Sacred Camel Gardens

The Sacred Camel Retreat of May 3 > 5 was a richly happy event.

Five participants camped out, near the camels, in the comfortable tents provided and spent the full weekend being guided into a feeling connection with the camels, as individuals and as a herd.

The photos speak for themselves… Continue reading →

Days pass by un-noticed…

Ean relaxes. He swims, eats, sleeps, absorbing everything the animals have shown him. Some things he understands. The more he understands the less he knows.

One morning, after a long night in drizzling rain, Ean makes his way to a shallow cave in nearby cliffs. As he clambers inside and turns around he’s stunned to see a large lioness there, asleep, purring. Snoring beside her is a handsome gazelle. Ean slumps, motionless, silent for ages. Rain pelts outside, storming beyond the quiet, dry, cave. The great cat’s purring deepens. Rain continues all day, into early evening. Continue reading →

(Editor’s note: Google Mama, the lead camel of the Sacred Camel Herd, recently endured an intensely difficult labor during which she lost her calf. Google Mama herself is recovering and should be fine. The following story of Google Mama’s ordeal is graphic, describing yet another aspect of what’s involved in caring for non-humans, in the Wound of Love. The vet bill has been expensive and, if you’re moved, info on how to contribute is at the end of this post. Please help…)

PART ONE: About a week ago, late one afternoon, one of our much loved camels went into labor. As always, Google Mama was calm and relaxed. For a normal birth the calf’s two front feet should appear first, followed by the nose then everything else. This baby, however, was emerging nose first. I waited a short while to see if the feet would appear. They didn’t.

I brushed the baby’s white, warm, wet, head and slid my hand along his neck and down into the birth canal to locate the fore-feet, hoping to bring them forward. Continue reading →

If I was a man, naked, without tools or ropes, sticks, whips or techniques, just a man on two feet, naive in the world, what would I do to get a camel, or a horse to like me, to respect me, to want to be with me? How would I go about developing such a relationship with the life around me? How would we arrive at a clear, mutual, understanding? How would love come into it?

You might be a horse, or a camel, a bird, or a woman… you might be another man, or a dolphin… Continue reading →

Along with our camel herd, we also maintain a small group of rescued horses. They live together in a small band, free to roam and wander the property as they please. Continue reading →

One afternoon a few weeks ago I was hanging out with Andrew, Cyndi and Irena while they were visiting their camel, Zazoo who, for the time being, is living here at the Sacred Camel Gardens.

Caring deeply for Zazoo they visit regularly. Continue reading →

Dixie, Summer of 2012

Assembled before her grave,

a simple ceremony honoring her life,

these provocative words

read

slowly,

simply,

aloud….  Continue reading →

In the previous post I waxed on about how well Zazoo was doing, both in general and also with lead-walking.

Since then the walking thing has taken an interesting turn.

He’s not interested in going on walks right now. And I love it! He gets to choose… Continue reading →

Zazoo standing beside his family's car during one of their early visits

Back in June of 2012 a 16 year old camel named Zazoo arrived at the Sacred Camel Gardens to receive some training and herd socialization.

We’ve taken things slowly and gently with Zazoo, partly because he’s an unusually sensitive guy, and partly because that’s just how we do things here. “Slowly and gently” doesn’t mean we aren’t also firm and direct when needed. Continue reading →

I’m very happy to be back visiting the amazing Green Chimneys…

Since gifting Sage and Phoenix to the Green Chimneys School in New York, several months ago (May 2012), the animal staff here have been doing an excellent job of caring for the two guys and carrying through on the early phases of training them. Continue reading →

Who are you now?

Are you sure you are not like us?

When will we be true friends again?

Will we live together again, side by side?

Where on earth did you go? Continue reading →

A days’ old baby camel dies.

The mother doesn’t know why, or how, or so we tell ourselves. She’s not a veterinarian, she wouldn’t possibly know symptoms, diagnosis or treatments… Continue reading →