Dear Ann,
    Personally I feel most animals exist in an amoral world so calling a
wolf or a crow cruel, for instance, is ridiculous. They don't understand the
consequence of their actions as humans do.
The idea I was querying here is quite a common one in scientific circles (I
expected better from a self-confessed shaman) that animal have no sense of
self. that they exist as a sort of collective consciousness.Anymore who has
ever bothered to get to know animals will know that is rubbish. They have
distinctive personalities and I'm convinced are aware of themselves as
individuals.
Kind regards,
   grasshopper
----- Original Message -----
 V. W.
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Sunday, January 19, 2003 5:57 PM
Subject: Re: [THE-WORKS] New sub: Ego


In a message dated 18/01/2003 22:37:27 GMT Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:



that they have souls untainted by ego, unlike humans.

I think of a blackbird fluting variations of MemeMe
into the growing dawn, the stallion coralling his kingdom,
sly squirrels rolling requisitioned nuts like Sisyphus,
the jealous cat who shoulders his brother aside
to usurp a caress, his gaze twin 'I's in amber -
but I nod . We all have our truths, our knowledge.
Why shake the fruit from another's tree?



       I suspect humans like animals do what they have to to survive, but
that animals don't dress it up their actions in excuses or wrap them in
fancy morals.
       A neat piece Grasshopper                      regards Ann