CONSCIOUSNESS OF EXPLOITATION
The sounds of bulldozers working are heard as they pierce
the morning silence. Men shouting commands echo as they hurry around at
a fevered pace to meet deadlines. Dust clouds blanket the once pristine
environment as heavy equipment continues to be delivered. From morning until
dark, the earth will feel the vibrations of a new business being created
that will benefit humans as they will be able to drive to work in record
time.
In the midst of all the excitement of building new roads, a cougar knows to find a new home. As he begins his journey, his survival depends on his ability to recognize the new elements that have entered his life. Measuring every step, he wades through the underbrush and dense growth that will soon disappear. He pauses, observing any movement hinting as a threat and decides to move on. He continues for several days until he has, at last found a new home. He has yet to detect the signs of other wildlife that he will encounter and threaten his survival. It is only a matter of time. He is now living in someone’s territory that he will have to defend as his own if he chooses to stay.
The cougar has not been hurt, killed or suffered and yet he
has been used for economic gain. He has been taken advantage of without
any consideration of his needs. Humans have benefited at his expense. His
challenge will be to continually adapt or die. He is nothing more than an
object in our mindless quest. We have betrayed our relationship with him.
This scenario will repeat itself indefinitely unless the concept of exploitation
itself is re-visioned in a world informed by the knowledge of cosmic evolution.
In our current conditioned consciousness, exploitation is thought of as utilizing something in an unjust, cruel or selfish manner for one's own advantage or utilizing anything or anyone for any purpose without due compensation. Under this definition, the cougar has been exploited through omission. Through the lack of our awareness of the cougar as a sentient being, his inherent rights have been violated, and the structure of our relationship with him has changed. The existing beliefs surrounding exploitation are limited in scope and dictate imbalanced relationships.
The animals are in crisis caused in part by our activities
and lack of awareness of how we relate with them. A transformation in consciousness
will occur as we consider how we relate to the world around us. The result
will manifest not only in our spiritual lives, but will ultimately affect
the fate of the larger evolution of consciousness.
Three questions will help us create a higher way of being in terms of our relationship with animals. First, where are we? Second, what are we really doing? And third, what is really needed? How we decide to view our fundamental position regarding the relationships involving exploitation will not only determine the way we perceive it, but will also determine the impact we will have on the planet.
The cats at Big Cat Rescue are manifestations of our limited beliefs about exploitation. Physical scars can be seen. The emotional scars and suffering can be seen as well as soon as we manifest a change in our consciousness of exploitation.
By: Laura Lluellyn-Lassiter
Weekly podcasts by Laura Lluellyn-Lassiter at: http://www.BigCatRescue.org/podcats.htm
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