“Imagine you are walking in the woods and you see a small dog sitting by a tree. As you approach it, it suddenly lunges at you, teeth bared. You are frightened and angry. But then you notice that one of its legs is caught in a trap. Immediately your mood shifts from anger to concern: You see that the dog's aggression is coming from a place of vulnerability and pain. This applies to all of us. When we behave in hurtful ways, it is because we are caught in some kind of trap. The more we look through the eyes of wisdom at ourselves and one another, the more we cultivate a compassionate heart.” WayLooksHeartKindEyePainImagineTreeDogWalkingApproachSittingConcernAngryCaughtLegsWoodsMoodTeethBehaveVulnerabilityFrightenedCompassionateAggressionTrapsHurtfulThrough The EyesSmall Dogs Author:Tara Brach
“Maybe freedom really is nothing left to lose. You had it once in childhood, when it was okay to climb a tree, to paint a crazy picture and wipe out on your bike, to get hurt. The spirit of risk gradually takes its leave. It follows the wild cries of joy and pain down the wind, through the hedgerow, growing ever fainter. What was that sound? A dog barking far off? That was our life calling to us, the one that was vigorous and undefended and curious.” PainJoySpiritLeftSoundLosesHurtOur LivesGrowingRiskTreeCrazyChildhoodDogCryWindCallingOkayPaintCuriousClimbsBikeWipeVigorousJoy And PainHedgerows Author:Peter Heller
“The wicked will gnaw their tongues for anguish and pain; they will curse God and look upwards. There the dogs of hell, pride, malice, revenge, rage, horror, despair, continually devout them.” LooksPainHellDogPrideHorrorDespairRevengeTongueRageMythologyCurseLook UpWickedAnguishMalice Author:John Wesley
“That even in its sharpest pangs of pain a dog can still caress its master we have learnt from the studies of vivisectors.” StillsPainStudyDogMastersCaress Author:Richard Wagner