ANIMALS---Do They Have Souls?
Every morning without fail, I awake sandwiched between two extra large, fat, juicy cats. I have a full-sized bed, mind you, but my space on the bed is limited to a 1’X 7’ space in the direct center of the bed. Most of the time when I wake, I can’t even move side-to-side because the kitties are pressed so tightly by me on both sides. Does this invasion of personal space annoy me? Sometimes. But most of the time, it makes me smile first thing in the morning. I do not have children, so my two spoiled cats are pretty much treated as such, and I’m convinced they are of the mindset that they are in fact human. Animals, in general, tend to exhibit many of the same characteristics, behaviors, and habits as humans. Would it not then stand to reason that they too have souls?
I think in some ways animals actually have more soul than their human counterparts. They are certainly less judgmental and often times far more compassionate than humans. Animals express many of the same emotions humans do: love, anger, joy, apathy, jealousy, hatred, and even depression. They behave like humans, with violence and fighting, killing one another, being mischievous, reproducing and caring for their young, hunkering down during bad weather, and simply trying to live happily, contently, and in a manner which allows them to thrive.
Animals desire much the same in life as humans, minus the need/want/love for technology, money, and the daily grind of having to hold down a job. They have a closer relationship with the earth than we do simply by the fact that they aren’t the ones leaving behind carbon footprints. If left alone and human less for too long, every species of animal, specifically those who have been domesticated would/could adapt to living off the land. Simply put, they really don’t need mankind to survive.* (see footnote)
But life just works better when they and we live in harmony together. When I stated earlier that animals are not judgmental and are compassionate, I was using my own two fat cats for reference. I’ve been co-habiting with these two for going on 6 years, and believe me we have been through a lot together. They have seen me at my best and worst, yet they still love me unconditionally. When I cry, they always come to me to see what’s wrong. When I’m angry whether at them or not, they pick up on it and keep their distance from me for a while. They don’t care if I have a big, honkin’ zit on my face. They don’t care whether or not I wear make-up. They don’t care if I walk around the apartment in flannel pajama pants all winter long. They don’t care if I’m gassy. They don’t care if my hair is in a pony tail every day during the summer. They love me the same unconditional way every day without fail, and without me having to wonder about or question it. I am sure that those of you who have pets feel the same way about your own.
Humans have a spiritual connection with non-domestic animals as well. We enjoy watching animals, well, just being animals. That’s why we have zoos all over the globe. We take vacations to reconnect with nature. We camp in the wilderness hoping to catch glimpses of animals in their natural habitat as undisturbed by man as possible. We feel an inner peace in reconnecting with nature and the earth. That’s very spiritual, and I believe that any living creature which can invoke such feelings of inner peace and contentment must have a soul.
Do you have an opinion as to whether animals have a soul? Comments and opinions are welcomed and appreciated. Tell me about the soulful connection you have with your pets!
Peace out!
*(This is not to say that a domestic animal can live in the wild if dumped out of a car by a thoughtless owner on a country road to be left to fin for itself. I just want to clarify my meaning. I’m saying that over time, a domestic species could live without man’s intervention.)*
