| Recently I had the chance to watch Avatar. The film | | | | source. Jake links to a Toruk (dangerous flying |
| is very rich on many levels, however, all through the | | | | predator) via fibres that run from his hair into a kind |
| movie the viewer gets an understanding of the of | | | | of antenna on the Toruk. At first the Toruk resist |
| the Na'vi people's appreciation of the energy | | | | taking a rider when they are broken from the wild. |
| between us all. It is very difficult to work out if in | | | | However, once the Na'vi people bond with a Toruk, |
| fact the Na'vi are meant to be advanced people or a | | | | they are able to communicate with that animal as if |
| race that hasn't advanced as far as our modern | | | | by mental telepathy. |
| society here on earth. | | | | There is an interesting parallel between the very |
| Western culture is very individual. My family didn't | | | | physical link between the Na'vi rider and the Toruk |
| have any understanding of a connection of energy | | | | and natural horsemanship or natural dog handling. In |
| between people or between people and other living | | | | horsemanship, the connection between rider and the |
| things as far as I am aware. However, my mother | | | | horse is so precise and subtle that the rider only has |
| has a very strong connection with her two | | | | to think the command in their mind and the horse will |
| daughters. Often I will call Mum and Dad and if they | | | | know. I have been on highly sensitive horses and |
| are out, then Mum will often say that one of us is | | | | given a leg command that was too physical and had |
| trying to call. So, a connection is evident. However, it | | | | the horse buck and kick as if to protest my |
| is often explained as a coincidence. Maybe out of | | | | ignorance! Similarly, when there is a bond between a |
| purely lack of understanding, but also to avoid | | | | dog and a handler, there is communication that in the |
| knowledge of a kind of superstition or maybe a black | | | | case of working dogs has no physical link but the dog |
| art associated with witch craft. | | | | and the handler understand each other perfectly. My |
| In Avatar, the Na'vi people connect with other living | | | | father understands this relationships very well. |
| things and they connect through a powerful universal | | | | |