After working with cows in close proximity for twelve years I'm convinced that substantial telepathic communication takes place among them. Likewise I'm convinced that cows send thoughts to humans as well and if we tune into the right frequency, we can effectively receive non-verbal messages from them.

 

A recent example: A street bull I know well entered the small garden to be served. That cold morning I offered him hay sprinkled with hot ginger tea, gur, flour and bran, a mixture he most relishes. After consuming his fill, he sniffed the ground and found a suitable place to sit and ruminate. I sat next to him to chant japa and relish his peaceful company. I thought, “How fortunate am I that I can serve Dharma Personified in Vrindavan.”

 

The thought he sent me was, “I am grateful to you for that wonderful meal. I especially liked the tidbits of ginger and gur as it takes the chill out of this winter morning.

 

“In return I offer you this to carefully ponder: A former sannyasi recently attributed his fall from grace to the coercion by his godbrothers to take celibacy vows though he was not fit. Later, his godbrothers again coerced him to take on administrative duties which he lacked the nature to perform. Again the same godbrothers ordered him to accept disciples, though he knew he could not set the proper example to guide them. Following their advice forced him into constant travel, which again went against his grain.

 

“His struggle to follow their insalubrious advice for thirty-five years caused him such mental anguish that he could no longer carry out his spiritual responsibilities and collapsed. Yet in his resignation letter he encouraged his disciples to take shelter of the very same godbrothers who misguided him during his entire monastic career.

 

“Does this make any sense?” asked the noble bull, ruminating with half-closed eyes.

 

My brow wrinkled as I prepared to answer in the negative.

 

He caught it, swallowed and continued: “It makes sense only if you understand the silent rule of the institutional power elite: THE CARDINAL SIN IS TO CHALLENGE OR UNDERMINE OUR AUTHORITY. All other sins are pardonable.

 

“Since the fallen sannyasi accepts the silent rule he knows that when the contents of his scrotum, prostate gland and bank account become depleted, he will be welcomed back to bolster the faith of the flock in the fallible elite and again earn the privilege of being on the institutional payroll.”

 

I pondered this as I watched him regurgitate a large wad of rumen into his mouth and studied the muscle between his eye and the base of his ear expanding and contracting in time with his chewing.

 

The bull swallowed and concluded, “The highest Truth is to distinguish reality from illusion for the welfare of all. Such Truth uproots the threefold miseries.”

 

Then he withdrew and I understood the transmission was over.

 

While I cannot verify the accuracy of the bull’s thoughts nor claim with certainty that they were received without distortion, I think they are something to chew on.