Happy New Year!!

Joan Morris writes a column in the San Jose Mercury called Animal Life.  I enjoy reading it each week and I have learned a lot from the answers she gives the folks who write to her.

Today, she published her new years resolutions and they really struck a chord with me.  I may just have to copy her and make them my resolutions as well.  Definitely more fun than resolutions to lose weight! Here they are:

- I resolve to think more about how my actions affects wildlife.
- I resolve to help shelter pets find loving homes.
- I resolve to spread the word that all living things have value and should be respected.
- I resolve to never miss an opportunity to watch wildlife at work and play
- I resolve to keep learning from pets and animals, and humans too.

And on a humorous note - who says old dogs can't learn new tricks?  I had a pleasant surprise this week involving my dad.  He is rather old school and doesn't believe that animals think, let alone have the ability to communicate with people.  It used to be a bit of a challenge for me since I believe so strongly that two way communication with animals is quite possible.  Over time, I accepted that it was OK if he didn't believe in what I did and stopped letting it bother me.  :-)

So, the other day, my dad had plans that were going to keep him away from the house all day and he was worried about "the boys" being alone for over twelve hours.  He asked me if I could come over midday to get them out for some exercise and I said I would.

Much to my surprise, I got an email back from him saying, "I told the boys that you were coming over to see them and they got very excited." Did my dad really tell them?  And when they acted excited, did he realize they actually DID understand him?  I smiled to myself when I thought about the fact that maybe my dad was adjusting his beliefs a bit.

Happy New Year!  I hope 2013 is a blessed year for all of you.  May it be a year filled with peace, joy, love and laughter!

Gratitude

Along the lines of the principle that what you focus on expands, it is said that the more you focus on what you are grateful for, the more reasons you'll have to be grateful.  So, as the holiday season approaches, I thought I'd share a few things that I have gratitude for:

- For the dentist who understands that animals are capable of far more than most people give them credit for, and allows his dog to assist his young patients.  amazingdentist/dog

- For the wonderful friends I have, that make sure I see links like the one above.

- For the fact that my Christmas tree finally stopped falling over  :-)

- For the people who have noticed I had my blinker on and actually let me move into their lane.

- For the homemade toffee that was lovingly made by the sister of one of my best friends, even if it means exercise is going to have to be moved up to the top of my to-do list.  :-)

- For my friendship with Chelsea, which appears to have given me the added benefit of having the rest of the squirrel population stay out of my flower pots this fall.  I don't know what she said to them, but they all seem to be "respecting" my daffodil bulbs this year.

- For the fact that Barry Manilow is still performing, so that my family could go see him and feel close to my mom for the night, as he sang the songs that were a soundtrack to our childhood.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season.  My wish for all of you is that you are surrounded by those you love and that you are given many opportunities to feel grateful.

Happy Holidays!!!

Corgi Update

In my last post, I wrote about a sweet little Corgi, named Corgi, who captured my heart. She had been terribly abused in a previous home and her new guardian wanted to do anything she could to help her.  Fortunately, Corgi was incredibly receptive to the Reiki treatment and she was ready to release much of the pain and sadness that she held in her body.  I mentioned that I was anxiously awaiting an update from her guardian and much to my delight, the news was even better than I had hoped for.

Corgi's mom reported that it almost feels like she has a new dog.  She said that Corgi seems happier, smiles more frequently and is more animated in her movements than she has been in all the time she's been with her.  On top of that, Corgi is actually attempting to play a little bit every day.  Since the day her mom brought her home, she hadn't been interested in playing at all, but now suddenly, she wants to play a little bit every day.

I was so thrilled to hear how much progress Corgi made from just one Reiki session, I couldn't stop smiling after reading the email from her mom.  On this week when our minds are on giving thanks, I can't help but think about how grateful I feel to know that Corgi is now living a life that is closer to how she was always meant to live.

I believe all of us, humans and animals, are meant to live lives that are filled with love, joy, peace, and happiness - and sometimes, if we can let go of enough of the pain and sadness from the past - we have more space in our lives for all that love, joy, peace and happiness.

A very special girl

When I went to meet a new client recently, I wasn't sure what to expect.  I knew from her guardian that she had been severely abused in a previous home and that she was afraid of almost everything.  While I had asked her guardian to tell her that I was coming and explain why, since that helps animals be more comfortable with me, I still wasn't sure how she would respond to me.

When I walked into the house and first met this precious little Corgi, she stood behind her guardian's legs.  I thought it would help her feel more comfortable if I sat down on the floor, so I attempted to do that as quickly as possible.  Much to my surprise, my rear-end had barely made contact with the floor before this sweet little girl had launched herself into my lap.  Her guardian stood there with her mouth hanging open, as she and I stared at each other with a certain amount of disbelief.  I think we both expected it to be a much longer process to help her get comfortable with the idea of me being there, let alone giving her a Reiki treatment.

Corgi showed us, that in spite of what she had been through before, she was ready to trust me, a virtual stranger.  Immediately, I was flooded with thoughts, feelings and images of her previous life, but even as the tears streamed down my face in response to what I was picking up, I knew she was ready and willing to let it go.  For an hour, she laid in my lap, soaking up the energy and allowing all the sadness she held from her previous experiences to flow out of her body.  She gave me lots of information about what had happened before and how she felt about things that were happening now in her life.  I shared all of that information with her guardian as I was picking it up.  I think we were both surprised at how forthcoming this sweet little dog was, as we knew there was a chance she would be too fearful to really open up to me.

After the Reiki treatment, her guardian and I both noticed that she seemed lighter, happier and even more playful.  A noticeable shift had definitely taken place.

I don't know yet if that was all Corgi needed, or if she'll require any additional treatments.  I am anxiously awaiting another update from her guardian to tell me how Corgi has been progressing.  In the meantime, I am still in awe that this sweet little girl trusted me enough to open up to what I had to offer.  As I told her guardian, I believe a big part of that was how much she trusts and loves her guardian, and because her guardian told her it was safe to communicate with me and be open to me, she was able to do it.

 I have a feeling I will be writing about her again - she definitely grabbed ahold of my heart and reaffirmed for me the belief that none of us should have to continue to hold on to the pain and trauma from our past.

Compassion

I was listening to Jo Dunning, one of my favorite spiritual teachers, the other day and she said something that really grabbed my attention.

She was talking about the experiences in our lives that either seem to stay, no matter what we try to do to move past them, or experiences that keep occurring over and over again.  She said that if we can move past judgment, and instead move to loving acceptance of something we don't like, then we can "complete the lesson" and move on.

It caught my attention because I have often wondered why something continued to occur over and over again in my life and in the lives of some of my clients.  For me, I always assumed I wasn't getting the "lesson" I was supposed to get and would often wrack my brain trying to figure out what I was supposed to be learning.

Jo said the key was to find a way to stop judging and blaming and look at the situation with compassion, because when we judge something we're saying, "I don't have compassion for that."  Each time we judge something (whether in ourselves or another person), it comes back to us to experience it again so we can develop compassion for it.  When we are able to get to the point where we have compassion for an experience, then it is free to move on and the lesson is complete.

Within hours of listening to Jo speak about this, I got together with a friend who was telling me about something she has been trying to overcome for years, with little success.  When I shared what I had just learned from Jo, we were able to quickly see that she had continued to judge herself for the very experience she kept having.  We laughed about the possibility that it really could be that easy to complete a learning, because so many of us are stuck in the belief that it requires hard work and a lot of struggle.  She agreed to try having more compassion for herself and less judgment, and she promised to keep me posted on what she noticed in the coming weeks.

One of the other things Jo said was to pay attention to what we think about before we fall asleep at night.  She said that our thoughts are "downloaded," to use a computer phrase, while we sleep.   If we are focusing on the things we don't like in our lives or the frustrations of the day that we experienced, our thoughts continue to stay on that track while we sleep, and then we manifest more experiences that are frustrating and unwanted.  She said it can be as easy as just focusing on things that you love (whether it's a child or a pet or a pleasant experience you had) before you fall asleep at night.  Then those loving, positive thoughts will be the things that get "downloaded" while you sleep.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if shifting the experiences we have here on earth could be that easy?  Give it a try and let me know what happens.   I would love to hear!

Chester? Oops!

Last fall, I wrote a few times about my new squirrel friend who was hanging out in the yard with me almost every day.  Almost immediately after I named him Chester, he stopped coming around and I was bummed.  When I shared my disappointment with a good friend of mine, he suggested that maybe Chester was a girl and that she was offended I had given her a boys name.  We had a good laugh about it but sure enough, this spring, Chester started coming around again, and it was very clear that not only was Chester a girl, but she was also a new mom.  I changed her name to Chelsea and she seems much happier with that.  :-)

We have developed quite a friendship and I'll admit, I am crazy about her.  I never thought I'd fall in love with a squirrel but she has really wormed her way into my heart.  She plays the equivalent of "hide and seek" with me, although she's the only one who does the hiding. When I am sitting in the backyard, she often sneaks down onto the patio and hides behind one of the flower pots near me.  She'll pop her head up and look at me, and when I say, "I can see you!" she'll duck down behind the pot again.  She'll do it three or four times and once she's sure she's got me laughing, she'll scurry off.

Last week, she extended the game further.  A noise caught my attention and when I looked up at the roof of the first story, I saw her sitting in the rain gutter.  I said, "Hi Chelsea" and she ducked down into the rain gutter so that I couldn't see her.  I could hear her moving, so I said, "I can hear you!" and just then she popped up out of the gutter again, about a foot down from where she had been.  She stared at me for a minute (and I swear, she was smiling), then she ducked down again and made her way a little father along the rain gutter.  I said, "I can hear you!" and once again she popped up and looked at me.  She did this across the entire rain gutter and then disappeared over the roof.

There was another day this summer when she really blew me away.  I was walking into the house when I saw her moving along the fence really slowly.  She looked like she was having trouble walking so I stopped and asked her if she was OK. She stopped and just stared at me so I said, "Do you need some Reiki?"  She looked me straight in the eye and then laid down on the fence, with her arms and legs hanging down on either side.  I was so stunned I just stood there with my jaw hanging opened for a minute but then my brain clicked back into gear and I realized she had just answered me.  I sent her Reiki from where I stood and after about fifteen minutes, she got up and walked away.  The next day when she came by for a visit, she had a noticeable "pep in her step" and it warmed my heart.

I'm hoping that any day I'll have a new german shepherd and at this point, my only concern is whether he'll get along with Chelsea.  :-)

A Promise Fulfilled

Many years ago, I was writing a book about my life with Lucky, detailing all the things we had learned in our years together.  Then for a variety of reasons, the book got set aside . . .  I promised Lucky before she passed away that I would finish the book but never expected almost three years to pass before I pulled it out again.

In July, one of my clients told me that Hay House Publishing was having a nonfiction writing contest and we decided it was time for me to dust off my manuscript and finally get the book done!

The last few months have been filled with writing, editing, rewriting and more editing and with the love and support of many friends I am happy to say it is now complete.  Today I submitted my book - and have breathed a huge sigh of relief!

The contest winners won't be announced until November 1st, but I know I will sleep well tonight knowing that I was able to fulfill the promise I made to my sweet girl.

Update: The plastic horse

A month or so ago, I wrote about a sweet little dog named Bijou who was unnerved by a life-size plastic horse in front of a pet store.  Curiosity got the best of me, so I went to investigate the horse for myself.

While I was there, I spent time just standing next to the big plastic horse, trying to sense what may be so upsetting to Bijou. I discovered the following things:  Energetically, something did feel slightly unsettling about the horse, although I couldn't quite put my finger on it.  I noticed that when the wind blew, the horse moved ever-so-slightly and I wondered if that almost-undetectible movement was what bothered her so much.

I spoke with the store manager and learned that Bijou wasn't the only dog that had that kind of reaction to the horse, as many of their doggie customers also bark their heads off when they see the horse.

I sent Reiki to the plastic horse, hoping to clear any negative energy that might be there.  Then I had my friend take a picture of me with the horse.

I sent the picture to Bijou's mom and asked her if she would show it to Bijou, and tell her that I stood next to the horse and nothing bad happened to me.  :-)

A week ago, Bijou and her sister Sadie, went to the pet store and I couldn't have been more thrilled by her mom's update.  Not only did a get a wonderful written update, but she also sent me the video she took of their visit, so I could see what happened.

The parking space right in front of the horse was opened, so they pulled into that slot.  Bijou didn't react and neither did her sister Sadie.  She looked at the horse but didn't snarl and growl at the window like she used to.  She didn't go into a frenzy as she always did.  She watched people come in and out of the store but just wagged her tail at them.  Her mom was stunned and so was I when I watched the video.

So, I am happy to report that at least for Bijou and Sadie, the horse doesn't seem to be a problem anymore.

What beliefs do you want to change?

Many of the spiritual teachers that I follow have been talking a lot this year about how powerful our ability to manifest has become and how much more rapidly we can create things in our lives by what we think, feel and believe.

They say that if you want to know what the beliefs are that you hold, consciously or subconsciously, all you have to do is look at your life and see what's there.  Everything in your life is somehow connected to what you believe.  It is as if our lives are like a mirror being held up to us, showing us what we really believe.

For instance, if you notice that everything is a struggle for you, chances are you hold a believe that we are supposed to struggle in life.  If you notice that good things are happening in other people's lives, but not in your own, you may hold a belief that good things only happen to other people.  Conversely, if things come to you easily and you always have everything you need, you probably hold that belief . . . that life is easy and that you will always have everything you need.

The good news is that it is never too late to change a belief.  We can change our beliefs any time we want and we are free to believe anything we want to believe.  The energy on the planet right now is nudging us strongly in that direction . . . to take a look at our beliefs and figure out which ones are serving us and which ones are not . . . and then to change the ones that are not.

Since most of our beliefs were formed in childhood, we can often find the clues to where we formed beliefs by going back to our childhood . . . not to relive it or re-experience it . . . just to observe where we might have learned something.  From there, by showing ourselves a little kindness, acknowledging why we might have learned to believe something but also acknowledging what we want to believe instead, we can start to shift our lives. Sometimes, it's enough to just observe the belief, without having to know exactly why we formed it.  The important part is knowing if it's a belief you want to keep or a belief you want to change.

I used to hold a belief that I would always have to do everything alone, that I would never receive the support I needed from others.  That belief was reflected again and again as I struggled by myself to weather life's storms, always wondering why I had to get through it all by myself.  When I finally decided I didn't want to believe I had to do everything alone anymore, it was astounding how much things shifted in my life, how many people stepped forward, in big ways and small ways, to make sure I knew I wasn't alone.  I am grateful all the time that I finally challenged that belief, because life is so much sweeter when you can feel the support of those around you.

So, what is your life telling you about your beliefs?  and how many of those beliefs would you like to change?  You can change any belief you want and the exciting thing is that the energy has never been more powerful or more supportive to help us make those changes.

Everything Happens For A Reason

I believe that everything happens for a reason.  I also believe that while the reason may not be something we can see or understand in the moment, I always trust that it is tied to the bigger picture, part of a divinely orchestrated plan.  In moments, I feel this so intensely, I have no question that it is true and I had one of those moments this week.

A client of mine told me about an experience she had that was still upsetting to her.  She had recently witnessed someone getting hit by a car.  She rushed to the man's side to see if there was anything she could do for him, but he died before help arrived.  She said he was losing blood too fast and there wasn't anything she could do to stop it.

She felt sad that she wasn't able to do anything and she wondered . . . if everything happens for a reason, why was she there?  She asked me what I thought.

My mind and heart were immediately flooded with thoughts and emotions and images.  I told her I was sensing very strongly that she was supposed to be there, because the man needed to experience her kindness and compassion before he left this world.  He needed to feel the love of her generous heart and know that he wasn't alone . . . that her purpose in that moment was to be there, so that in his last moments on earth he knew that someone cared.  I told her it wasn't about saving his life, but about giving him the gift of love and compassion in that moment.

She got goosebumps when I told her that and it brought tears to her eyes.  I could feel her letting go of the judgement she placed on herself for not having been able to do more for him and she considered that maybe she did do exactly what she was meant to do.

Something similar happened to another client of mine a month or two ago.  She was out running an errand when she witnessed a dog getting get by a car.  She immediately pulled over and rushed to see if she could help.  A young boy had placed the dog on the open tailed gate of his truck and at first the dog looked lifeless, but then she saw him moving.  She had recently become a Reiki practitioner, and while she hadn't worked on anyone but her own animals, she decided to try giving the dog Reiki.  She said the scene was chaotic. A young girl, the dog's guardian, came out of the house.  My client quickly assessed that it was her brother who had picked the dog up and placed him on the tailgate.  Then the driver of the car who hit the dog came back, apologizing profusely for what had happened.  My client told me that the brother appeared to be in shock.  He kept wringing his hands and running his hands through his hair, unable to do anything else.  His sister was on her cell phone frantically trying to find an emergency vet that was opened on a Sunday.

My client continued to give the dog Reiki while she assessed the situation. She didn't mention that was what she was doing.  It probably just appeared that she was making sure the dog didn't fall off the tailgate.  Her mind was calm and she was thinking through next steps. She thought that if they were going to transport the dog to an emergency vet, they would need to try to keep the dog as still as possible. She asked the boy if they had a pet carrier, he said no. She asked if he had a box they could put the dog in and he said no.  She could feel how helpless he felt.  She suggested he get a towel or a blanket that they could wrap around him.  He dutifully went to get a blanket and he seemed relieved to have something to do.  She admitted she was surprised at how calm she remained through the whole thing, as she helped them sort through their next steps, never once getting flustered.

She helped them get themselves and the dog into the car and they left to find the emergency clinic. Later that day, she went back by their house to see how the dog was.  They told her that he died from massive internal bleeding.  She felt sad and like my other client, she wondered why she had come upon the scene when she felt she hadn't really helped.  She wondered why she had tried to give the dog Reiki, when it didn't help save the dog's life.  She wondered what the purpose of her being there was, when in her mind, her presence hadn't made a difference.

I could sense right away that her purpose was to be a calm and loving presence, not just for the dog, but for the humans as well. I could feel how her presence helped the brother and sister stay calm and how her gentle guidance helped them tremendously when they were feeling so afraid and overwhelmed. I told her that Reiki can bring an animal great peace, which was probably exactly what the little dog needed at that time.  I could see how her presence helped everyone, even the man who had hit the dog, since she was able to corroborate his account of what happened and probably put his mind at ease.

She was in the right place at the right time to help all of them in ways she hadn't realized she helped them.  As with my other client, her gift was being able to share her love and compassion at a time when it was really needed.

The Plastic Horse

I got an email from one of my clients that made me laugh out loud and every time I think about what she wrote, it makes me laugh again, so I have decided that I need to share it with all of you.

There is a local pet store that has a life size plastic horse in front of their building and this horse is giving her some problems. Every time they go to the pet store, her dog Bijou becomes absolutely unhinged when she sees the horse.

My client told me that she has done what any good mom would do . . . she has talked to Bijou, she has consoled Bijou, she has taken Bijou up to the horse to show her that it is plastic.  She has done everything she can think of to lessen her sweet little girl's reaction to the horse, but none of her efforts have made a difference.  Bijou still becomes unhinged when she sees the plastic horse.

On her last trip to the store, she said to Bijou, "I'm going to share with Maureen that you freak out over the plastic horse and see what she has to say." Bijou looked at her with a slight head tilt and then the words that instantly came into her head were, "She'll stay away from the horse if she knows what's good for her."

I am not sure if I should heed Bijou's advice and stay away from this particular pet store, or if I should go over there and see how I feel around the horse.  :-)  Right now, I am just tickled by what Bijou said.

It's a wonderful reminder that animals are thinking, feeling beings, with an enormous amount of personality.  How fortunate we are to be able to share our lives with them.

A Test of Faith

Before Lucky made her transition, she told me she would come back to me. She told me it would be a few years and I was ok with waiting that long.  I sensed that we both had some things to do before we were ready for our next chapter together.

A year and a half ago, I was thinking about her and wondering how I would find her when the time came, so I posed a question before I went to bed . . . I asked, "How will I know which dog is Lucky?" and in the middle of the night, I got an answer to my question - A german shepherd named Chance.  I sensed that it was still a good ten months away, so I filed the information away and went on with life.

Last August, eight months after my dream about her coming back as a shepherd named Chance, Lucky came to me in a dream and told me she was going to be delayed but not to worry, she was still coming to be with me again.  I didn't ask her how long she would be delayed, so I've wondered since last fall when the time was finally going to come.

In April of this year, a client and friend of mine, Debbie, found Chance on the internet.  It was a very exciting time . . . I hit it off with the guy who ran the rescue group who had Chance and through the course of several conversations he was sure I was the right adopter for Chance.  Then I got interviewed by Chance's foster mom and things were looking good.  I was going to go meet him and hopefully bring him home with me the following week.

There was a whirlwind of activity around here as I prepared the house and the yard for my new dog.  I washed dog beds, pruned trees and picked up all the things off the floor that could be chewed by a young dog.  I was happy every day, anticipating this sweet reunion.

And then the disappointment came . . . . Chance's foster mom decided that she couldn't let him go.  She said he was such a wonderful dog, she wanted to keep him for herself.  I couldn't believe it  . . . I couldn't understand it.  How could something that seemed so divinely orchestrated unravel like this?  Was it not really "my Chance"? or was it my Chance and she was interfering with my fate?  What was going to happen now?

When my emotions are running high, it seems to interfere with my intuition, so it has been difficult to get clear guidance.  Consequently, the last couple of months have been pretty up and down.  In moments, I have faith . . . faith that Lucky will find me again and she will come to me as a german shepherd named Chance, just as she promised.  Debbie has been incredibly supportive, continuing to search the internet and keep her "antenna" up.  She is as determined for Lucky and I to be reunited as I am and it feels good to know I am not alone in this quest.

And in other moments, I worry that I missed my 'chance" and that I will never find her again.  I cringe when I get advice from well meaning friends who tell me to adopt any dog and name him Chance, or to find a puppy that hasn't been named yet.  It confuses me because I don't know if the resistance that I feel is an indication of a deeper knowing or my determination.  I feel like I should wait to find another german shepherd named Chance, but is that a sign of my faith?  Or a sign of my stubborn bullheadedness?

Thursday the 12th was Lucky's birthday.  I thought maybe, on a special day like that, I'd get some insights on where she is or how to find her.  That morning, I watched videos of her last birthday and smiled from head to toe.  Then in the afternoon, I went to our favorite beach.  I felt anticipation and peacefulness at the thought of being with her again but I didn't get any clear guidance.

Later that afternoon, I was on the phone with a friend of mine, and I shared with him how disappointed I was that I hadn't found "Lucky Chance" yet.  He said, "Everything happens for a reason," and when I groaned, he said, "Aren't you the one who taught me that?"  I laughed and said, "Yes, i did and I do believe everything happens for a reason, unless I am not happy with the outcome."  :-)

So the quest still continues . . . Debbie and I are still on a mission to see my dream become a reality.  For now, I am going to continue to hold out hope that this really is going to unfold the way Lucky told me it would.  I am going to do my best to stay open to any guidance that may come to me and I suppose it's likely that I will still have moments where I wonder whether my determination is misguided.  I guess only time will tell.  To be continued . . . .

Planting Seeds

The other day, one of my clients was expressing the disappointment she felt over a friend who wasn't taking her advice. I said to her something I have said hundreds of times . . . "Sometimes we have to hear something several times before we're ready to hear it." I think that if we feel compelled to share something, we should share it. The trick is to not be attached to the outcome and trust that when the person is ready, they will be opened to it, that sometimes when we are sharing something, we are just "planting a seed" and the seed won't turn into a flower for some time.

My client knows how much I live by Louise Hay's book, "Heal Your Body," which is about the mind/body connection, so I told her that when I was first introduced to the book, I thought it was a bunch of "Whooey" and was completely closed off to it. I told her that it took years, and seeing the book multiple times, before I really "got it" and fully embraced it. As I was explaining the process I went through to finally embrace the mind-body connection, I realized it might make a good blog post, so I decided to share the story with all of you.

Back in the late 80s, I was struggling with a health issue and a coworker handed me a copy of Louise Hay's book. I looked up a physical ailment I was having and when I read what the emotional root cause could be, I didn't want to see what it said. I think it was because I didn't want to feel that "responsible" for what was going on with me physically and the last thing I needed was to feel like something else was "my fault" . . . so I promptly gave the book back to my coworker and basically said, "Thanks, but no thanks."

The second time I saw the book, it was about three or four years later. I was at the chiropractor's office, waiting for my appointment and I saw the book on the shelf in the waiting room. I picked it up and looked up "upper back pain" because that's why I was in that day and the emotional root cause was "feeling unloved." I couldn't deny that it kind of fit . . . as I had just broken up with my boyfriend because he was cheating on me and I was definitely "feeling unloved" so it did kind of make sense . . . but I still wasn't ready to fully embrace the idea, and I put the book back on the shelf and forgot about it again for several more years.

My third experience with the book was after I adopted Lucky. In our early time together, she threw up 10-12 times a week and had a myriad of other health ailments, like weird breathing problems, etc. I kept bringing her to the vet, having them run test after test, but they could never come up with an explanation for why she was throwing up or why she was having the weird breathing problems, etc. I was at my wits end, frustrated that I couldn't help her and fearful that I was letting her down by not being able to solve the problems she was having. That's when I picked up the book again.

As I looked up each of the physical ailments Lucky was experiencing, I could see how the emotional root causes listed for each ailment made perfect sense for what she had been through in her early life (used as pit bull bait, beaten by humans, thrown in a dumpster and left for dead). I had a grand "a-ha" moment - and I finally realized just how much sense the book made. I went back and looked up the physical ailments I was still struggling with and for the first time, I could really see how the emotional root cause for each one of them made perfect sense for me too. 

I think maybe the book was less scary to me then because I could see how it made so much sense for Lucky. I also knew that nothing that happened to her was "her fault" so it was easier to read Louise's book without feeling like I was being blamed for what was going on with me either. 

It was then that I began approaching healing from a completely different vantage point, focusing on the emotional root cause of what was being manifested. By addressing the emotional root causes, Lucky and I both healed. Some of them took a little while, but eventually, the physical ailments we were both struggling with subsided.

Since then, I have referred to "Heal Your Body" as my bible. I live by it, I use it for myself, I use it with my clients. It is always on the kitchen table because I refer to it so often and it seems that almost weekly, I get emails from friends saying, "This is going on with me, will you look it up in your Louise Hay book?"

I had the wonderful treat of reconnecting with that old co-worker a few years ago. I told her the story I just shared with you and told her how grateful I was that she had "planted that first seed." The funny thing was, she didn't even remember that I was so closed off to the book when she shared it with me. I told her it must be a sign that she truly was embodying the most important rule of sharing . . . that you aren't attached to the outcome. She felt moved to share the book with me and she never gave another thought to whether or not I was opened to what it said.

So keep trusting that if you feel compelled to share something, it means you should share it. And also trust that people will hear things when they are ready . . . that sometimes our job is to just "plant a seed."

Dying To Be Me

One of my clients loaned me a book she bought called, "Dying To Be Me" by Anita Moorjani.  It is the most amazing book - one that I would highly recommend to anyone who is looking for guidance or trying to make more sense of their journey.

It is written by a woman (Anita) who had cancer.  The cancer ravaged her body for four years and after her body had withered away to almost nothing and her organs were shutting down, she slipped into a coma. It was then that she had a NDE (near death experience) and when she came back and came out of her coma, she completely healed from the cancer.  Her story has received attention from all over the world; medical professionals who wanted to understand how the "impossible" could have occurred and spiritual leaders who wanted to understand all that she learned on "the other side."

She brought back many messages from the other side, such as: We are all one, We are love at our core, We are magnificent, etc.  She learned that all judgement, hatred, jealousy and fear stem from people not realizing their true greatness, that lacking awareness of our perfection keeps us feeling small and insignificant and therefore, that's what we create for ourselves.

As I read her words, I could feel the "Truth" in them . . . I have always believed that we know how magnificent we are when we first come into this world and then over time, our beliefs erode and are replaced by new beliefs . . . and unfortunately, most of our new beliefs don't support the notion that we are divine, magnificent beings.  I believe that part of our journey here is about reconnecting with what we knew when we were born . . . tapping into that knowledge and finding our gifts, so that we can be the radiant beings we were meant to be.

She said that she learned that we are one with the universe and that our purpose is to be our magnificent selves.  She also learned that the external world truly is only a reflection of what is inside us, so she now lives her life from joy instead of fear.

She realized that before her NDE, everything she did was to avoid pain or to please other people.  She says, "I was caught up in doing, pursuing, searching and achieving and I was the last person I ever took into consideration.  My life was driven by fear - fear of displeasing others, of failing, of being selfish and or not being good enough  In my own head, I always fell short."  That part caught my eye because I know how many of us struggle with those very fears and I could see myself in that description for most of the first 35 years of my life.

She also said, "The external world mirrors what we feel about ourselves.  By letting go of any negative self-judgment, we allow our world to transform, and as it does so, we'll be able to feel greater and greater trust.  The more we're able to trust, the more we're able to let go of trying to control the outcome.  When we try to move with this flow, rather than adhere dogmatically to the doctrines of others or the beliefs we once had that no longer serve us, we more accurately reflect who and what we truly are."

It confirmed for me the importance of really loving and honoring ourselves.  When we truly love ourselves unconditionally and feel free to be ourselves fearlessly, anything is possible . . . it is from that space that I believe we are supposed to live.  That concept is a big part of the work I do with my clients, as well as the basis of the work I have done with myself.

And as someone who used to believe that our existence here was "hell" and we had to get through this experience to get to "heaven" . . . I can now say that I am finally understanding more about how to experience "heaven on earth."  If you feel moved to do so, pick up a copy of Anita's book.  Chances are, it will resonate with you in much the same way that it resonated with me.

Learning to communicate

About a year ago, one of my best friends from high school told me she was interested in learning to communicate with animals.  I encouraged her to explore it, as I believe we ALL have the ability and it's just a matter of learning to USE the ability.

Within a few weeks, she had picked up a few animal communication books and had been practicing a bit with her own animals.  She wasn't confident in her abilities yet, so when we got together for dinner, she peppered me with questions about how I communicate with animals, and how I learned to trust the information I was getting, etc.  We had a great conversation that night and it was fun for us to find yet another common interest after all these years.

Over the next month or so, I got frequent email updates from her about how her "communications" were going.  She was feeling more confident in her abilities, but still not ready to tell anyone that she could communicate with animals.

As time went on, she mentioned it less often, but we always have plenty of other things to talk about, so I didn't give it much thought.  She did tell me she had started volunteering at a horse sanctuary by her home up north and she was loving it.  Originally, she went because her daughter was interested in helping the horses, but within a matter of weeks, they decided it would be a mother/daughter effort, since they were both enjoying it so much.

A few months ago, she was in town and we were sitting at a coffee shop catching up when a black lab walked in with his guardian.  The dog made a bee-line for us and we were both more than happy to visit with him.  After we had both pet him and oohed and aahed over his silky black coat, he walked back over to my friend and put his head in her lap . . . and he stayed there . . . for at least 10 minutes.

His guardian really had to work hard to get him to walk away from my friend, but once they were gone, I asked her what was wrong, as she had a slightly uncomfortable look on her face.  She shook her head and said, "Nothing's wrong." So I said, "What did he say to you?" Her eyes got really wide and she admitted that she didn't know why he was so drawn to her, since I was the animal communicator and that it made her uncomfortable and she worried that it would bother me, etc.  I smiled at her and said, "We BOTH communicate with animals!"

Then I asked her again, "So, what did he say to you?" and she said that all she got was, "You can do it." but she wasn't sure what that meant and she didn't "listen" anymore because she was more focused on trying to figure out why he came to her and not me.  I told her that what I picked up from him was that he wanted her to trust her abilities to communicate, that there were animals who wanted her to listen to them.

Immediately, we both thought about the horses at the sanctuary, and I asked her if she had been trying to communicate with them.  She confessed that she hadn't, that she had put it out of her mind because she wasn't sure she could really do it.  I encouraged her to start trying again and she agreed that she would.

The next week, she called to tell me that she had been at the horse sanctuary and something compelled her to bring some water over to one of the horses . . . and when she did, he drank and drank and drank. She said, "I don't know how I knew but I knew he needed water," and I laughed and said, "It's because he told you!"

Since then, every time we talk, she excitedly shares stories with me about her communications with the horses, and she's never sounded happier.  It seems the sanctuary has become a sanctuary for her as well. We are both very grateful to the sweet black lab who inspired her to start trusting her abilities again . . . and my guess is, the horses are pretty grateful to the black lab as well.

Future Rescue worker

I don't intentionally eavesdrop on my next door neighbor.  In my defense, their 5 year old daughter really does talk loud so it's almost impossible not to overhear her conversations.  I also know that most of what is going to come out of her mouth is going to make me smile, so to be honest, I don't avoid listening either.

Recent activity has led me to believe that this sweet little girl might end up running an animal rescue group or an animal shelter one day.  She seems to really have the process down already.  I'll hear her asking her mom "Would you like a dog?  I have many you can choose from.  Do you want a Lab or a Chihuahua?"  (Her "rescue group" seems to help mostly Labs and Chihuahuas).  "What color do you want?" (and then she'll list off all the available colors . . . black and tan, black and white, solid black, brown, etc).  Her mom will graciously make her selection and then I'll hear her say, "Ok, stay right there, I am going to go get your new dog for you.  I think you are going to be very happy together."

They've been playing this "game" a lot lately and it just tickles me.  The other day, the little girl could see me through the crack in the fence between our yards and she yelled, "Maureen, do you want to see one of my chihuahuas?"  I said I'd love to, and put my face up by the crack in the fence.  She was holding up a plastic dog that was as big as a real chihuahua.  I told her I thought he looked like a really nice dog and she said, "I know, all of my dogs are really nice."  She hasn't asked me yet if I would like to adopt one but I have a feeling she may ask sometime soon.

It reminds me of a game that my friends and I played when we were little.  We pretended that we ran a Hilton Hotel that was only for people looking for a place to stay with their pets.  I have no idea where the idea came from but my parents were very supportive.  My dad gave us a phone to use (that of course was not plugged in) so we could take the calls that were coming in and my mom gave us index cards and a little recipe holder to keep track of the reservations.  We would even pretend to get calls from people who didn't have pets and we would tell them they should call another hotel, as our hotel was only for people who wanted to travel with their cats and dogs.

Many years ago, when I first heard about hotels that allowed pets, I was so excited.  I decided there must have been some other kids playing that same game when they were young and I was thrilled to know they finally made it a reality.  It makes you wonder how much we really do know when we are little about what path our lives will take when we get older.

The wonderful thing about my darling little next door neighbor is that even though she has all those dogs she is finding homes for, she still makes time for her "real" dog, Cricket.  The other day, I heard her say, "Cricket, do you want to go watch a movie together?" and then I heard her say a little louder, "Cricket, I am talking to you!  Do you want to go watch a movie together?"  He must have said yes, because I heard them both go inside and heard the sliding glass door close.  I hope Cricket enjoyed the movie but I am sure he was mostly happy just to be invited to join her.

The Joy of Opened Windows

The other day, my brother sent me a link to a video that he thought I would enjoy.  It was a video of dogs sticking their heads out of car windows.  I wasn't sure how exciting it was going to be but I gave it a shot anyway.  Much to my surprise, it had me smiling from ear to ear.

Seeing how happy these dogs were, with the wind blowing in their faces, I couldn't help but instantly be in a better mood.  It brought back memories of how much Lucky used to love sticking her head out the window and how patiently she would sit in the backseat, with her nose pressed against the glass, waiting for me to notice that she needed her window rolled down.

There were times when I was trying to concentrate on reading road signs and had to keep opening and closing the window for her . . .  and I wished I could teach her how to roll the window down herself.  :-)

And then I remembered the first time Lucky realized it was even more fun to put her head out of the sunroof.  She would put her feet on the console between the two front seats as we were getting close to the park and stick her head out the sunroof, looking as if she had just discovered the secret to happiness.

This little video made me smile so much, I am including it below so you can watch it too.  I dare you to try to NOT smile while you are watching it.

http://www.towleroad.com/2012/05/riding-in-cars-with-dogs-video.html

Honoring my mother

Yesterday was the 1 year anniversary of my mother's passing. We decided to get the family and some close friends together to mark the day.

We came up with the idea of having everyone bring a dish that reminded them of my mom - either something they made that she loved, or something she used to make that they loved. Everyone was excited about the idea and much to my delight, the menu came together perfectly and we had at least one of everything we needed.

We had some humorous moments in the weeks leading up to the celebration, as we sent my dad on multiple missions into the "cookbook cupboard" to find specific recipes. My poor dad was faced with the task of trying to read and transcribe recipes that had food stains on them and hand written notes from my mom about how she changed things from the original recipe. (sometimes with the notes conflicting with other notes she had written). :-) Everyone had a little bit of anxiety about "getting it right" as no one wanted to dishonor mom by messing up one of the dishes she was so well known for. :-)

As it turns out, I don't think the day could have been more perfect. The weather was beautiful so we set up a big table outside and as each dish was placed on the table, the "cook" shared the story of their dish and the memory it inspired about mom.

Once all the food was on the table, more story telling ensued, as we all recounted some of our funniest memories of mom, many of them somehow involving food, like the time our good friends came over for Thanksgiving and found my dad blow drying the turkey on the kitchen counter when they arrived. It was because mom thought she bought a fresh turkey but it turned out to be frozen. We didn't eat dinner until about 10pm that night and so many pre-dinner cocktails had been served that most people didn't remember dinner that year.

It was good to be together, to eat and to laugh because it was the best way to remember my mom. She loved to eat, and she loved to laugh . . . ok, a few tears were shed as well, but that seemed alright too. Before we all left last night, we each went home with some roses from my mom's rose garden. The perfect end to a perfect celebration. I'm sure my mom was pleased with the way we chose to honor her.

Someone told me once that you have to go through four seasons of grief before you start to feel more peaceful with a loss. I think of it often, in my own grief, and as I help others who are experiencing their own grief over a loss. Getting through the "first" of everything, the first of each holiday, the first of each special occasion can be a challenge . . . now that we have experienced our four seasons, I hope that whenever we think of my mom, it will only brings smiles to everyone's faces.

A new job for Buck

I recently met a wonderful dog named Buck who had started exhibiting some odd behaviors. He wasn't sleeping at night, he seemed anxious all the time, he was barking at every little sound, pacing around the house, etc. His family was really worried about him and asked me to come and have a "talk" with him.

The day before the appointment, I asked Buck's guardian if she could let him know that I was coming and explain why, as I have always found that animals are more receptive to talking to me if a) they know in advance and b) they know their guardians are ok with it. That night, she sent me the most precious picture. It was a photo of her three children all sitting on the floor with Buck and she said they were all telling him that it was ok to talk to me. :-)

When I met Buck, one of the first things I realized was that he felt it was his responsibility to protect the family. Through what I was hearing from Buck and as well as the conversation I was having with his mom, I learned that his dad had recently been working on a very important project for work and it was keeping him up late at night. Since his dad was "busy," Buck felt it was even more important for him to be taking care of the family, which explained why some of these behaviors became worse at night.

Ultimately, one of the solutions we came up with was to give Buck another job (since we didn't think his dad's company would understand if he said he couldn't finish the project because it was disrupting his dog's routine). :-) We assured him that his dad could still be responsible for protecting the family, even when he was busy working on the computer and we asked Buck if he could focus on being there for the kids, to be their buddy. We told him that kids really need someone to listen to them and someone to hear about their day at school, etc. We told him how important this job was and that it would really help the kids a lot.

That night, when the kids were home from school, their mom told them about Buck's new job and encouraged them to talk to Buck when they got home from school, or any time that they had something to share. They were all excited about the idea and said they would be more than happy to help Buck fulfill his new job.

Only a few days later, I got the most wonderful update from Buck's mom. She said that almost all the behaviors they had been concerned about had greatly subsided. The kids were all enjoying their conversations with Buck, Buck was sleeping better at night and able to go to sleep when mom did, even if dad was still up working on the computer. He was not barking at every little sound and he even allowed himself to relax on the floor during "story time" and enjoy being one of the kids.

For him to have made this big of a transformation so quickly was beyond exciting, in my opinion. It made me so happy to know that giving him a new job made such a difference for him. Fortunately for Buck, he has a very wonderful family that is committed to making sure he is a very happy member of their family. I suspect they will all continue to thrive with Buck's new job.

Angel Communication

Do you find that you sometimes notice the same number sequences over and over? Whether it is the clock, a license plate, a billboard, etc? There are many who believe that this is the way angels communicate with us and offer us guidance. If you keep seeing the same numbers over and over again, there's a good chance the angels are trying to get a message through to you.

I was first introduced to the concept of these number sequences many years ago when it seemed that every time I looked at the clock, it was 11:11 or 1:11. I thought it was odd that it happened as often as it did and then one day, I heard someone speaking about the significance of a sequence of 1's and they said the message was "watch your thoughts . . . make sure you are thinking only about what you want and not about what you don't want".

In the days that followed, I realized that I was indeed thinking about what I didn't want in my life when I noticed the 11:11 on the clock. I decided it was in my best interest to listen to the guidance I was being given. Since I believe that our thoughts manifest our experiences, from that day forward, I made a concerted effort to make sure I was focusing more on what I DID want in my life. I am very glad I listened!

Recently, the concept of angel communication came back into my consciousness when a friend of mine was going through a difficult time. She told me that she often woke up in the middle of the night and when she did, she'd look a the clock and each time it was 4:44am. She had learned that a sequence of 4's was a sign that angels are surrounding you, reassuring you of their love and help. That you shouldn't worry because the angels' help is nearby.

I was so grateful that my friend was receiving this message, as I knew it was helping her feel less alone and less afraid during the difficult time she was going through.

I know there is a lot of information out there on the significance of these number sequences but the person I resonate with most is Doreen Virtue. If you are at all interested in learning a little more about this, I would check out Doreen's site - www.angeltherapy.com - or check out her book "Healing with the Angels" where she explains what all the various number sequences mean.

Maybe the angels are trying to get a message through to you as well!

Nuances of communication

It is always a joy for me to communicate with animals and I am often as tickled as I am awed by what they have to say. When communicating with animals, sometimes the information is straight forward and easy to understand but since I get a combination of words, images, and physical sensations from the animals, occasionally it can require a bit of detective work to piece together what they are trying to tell me, especially when it comes to body sensations and images, as there is a fair amount of interpreting that I have to do.

Recently, I had a session with two female dogs, Layla and Rosie. They were in good health and there were no behavioral issues. Their guardian was just interested in checking in with them and having a general communication session. They were very excited when I got there, showing me some of their their toys and demonstrating their ball chasing abilities for me. :-) After a little while, we settled down in the family room to have some conversation.

One of the questions the guardian had for her girls was, "Is there was anything you want or need that will make you happier." At first they had no requests, they told me that they were very happy with their lives and they loved their family. I relayed that to their guardian and she said, "I am glad to hear that but really? There isn't anything they want that would make them happier?"

Just then, I noticed that my mouth felt dry and I felt thirsty. I wasn't sure exactly what they were trying to tell me, so I asked the guardian if the girls had access to fresh water every day. She confirmed that they did but as she was telling me that, I had a feeling of not liking the water or it not being fresh, so I asked again and she pointed over to the kitchen and showed me that their water bowl was hooked up to a large water bottle that continuously poured fresh water into the bowl.

I was starting to feel slightly perplexed when all of the sudden I got an image of a slimy film around the edge of the bowl and it clicked. I said, "Does one of the girls slobber a lot when she drinks?" and their guardian started to laugh and said, "Oh yes, Rosie does." That's when all the pieces fell into place and I realized that Layla was bothered by all the slobber that accumulated around the edge of the bowl. That's what she had been trying to show me.

I asked the guardian if she would be willing to wash the bowl out more often and as she was confirming that she would do that, Layla came over and kissed the side of my face. Clearly, she was very pleased that her message had been communicated. :-)

I didn't want Rosie to feel that she was being made fun of, so I assured her that there was nothing wrong with her slobbering. I asked her if she would mind if the bowl was washed out more often and she was fine with that too, so everyone was happy.

I think it will always be a joy for me to communicate with animals. What they have to say is always so honest and so pure. Whether it is profound guidance they are offering or a small request they are making, it is important just the same.

Guy's Final Act of Devotion

A very special client of mine made his transition two weeks ago and while I could write paragraphs and paragraphs about his darling personality, about how much I adored him for being the sweet, sensitive, lovable boy that he was, and how deeply touched I was by the gentle loving care his mom Tina offered him, I have decided to focus this blog on his final accomplishment, his final act of devotion because it was so beautiful, it deserves to be shared.

This sweet boy's name was Guy, a 13 (soon to be 14) year old Rottweiler. His mate, Jewel passed away almost two years ago and for those of you who read my blog regularly, you might remember the blog I dedicated to Jewel when she passed away. She was very special to me. While the bonds were very strong between Guy and Jewel and both their human guardians, Jewel had an extra special connection with her mom Tina, and Guy had an extra special connection with his dad, Tina's ex-boyfriend, Tony.

Many people don't fully understand the role that animals play in our lives. Even though we think it is our job to take care of them, the truth is, they are committed to helping us take steps on our journey to become more authentic, more joyful versions of ourselves. They come into our lives to help us learn and grow in ways we may not realize we need the help, but to them, their mission is clear and it is something they take very seriously. Having had the opportunity to witness this myself with Guy, I was once again humbled by the beauty of our relationships with animals and feel compelled to share the story with all of you.

It was the final week of Guy's life and he sensed he would be making his transition soon. He really wanted to see Tony, he told me that several times. Since Tony now lives in Texas, it was going to be several days before he could get a flight back to California. Just in case Tony didn't get there in time, Tina asked Guy if he had any messages for Tony and he had some very profound things to say. I relayed all of Guy's advice to Tina, so she could in turn share it with Tony. I almost teared up relaying the message he had for Tony because it was such incredible, insightful, poignant and loving advice. I want to be respectful of Tony's privacy, so I am not going to share the details of the message from Guy, but I can say that it was beautiful advice about the ways he wanted Tony to change his thinking, so that he could change his experiences in life.

As the week progressed, Guy got weaker and weaker. He no longer wanted to eat, but he was very clear about his desire to see Tony. We kept him updated on how many more days it would be until Tony arrived and he was determined to hang in there until then. Tony's flight was due to land Sunday evening and at Guy's request, I went over on Saturday to give him a reiki treatment. After the treatment, his body temperature increased and so did his energy level and he felt he'd be able to hang in there until Tony arrived, but on Sunday, he wanted me to come back again to give him another treatment because he felt so strongly that he needed to see Tony and wanted to be sure he had that opportunity.

Much to everyone's delight, Guy and Tony were able to see each other that night. Once he arrived, Tina and Tony took Guy on a wagon ride around the neighborhood (a tradition that began with Jewel) and they were able to spend a wonderful evening together. When it was time to go to bed, Tina and Tony camped out on the floor in the family room with Guy and savored the opportunity to all be together.

At around 12:40am, my phone rang and it was Tina. She was concerned because she thought Guy had just made his transition but Tony didn't think he had yet and she asked me if I could check in with Guy and find out. At first when I tried to make a connection, I was confused, because I could sense Guy, but not in the way I normally could. I didn't know how much of it was because I hadn't fully woken up yet so I just sat there for a few minutes trying to focus and then all of the sudden, there was a flood of information.

I called Tina back and started to relay the information that I picked up and what I sensed Tony needed to do when she stopped me and said, "Will you tell Tony yourself?" I hesitated because I don't know Tony very well and wasn't sure how he would feel about what I was going to say, but the information I was getting was coming through so strong, I said, "Sure, put Tony on the phone." I told him that something was holding Guy here, and that there was something he needed to hear from Tony. I said, "I need you to lay down on the floor with Guy and talk to him from your heart, just speak whatever is in your heart right now. There is something he needs to hear from you and only you know what that is." About 4-5 minutes after we hung up the phone, I could feel Guy make his transition. It felt like this huge release in my heart, I felt love and contentment and peacefulness.

The next day, I went over to Tina's house to help them talk to the other two dogs (Buster and Mia, who are Jewel and Guy's children), to help them understand what was happening and address any concerns they had. After we had finished that, I had a chance to talk to Tony. I said, "You don't have to tell me what you said to Guy, but I want you to know how important it was and how much I appreciate you following the guidance I was getting." I explained to him the feeling of release I experienced when Guy made his transition and what a gift I felt he had given to Guy. Much to my surprise, Tony wanted to share what he had said to Guy. He explained that he had told Guy that he would follow the advice that he had given to him, that he would change his thinking, just as Guy had asked him to.

While Tony was telling Tina and I what he had said to Guy, every hair on my arms stood up and I could feel tears well up in my eyes. I knew that was exactly what Guy had been waiting to hear and I was so filled with gratitude. I was grateful that Guy had been able to fulfill his purpose, I was grateful that Tony had received the message so deeply and I was grateful that I had been given the opportunity to be a witness to this beautiful exchange.

Guy reminded me of how important animals roles in our lives are, how seriously they take their "mission" to guide us to be better versions of ourselves and how deeply and selflessly they love us and want the best for us. Guy will always hold a very special place in my heart, not only because of who he was when he was here (sensitive, sweet, loving and gentle) but because he allowed me to be a part of his final act of devotion, as he offered guidance to the human he cared so much about.

My hope is that Tony will always remember the promise he made to Guy and that he will enjoy the benefits of following Guy's loving advice. Animals truly can be our teachers and our guides, if we are willing to be open to what they are offering us. May you all continue to be blessed by the presence of the animals in your lives.

Kids talking to animals

The other weekend, I was sitting in my backyard working on the crossword puzzle, when I heard my neighbor go out to her backyard and start watering the plants. A few minutes later, I heard her 5 year old daughter open the back door and start talking to her mom. I wasn't intentionally eavesdropping, and because of the sound of water coming out of the hose, I was only able to catch part of their conversation, but what I did hear had me smiling all afternoon.

The first thing I heard was "Mom, Cricket said . . . " Cricket is their family dog and I didn't get to hear exactly what she was relaying about Crickets' wishes because of the running hose, but I thought it had something to do with going with them in the car.

My neighbor didn't say anything that I could hear . . . but then I heard her daughter say, "You know sometimes when people aren't around, dogs can talk" and then just as she started explaining more about what Cricket had told her, the sound of the hose got louder and I missed the rest of the sentence, but I was so tickled by the part I did hear, I scrambled to find an open space on the newspaper to write down what she said, so that I wouldn't forget it. It was just too precious.

I smiled all afternoon, thinking about the darling 5 year old's comments and remembering my own experiences as a child, "hearing" what animals said. I never heard my neighbor negate her daughter's statements and that made me smile too. There is nothing worse than having someone not believe you can really hear what an animal has to say, especially when you are a child.

One of the things I used to love most about my trips to the park with Lucky was hearing what all the kids heard Lucky tell them. They would say things like "Lucky is really happy to see me today" or "Lucky is really glad that we are friends" or "Lucky would like me to throw the ball for her again." I never doubted anything they ever said. I have always believed that we are all born with psychic abilities and while most of us learn to ignore our abilities as we grow older, the magic of children is that most of them haven't learned to ignore or second guess it yet.

So if you have children or you are around children, listen to what they say when they tell you what an animal has told them. Even if you aren't ready to believe it, it will make you smile. And just maybe, you'll learn a thing or two about your animal.

Honoring Bailey

A very good friend of mine found out a few weeks ago that her German Shepherd, Bailey, had an aggressive and untreatable form of cancer. They knew time was limited, so Joan did her best to make the most of each day and to keep focusing on the positives. Even though they had had a few rough nights in recent weeks, for the most part, Bailey was still doing pretty well. She was enjoying their walks, voraciously eating every meal and every cookie that was offered to her and continuing to show just how big and sweet her personality was.

I got to spend some time with Joan and Bailey in recent weeks and I was in awe of the beautiful relationship they had with each other. The respect and the love they had for one another was evident in every moment. Even though Joan asked me for help communicating with Bailey, through the stories she shared and the things I witnessed myself, I knew they had a profoundly deep and absolutely sweet form of communication already. I teased Joan and told her that she really didn't need me because she and Bailey were communicating so well already.

Joan never had any problems knowing what Bailey wanted. She would just say, "Show me" and Bailey would turn her head and look at whatever it was that she wanted. Or if she was laying outside and Joan asked if she wanted to come in, turning her head away meant that she didn't want to come in. They were communicating all the time and I don't think Joan even realized how fantastic their communication was. Joan constantly asked Bailey questions and Bailey always found a way to communicate her answers. Theirs was a beautiful partnership in so many ways.

Bailey also had so much personality. I would giggle over the stories Joan would tell me about the things Bailey would do. One of my favorites was that Joan's mom was famous for sneaking potato chips to Bailey when they were watching TV together, even though they knew Joan would prefer that she didn't. Each time she did it, Bailey would eat the potato chip, then she'd look over at Joan and stare at her, as if to say "Did you see that?" with a little gleam in her eye. Bailey also loved to chase leaves - and I'll confess she's the first dog I have ever known who loved to do that. I don't think I'll ever watch a leaf fall from a tree again without it bringing a smile to my face.

Bailey also loved her stuffed animals and treated them like friends. She always brought one with her (transported in her mouth) whenever she was greeting someone who came to the house, and she would sleep with them in her bed as well. She seemed content to be surrounded by her "friends."

Joan has caregivers come to the house to help her mom during the week when she is at work and originally, she suggested they put Bailey outside when they came over. But she soon discovered that Bailey had easily wormed her way into the hearts of the caregivers and they wouldn't dream of putting her outside when they came over. Bailey did all she could to "help" take care of her grandma and she developed a close relationship with the other people who came to take care of grandma too.

I saw them on Saturday night and got to enjoy watching Bailey in action, as she "showed" Joan what she wanted again and again, by walking over to the door where the treats were. :-) When I would tell Joan about something I was picking up from Bailey, Bailey would stare intently at Joan when it was something she really wanted her mom to hear, like when I said, "Bailey doesn't want you to worry so much about her, she wants you to just enjoy each other's company." I had a wonderful time being there with them, even though much of our discussion was on the scary reality they were facing, I couldn't help enjoying being a witness to their beautiful friendship.

The next morning, not long after I woke up, I thought about my friend Joan and I started to cry. It surprised me that the sadness came on as strong as it did, but a half hour later, when I got on the computer and found an email from her, I understood why. Bailey had had a stroke that morning and was paralyzed on her left side. Things were not looking good.

I called her immediately and throughout the day, I checked in with Bailey to talk to her about what was going on and how she and her mom were feeling. Joan knew the end was coming, and had a call into her vet, who was willing to come over and help Bailey cross over if that was what was needed. Joan really hoped Bailey would pass on her own and I understood how she felt, as I didn't want to have to make the decision to help Lucky cross over when she was nearing the end either. Neither of us wanted to intervene in the spiritual process that occurs at the end of life. I knew that Bailey would do everything she could to honor her mom's wishes, because I believe animals always will if they can.

At 3:45 that afternoon, I was sitting in my house visiting with another friend when a huge wave of grief came through me. I sobbed and sobbed, while apologized to my friend because I didn't know for sure why I was crying so hard, but several hours later, Joan called to tell me that Bailey had passed away, peacefully on her own . . . at around 3:30pm. My heart broke for her, and yet, I'll confess, it was a bit of a relief to understand why I had been crying around that time. Being an intuitive, empathic person can be a little rough sometimes.

Sweet Bailey left this world on Sunday, January 29th . . . two weeks shy of her 10th birthday. Her time here was too short but she lived well while she was here and make a big, beautiful impression on everyone who had the pleasure of meeting her. Interestingly enough, January 29th is the day Joan's father passed away many years ago. It was already a day of remembrance, a special day to honor an important member of the family and it will continue to be that . . . I suspect Joan's father was there to greet Bailey when she got to the other side. I can't imagine anything else.

This final picture of Bailey was taken at Gates of Heaven cemetery, where Joan's father is buried. It is where my mother's remains are as well. Joan and Bailey frequently went to the cemetery to visit with Joan's dad and Bailey always understood the significance of their visits there.

Bailey was a magnificent dog, who was wise beyond her years. She was regal and extremely intelligent yet she also had the ability to make anyone of any age giggle because her personality was so abundant. She made this world a better place for those who got to share their life with her. She will be missed but I have no doubt, she will be keeping a close eye on Joan, continuing to look for ways to communicate with her.

Beyond and Back

I have a new favorite TV show called "I Survived: Beyond and Back." It airs on Sunday nights at 7pm on the Biography channel. If you've ever wondered if there is an after life, this is definitely the show to watch.

The premise of the show is that they tell the story of 2-3 different people who clinically died and then came back to life (in most cases their heart stopped for 20 minutes or more). The people share the experiences they had while they were 'dead', what they saw and felt and learned. They also show what the people who were trying to save them were experiencing as well.

The people tell stories of the relatives they spoke with, the intense feelings of peace and love that they had, the understanding of how everything in life made sense when they were "on the other side." Many of them went through life reviews, where they saw their whole life flash before them and could see where their journey had taken them thus far and why. Often times, the people don't want to come back - they want to stay on the other side because it is such an intensely wonderful experience to be on the other side.

It usually takes away any fear they ever had of dying, as they realize that it is not only something they shouldn't be afraid of but actually it is something to look forward to. They often have a renewed sense of purpose, a shift in priorities and a new found belief in something greater than themselves.

In one episode, a man in his late 50's explains that when he was "on the other side" he saw his beloved dog who had passed away many years earlier. He got choked up and started to cry, when he said how shocked he was, as he didn't know animals went to the same place we went to, . Through tears he said, "It was so good to see him again."

It reminded me of a conversation I had once with a client's elderly mom when my client's dog was getting ready to make her transition. Her mom told us she was sure that animals didn't go to the same place we did and my client and I just smiled at each other, because we knew that wasn't the truth. Some people do believe that animals don't have souls like we do but I know that they do.

I think part of the reason I love this show so much is that it confirms so many of the beliefs that I have about the other side, about what the purpose of our journey is while we are here and how much support we really do have as we try to make our way on our given paths.

If you haven't seen the show, I highly recommend it. If nothing else, it will give you some things to think about. Maybe it will even take away any fear you may have about the loss of life, whether it is the loss of a person or an animal.

The new season starts tonight!!