I was recently offered an amazing reflection from my dog, Dood, which seemed to me to reflect the impact that loving care has on learning. Being a teacher, I have observed that children learn much more easily when they have a good connection with their teacher. This experience with my dog clearly and simply validated my observation that the relationship between teacher and student is fundamental and foundational for supporting student learning in all subject areas, especially in the area of basic self-care.
Dood spends his days outside in our extensive yard and on the verandah. He is allowed inside at night to sleep on his personal armchair. Dood usually sleeps on top of his pink blanket on his chair and I then place it on the verandah for airing during the day.
A few weeks ago winter hit unexpectedly, bringing with it cold winds that had a definite bite in them. This caused overnight temperatures to drop to the level of bitterly cold. So each night during this cold snap, I would tuck Dood in very lovingly to make sure that he remained warm overnight. I made sure his blanket cradled his whole body and pulled it up over his head to keep him snug, cosy and warm. Sometimes, I would sing as I did this and our nightly ritual always ended by my planting a tender kiss on the top of his head. Dood often sighed contentedly as I did this. This ritual ended when the cold snap passed.
A week or so later, we experienced the same winds during the day. Dood’s pink night blanket was as usual on the verandah fence airing, and his day bed, a cushion-y mat, was on the verandah floor. I had been in a room at the back of the house, however as I came back into the kitchen, my jaw dropped, as I noticed what Dood had done to keep himself warm from the bitter winds.
He had placed his day bed next to the dining chairs to shelter it. He had then removed the pink blanket from the fence where I had placed it for airing and had positioned it in a perfectly symmetrical way on his bed: somehow he had folded it in half straight down the middle so that it covered the bed squarely. He had then taken the top half of the blanket and used it very precisely to cover the whole of his body as he lay on the mat. Even his head was covered in the identical manner in which I had covered it the preceding week. And he was fast asleep, content and snug, just as he had been when I tucked him in myself during our nightly ritual.
I marvelled at the precision of the placement of the blanket and how he had managed to fold it meticulously in a straight line down the middle. Had he really accomplished all of this just by using his teeth?
As I reflected, I realised that ‘how he did it’ was possibly not as remarkable as the fact that he had done it, and that he was confirming the role of loving care in learning. Dood’s a dog and he has accomplished this skill with such ease because of the tenderness I was bringing to this task, and to him, every night for a week. He appreciated that and so could then master this skill, one of loving self-care, all by himself, under this shared impulse of warmth, tenderness and care.
Now, if a mere dog can master such an unlikely skill simply because of the care he felt, how important is loving care in supporting the learning of our children in schools?
I would say it is foundational and I question what we are all missing out on by not having care, love and tenderness as integral to our education system. What effect would this level of connection and inspiration have on the student–teacher relationship and so, ultimately, on learning and on the quality of ambient energy in schools?
Thank you, Dood, for providing this lesson in loving care.
Dedicated to all those who make life about Love and Truth and who reflect what true education is and what is possible through loving care.
By Coleen
Further Reading:
What’s All The Fuss About Self-Care?
Self-Love and Inspiring Love in Another
From resisting Self-Care to Confirming Myself
The Truth about Serge Benhayon 
I love this sharing Coleen, how much we all learn from reflection, and simply inspiring another being.
Dood and all dogs can be a wonderful reflection and teachers of the value of true care.
I was talking to someone today about the loving and patient way they supported and led a group of adults, and how everyone responded to the love and care, remarking on the sense of equality from the person leading. When we feel settled in this way surely we can all learn and collaborate much more easily.
People feel everything, and respond accordingly, whether they are consciously aware of this or not.
Coleen loving care begins from an early age as we all deserve this from that tender young age. That care is not only for us but a reflection for others that anything is possible, animals included. They can feel energy just as much as we can, and have equal rights to any humans walking this planet.
Loving care is in everything and I mean everything, from our home, car, our bodies our clothes and the list goes on. Even to the intricate detail of returning the shopping trolley instead of dumping it in the car space, loving care of returning food items back in their isles.
So we have a responsibility too caring for everything, and just like a boomerang it comes right back at us.
Thank you Shushila, every moment counts, I love what you’ve shared here and it’s like we can produce continual imprints of loving care throughout each day for everyone to feel, in every little detail.
I loved reading this, an absolute Joy. Dood by name and certainly Dood by nature! Very touching and indeed a lesson for us all in the ripple affect true care and love has on all others 🐾 ✨
A lovely example of how much we, and dogs, learn by example, ‘I realised that ‘how he did it’ was possibly not as remarkable as the fact that he had done it, and that he was confirming the role of loving care in learning.’
Thank you Colleen, as so much can be observed when nature and life in general can be taken away from the usual pictures that keep us locked in un-evolutionary patterns, and living in the essence of who we are offers evolution.
Serge Benhayon certainly does lead the way when it comes to self care, self love, Love, Truth and dedication to humanity. These are only a few of the qualities mentioned amongst many many others. A truly and deeply inspiring man who lives who we truly are.
We all know self care and what needs to be done but the key thing is actually committing to do it. This is the magic that then is allowed to be lived by the body.
Henrietta, self-care is a foundation that should never drop and if anything, we need to be building upon it to the point that it becomes refined even further. When we live with such responsibility, it is lived and felt in the body. What a marker for others…
Coleen, this is hilarious – I absolutely loved reading this blog on your dog Dood and how he looks after himself …very endearing and also very inspiring.
An amazing sharing that confirms the ripple effects of true care. Be self aware and never underestimate the quality of our movements to either nurture or harm another.
If we go into hospital for an appointment then we can feel the level of care the staff member has for themselves by how they are behaving, and moving, and so it is with ourselves, what we live is what other people feel.
‘Now, if a mere dog can master such an unlikely skill simply because of the care he felt, how important is loving care in supporting the learning of our children in schools?’ I love this blog Colleen, not just because of the awesomeness of your dog but because it exposes the fact that so many parents do not even treat their children with the same love and attention you treated your dog. If we want our children to self nurture then as adults we have to model it for them..It is quite shocking how little we know of self nurture as a whole.
I feel that’s part of the problem Michelle819 that adults do not know how to self-care themselves so it is impossible for them to pass this on to their children. Is it possible that this is how we keep ourselves from evolving by being so unloving towards ourselves and others? This way of living literally stunts our growth.
I have slowly learned that every move I make in taking care of myself can be done functionally or in tender respect of my delicacy. When I am tender and gentle each time I add another layer of self worth in the foundation of my sense of vitality, health, self love and joy. I am only getting there because humbly someone else reflected this back to me.
Just imagine how much children would naturally learn if they were always treated with love, care and tenderness, ‘He appreciated that and so could then master this skill, one of loving self-care, all by himself, under this shared impulse of warmth, tenderness and care.’
We are offered so much when we are open to the many reflections we have around us… we are constantly being blessed in this way.
And thank God for the reflections we see all around for without them we would not have the same accelerations of inspiration to change our lives.
Wow cool story Coleen and just goes to show that it is not just what we do but how we do it that can inspire a lot in others.
Spot on Andrew, it is in the quality that we do things in that carries the true inspiration to support another to make more loving choices in their lives.
When we are treated with tenderness and care, we melt and so we are more open, and it makes complete sense that this is the foundation for all else, learning, working etc. It’s much harder to do something when we are closed off and hardened in ourselves, we miss the ease and magic that can be there and instead we have struggle, not the best way to learn anything.
We all grow and learn from loving care without effort, it confirms any being in who they are. And beautiful to re read this story about you Dood and the connection you have together.
And of course when love is in one’s expression, in one’s voice, it is totally reflected in the tone… As is the absence of that connection within. As a consequence our children are at the mercy of a constant assault that renders their bodies into defense and hardness and numbness.
Yes we can all sense the quality of the voice or spoken word in this way and it has a big impact on all of us on a daily basis and yet we give it very little attention usually.
As a child I used to live in dread of teachers who were imposing or quite angry. When I was with a teacher who supported me to feel safe I let go a lot more and my body would be less tight.
As children we read and feel our teachers, and respond accordingly. Children are aware of much more than many adults give them credit for.
This shows me how important we are as role models, either as parents or teachers to our kids. If we show tender care for ourselves and for them, this has to rub off as a role model. Our behaviour now will produce the society we have when our kids grow up, so it’s vital we break the patterns for ourselves that we don’t want our kids to grow up repeating.
What a beautiful reflection from Dood, how lovingly he prepared to look after himself and also how beautifully he copied the preparation you had made for him earlier, true care lovingly presented.
Self-love and self-care are the most enduring lessons we can teach our children.
We teach/learn by reflection. Even when we are not meaning to be teaching, our movement constantly communicates something for others to receive as an inspiration – good and bad. Just as children would copy everything what and how adults do things. It never works to try teaching anything without us living that first.
Absolutely, we have to live what we would like another to learn, our movements are always conveying something to another.
Self-care is a contract with space.
I was teaching India recently, and a kindergarten teacher said that what she had felt in the sessions was that missing ingredient she knew was always missing and that was love
Our whole world, and what plays out with adults, reflects very clearly the lack of love in both education and life in general. The presence of love, in its true sense, would change everything.
Shows that love is a more powerful teaching tool than instruction or direction alone will ever be.
What an amazing support for Dood – to be treated with such care and love that he then picks this up for himself. This is a truly evolving dog and owner relationship.
When love is the foundation, you can build and rebuild upon truth.
The Education System would change dramatically if love and self-care were introduced into the curriculum. Supporting children to hold onto their essence instead of crushing them is what children crave for the most.
It would also be great if love tenderness and care also formed the foundation of the healthcare system, the retail industry, in fact any industry or workplace for that matter.
As you say, care is absolutely vital… And the self-care is the foundation upon which this beautiful expression is built.
A beautiful example of how the loving care we share with one is felt by all.
Amazing what the dog picked up on and managed to emulate in terms of self care for himself; just goes to show that love is infectious.
I smile non-stop when I read this blog, not just because of the pictures I can see of Dood and his rituals but because this level of care is available to all of us. We simply have to stop and honour what is going on for us and then make our next choice a self-loving one, even if it is tucking ourselves up in a blanket when it gets cold. Thanks, Dood for the wonderful life lesson. What a wonderful book it would make for kids.
‘How important is loving care in supporting the learning of our children in schools?’ This is important everywhere and more so at home as, the first teachers kids meet are their carers. If kids see their carers giving them permission and supporting them (the kids) with love and care, then they will embody this care as Dood the Dog did.
We often take more loving care of our pets than fellow human beings! But that aside I love the fact of bringing love and care to learning and basically every situation and this gets easier to do when we love ourselves first because I notice when I don’t love myself tenderly, it is impossible to live outwardly in full.
Such a beautiful and simple story showing us how deeply we feel love and tenderness and how much it supports and inspires us.
We know that love, warmth and tenderness is the foundation for children and adults to thrive in family life, so it makes sense that if the education system was the same children would feel very supported to learn and grow.
Yes, a very simple fact. And because we are not living it it shows the importance to put our life in focus there: how can we live more lovingly and with more care for each other, instead of continuing on the road of academia and all the knowledge based subjects. It is the love and care for each other that lets us strive never the subject matter or mere knowledge.
We all appreciate true care and to see another take on that care for themselves is such a confirmation.
I teach adults and the same is true with them. The connection between teacher and ‘student’ is so fundamental to learning and to appreciating the natural wisdom innate in us all.
The relation teacher student is only unidirectional when we are considering t a subject (or set thereof) that someone has mastered and someone has not. But if we consider life as a whole, the role of teacher and that of student are not necessarily fixed ones.
Gosh what a joy it is to read this blog again. I simply love this story and it’s simple reminder of how the expression of true love and care can offer more to another than we often care to realise, much less appreciate
Yes, I agree, the relationship between student and teacher has an impact that is far reaching, ‘that the relationship between teacher and student is fundamental and foundational for supporting student learning in all subject areas, especially in the area of basic self-care.’
“if a mere dog can master such an unlikely skill simply because of the care he felt, how important is loving care in supporting the learning of our children in schools?” I love this Coleen. Caring for ourselves isn’t something usually taught either in the home or in schools. Instead our role models -as parents and teachers – are the ones who don’t show themselves loving care – so what hope do our young ones have? When one feels deep self-love one cannot but care tenderly for oneself. Role models such as the Benhayon family palpably demonstrate this.
What an amazing and beautiful story, the care and love Dood brought to himself having had it reflected from yourself, what a Dood.
Loving care is foundational where ever we are or work, it is the beholding of the love that we are and share with everyone.
Yes if that connection is not there, its very difficult to teach, and the students are less willing and open to learn.
Love is always the best teacher
Reflecting to children the wisdom that they are perfect just the way they are is one of the best support we can offer.
Loving care allows us to understand and learn. Thank you for this Coleen as I was self-reflecting this morning, if we are ever confused about a part of life, caring for ourselves rather than pushing to know and understand is far more sucessful when it comes to learning about quality of life.
The way you feel, the level of ease you feel is vital to learning. They say there is a good level of stress that makes you learn better. I would say this comes with the use and drain of nervous energy and the fear of getting it wrong. Whereas in an environment where you feel loved, valued and seen for who you are, without any pressure to achieve, there is a freedom to learn and explore and even go beyond what has been presented.
Dood the dog, how gorgeous and what a wonderful lesson he shared with you. A beautiful reflection if we are open to learning, as you were Coleen.
An amazing confirmation of the power of our reflection to inspire even a dog to be more loving – all our movements are being clocked by others and constantly offer an opportunity for another to evolve.
Amazing (and very sweet) this just shows how important it is to live with love and care for both ourselves and others and the reflection and impact this has on others and yes then how important is it that ‘loving care in supporting the learning of our children in schools?’ Also loving the shout out to Serge Benhayon who indeed ‘always makes life about Love and Truth and who constantly reflects what true education is and what is possible through loving care.’ and is a true inspiration to all … he has most certainly supported and helped me to love myself far more than I have ever done and this is continually unfolding.
We learn so much more by actions than words, and the quality of the actions definately effects the quality of the learning.
How easily we can learn when love is presented to us without and expectation or demand or any emotional attachment, the education system could definitely learn a thing or two from your beautiful example Coleen.
There is no end to what we can all can learn of our true way of being, whenever we surrender to the being guided by love. Imagine how amazing school would be if we were confirmed from day one to be who we already are in essence, to live in honor of our equalness and with the confidence to walk in the power of our connection to our love within, through whatever we do. Thank you Coleen, for sharing how through loving connections we truly learn and grow in a way that supports us to live the power of who we are.
I actually think that without teaching how to care and love yourself we are creating the greatest disservice to our children. Educating their minds without educating them on the basics of living with care is like treating them like robots.
Thanks Coleen… and building this relationship is so dependent on the tone of voice used by teachers in communication ( as we know) and I’m sure Dood would have something to say on this …☺
As I reflected, I realised that ‘how he did it’ was possibly not as remarkable as the fact that he had done it, How absolutely beautiful how Dood has been confirming the role of loving care in learning. Your tender care and of course the reflection of living this level of care for yourself everyday is why he did what he did and why children will simply learn what they need when there is a role model like you standing before them.True teaching Coleen.
I love this blog Coleen. The image of Dood melting with the love and care you provided him and then being able to provide the same self-care is amazing. Doesn’t this ultimately show the responsibly we have as role models to our kids? If we show them what true love and care is, they will be able to apply it for themselves.
The way your dog replicated the tenderness and care you treat him with is remarkable; and as you say, it doesn’t matter how he did it – teeth, tail, paws and all – what counts is the fact that he did it and with such unbelievable precision.
It’s funny how we see the relationships and the simple care we build with a dog as lesser or so different to the ones we have with other adults. It’s like we think because we have words, we must be experiencing and sharing something so advanced. My experience is the contary, that these deep and understanding bonds we build with Loving gestures have so much to teach us about how we might all interact. I feel our world would be so helped if we spoke less but let Love come through so much more in our every movement and action. Thank you Colleen for this touching (dog’s) tale that makes me want to jig for joy and stop wagging the finger and being annoyed.
Self care should be part of education. I don’t see it enough in the world and I don’t see how this is integrated into how we are living and the choices we are making in each moment. We have an opportunity here to change this – and each person who does is a living reflection to another. We can as a humanity inspire each other rather than criticise each other.
The word teacher implies the word student, but there is no reason why to confine that relationship within the school context or to the subjects we learn in school. And this is when this relationship starts to become interesting. Each of us is as much a teacher as a student and there is so much each of us can teach and learn from each other! We are very lucky. We get so many different reflections a day that has a potential to shift, trigger or confirm something in ourselves. We have to embrace the world… of reflections.
What a great story – we I feel love in any exchange so much can be mastered.
Such a simple example of how we can always learn from others – big, small, animal or nature. If we choose to see them, there are reflections everywhere.
In schools today where it is all about academics, with no love whatsoever it would be superb if this sort of thing became the most important lesson ever as the better we are able to treat ourselves, the better we will treat others. If Dood can do it anyone can!
Love is found in the fine details of our daily living and how we in turn care and nurture ourselves has a flow on effect to all we encounter and that is much to appreciate. Dood the dog is one super cute doggie Coleen, thank you for sharing your blog.
This really shows that if we are taught that it is okay to nurture ourselves and take care, paying attention to detail we, more often than not, will do so.
A great reflection of the power of unknowingly teaching self through being loving… and a great reminder to you of what you can teach the children in your class through how you are with them daily, whilst the rest of the education system takes its time to recognize the importance of self-care as a fundamental part of the curriculum and the children’s lives.
‘Now, if a mere dog can master such an unlikely skill simply because of the care he felt, how important is loving care in supporting the learning of our children in schools?’ It is crucial as there is no true learning without love and inspiration by someone who lives loving care for her or himself.
I love this lesson from your dog because it shows that if we are open to it we can learn from everything that is around us. What is required is an openness and a humbleness to learn.
Once we are shown what loving tenderness is, what nurturing is, it is imprinted upon our very being for us to call upon if we so choose it. We may choose to forget about it, but it is always there as a memory of a feeling.
That is the great value of The Way of The Livingness, we are offered a marker, a palpable feeling in our bodies that we can then refer to if we so choose and do not have to rely on knowledge or a picture or thought in our mind.
This is gorgeous to read Coleen, who said you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? This is a beautiful example of the power of our Livingness and the reflection we offer can inspire others (even animals) to also make more loving choices.
I have noticed how someone who helps me clean my house has had an influence on the way I fold towels and bed linen. She loves folding things and the care with which she does this is so easy to feel. I take much more care in folding these too now . I love going to the airing cupboard and finding the order and harmony that greets me there.
What a Dood… there is so much that we can learn from life, if we simply observe.
Well said Chris, we need to have truth to observe. From this truth we can instantly feel what is absolutely incorrect and what is correct by love.
That’s IT Danna … We have an inbuilt barometer… An inner GPS that lets us know exactly the direction we are going
Go Dood! Just goes to show the loving and ripple effect of true care we all have on others (including dogs) can initiate the same qualities in them.
What a great article Coleen, so beautiful to see Dood the dog, reflecting back to you the loving care you had given to him.
EVERYTHING we do, say, think and how we move has an effect and contributes to the world. The question is whether it is a harmful or healing contribution – there is no middle ground. We are all constantly reflecting to each other and to the Universe and to all including Dood the dog. The more we become aware of this the more we have the joy of connecting to and embracing the responsibility of this. We are all so much more deeply connected and interconnected than we generally acknowledge.
At times I have had the opposite lesson to what Dood offered, i.e. when I have been disregarding or off-hand in my manner, I have been surprised and aghast to see others follow suit. Either way the lesson is in responsibility and the awareness that our choices have profound knock on effect on the world around us.
It is inspiring, I say yes, yes, yes….”Now, if a mere dog can master such an unlikely skill simply because of the care he felt, how important is loving care in supporting the learning of our children in schools?” We are all role models and teacher’s, what do we reflect, lack of care, or true care…my children watch me all the time, and they can see and feel if the words do not match the action. To offer ourselves true self-care what an inspiration to feel it from another.
Very true Samantha , we are all consciously and unconsciously parenting all the time.
It can feel really great to notice reflections all around us, even when sometimes it pulls us up as we notice something that we have joined in that is going around in circles that we don’t like. But this reflection from Dood is gorgeous Coleen, showing how loving care for ourselves, and others, is felt by everyone whether they know it or not. Dood is so aware of your loving care, he appreciates it and is clever enough to copy it.
I agree Gill life is full of lessons that can stop us in our tracks and nudge us into a deeper understanding and awareness. This blog is a great reminder as I don’t think we pay nearly enough attention to these precious lessons.
What you share makes so much sense, when I think back to the classes at school where I did not learn I can see it was because there was a harshness to how it was taught, always the classes where I learnt the most the teachers were more loving in their approach.
That makes sense, how the teacher is with the pupils makes a huge difference.
How gorgeous is it to have people around us to constantly reflect to us whether we are caring for ourselves or not. I love the fact that this reflection can also come from our dogs.
Love is a greater teacher – our whole ‘being’ opens with the balm of love and readily takes in all that is on offer. When you were preparing and tucking Dood into bed with the same movements each evening during the cold snap, Dood was observantly absorbing your teaching. This is what a loving teacher and education system can bring to it’s young students. Learning with love is limitless.
So beautiful, that your tender loving care was taken in and then Dood was able to then do this same level of tender love and care for himself. We can all learn from this.
Inspired over and over by the impact of the way we live being more inspiring than any words we can say. Thank you, Coleen.
It’s lovely to appreciate the effect of true care expressed outwardly into the world.
What a delightful sharing of you dog Dood. He sounds like he was very inspired by what foundation you’d laid down with him. Absolutely gorgeous that he was able to recreate that for himself, very clever.
It is a point of such inspiration to remember that we learn so much more from what we observe than what we hear, so as teachers, parents, friends, family members we can support each other hugely simply by taking responsibility for our lives, our wellbeing and health and the way we live.
“the relationship between teacher and student is fundamental and foundational for supporting student learning in all subject areas, especially in the area of basic self-care.” it is beautiful to return to this delightful blog and its amazing simplicity of sharing the reflection and importance of self care for us all and Dood the dogs reflection of this is inspirational.
Self-care is a missing ingredient in the search for health and vitality.
Amazing, we all respond and open up much more and are more receptive when we feel safe and cared about- this needs to be taught in all humanities, well all subjects at University and in school from the very beginning. It needs to be our foundation for education.
I walked behind 2 dogs the other day and watched how they were observing everything about the people they were walking beside. They were reading the whole situation just as we do with people and then right on cue, one of the dogs noticed the person wasn’t going to stop them jumping on them, so jump it did. It was priceless watching this unspoken energetic language that was taking place.
It’s amazing what is possible through loving care. Until we exercise loving care we do not know its power. Best to start now! 😉
Great example of how love works, and what seems like a miracle is in fact what is becoming normal when love becomes a baseline from where one lives. Thank you Coleen and Serge Benhayon, I appreciate how love is in everything that I do to the best of my ability. I now feel how lost I was before the Universal Medicine presentations on at-least being gentle. Before the presentations love was too big a step from the disregard I was in.
When an experience is felt in the body, and one that included loving care and attention, it’s like it is marked in the body. Your body remembers it and remembers it as true. That marker is forever there and cannot be erased. From here, you can mark what is a loving act and can choose to continue to bring this into your life because you know how it felt.
Spending time with my beautiful 2 year old niece yesterday, I marvelled at how much she was picking up. She seems to be learning so much and I can definitely say she is able to do so because of the loving supportive space that her parents allow her.
Your sharing about Dood, shows us that one can never underestimate the impact and impression that love has on another.
If Dood can bring this level of tender loving care to himself, then surely we can bring it to ourselves? Perhaps there is scope for service to humanity – offering people the opportunity to experience being tucked in every night. This could change the entire understanding of home-care support. If started as younger people then perhaps we will retain much more vitality and over all well-being to support ourselves in our homes as we age, i.e. replacing nursing treatment care with nurturing care a few decades prior. An ounce of prevention is worth its weight in time and money.
A great reminder to never underestimate the true power that the consistency of our love lived brings to all we meet in the warmth of this glow.
Our education system is sorely lacking in so many ways and you certainly exposed that the concept of loving care is one of essential ingredients that is missing. The system is focused on end results and scholarly achievements but somewhere along the way the human factor has slipped off the radar and it seems that children are now being treated as a commodity and not the beautiful beings that are so willing and open to learn about life and its magnificence.
A reality check on how disconnected we have become and how keenly this is felt in our education system. Children as commodities rather than people to relate to, to learn alongside and to develop life’s greatest skills with: connecting to others and building relationships. Thank you, Ingrid.
I recall when I met Serge Benhayon, I was not that loving or honouring of myself, in fact the only time I paid attention was if I thought something needed fixing. After a long time of witnessing his consistency of love, care and honouring with which he related to me (as well as everyone else) I slowly started to open up and have a go at offering myself that. It was definitely the consistency that diffused the barriers and allowed me to see the love as normal once again. This is so very similar to the Dood story.
How intelligent is a dog to pick up what you offer Coleen. I would call this true intelligence, however it is in contrast to the intelligence we foster here on earth which is not asking for selfcare.
What is so beautiful to note about this glorious sharing Coleen is that we are all equally teachers and students of life and the foundation for which we set ourselves including our rhythms and rituals of self care greatly affect everyone around us too, in remarkable ways. No one is left outside of this beautiful ripple affect not even Dood the dog. Great sharing thank you Coleen.
Wow I just loved re readimg this sharing Coleen it is such an awesome reminder that what is required is a deep level of love and care for ourselves and others as our foundation and from there any thing is possible!
Connection is so important… As parents, teachers, employers, in any role where we deal with other people… If we choose to connect first then beautiful things can happen.
When we have a deep connection with another, whether an animal or a person, it can feel very special. Our learning is to understand that this can be with everyone we meet and interact with. If they don’t return the same connection back, we don’t need to change. They will still receive from us when we hold steady, this is our learning and our development through life. When we get a confirmation like this Colleen, it proves to us that there are no boundaries.
What a beautiful story of love and care, which every being deserves and responds to without fail.
This beautifully demonstrates that when we show love and care for another this can so easily inspire them to bring that much care to themselves in a way they may never have thought possible.
Love is Universal, it applies to children, dogs, family our partner, or every single person we meet or don’t meet.
There are plenty of examples in nature of self care. I once watched a documentary where a tiger took 3 days to rest after it got a thorn in its paw, even though it had cubs to look after. For animals, self care is always there, because the ramifications of self abuse often mean life or death. Conversely, modern medicine has in many ways created a false sense of complacency in us as human beings, and an arrogance that we can get away with self abuse because we have the answers to help bring us back when we stray too far away from ourselves.
Dood gave you such a gorgeous reflection and confirmation of care and tenderness and now he is giving it to us through your blog….thank you Colleen.
What you have shared Shirley-Ann is so touching and so true. We assume that there are people and animals that are naturally tough and do not need as much care. But how wrong can we be, because Dood has shown us that when given the chance a dog can choose love, care and tenderness for itself.
I love how even in nature there is a natural form of education and development. It is not just about doing your job in order to live, if there are ways of refining your art to bring out more such as a spider building its web with greater precision or in this case Dood learning to care for himself more and stay warm, they with embrace it.
Imagine other people/strangers seeing a dog wrap itself up in a blanket – surely an opportunity to appreciate the self care of a dog.
This reminds me of something – I have a young baby and the other morning I kissed her forehead – but I was rushing so I kissed her quiet abruptly on the forehead. And then it made me stop and consider – what I show her is what she learns the world to be – so if she receives an abrupt kiss – how does she have a marker of true gentleness and love from me? So I kissed her softly and tenderly and it felt very different in my body and this showed me how we are such strong reflections for everyone around us – and for a baby to know true love and tenderness – this needs to come from the quality and not the action.
Reading your blog upon waking this morning, Coleen, I smile as to it’s significance. After a whirlwind move of house, for the first time in a few weeks I lovingly took my time getting myself ready for bed last night feeling complete with my day. The pure joy I feel in my body since waking after once again being in my evening rhythm is mirrored by Dood the dog – the loving way in which he prepared his bed, snuggled himself in and could then fall fast asleep despite the inclement weather is a reflection to behold. Gorgeous.
Oh i so love your blog Colleen – made me laugh out loud! I can just see the look on your face when you saw Doods remarkable self loving choices! How very gorgeous and inspiring of the power of LOVE Just Yummy 🙂
The other lovely thing about showing tender loving care to others is we then have a marker in our bodies and can choose to do it for ourselves….. as ‘Dood’ did.
I love this story, it is very warming. How can any one or any animal not respond to loving care? It is something we all have a right to.
We don’t often think that our choices and actions are having a big influence but this goes to show how the smallest of gestures can have the biggest impact.
Spot on Vicky, every choice we make impacts on the bigger picture either in a positive or negative way, we are much more powerful than we realise.
Such a pertinent reminder that everything is energy – life has its own pulse and connection with the ALL if we care to listen to it and learn from it what is there for us to learn!
We are so far off where foundational care needs to be. I am so aware that when I went to school and ballet classes I was only ever considered as good as my grades or abilities. The quality I did anything in was rarely noted, and even if it did get noted, it was only to reinforce a quality that didn’t actulaly support me.
We can absolutely learn from every interaction we have. It is so important to be open to what is right there in front of us at any given moment and let that teach us.
Yes indeed Colleen imagine the care levels when a teacher ensures that they connect with all their students and allows them to be themselves.
How true it is that connection is everything. True connection allows great learning and Love to be shared.
I keep coming back to your gorgeous blog Coleen and each time I read it I smile. It was such a gentle, true reminder of the power of loving consistency for ourselves in all we day and also in the way we share with others.
This is the perfect confirmation that we learn so much more inspired by example rather than any number of persuasive words.
Agreed Matilda, love definitely is an inspiration that I have learnt from and loving words that carry no agenda are also a conformation of the love that I can be.
Gorgeous, when we see true love, we are inspired to live it to. It is in true living care that we truly learn and see the truth of our connection with everything. As we can know that what we are tuned into.
What a beautiful sharing Colleen on what it is to be true teacher. For although we might like to think that this is about books and classes, what you show is we are teaching everyone everything in the movements and things we choose each and every day. Really the lesson is very simple, and the same one in each day – Love, Love, Love and Love. Thank you and Dood for sharing your wisdom.
We communicate with everything, this is why it is so important to honour and respect all aspects of life including nature and the animal kingdom.
I love the reflections we can get from things and in this case a dog. A friend was chatting to me last night about their dog and as we started chatting they bought what was happening for their dog into how they are with themselves in their relationship. It was so so interesting to see the reflections and how they all linked up. I didn’t do much talking but more listened as they unpacked their understanding about what was going on for the dog and what it meant personally for them. It showed me how much we know if the space is created and we are allowed to tell our story. Sure it didn’t all come out at once and there was some pauses but this is how to unwrap life. Don’t look for an end or perfection just unpack what you see that then allows you to unpack the next part. Awareness is a great great thing and so a dog is never just a thing you have to walk or play with, it’s a reflection of your life, personally so. If you have never looked at it like this then it’s possible you have never given yourself the space to look at it, now you can.
It is easy to assume that our choices and actions do not make much difference in the world. Moments like this show us irrefutably that how we live our life and the loving care with which we relate to everyone and everything around us has a huge impact far greater than we can imagine.
Sometimes we are not aware how much we inspire those around us by living in a selfloving way.
My inspiration for this life is Serge Benhayon and his family living love in every moment.
It feels like we can all develop a deeper level of loving care wherever we are at at the moment. It is easy to look back and feel how much more loving we are being when we start to do this, but it is quite canny to look forwards and feel how much more loving we can become, once we are understanding this journey of self love.
This certainly is a lesson in loving care. A good point about the benefit this would have in schools. What a great foundation this would bring to learning and education.
With the reflection of this blog I have a new appreciation for the role of teachers and for us all as teachers in this world. Our curriculum – care and love.
Learning with love is the only way truly and Dood the dog is a beautiful reflection of this for us all. A great sharing and a lovely story to hold in our hearts thank you.
When a teacher supports us to know and believe in ourselves we know this is a very profound experience as the world opens up. There is a transformation from feeling ‘small’ to an expansion of insight to what is truly possible beyond the limitation that was perceived. And this is from one teacher- perhaps for just one year of school. There are possibilities for amazing expansion if this was to be the experience of many all through school and beyond, appreciating teachers come in many ways through our lives.
I have found the unwavering love and honouring I have experienced from Serge Benhayon, and the consistently with which he has related to me only in terms of my highest qualities has catalysed the most profound change in my life. We can empower one another beyond measure by how we choose to relate to each other.
I find this a very poignant read and one which clearly shows the power of love and tenderness in action and how far reaching that can be. We should never underestimate what our actions can produce, nor should we underestimate animals.
We are all (dogs included) capable of powerful reflections of livingness.
Looking back to my best teachers at school I can remember the main reason I learnt was because they were kind they allowed space for learning. Love will always be our greatest teacher.
Re-reading this there is an interesting reflection offered also in the simplicity of life for Dood the dog. He, having felt the quality of care and love in the action of placing a blanket over him didn’t get caught up in the remnants of his day, meaning he was distracted and not present when he did this for himself but instead was connected to what he had felt and providing this again for himself the next day.
I notice with my dogs how joyful they are in life due to the tender and attentive care they receive from me daily. I feel a big part of that is my ability to understand their needs which builds trust, and my care is in itself a form of communication. Our tender care for others and for ourselves is truly the most vital part of our foundation in life. I know that I too now live a much more joyful life due to my increased self care and attentiveness to my needs. Big thanks to Serge Benhayon who is truly a world leader in self care and it’s vital role in our lives.
I am also struck how our dogs are a great reflection for their owners. If we learn to care for ourselves in that loving way it can not but be shared with others.
Having looked after our friend’s dog over the later part of the weekend I can appreciate even more the effect that our offering of care can have over such loving animals.
Never are we without the power of reflection – be that from nature or each other, an object or action.
It pays to heed close attention for we are being endlessly supported in ways we may never have considered to bring more of us and to bring Love to every situation before us.
Such a lovely example of the power of consistency of loving care. Inspirational for us all Coleen, thank you to you and Dood.
I agree dear Jane, it’s a very beautiful account of what happens when we offer consistent loving care.
How different would education be, if we made it about love from start to finish.
“This experience with my dog clearly and simply validated my observation that the relationship between teacher and student is fundamental and foundational for supporting student learning in all subject areas, especially in the area of basic self-care.” The teacher student relationship is an important one. Teachers are role models in which many look up to, therefore they hold a huge responsibility as to what they are reflecting in each moment.
People get inspired by the reflection from those around them. It would appear that dogs do the same!
I love what you have shared and reflected here Coleen;
“Now, if a mere dog can master such an unlikely skill simply because of the care he felt, how important is loving care in supporting the learning of our children in schools?” Fundamental and foundational Coleen as you have so wisely and lovingly pointed out.
Every-thing is something and no-thing is nothing.
Coleen from what you share here and presentations I have seen you give you are a true blessing for children and young people to have a as a teacher. Teachers have a tough job and in my books are amazing with regards to how the majority of them put the children first regardless of all the stats they are given to meet. ‘Being a teacher, I have observed that children learn much more easily when they have a good connection with their teacher.’
I am in awe of Dood! He sounds absolutely gorgeous. I love what you are presenting here Coleen. “Everything is everything and nothing is nothing” as a super-wise man has often shared.
We as adults would have the humbleness and willingness to be inspired in the way that Dood chose, how different would the world than be? There would be no space for competition, jealousy, comparison which means no bullying, no war, no fights etc. Just equality and a natural inner knowing that we all can learn from each other, we’re all innately deeply loving beings and that each and every one of us has their unique expression. It’s beautiful to appreciate and giving permission to oneselves to be inspired and learn from somebody or something else. Thank you Dood!
This is a beautiful sharing, and yes most of us respond to tender loving care, it seems that is something we have lost connection to in the way we treat ourselves, and we compartmentalise this as something we do at home, or with our family. But every child needs tender loving care ALL THE TIME, not just at home, but at school and everywhere as it is the medicine of wellbeing, the gold that supports our children to live their potential.
I love this story. Sometimes others need a helping hand (or reflection) of how to care for themselves – to be reminded that we are precious and worthy of our own love and care.
What a dude Dood is! My dog Roxy has developed a self loving way over the years and is reluctant to leave the house when it is cold and if it is raining well you almost have to drag her out. Maybe she has also learnt this from us.
The body naturally knows what it needs, key is for us to listen to the signal from our bodies – which in this case is exactly what Dood did, his body reminded him that he needed true nurturing and that he, once he had learnt how, could do that for himself.
I connect to what you have shared Mary, for I remember the teachers who related to me and in those classes my grades improved considerably without any extra effort on my part.
Wow! Coleen, you have inspired me to look into the possibility of getting a ‘Dood Dog’. Would it be possible if I could get the next generation, that it may have evolved and may even fold my sheets and blankets?
The fact that loving and caring actions are so readily emulated by those receiving them from others shows how natural they are; that they are already known.
“Now, if a mere dog can master such an unlikely skill simply because of the care he felt, how important is loving care in supporting the learning of our children in schools?” – Shows that the love and care we hold for ourselves and another has an effect! If I tell a child/teenager that they are worth to be cared for – this is great, but not enough. We have to treat them in their preciousness – even they don’t do so with themselves and/or others. Specially when they don’t do so! Someone has to start and bring/offer a change. Great inspiration Coleen & Dood. Thank you.
Wow Love it Coleen, what a fantastic example of true learning and an inspiration for all of us to put that love and care into all we do. I know in the past when I have tried to learn something it has sometimes been impossible if I can feel how impatient and frustrated the teacher is, it is like what ever is being taught I am not able to comprehend if it is not thought with love. Love and care as you have so beautifully shown is a vital ingredient in learning which sadly in education these days is often missing.
It truly is amazing what Dood was able to learn because of the love and care applied. This is a great stop moment to reconsider how we are with our kids when we teach them.
This is a beautiful tale which shows how a simple act of tender loving care is deeply appreciated by not only fellow humans but by the animal kingdom as well.
Coleen on reading “I question what we are all missing out on by not having care, love and tenderness as integral to our education system”, I questioned what we are all missing out on, by not having care, love and tenderness as part of our everyday lives. We hurl ourselves through life, a life that lacks tenderness and self love and because most people are living in the same way as us, then we don’t get to see that there is another way. That other way is not a philosophical notion, it is a very practical and tangible living way, known as The Way Of The Livingness and it is presented by Serge Benhayon. It has literally transformed my life.
I wonder of the reflection that teachers can bring to their students when they build that level of loving care for themselves.
Dood seem to me to be a very wise being, not merely because he was able to take care of himself but because he recognized and appreciated care and love and responded to it for himself. We as humans would do well do follow Dood’s example and accept and appreciate love when it is offered, and show that love to ourselves when it is missing.
Yes you can’t consider true education without bringing love and energetic awareness into the equation.
I agree Paula, it’s amazing what we can learn by observing nature and animals… even more… what we can learn about ourselves by observing each other!
What a profound experience and confirmation the love, care and nurturing is the foundational in education.
Nature, and animals particularly, are a consistently amazing reflection for us all to learn from.
A great question to present Coleen…”…how important is loving care in supporting the learning of our children in schools?” Absolutely foundational… we all respond enormously to tender loving care – it is what we all crave as a basic human need, and its impact and power is beyond measure.
We all have the answers to our woes inside ourselves. There’s nothing we don’t know! The only ‘thing’ that we need is permission, love and care. And as many find it difficult to be gentle, caring and loving towards themselves, all that is needed is somebody who gives permission to learn, to make mistakes and to be an example of care and love. This is all that’s needed. I’ve recently found that both sympathy and the drive to help are actually imposing and silently telling that the way it is, is not okay. Which doesn’t mean we can’t help or support, not at all. But just with the intention of that, not to make life ‘better’ so to speak.
Sympathy is a tricky one isn’t it? Growing up I always believed that this was a good thing, but on being more aware I have felt how imposing it feels and also a little bit sickly if I am honest. When I am teaching a class of kids being sympathetic and being in drive (to push on their learning) it does not support them at all. Yet, when I remain open, caring and loving with them it makes them feel secure giving them a foundation to learn from.
I am moved to tears as I read of a dog being tenderly tucked in and treated with such respect, a dog who accepts this loving care with a contented sigh, a dog who, because he has experienced it and knows how good it feels, matter of factly offers himself this “same” loving care when it does not come from another, and he does not even realize it “should” or could be a difficult task for a dog… Effortless with Love.
I know that in the absence of feeling held or respected (loving care) I have always felt my brain shut down (when I felt judged or hurried) and this has caused me So much trouble and difficulty in learning…
…So Yes, it feels quite obvious that we could, can and do learn amazing things when examples and teaching come with loving care. More of this in our world please.
Jo thank you for your heartfelt and beautiful comment. Your words about the effects of an absence of loving care on your brain and capacity to learn speak volumes about our current education system, and in particular about the extreme pressures of exams.
I couldn’t agree more Jo, it makes sense that if the teacher is caring and truly supportive children wouldn’t feel pressured into having to understand and could learn at their own pace. It seems to me that the teacher has a lot of power to set the tone for the whole class and that the pupils will feel that, and then act differently depending on the teacher.
I would not previously have believed that a dog could do that level of care for itself, had you described it to me a few years ago, I would have thought you were exaggerating. But the connection you have with Dood has allowed him to feel more of himself and understand in more depth how to care for himself. He may be a dog but he’s a reconnected dog now.
What a beautiful lesson in self care.
‘Being a teacher, I have observed that children learn much more easily when they have a good connection with their teacher.’ Ditto – it’s all in the relationships!
Wow! What a blessing it is to read this comment, I feel exactly the same. ‘Understanding connection’ is already showing us that this is how we should be educated. I absolutely concur as when I had teachers who connected with me, my grades became above average from being at the bottom of the class. Forget about being a ‘Dood’ I was a real dodo!
Thank you for sharing this delightful story. I love these moments that confirm irrefutably that every loving choice, every caring act has an impact in the scheme of life. We may or may not see the result, but it is always deeply felt, the seed is sown and will bear its fruit in its own way and its own time.
This is a sweet and lovely way to express, the way back love, through your observations of this hound, classic.
‘What effect would this level of connection and inspiration have on the student–teacher relationship and so, ultimately, on learning and on the quality of ambient energy in schools?’ – Clearly there is something quite fundamental that is totally absent in the school system – knowing the significant and long term effects of self care, we have to ask WHY is this not top priority in our education?
Everything we learn right from birth comes from reflection. From our parents, siblings, teachers, and it appears, even our pets! So it makes sense to reflect to our tiny fellow human beings, right from the beginning of their lives, so they grow up reflecting to their own children, and so the cycle of abuse is broken.
This is just gorgeous Coleen – what a beautiful confirmation of the power of reflection.
I love how animals can give us lessons like this. What a great reflection they are.
And when you say student – you mean any single one of us who is allowing ourselves to be taught/inspired by another…and when you say teacher – you mean any single one of us who is reflecting their wisdom to
another.
First and foremost, my heartiest congratulations to whoever named your dog DOOD – that is the greatest name ever for a dog!
“I would say it is foundational and I question what we are all missing out on by not having care, love and tenderness as integral to our education system.” I absolutely agree Coleen, what feels so key is that it is this loving care that truly confirms a child bringing a sense of inner settlement, the true confidence that allows for growth and learning.
Being open to, appreciating and then talking about the inspiring reflections that nature offers us is one way to rebuild our connection to and relationship with God… Dood is a beautiful example of this inspiration.
The word learning comes a little loaded unless it is with the deeper understanding that learning is actually re-learning. Remembering, through the reflection of others, that we can deepen our re-learning in order to bring about change in ourselves and consequently others. This occurs through inspiration, and as has been so beautifully illustrated in this blog it is important to bring a loving quality to each and every step.
Wow never under estimate the power of reflection.
One of the most beautiful experiences in life for me have been when I lived in a new, more loving way and then others around me also made more loving choices.
I agree, it is lovely to observe how some people start to make different choices in response to what is being reflected to them.
This beautiful sharing shows us that we learn through loving tenderness and gentle caring, even dogs! How lovely that he was able to show you he appreciated your loving care so much that he decided to care for himself in the same self nurturing way you taught him. What an inspiration for we humans to follow.
Never give up on our own love as it does inspire others. They might not accept it at first, but love is felt. No matter how much we resist. That’s why God knows that we will one day all be back in conscious connection with the all we belong to. The example here shared is a miracle, an absolute Divine reflection of the fact that we all know Love. Dood is just as connected to the realm of love as we are. Everything is energy and so when the energy is let it, the rest is done ‘easily’. How confirmative is it to read this? We’ve got to make the choice: celebrate God’s Glory or be cynical, sceptical etc. We’ve got the right to choose whatever we want. How unconditional is this?
Love is the most natural and caring impulse. It is so simple and easy to offer when we get out of the way and it can move mountains and fold blankets.
“Being a teacher, I have observed that children learn much more easily when they have a good connection with their teacher”, Coleen this is so true and yet so often the relationship between teacher and student is not really considered. There is still the mentality that a teacher is superior to the students and will come in and teach what needs to be taught and the student will simply learn what is being presented. However as you so rightly say, the relationship between teacher and student is paramount to the students ability to learn. We need to bring all of life back to the basics of relationship, not just the relationship between teacher and student, as relationships are in fact the very life of life and so any-thing that does not consider relationship first is actually discounting Life.
Actually, if you look at all animals they are masters in self care, and if there is one thing that truly separates human beings from the rest of the animal kingdom, it is not the fact that we have greater intelligence, or indeed opposable thumbs, but our incredible ability to be so disregarding to ourselves and the world around us.
Indeed Adam and whilst this is an inspiring story, it is very exposing of where we are at that such a simple act of very basic self care can appear to be so miraculous. It is normal for an animal. It is far from normal for us – the ‘superior’ race…Mmmmm?
I have to agree Adam, You don’t see animals smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol or indulging in self-abuse at the expense of their bodies. This is a massive unexplained difference between animals and us; we have to go right back to the origins of man before we understand the self-abuse started when we turned away from god.
This is such a testimony to reflecting and expressing love to another and they can feel that resonating within them and connect to that thereafter should they choose. Expression, reflection and feeling the love within us all is accessible always. Beautiful.
Our lessons in life can come in so many different ways and from so many different reflections.
When love and care does not come first in our relationships in family, at work – and in every task we undertake – we live life in a hardness that compounds in every movement we make, and totally lose the joy.
We all of us learn and grow through love, connection and reflection – applies to every one of every age and clearly to animals too.
What a beautiful learning from your connection with Dood.
‘children learn much more easily when they have a good connection with their teacher.’ – This makes much sense, our entire bodies open up when we are in an environment where we feel safe and met for who we are – this in turn makes us more open and receptive for true learning and inspiration.
I agree, Coleen. Loving care should be the first principle learned at teacher training college.
Absolutely Janet, and from here we would come to know the true meaning of confidence.
We all respond well to true tenderness, care and love because we know it is our true way of being.
Indeed Andrew, it deeply resonates with what we all know to be our true way of being.
This blog has sparked a couple of conversations in our household as we realised even as adults self care can be so far removed from our day to day, and many times we have told ourselves that we can not do gentleness or be tender, but even those beliefs are false. Dood the dog had no such thoughts telling him this or that – he just felt what was being offered and wanted it for himself.
Dad you can tuck me in and sing to me if you want 😉
‘…the relationship between teacher and student is fundamental and foundational for supporting student learning in all subject areas, especially in the area of basic self-care.’ This is huge and surely should be integrated into our teacher training programmes and ongoing development. Although I am sure many teachers have realised this and enjoy working in this way our education system itself has become far too focussed on curriculum and outcomes than the relationships which are conducive to true learning and growth.
It’s interesting that we can forget this self-loving from within us and often when it would be most supportive instead becoming embroiled in the situation.
I love this point, Michael… the impulse to self love is natural and innate, in spite of our conditioning.
Don’t we all need holding love, care and space to allow ourselves to deepen the relationship with ourselves and any person, animal, subject etc. It is crucial important. I’m starting to truly let in how important the people in my life are who actually hold me lovingly and allow me to be who I am. This quality is a quality that also many animals have. They let us be. It is us that are to (learn to) appreciate how much this means for us. If Dood can learn so ‘easily’, how much than are we able to learn? And what if we would teach beholding love and care from day one at school? What if there were courses that we could learn what’s needed in order to behold? This will all come one day, but are we willing to admit that this is what we’re all longing for? To be deeply loved and cared for and to re-learn to be with ourselves and our Father.
If we had such tender loving care in our schools, our kids would learn the most important lesson in life – Love.
With declining results in educational outcomes maybe Dood the dog has just revealed the secret to learning….. Loving care in learning and a kiss on the head.
Colleen, this is hilarious to read how Dood the dog tucked himself in! Dog at times can behave in such a human way, and when you see them do something like this, it makes you smile! Thank you for sharing this – and it is so true the a moment of tenderness and care can never be under-estimated in its power of inspiration to animals and humans alike.
I love this blog, it is a great example of how when you connect with another and be love, this inspires the person or in this case your dog, to be that same love to them self.
The quality of care that we offer is felt by the recipient – anyone can perform a practical action of ‘care’, true care makes all the difference and offers a true inspiration.
Spot on Eva – care that comes from the heart (heartfelt) is very different to the care than simply ticks the box and tells you you have accomplished what is deemed as care. The former inspires more of the same heartfelt care, and grows both people/animals.
Yes, indeed. Dood clearly felt the difference and it inspired him to bring true care to himself – amazing!
I love re-reading this blog Coleen, it brings a deeper awareness of the quality of energy I am choosing to bring to my day in every way and this is deepening the sense of delicacy and fragility within.
What a remarkable story! As you say, that the dog thought to keep himself warm by getting the blanket as you had shown him how. I can indeed see what an impact it would have if this was what we incorporated in schools – a two-way life changing benefit.
Daily rituals offer us an opportunity to go deeper with our care and love. Your daily ritual with Dood certainly reflects this.
‘‘how he did it’ was possibly not as remarkable as the fact that he had done it’ – love this, Colleen. I feel it’s all too easy to under-estimate, or even, take for granted, the service that our four legged friends offer, unconditionally, with love.
We are each graced with our own unique expression, therefore, it stands to reason that we will all learn in slightly different ways. However, one thing is certain, being met and appreciated for the potential we have to offer will inspire us to be more open and receptive to learning and then, maybe, using our wisdom to give back.
‘What effect would this level of connection and inspiration have on the student–teacher relationship’ – An excellent question Coleen; what if teachers not only accepted their responsibility to follow the syllabus and ‘educate’ the kids on the content in the subject, but also that they are one of the key role models/figures in the children’s lives so they must look after themselves and really connect with the kids to inspire them to develop that skill with themselves and each other.
The story of Dood the Dog will go down as one of my favourites, as it proves that love is universal and can be felt by everyone and everything.
Inspired by this blog I took extra care yesterday morning to fold my pj’s lovingly and make my bed so it was welcoming for me to come back to and I felt such a warmth when I was welcomed by it after a long imperfect day.
The animal world is full of what we consider amazing things because we will feel we are the top of the food chain. Monkeys will dip a stick into an ant or termite mound and then eat bugs on the stick like a child with a sucker, and crows will pick up dried bread fly to a water source and drop into the water to soften it to make it easier to eat. Are these actions just passed on from observing? Do our children pick up the things we do, good and bad from watching us? It is part of their evolution when they feel and adopt the benefits of loving care.
A most beautiful example how loving care affects us all.
I often hear of teachers engaged in ‘lesson planning’ and wonder if space is ever given to ‘love planning’ or ‘planning to bring more love’ into teaching for themselves and pupil. How would it feel to walk into a classroom, speak, stand, observe, listen and respond to pupils with each expression flowing from an open and loving heart. What a joy for pupils to be met and related to in this way.
Dood, the dog is a living example of the love lived in your house, Coleen. This love can be lived everywhere. The touching point is that an animal, who we mostly consider as less intelligent than we think we are as human beings, is taking what he has learned through his body experience into practise. How many people do this for themselves?
I have experience of primary school children with severe emotional and behavioural problems, transformed by the presence of a teacher that gave them the attention they needed and related to them with love.
A beautiful testimony to the power of teaching by example and reflection rather than just using words.
Thanks for sharing how this happened. Your dog is remarkable indeed. A huge lesson for us all ?
Yesterday shortly before reading this blog, I had a computer class with two teachers. One tried to read out from a sheet the other engaged with us and made everybody laugh. The difference I felt in my body was so big, and wow the first one almost made me feel sick. The real difference I can see thanks to you Colleen is the connection that was there in the second experience. This makes me stop and consider what it is that we choose and how we move and thus teach each other each day. If life is all about connection first then we are all contributing to the success of the world’s class in a big way.
Letting in love I get to feel the love that is inside me again and love is no longer just a word but something so tangible and real that I do things with a tenderness that I hadn’t previously afforded myself or others.
The properties of love are barely understood. One day we shall truly understand why love is the main ingredient in any alchemist’s pantry.
Gorgeous – an amazing feeling reading this blog. The imprint of loving care is so powerful that it really opens us to the possibilities of this amongst humanity.
Indeed! It’s almost unbelievable that a dog could be so…human like. But I too have witnessed similar clever actions from animals. We certainly do underestimate them!
Beautiful Coleen, this blog not only shows us how clever dogs are, but how innately we all feel true care to be and once we are reflected that connection, and feel it, we are able to choose it ourselves again. Like this example shows us and the many examples on this blogsite show and will keep showing. There is another way, one of connection and inner-fire.
Wouldn’t it be beautiful to relate to our children by watching and observing them, rather than telling them what to do and who they are. We learn by example don’t we? Dood’s sharing with us how joyful and playful it is to learn and how we are allowed to completely surrender when we’re loved and cared for. The more we surrender, the more we feel the impact love and tenderness has on us. So the more we learn. We’re holding each other, in a much more profound way that we can (yet) imagine, yet know somewhere deep inside.
The loving care you share here Coleen and its reflection with Dood your amazing dog is so beautiful to read and know how everything counts so much. There is so much more to intelligence than that from the mind and our bodies our movements and our care reflects everything lovingly.
I am amazed at the accuracy in which Dood was copying exactly what you had given to him.
This illustrates that we all respond to gentle, loving and nurturing care… equally so. We as humans are no different in that way to any other living being on this planet.
Animals, and nature, are a constant amazing reflection for us every day… if we only take care and take notice of what is being offered – there is much to be appreciated.
I work in an education facility and just yesterday met with a student that was disengaged, rude and at risk of leaving school. This student said they were incapable of completing an assessment task they were given. When I connected to this student in full, appreciated them and offered them an opportunity to take responsibility they transformed in front of me. The student then completed the assessment task and did extremely well. I realised that the students that many teachers have placed in the too hard basket are more than capable of ‘doing the work’ it’s not a matter of intelligence but a matter of being connected to.
Such wisdom is the hallmark of any true teacher, for way beyond the ‘material’ we teach, is the quality of connection and holding of another in all that he or she is – the willingness and capacity to feel another’s truth, even if in his or her living, it is well obscured (at least for now…).
We have to ask, what is ‘learning’ and ‘education’ truly about? Yes, there are the myriad of skills, awarenesses and practical necessities that are needed for living life, and being able to be a contributing part of our society… But is not the greatest ‘contribution’ we can make, the quality of our being? Do we not take to our ‘grave’ (as they say), the richness of love we have lived? Our willingness to love ourselves and hold each other in love, to truly care, connect and appreciate the all that each and every person is?
Thank-you Coleen, for your amazing story, and the reflections you have shared here.
The simplicity the dog is acting with is inspiring. He listens to the body in full.
Coleen I strongly agree how important loving care is in supporting the learning of our children in schools – it is this that sets them up for higher education. To hold on to the loving way with themselves, where love and tenderness become an integral part through their education can support them in the cold and very frequently heartless environment of further education and university.
I love the image of you tucking Dood in for the night, and even more the image of him doing it for himself. Amazing!
I love inspiring shares like this. We can never guess the extent of the impact of our loving choices and actions on another.
Our education system could definitely use more focus on observation, deep listening and a dose of love. Recently I attended a Kinder Graduation and the power of what our little ones are being indoctrinated into so early in their lives is deeply disturbing. The call to separate from who we are and the truth that we are already amazing was evident in the celebration of achievements and certificates and aspiration to be something note worthy in the future.
Never do we need to preach or tell people what to do – simply live what we know to be true and others will respond and make their own decisions… even dogs! In other words, self-love is contagious and just by living it, others can be inspired to also take care.
This is profound.. and totally captures how we learn from the impulses to bring more love.
A gorgeous reflection of love and care, for everyone, including dogs!
We cannot underestimate the divine intelligence of animals. I remember when I was going through a particularly hard time in my life, I was lying on my bed having a cry, and our cat (who incidentally was more like a dog in the way he behaved) came and lay down beside me, stretched his body out so he could get really close to me, and then everso tenderly put his paw on my cheek and looked me straight in the eyes. It was a moment I will always remember and I knew then without a doubt that there was something far greater than I could imagine holding and supporting me through what was a very difficult phase.
Thank you Coleen, reminding us that we are here to inspire others to reignite their inner-heart.
Imagine if we were to take responsibility for the fact that every single one of our choices impacted and influenced those around us, and that we had the potential to create a ripple of inspiration that could change many people’s lives simply from how we are.
This gorgeous story about Dood taking care of himself in this way, highlights how much we all (including dogs) can take on in our way of living, simply from feeling and copying reflections from others around us.
What a beautiful role model you are Coleen – confirmed and reflected back to you by Dood.
“Now, if a mere dog can master such an unlikely skill simply because of the care he felt, how important is loving care in supporting the learning of our children in schools?” If we really nurtured our children to the same extent in the way that you did Dood, Colleen there is no question of the inner impact this would have on how children feel about themselves; rather than the usual not feeling good enough, children would feel their sense of worth and that they mattered.
Coleen, this is such a great article, I love this, ‘Now, if a mere dog can master such an unlikely skill simply because of the care he felt, how important is loving care in supporting the learning of our children in schools?’ This relationship is really important, teachers can inspire and be role models for children when it comes to caring for themselves, I feel that so much is missed out on when the focus at school is just academic and not on self care and self love which ultimately benefits everyone, these are super important life skills and from here learning can happen as children feel cared for, appreciated and well and so it makes sense that they would then be able to focus better and enjoy learning more.
Isn’t it amazing how a dog can be more knowledgable about how to care and look after itself than a human being? This literally blows me away!
Yes, you never know who responds to love and how and many of the surprises are beautiful
It is humbling when we think we have it all, and yet a dog can still teach us something so simple.
Coleen, this blog shows to me once again the power of bringing loving care in all that we do. It is an inspiration for many, even for some we would have not expect it the be inspiring as with Dood your dog.
When the love and care of another is felt, miracles are possible.
The role of loving care is a vital ingredient for learning, as clearly seen from your sharing of Dood.
“Now, if a mere dog can master such an unlikely skill simply because of the care he felt, how important is loving care in supporting the learning of our children in schools?” I would love to see this teaching at a teachers conference, it is profound and so easy to relate to – there can be no excuses as my us supporting our children with a depth of love and care they will learn to deeply care for themselves.
What a wonderful reflection from your dog Dood, of how expressed tenderness and loving care can have such a profound effect. I love your appreciation of this and the sharing this reflection offered of what you already knew and that is the connection and love you have with your pupils is the key to their joyful learning. A great lesson for us all.
A very cute sharing to read again that everything we do is a reflection. Even though dogs can’t talk to us, they can communicate to us in full by their behaviours. This is the same for children – they are constantly learning and observing.
This is a great example of the responsibility we hold in every moment of every day and that even a dog is affected by this as equally as everything else.
Absolutely Kevin – the ripple effect of our choices and the quality we live our lives reaches far and doesn’t discriminate against kingdoms. The interconnectedness of us all is very real.
What a heart warming account – this has the makings of an excellent children’s storybook, Coleen – perhaps you have considered this already?
This story is remarkable – not just because of what the dog did, but because of what he is teaching us about how we learn and that it is all about connection and love first before it is about anything else.
This article inspired me so much when I read it yesterday that I could feel the ripple effect it had in particular on a relationship I have with another. Knowing that how we are in one relationship affects every relationship also reminds me of how powerful this has been. And all from reading a blog! Thank you Colleen and thank you Dood.
A dog offers unconditional love, which melts even the most appeared toughest of people, that in itself is a lesson for us all, particularly in our relationship with children, they also deeply respond to heart felt connection that is lived.
It is so beautiful to see and feel people (and apparently animals:-)) allowing the choice to be inspired by love. Isn’t this blog an amazing example of how we have an impact, even when we’re not aware that we might inspire somebody. If this isn’t an inspiration and invitation to ‘just’ be ourselves, what or who is?
True Floris, if you are studying how love can be offered without attempting to influence or inspire but just for the value of expressing it, this is surely a great example.
Great blog Coleen. School and other learning environments like university always feel cold and a bit harsh to me. Exams are often announced in a way that is a bit scary almost like they want to make sure you will study. Yet is this indeed the most efficient way? I feel like you that when there is care put into the class and learning process and you feel valued as a student you can learn so much more.
What you describe here Lieke would be awesome and groundbreaking. Bringing love and care into the classes in which you are appreciated already for who you are and the subject you study is also appreciated on the same level and in relation to what it can bring to humanity when we study with love and care embedded.
This is a great opportunity of appreciation of the power of our reflection and the simplicity and true inspiration we offer another by our livingness.
My understanding of “the role of loving care in learning” deepened reading this blog. We are always learning, it is a constant, we are forever students of life. But in what quality are we learning? Your blog beautifully explores for us what it is to have loving care in learning. If I think about many situations of my own or what I have witnessed of others when they learn, frustration is often a key ingredient as people can be impatient with themselves to ‘get it’. I know I can and have. This is a beaut reminder to bring a loving care into what I am learning.
Yes, indeed, Sarah. This is a much lovelier way to learn rather than the pressure and impatience we normally experience. With loving care on the syllabus, we would certainly all be forever students.
A wonderful lesson for today Sarah, as for every day and every time I sit down in front of the computer. Our most challenging and frustrating tasks are the ones where we can truly help ourselves to become gentle and loving with ourselves. Making that choice for ourselves, as Coleen did for Dood, we then become our own teachers. The consistency is important I feel, a day is not enough, it has to be built upon so that our bodies take on the beautiful quality of the love offered. I love your story of this true relationship Coleen, be it “merely” a dog. We relate to everything, and in so doing can learn these invaluable lessons.
There are many great offerings in what you write – the importance of role modelling to others (human and animal alike) and our natural response to listen to the body, to heed its call and to act on the wisdom offered is an expression of Love that supports us no end.
Wow! If a dog can do this, ending all wars and conflicts must be even easier for us humans – all is required is a bit of love and care!
Ah Joshua, although I completely agree with you that ‘a bit of love and care is what’s needed to end war and conflict’, I feel it’s important to add that the barriers to love and self care are numerous and incredibly treacherous and have prevented us for literally eons, in getting Home. Now that’s not to say that we won’t all arrive home, at a place of love, we shall but there is an energetic source known as Prana that is deliberately laying energetic land mines in our way. Serge Benhayon has made it Home and now dedicates his every breath to supporting others to detonate their land mines in order to find their way Home too.
Absolutely Alexis. Your point is wonderful and I completely agree. It certainly makes for an interesting pondering as love and self-care is something so simple and underneath it all is what we all warm up to because its what we want most. The pranic land mines you speak of (love the analogy by the way) are what make this process more complex and not so simple at all. But what I am learning on my path back Home is that I actually choose the land mines that detonate because I am actually the detonator! Yes, it is my patterns that govern the quality of well being and what I will energetically react or respond to. So being loving is actually very simple and it is a choice we can make all the time, we just have so much momentum of choosing the problems that the land mines create that we often are comfortable choosing that over love!
Joshua I love your expansion on the topic and that you have brought in the fact that we are all choosing the things that snag us and keep us from being the love that we are. It’s so very simple, we have all individually and therefore collectively chosen each and every step that we have taken away from love and the only way back is to choose each and every step back to love. No one is going to do it for us, so it’s time to put our walking shoes on and get going. See you back Home, (I’ll have the kettle on).
Haha – love your playfull expression Alexis!
Beautiful blog Colleen. Dood’s response to the loving manner in which you cared for him demostrates the impact our movements can have on those around us.
This sharing is very humbling, in the sense that it becomes very obvious that we are sources of inspiration 24/7 – or not.
Incredible… the simplicity of learning nailed here… the secret ingredient (and the most important) being love. Learning without love is actually dangerous and forms the basis of everything inhumane in the world.
This is such a gorgeous story of how loving tender care gets passed on. The opposite has been the case in society in general – harsh parents bring their kids up to be tough because that’s how they had it when they were children. Time to change the record and Dood is showing us the way.
This was such a joy to read. I love that the love and care you offered him inspired him to give this to himself. What a gorgeous reflection of the power of love.
What a great teacher Dood is. There are lessons and reflections everywhere if we are open to seeing them.
The quality of our movements if in a loving quality is a great example of self-care.
This proves how your loving care has impacted Dood to the extent he has decided to now care for himself too. What a reflection that is for us all. We are constantly learning that how we interact with each other has an effect, but this example shows pretty clearly how profound that can be.
It’s so interesting that the ‘ritual ended when the cold snap passed’, in the same way we often stop looking after ourselves (to the same degree) after a spout of being ill or injured… What if we didn’t wait for these incidents to occur before we decided to look after ourselves in full?
Susie in answer to your question ‘What if we didn’t wait for these incidents to occur before we decided to look after ourselves in full?’, I would say that ‘then, we would be full of ourselves’ and just how glorious would that be?
Yes what if..? I’d say true self care does not have a limitation or an end, it is a natural part of a daily rhythm.
I love that you didn’t get stuck on how he did it but marvelled at that he did it and the impulse it was coming from. We too often get hooked on the skills that are presented to us and then miss out on the quality and the bigger picture the situation presents.
Hey Dood, well done! To learn to take care for ourselves is such a profound learning for life. Shows how much our living way of life is inspiring others. Brings RESPONSIBILITY into the light of joy and glory. Beautiful!
I agree Sandra, to learn to truly care for ourselves is probably the most profound learning in our lives – as it will affect every action and reflection thereafter.
Actions speak louder than words as they say. Very touching piece.
I love the bit where you realised it wasn’t about how he had done it but that he had done something so tender for himself at all. That is actually quite miraculous and a testament to the love and care you provide.
What a remarkable dog Dood is and what a beatuiful lesson for us all. It begs the question, if it is possible for a dog to do such a thing for itself, then what else are we capable of doing for ourselves?
All of God’s creatures can feel love in its’ many different forms and will respond accordingly. Such a great story, Colleen!
This is an amazing story of the power of reflection and inspiration – wow, what can we inspire in ourselves and each other when we choose to move and act with tender care and love.
Thank you Coleen and thank you Dood! Your story shows how we have a responsibility to express with tenderness as this inspires others to express the same.
How we are and what we do says so much more than words alone.
Living by example is the greatest form of teaching.
I love your comment “As I reflected, I realised that ‘how he did it’ was possibly not as remarkable as the fact that he had done it, and that he was confirming the role of loving care in learning”. A big difference in making it about how well the actions and the outcome looks, to noticing and celebrating the loving impulse behind what we observe.
Dood is a very cool dood! But he just shows what tender, loving care can inspire in another!
What a beautiful example that we always can learn from each other. I have learned from your amazing sharing that a dog can learn what loving care is. I do not have a dog and so I found that very inspiring and impressive.
Your words remind me Coleen just how powerfull the combination of consistency and care can be, and just how with our movements and choices we are always making great impressions. We strive sometimes for others to ‘get it’ yet this way of living and being in ourselves says everything.
There is a level of pressure we put on children to learn, but if we consider how much harder it is to learn under pressure it is no wonder that many children struggle, and in fact even those who are seen as relatively successful may not be fulfilling their potential because the tenderness and understanding is not their in the teaching system. Perhaps we might be astounded by how anyone can learn and develop when love is the key ingredient in learning. I remember experiencing the pressure to complete things as an 8 year old and I would never wish that on any child.
How beautiful this is, a dog was inspired by his experience that he was able to self nurture the way he did. Just goes to show how important it is to self nurture.
We can have a very expansive relationship with a dog if it is constellated to be so.
OMG what an Awesome name your dog has and I can feel how it fits him to a T, he sounds adorable and how you tenderly looked after him as well is adorable .. I love the loving relationship you clearly have. Connection and love for one another is key for us to truly evolve, lets make it about this first not maths, history or english!
Learning to lovingly care for ourselves should be the foundation of our education system, as from here our appreciation of who we truly are and the wisdom we all equally hold within can be magnified through our learning, growing and evolving.
Coleen simply wow the reflection for us all in how when we are deeply loving with ourselves and others we teach a true way to be is very inspiring indeed. Thank you it almost seems too far reached to be true yet is quite beautiful to appreciate.
“….somehow he had folded it in half straight down the middle so that it covered the bed squarely. He had then taken the top half of the blanket and used it very precisely to cover the whole of his body as he lay on the mat……… just as he had been when I tucked him in myself during our nightly ritual” – we are all each other’s teacher, whether that is nature, an animal or human being, each of us in our true quality reflect the magic of the universe, its order, or God.
I absolutely agree Coleen, ‘the relationship between teacher and student is fundamental and foundational for supporting student learning in all subject areas, especially in the area of basic self-care.’ I have noticed when a teacher is willing to connect with the children, even the most troublesome class is willing to listen and learn. When there is no connection, then we are more likely to experience disharmony.
The love with which you tucked Dood in for the night was felt to his core. I’m realising this is hard to ignore as we’re reminded of the loveliness of being love and how natural it is, that a dog can fold his blanket so is an amazing and inspiring reminder of what we can bring.
What a fabulous reflection back from Dood to you of how the expression of love and care really does have an impact on one another, and that it isn’t a one way transaction, but love and care keeps on giving back, to and fro, between each other.
Yes Elizabeth so true, we don’t see how far our movements reach and it is reflections like this that confirm the profound effect that loving touch has on another.
Coleen, what Dood the dog did seems so extraordinary and yet so ordinary all at the same time.
Dood is an amazing dog and example to us all of the empowering reflection of self care and the huge benefits of love to us all in your beautiful sharing .
Amazing! This only proves how vital our relationships are. If we treat everybody around us with such love and care, they will start treating themselves with care, and also other people, who will then start treating themselves with care, and other people… you get the gist. It’s amazing the effect every single one of us could have if we committed to being love.
Moving with purposeful rhythm and routine generated by love reveal the connection and oneness that is not only possible but the basis of how life truly is when we allow it. What a goldmine we have within us. PS Love the name, Dood!
I could feel the love Coleen in the way you described tucking in Dood! We communicate so much through our actions, the way in which we do things. This is something we surely need to bring more attention to in our schools and every aspect of life.
This sharing’s really touching me because it’s showing the incredible importance of loving care for one another. When we do the things with love, care and joy (not because we think we have to) we let the other one completely with him- or herself to learn whatever they want to learn. In this instance, care for ourselves with gracious joy. Superb! We ALL want to be connected to, loved and adored. A lesson to forever remember. Thank you Colleen and Dood.
‘the relationship between teacher and student is fundamental and foundational for supporting student learning’ …. I am appreciating more and more that all relationships are foundational and fundamental in terms of the way we choose to live our life and what we are bringing to our life and therefore, to everyone else, equally so.
When we choose to connect with each other there is no judgment or expectation, it invites the other person to let go of their protection and step out of their hiding place. It creates a space where both parties feel held in mutual love, an amazing starting place to nurture true learning and development of the whole body.
That is quite an amazing story, and as you say a great example of how teaching someone something, even a dog, when done with care creates a lasting impression. I know that it is because of the absolute love and care with which Esoteric practitioners have place an eye pillow on my eyes, or tucked me into a blanket that I have been able to experience this level of care and then want to reproduce it in how I am with myself.
I seriously love this blog Coleen. The inspiration offered here is beyond gorgeous.
To me, this marks the great importance of our reflection. Even dogs are looking, observing and feeling the quality we are in! We cannot choose who sees us at the supermarket, in the street, at work and where ever else, so what are we choosing to reflect?
Dood the dog . . . I am still laughing . . . great name . . . great dog. Just goes to show that ‘showing’ not ‘telling’ works.
When we lay a level of care and love it then allows for greater love and care to take place. Reading this I stop to reflect on where this has happened in my life such as in my family, with my partner, at work and many more areas for sure.
I agree with you Coleen, if a dog can so easily learn to self-care, how important is the reflection we play out in front of children?
I can feel the incredible importance of taking tender loving care to everyone in every way through our day. People are literally crying and reacting out for loving understanding and to be shown the way. Through the presentations by Serge Benhayon I’ve discovered there is nothing more nurturing, loving and supportive than another human being taking the time and space to be with me ever so tenderly, honouring my preciousness while supporting me in a way that is needed. No pressure or expectations that I’m going to ‘get it’ in any particular way or time that isn’t true for me. I’m absolutely positive that there wouldn’t have been any pressure or expectations on Dood to start doing this for himself, therefore the energy he is cared for comes from a whole different place.
Your blog outlines the important role that every single one of us has to reflect to each other through our actions what true care is. This can be in every movement that we make. Often we don’t comprehend the impact that our movements have on others, but people (and clearly dogs) are feeling and clocking this all of the time.
We all are teachers of each other – by inspiration, care, love, trust, truth, connection…, no matter of age, gender or even human or dog, there is always something to learn to deepen the relationship with ourselves and the connection with each other.
Absolutely Alex this is exquisite, adorable and truth that we are all teachers of each other. So what a responsibility we all have then!
I love this story! The power of teaching and inspiring through direct example is grossly underestimated.
How beautiful to feel the loving tender care that so inspired Dood – life can be so simple when we connect to our innate essence and naturally care for one another.
Who would have thought a dog could fold a blanket! It just goes to show that with care and love we are capable of so much.
I know Vicky, I was surprised too. It is amazing what is possible when loving care is applied, this is so inspiring to read.
Perhaps we all need a reminder, children and adults alike, about how to love ourselves. We are responsible for our own self love but if we have got lost along the way having someone show you self-love can make it a much easier path back. Love this story Coleen.
What you have described here Coleen is what true education is and as I read your blog I could feel in my own body how free we are to learn when we feeling cared for. It opens us up to the wonders of the universe.
What a remarkable story about what true connection can inspire, even with a dog! It really does prove how we all need to be honored and truly met as students (or anywhere for that matter) in order to stay open to learning and what may be presented to us as something to inspire us. This is opposite to some ‘old school’ approaches that hold the teacher as the authority and the student as an empty vessel to be ‘filled with knowledge’. Obviously, the student can feel this lack of appreciation for the innate wisdom they already have, and this inevitably leads to many issues where the student feels disconnected or even resentful of the teacher for not honoring them and thus there exists a poor learning environment.
I love this story about Dood. And how wonderful to remember that our loving care can have far reaching effects that we don’t envisage.
I love it… what a delightful example of the effect of true loving care… and who would have thought a dog could even do such a thing!
Loving care and consistency are shown here to be so key – and presented with such a sweet example.
‘What effect would this level of connection and inspiration have on the student–teacher relationship and so, ultimately, on learning and on the quality of ambient energy in schools?’ …. it would revolutionise the education system as we know it. Children would not feel the energy of expectation of needing to learn certain information and regurgitate it in a particular format, they would feel the loving connection first and from that place, be inspired to grow, to learn, to explore their full potential.
I love the way, Dood, chose to share with you how much he appreciated your love and tenderness, reinforcing not only that it matters, but how much it matters – so much so that he chose to show himself the same love and tenderness.
How many can relate to that feeling of blossoming inside when we are truly connected with and met in love, from a teacher, family, friend, anyone – and conversely how crushed we can feel when faced with judgement, harshness, criticism and blame? And if we truly feel this then how is it that we ever inflict it upon another?
How many of us have heard the saying ‘do as I say, not do as I do…’ it is by example that we can teach our children how to take care of themselves. Children are like little sponges, they soak up everything around them, even when we think they’re not paying attention! It’s a great idea to teach children self-care in schools, AND at home, but first we may have to deepen our own level of self-care so they feel the connection we have with ourselves first, which would naturally extend and deepen the connection we have with them.
I just want to give Dood the best and warmest and snuffliest big cuddle, and tuck him in again and again!
We don’t often realize how everything we do is noticed. Children particularly observe everything and they know whether what we do or say comes from love or not, whether it comes from our lived truth or not, and whether we are being honest or not.
Dood….great name for a dog
Coleen, another striking demonstration of the power of love and the effect it can have on everyone and everything around us. It shows just how much we are missing in our present education system when we do not value the importance of the connection between teacher and student.
A great story how love is the true teacher for all. To have that care for ourselves allows us to take it to others. Children are so open and responsive, to have this level of care in teaching would deeply benefit them and their learning, and the education system.
There is something wonderful in bringing care to every task we do, when that happens there is most definitely a ripple effect.
Colleen, that is true. Many of us remember a small number of superb teachers from whom we learned much more than from the other teachers.
Pretty remarkable story, amazing the level of support that tenderness offers another. This is a good reminder for me as I am asked to deal with some difficult situations in the workplace.
This is beautiful Coleen and very lovely to read and feel the enormous power of love and how we cannot but be blessed by it. More care in the world for everything and everyone and of course animals included is supportive loving and inspirational. I love this sharing and all it is offering to us all thank you.
I’ve heard it posited that dogs, like humans, have souls. This story confirms this possibility for me.
That’s a pretty neat story – Dood is one amazing dude! What’s striking too is the loving care you gave him Coleen, and what transpired as a result. Love sown in one place springs forth in another.
Dood (the dog) highlighting the importance of caring for yourself. Marvelous!
When I see the pressure teachers are put under to achieve results I see at the same time no care from the authorities for the loving attention that is so vital to a child’s development. Teachers who care for themselves are able to pass on that livingness to the children they teach, teachers who are constantly stressed pass that on to the children too. It makes sense to develop an education system that puts the child first and the results second. Sadly there is only funding for results.
This article highlights the incredible influence and inspiration we can provide for others in such simple ways, and that even the things we do that we don’t think are ‘hugely game changing’ can change someone else’s way of looking at things completely.
Coleen, I love this story you share about Dood and his reflection of the tender loving care he has brought to himself. taken on from your beautiful nurturing of him.
This proves to me how connection is the most important thing in relationships whether between child and teacher, man and woman or woman and her dog. We equally have so much to bring and reflect when we connect.
This model of education that you describe is very different from the usual ‘carrot and stick’ model that seems to be the most popular method of getting kids to learn and behave in schools at the moment.
Amazing story Coleen and it does just go to show that when we are honoured and appreciated and really held in love, this supports us to really shine and excel at life.
This is a beautiful tale, Coleen. Dood certainly has shown us that loving care is what we all want more than anything. And taught like this, we all become very willing students!
Our children do indeed watch and learn from our every move, whether it is good or bad. We only have to observe them to see how they pick up little habits that we as parents or teachers do, and then wonder where they learnt to do certain things that aren’t so acceptable. So how amazing would it be if we were living in a way that showed children how to truly take care of themselves, all of the time and not when it just suited us or thought they were watching?
Wow what a gorgeous blog Coleen. I am in love with your dog Dood! Being a teacher myself I am deeply inspired by the learning of Dood and how this tender loving care reflected in his ability to learn. imagine if instead of testing and results being our main goals in Education, but love care instead…just what could our pupils then learn?
Coleen, I feel that we are really missing out; ‘what we are all missing out on by not having care, love and tenderness as integral to our education system’, From what I have observed in schools, the first year – reception, is all about nurturing the children; encouraging to drink their water and keep warm outside; it is all about he basics of self care and looking after themselves – it is a shift away from them being looked after by their parents to being more independant at school, there is learning too, but it is made fun and not pressured – it is all about care of the children and then this changes in year one (proper school), the focus seems to shift completely away from self care to being academic, many children seem to struggle with this, no longer are they held and nurtured, cuddled and adored, there is pressure – they have to perform and learning seems to be made much less fun, the children are suddenly expected be grown up and they are not adored simply for being them, I have observed how the children now are not skipping joyfully into school and are instead much more reluctant to go in.
Rebecca, a powerful observation: how the nature of education changes from reception class to year 1. From nurturing, self caring and loving reception classes to something more distant, cold and academic in year 1, as you say ‘proper school’. Those same qualities offered children in reception year, should be integrated all the way through infant, primary and secondary school.
Education is so wonderful. We all have a natural tendency to care for us, but this can be very buried or forgotten or lived in a measured way – anyway it can be expanding for sure. To support each other here is so needed.
Expressing true love is bringing up more love in the world. That’s for sure and good to realize.
“As I reflected, I realised that ‘how he did it’ was possibly not as remarkable as the fact that he had done it, and that he was confirming the role of loving care in learning.” Indeed Coleen the impulse, the pull for Dood to confirm himself, you and in turn the strength & power of our connection is pure magic. For Dood has now reached hundreds, potentially thousands of people through his innate love & wisdom.
Is this not pure magic, when deep self care and love transforms those around us.
This warm feeling you have for Dood shines through in all you say Colleen. Your words remind me that connection is main language of life, not the acts we do or tasks we acheive. How crazy are we to think if we say nice words that we can cover up when it is not there. This is one of the beautiful things about animals to me, they show that in our energy and movements there is so much already being said.
What I love is the willingness for your dog Dood to learn and this was because of the loving care you took to tuck him up for the night. Imagine what our education system would be like if the first rule or principle for every teacher was to be love and teach from this place and not from the pressure of achieving high marks for the school. We can learn a lot from your experience with Dood,Thank you for sharing.
A great example that we are always teaching and always learning from each other – but what are we teaching and learning?
To me, this screams “consistency is vital”.
Thank you Coleen and yes, what would happen if we made loving and caring for our selves an integral part of our education system that began as toddlers. Instead of insisting that a child should be able to read and write, skills that are often presented to our children when their brains are not yet ready for these tasks, how amazing it would be to encourage them in the art of feeling and responding to their bodies’ needs. What better way can there be to empower them to build a loving relationship with them selves that can only unfold into loving relationships with one another. Surely this is where our future lies, in building solid, caring relationships first and foremost, which once established would naturally support the learning of temporal skills because the whole body is ready to engage, rather than just the head bit.
How magical and truly rich life becomes when we understand that there is a constant stream of communication going on in our world. It is communication that reveals ‘there is more’, that we are being shown so much through the reflections around us. Life is far from the mundane drudgery of going through the motions when we appreciate such things.
A beautiful example of how one’s livingness inspired a dog. We can talk to our children and tell them what or not what to do but they are simply words and often they are said looking down on our children. It is through the way we live that really makes a difference as children clock every thing, the ‘good’ and the not so ‘good’.
This is true Caroline, words alone are not it! When we live life lovingly, ripple affects are felt by those around us.
I agree with you Caroline, actions and energy that come with them will always speak volumes and leave indelible imprints.
Everyone is watching everything we do all of the time… even the dog!
I agree, … and learning, too!
Amazing Coleen, how beautiful! What about how we as humans treat our animals, especially dogs, with more love and care then ourselves and each other.. Is it because as you have pointed out the love returns almost immediately unconditionally from our dogs. If dogs reflect that, is that what is also possible to receive from others? We don’t truly love another because we have been hurt by someone some where in our past. We know a dog will not hurt us so we pour the love and care out. So, what if we did the same with humans our brothers – pour out the love with no attachment and no image to how it looks like, and feel what that feels like to us and in any form how another responds or reacts, either way that feeling should be confirmed within us instead of the hurt.
Beautiful story. Dogs are such marvellous reflections and this is a glorious one of loving support and self-care.
I read this yesterday and it is taking a while to sit with how actually incredible this is and how much we can learn from your experience with your dog in relation to how we treat and teach our children. It certainly inspires me to up the care and love!
The magic of loving care in learning would also be an apt title for this blog….. gorgeous and magic to feel what Dood your dog did for himself…. love has no limits!
Coleen wow now this shows us the incredible importance we have in taking true care and deeply loving all those we connect with, as you say if Dood could learn this task then just imagine how our children would learn to care and love themselves through our reflections.
When we express tender loving movements to others, it is always a loving confirmation when the reflections are returned to us.
Your story touches me as it gives a clear example Selflove and Selfcare and as such love and care for others do work and have its ripple effects.
A great example that others take notice of our living way, which is inspirational.
What a cute experience you had here. And it shows that if we support others and care for them, they feel it! Just as Dood mirrored the way you had cared for him. I have a very young baby and she is absorbing everything. And so of course she is learning from my actions all the time and how I care for her and how gentle I am with her. We have a responsibility of reflection.
When love comes around magic can happen and we know that but only have walked away from this knowing as we can so clearly see in our societies. We crave for love but are in general not even able to provide that for ourselves, like Dood did, but are looking to the outside for the love to come instead. Therefore it is important that we show the world how loved works in practical life, and that can be as simple as tugging in Dood for the cold nights.
This is a beautiful example of how profoundly we all respond to being cared for. I remember the classes where the teachers seemed to dislike or ignore me, and I remember which teachers were passionate and engaged in their teaching, and who encouraged my natural curiosity. I changed from a middle of the class student to an excellent one under their tutelage.
What an inspiration Dood is. If he values himself enough to be tenderly self-loving, then what energy is stopping us from taking that same time and consideration for ourselves………..which often times we do not.
Thank you Coleen for sharing Dood with us.
What a great introduction to self-care for students in schools. A perfect teacher resource!
I really appreciate Dood the teacher as he morphed his learning into living and reflected back all that was lovingly shared with him. This is a miracle in proof that being love impresses volumes beyond what the mind can fathom.
Gorgeous Coleen, i was there with you coming back from the kitchen to see Dood : ) Extraordinary though no surprise that when the foundation [of care] is laid, the rest follows in that same quality…
What a fantastic sharing and lesson for us all Colleen… that the quality of love felt from an action leaves such a tangible imprint on the body that enables another to learn, to know what to do and apply it themselves. it reminds me of the saying ‘See one, do one, teach one’.
Wow Coleen, what a beautiful reflection and thank you so much for sharing this. You hugely inspire me to reflect on how I teach my children and our dog ‘Striker’. You are showing us how the power of consistency and commitment works. Also the love and care you show your dog Dood is a reflection of the love and care you have for yourself.
As I read this I recognised that we are teaching in so many situations and environments, for example training someone in a busy cafe environment or sitting one on one with someone in a women’s refuge etc. I have observed how when love, care, support and tenderness is shared with someone as they learn they then can choose to teach others from that same space. It is gorgeous to watch this happen in life.
When something that feels to be of love is shown and shared lovingly, it is only natural that we want to have that for ourselves. That’s how we get inspired to build our own livingness.
If only we as parents and teachers did as much for our children as your beautiful dog did for himself. That he so loved the nurturing that you gave him Coleen that he did it for himself. That is showing us we need to take responsibility to nurture ourselves, and that we will feel we deserve this enough to not wait for someone else to do it for us! A gorgeous blog Coleen.
I can just see and feel Dood as he set himself up with care having received that loving care. And your question is so important, if we approached everyone with true loving care life would be very different and in fact why don’t we? What could we all learn as children and adults when we are treated and treat each other with love and care? How much more grace and harmony could we bring to shared tasks when we take care of each other first – it’s very obvious and yet not the way we currently approach work or learning – time to change and see the change.
Very cool sharing of learning by example. The simplicity of what is felt in openness by Dood expressed in the movement confirming what is true, is deeply delightful and natural.
This is utterly divine Coleen, for it is the tenderness and loving detail we bring to our daily lives and how we in turn embrace others with this same movement, that the real magic of love bubbles over. Thank you for sharing this is gorgeous.
This blog has blown of my mind.. What an absolute sign of God (God is in the details) – by showing us what true care and so education does when it is done with absolute respect & integrity.
‘Care, love and tenderness’ are also sadly missing from many of our homes or you could say ‘care, love and tenderness’ in consistency is missing from almost all our homes. If we all took the time to lovingly tuck our children into bed with the same love and care as you gave Dood then perhaps children would start asking for a different level of care, love and tenderness when they are in to school.
I love your story and I agree with you Dood has shown us how very fundamental selfcare is and what great difference it makes to our everyday living.
What a beautiful story. I love how your dog mirrored the love and care you showed him. A great point that we can lead by example when it comes to teaching self-care to children.
Indeed Rebecca, and it is actually so simple and that to me says already enough, leading by example is the most powerful teaching in the world people can get.
This proves how much we naturally respond to truly loving care, and how inspired we can be by another to give ourselves that same loving care. Once felt, it is never forgotten.
True inspiration Coleen… no detail too small or insignificant can be an inspiration for another – every moment is a moment to inspire – even if no-one is around it will be felt by the next person who walks by.
This truly illustrates how much we influence all others around us… we each impact one another in so many different ways, many of which we may not even be aware of.
Dood has really reflected how our markers change when care is introduced into a life. Once we know that new level of tender care, it becomes our normal.
So true Melinda. I am amazed at Coleen’s story. It is an incredible example of how love and care can impact us and we can certainly make this our norm.
Agreed Melinda, once again a magnificent confirming response to love and connection.
Amazing to read about this experience, I can feel the power of hold ourselves and each other.
This is a super-sweet piece of writing and it helps me to look at how I am with my kids and the lessons they are learning from me as we live together: the things that I do which just seem natural and practical but actually are sharing of a great love.
Great confirmation that every tender loving moment we share is registered and inspires others. Our reflections are powerful, as you share Coleen. I love your dogs name, Dood.;)
Dood has illustrated that it is not what we say over and over again but how we hold ourselves and how we follow through in our movements lovingly. From this experience and how it is felt he has then chosen it for himself – Wow, this totally brings the responsibility back to how deeply loving we are with ourselves first in our livingness and the rest takes ‘care’ of itself.
As I was reading your blog I was considering how easy it is to care for another, tuck them in and all but sometimes we don’t make the same effort for ourselves. I know that that has been true for me, and how I have longed for someone to do it for me…. but I have discovered that I can do it for me, and it feels so beautiful to love and care for myself with real care and detail and whats better is that need for someone to do it for me no longer exists.
If we were all shown and taught this loving care from an early age the world would soon become a better place but from what I have seen in a lot of places this is far from what goes on.
It does seem as though this is the case kevmchardy, and in fact people are connecting to their pets more and more instead of their family members.
What a massive reflection of what the consistent practice of love confirms. This sharing is but a fraction of the boundlessness of love. Inspirational!
Gorgeous sharing Coleen. Thank you! Makes me wonder why loving ourselves can at times be so seemingly challenging yet it is in truth so very simple!
What a gorgeous reflection Coleen, one that we all innately know but tend to forget the importance of. Our tender, loving reflection is an incredible offering.
Life is about relationships and learning and we are held in a great cycle of life through which we get the endless opportunity to master what is presented to us in this Earth school. Anything else is merely a distraction we invite our way to not commit in full to re-developing our awareness so we can re-turn and re-live once more the great love that we are. A domestic animal takes its cues from the humans with which it lives, as do we take our cues from each other what is able to be lived or not. How great then is the reflection and thus the responsibility of that which we offer to all who walk this planet alongside us – do we walk all that we are or, do we walk all that we are not?
A beautiful story Coleen and a reminder of the responsibility that we have given that we offer in every moment a powerful reflection.
True loving care brings with it so much. Not only does it feel super supportive, but also very confirming of our true natural way, reflecting that natural way to all others as a heavenly ripple effect. Gorgeous sharing Coleen.
This is a pretty cool, as I was reading your article I realised how lacking we are in this type of education,considering self love and care are are such a valuable life lesson. I wish there was a hidden camera to catch Dood folding that blanket, that would have been a mad Utube vid!
What a beaut experience Coleen, thanks for sharing this with us all. I too have a dog and marvel at how much he teaches me and I also recall my favourite teacher in primary school, I think it was Mrs Schneider. She is the only one I remember and I remember her because she was really kind, fun and really cared for us. We could all feel it.
As I read through your post Coleen, I found my eyes widen in awe at the thought of Dood making the conscious choice to fold his blanket to keep him snug. This is such a beautiful and inspiring story, and would make a lovely little children’s book… just right for inspiring young children to nurture and take care of themselves.
Great story Coleen and what is Dood moving onto next, the washing? It’s great to take the time to appreciate deeply what goes on around us. There are so many pieces of magic that if you are in the ‘busy’ life you miss. The connection you are speaking of that children learn more easily from should be at the forefront of all we do. This true connection that we are always building or deepening is the missing piece in the what we do in life. Like an old saying reveals, ‘quality not quantity’.
I can feel your amazement when you first saw how Dood had tucked himself in, but also the realisation of the gift you had given him by your tender, loving care and the impact that had made on him; how very quickly that had become his normal. How simple is it to care for another, and to then have that care and appreciation reflected back to you in such a beautiful way is a heart warming bonus.
Dood, what a cool dog you are. A beautiful example of how loving care facilitates learning.
Wow – what a beautiful reflection Coleen. We can always go deeper with our loving self care and nurturing – and how inspiring for others to witness.
What an amazing reflection from Dood about just what is possible when we apply loving care to whatever task we are undertaking. I totally agree that this would transform experiences in the education system if this level of self-care was modelled to young people as we all flourish when we feel that someone cares.
Just goes to show Helen, that reflections from nature can come from the most unexpected places, even those right on our doorstep, or in Dood’s case, the verandah!
If we could get that loving care in schools then I would say that the job is pretty much done.
This is a gorgeous example of the way we, and thus do dogs, learn to nurture ourselves. When we are shown from a young age how lovingly we can be with ourselves we can make the choice to continue this for the rest of our lives.
I agree and found for myself that it is so much easier if I am around people that deeply care for themselves to care for myself too. Let alone if they share that same care with me – it is something very beautiful to receive and inspiring me to feel to care for ourselves is natural.
So simple that all that is needed is to hold ourselves with love and hold others with love and they can choose that for themselves or not. I have a puppy and it’s so clear how we are around him or when people visit, who are all excited or over the top, he does the same… but as soon as they calm down and just be themselves he then relaxes and is more himself as well.
An adorable story Coleen! And a fantastic example of how we can bring more love and care into the world – simply by starting with ourselves (and the dog of course, if you have one – hee hee).
It is impressive both that Dood did it and how he did it but as you say, it is a wonderful reflection of how true care are recognised and thus easily learned as something of value. Why wouldn´t we want to learn something that feels really good, makes perfect sense and is of good use? And why wouldn´t we enjoy learning when the connection and quality provided give us the sense of being seen and met? Making it about people (beings), connection, quality first opens us up for everything else there is to learn in life.
This is beautiful Alex: “Making it about people (beings), connection, quality first opens us up for everything else there is to learn in life.” And it shows that Sartre was on totally the wrong track when he said “Hell is other people.” Others are our opportunity to learn and only if we choose to not learn, to remain stubborn where we are, ‘they’, or better: the missed offer to unfold, become hell for us. Others are our reflection which leads us on the path of development. This is heaven if we embrace it.
I love it Coleen, something it shows me is that we all learn by example. It is so easy to get caught into thinking we must tell people to do this or that but purely living in our essence, everything gets taken care of. It takes us away from the doing and into the being.
What an awesome fella Dood is Coleen! I couldn’t help but think of the way we nurture our children, every movement every ritual every pattern is felt, observed and learnt from. And so in life, how key is it then to always remember that everything we do and the energy we do it in, is being clocked, and will in some way or another leave its effect.
I love this, how everyone learns from the tender, loving way we are, including our pets. Our changes in weather can be extreme and sometimes we feel the cold but do nothing about it. This is an example of just how self-loving we can be.
Thank You coleen and thank You Dood! It is a funny name for a dog I like it!!
You never see a dog holding a grudge against someone. Could it be we can learn a lot from the reflection of dogs.
This is a beautiful story Coleen, I love how your loving tender gesture towards your dog enabled him to do this for himself in such a perfect way.
I agree, it would be wonderful for our education system to have this level of connection between our students- teachers, & to have self care even as a subject, in all schooling years.
It would be a joy to go to school to learn & grow, and develop ones wisdom & awareness.
It would be amazing to have such ambient energy amongst our schools, we can all live this now & especially teachers can lead the way forth.
What a beautiful reflection of loving care and tenderness from Dood. I know how we can have many examples of this in different ways. I remember as a child I used to heat my socks and undies in the airing cupboard overnight, well before there were radiators in the house, but I forgot as the houses became warmer with central heating. I have returned to doing this recently, it feels so gorgeous to put warm clothes on when I get out of a warm shower.
Wow! I have the opposite feeling from when I lived in the Snowy Mountains and it was freezing going to bed every night to now where I put the electric blanket on to warm the bed. Thank you Gill, maybe I will start to bring what you have lovingly shared about warm clothes to my rhythm.
Aaah this is such a lovely story, it even made me well up when you described how Dood had tucked himself in. It’s a huge lesson and reminder for us all that we have such great responsibility in life – our self love and care is seen and felt and is a point of inspiration for others.
I agree with you Coleen, if a dog can so easily learn to self-care, how important is the reflection we play out in front of children?
This is an adorable story and connection that you have with Dood Coleen, and the way you have drawn parallels with caring for students is inspiring. Heartwarming!
Your article Coleen brings a tenderness and care beyond this world for us all to connect with. It seems impossible for a dog to care for themselves with such tenderness, but it is not impossible ‘Dood’ has proven this. In his actions and your sharing them we all get first hand the truth that self care is not an indulgence, but an honoring grace.
I like how you say this Leigh, “… that self care is not an indulgence, but an honouring grace.” It also shows the power of love lived.
Awesome blog Coleen, there is no lesson greater than being met for one’s true self.
Very cool sharing Coleen. I love it. Absolutely our education system should stem from this level of love, care and attention as a foundation to what we need to learn for life.
A great example of what is possible when we choose to bring our consistant tenderness and love to anything, whether it is a pet, a person, or even ourselves.
If a dog can copy self-care, then so can we all. There is huge potential to inspire each other through the detail of our thoughts, words and actions.
What a beautiful story ! -And In its simplicity Communicating so much about the impact of Loving care In learning . Love it thank You for sharing Coleen .
That’s remarkable Colleen that Dood was able to do what he did having experienced it from you for a week. It shows what is possible with loving consistency.
The scene of a classroom is very well known. We can all picture the teacher and the students. Yet, we do not often ask the question of what is the energy of the teacher and of each of the students while this teaching/learning dynamics goes on. Energy may some say, it is invisible. Yet, this is not true. Anyone observing can feel into this and feel the enormous disconnection that presides over in a classroom and then relate this with most of what we can observe in terms of behaviours and performance. There is a lot to learn from the teaching/learning dynamics in profound disconnection and lack of love that will help us to understand that connection & love is the only way; the only true way for education.
Amazing – and yet, completely natural. This is a beautiful example on how we learn by example. We can preach all day, but it is only that which is lived that can be truly felt, seen and appreciated by another.
“The relationship between teacher and student is fundamental and foundational for supporting student learning in all subject areas, especially in the area of basic self-care.” Agreed. Relationship to me is everything when we are both teaching and learning. Without that connection there is little richness as it simply becomes about the knowledge.. there is no love or evolution in this. Make it all about the relationship and the teaching and learning takes care of itself in the openness of sharing, supported within a foundation of love.
When you described with such care how you wrapped Dood up for the night I could feel this was done in absolute love, and Dood was able to feel this. What followed on from this act of love was really amazing and shows how we can all learn when love is at the foremost of our actions. A truly lovely blog to read and a reminder that we can never underestimate the power of love and the affect it has on others.
Love, as an ingredient in anything has the ability to transform literally every-thing in absolutely unimaginable and unlimited ways.
Beautifully put Alexis. Love, by its very nature, has the propensity to pull all to where it is as there is no energy in the universe that is more powerful than this. Of course, we then have the choice as to whether we accept this pull to go deeper and allow the transmutation of what is being lived that does not match this vibration to be surrendered, or whether we resist this alchemy, dig our heels in and choose to stay in our comfortable bubbles of stagnation and delay. Love is all that is needed yet we have developed needs that have us seeking elsewhere and everywhere but within to where such great love forever resides.
I just love this blog Coleen, and so true we all desperately crave connection and loving care. And there are a lot of substitutes we use in daily life such as our smartphones and the internet to fill up the emptiness. Children are worthy of learning by the inspiration of the loving care you are talking about. Thank you for this awesome example how love works.
When I was at school there were some subjects I took to easily and others I struggled with – pretty normal you might say – and it is. But what I have realised is that it had so much more to do with the connection with the teacher than anything else. We think education is about imparting knowledge but it is so much more than this. It is about relationships, it is about connection – and where this was missing in my school days, it mattered not what information was being imparted because there was no ‘pathway’ for it to reach me. Understanding connection is in my view the future of education. When we make teaching about connection first, education will be a very different experience for everyone.
What a great reflection Richard, I had never considered the relationships, I did not have with some of my teachers and the difficulties I had with the subjects being presented!
Isn’t it amazing how animals are actually better at caring for themselves than us! It’s always amazed me how cows know how to move to high ground when a tsunami comes, to me it really demonstrates how as humans we are out of touch with the world around us, and also with ourselves. Though this relationship can be changed and rebuilt at any moment.
Wow what a great example of what is possible when we are truly caring, connecting, consistent and loving.
Thank you Coleen, I loved reading this and it is inspirational in how it shows it may not be just what you were doing for Dood everynight but yes absolutely the love and care he was feeling during the process. Awesome!
Just love this example of tender loving care bestowed upon ourselves, although in this case Dood, your dog. A beautiful showing of the difference we can make be it child, dog or possibly even fellow adult.
What a wonderful story Coleen, like you say if Dood the dog can learn about self care after a week then how easy would it be for our children if it became their normal and everyone had the same care for themselves as well as for others – these acts of self care would also play out in the work place later on in life.
Hi Coleen as a dog owner I totally enjoyed your article and totally appreciate the reflection our pets offer. Just the other day I was having a conversation in which I was having trouble expressing, when I got home I noticed my dog foaming at the mouth and suffering discomfort from his mouth. I rang the person back and expressed in full, this resulted in a clearing in my throat and whatever was going on with my dogs mouth also disappeared.
A great point Coleen – the way we look after and are around our children makes a huge difference to how they will be in the future, as they’re always watching and learning from our actions. You have given an amazing example of how this plays out with everyone and everything we influence!
Love is the best foundation for life – to learn and to grow and put down roots in soil rich with love and care supports you to be amazing – and when something is taught with love, it imbues you with that love.
‘Love is the best foundation of life’ beautifully expressed Rebecca.
Coleen, this feels important to question, ‘I question what we are all missing out on by not having care, love and tenderness as integral to our education system’, from what I observe with education in schools the focus seems to be very much on the academic and very little if any on health and well being and the care and tenderness of the adults and children. I can feel how very different school would be if this care was the focus. At the moment there are so many fall outs – arguments between pupils; a lot of children getting hurt or upset at break times; children off with illness and children feeling overwhelmed or that they are not good enough with the work they are asked to do. An education system based around love, care and tenderness would be absolutely amazing for teachers and pupils. Teachers and pupils would be a lot more healthy and content as a result.
A masterpiece Colleen. I have expressed before that true education integrates self care along side other core curriculum subjects. You have taken this to another level; and shown that this alone is not the answer. What matters is loving and caring relationships between student-teacher and with this children are inspired to lovingly care for themselves, in the way of Dood.
I love this story Coleen. It’s quite incredible that Dood did this, but it really just highlights what can in fact occur when a loving way is our way. So much so that even a dog can become this way. Imagine what is possible with human beings? What a Dood!!
A gorgeous reflection Coleen which has deepened my understanding of the importance of raising our children from birth in a committed environment of loving self-care, an environment that we model and mentor from our hearts and live ourselves.
I parented my son up until relatively recently from a place that contained no self love or self care and I attempted to force feed him my notion of love. Looking back I can feel how strangely mechanical and empty this way of living and indeed parenting was and can see clearly that it produced more of the same within him. Conversely and thankfully, now that I am parenting with self love and self care, that way of parenting is also producing more of the same and love is now flourishing.
Beautiful to hear this – your honesty and openess can be felt, Alexis. Lucky son ☺️
It makes so much sense to do so and when everything is around connection and love then the possibilities are beyond what we can imagine.