Waking up this snowy Christmas (the first white Christmas in Kirkland since... well I can't actually remember the last one) I check my email to find a Christmas card from some old friends who just got a new dog, a German Shepherd they named SHIVA!!
I've decided dog breeds are like archetypes, with shepherds, retrievers and terriers representing parts of our psyche. I've posted often about Oliver, our little Australian terrier who has dug up many a synch, perhaps the most interesting being his love of wormwood. We just returned from our morning dog walk, which was unusually exciting because the dogs were attacked by two giant off-leash German Shepherds! The dog's owners were nearby and much yelling and cussing ensued in the panic, which happily didn't result in any real harm to the terriers. I'm sure if the shepherds had REALLY wanted to hurt the terriers, they would both be dead.
Shepherds are DEFENDERS, and watch dogs - GUARDS. They look wolfish, even devilish, and let me tell you, the sight of a German Shepherd barreling at top speed down a snow filled street directly AT you is not pleasant. Jesus calls himself the Good SHEPHERD, and Helios is the DEFENDER of Rhodes. Interestingly, Michael, one of Shiva's new parents, is from RHODE ISLAND.
4 comments:
My Parent's German Shepard, Lexie has gotten old and her hips bother her. When I lived with her, she would attack me if I started wrestling with my Mom or Dad, it was so funny.
Michael-I love how you and other people I link to can come up with fascinating new looks at both ideas and things that happen in their personal lives. I agree with everything you said here-am very glad your dogs are OK-you are very correct in your assumptions-mentioning the friend's naming the dog Shiva is so interesting to me because of work I am getting into-I hope otherwise you and Varen have had a wonderful day! I have spent most of mine curled up in bed sick-but am not bitching-things could be a lot worse! best to both of you and hugs too!
German Shepherds are half crazy. If you watch them, you see that they always arrange themselves to keep the entire "flock" in sight, while also cutting off various avenues of attack and escape. It's also interesting because German Shepherds are domesticated wolves, and they guard the flock against... wolves. Sorta like the best defense against a monster is another monster.
Dev - your comment sparked something, which is this idea of "going to school". My feeling is that Universe/God is accessed through the dreaming mind, and as Jung postulates, the symbolic is the language of dreams, and Universe/God. When I see movies, books or personal events in a symbolic way, it's kinda like learning the language of God?
I feel like I've been going to school, hanging out at syncromystic blogs and reading the bible and Greek Myths and gay porn, (which is better even than the bible), and it's like I'm trying to learn a language. Because I want to know what God is saying.
Cheers, and Merry Christmas, Michael
Dev - Jees, and I got so carried away I didn't say how sorry I am about your being sick on Christmas. I really hope you feel better soon. hugs, Michael
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