The commonality is generalized across different species. An innate ability to teach. An instinctive and unlearned skill. Unpaid yet invaluable. To shape, show, model, test and deliver survival techniques in a playful form. To fool a pupil into thinking they are directing the play and controlling the outcome. To let them think and believe the undetected learning is their idea. The skill of the elder, through play, is to correct the behavior of the young. To reward and respond to correct behavior and correct or ignore undesired behavior(s). Without realizing it, a young one is being trained to survive, without even knowing it.

This is the job of life and even though there is no guarantee that a well-rounded, balanced, responsible adult will emerge the onus is on the elder to offer every opportunity for that to happen. If achieved, then an existence of do no harm has prevailed over chaos, a balance for the greater good has been achieved and a chance to pay it forward has dodged a destruction bullet.

To observe Bali dogs playfully engaged in the most serious and important job, free from interference and manipulation, is fascinating and just simply fun. To realize what they are doing, free from ego, leads you to the only conclusion possible. Their lives, on a proven sentient level, have reached an evolutionary stage of true altruism. No wonder they are referred to as, ‘mans best friend.’

​Only a true and rare best friend would show you how to do the most difficult job, with no conditions attached, beyond asking you to know that in life you get what you give, its as simple as that.       
 
 

It’s happening all the time, crowded waiting rooms, with beings moving in different parallel realities, arriving and departing in different directions.

In a world of separation, we really miss the point, by a big margin. There is no you, me, us, them, they. We really are all in this together. The pandemic nearly gifted us that simple reality. Do that, this happens. We have so much to learn, such little time left. As an eternal suffering optimist, the reality of an overwhelming reality continues to erode what is left of hope. Its why we connect with dog energy.

Sometimes if you are observant and just sit for a bit and really attempt to see through unadulterated attention you may be rewarded with an opportunity to experience life as it really is.

To be ‘lucky’ enough to spend a lifetime observing behavior in all its aspects and to now experience the transition of life on a canine reality has been a humbling privilege and honor. There is so much to learn from their ‘simple’ reality. They answer questions we haven’t asked and realities we would rather not face.

Bali dogs are interesting subjects, island locked for most of their existence, they and Bali people have just done what they just do, forever. Of course, things have inevitably changed, however the underlying ‘behaviors’ have remained constant. What works for the greater good works, what doesn’t work on that basis is weeded out. ‘Pure’ unadulterated Bali Island born canines with ‘clean’ genetic lineage are no different to their ancient forebears. They must survive fast, be self-sufficient, resourceful, self-soothing and tough, or they die.

They play hard, train hard and grow fast. A puppy one day, becomes a small dog, learning on the street or from their elders’ skills that will enhance their embedded DNA or see them unable to match it with the reality of life out there in the real world of Bali dogs.

Old must give way to the young, it’s the only real universal rule you can certainly rely on. The job is to make reality for them as real as possible by engaging in regular practice in preparation for the real gig while balancing life and death in the day-to-day discipline of routine play fighting.

The actors in this play are not static or permanent. The goal is not self-satisfaction, its species survival at all costs and it takes collective pack mentality and intelligence. It’s the ultimate pay it forward without ego on the level of human understanding. When you have played your part, its time to walk proudly through the gate while holding the door open wide.

They have the answers if only we would listen.

Itu terjadi sepanjang waktu, ruang tunggu yang penuh sesak, dengan makhluk-makhluk yang bergerak dalam realitas paralel yang berbeda, datang dan pergi ke arah yang berbeda.

Dalam dunia pemisahan, kami benar-benar kehilangan intinya, dengan selisih yang besar. Tidak ada kamu, aku, kita, mereka, mereka. Kami benar-benar semua ini bersama-sama. Pandemi hampir memberi kita kenyataan sederhana itu. Lakukan itu, ini terjadi. Kami harus banyak belajar, waktu yang tersisa begitu sedikit. Sebagai seorang optimis yang menderita abadi, realitas dari realitas yang luar biasa terus mengikis apa yang tersisa dari harapan. Itu sebabnya kami terhubung dengan energi anjing.

Kadang-kadang jika Anda jeli dan hanya duduk sebentar dan benar-benar berusaha melihat melalui perhatian yang murni, Anda mungkin diberi kesempatan untuk mengalami hidup sebagaimana adanya.

Menjadi 'beruntung' untuk menghabiskan seumur hidup mengamati perilaku dalam semua aspeknya dan sekarang mengalami transisi kehidupan pada realitas anjing telah menjadi hak istimewa dan kehormatan yang merendahkan. Ada begitu banyak yang bisa dipelajari dari kenyataan 'sederhana' mereka. Mereka menjawab pertanyaan yang belum kami tanyakan dan kenyataan yang tidak ingin kami hadapi.

Anjing Bali adalah subjek yang menarik, pulau terkunci untuk sebagian besar keberadaannya, mereka dan orang Bali baru saja melakukan apa yang baru saja mereka lakukan, selamanya. Tentu saja, banyak hal telah berubah, namun 'perilaku' yang mendasarinya tetap konstan. Apa yang berhasil untuk pekerjaan baik yang lebih besar, apa yang tidak berhasil atas dasar itu disingkirkan. Anjing 'murni' yang lahir di Pulau Bali dengan garis keturunan genetik 'bersih' tidak berbeda dengan nenek moyang kuno mereka. Mereka harus bertahan hidup dengan cepat, mandiri, banyak akal, menenangkan diri dan tangguh, atau mereka mati.

Mereka bermain keras, berlatih keras, dan tumbuh dengan cepat. Seekor anak anjing suatu hari, menjadi anjing kecil, belajar di jalan atau dari keterampilan orang tua mereka yang akan meningkatkan DNA tertanam mereka atau melihat mereka tidak dapat mencocokkannya dengan realitas kehidupan di luar sana di dunia nyata anjing Bali.

Tua harus memberi jalan kepada yang muda, itu satu-satunya aturan universal nyata yang pasti bisa Anda andalkan. Tugasnya adalah membuat kenyataan bagi mereka senyata mungkin dengan melakukan latihan rutin sebagai persiapan untuk pertunjukan sesungguhnya sambil menyeimbangkan hidup dan mati dalam disiplin sehari-hari dari pertarungan permainan rutin.

Para pelaku dalam lakon ini tidak statis atau permanen. Tujuannya bukanlah kepuasan diri, kelangsungan hidup spesiesnya dengan segala cara dan dibutuhkan mentalitas dan kecerdasan kolektif. Ini adalah pembayaran pamungkas tanpa ego pada tingkat pemahaman manusia. Ketika Anda telah memainkan peran Anda, saatnya untuk berjalan dengan bangga melalui gerbang sambil menahan pintu terbuka lebar.

​Mereka memiliki jawaban jika saja kita mau mendengarkan.