Most spiritual seekers know that unconditional love is the foundation for achieving enlightenment. But as someone who’s been on “the path” for a very long time, I’ll admit that I sometimes wonder: Is it really possible to love everyone in today’s world? Loving most, that’s viable—but everyone? Over the years, I’ve read hundreds of self-empowerment books and tried a variety of methods that focused on how to accomplish this . . . but it still remained a mystery to me.

Since the answer was unclear, I decided to ask a new question. Instead of focusing on how, I began to ask, Who? Who do I know that exudes the qualities of a great spiritual master—a person who lives in the present moment, is detached from the material world, embraces simplicity, has the joyful heart of a child, and loves without condition? Being surrounded by so many deep and philosophical friends, I figured there must be someone in my life with these traits. For days I reflected on this question. I knew that there had to be someone I’d met who radiated unconditional love. Then, when I least expected it, something miraculous happened: the answer I had been searching for literally walked up to me and . . . licked my face.

Meet Mollie—an unusual and unruly standard poodle who looks more like a disheveled sheepdog than a purebred. She is 50 pounds of fluffy love. Even though she’s been my constant companion over the past eight years, I didn’t realize that she has been the who and the how I had been searching for all along. Looking back, I now see that her lessons have shown me that it is possible to live with a heart wide open—even in today’s modern and sometimes unkind world. Each day I witness this phenomenon as she greets family, friends, and especially complete strangers with warmth and enthusiasm. No fear. No judgment. And no worries what others may think of her crazy hair and zest for life—only love and affection toward all.

My new book Radical Practice of Loving Everyone is a unique look into the soul of one four-legged guru who demonstrates the characteristics needed to love everyone. In it, I share our journey together and my own attempt to emulate the very qualities that allow Mollie to live as an enlightened being.

That being said, Mollie is no angel. Unconditionally loving, yes. Well behaved . . . not always. She is an unusual creature. Her ability to send me from blissed to pissed (and vice versa) is an extraordinary talent. She has taught me spiritual lessons that have given me a new approach to life, love, and what matters most. By actually living out Mollie’s four-legged approach to enlightenment, I can tell you that everything and everyone now looks completely different to me.

Nineteenth-century American humorist Josh Billings once said, “A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.” Perhaps this is because dogs have no sense of self, therefore making selfish behavior inconceivable. They also seem to understand the primary reasons for why they exist—to bring joy and love to the lives of others. These twin purposes are also human nature. It makes no difference whether you are a person standing upright or a four-footed creature happily chasing Frisbees in the backyard. I believe that we all emanated from a source that loves everyone. Maybe the result of spelling dog backward is no coincidence after all.