Eight Directions Wellness

09/09/2026

Knowing.

I'm a frequent visitor to a couple of active social media Canine Kidney Support groups and tonight someone asked the inevitable, "how will I know when it's time?" question. This gets asked a lot. I recently listened to an interview with a vet who practices TCM and she suggested that first of all, asking strangers on social media this question can't reliably provide an answer because the people don't know you - and more importantly, don't know your pet. She said something to the effect of, "if you have to ask...it's not time."

In my group, another holistic vet answered it this way, "There is no correct answer, only opinions, including your vet. If you really want to know how it works, start by asking this question: 'Who am I that wants to know the answer to this question?' See if you can find that 'me.'"

Well this answer stood out to me for reasons that will be obvious to a lot of you. He's really asking the questioner to inquire if the question is coming from a place of awareness.

I feel like Krishnamurti (and Dr. Lad) would probably have answered similarly. Who is asking? Is it the mind that wants security, or is it seeing clearly? Is the question "when is it time" really a question? Or is it fear seeking permission, or love seeking an escape from suffering? Is it the mind trying to resolve its own discomfort by dressing it up as an inquiry about the dog?

In witnessing awareness as I understand it from Dr. Lad's teachings, there would be no sense of division between the person asking this question and the animal they're asking it about. There would be no identification with a particular emotion when asking, just an inner knowing of the answer based on the reality. That's a very nuanced, personal decision, not a simple checklist of objective signs.

It was definitely not your typical group answer.

Tonight we drove our Bear to the park and let him lay in the grass and look at...well, what I don't know, since nobody else was there (except a stray cat, which he did notice). Trees, cars and grass. Sky. Then he trotted as best he could trot towards the play structures because he loves toddler slides, and Jay helped him up the stairs so he could stand at the top and look around. A little joy medicine for him. A little nourishment in some sense, at a time when physical nourishment is greatly diminished (not for my lack of trying).

09/07/2026

This is my pet palliative care countertop. Wellness is for the whole family, and if you have a pet and live in a remote area (like I do) I've learned that there are a few items that it can't hurt to have around just in case. None are a substitute for a vet visit but they are products a vet might not think to mention.

One is a tube of nutritional gel (this is for puppies, but it's the exact same formulation as the gel for dogs with different packaging) in case your dog is ill and starts skipping meals. You give 1/4 tsp per 10lbs of weight.

Another is a trusted brand of C*D oil for pain.

If your dog doesn't normally eat wet food, having a few cans in the pantry when there's a need for a soft diet (tooth issues, etc) isn't a bad idea.

Unsweetened Pepcid AC (make sure there's no xylitol in the ingredients). You will need to ask your vet regarding the dosage for your dog's particular weight, but if he or she starts exhibiting signs of GERD/Acidity it's nice to have on hand after a vet check-in. Slippery Elm powder (again, make sure there are no additives in the ingredient list) is also helpful for occasional acid upset, mixed with a tiny bit of water so it becomes a gel.

A good scale for weighing food. A mortar and pestle to grind pills if needed (and if possible...not all medicines are meant to be broken up). At night my Bear gets his ACE Inhibitor ground with a packet of FortiFlora probiotic powder and since he's not eating much at the moment I mix this with the Nutri-Cal and, if he can handle it, a sq**rt of Omega 3 oil (formulated for dogs) and a tiny bit of honey (a good anupan). Also, a food syringe.

If you live close to PetCo or similar this may not be necessary - but I drove 2 hours for Nutri-Cal yesterday. I wish I'd known about it months ago.

I'm sure there are other items I haven't needed or thought of yet. What would you add?

08/31/2026

Important information to share with clients who experience recurrent UTIs - and could perhaps shift our approach as Ayurvedic practitioners.

A recent study found that many women treated for recurrent UTIs didn't have UTIs at all. Instead, their symptoms were caused by hormonally driven inflammation and pelvic floor dysfunction.

08/20/2026

08/10/2026

A few things to help during these fires. Also check on your elders, neighbors and loved ones🌿✨💜

07/29/2026

The earth teaches me stability. The wind teaches me non-attachment. Water teaches me perseverance. Fire teaches me transformation.

Happy Guru Punima, when the full moon of July reminds us to learn fully from everything around us.

07/27/2026

For your Vāta-deranged cat…

07/23/2026

9 years ago my teacher shared this with me. We were at Ananda ashram for the week, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who misses those gatherings. But you can’t step in the same stream twice.

Who says that God doesn't come?
If you call God like Mirabai, God comes.
Who says that God doesn't eat?
If you feed God like Shabari, God eats.
Who says that God doesn't sleep?
If you sing God lullabies like Devaki, God will sleep.
Who says that God doesn't dance?
If you dance like the Gopi's, God will dance.

07/13/2026

“The approach of a man’s life out of the past is history, and the approach of time out of the future is mystery. Their meeting is the present, and it is consciousness, the only time one is alive.”
- Wendell Berry