“Finding Bodhi” means several different things. My husband John and I were adopting our first puppy almost three years ago. Right up to the evening before we went to pick him up, we couldn’t settle on a name. We talked about everything from Buddha to Zeus to Bob and all of the standard dog names in between. Nothing seemed right. I wanted a yoga oriented name and he wanted something a little more generalized. While settling in to watch a movie that evening, we caught that “Point Break” was playing on a local channel. How could you not watch that classic? One of the male leads, played by Patrick Swayze, was surfer and bank robber extraordinaire, Bodhi. The perfect fit.
Bodhi, the character, was a likable villain who shared the wisdom of the waves. The name Bodhi thus was a movie reference that appeased John and for me represented “Bodhisattva”. In yogic tradition Bodhisattva symbolizes a being who is on the path to liberation, one who is destined for enlightenment. In all reality, Bodhi the dog eats rocks. ‘Enlightened’ may be a stretch of a description. However, loving, loyal, forgiving and trusting are certainly not. From the first day we brought Bodhi home, he flopped right over onto his back and bared his belly to the world. Dogs operate not on logic or reasoning, but instinct. The thought never crossed his mind that he was in a vulnerable position. His instinct was trust. He simply trusted that he was loved and that if he put himself out there that he would receive love (he did). To this day, when we see family, friends or even meet strangers on walks, he gets very excited and then rolls right over.
The shift in perspective that comes from adopting and caring for a pet is incredible. They are simple and yet very complex. They care about basic physical necessities such as food and water, but what they desire most is simply affection and connection. We should all be so lucky to be so focused on these things in life. So Bodhi(sattva) continues to teach us, on our life journey. These lessons learned from him, from Maui and more are what I will post on this blog in my own attempt to share affection and connection.
Mahalo & Aloha,
Elise
Finding Bodhi 