Quote: 'There was the moment... and it's a moment that has never passed!! (You see time is after all an 'illusion') when I realised that everything in Life is ultimately 'Inner'. This showed me that Nanette was simply a part of myself....an abandoned part, a frightened part...and vulnerable. This aspect was created in childhood and had never been healed. In working with this beautiful soul of a dog, I was healing not only Nanette but also this little child.' Unquote
In this moment of realisation, it was as if Nanette held up a mirror in which I saw this aspect of myself.... and no doubt I was holding a mirror up for her .... this is where a potentially great danger enters the situation!! If I fail to realise or refuse to accept that I am looking in a mirror, what will happen is that I will continue the projection and unconsciously identify the traumatised child with the dog. The resulting 'morbid' relationship will create further trauma for Nanette in particular....as well as myself. Nothing very complicated is required in a situation like that....simply a conscious acknowledgement of the 'Insight '. In this 'Knowing', that Nanette is a dog and not my hurt self, a healthy compassion can operate as opposed to a destructive sentimental self indulgence.
At this stage, we had developed the habit of daily trips in the car and walks in quiet parts on the outskirts of the town....it was often the case that Nanette would refuse to exit the car!! I would then drive off and park again....sometimes I was obliged to do this three times!!! If she still refused, I went home. There was an incident in particular that triggered this strange behaviour.
One morning, we were walking quietly past a little piece of woodland......Suddenly, I saw a man in a bright red shirt with 'something' on a long lead...it was Nanette's reaction that caused me to look twice! Blow me!!! He had a Ferret on the end of the lead......She was terrified and we made for the car at speed (which happened to be a few yards away) I had no choice, we just 'flew' there!! She scrambled in and sat looking at him...sides heaving and eyes bulging with fear!!! There was no doubt that this was a 'replay' of some past fearful event!! Don't let us forget that she is a Hunting Dog!!
Now, this was August and I had decided it was past time to take her through the electronic gates. We had been through regularly in the car...but never on foot. SO...after several mornings of approaching the gates and turning back plus sometimes sitting and watching cars enter and exit, I strode purposefully towards them with the electronic device in my hand. There was some hesitation as they opened and then suddenly, we were through...Whew!!!!
I turned in the direction of the town centre. Talking to her all the time in what I hoped was a reassuring tone, we made good progress. Our road narrows considerably as we approach the arch that leads to the traffic free medieval centre, plus the road carries heavier traffic than is reasonable...buses, lorries and the like. Needless to say perhaps, Nanette was terrified by these vehicles and always cowered as far back from the road as possible....but something positive had happened in our relationship in that she seemed to have developed enough confidence in me to over ride her fear. With stops and starts, we progressed to the pedestrian crossing and made it across and under the arch.
Nanette did very well to manage this excursion. I just wanted to get her into the centre at this stage, then make a quick tour and return home. She was very nervous but it was smoother than I expected....Very Brave Dog!! The next day we set out again to repeat the exercise and unfortunately there was a most regrettable incident which made me very angry!!! I'll tell you about that next time.....xx