Scott & I knew we would get a dog eventually, because we have a lot of land and we are in this remote area. We need a watchful sniffer to alert us to wildlife coming too close and to act as a boundary enforcer. The locals here keep reminding us that we need a dog, so we got Emma. She is an amazing and complex creature. She was free. Her foster mother found the litter on her neighbors land unsupervised and she offered to step up and foster the pups. It was known that Emma's mama was a mastiff but we didn't know the dad. The litter looked like labradors. We did a DNA test and it came back showing Cane Corso mastiff, Pit Bull Terrier, and Shepherd mix. She is basically a fighting guard dog that is going to be big and powerful. Perfect. Now my life is consumed with obedience school and dog training exercises. Each day we walk about three miles and we do frequent but short training sessions throughout the day. The fact is, I am loving my new pup.
Dogs are amazing in the way that their behavior mirrors our behavior. If we are unsure or inconsistent, they will attempt to take control. If we are calm and confident they will relax and be able to learn. An insecure dog is a dangerous situation because insecurity makes them want to take control. With a powerful fighter like Emma, that could get out of hand very quickly. This is a perfect example of the Water element in nature. Think of the way instability in nature creates cataclysmic upheaval in the form of tsunami, hurricane, tidal wave, flood waters, etc. Evidence of the Water element in human nature shows up as fear and control.
This is Emma's lesson on mindfulness because she has taught me to be hyper aware of my emotional state. She will mirror me and react to my state of mind. It's like the way that in a calm lake you can see your reflection. I already know that Emma has a dominant personality, and I suspect that her primary element is Water. My element is Metal, so I am able to use self discipline to be mindful at every moment with her. I am also clear that if I slack for a single moment in these formative months, there will be great difficulty ahead. She requires constant mindfulness from me and that brings me to a blissful, balanced, centered state of mind that I don’t ever want to depart from. She is such a gift and I am not ashamed to say that Emma is the perfect spiritual teacher for this phase of my life.
