When you are aware that perspective creates experience, you really do choose to take a greater sense of responsibility for your life. What do you think of when you think of a mouse? Many people are very frightened of mice. Does that seem odd when you bring a rational mind to it? Have you ever heard of a mouse attacking a human? For sure, having mouse droppings in one’s home is not sanitary and can present health risks. But, honestly, humans might be being influenced by a mammal much larger than we.
In A.D. 77, Pliny the Elder—Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, wrote that elephants are afraid of mice in an encyclopedic work, Naturalis Historia, which became a model for all other encyclopedias. MythBusters Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman have done experiments (thinking they would disprove Pliny) and shown in a Natural Geographic film that, indeed, elephants do run from mice.
Here is a comment on a blog about the showing of their conclusions:
I’ve seen this episode several times now, and my first thought when the elephant backed off from the mouse was not that it was afraid, but being cautious not to step on it. Elephants are intelligent and compassionate animals. I think if they come across a small, non threatening animal like a mouse, they will make every effort not to harm it.
So, here you are confronted with two very different opinions. One might give more weight to Adam and Jamie since they were the ones who saw the elephants. But, what if we cannot believe what we see with our own eyes? A lot of people obviously have at least a suspicion you should be suspicious about what you see and what you think. You will get about 260 million results to a search for the phrase, “Don’t believe every thought that you think.”
Native American lore is likely to put nature into context, meaning the suggestion to observe the behavior and message (called medicine) of the specific creature you encounter. In Animal-Speak: The Spiritual & Magical Powers of Creatures Great & Small (p.290), author Ted Andrews, says this about mouse:
When mouse shows up as a totem, it is either time to pay attention to details, or an indication that you cannot see the forest for the trees. You may be getting so locked into details that you forget the big picture.
Mouse medicine can show you how to focus and pay attention to detail. It can show you how to attain the big things by working on the little things. Whenever mouse shows up there are lessons associated with attention.
This month I am working with attention by developing an expanded awareness of things that allow me to access what is sometimes called the “field of infinite possibilities.” As part of the workshop series with Barbara Brodsky, I am doing an energy technique using colors and the chakras and aura. Once that “etheric field” has been accessed, the suggestion is to hold your highest intention in mind. From the Buddhist tradition you might intend (1) harm no one (2) may all sentient beings come to the end of suffering (3) may all experience peace. As a Christian, you can intend for each person to experience salvation and live in love.
A wonderful reminder for each of us to not be afraid of the little things in life comes from this baby white-footed deer mouse. We found him stunned on the pavement and picked him up and moved to him to the safety of the foliage you see him on in the photo.They are strictly nocturnal and can become blinded by the sunlight. This guy was about the length of my little finger. Soon after we put him down, he burrowed himself down under the leaves. Ah… safety!
Being aware of both the details that we can attend to and the sense of meaning that comes from seeing the bigger picture does provide a greater sense of connection to the All That Is, doesn’t it…
