Dear Ones of Great Heart,
These times we are in are so challenging to navigate. New territories each day to explore and navigate. So today I wanted to remind us that we are animals in the best possible way - and to share some wonderful connections between animals.
If you feel called to gather with us - we have several new in person and virtual experienced open to you here including Red Madonna our 13 Moon Sisterhood and She’s in Full Bloom - flower painting class in person and virtually.
You Remember, Don’t You?
You remember, don’t you?
How we are creation creating.
How we are not separate from the living world, but one expression of it.
We are one of the animals of this sacred Earth.
You know about the whales and the wolves and the crows.
You know about the elephants and the otters.
You remember, don’t you?
The wolf pack is an extended family. Older siblings help raise younger pups. Survival is shared.
Crows and ravens remember human faces for years. They teach one another who is dangerous and who can be trusted. Their memory includes relationships—who helped them, who harmed them, who belongs. Some can even mimic human voices.
And the orcas. Orcas have distinct dialects, unique hunting techniques, and social customs that are passed from generation to generation. Scientists often describe these traditions as culture because they are learned socially, not inherited genetically.
And what about the sea otters? They hold paws while resting. They wrap themselves in kelp so they do not drift apart while they sleep upon the sea.
What a thing to remember.
The African elephant can recognize dozens, even hundreds, of individuals over many years. Elephants return to the bones of deceased relatives and display behaviors associated with grief and mourning. Their matriarchs carry knowledge that helps entire families survive.
Some researchers have found that bottlenose dolphins develop signature whistles that function much like names.
A beautiful thing, to be known.
And what of the prairie vole? You probably have not thought about prairie voles lately.
Yet they are famous for forming long-term pair bonds. They show preference for their partners and distress when separated. Their relationships matter.
Then there are the sperm whales. Groups of sperm whales share distinctive communication patterns called codas. These vocal traditions define clans that can span entire ocean basins and persist across generations.
Chimpanzees maintain long-term friendships. They form alliances. They reconcile after conflict. They pass learned behaviors through their communities.
And bonobos. Bonobos use grooming, play, affection, and social connection to reduce conflict and strengthen community bonds. Their societies are among the most cooperative known among our closest relatives.
The African Grey Parrot forms deep pair bonds, learns from companions, and maintains complex social relationships over many years. They recognize individuals and use specific calls for specific companions.
Even the common vampire bat has something to teach us.Vampire bats share food with unrelated individuals who have failed to feed. Not because they must, but because long-term relationships matter. Reciprocity matters.
And the honeybee. A honeybee colony makes sophisticated collective decisions through communication dances and distributed intelligence. The wisdom does not live in a single bee. It lives in the hive.
So yes.
Dolphins appear to use names.
Elephants carry multigenerational memory.
Orcas pass on culture.
Crows teach knowledge.
Vampire bats practice reciprocity.
Sea otters hold one another close.
Sperm whales belong to clans.
Wolves and elephants are guided by elders.
And then there are the aunties.
Elephant calves are often cared for not only by their mothers but by sisters, cousins, and other females. Care is shared.
Orca grandmothers continue guiding their pods long after their reproductive years have ended. Research suggests that younger whales survive at higher rates when these elder females are present.
Penguins find one another through unique calls after weeks apart.
Horses form preferred friendships. They graze side by side, groom one another, and become distressed when separated. They are exquisitely sensitive to human emotion and body language.
Dogs can distinguish between happy, angry, and fearful expressions. They use trusted humans as a secure base from which to explore the world. They seek comfort, offer companionship, and form deep attachments with both humans and other dogs.
And then there are the cats.
Cats remain a mystery.
Yet I have noticed with my own cats that when I speak, they answer. When I pause, they lean in. When I tell them I am leaving and when I am returning, our relationship improves. When I do not feel well, they often seem to know exactly where to settle beside me.
Perhaps that is science.
Perhaps that is love.
Perhaps it is both.
Many animals have best friends.
Many animals grieve.
Many animals teach.
Many animals remember.
So today, let us remember that we are animals too.
We do better when we are together.
We do better when we care for one another.
When we feed one another.
When we remember our elders.
When we help raise the young.
When we belong to something larger than ourselves.
Let us remember that we are not standing outside of nature, observing it.
We are nature.
And sometimes I wonder if we are the most sophisticated form of life after all.
There is so much more to say about the beauty and power of animals.
But for today, I simply want to ask:
You remember, don’t you?
Don’t you want to hold paws and wrap ourselves in seaweed so we do not float apart?
With love,
Curate Shiloh Sophia
