A Gift Never to Be Forgotten
Every Individual Consciousness Is Universal Consciousness
Catherine Nelson, Ph.D.
May – Jun 2024 • Vol 4, No 10
A friend I had not seen for years visited me for several days. We talked about a lot of things but one afternoon, Val shared a personal experience that had profoundly impacted her.
Val was interested in spirituality, and she was reading about the “universal life principle” in one of the books that she had brought with her. She quoted from a chapter:
“It is eternal consciousness in its deepest and highest sense. It is eternally moving,
and it is pleasure supreme. It is the essence of all that breathes, moves, and vibrates.
Every individual consciousness is universal consciousness.”
As we talked, Val shared how she had received the gift of experiencing the universal life principle from an old horse on a farm in central New Jersey many years ago. Here is Val’s story…
“It was in the late 1990s, and I was taking an animal-communication workshop for the first time. It was sponsored by a couple who cared deeply for animals. They had bought an old farm that had plenty of room to house their horses, dogs, geese, ducks, and other animals. The owners were gracious hosts and their animals, especially the dogs, were willing to work with us from a place of patience, tolerance, and love. On the second day of the workshop, one of our tasks was to find an animal who would be willing to work with us to practice communicating. We were to ask permission of the animal first to see if it was willing to communicate with us in some way and share something it had learned about life.
“Several people in the small class immediately connected with the dogs who were with us in the living room of the old farmhouse. The rest of us went outside and walked towards the barn to see what other animals might be willing and available. I was delayed in getting to the barn and by the time I arrived, all the horses had been chosen except for one. His name was Timothy, and he was an old, thoroughbred gelding.
“Timothy had been with the owners for many years, and there was no question that he would be well cared for in his old age. Timothy appeared to be in poor condition. He had a sunken back and a dislocated hip that had never quite healed. He moved slowly with a significant limp, but he could still get around, and he seemed comfortable on this hot, August day.
“As I stood near Timothy’s stall and brushed away the flies, I could smell the sweet hay, the horse manure, and Timothy’s old body. From my small ego, it sort-of felt like I was ‘stuck’ with the last available animal I could find. All the ‘better’ and ‘more interesting’ animals had been selected. I was clearly in judgment of Timothy and felt ashamed of myself at the same time for being so petty.
“I asked Timothy for permission to enter his stall and to touch him. I could feel his consent as he quietly munched on his hay. I placed my hands on his body, hoping to make a more positive connection with him, and also wanting to help him feel better in his body. As I touched him, I suddenly connected with his soul essence, and I was struck by this beautiful being! He was so much more than his physical body. He lowered his head, closed his eyelids, and his body softened and relaxed under my hands. I was in love with this horse and his soul.
“I stepped outside his stall and now from a place of deep respect, I asked Timothy if he would be willing to work with me. I asked him if there was something he wanted to tell me or teach me. He chewed his hay, and I waited, centered myself, closed my eyes, and emptied my mind of all thoughts. I heard him move away from me and go outside. If he wanted to work with me, I needed to be patient and persist. Having touched this wonderful being, I was very willing to wait and give him time, even though the other students had left the barn and gone back to the farmhouse to share their stories.
“After a while, Timothy slowly walked back into the stall. Gradually I began to sense Timothy once again, but this time, from his soul to mine. He was leading and guiding me to a deeper awareness than I had ever known. I began to hear and feel the sounds of living things all around me, the pulsations and the vital rhythms of the birds, the insects, the flowers, the grass, even the pulsing of the life force of the trees and bushes around the barn. What had started as silence had slowly begun to unfold as a symphony of sounds and sensations in my consciousness.
“Clearly, each life form had its own unique pulsation, and all the pulsations were in harmony with each other. I was in awe of this awakened awareness of the consciousness of all living beings and I felt great joy and gratitude. I knew Timothy was sharing something very special with me. I was alone in the barn and stood there with tears on my face. In all the years of my life, I had always felt a special connection with nature, but I had never experienced this level of the universal life force and the ecstasy of all life forms simultaneously.
“With my eyes still closed, I heard Timothy move closer to where I was standing against his stall. I felt his muzzle touch my hand. I opened my eyes and from my heart, I thanked this dear, wise, old soul for his love, his tolerance, and his wisdom. Without question, he was the wise one—he was the teacher and the giver of this gift of consciousness. To this day, now many years later, I am able to reconnect with the universal life force and experience in my being the oneness we share with every life form.”
I was moved by Val’s story and I thanked her for her personal sharing. Val left a few days later. I don’t know if I’ll ever see her again. I hope so. I, too, am practicing connecting to the consciousness of all life that breathes, moves and vibrates in my world!
