We are not alone in this world, though human beings often seem as if they would be more comfortable believing so. More often than not, we discard the value of our fellow man and we believe that the animals of this world are far below us on the evolutionary ladder, that they are here simply for our exploitation. We poach them, hunt them, lock them in cages, and use them for experiments too barbarous to subject humans to. It often seems as if the words, "They're only animals," are our mantra against our own feelings, the key that locks our souls away from the actions we attempt to justify.
When we begin to open up to the creatures that share this world with us, our first realization is that they are very different than us. They live in the wild, howl at the moon, and fill us with a sense of fear as we're certain that they look at us as just another potential meal.
But we are also very much the same. Many animals have families and intricate standards of social behavior that are carefully adhered to. Although it is said that we often project human emotions on our fellow creatures, those of us who have spent any time with animals know that they not only have emotions, but distinct personalities. How many of us have listened to a mother cat cry for her kittens that are now gone? How many have watched the family dog hang it's head when scolded, only to perk up its ears and wag its tail when praised?
Although their emotional responses may be more simple and straightforward than our own, this is their gift to us, not a standard that sets us apart. As we observe them, we realize that in a sense that they are us, that their lives mirror aspects of our own. Throughout time, mankind has identified with specific animals and many people feel a certain kinship with individual species. Lore has grown around "power animals" and "spirit animals" and we find that we can draw upon the energy of the archetypes they represent in much the same way we can raise natural energy.
But it's more than just that. There is a certain wonder in knowing that wolves still run free, that primates still thrive in remote forests. Knowing that the world around us is still wild and free fills us with a certain joy, a certain childlike wonder at the majesty of Nature, at the intricate web of life to which we belong.
We are not alone in this world. Mankind is not the only creature that shares this planet. There are animals that share this world that we know as brothers, sisters, and teachers. But our magical family embraces more than just the animal kingdom. On a subtle level, the world around us is alive. Each place, each environment, each tree and stone has it's own specific vibration, it's own unique energy. In a very real sense, we are related to each of these.
When we begin to change our criteria from social status to the sanctity of life, we begin to feel our perceptions change as well. It doesn't mean that we can't cut down trees because they're our kin, or put meat on the table for those of us who make it a part of their diet. What it means is that we can no longer look at the world simply as a resource to be used for our comfort. The world is alive. Not one of us will dispute that. What we need to do is slowly realize that this bond of life unites us all. Whether rock or stream, man or animal, air or tree, each of us is part of the web of life. By placing our value on this life, and not the end product, we will slowly begin to enrich our lives. And when we take those things from the web that we need for our own survival and growth, whether it is the lessons learned from sitting quietly in a wild place or the life of a tree we need for wood, we'll truly understand the value of that resource. And while we can still use those things we need, we will understand that it is a gift of life that the timber gives us as it forms our walls and roof. And that connection, that understanding, will connect us more intimately with the weave of life and magic around us.