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| Website Fixed and Fully Operational |
| December 1, 2006 by admin |
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Two problems with our website have just been fixed. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Please check out our gift shop for a selection of attractive holiday gifts, including posters, jewelry, music, and more.
Kind regards,
Website admin |
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| Two New Articles Now Online |
| August 12, 2006 by admin |
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Two new articles have been uploaded to the site: Serving Animals Through the Dying Process and The True Zoo.
Serving Animals Through the Dying Process considers the process of a dying animal, whether a pet or a wild animal, and offers guidelines on how to care for the animal, what it might need, and also what we might need in the midst of this process.
The True Zoo describes the true and sacred function of zoos, and how our right participation in the midst of a zoo circumstance is essential for the zoo to fulfill it's sacred purpose. This article is an adaptation of a Discourse, given by Adi Da Samraj several years ago, on the subject of true, or sacred, art.
Please enjoy these new additions. More will be added soon. Send us your comments, questions or suggestions. |
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| Ravens Visit The Mountain Of Attention Sanctuary |
| July 31, 2006 by admin |
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By Stuart Camps, zoo director
Wandering about the Mountain Of Attention Sanctuary these last few days, often on foot, is a beautiful black raven (a member of the crow family).
It's an unusual sign, a big black bird, relaxedly walking about the Sanctuary, minding his own business, allowing close approach by people but no physical contact, simply being here, unafraid. Maybe he'll be here for a while, or maybe he'll be gone tomorrow.
We've asked the Sanctuary residents and retreatants, when they meet this bird, to keep a respectful distance, and to give the raven its space and freedom to be here.
He has found sanctuary here. I think he knows it. And I think he likes it. The raven seems healthy, though quite tired, perhaps elderly.
Interestingly, last week we took in another raven with a broken wing. We're nursing him back to health. Its unlikely he'll fly again.
Adi Da Samraj (founder of Fear-No-More Zoo) loves crows and ravens. The raven is considered to be, hands-down, the most intelligent of all birds.
Throughout all traditions many qualities have been attributed to ravens and crows, each tradition viewing them in particular ways, both exoterically and esoterically. Adi Da's Instruction does not discount most of those views but it goes further, as shown in this Talk excerpt. |
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| Website fixed |
| July 19, 2006 by admin |
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| If you've been experiencing any techinical problems with the Fear-No-More Zoo website, those problems should now be fixed. Thank you for your patience. Please contact us if you have anything else to bring to our attention. |
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| Feedback From Visitors |
| December 2, 2005 by admin |
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Following are some comments we've received from visitors to Fear-No-More Zoo or from web visitors. You can send us a comment or question of your own via our contact form.
I found your website when I was searching for job profiles of careers related to animals. I love what I've read about Fear-No-More Zoo. It's incredible. I've always felt animals were treated unfairly as subordinates, but I felt that one person could do nothing about it. Apparently I was wrong.
C.
Your site is fascinating =)
S.T.
I was just reading about the camels' relocation and new home and the new lories... Thank you so much! Fear No More Zoo is a BEAUTIFUL THING! and watching the work it has taken over many years to come to this level of manifestation of Adi Da's Vision for Fear No More has moved my heart.
J.K.
Thanks thanks thanks Stuart and all, for this GREAT update on camels, turtles, birds, etc... so great. It feels so good to have the camels in their new and expanded compound.
M.W.
WONDEFUL WEB SITE. I scanned the whole site and listened to a recording of Avatar Adi Da Samraj. This is a really impressive site.
F.S.
[Pictured at right is Gunther, a pot-bellied pig, relaxing in the sun. For more information about the camels' move to a larger environment, read the story here.] |
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| Black-Capped Lories Join Us |
| August 1, 2005 by Stuart |
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Fear-No-More Zoo recently received a pair of beautiful Black-Capped Lories.
These birds' previous situation was a four-foot square breeding cage in suburban central Florida. They were well cared for but unable to fly at all due to their small enclosure.
They are now enjoying a relatively spacious flight aviary (14’ X 14’ X 9’) with two heated (in winter) nesting boxes, bushes, bamboo, hanging toys and a pond and waterfall beneath a tall shady oak tree. We give them two nesting boxes to allow them a choice of nesting spaces.
Black-capped lories are natives of the New Guinea highland forests. Our new pair, who are now nine years of age, were bred in captivity here in the United States. As far as we know, they have been together for about five years.
They were immediately comfortable and relaxed as they emerged from the travel box into their new aviary. Within a couple of days they were showing a variety of happy courting behaviors, and today they were observed mating. So, if things go well, they may breed before winter.
Since their arrival these two birds have intermittently filled the Zoo Gardens with some of the wonderful sounds of the New Guinea rainforest. It is a delight to be able to care for these exquisite beings. Black-caps are the second largest of the many species of lory. The largest lory is the Chattering Lory. Pictured below is the male of the new pair.
Being a so-called “breeding pair”, rather than hand-raised as pets, these "Black-Caps" communicate a wild, calm, sane intensity, while still being friendly and approachable.
Lories are parrot-like birds whose diet largely consists of fresh fruit and flower nectar. Lories are very intelligent, humorous, playful and fearless birds. They frequently smell like sweet ripe fruits due to their diet, which is high in fruit and natural sugars. |
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| July 4th '05 Anniversary for Robert the Cat |
| July 15, 2005 by Stuart |
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As it is each year, Robert the Cat's death (mahasamadhi) anniversary was honored recently on July 4th at Holy Cat Grotto, here at the Mountain Of Attention Sanctuary. The ceremony was attended by about 150 people in honor of Robert, who was Adi Da's first teacher. Swami Vivekananda's mahasamadhi anniversary was also honored on July 4th (as it is each year) in conjunction with Robert the Cat's passing on that same date.
(from The Knee of Listening pp.123 -- 143)
"Robert himself was nothing less to me than my best friend and mentor. He was more, not less, than human to me. I watched him with fascination. I followed him through the woods and watched him hunt. I tried to understand his curious avoidance of the sea, and how he could sit on the cliff above the sea, watching the evening sun, and the wind blowing his hairs heroically about his head. The mystery of his pattern of living, his ease and justice, the economy of all his means, the untouchable absence of all anxiety, the sudden and adequate power he brought to every circumstance without exceeding the intensity required, all of his ways seemed to me an epitome of the genius of life. And he communicated with me so directly that I was disarmed. He would call me when he returned in the evening. He would touch me whenever he needed my presence. He would lie with me as if with conscious intention to console me with his living presence. And I loved him as deeply as the universe itself."
Today, at The Mountain Of Attention Sanctuary, there is an outdoor Temple named "Holy Cat Grotto" which honors Robert and his Spiritual relationship with Adi Da Samraj. Holy Cat Grotto is a wild, profound place of healing and meditation.
"I recognized that Robert had been my teacher in the wilderness. He had filled my eye and owned a thread of attention in my heart. I Knew him and he Knew me. Nothing could replace that state of life or console its absence. I treated him in death like a saint. I had him cremated, and I kept his ashes."
** The term, "mahasamdhi" refers to a consciously chosen passing from the physical body.
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| Tribute to Panther |
| June 16, 2005 by Stuart |
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Panther (below right), our male red panther chameleon died last night. He'd been carrying a benign growth on his front left shoulder for about twelve months. We operated on it three times but it kept re-growing. His age, plus the physical stress of this large growth, were the factors, we feel, contributing to his decline.
With a simple ceremony Andrea, Sandy and I buried him in Fear-No-More Zoo's creek-side graveyard. It was a touching burial of a lizard friend whom we'd all come to know and love. His contemplative depth inspired each of us.
In early October of 2004 (autumn) we had a full night's electrical blackout here at the zoo. The Aldabran tortoises were in their hot springs mud-hole so they were going to be fine for the night. And the Jackson's chameleons can handle colder temperatures better than most other chameleons, so they were fine, too.
Because panther chameleons don't do well in cooler temperatures I brought Panther from the greenhouse and set him up in a plastic box with a lid, and kept him up against my body under the blankets of my bed for the night to keep him warm. I don't know how much he actually slept that night, but his regular scratching kept me awake much of the night. He did stay comfortably warm, though, and survived the night in good form.
I've known half a dozen red panther chameleons, and two who really impressed me. One was Cinnabar (left), who was as relational and approachable as a pet dog. He was extraordinary that way, and a big robust individual. And Panther, well, he was more like a tree or a plant, and not ever as red in color as Cinnabar, very steady, deeply contemplative, and hardly at all inclined to society.
Given our location in the mountains (about 2500 feet) in Northern California, we will only have mountain species of chameleon living here from now on. Their ability to withstand colder temperatures for brief periods gives them a much better survivablity in case of power outages.
The mountain species that would do well here are the Jackson's, Johnston's, Quadricornis and Parson's chameleons, but principally the Jackson's.
Our Chameleon Garden currently comprises three walk-in greenhouses set within a garden of ponds, stream, jungle plants and winding pathway. One greenhouse is only partially completed, so we need to get that finished soon, too. If you'd like to consider helping with funding for this project please see our How to Help page.
Chameleons are profoundly contemplative beings... Adi Da has great regard for them because of this. He's asked that we always try to maintain chameleons here at Fear-No-More Zoo because of the depth of meditation they bring to the zoo.
While speaking about the chameleons back on March 27 1996, Adi Da commented, "Wherever there is another, their fear arises. They should be left to Contemplate, and they should be protected in a place where people go in, but not in mobs. They should see Contemplatives, not people diddling and disturbing them. The chameleons would actually like to be kept some place where people Contemplate, but not where it's busy."
Regards,
Stuart |
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| Thank you for your support.... |
| June 15, 2005 by Stuart |
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Greetings,
With the help of a very good friend we have just begun this new web-based newsletter so we can keep you more up to date with Fear-No-More Zoo and what goes on here.
This may be your first time to our website, or perhaps you've visited us before. In any case we hope you enjoy what you find and that the information and stories here are of use to you.
Small private zoos can be difficult to fund in the best of circumstances. And for Fear-No-More Zoo, with such an unusual and unique point of view and situation, it is harder still. The more unique the niche, the more unique and special are the patrons and supporters.
If you enjoyed this website and appreciate the values communicated here, we welcome and invite your support of Fear-No-More Zoo.
You can visit the How to Help Page (see menu at left) and select one of the monthly support donation suggestions to join us in further developing and deepening the Vision of Fear-No-More.
We invite you to start by giving $5, $10, $50 or $100 each month, whatever suits your budget. This kind of monthly support goes toward the zoo's operations costs, which are always growing. Every donation, large or small, adds up to the support that is needed.
(At left is Jelly Baba, a four month old Bactrian camel)
And please check back here at your convenience for further news and updates.
Thanks again,
Stuart |
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© 2005-2006 The Avataric Samrajya of Adidam Pty Ltd, as trustee for The Avataric Samrajya of Adidam.
All rights reserved. Perpetual copyright claimed.
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