Water, Part 2: Providing Love

I bought this beautiful bowl made by Tamara Mann at an arts event in the small town in New Hampshire where I spend my summers. 

I'd been thinking of getting Vida a new water bowl for some time as part of my goal of having her use only products I know are made ethically and without toxins.

I also wanted a bowl that reflected the beauty of the water that would go in it.

Does that seem odd? I mean, water is clear, almost invisible, you can barely discern it in the photo above. And it's not like the dog cares, right? Well, let's explore that.



This summer I came to really revere water. To be able to drink from the tap (as I wrote about in Part 1 on water) and have the water be clear, tasteless, odorless... and completely delicious for being that way; the beautiful nothingness of water. To have it rain and feed the trees, and to hear the rush of that rainwater after the storm as it careens down the nearby stream. And don't even get me started on my reverence for lakes and oceans. 

Meanwhile, across the continent it was a summer of continuing drought in California. I came home at the end of August to a heatwave and dead grass crunching underfoot. A massive contrast that made water even more important in my mind.

I brought this bowl home to California because I felt I needed the inspiration even more, not only because of the drought, but because of the compromised quality of the water coming from the tap (read Part 1).

We go through our busy day and don't think much about refilling our pet's water bowl. Empty? Fill it. Maybe wash it (I've seen some outdoor bowls that were pretty gross).

This bowl makes me think every time. The perfect feel of the bowl in my hand, the little feet on the bottom, the beautiful glaze that reminds me of both water and land, and the way the water washes over the surface as it fills the bowl. 

If it's true that you can imbue water with love this is an effortless way of doing it. Every time I place this bowl down for Vida to drink from I feel that I'm doing my best to provide her with life-giving energy. I admire the bowl, the water in the bowl, and the dog who is my teacher.

Intent is incredibly powerful when interacting with dogs. We hear about intent in terms of healing practices - well feeding and watering is part of your healing practice too.

If your intent when feeding and watering your dog is love and gratitude, you will be adding that loving energy to what's in the bowl. You're already putting that love into your choices (fresh food, clean water), right? You can easily make that act of providing beautiful too and you will both benefit.