Affinity with animal, bird or reptile?

[ShivaFan]

Namaste

I am reaching for the word, and I think the word is "affinity". Affinity is not exactly the same as "like".

I have noticed that some humans have an affinity with certain animals or birds. This isn't the same as "I like dogs", an affinity has more aspects than just liking, it is almost a cunnection or understanding, sort of a "oneness".

I hope I am making sense, but I think this is true for some, if not many.

Many have an affinity with dogs. Often with certain types of dogs. This is very common I think.

An affinity does not mean "I have a pet". You may, you may not.

Personally, I have a type of affinity with the raven. Exactly why, is sort of a mystery, believe me it has nothing to do with Edgar Poe.

What about you? Do you have an affinity with an animal, bird or perhaps even a snake?

Om Namah Sivaya

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

For me, it's bears, apes, monkeys, crows, reptiles, some insects and large dogs and cats.

 

[ShivaFan]

wow! that's an impressive list SF!

in terms of reptiles, i have an affinity with cobras. Not as strong as the raven, but definite.

Actually, if I were to spread out my affinity horizons, the cobra is there. I do not have an "affinity" with bears like you do, but I have had a lot of experiences with them, including grizzly in Wyoming and antelope, actually I am scared of them and respectful too.

Om Namah Sivaya

 

[ShivaFan]

Owls! Especially the barn owl. But owls is another. That's a strong one! Since you, SF are an Olympian, I think you can appreciate that! Athena Nike and the owl, there is also Lakshmi and the owl. Om Namah Sivaya

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

wow! that's an impressive list SF!

in terms of reptiles, i have an affinity with cobras. Not as strong as the raven, but definite.

Actually, if I were to spread out my affinity horizons, the cobra is there. I do not have an "affinity" with bears like you do, but I have had a lot of experiences with them, including grizzly in Wyoming and antelope, actually I am scared of them and respectful too.

Om Namah Sivaya

Hehe, thanks. I just love animals. Ever since I was a boy. My favorite animal growing up was the gorilla. I just love them. But I've had cats all through my life. There's never been a time that I didn't have cats. Sometimes I get tired of them, but there they are. I love 'em, though.

But in recent years, I've grown to have a strong connection with bears. I view them as the primal aspect of myself. My power animal. So many people seem to love wolves, but give me a big brown bear any day!

I like reptiles because I seem to have had at least one at all times. I used to have anoles (small lizards) but I've had a turtle since the end of the '90s. He's actually older than me! :O I also love snakes, turtles and tortoises in general.

I've always liked insects, as well as earthworms and our other many-legged friends that creep along the ground. I always pick up bugs that come from outside and save them from my cats. I also move them from the street. I really hate killing flies and such. It makes me feel bad. I'm not sure they count, but I have a pet tarantula.

I love dogs. I haven't had one since I was a little kid. I really want one, though.

Oh, and I also love whales. The blue whale was my favorite animal for a bit as a kid. I did a presentation on them for science class once.

 

[Boyd]

I think I would have to say that the animal I have the most affinity to is the cobra. When I was in Egypt, I met some members of a village there that would go out and hunt snakes, including the cobra. Having learned a great deal from them, I feel as if I built up an affinity to cobras. I used to also train with them for different performances, including an expose of how different individuals would make a cobra rise out of a basket by seemingly putting it into a trance.

 

[Me Myself]

I cant say I know. It would be cool to know, but I dont know.

I do own a dog and he likes me though

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Owls! Especially the barn owl. But owls is another. That's a strong one! Since you, SF are an Olympian, I think you can appreciate that! Athena Nike and the owl, there is also Lakshmi and the owl. Om Namah Sivaya

Indeed! Athena is one of my favorite Goddesses, actually. Owls are beautiful creatures. I highly respect them.

I like crows because they're quite cheeky and proud animals. They always seem like they're laughing and strutting around. Plus, they always seem to follow me around. There was a murder of crows on my street where I used to live and they would always follow me up and down the street whenever I was out. It was very strange. Maybe they saw me as part of their group because I tend to wear all black. I liked it, though.

Oh, yeah: I also love butterflies. I used to raise them as a child.

Wow, I have a lot of ties to our non-human friends. Lol.

 

[ShivaFan]

Thanks SF. I like your tastes. I go to watch the tarantula migrations on Mount Diablo. Not that I have an "affinity", but I am connected in my life with them, and "know" them.

Of insects oddly I feel "I know" the carpenter bee and the termite. I actually sort of hate and love the termite, and study them sometimes.

I too love turtles. I love the "box turtle" and desert type turtles and land turtles more than water or ocean ones.

I love birds. Doves - have you ever heard of the fruit dove? Folks should check out their pictures online.

Yes, I do have an affinity with turtles, too, they are there on the list. Doves like me, but I would not call it an affinity.

I like dogs, I think the affinity there has become almost symbiotic over 40,000 years. Man and dog I think are linked together from then and now into eternity we go together whereever we will go, the dog will come with us.

The cat will probably be there too, but as an observer.

 

[Knight of Albion]

All life is one.

Seeking affinity with everything...

 

[ShivaFan]

Namaste Knight

There is a lot of truth in that, Sir KOA.

Where ever we go, we must step wisely. If we help them, they will one day help us.

Om Namah Sivaya

 

[Poeticus]

&

 

[ShivaFan]

Interesting insight SF, your comments about crows.

Ravens and cruws are kissing cousins as far as family. Ravens have a lower voice, but do these same behaviors.

I love parrots who many consider the smartest bird, but in fact studies (such as the book "The Mind of the Raven") seem to indicate the smartest bird is the Raven (though there are birds probably yet unknown, or if they are smart they might be hiding from us), and crows must share a lot of these "smarts" (can be sort of a relative term).

I also tend to wear all black, but also sometimes all white. This has nothing to do with my favorite color, which is green, but both Ravens and Crows also tend to follow me around. Perhaps you hit the nail on the head as to why?

One thing is for sure, ravens definitely will link with a human or other humans as part of their pack, some of the same studies have proven this.

Interestingly ravens can see in sets of 13 on average. Meaning they can see "two sets" and "a few more" if there are 30 people. For example, the average human sees in sets uf four, some five. So a human would group things in the "wild" like seeing "two sets" plus "a few more" if they see 10 ravens. This is not the same as mathematical ability, and is not saying ravens are smarter than humans, it is an interesting aspect of the mind however.

In World War One and WWII it was observed by soldiers on both sides, how a pack of ravens would come to identify with one type of military uniform or "pack" over another and form a "benefit ring" and start to follow and join with others, just as there has been a very, very old and complex similar ring going back for thousands of years between wolves (and dogs), humans and ravens.

Soldiers started to notice that one coven of ravens might bond with the British for example. When you would have some Germans hiding in the field on a foggy morning, the coven would fly over the Germans and then start a big ruckus. They were saying to the British "over here! shoot the canons over here! They are here!".

Why? Because they wanted to eat the eyes of the dead German soldiers. Sounds horrible, I know. But oddly, they would not help the Germans likewise once the "pack" was formed. You had other covens that would bond in the other direction with Germans. Despite the dislike of crows and ravens for loud bangs and guns, similar observations were made during the US Civil War. This would normally happen during the winter or cold weather.

Om Namah Sivaya

 

[Thief]

Namaste

I am reaching for the word, and I think the word is "affinity". Affinity is not exactly the same as "like".

I have noticed that some humans have an affinity with certain animals or birds. This isn't the same as "I like dogs", an affinity has more aspects than just liking, it is almost a cunnection or understanding, sort of a "oneness".

I hope I am making sense, but I think this is true for some, if not many.

Many have an affinity with dogs. Often with certain types of dogs. This is very common I think.

An affinity does not mean "I have a pet". You may, you may not.

Personally, I have a type of affinity with the raven. Exactly why, is sort of a mystery, believe me it has nothing to do with Edgar Poe.

What about you? Do you have an affinity with an animal, bird or perhaps even a snake?

Om Namah Sivaya

Hummingbirds seem to like me.
They hover about me up close.
They really do look right at me.
Maybe they know I'm the guy that planted the honey suckle bush.

 

[ShivaFan]

Beautiful snow leopard and panther मैत्रावरुणिः!

The Bengal Tiger has been a fascination for me since a child. I am sort of respectfully scared and love them anyway. There was a great movie, "The Two Brothers" on tiger. Those who have not seen this movie, they should. It was produced by the same director as the movie "The Bear", here is an old trailer, it came out years ago and copies might be hard to find:

[youtube]xvRZIAwkTvQ[/youtube]
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xvRZIAwkTvQ

Om Namah Sivaya

 

[ShivaFan]

No doubt T, hummingbirds like you. They see you as a nature partner because you grew the honey flowers, somehow they figured this out!

About a month or so ago, I had a swallow stop right in front of my face in flight, very odd in that swallows are diving and darting for small bugs, I didn't know they could do this. Maybe the bird thought a bug was on my face, or since no one else was around it just looked at me for some reason.

Om Namah Sivaya

 

[Thief]

No doubt T, hummingbirds like you. They see you as a nature partner because you grew the honey flowers, somehow they figured this out!

About a month or so ago, I had a swallow stop right in front of my face in flight, very odd in that swallows are diving and darting for small bugs, I didn't know they could do this. Maybe the bird thought a bug was on my face, or since no one else was around it just looked at me for some reason.

Om Namah Sivaya

Yeah....smart birds they are!
One season, as I was moving the front yard a dozen or so came to feed on the bugs as the mover blade stirred the grass!

One of them came straight forward and up in front of me!
He hovered there for a moment as if to look me over.
Next thing I know....I've got a nest of them on the porch light....right against the front door.

This was all fine until the chicks hatched.
Then they get a little....protective.
Just to be sure, I reached my hand out beyond the porch with fingers spread open.....
They don't like this!
They seem to understand fingers and claws!
They are really fast and defensive!

When the chicks were on the edge of the nest testing their wings....
I gave each one a little push.
They haven't returned.
Apparently it's all good until you "use your fingers"

 

[Gjallarhorn]

Well, I can rule out reptiles immediately. Never met one that didn't seem dull.

Birds? Eh. They're great symbolically and fun to watch, but I doubt that amounts to an "affinity".

Since we're talking of deep meaningful connections, I can only say I've felt this with dogs and sometimes cats, since they have been bred specifically to analyze and react to human expressions and attitudes.

Beyond this idea, I connect with many symbolisms of other animals, but that's all it is: symbolism. If I haven't dealt with an animal on a personal level, how can I say I connect with them? That's like saying I connect to famous actors while having no idea as to what lies behind their public persona.

 

[Valjean]

 

[Revoltingest]

Apes, dolphins, vultures, cats, whales & bacon.