What is it that changes the day from that moment onwards? What happens in that moment? How often does that moment come? In the times of fear, silence becomes a tool, different for different people, acting differently in different times of the day, or is it any similar with the animals too?
Early in the morning when sun had yet not arrived, i had already made two rounds of a square park. On the third round, i saw a squirrel coming down a tree, abnormally slow but consistent, through a lane filled with fallen, dried leaves she had come closer as if she wasn’t conscious of any person standing in her way. For a moment it pressed me to stop and only look at her because for that long a while I could not see where her head was, as there was no skin on it. It was nothing less than exorcism for my eyes in brahma mahurat, of how was she even moving like that i was wondering when at a point closest to me she stopped. Turned slowly with her one eye intact, towards me like mimicking a door opening in that morning twilight. Not asking for or directing towards, staring right back for just that moment, that one moment which arrives with a change from there onwards, the direction of the day and soon moved on to finding something amongst leaves, on her way to reach somewhere.
: ँ :
These days silence is the new noise or should we say normal. It might be modern for humans but in the animal world, they have been made to perfect this art.
Imagine that situation of utter helplessness, a situation of no hope and no light at the end of the tunnel.
Imagine a situation of no freedom, born in captivity and dying in captivity.
Imagine a situation where someone else is deciding your life, your future, your death.
Imagine living with a clear awareness that your end will be an assassination, a cruel murder, totally unnatural and having no idea what did you do wrong ever to have this end.
Imagine a life where you have no rights.
Imagine a world where you experience no kindness and no warmth from the company of your relatives.
Imagine a world of utter loneliness.
This is exactly the life that most animals experience. Cows, Pigs, Goats, Sheep and Fowls experience this life. All animals in captivity live this life. Saturated fear and helplessness are their daily norm. There is bloodshed and murder happening in different corners of the world each second. Millions are bred to be killed for their body. This is a human world, an insensitive human world. Only Humans can change it. If we are Humans, we will change something about it, around us. If we do not, nature will change it by reducing our numbers. Be clear. Be aware.
: ँ :
And of course trees. Trees were social distancing long-long before us silly humans even knew these words. Crown shyness, or canopy shyness, is a phenomenon in which the crowns of trees do not touch to avoid disease (in the form of insects) or injury from twigs bashing into one another. We have so much to learn from trees.
ROAD TO NARA 
Silence broken every now and then with sirens of Ambulance, panic and the fear of uncertainty 🙏🙏. If only we breathed with nature rather than the other way around🙏🙏. Penned again with true heart Narayan, May the dawn come soon🙏
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Richa, this has been heartbreaking days for each child as we have robbed them so much of their time which they have spent learning, playing, watching outside instead it is these masks that they have learnt to carry.
And here in these city centres, life seems miserable more than ever that i really feed fed up and helpless because whatever news you get is about love, freedom, understanding or even joy but hospital, cover, cancer, death, hospital, accidents. I do not know where we have left our sanit, may be in villages still.
Thank you dear Richa. Its been sometime too i imagine, you haven’t been feeling to make us eat something there, here on sweet Jaw. My wishes and prayers.
Nara x
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This passionate cry in the wildness of the author is so on time as if he was speaking from above the Earth, with the voice of the Universe. Just yesterday, on the world news there were pictures of the climate change devastation of the land in China. Miles and miles of a desert-like landscape where nothing grows, absolutely nothing, not even a blade of grass. And on the border between Afganistan and India, the snow peaks of a part of the Himalayas are melting and sliding down the ravine. As to the fate of animals, the author’s a persuasive way to imagine what it is like to be living their lives of silent desperation, with no hope, just a wish that the death when it comes was quick.
This writer’s greatest gift is the ability to load his words with overpowering emotions, and if, after reading this article you are not filled with compassion and a burning desire to get involved in making changes, then you deserve the fate he envisages for humans.
And his Ode to Trees? It is beautiful.
Thank you.
Joanna
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China is going to reap whatever she has done to animal world, such cruelty and the way they have experimented with eating animals and birds, there is no way they can escape their demise which has started sprinting towards breaking them.
We have to create avenues where we can plant fruit trees Joanna, where we can give birds, and all kinds of important insects an opportunity to come. And a place where children ask their parents to get them to a place which is filled with variety of animals for them to interact with.
We will try however small we can make this difference into a change that is must, Joanna.
Thank you for your important ideas, and all the more that i get here and somewhere i find always near me. Thank you.
Yours
Nara x
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Beautiful thoughts for meditation. When I read the presentation on “animals“, I thought you were talking about the dysfunctional relationships we find ourselves in.
Because sometimes we humans allow ourselves to be treated like captive animals. It’s no wonder we find it difficult to have empathy for these helpless creatures that we consume.
I was raised as a vegan, and I do you feel a close affinity to the creatures that help balance our ecosystem. I wish we would love Earth so much we would never harm them.
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Thanks Nicole, it is as simple as living this life. If we have failed to love ourselves, there will be no way we can love nature. It is fortunate for anyone who is raised as a vegan. It is a help to one’s genes and system which now can develop a certain way, in a dimension which knows empathy.
Thank you for writing. Your presence is always precious and appreciated 🙂 Many thanks
Nara x
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I read your post and thought of how stupidly we are often surprised of the so called ‘animal intelligence’. We have never tried to understand and appreciate the wisdom of nature. Well, like Gandhi’s talisman, I have one when I feel lowest of the low, that is to think of an animal, any animal and its absolute struggle, to find food, to find a mate, get some water to drink, eat and live in peace, because danger lurks everywhere, against that what is our pain, our troubles!
It is beautiful that you stopped to watch the squirrel and reflect on the fate of nature at man’s hands! Ever since I have been packing to go to my home in Kerala, my cat can’t stop sitting on my lap and looking at me intently, I sense a question there, am I a part of this journey of yours?
thanks for this post.
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Absolutely Sreelekha, unlike us who can hoard, are learning to only hoard ever since coming on earth; these creatures get up each morning, earliest and not just struggle but work the hardest every possible moment.
Cat are such spirits, know a lot around us than we can only assume. I wish you a safe journey home dear Sreelekha. Thank you for writing. I had been thinking of all my times i have the fortune of befriending birds and animals, and it is not good that i have shared so less here. But i will, slowly, slowly.
Thank you again
Nara x
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Appreciate your calling cats spirits. Do keep sharing of your interactions with nature.
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Pleasure Sreelekha, Cats like Owls.
My wishes
Nara x
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Profound and inspiring thoughts on Silence, Narayan. A lovely post.
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Thank you for coming over Kamal and for your words here, much appreciated. Thank you again.
Nara x
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You are most welcome Narayan.
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Pleasure dear Kamal.
Thanks again. Much appreciated.
Nara x
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🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻👌👌👌
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Profound words.
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Rachel, thank you
Nara x
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This is such a beautiful tribute and care of the soul of our animals Narayan
I love every word and and applaud your caring, loving writing! 💖💖
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Dearest Cindy, i think now in these times it is them animals for who earth is reshaping the order. You have always been lovely and uplifting with your words as much. Thank you so much.
Nara x
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Yesterday I lost my dog, we were trying to reach veterinarian (we just have one veterinarian in our town), he said that he couldn’t come because it’s his “holiday.” I was saddened that my dog had to listen that. My thoughts are paralyzed. I still remember him shedding his tears, waiting for his suffering to end, I thought of bringing every family members, and I knew that he was waiting for my dad because he was very close to papa. The moment I bought my dad, my precious dog saw him, cried and then left us. The acceptance is hard. I cannot imagine how we don’t respect enough their fate, their freedom, their affection.
I think it’s important to understand the connection between us, animals and hence the mother nature, our nurturer. Failing to understand them, is like losing the touch of humanity.
Your post’s enlightening, thank you.
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I myself kept feeling helpless Sirishty, reading this heart wrenching tale of that fateful day. Also when a soul’d journey is intertwined with ours in such a way that when the time comes sometimes even a human presence, or absence can make a difference to our beloved animal’s journey onwards. I have myself had the fortune and misfortune of being there with such friends until their last breath arrived.
There is no alternative to not understand them and someone if one does not i am certain one would have missed something essential while growing up in their life times.
Thank you dear friend. So important to learn and share these emotions with you. Thanks
Nara x
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Thanks Nara, as I told someone earlier “A silent friend, who taught me a lot, I am blessed and happy to be a part of his life, and he being ours.”
Indeed, it is important to share our emotions, especially when you can relate.
Thanks to you too,
Your reply has bought a light in this dark path of nostalgia.
Take care, Stay safe.
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Lovely thoughts inspired by the silence of nature and Brahma Muhurta
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Thanks Ananda.
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It’s really amazing how you felt and connected with that poor squirrel. Pure souls definitely have a system of connecting with others. They don’t need words, touch or anything, not really. They simply do it. If one wishes so, one can communicate correctly with natural elements be it a flowing stream, swaying trees or anything else. Many thanks for sharing great thoughts with us, Narayan. More power to you.
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Long time dear friend. Thanks for coming over and for your strong words. You are true, purer elements just need to be present and nature WILL come forward and communicate with them. I have experienced it and once this cycle begins and you kind of attune yourself to it, no material, no money remains desirable, all becomes mere requirement.
Thank you again, my wishes.
Nara x
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Half a World away from India and her neighbours I can only imagine the devastation, the despair but I feel it in my heart as a fellow human being. It’s hard to shake your head and say there is nothing I can do. In fact, there isn’t and I have often wept for those I shall never see far less know. So too with animals. I live now in a country setting and on occasion a road i travel takes me past a cattle farm. By comparison to the “factories”, it is humane but I always whisper in my heart to those animals: “I am so sorry. I am so sorry. I love you.” I was brought up in England, very much a non-veg. I did not associate what I ate with the farm animals I saw back then just after WW2. When finally I actually thought about my food, I was horrified by the number of animals that had died to feed me, and under what circumstances. Now, I will not even kill an insect and I hesitate to pull weeds. If I have a God, it is Nature and I believe she tires of us. May you be well. I shall think of you.
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Dear Carolyn, i hear you well. And probably it could be nothing else but divine intervention when you decided to start thinking about your food, and when for once any one starts consciously question your food, that moment you come back to nature.
Thank you so much for coming over and for writing your heart out.
My deepest regards dear Carolyn
Nara x
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Of course, nature is the real God and I absolutely agree with you, we imprison animals and birds, which I personally abhor and do not abide by example, and think we are helping them.
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It is amazing how deep silence and meditation can still and rejuvenate the soul. You’ve painted a rich portrait of how we can take the silence as a good thing: a bond with nature.
I will think on that this weekend at the beach.
Thanks for the post!
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If silence can become meditation, dear visitor one will find joy sooner or later. You are so true, no doubt about it.
The weekend is here. I hope you are at the beach. And in silence, enjoying it.
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Thanks again for coming over and for these words.
Regards
Nara x
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This is so heartfelt
The tribute out lively animals. Absolutely beaitiful. Many thanks for sharing your story
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Apologies Lebo, been four days and here i am writing to you a thanking text.
It was all done by a publisher friend and she is always on a lookout for artists.
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This is absolutely amazing
Big up👏👏
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Thank you again. I hope you are staying safe and strong. Regards
Nara x
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You are most welcome Nara
Beautiful work that you do
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Pleasure dearest Lebo.
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