Simply Wondering

  Over the several years we talked with Fred, many topics and themes were discussed. Some were personal, many were general, but I think something can be learned or extracted even through the more personal. To give an idea what sort of ground was covered, or touched on, I’ll try to place topics into categories, and for the fun of it, call them Fred Threads, to be shared as time goes on. Here are some of them:

• Animals
• Body
• Communication
• Dimensions
• Death
• Energy
• Fear
• Grounding
• Humans
• Images
• Love
• Mind
• Nature
• Pain
• Spiritual
• State of the World
• Zero Point

Although Fred specializes in having fun, being light-hearted, good-humored, I don’t think he can be mistaken for being a light-weight. As far as I can make out, he is discussing that which concerns many of the main religions of the world, as well as some of the psychologies. But from a refreshing viewpoint that is not hampered by the conditioning of our oh-so-human mindsets. Our culture, Western culture, is very much in favor of rational, linear, scientific thinking and seems not willing to see the dead-end this lack of balance, this lopsidedness fosters. Even those that question and seek are mired by the assumptions and mindsets of such a collective direction – it is amazingly hard to see around them; at least I know it is taking me forever to start to understand that it behooves me to try. I believe Fred is trying to help us with that. For starters, he chats to us from the unusual position of a dog who teaches humans. That alone seems to skew a few dearly held assumptions, no?

Recently I happened to notice similarities between Fred’s approach and that of the Sufis, and also particularly of Eckhart Tolle, who makes such a strong case for staying in the moment in his book, The Power of Now. I think that is exactly what Fred is getting at as he continually suggests we try to be a dog for a day, even an hour. Even if we were to go out back behind some trees so no-one will see us doing ‘pretending’, it is almost impossible to relax, be goalless for a while. The monkey mind jabbers and screeches: this is so silly, I have things to do, someone might be trying to call me, I’ll be bored, how is this going to make the fear go away, I need to get at least a few things off my to-do list, I could have worked some overtime……………… It makes me tired thinking about it – maybe I’ll just take a little nap.

The first thing Fred said, once actually asked if he had anything he wanted to say:

Remember who you are. God is within you and you are love. It is so simple. We animals are trying to show you this.

Catherine: You know, Fred, I think what is coming through in these pictures is the joy that I guess you’ve always known is in there, but I never did – just the pure joy of the absolute miracle of nature.

Fred: People find their joy in different things. As an individual, you have to find what that is for yourself, and you are finding that within yourself. So that is your joy.

  I want to say, or repeat, here, that I do not understand what happened. Sharon is used to channeling non-physical beings. And she had occasionally done some Tarot readings for me when I was either curious about her gift, or in a stew about something and casting about for answers. But for me to develop a relationship with a ’spirit’ being over a period of time? A being who had formerly been my dog and was now dead and buried in one of my gardens? No, I do not understand it. So I am simply sharing bits and pieces of what happened. Then you can not understand it too, right?

One of my early questions to Fred had to do with his purpose in this life. When I say ‘this’ life, I mean the one he lived from 1985 to 1997. Sometime in 2005, I think it was, he told us he had returned, reincarnated, as a dog again, he was a puppy. He hinted that it took a while to determine if he would come back as a human or a dog:

…I’m an animal. I thought it was much too much work to come back as a human being again… I might do it later, but I can’t handle it right now… I want to play a little more. Yeah.

But I was referring to what his purpose was in the 12 years he lived with my family, and he responded:

I enjoy being a dog. I’ve been a dog many times. This is a special time to be on earth; it is shifting to a higher frequency. I’ve wanted to be here to enjoy that and to help others. Most of my work has been about being laughter and play and light to this family.

Why, I had asked, did he choose this family?

We have known each other infinitely long, and have often been together, dancing. Different parts were played by each: supporting, teaching, etc…. All are special. You must learn to live from the heart. Part of my purpose has been to teach that.. We won’t be separate when I leave, the heart connection is strong. If focused on the heart connection, we’ll be aware of it. If distracted, you’ll think the connection is gone.

It has taken me forever to feel confident that we had that connection, once he had died. I counted on Sharon to tell me what he had to say, to pass along questions for me. But I am slowly taking the time to sit still, get centered, and call him in. And there is a response. Maybe it is a feeling tone, maybe a wisp of an image. Maybe I just start thinking a bit differently. But the response gets stronger the more I practice.

Introducing Me

This is the third time I have re-written this post. The idea is to talk about a book a friend and I are in the process of self-publishing, for it contains a rather extra-ordinary story. The book is called Fred Said, and tells about the teachings of my deceased dog, as communicated through Sharon, a medium, in dialogue with me. Not, at least in my little world, an ordinary happening, and I want to talk about it, get feedback.

However, it seems that from 1997, when this started, until now, probably longer, this happening has become one long ‘process’ for me. It has pushed buttons, dredged up chthonic fears, elicited amazing synchronicities, given insights, caused upheaval, unleashed tremendous resistance, sparked moments of joy, forced attention to some very basic questions, suggested radical, box-rending ideas… well, you get the idea. I am not the same person I was, and the step of sharing the story with a much wider audience has added amps to the roller coaster. And while the changes are undoubtedly to be lauded, it has not contributed to a smooth beginning to this blog!

Fred had some things to say and had a problem in common with other non-physical beings, apparently – no-one listens. But he had an in with Sharon and I: he told me that he had been and continues to be my teacher, and Sharon could “hear” him. Therefore, his communication, something he wanted shared with the world, is now dependent on a now up-side-down human, his student (Sharon has done her part already).

It’s OK. I’m grateful for the new perspective and happy to do as he asks. It feels right, he feels right. His message is about love, he is about love, and I have been able to feel that love. And yes, Fred, the world could use some love.

So I wanted folks to know where I am coming from as I post pieces on what Fred had said. This is a working-through-as-I-write, and as I get feedback sort of affair. I know I will be quoting or referring to various writers as I go along, not because Fred needs confirmation, but because I need to understand, because that will be part of my process with the book. I suspect Fred’s process, should he be experiencing one, is pondering patience!

That said, at the same time, I want to make clear that the book itself is not about Sharon or I. Yes, we asked questions that were often personal. And while I’m sure his answers were tailored to our capabilities and needs, it appears that the point was to use these questions as a jumping off place from which to express his teachings. Furthermore, I will share some of the effect Fred has and is having on my life as I think it serves as a good example of the difficulties a ‘heady’ person – ‘heady’ describing someone who thinks about everything, all the time, including their feelings, and is not well-grounded, and which is fairly typical of our culture overall – experiences with the large part of life that is not going to be understood, pinned down, by the mind. Our culture is addicted to the gifts of the mind, the scientific, the rational. And it seems to be puzzled as to why life is becoming increasingly more frightening, empty, lonely, out of control. Excluding the fundamentalists, for now, it has no way of dealing with all the rest of life – the non-rational, the mystery, the heart. Someone like myself, functioning mainly through the mind, can therefore hopefully serve as an example of trying to come to terms with that lopsidedness. Other than these two instances, however, our lives are not the point, are irrelevant.

Introducing Sharon and Fred

My friend, Sharon, is a channel, has been since childhood. Several years ago I had gone through a New Age stage, I’ll call it, listening to and reading about many topics, most of which do not pay excessive attention to the scientific-rationalistic line put down by the culture. I found some of it very worthwhile (astrology, for instance, continually amazes me in its usefulness), and some of it not so much. I didn’t frequent channels often, since their own ’stuff’ can get mixed in with the ‘message’, and I have no way of knowing what their ’stuff’ is. But Sharon was different – I knew her, and knew that she worked very hard to bring integrity to the message. About a month after my dog, Fred, had died, she had come for a visit. Coming into the house, she said, “Fred’s here! He’s bouncing around and greeted me as I came up the drive!” Well.

After a few sessions of me talking and asking questions with Sharon channeling Fred, it dawned on us to tape them; they lasted for maybe an hour or more and we had already started to forget what he had previously said. Sharon’s experience was different than mine: she could feel his energy as she ‘interpreted’, but the glow and the memory of the message would fade after maybe a half an hour or so.

It seems Fred has evolved to the point of not being required to return to the earth dimension, but chooses nevertheless to incarnate as a dog, and, either in that form or from spirit world, to teach. We were the students. Mostly he taught about love; often he answered questions about the spirit dimension – when, that is, he wasn’t laughing to himself, politely, at our ditherings, muddles and ignorance.

Below is some of what he shared in response to my curiosity as to why such a wise-sounding soul chose to incarnate as a dog (I seemed to be hung up on the fact he didn’t have hands, wasn’t that frustrating?):

We go through a period of getting used to whatever body you have, getting used to the digestive function, the eliminating functions, etc. There is special joy in experiencing each form; they each have a unique perspective, expressing the playfulness of the universe. Each is a chance to learn. All share the opportunity to acknowledge the oneness of all beings, to know the Creator in this form. It is easier to remember our connection to the Creator as an animal. It is the special opportunity of humans to forget and then rediscover…. I’ve enjoyed being a dog, experiencing that energy, that vibration. When we enter a form, we “do” that form. It was fun playing tricks, to sneak out, to chase cats. It was fun to tease when interacting and teaching. Great teachers in human form use humor.