Going to Temple, a tale of inspiration.....

Passover begins tonight as I write about my trip to Temple. But it is not the Temple of the Jews or the Ancient Greeks who sought solace and inspiration in their temples that I write of. No, this contemporary Temple is not a building, but like traditional temples this Temple radiates something spiritual, something uplifting, and something remarkable. Just like the Ancient Jews and Ancient Greeks, I made a pilgrimage to "My" Temple. Curious?

I went to see Temple, Temple Grandin deliver a lecture at a dog trainer's conference outside of Austin Texas. My trip to Temple was as inspiring and as spiritual a pilgrimage as I could ever hope to have. It was after all, a presentation that celebrated life, the life of animals, and the means by which we can each and every one of us improve our communication with our four legged friends. Move over Dr. Dolittle, Temple Grandin Does A Lot! Temple Grandin communicates with animals, and she is hell bent on sharing her secrets.

I sat transfixed as I gazed at an extraordinary women share her wisdom, her passion, and her reverence for animals. She stood tall sporting a red silk tie, a black shirt, innumerable canine and bovine styled bold brass colored pins across her western wear matching black blouse. She wore cowgirl styled black Levis and black leather low heeled shoes. Her mannerisms, her passion and her character has recently been personified in the HBO movie "Temple Gradin" in which Claire Danes provides an amazing portrait of this remarkable woman.

For those of you unfamiliar with Temple Grandin, let me summarize. Temple Grandin is now a highly functioning autistic woman whose life work has been dedicated to understanding, communicating, and bettering the life condition of animals. Like animals, Temple was greatly misunderstood by many of her peers due to her Autism. Temple did not speak a word until four years of age and only then in part due to the commitment of her mother, special teachers and extended family as well as her own personal struggle. Temple could have easily spent her life starring off into space, distant and attached to a world far beyond ours, dissociating, remote, and seemingly inert. But she didn't.

Temple has persevered with the help of some amazing teachers and mentors to pursue and attain excellent communication skills, a PHD is animal Science, and currently holds a post as professor at Colorado State University. Temple is the author of many articles both academic and commercial as well as a healthy list of non-ficton books speaking on the subjects she knows best, animals and autism. With her unique perspective, heavily influenced by her sensory condition, Temple has shed light on the senses and perception of animals, as only she can.

I first caught a glimpse of Temple in 2003, when I heard her being interviewed on NPR for her work with cattle and livestock at our nations feed lots. Temple's interest in the well being of cattle has resulted in some two thirds of the nations feed lots, and slaughter houses having been redesigned by her to be more humane. Her design work has reduced unnecessary and often fatal bovine accidents. She has converted the meat packing industrialists to see that her persepective also means an improvement in their bottom line. She has taken her case against cattle prods while increasing profits, an argument even the gruffest cattle man can't argue with. " If we are going to raise them so that we can consume them we owe them respect" is her argument..... and so she has, reducing violence and dangerous and painful accidents throughout our nations slaughter houses and feed lots.

I crossed path's with Temple's work more recently when a a client had shared her reading of Animals in Translation and "Animals Make Us Human." That same week, I watched "Temple Grandin" several times on HBO. It made an enormous impact, and so when I received an email (at the close of yes that very same syncronistic week) inviting me to attend an Austin based canine professional conference featuring Temple as a guest speaker, I plumb packed my bags!

In her address to the IACP annual conference, Temple tackled a number of subjects such as Canine Emotions.......for those who have argued dogs don't have feelings, think and feel again. Prozac works on Dogs! Emotions are located in the sub cortical brain, an area that is similar among all mammals as well as the presence of neurotransmitters. Temple went on to outline the core emotions of Fear, Rage, Panic, Seeking. Seeking plays a crucial roll in the well being of dogs. Long walks and new experiences in which the dogs sensitive olfactory sense (eighty percent of the dogs' brain is devoted to smell) and play arouse their seeking system as well as reducing stress through physical activity. Temple implored dog owners to not leave their dogs locked up in a crate all day log, and encouraged people to have two dog households to provide companionship....citing Dr. Patricia McConnell (PHD and dog behaviorist and trainer) claims that social needs are as important as their need for food and water, but also stating that dogs do best in two dog households as competition and aggression can escalate in dog households with more than two canines.

I spoke to Temple several times during the conference. I found her to be friendly, enthusiastic, and engaged! She fervently recommends exercise and Omega Threes to both humans and hounds. I listened to her outline how she turned her condition into an asset, borrowing from her autistic proclivity for single minded focus into a means to solve problems.

Temple stood in front of me.... a woman who has achieved more than most through the careful and systematic commitment to bettering herself and the world to whom she wishes to share her gifts. And she has.................I just hope I get a chance to go to Temple once again. (to learn more about Temple Grandin just click on the title of this article and you will be redirected to her official website http://www.templegrandin.com/templehome.html)