Everywhere in the world,
we can observe
and be touched
by acts of kindness.
People from all walks of
life, faiths, and cultures
extend themselves
beyond the call of duty
to help others
unconditionally.
Through their noble deeds,
humanity as a whole
is elevated.
To commend
virtuous actions and
encourage more people
to be inspired
by their examples,
Supreme Master
Ching Hai
has lovingly created
a series of awards,
including the Shining
World Leadership
Award, Shining World
Compassion Award,
Shining World Hero and
Heroine Awards, Shining
World Honesty Award,
Shining World Protection
Award, Shining World
Intelligence Award,
and Shining World
Inventor Award,
to recognize some
of the most exemplary,
generous, caring,
and courageous people
who walk amongst us.
G'day terrific viewers!
Welcome to
Animal World:
Our Co-Inhabitants.
Australia is blessed
with abundance
of native wildlife,
so plentiful
that a variety of species
typically can be found
in an Australian
family’s backyard.
However,
for those animals living
in urban environments,
they are vulnerable
to such hazards
as power lines
and moving vehicles.
Concerned with
these issues, a group
of compassionate souls
from all over the city
of Brisbane formed the
Brisbane Carers Group,
a virtual sanctuary
in the heart of the metro
which cares for injured,
homeless, and orphaned
animals of all kinds.
Some of these
dedicated volunteers
work during the day
to earn money
to care for the animals;
others are retirees
who devote
their days and nights
to solely nurturing
and looking after our
beautiful animal friends.
In this first
of our two part series
we honor members
of this dedicated team
of wildlife carers,
rescuers and protectors.
In recognition of
their noble deeds,
Supreme Master Ching Hai
has honored
an individual member
of the group, Taryn Mail,
as well as
the entire group
with the Shining World
Compassion Award for
making a true difference
in the lives of
Brisbane’s animals
and for being wonderful
model citizens, not only
of Brisbane but also
of our planetary home.
Taryn Mail is a vegan
homeopathic practitioner
who is known as
“T-bird” to her friends.
I look after homeless birds
and injured birds.
I take any unwanted birds
that people don’t want
that need a home,
or lost pets
and any injured birds
that can’t be released
into the wild.
They’re all my friends.
Some of them don’t leave
even though they can,
because they’ve got
a pretty good life here.
I very much treat them
as though
they are my family.
The compassionate Taryn
has had a strong connection
with the animals
since she was young.
She sees
looking after animals
as her life’s mission.
I found a bird
when I was four
and looked after them.
And ever since then it’s
just sort of
been continual.
I’ve had baby possums
that sleep with me in bed,
and I’ve had birds that,
followed me to school
when my mum
was driving me and
they’d sit on my arm and
hang out the window and
then they’d fly off again.
They have revealed
so much to me
as to who they are,
and because
I’ve been receptive to that,
because it’s been going
on my whole life,
I consider them to be
emotional, feeling beings
just like any other being
on this planet.
And if they are in distress,
just like if a human
is in distress,
it’s absolutely my duty
to help them out.
Taryn has converted
an outdoor shed into
an aviary for over 80 birds,
and also makes this place
her home.
She showed us around
this incredible bird haven
where the wildlife
share a cozy,
comfortable residence
with their loving caregiver.
I really want this
to be a place
where it’s just healing.
Beings come here,
whether it's a human
or a bird or any animal,
to just relax and
be in peace and get better.
A bed and a place
to put clothes and books
that's basically my needs
and the rest is for them.
Nature also seems to
give Taryn a hand
in looking after
her feathered friends.
I was really lucky
that a tree dropped all its
branches for me today.
I try and put these in here,
because there are a few
lorikeets that live up
in the railings and stuff.
So, lorikeets love
eucalyptus trees because
they rip open the leaves
and they spread it
all over their bodies,
and it actually
keeps away parasites.
Taryn’s open bird haven
is also a favorite hangout
for animals
during wintertime.
There’re quite a few birds
that come in at nighttime
during winter,
because they either don't
have many feathers or
they're a little bit prone
to getting sick
or their immune system
is compromised.
So they come and
sleep in here at night.
At nighttime
a lot of the wild lorikeets
actually come in as well
and sleep in here.
They let themselves in.
They have tunnels,
little holes in the ceilings.
They come in and then
they let themselves out
again in the morning.
So it’s really cool actually,
the way
they’ve done that.
The ultimate thing is when
they can have freedom,
true freedom,
to come and go
as they please.
Because then you know
that they are choosing
to be around you,
not being forced
to be around you.
And, yes that’s really
what I wanted.
When Animal World:
Our Co-Inhabitants return,
we will meet more of
the lovely winged friends
in Taryn’s aviary.
Please stay tuned
to Supreme Master
Television.
Welcome back to
Animal World:
Our Co-Inhabitants.
We are
in Brisbane, Australia
celebrating
the Brisbane Carers Group
that has created
a virtual sanctuary
in the heart of the city
dedicated to
promoting the welfare
of our noble
animal co-inhabitants.
Now let’s meet some of
Taryn’s intelligent and
loveable pigeon friends.
There’s a couple of
pigeons here.
They were found
as babies in a car park,
near the city.
And they live here.
And pigeons
are homing birds.
So you can let them out
during the day
and they’ll fly around but
they always come home
to where they grew up.
So they come home
every night.
Pigiwigiwoo came in
with a lung infection.
She was a very skinny,
sick bird.
She’s a different species
than these ones.
She’s actually
a breed of pigeon
that they race.
I thought, probably,
if I let her go
she’d be able to
find her way home,
because they’re
very good at that.
So when I let her out,
I opened the door
and she did a walk
around the block, and
sussed everything out,
came straight
back up the stairs,
into the shed, sat down,
“I’m home.”
And she hasn’t left since.
She’s a beautiful bird.
She wakes me up
every morning.
If my alarm goes off
and I sleep in,
which is every morning,
she flies down
onto my head and,
and pecks at me,
“Get up, get up, get up.”
And just a beautiful soul.
And she’s actually raised
a few babies for me.
With years of experience
in caring for animals,
Taryn has discovered
the best way to bring birds
back to good health.
They need love
and affection.
I try and get them
to trust me as early on
as possible, because then
I can make them feel like
they're loved and wanted.
And that really speeds up
their healing process.
When they're kept
in cages and
away from you, they
don't really do that well.
We do everything together.
I sleep with them,
I eat with them,
and very much
incorporate them
as part of my life.
I do talk to them.
It's a communication that
involves body language
and gut feeling.
And I very much honor
that feeling.
So they find it
easy to know
what's going on with me,
but I have to center myself,
and really listen to
what they're saying.
Taryn shares
why she became a vegan.
I was vegetarian
for almost all my life,
and then I went vegan.
The reason
was actually because
I was told a story
about dairy farms
and things like that.
As I've gotten older and
realized more and more
how much a mother feels
towards her baby,
because that's
how I feel towards birds.
How affected cows must be,
what happens to them
so that
they can give us milk,
when we don't need it.
I rescue ants;
I rescue plants;
I rescue everything.
Why would I then put
another living thing
through that torture
for something that's just
a pleasurable experience
to eat?
Vegan food is just amazing,
there's nothing like it
on the planet.
It makes you feel great.
You feel energized.
You don't have
that heavy feeling.
On behalf of
Supreme Master Ching Hai,
our Association members
in Brisbane
presented the prestigious
Shining World
Compassion Award
to Taryn, along with
a selection of
Supreme Master Ching Hai’s
DVDs and books
including the #1
international best-sellers
“The Dogs In My Life”
and “The Noble Wilds.”
Taryn also
received a check
for AUD$5990 from
Supreme Master Ching Hai
to help further
her high-minded mission
of safeguarding
our avian co-inhabitants.
The following is an excerpt
from a warm letter
to Taryn from
Supreme Master Ching Hai.
Dear Taryn,
it is with great pleasure
and gratitude
that we present to you
the “Shining World
Compassion Award.”
You and
many other volunteers
have united as part of
the greater Brisbane area
to rescue injured, stray
or sick animals.
Each caretaker specializes
in one or more species,
getting calls from
local councils, vets,
or the public
about animals in distress.
As a vegan, homeopathic
and spiritual practitioner,
you are well gifted
to comfort
our feathery friends.
Thank you Taryn
for uplifting our world
with your inspirational
example of love in action.
We hereby applaud
and celebrate
the compassionate deeds
of Taryn Mail,
angel with a heart
soft as a feather.
With Great Honour, Love
and Blessings,
the Supreme Master
Ching Hai.”
Thank you so much.
This has changed my life
in more ways
that I can even describe.
Not only my life
but the life of
so many animals
that I look after.
It has improved
their quality of life.
It will continue to improve
their quality of life.
(It) just means that
they are able to have
a better lifestyle,
because I’ll be
building a big aviary
for them with it.
They get more food,
better quality food,
fresh food.
It means I don’t have to
worry about
where the next cent
is coming from.
And it’s enabled me
to take on more of them.
So I don’t even know
how to thank you,
but thank you so much.
Thank you so much
from myself and
from all of us and from
all the animals as well
that we look after.
We send
our heartfelt gratitude
to Taryn and
all other wildlife carers
in Brisbane
for their boundless heart
and selfless dedication
in looking after our
vulnerable animal friends.
Splendid viewers,
thank you
for your company
on today’s show.
Please join us again
tomorrow on
Animal World:
Our Co-Inhabitants
for Part 2 of our program
featuring the presentation
of the Shining World
Compassion Award
to other members of
the Brisbane Carers Group.
Coming up next is
Enlightening
Entertainment,
after Noteworthy News.
May love always
be with you.