I was fortunate enough this week to witness several more of my animal clients trying to "help" their guardians and it is such a sweet reminder of what I know about animals. I have always believed that they come into our lives to help us, not the other way around, so when I get to see more evidence of this, it warms my heart. Animals come into our lives to be our guides, to help us learn and grow and become better versions of ourselves. And they often do it without much gratitude. One of my favorite parts of the work I do is to shine a light on this "truth" about animals so that not only can the guardian learn what their animal is trying to show them but also so that the animals can get the credit they deserve.
Often times an animal will act in a way they want their guardians to learn to act. I had two clients this week whose animals were being very pushy to get what they wanted. It was a behavior that was frustrating the guardians but after some conversation and exploration, I could see that in both cases, the guardian was having a difficult time asking for what THEY wanted from their family, friends or co-workers. It's as if the animal is saying "Look, this is how you do it!" I have learned that they will keep doing whatever that is until they can get their guardians attention.
When I am able to articulate what the animal is trying to show their guardian, it's as if they are saying "Yes, that's what I have been trying to show her, thank you so much for making sure she heard me!" Some animals will lean forward and press their forehead against mine to show their appreciation, some will lick my hands or face. Whatever way they express it, their gratitude is very obvious and very beautiful.
Sometimes, the animal helping a person isn't their pet, but a random animal that they encounter, often a wild animal. I had two experiences this week where people had odd encounters with animals that were not their pets. I have this wonderful book called "Animal Speak" by Ted Andrews that I turn to whenever someone has an encounter with an animal. The book explains what the meaning is when various animals "show up" in your life because they really do have a purpose when they cross our path. They are showing up to teach us something or guide us, or give us a warning.
I have one client who had an opossum sneaking into her house. At first she was very upset about it. It was rather scary to her to encounter the opossum several nights in a row and she couldn't figure out how the opossum was getting into her house. I told her about my Animal Speak book and asked her if I could email her some information from the book about what it means when an opossum appears in your life. She said that was fine, but I sensed she wasn't too excited about my idea that maybe the opossum had a purpose, other than terrorizing she and her cats. I was pleasantly surprised to see her response to the email I sent, where she said the equivalent of "Holy cow, all of that is right on the money!" Opossums are often providing a warning and everything that I had pulled from the book related 100% to a work situation she was dealing with and she took the warning/guidance to heart. Interestingly, once she 'got it' (i.e. got the message the opossum was trying to give her), the opossum stopped sneaking into her house. He hasn't shown up since the night I shared the information from the Animal Speak book.
I had another friend who in casual conversation was telling me how he and his wife kept encountering badgers when they were out walking. He said they kept catching his attention because they made their presence known but didn't do anything to frighten them. I asked him if I could read him some things about badgers from my Animal Speak book and while he said "yes" I could sense a "whatever" under the surface. Well, after reading some excerpts from the book to him, there was silence for a minute and then he said "All the hair is standing up on my arms right now." Things I had read him from the book hit home for some things he and his wife are currently dealing with. His next questions was "Where can I get a copy of that book?"
I hope you'll start paying more attention to the animals that cross your path and the behaviors of the animals you share your home with. I really believe they are trying to teach you something if you are willing to listen.
I had my own experience this week, when a squirrel sat on my fence and kept staring at me, fluffing his tail. I smiled and said "Hi" to him but he didn't budge. He kept staring at me, kept fluffing his tail. I stood up from the chair I was sitting in and normally that will cause a squirrel to high-tail it out of my yard but he sat perfectly still, continuing to look at me. I said to him "Are you trying to tell me something?" and he kept fluffing his tail. This continued for over five minutes and I wondered how long it would go on, but I didn't want to be disrespectful and just go back into the house so I continued to watch him and talk to him.
I told him that if he was trying to tell me something, I was very sorry but I wasn't picking it up. After some time, he finally started to walk along the fence but he kept turning around looking at me every few feet. I thanked him for stopping for a visit and once he was at the end of my fence, I went inside and pulled out my Animal Speak book. The line that caught my eye in the squirrel section was about how squirrels play as hard as they work and that often when a squirrel shows up, its to make us look at ourselves and whether we are not playing enough.
It hit home with me because "playing" is not something I have done much lately, with Lucky's health being what it is and the challenges that have come with caring for her. In fact, earlier that day, I had been feeling a little stressed about the fact that my most favorite band in the whole world, the subdudes, were going to be in town for two nights this week. I have never missed a show when they are in town but this time I was contemplating skipping their shows, as I was worried about leaving Lucky alone. Friends of mine who are fellow subdudes fans had been asking me "Are you going to the show?" and I kept saying "I don't know" because I wasn't sure I could go if Lucky wasn't feeling well.
After reading up on the meaning of squirrels, I decided it must be a sign that I SHOULD go, that I SHOULD have some fun to get my life back in balance. I am grateful the squirrel came along to give me a nudge, because I needed it. So, I'll be going to see the subdudes this week and I am really excited about it. If I have to get a babysitter to stay with Lucky, that's what I'll do although I think she would prefer to be in the car outside the venue because that's what we usually do. All the guys in the band know her and I think they would be disappointed if she wasn't there, since she's been going to the shows with me for years. I know Lucky wants me to have fun as well because if she's learned anything in the last 14 years, it's that the subdudes' music makes me very happy.
So, speaking of Lucky, she's doing pretty well at the moment. The week had it's challenges, as I discovered she has a yeast infection on her inner thighs and tummy and I have been trying to find holistic methods to help her heal. (I'm seeing some positive results already so I think we may be on the right track). And we had one particularly rough night where she was panting and seemed to be in distress and I was worried she was going to pass but after an hour or so of Reiki, she was able to fall back asleep and seemed much better in the morning. But all in all, I'd say she's still happy and still wants to be here. This is a picture of her at the park this week (still wearing her birthday scarf because we like to stretch our birthday celebrations out as long as possible.) She was watching the kids play on the playground and was obviously very happy to be there. I am trying to make sure we do things that bring her joy. It is important to me to keep honoring her so that I know if she passed that day, that it was a good day, a day filled with love and joy.
This is a picture I took of Lucky this week, using her new stuffed frog (a birthday gift) as a pillow. She hasn't used a stuffed toy as a pillow since she was a puppy and it warmed my heart to see her do it again after so many years and of course, seeing her sleeping so contently filled my heart with joy. She hasn't tried to rip its eyes or nose off, which is usually the first thing she does with a new stuffed toy. Instead, she seems content to just hang out with it. Maybe she wants him to be in good enough condition that I'll enjoy hanging out with him after she's gone. At any rate, I am blessed to have had another week with my precious girl. If any of you reading this are interested in experiencing the magic of the subdudes' music, they'll be at Moe's Alley in Santa Cruz on Tuesday and Wednesday night this week. I promise you will not be disappointed. Their music has a way of lifting you up and filling your heart and soul. You won't be able to stand still and you may even feel 10 feet tall after the show. Now if that's not a ringing endorsement, I don't know what is!
And remember, keep an eye out for animals that cross your path - they could be trying to show you something.
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