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You can always ask your dog

The Washington Post

If your minister or rabbi isn't giving the spiritual guidance you need, why not consult your dog?

Dogs, like all animals, "serve as an intimate link to the intuitive and to the Divine," animal behaviorist and therapist Diana L. Guerrero proposes in a new book, "What Animals Can Teach Us About Spirituality."

Humans might train animals to follow rules or do tricks, but humans can learn from what animals do naturally, Guerrero says. Dogs, for example, embody such "ideal traits" as loyalty. Otters "remind us to be industrious" but "make time to play and celebrate life."

Polar bears adapt readily to a harsh environment, demonstrate self-acceptance and exude confidence. Eagles, lions, owls and wolves offer lessons in seeing the large picture, not worrying needlessly, being imaginative and communicating honestly, the author says.

But she reserves her highest praise for dolphins, which "represent the ultimate connection" to God. Dolphins display harmony, synchronicity, equilibrium and cooperation within their inner circle "in ways that lift us up."