The Eyes of Soul for us all

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The greying on the chocolate brown lab chin of my dog Huck has started, the stiff muscles after long runs are showing, the length of naps has increased, but one thing will never change – the look, the eyes, the glance. The soul.

I do believe all creatures – and that includes animals, humans, trees, carrots and rocks – have soul. I was once told by an old boyfriend years and years ago of a very different spiritual system than me, that animals did not have souls. This one brief statement put me on a journey to discover concrete answers about the soul. I always thought anything natural had one,  but had never really researched or pondered facts to back it up. It actually was a blessing because it inspired exploring different philosophies allowing me to fully understand my own beliefs. And for myself, soul became more of a verb, an essence that we all have, that can shine even when we are damaged or hiding.

I came to believe that soul is bodiless but it takes up residence in eyes, hearts, voices, or the wind and rain.

I suppose a scientist would disagree with this next statement, but to look into the eyes of this creature, there is the evidence a dog has soul. For it’s in his eyes – just look.
Huck doesn’t get up each day and ponder his soul, nor does he have to work towards sharing it with the world.  It’s just there in those eyes. When I look at him, I sense I am engulfed in love and acceptance, flaws and all.

Come to think of it, I think his soul is in his big, brown nose too.

About the authorKatherine Dunn

Katherine Duun is an artist and writer living on Apifera Farm, a magical place where art and animals collide. There donkeys host pie parties, old goats commune with pigs and sheep… and a puppet is learning Italian. She also shares her studio space with a senior one eyed pug and two chocolates labs. She’s lost track on the cat count. Katherine began her art career in Minneapolis where she illustrated for clients such as Target, Neiman Marcus, Hallmark, Gourmet, and Wall St. Journal. Her work has received awards from Communication Arts, Print, American Illustration and Society of Illustrators. But writing has always been a passion too and when she moved to her farm in 2004 in rural Oregon, she was surrounded by new animal characters with stories popping up all around her.
Katherine also adopts old and needy animals from geese to goats to donkeys. She also hosts a giant Pino Pie Party with her donkey every year where funds are raised for helping senior animals in need.
Her ever popular blog highlights her conversations with chickens and the loving cast of characters in her barnyard. Her first book, “Creative Illustration Workshop” [2010] was named third on the Top Ten Art Books by the US Amazon editors. She also is writing short pieces on Huffington Post. Her paintings are showcased on Sundance.
She works in acrylic mixed with pencil, pastel and found papers and fabric.
Her illustration and paintings can be seen at www.katherinedunn.us and you can read about her life as artist and farmer at www.apiferafarm.blogspot.com