By Tammy Attama, Virginia
With joyful anticipation, we picked up our new puppy! She was a few months old, gangly, and adorable in the body she had yet to grow into. Our family fussed over her and made her feel welcomed; however, her excitement did not match our own. We discovered she was fearful and anxious about almost everything. At first, we thought this was due to her new living situation and being taken from her mother and siblings, but as time went by, we realized it was more than that. While she had learned to accept us as her family, she was skittish in the presence of anyone else, including other dogs.
One night, our precious pup awkwardly climbed into bed with me. Observing her curled at my feet, I reached down to stroke her. At this point, my boys and I still had not agreed on a name for her. We came up with a few, but none of them seemed fitting. With this strongly on my mind, I quietly said to our newest family member, “What would you like your name to be?”
As I fell asleep and entered my dream worlds, I found myself in a space where I felt an abundance of love. A word began to form, one golden letter at a time: N-I-Y-A-H. I woke up and immediately thought, What is that word? I had never heard it before, so I looked it up. The definitions I found online were “the goddess of peace,” from one source, and “one who is peaceful,” from another.
Surprised, I glanced down at our pup sleeping soundly. “Niyah? Your name is Niyah?” She lifted her head, and her eyes opened. She gazed at me intently, as if she wasn’t sure why I was so uncertain.
“OK,” I agreed. “It’s a beautiful name to grow into.” And she would, with time and a whole lot of love.
In my crusade to help Niyah, I had to use every creative tool available. We began by taking walks, which turned into bike rides to a nearby park where owners took their dogs to socialize. She hid behind my legs, trembling every time a dog approached her. No amount of assurance from me could comfort her.
Our bike rides became longer. I rode, with her following alongside, for a few miles, and then, when she was drained of all her anxious energy, we returned to the park. I had her sit, facing me, while I lavished her with love and attention. Once I had her in a calm state, the dogs were allowed to approach and sniff her from behind. I made sure they did not come into her visual area but kept them at a short distance from her face.
I noticed she tensed up at the start of this new routine, but I kept petting her and speaking softly until she relaxed. As soon as I felt her body loosen up, we would walk away from the dogs and people to give her some relief before biking home. I did my best to respect her by only exposing her in small increments to her fears.
Niyah’s Response to Love
Each day we practiced this routine. Finally, many months later, Niyah had a breakthrough. We had gone for our usual bike ride, and a dog came over to introduce himself. I got into my position, cooing at her while he smelled her. Suddenly she turned curiously and began to sniff him back. Eureka!
It would still take many more bike rides and walks before Niyah became totally comfortable in the presence of dogs and strangers, but she eventually triumphed over her fears. In the meantime, through her learning experience, I received many lessons of my own. I had to learn how to put my own will aside and allow her to go at her own pace. I could not force her to not be afraid, no matter how unfounded I thought her fears were. Or how impatient I felt about her progress.
Only time, love, and compassion could help her. By singing HU (a love song to God), I was able to keep myself in the right frame of mind and hold a loving space for her.
I helped Niyah receive the gift of freedom from fear and anxiety. However, the gifts I received in return far outnumbered what I had given her. I am grateful to this day for all she taught me and still wonder, Who was teaching whom?
As Sri Harold Klemp, my spiritual teacher, says in his beautiful book ECK Wisdom on Conquering Fear, “Love always overcomes fear.”
Ah, dear Tammy, it has been so long since that eventful moment when again you remembered. You write with such love that tears formed in my eyes. Is it not so, that the Master lovingly and patiently guides us ever so gently until that which was fear transmutes into love and a deeper truth awakens within us.
I am still awaiting your book, for the love you share in this sacred story is one that fills all the words you write. God placed within us seeds of consciousness, ITS treasures of heaven, for us to share with all parts of ITSELF. It is as the great Tindor Saki says, to paraphrase, what the wise receive in divine treasure they are to mine selflessly and fill that around them with its riches.
Always, love.
What a beautiful story I ❤️ the experience. Thank you for sharing
Love is the food of the soul! I agree wholeheartedly!
Je suis entièrement d’accord ! Merci!
Thanks, Susan! It does my heart good to share those stories that grace all of our lives!
What a beautiful story Tammy, thank you! The bindings of Soul are released little by little and you both learnt so much in the process. Your patience and love for each other brought you both more inner peace. The name Niyah from your dream seems so fitting. Beautiful, and thank you once again for sharing your love for each other, Elke
L’amour est la nourriture de l’âme.
I appreciate your comment, Bryan!
Thank you!
Thanks for sharing your beautiful story of love and patience for Niyah.
So true, Deb! Thank you for commenting!
Wonderful experience, Tammy. Showing respect for Soul (animal Souls, too!) is always a good first step. Thank you!
Such a lovely story, Tammy. Thank you.
Beautiful story and marvellously written, reflecting the love, lessons and gratitude that makes life sparkle and come alive for us all. Thank you
Indeed they are as well as all animals…furry, feathered, and human. Thanks!
It has been a lesson very near and dear to my heart as I navigate my own journey of Soul, Jo Jo.
What a beautiful and love-filled story, Tammy! Thank you for sharing it with us. A good lesson we can practice with each other, humans and animals alike. A lesson of pure love.
Thank you so much❤❤❤
To overcome fear, it takes time, experience, and above all, the love and patience of the Master.
Yes! I agree wholeheartedly! The Master knows the way!
Thanks for sharing, Dogs are wonderful creatures.
So very true! Thank you!