July 2007
Vol. 1, Issue 3
Published Monthly
www.DoYouRememberLove.com

In This Issue

A Note from James: Can We Really Be as Free as Our Dogs?
Favorite Letter of the Month: Skeptic Tries Dog Meditation
Dogspirational Quote from Milan Kundera
Cutest Video of the Month: Cat Shows Dog Unconditional Love
Intention for this Month: Silent, Unconditional Love
Screensaver Getting Rave Reviews
Audiobook Version Available

A Note from James

Can we really be as free as our dogs are?

Aloha, Dog Lovers,

July is one of my favorite months. We kick it off with fireworks and a celebration of our nation’s birth in freedom … and freedom is the one thing I cherish most.

Dr. Viktor E. Frankl wrote “Everything can be taken from a man but the last of the human freedoms — to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” Every July as I start to meditate about freedom and what it really means to me, Maui’s face always comes to my mind’s eye.

Under Dr. Frankl’s definition of freedom, Maui is completely free.

She is blind. She is getting older and slowing down. She may not be as big as a Doberman or as fluffy as a Pekinese … but she always chooses her own attitude.

She doesn’t let any external limitations take her freedom. She chooses to love, love, love, love, love.

Maui’s choice is the same choice we have.

No matter what the situation, we have ultimate freedom. We can choose how to see it. We can choose how to react to it. And we can choose what action to take. (Maui chooses love.)

When I’m meditating, I often receive guidance about difficult situations. Sometimes the guidance seems very obvious and easy to follow. Sometimes, though, it seems more difficult to receive. It may require me to be a little braver or stretch myself beyond my comfort zone.

Whenever I follow my inner guidance, things turn out well.

Giving myself the freedom to choose to follow my own inner guidance seems to me uniquely American. Our founding fathers made the decision to follow their own guidance, despite tremendous pressure — and an entire nation was born.

This month, I celebrate their pursuit of freedom at great cost. I celebrate that they established my inalienable right to freedom. And I celebrate that I can use that freedom to make my own choices today.

Maui, as always, is my inspiration. I’m freely choosing Unconditional Love. Enjoy it, because there is a lot of love in this edition of Pack Wisdom.

Aloha,

James Jacobson
Creator, Do You Remember Love?
Author, How to Meditate with Your Dog

Favorite Letter of the Month: Skeptic Tries Dog Meditation

Dear Jim,

I was skeptical when I heard the term “dog meditation,” so I thought I would try an experiment.

My Basset Hounds were very agitated as I stood on the other side of a 6 foot fence from them … I began projecting calm assertive thoughts to them without verbal communication and three minutes into their barking and nervousness they stopped and peace reigned once again.

I have to admit I was truly surprised that it had this quick an effect on them. They are scent hounds and probably knew I was there but the power of meditation is amazing.

Debbie

P.S. Little Maui is adorable!!!!!!

Dear Debbie,

Thank you so much for sharing your creative experiment with me and Maui.

I love the visual of you on one side of a big fence, your dogs on the other, still in constant communication.

It’s true that meditation instantly transforms you into the “calm, assertive” leader dog trainers say you should be.

And there’s no doubt that Caesar Milan, “the Dog Whisperer” is right when he says that dogs understand our energy better than our words.

What you did was to really put meditation skills (remaining calm no matter what) into practice with your dogs.

And you bring up the most important factor to meditation being successful: practice. Which means … keep doing it over an over. That’s why it’s called a meditation practice.

Even if you only have 10 minutes a day to sit with your dog, use that time to build your meditation muscles and you will see incredible results — for you and for your dog.

I can’t think of a better way to give Maui my unconditional love. Happy Fourth, where we’re all free to love as much as our dogs do!

Dogspirational Quote

“To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring — it was peace.”
~Milan Kundera

Cutest Video: Cat Shows Dog Unconditional Love

A chocolate Labrador puppy gives and receives tender kisses from a sweet, very tolerant cat. These two animals really know how to show affection — until he goes too far.

So cute and funny … go here and scroll down to see the video:

Intention for this Month: Silent, Unconditional Love

Does a dog really love unconditionally?

Does a bear really love honey?

A friend told me that “dogs love us so unconditionally that they took a vow of silence in order to best serve us.”

Do you remember your mom or grandmother ever saying ”If you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say anything at all.”

Or the adage “Silence is Golden”?

Maui is the only one in my life who gets what these sayings really mean.

Who else but a dog could live with us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and never have a bad word to say about us … even when our tails are in a twist?

I know Maui loves me because who else would be willing to kiss my face when I have morning breath or lick my feet after an evening run?

That is unconditional love.

As I’ve continued to meditate with Maui, I notice that the feeling of unconditional love I get during meditation stays with me throughout the day. (OK, sometimes I lose touch with it, but it’s easier to get it back then it used to be.)

Start meditating with your dog, and you will quickly notice a deeply peaceful feeling settling into your very bones. This feeling is the opposite of what we feel when we are comparing and judging.

When I feel particularly upset and judgmental, I can sometimes say things I regret later. That’s why I just decided to set an intention for this month. Hold me to it!

I intend to stay silent when I am comparing or judging, blaming or criticizing. Just like Maui would.

I think my fiancée Molly will enjoy that!

Screensaver Getting Rave Reviews

“I love the screensaver!” - Jewel

“The screensaver is wonderful - it’s so precious to watch - it takes me away from my work sometimes, though. Thanks for sending it to me!” - Lynne

“Thank you James for the beautiful screensaver and poster”
- Debbie

I’m so pleased that so many people (over 2,500 so far!) are enjoying the screensaver version of Do You Remember Love?

If you haven’t downloaded it yet, please visit here to get your free copy:

http://www.doyourememberlove.com/screensaver.html

Audiobook Version Available Here

I never made a CD-version of my book, because I just wasn’t sure it would sell well enough to cover the production costs. But friends kept saying that I should record the book, so I did, and made it available online as a digital download. That was over two years ago.

Since Do You Remember Love? came out on Valentine’s Day, 2007, we have started selling the audiobook version like hotcakes!

I like this for a few reasons:

1. Some people (like me, actually), prefer to listen to a book than read one. This unabridged version is perfect for those of you who like to listen to your books.

2. It has no impact on the environment. Nothing is cut down, liquefied, or used up in the making of the digital files or the downloading and listening of them. No planes are flown or trucks driven to deliver the audiobook to you. That’s really important to me, because I want my future kids and my current kid (Maui) to have a safe world to live in.

3. You can get it instantly and start enjoying it right away.

If you haven’t checked out the audiobook version of How to Meditate with Your Dog, go here now:

Audiobook Version

Aloha dog lovers …

Maui always barks when the doorbell rings. If the person turns out to be someone she knows, she’ll quiet down once they say hello. If not…well, the barking continues until I reassure her.

But this morning I noticed a different behavior. The doorbell rang and she didn’t bark. At all. I was not particularly surprised, though. She was busy eating her breakfast. She lifted her head for a moment, gave a short bark to let me know that someone was at the door, and then put her head down again to attend to the task at nose.

Maui chooses what to focus on.

When there’s a choice between chicken, rice, and carrots and barking at the mailman, she’ll choose the chicken every time. This ability to be fully present to both the chicken and the interruptions amazes me.

Whether she is taking a nap, licking my face, or sitting with me in meditation, she gives her full attention to every moment.

My ability to do the same has greatly increased by watching her.

I can now “tune in ” to the subtle miracles that are happening around me when I catch myself being too “busy” for anything other than my work.

…like when a gentle island breeze comes through the window bringing with it the smell of the luscious island flowers…

…or when the sun streams through my home in the afternoon in just the perfect shade of soft orange that takes my breath away when I notice it.

If I am out of touch with the moment, all it takes is sitting back in my chair, closing my eyes and just breathing…

…just five breaths…

…to find myself reconnected to and present in each moment.

Maui is often there wagging her tail when I open my eyes.

If you like, take a moment now…

…sit back, close your eyes and take five deep, slow breaths.

Feel calmer? More present?

I like to think that tens of thousands of you are doing this with me right now and that we’re all finding just a little bit more peace.

Enjoy your day and happy summer!

Warm aloha,

James Jacobson
Creator, “Do You Remember Love?”
Author, “How To Meditate With Your Dog”
Maui, Hawaii