation, aroma therapy, warm baths, massage, and herbal teas. Reducing screen time including cell phone, computer, and television use and getting organized are natural stress-reducers. Lastly, in this day of alternative news, I think it is important confront media hype and instead look inward to what you must do to maintain your own sanity.
If we learn to manage the pitfalls of our own environment we are more likely to live with equanimity. We will stop being anxious when our minds play tricks but be ready for action when actually threatened. And, best of all, once the situation is over, we will be able to throw off the extra adrenaline and cortisol circulating throughout our bodies. It is worth the effort to be prepared.
Resources:
Christian, Nordqvist, December 24, 2015, What is Stress? How to Deal with Stress, Article Medical News Today: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/145855.php
Stress Symptoms, Signs, and Causes from HELPGUIDE .ORG in collaboration with Harvard Health publications: https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/stress-symptoms-causes-and-effects.htm
Uwe Proske, Simon Gandevia, October 2012 Pshysiolgical Reviews, VOl. 92 no. 4, 1651-1597, The Proprioceptive Senses: Their Roles in Signaling Body Shape, Body Position and Movement, and Muscle Force: http://physrev.physiology.org/content/92/4/1651
3/10/2017 12:24:19 PM
Solar Systems - Rotating Planets
The Merry-Go-Round
An old Chinese curse says: “May you live in interesting times.” We certainly do. Each day, events bombard us in the news, and though terrible, they certainly make this era a most interesting one. Twelfth century Chinese believed that the most fascinating periods in history were those filled with upheaval and chaos. I relate to their saying for when I open my eyes in the morning I can’t wait to discover what happened while I slept. Though emotionally, I don’t like living through turmoil, intellectually I do enjoy stepping outside of conflicts to let my mind make sense of the stage events. In order to keep my balance, I remind myself that historically peace and war, wealth and poverty, play cyclical games that can last hundreds of years.
Traveling globally emphasizes many of the changes that have taken place during my own short life. Boundaries have moved so often that I keep having to get a new globe. Eritrea became independent from Ethiopia in 2002, the Aouzou Strip in Libya was given to Chad, and Somaliland has declared independence, though without UN recognition. It was just in 2013 that I went to the Ukraine. Now the borders are different. The Crimea was annexed in 2014 after Russia decided that their need for seaports was more important than Ukraine’s sovereignty. By controlling this area they considered historically theirs, they gained natural gas rights in the Black Sea and ownership of Sevestapol, the seaport that houses their military fleet. Russia also retained the military equipment left behind by the Ukraine and now controls access to Ukrainian seaports. Some power still remains with Ukraine, though, for it maintains most electrical sources as well as access to fresh water. The entire area, however, remains a powder keg.
I certainly feel like I am on a merry-go-round and am not sure how to get off. As it circles I pass the escalating war of human beings suffering because we initiated a poorly advised invasion of Iraq. But, what surprises me the most, are Americans who have become reluctant to help these destitute refugees fleeing from harm’s way? I wonder what I would do if bullets rained down on my head?
Then I spin past billionaire mansions in gated communities and watch their inhabitants deny workers fair salaries, health care and affordable housing. I pass streets filled with tents and eyeball beggars asking for handouts. I witness illegal farmworkers removed by police while their employers are not fined for hiring them. Innocent children are scared that they will be separated from their parents every time they leave home. If it is so important to make them leave, why aren’t the employers who have become wealthy by their labor not asked to pay for resettlement costs? Since our own citizens unwilling to work as day labor for low wage who will bring in the crops and make the beds in luxury hotels?
If you are a student of history, you know that times of peace and prosperity cycle with those of war and chaos. There are eras when demigods, emperors, and kings control the masses and those when the proletariate rise up and rebel. The Magna Carter was the result of one such uprising and our own country expelled British control. China’s dynasties are another case in point. Each time the wealthy became corrupt a dynasty was overthrown and a new government formed. The children of the original reformers, eventually became lazy and spoiled and the cycle start start over again. Fascinating? Depressing? Scary? Is this what is happening in our country? Are our leaders corrupt and self-centered? What about other nations?
You can’t turn on the news without being blasted with stories of Greece’s fragile economy, removal of the president of South Korea due to corruption, Neo-Nazi’s in the Netherlands, and cataclysmic climate changes due to man-made causes. We hear that with Brexit, the survival of the European Union is challenged, that pollution in China directly affects our own air quality, that fracking in Oklahoma causes earthquakes, and that overfishing is depleting an important source of the world’s food supply. Interesting times? The merry-go-round continues in circles with its horses traveling up and down. I travel on it but it is not always fun.
Connected we are, whether we want to be or not. With international banking, mega corporations and trade agreements we left our isolationist past behind a long time ago.
Did you know that warming trends have negatively affected coffee growth in Sierra Leone thereby increasing coffee prices in the U.S.? That extreme weather brought on by rising temperatures and changes in precipitation threaten the food we eat, the air we breathe, and the water we drink? Yes, we are global earth.
Remember the idiom “nature abhors a vacuum?” As an anthropology student I was taught that if a poor overpopulated country is located near a wealthier one with a smaller population those living in poverty will soon be pushing boundaries and moving into the country with greater resources. There may be local laws trying to prevent that movement but the laws of nature say that governmental laws will lose in the end because the desire to survive is so great that people will do whatever they can to feed their families.
The U.S. may try to stop immigrants from coming to our soil but any anthropologist will say that in dire times, need overcomes law. Population movements can’t help but effect our lives. Last year 65 million people migrated, from war-torn countries and the from those affected by global warming. Severe drought affected livestock and farming and lack of drinking water meant thousands moved or died. Rising sea levels put farmland under water in Bangladesh and the island of Kiribai. What will it be next year? Will we continue to ignore this threat and let people die? What if Manhattan has another severer hurricane that threatens their food supply?
Changing long held thought patterns is difficult. It involves digging for unbiased updated information and a willingness to shift beliefs when presented with new facts. Analysis ca be emotional because results often challenge minds that basically wants to be comfortable by clinging to old ways. Still, adapting to change should not be more difficult than learning how to use the latest app. Yet, it is. We see it when she learn that fewer than 50% of American adults believe in evolution. These non-believers view scientists as a threat to their worldview rather than as researches and providers of information from which to reevaluate decisions. Perhaps there is a benefit to clinging on to old ways and thought patterns.
I am a good example of a person who resisted using computers. As a museum director I made sure they were around me but I had other people operating them and did not want to personally spend my time on the computer. That was a bad decision. Now I realize that staying abreast of the world’s social, political land technological landscape are requirements for living fully and in the moment. They certainly are a must for any parent educating a child to participate in modern day society.
Though I write of living through a dire period in our nation’s history, these tnteresting times are not all terrible. It can be fun to put yourself on a merry-go-round and enjoy the ride when your eyes are open for a gold ring to grab. There is always hope. Using your mind to discover underlying causes and developing ways to overcome problemscan bes challenging and rewarding. I am certainly curious to discover what happens next. I would like to return to earth in 200 years and see how this political turmoil will evolve? What is your prediction for the future?
References:
Save the Date Book Talks - Lives of Museum Junkies: The Story of America's Hands-On Museums
Old Boys Club - Tigard - April 28, 2017
Lake Oswego Library- June 20, 2017
High Desert Museum, Bend - October 5, 2017
3/3/2017 6:19:49 PM
Seeing with Clarity: Recognizing Hope
Acrylic on canvas/ 48" by 36"/ silver frame/ $ 699
Last week I finished reading the Lost Symbol by Dan Brown. His writing style kept me on edge as he had one mysterious occurrence blending into the next, one clue opening a door leading to a twist in the road that ended with a wall to be scaled. In The Lost Symbol, the topic was especially interesting because itembraces metaphysical questions involving wisdom. Injected into a labyrinth of secrets, codes and hidden truths was a villain who wanted power that he believed came from knowing a single word—one that would give life meaning. At the risk of spoiling the ending, the final revelation was simply stated by the word “hope.”
Words are symbols that can carry deep meaning. And though it has been weeks since completing the book, I have been unable to get this particular symbol out of my mind. Composed of four ordinary letters, hope elicits more power than I had originally thought possible.
Hope. President Obama wrote a book called, The Audacity of Hope, which led to his election. President Trump’s campaign also gave hope, especially to white middle class men who had been feeling left out. Bernie Sander’s did the same for young adults by energizing them to believe that a world based on equality and fairness is possible.
All people want to believe that their lives matter and that their concerns will be taken seriously. Everyone wants to trust that there is a purpose to their existence and that dreams hold promise. But hope only flourishes when we finally understand that we are enough as we are, even without having billions of dollars. Each is a soul in transition, capable of growth and change so that we can reinvent ourselves over and over again. Just as hope embraces acceptance, it also envelops forgiveness and offers love, for these elements allow for a new start.
During tough times it is difficult to embrace adversity and engage in fighting it. But it is your choice. It is your struggle and your decision to move forward. Believing in yourself as a survivor can help surmount terrible obstacles just as the embracing hope of thousands of people who are willing to fight for democratic values will help our country survive with dignity.
But, there are times when people need our assistance so that they can see a ray of sunshine. Their stumbling blocks may be so severe that hope does not enter their consciousness. For instance, a single mother, living in poverty, raising her children in a drug inflicted neighborhood faces barriers that seemingly have no end. A mentally ill man, experiencing difficulty in getting and keeping a job, may wonder how he will ever house and feed himself. A prisoner sentenced in his youth for years without parole, faces slowly moving minutes without hope for better way forward. An honor role student who watches her mother deported because she immigrated illegally so her children could have a better life may lose hope for her own future. And, it is easy to understand why the 32 million illiterates living within our borders who have little chance for full time employment at a livable wage may despair of hope.
But these people do not have to stay among the hopeless. They too can join the march towards economic security and fulfillment though we may have to give them a boost and help them dig their way out of quicksand that has trapped their feet. If we let them stand on our shoulders they will be able to look over the fence of poverty and entrapment. But, to maintain their hope, what they see must be a land devoid of unbridled capitalism that ignores the welfare of many for the benefit of a few. The sun must shine through air that is healthy to breathe and it must sparkle on streams and green pastures that are maintained for future generations. The fields must be leveled so men and women of all races and religions are treated equitably and without fear of being bullied. The school bell must ring out messages that call all to understand the history of our past and the science and technology of our future so that citizens will want to participate in bettering society.
Once the multitude can see a light shining on tidings that sparkle with promise, then their dreams will compound to add strength to the nation. Hope for a better future is what always brought people to our shores and it is by restoring hope that we will make America great again.
Do comment on below. It is wonderful to hear your opinions.
Art is always for sale. Contact me at [email protected].
