Can Animals help With Prayer?

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Justice
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Can Animals help With Prayer?

Post by Justice »

It's been proven that animals help sick people at the hospital get better because of their natural abillities, so could that possibly help with a persons spiritual life as well?

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Maria
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Re: Can Animals help With Prayer?

Post by Maria »

All creation manifests the glory of God.

We have St. Seraphim of Sarov as an example of showing God's love for His creatures.

He refused to kill mosquitoes, but bared his back in the summer so that they could feast on his blood. Yes, that is extreme, and he bore the intense itching for the Lord.

St. Seraphim of Sarov is often pictured in icons with his beloved bear whom he befriended.

My brother had a picture of his dog who regularly prayed, bowing his head between his front paws, as my nephews said their night prayers. This act encouraged the children to pray.

In fact, there have been stories showing that lonely men and women who were in despair at the death of their loved ones, were greatly consoled and spiritually helped with the presence of a cat or dog. Many private nursing homes have adopted cats or dogs, which are allowed to roam the halls and console the aged and dying.

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.

Justice
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Re: Can Animals help With Prayer?

Post by Justice »

Interesting story Maria, thank you for sharing!

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Barbara
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Re: Can Animals help With Prayer?

Post by Barbara »

Though not specifically prayer-related, it's possible that canines and other pets can calm students enough before their final exams and other nervewracking junctures that they can remember to PRAY for Heavenly help for successful results --- AS WELL AS ALL OTHER needs, which should not be neglected in the rush to obtain a certain grade for a test which will never be remembered in even 1 or 2 years ! Let alone in 20 or 30 years.

Whereas sincere requests for overall guidance in ALL departments of life from God and the Mother of God will reap incalculable amounts for any supplicant :

"Working like a dog for finals week? BSU wants you to pet a dog, instead"
................
"If finals have got you down, Boise State University has got a way to cheer you up — puppies to snuggle on the quad and in student housing throughout the week.

...dozens of students stopped to pet, cuddle and coo over the pack of therapy and service pups, from 10-year-old pug Claire to 4-month-old Labrador retriever Yoana.

Some of the dogs were there as part of the Bronco Dogs organization, a group for people on campus who use or train service dogs or are interested in learning more about them. Yoana and 15-month-old Regina, another Lab, are in training with Canine Companions for Independence."

http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/loca ... 09029.html

Maybe an Orthodox group could start "Canine [and Feline] Companions to Promote a Deep Prayer Life"

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Barbara
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Re: Can Animals help With Prayer?

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Even more helpful than dogs for emotional stabilizing are exotic llamas and alpacas. Here are the remarkable results found with llamas and alpacas helping rejuvenate humans, as told on Maria's favorite site, Mercola.com.
More to be highlighted specifically about alpacas as healers in a subsequent post.

...Only 14 llamas are registered as therapy animals in the U.S., but perhaps there should be more. Llamas are relatives of camels. They’re domestic animals that have been used as pack animals by natives of the Andes Mountains for centuries. Alpacas, which are relatives of llamas, are also domestic animals, but they’re typically raised for their soft wool. Both llamas and alpacas can be very friendly, curious and social, and many enjoy being around people. ...

Rojo and Napoleon of Mountain Peaks Therapy Llamas & Alpacas are two of the most famous therapy animals in the U.S....The animals have completed the Animal-Assisted Therapy Certification process and travel around the Pacific Northwest to help people in need. Their owners, mother-daughter team Lori and Shannon Gregory, originally chose the animals so they wouldn’t have to keep mowing their 2.5-acre lawn. ...

"....The first visit that we did, Shannon had him on the lead, and was taking him into a rehab facility. And I was kind of on his backside with all the nurses, and as she would take him in along the bedsides, I would hear them getting so excited.

They said 'wow, Herald [ Harold ? ] hasn't spoken in a month and I heard him say he's cute!' Or, 'look, Helen is trying to sit up and she hasn't moved for weeks.' Every room we were going in to, it was like seeing miracles happen." ...

To read the entire article, please visit: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/he ... imals.aspx

Please be careful not to violate copyright laws. We should only be copying three to four small paragraphs from a website. Check that website to verify.

In Christ,
Maria
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