Bucky Bodhidarma

Zen emphasizes experiential wisdom in the attainment of enlightenment. Like the Bodhidarma, squirrels come to teach a special transmision outside of scriptures... not founded on words or letters. Through the Zen of Bucky Squirrel, wisdom is passed through the one-to-one direct transmission or experience... squirrel to human. Such lineage continued all the way from the Buddha's time to the present.

The existence of bodhi squirrels was substantiated by the late Paramahansa Yogananda. He told the story below, which I found in Avatar Animals and Yogananda~  http://oaks.nvg.org/ouav.html

Master Squirrel

Once an old hermit lived on a brink by the sea at a place where a mother squirrel fostered her young. The hermit was so fond of this company that he was reborn as a female squirrel so that he too could look after youngs (this has gone too far already).

(Yes, that's what the holy man did, and an avatar squirrel he was, decrees

Yogananda, and vouches for a fairy tale against nearly all odds in so doing.)

Great waves took the holy squirrel's nests and cubs one day she was away looking for eggs and other food for them. She saw that the big sea had taken them, and started to threaten the sea. "Bring me back my children, or I will dry you up with my bushy tail," she said.

The sea gave no particular reply. So the squirrel mother started to dry the ocean by soaking her tail in the sea and letting the water drip off on dry land - again and again. Little did she consider that the water would seep and run down into the sea again. But the sea got so alarmed by the squirrel's determination that it swelled up a huge wave where the cubs were floating, and put them all beside her on the brink - and lo, they were all alive and well again, after being drowned and gone for many days.

Yogananda with squirrel 1924

The Eyes of Love

My beloved Bonzo man

      This is my beloved Bonzo man.  Every morning he greets me with his loving gaze.  And I look into his eyes and my heart melts into a gushing pool of juicy squirrel happiness...
also known as LOVE.
And this huge LOVE is not any different than
the love that you feel for:

~ the parent you miss so much,
~ the lover you had years ago,
~ the beloved partner by your side right now,
~ your sweetest animal companion.

It's not coming from the object of your affection.
If you get still and look closely,
you will see that no matter who you love, 
that tender feeling is exactly the same.
And who is the common denominator in all these relationships?
It's YOU.  
YOU are the LOVE that you believed was coming from the numerous beings you have loved in this life. 
Love is NOT an object.  It's the ONE without a second.
LOVE = God = Tao = the What Is

That's why all the enlightened ones say the same thing: 

love is who you are without your story


And every being walking on this planet is simply a mirror of that LOVE back to you...

Every little squirrel is a sweet reminder:

"I AM LOVE."

Juicy Squirrel Happiness

Mr.Nut sharing the Truth

Just today I was in the parking lot of our local HEB grocery and as I was walking to my car, I noticed someone taking a video of it.   Surprised?  I wasn't.   

As the local "Squirrelady" of Austin, TX,  I use my car as a billboard of sorts for expressing squirrel wisdom.   People photographing my car is actually a common occurrence.
The great thing about this is that it gives me the opportunity to turn people onto the highest Truth:   Juicy Squirrel Happiness!   I also have plenty of Admiral Nut's and my own business cards in the back seat, along with a few 2018 Squirrels of Wisdom calendars.   Austin is known for it's motto, "Keep Austin Weird" and so, as the Squirrelady, I am completely on board with that intention.   

My car magnet.


It's these kind of instances that remind me of my great good fortune to live in such an open-minded town. In the Mayan culture, squirrels are recognized as guardians of higher consciousness. So it's no wonder that there is an abundance of little squirrels all over the place!  And the cool thing is that they are so friendly, that many of these little buddies will come right up to you if you offer them a pecan or acorn.   Our Austin squirrels are always ready and willing to accept a nut gift and crack open your heart in exchange. I've seen it happen over and over again. There is no better way to experience the delight of juicy squirrel happiness! 





And once you've tasted juicy squirrel happiness, you'll
soon discover that it's what you ARE!  The more you hang out with the squirrels, the sooner you'll realize this Truth. That's the message the squirrels are here to share: 

You ARE what you've been looking for!  And if you don't believe me, just ask Mr.Nut.

 

Squirreliberation

Rose-Buzz, little buddha


I was sitting with my sweet Rose-Buzz this morning and she  started telling me about "squirreliberation."
(She talks to me telepathically via the InnerNut.)
Here's what she said:

Squirreliberation is the awakening of a human that results from living and interacting with a squirrel. Buzz said that the only true purpose a little squirrel has on our planet is to facilitate people waking up to the "Truth" or "What Is".
Yes, little squirrels plant trees to give us air to breathe, and that is very important!  But get this:  Mama squirrels regularly kick a baby out of the nest because that baby has a cosmic mission: to help enlighten a human being! Wow!
So when a baby squirrel comes into your life, know that it's pure Grace -- it's a Divine call to Self-Realization!

How does this work?
Well, Buzz said that humans tend to get locked up in "thought-ideas" (that are not even real) and so, lose their ability to experience true freedom. Humans easily get caught up in a story of the past or future - and mostly it's a regret or worry.  But squirrels don't pay attention to "thought-ideas".  They only pay attention to whatever is in front of them in the present moment.  They live in the "NOW".  (Just like Eckhart Tolle talks about.)

So when a human has the privilege of raising a baby squirrel to adulthood, the human gets to experience the ever-constant BLISS of that little buddha.  The human finds out that the BLISS is not a result of "doing" anything, but in fact, the BLISS is what we are!  It is simply the BLISS of "being".

So if you feel the heaviness of humanity and want to graduate to the lightness of squirreliberation, 
then take the advice of our late Mr.Nut ~

The Wisdom of SriNut

Eternal Love of Muffinheart

Muffin, Captain of my Heart


One of the hardest things to do is say goodbye to your favorite little coffee buddy.   My sweet boy Muffinheart died in my arms last Tuesday.   I held him and kissed him as he took his last breath.  And I saw clearly that he left his little furry body, but he did not ever really "leave" me.  Since that sad day, my bodhi-squirrel has been communicating many words of wisdom to me.   

Muffin pointed out that in our lives we have many, many relationships...  with men, women, animals, the trees and plants, our work, our passions, etc.  He showed me that when any of these relationships end, 
we experience a kind of death.   But regardless of what ends, "we" are still very present and intact.  
   Everything we can see outside of us comes and goes. 
Muffin explained that who/what we are NEVER comes and goes.  It is ALWAYS here.   
And then he asked me, 
"Do you know what "that" is?  What is it that you are?"
And he answered his own question:
You are LOVE.  We squirrels call it
"Squirreluminosity".

He continued... "Humans have words for everything which makes it harder for them to accept change.  We squirrels just go from one situation to another, but we never label anything.   For example when you shed tears because I am not sitting with you in the morning time, you label your feelings.  You say you are "sad" or that you are experiencing "grief".  We squirrels don't use such words. 
In fact, we squirrels call everything by the same name. 
We would say what you are feeling is LOVE. 

We are, squirrels and humans alike, part of the ONE SQUIRRELUMINOSITY.  In your words, you would say it is the great Space of Love that pervades absolutely everything.  When our dear teacher Ramana Maharshi was dying, his students said to him, 
"Master, please don't leave us". 
And he replied, "But where would I go?"
You see, there is nowhere to go to... because all is the "space of love". 

The best advice I can give you is to stop describing everything with words and just allow your feelings to come and go.  Just let yourself feel them.  After a beloved one's death, the feelings you have may be very intense, but they will not "kill" you.  I promise.  Actually, if you just embrace what you are feeling you will dissolve into pure love.   And you will experience a most exquisite nectar... the taste of bliss.  And what could be better than that? 

Every little squirrel is a Buddha.

Muffinheart is my little buddha.   
He is always teaching me to: 
Just be calm.

Just be still.

Just Be.

No matter what is going on, 

just remember that YOU are simply the awareness

that is observing what's going on, 

and whatever it is that is going on will eventually pass.

Focus instead on just "being". 

Muffin is the perfect teacher because he radiates 

peace and love.

Here is Muffin's rule that he lives by:

Enjoy more of these quotes from the Heart Gallery!

Squirrelove is ALL

Admiral Nut visiting Muffinheart

Wow.  All I can say is "wow".   After our beloved Commander Nut graduated from his earth-life and went on to become the Admiral of the Galactic Fleet...    there have been numerous sightings of this ubiquitous squirrel-sage!

Here you can see him visiting our own Capt. Muffinheart.
How do I know it's Mr.Nut??  That's easy.  I start taking photos of the sunset (or sunrise) and I will see the magenta orbs.  Then I will ask Mr.Nut to allow himself to "be seen" and the green-blue orb appears. This has happened over and over again!  Amazing!

You can also get a glimpse of him in the video below.  On this particular day, I had forgotten to close the front door when I went shopping for produce, and when I came home, there was a squirrel running around my living room.  At first I thought it was Pucy Pie or Nutkin, but when I checked, they were napping in the kitchen.  As I walked back into the living room, this friendly squirrel jumped on my leg and I realized it was Miss Rosie Posie!  So I grabbed my camera and began to make a video. The thought occurred to me that Admiral Nut had prompted her to come inside and just as I mentioned this, his orb appeared!  See for yourself!

So you see that even though Mr.Nut's body is no longer a physical form, he is still very present with us!  That's proof that Squirrelove NEVER dies! In fact, if you just let yourself rest in the essence of Squirrelove, you will discover that that is what we really ARE! 

Every Squirrel is a Miracle

Commander Nut of the Galactic Federation


Have you ever contemplated what a miracle it is to receive an orphaned baby squirrel?  Every step of the way...from the moment a person finds the baby, contacts people to find out what to do, all the way to the time a rehabber receives the little one and ends up being the "squirrel-mom"?  It's truly an amazing chain of events to be a part of.

Loving baby Pucy Pie

Every step of the way is Grace... and it's happening all the time!  WOW!  And those little squirrels, so innocent and sweet, are just bundles of pure LOVE. To be gifted with one of these is a huge blessing!

But do we always recognize our blessings?  Just in our daily routine... do we actually take in the preciousness of each moment?  If we did, we would be walking around in a state of even constant Gratitude! Another name for this is Awakening! I believe that the little squirrels come into peoples' lives to "wake them up"! They teach us that there is nothing but LOVE... and even more than that! They show us that we ARE the love that we are looking for!

Listen to this song and feel how it feels to be awake to that truth...   that all is LOVE!

And here is another version done by the Troubadours of Divine Bliss... so so beautiful!  And I love that they included a squirrel in this video!  
YES! Everything is HOLY!

Squirrel Gazing Meditation

Muffinheart demonstrates "Gazing Meditation"

One of the most powerful practices I have found to facilitate an experience of Cosmic Love was taught to me by my little squirrel buddy, Muffinheart.  He is a Master of this particular sadhana and teaches it in three very simple steps.

1. Put aside all other distractions and just be present with your squirrel.

2. Now just relax and gaze into her/his eyes as s/he gazes into yours.  Remember that you are relating from "emptiness to emptiness".

3. Continue just being empty and gazing in a relaxed manner. Suddenly you will notice that the emptiness is completely filled with Squirrelove! So simple!

ENJOY!

Wisdom quote of Sri Nut Ji

Muffin explained to me that when you are gazing at your squirrel, the truth is that there is actually nobody gazing.  Pure consciousness is looking through your eyes and it's looking through your squirrel's eyes.  Consciousness is looking through everyone's eyes at itself!  WOW!  So what happens is that since the entire Cosmos is completely permeated with juicy squirrel happiness (a.k.a. Cosmic Love), and nature abhors a vacuum, then immediately comes the experience of Cosmic Love!  
There is no 'where' that it is NOT!  
And there is no 'one' that is not included!

Well, of course!

Every squirrel knows this!

Deep in a Squirrel's Heart

the Heart of Muffin


If you can be totally quiet while gazing into the eyes of a little squirrel, you can step into the radiant tranquility of his precious heart.

There, deep in that warm and vibrant womb,
you will find:
no tension
no "otherness"
no cleverness.

 You will find only tranquility, contentment and humility.

A squirrel's heart holds no self-importance.
Therefore kindness and humility radiate to the wise and foolish alike.  His gentle demeanor pulls you to him like a love magnet.
And then you find yourself irrevocably and helplessly
surrendered at his feet.

This is the great mystery of squirrelove.

Mr.Nut beaming love