You KNOW They're More Than 'Just An Animal'
You know animals are kin but society expects you to treat them like animals
Truth be told, I don’t find the current conventional attitude about animals being ‘just an animal’ to be either true, honest or respectful.
It’s rooted in a colonized mind set that dictates who does and doesn’t have value and what that value is.
In episode #50 of True Kinship With Animals podcast, guest Tracie Nichols, expert in transformative learning said:
when you use language to create an identity for something else and you’re the one who is god-like creating that identity, then of course everything else you identify is going to be a little bit less human, of less importance, of less worth while than you are.
We’ve come a long way in our relationship with animals - as one author says, we’ve gone from the backyard, to the bedroom to the boardroom. And we have a long way to go yet. Contemporary colonized society indoctrinates us into what relationship with animals should be and tension is created when it’s in opposition to how we want to treat animals.
A True Story
With my first dog, Squirt, I followed the trainer’s advice of using a choke collar. I didn’t want to use it and asked what alternatives were available and the trainer told me there were none. If I wanted Squirt to be a well trained dog, that was my only option. It broke my heart to do so, but I thought I was doing what was best for Squirt. After all, I was listening to the professional, right?
When we listen to those colonized messages, we can believe we have failed. We haven’t failed, it’s the colonized message about relationship with animals that has manipulated us.
I have witnessed many of my clients, friends and family struggle against those engrained messages WHILE striving to discover respectful and ethical ways to be with animals in ways that honor their agency and yours.
It makes me wonder how much our love and commitment to animals is shaped by the ideas of a culture that in general values people over animals.
What You Can Do
Here are 3 things you can do to change things for the animals and yourself:
You’ve already taken the first step by being here and subscribing.
Listen to the podcast True Kinship With Animals and explore my blog.
Join me in the upcoming free workshop I’m hosting, Kindred
The workshop is for those who are looking to break away from the colonized messages about our relationship with animals but don’t know where or how to start.
It will be held via Zoom on Tuesday, February 7 at 4PM MOUNTAIN. Seats are limited, so be sure to save your spot.
In the workshop I’m introducing the monthly subscription based service Kindred. You’ll hear the who, what when, where why and how of this the program and how it can change your relationship with animals.
We’re not meant to do this work alone, but to do it in community. I hope you will join the workshop and see if Kindred is right for you and how it can make a difference for you and the animals!
Pledge your support to my Substack:
My wise friend, I love that for years you've been helping people remember that animals are relations, not belongings! <3