First Story

The Cat Who Would Only Follow Buddha

Paula and the Buddha

By this time I was speaking inwardly to every dog and cat I met about God. One afternoon a cat approached me on the corner of Buffalo and Aurora Streets and I began the prayer I used at that time: "Hello little cat. Be a good little cat. Tell Jesus and Mary that you love them. Call on St. Francis when you need him. If you do this, you will go to a beautiful realm one day, where there are trees and gardens and waterfalls, where there is nothing but Love and Happiness. Little cat, pray for yourself and your master or mistress, and for your friends and relatives."

Generally when I gave this prayer, at the mention of Jesus or St. Francis the animal would alertly look around in all directions, as though He Himself or some saint or perhaps angels, some Divinity had come to greet them. In addition, the animal's aura would clear and become bright. Even if the dog or cat were across the street this would happen. I would inwardly teach a dog to pray, and the dog would be looking in all directions within seconds.

In this cat's case, none of these things happened. We stood on the corner of Buffalo and Aurora looking at each other. The cat looked petulant and its aura was rather muddy. I repeated my speech and added a few more things. Nothing.

Not used to failure and a bit exasperated, it was becoming a chilly day in more ways than one. I told the cat that she was hurting Christ's feelings. Moreover, she lived only a block from the Catholic Church so she should be more devout because of this proximity and fortunate exposure; in fact, Mary's statue was visible from where we stood and I pointed to the Church. The cat was unmoved. I pondered awhile. The cat was still standing there, waiting for me to say something she could agree with, which was a good sign. In the end, she had listened and she hadn't run off.

For some reason, and I don't remember why, I began talking to the cat about the Buddha. The cat immediately turned to Light. I continued. I told her to be a good little cat, to be kind to others, and to pray to the Buddha each day. I also suggested that she meditate on "The Mind of Clear Light." She then came up to me and brushed against my legs, and I gave her a pat. How she had come to know and love the Buddha I don't know. But that was definitely her path, there was no mistake about it.

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Second Story

Figaro and St. Anthony

Shortly after my grandmother's death, my mother sent me a small statue of Saint Anthony holding the Infant Jesus that had stood on my grandmother's dresser for as long as I could remember. I suspect that I inherited my clairvoyance from my grandmother, for she used to stand before this small statue and say that St. Anthony's expression changed from day to day - some days he smiled at her, and other days he looked sad. My grandmother was an artist, she did needlepoint drawings in bold, brilliant colors. She also told many stories of her life in France ...how the children ran into the basement as the bombs fell, and ate jams and jellies while their parents stayed in bed on the second floor, too wearied by war to disturb another night's sleep ...her younger sister Marguerite who played piano for the silent movies, who ran onto their balcony and sang La Marseillaise full voice as the German troops entered Strasbourg ...how her dear, beautiful mother and older sister had died taking care of the French soldiers in the nearby woods ...historic, truthful tales that enchanted me endlessly, so different from my life on earth ....and she would teach me songs in French and German, which we would sing everywhere, even walking down the street. Near the end of her life she had a favorite tree that she would sometimes talk to on her daily walks. She said that she just had this feeling that the tree understood what she was saying. This all made perfect sense to me.

In any case, when I opened the package and took St. Anthony out of his travelling case, Figaro single mindedly came into the kitchen and climbed into my lap. He sat there gazing at the statue, and then very slowly and very very very gently put his paw on St. Anthony's heart. He left it there for quite some time and then looked at the statue for a few more moments, jumped down and went back to whatever he had been doing.

I open packages often, I receive all sorts of presents and scores and catalogue orders in the mail. Figaro was used to such things, I made no new noise or unusual motions with St. Anthony's package; the string was cut with scissors and the tape was cut with the same knife I always used to open boxes. No, Figaro was drawn by what was in the package, before he could even see the contents, for he was in another room.

When I meditate or pray, often Figaro puts his paw on my heart. How would he know where St. Anthony's heart was - I doubt by sight, non-clairvoyant sight. No, he put his hand where he always does, where the Love is emanating from. Even I cannot pinpoint where the Love, the Divine Presence is located in a statue. I feel the Divine Presence, the Divine Love as it enters and surrounds me, but I cannot see it coming from any particular place in the statue. Yet little Figaro, who can't even open his can of Purina cat food can.

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Third Story

Guinivere and Beethoven

My dog Guinivere slept or dozed through up to eleven hours a day of my playing the piano, as well as several hours a day of students. I never really wondered if she enjoyed music or not, or whether she even listened, until a student began work on Beethoven's Waldstein Sonata, the last movement.

Guinivere had never heard the Waldstein, neither on recording nor in person - I had never studied it. One Saturday morning, one of my protégés came in and played the last movement for me, almost up to tempo and with much feeling. At some point, I noticed that Guinivere was sitting up instead of lying down. Then I noticed that she was facing the piano, and seemed to be listening intently. In fact, she was totally absorbed in the music, her body completely alert, head erect, ears up and back. She sat there, motionless for quite some time... until she realized that I was watching her. Once she was aware of my gaze, she pretended that nothing was happening, and very slowly, nonchalantly s tretched out on the rug in her usual eyes closed position. Pretending to be asleep.

I mentioned this to my student, and thought nothing more about it. I love Beethoven, why shouldn't a Labrador Retriever?

The following year some new neighbors moved in next-door. They had a powerful, fine stereo system, and on some hot summer days they took it onto their porch. One day, late summer, I looked out my kitchen window into the garden and there was Guinivere, in the corner of the garden nearest our neighbor's porch. That itself was unusual. What was more unusual was that she was sitting up, facing their porch and obviously listening intently to their stereo; I had never seen her do that before. Her attention was entirely fixed on the music, in fact when I went into the garden she didn't even notice me. I stood there for some time; Guinivere didn't move until the piece ended. It was Beethoven's "Emperor Concerto," his fifth piano concerto, a piece that Guinivere had heard many times. I was puzzled, so I asked my neighbors what recording they had just played. They said "The Emperor Concerto by Beethoven." I said, "Who was the pianist?" They said, "Claudio Arrau." The mystery was solved. Guinivere was used to Artur Rubinstein.

Of course, I have many more stories of Guinivere and music. However, I thought I might share someone else's story about Guinivere. My friend Eleanor once took Guinivere on a car trip. She and Guinivere were in the backseat, the driver and his wife in the front seat. The car had a beautiful stereo system, and a classical tape was playing opera full volume. At one point the friend's wife turned to Eleanor and said, "You know, it almost looks as though that dog is listening to the music." Eleanor replied, "She is listening to the music. She's used to the very best."

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About the book:

The Spiritual Life of Animals and Plants

Lovers of animals and plants have always suspected what this book at last confirms in print: that animals and plants are spiritual beings. This warm, endearing book of true stories by musician, composer and healer Laurie Conrad traces her charmed observations -and dawning realizations- that animals and plants are capable of transcendent communication. These often-astonishing stories show a metamorphosis of awareness that embraces, at times, no less than divine healings. The 112-page book was designed and ornamented by Diana Souza, whose whimsical, elegant style graces the book with the enchanted air of a modern fairytale-come-true.

Substantial royalties from this book will be donated to animal charities and rescue organizations.

About the author

Laurie Conrad is a concert Pianist/Composer and Divine Healer who lives in Ithaca, New York. She heals people as well as animals and plants, including over the internet as a member of the Distant Healing Network's (www.the-dhn.com) emergency team. She has taught meditation since 1984. She sees miracles every day and is an avid gardener.

About the designer/illustrator

Diana Souza is a graphic artist whose artwork has graces book shelves' round the planet. She sees her work as a "visual interpretation of visions and dreams" and believes that art can stimulate evolution, for "where the eyes go, the mind follows." Her work can be seen at www.art-temple.com

About the collaboration

This108 page book has over 30 photographs and is designed, illustrated and ornamented by Diana Souza. Laurie Conrad and Diana Souza have been creative collaborators for many years. They co-produced many episodes of a long-running series on cable television in Ithaca, New York called "Paths to Spirituality" --taping and participating in a firewalk across hot coals and taping four events with His Holiness The Dalai Lama during his 1991 visit to upstate New York. These adventures notwithstanding, first and foremost Laurie and Diana have been fellow contemplatives since 1984.

Ordering information

This book may be ordered from: www.amazon.com and www.barnes&noble.com

For more information on the book

See the author's website: www.figarobooks.com

And the illustrator's website: www.art-temple.com (high-speed internet access only)

© 2001 LAURIE CONRAD
All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission of the author