Good Medicine

Anyone who has ever owned and loved a pet knows what animal medicine is, even if they don't know it by that name. My dog Faith, above, is my animal medicine. I rescued her from an animal shelter. Owning and caring for a pet is known to relieve stress, alleviate depression and lower blood pressure, just to name a few of the health benefits. Pets are great companions and are always happy when you come home! They also teach us so much about unconditional love.
Native American Spirituality has a more extensive definition for animal medicine and animal totems which accompany us on our soul journey through our lifetime(s). Where we were born on the medicine wheel is associated with a specific animal.
More to follow.....

My daughter and grandson have three kitties....this is their newest one. My daughter rescued her a few years ago when she was abandoned in a parking lot down in The Flats of Cleveland, Ohio....She was only a few weeks old and wasn't even weened from her Mama yet....My daughter saved her life and she is quite a character and a very beautiful cat!

You can learn so much from watching animal behavior and see how they interact among their 'family and friends'. I was watching these female lions and every so often I would snap a picture. I was there for at least a half hour, with impatient family members yelling at me to hurry. I just had a feeling that I would get a good shot, my patience paid off because I captured this display of affection.
To me watching these lions was good medicine because it was entertaining, I got a prize winning photo and it was a stress reliever.
The title of this picture is "Affectionate", it was taken at The Cleveland Zoo in the mid 80's. (Now known as The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo)
Photo Tip: Go to the zoo alone or with another photographer if you want ample time to take pictures and not feel rushed.
Also check with your local zoo to see if there are certain times when you might be able to take photos during hours that are not open to the general public.

There is something about digging in the dirt, feeling it on your hands, smelling its fresh smell. It is even better if the reason you are doing so is to plant flowers or vegetables. Even pulling weeds can be a zen experience. There's just something about interacting with the earth, breathing fresh air and feeling the warm sun that can't be beat. If you live in an apartment, condo or don't have ample space in your yard for a garden, you can always plant a patio garden of flowers, herbs and maybe some tomato plants.
I've had many kinds of gardens. Small and medium sized vegetable gardens, flower beds, patio gardens, and a public victory garden when I was young. Actually, this is when I first learned how to plant a garden. I thank my parents for affording me this opportunity. Anyone who has planted a vegetable garden knows that the biggest payoff is having fresh vegetable and how good they taste.....I'm going through my archives and will come up with some photos soon.... many of my photos are traditional photos and aren't digitized yet.....
For more...visit my "Gardening Is Good Medicine" lens
Gardening Is Good Medicine