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!!

Happy New Year!

To those of you who read my blog regularly, my apologies for being "silent" for so many weeks. I know I haven't gone that long without a blog post since the inception of this blog (as a few of you have gently pointed out) and I hope to never go that long again. The month of December just seemed to get away from me.

As many of you know, my mom passed away in April and so this was the first Christmas without her. Her birthday was also at the beginning of December, so the whole month was filled with missing her, adjusting to being without her during her favorite holiday and trying to find ways to honor her. I rode the waves of grief as best I could and fortunately, found some sweet ways to feel close to her as well.

Christmas Day, I listened to the radio on the way to and from my dad's house, hoping she'd let me know she was around by getting "In The Air Tonight" to play on the radio . . . and my disappointment at not hearing the song was erased the next day and the day after that when the song came on each time I got in the car. :-)

It wasn't a terrible month, there were definitely some bright spots here and there. Highlights of the last several weeks include:

- Witnessing the bravery and courage of a doggy client who had to have her arm amputated, who seems more worried about how her parents are feeling than she is about getting around on three legs. She is a beautiful inspiration and just such a love. She is planning to show the world that she is the same strong, fabulous girl whether she has 3 or 4 legs.

- Hearing stories from my clients about how they are talking to their animals and how they are seeing the heart warming evidence that their pets are understanding (and appreciating) everything they are being told.

- Having the cat of one of my human clients tell me that he can send healing energy to his mom just like I do . . . and finding out from her afterwards that whenever she starts to not feel well, she's notices that he immediately comes and lays on her (and that she does feel better soon after).

- Having a daffodil come up a couple days after Christmas, which, for those of you who know about daffodil bulbs, they aren't supposed to come up until the spring, but every year since Lucky passed away, I have had at least one daffodil make an early appearance in my backyard around Christmas.

- And finally, a visit from Chester, my squirrel friend, who hadn't been around for weeks, who showed up the day after my water heater decided to give out, to remind me that there was still much to smile about.

So, Happy New Year to you all! I hope you all are feeling ready for the year ahead! My hope is that it is a magical year for everyone, filled with more of what you want, hope and wish for . . . and that each day is filled with love, laughter, peace and joy!

My Squirrel friend

Two weeks ago, I wrote about a squirrel I met in my yard. The day after I wrote that blog about him, he came for a visit . . . and much to my delight, he has visited me every day since then.

I'm almost embarrassed to admit how happy it makes me when I see him (might be a sign that I am finally ready to get another dog, since I seem so happy with his companionship) :-) I have found myself sitting in the backyard more often lately, because if I'm out there, he'll come by 3, 4 or 5 times, and he'll just hang out for a bit while I talk to him.

Sometimes, when I am on the phone, he'll come down and pretend he's going to dig in one of my pots. He'll stay there, not doing any actual digging, until I notice him and once I open the door and whisper "You remember you're not supposed to dig in my flower pots, right?" he'll excitedly run back up the fence. It's as if he just wants me to notice him.

Some mornings, I wake up and find him sitting on the back fence right outside the back patio door. It's as if he's waiting for me to get up. When he's there, I open the door and say good morning to him and he'll sit there for a minute, looking at me, and then casually walk down the fence.

Originally, I always knew he was my special squirrel friend because he walked very oddly. His arms and legs were farther out to the sides than most squirrels . . . so he almost looked more like a frog, with his belly closer to the ground. But while watching him this weekend, I realized he doesn't walk that way anymore. His arms and legs are tighter under his body, the way the rest of the squirrels look and it made me wonder if he was injured when I first met him . . . and if he started coming around so much because he needed some healing. I can't think of any other explanation for why he walks and runs so differently but now when he runs down the fence, he bounds just like the other squirrels and it makes me happy to know that he's feeling better.

Yesterday, he came by and hung out for about 20 minutes while I was sitting in the backyard working on the crossword puzzle. I decided I wanted to take a picture of him and asked if he'd mind sitting still while I did that. My sweet little friend was kind enough to hang out long enough for me to get my camera and snap several photos of him. He was so cute about it, he looked like he was actually enjoying his photo shoot, giving me several different poses. This one is my favorite. I have decided to call him Chester. I figured if we were going to spend this much time together, he ought to have a name other than "my squirrel friend."

I do think it's probably a sign that I am ready to get another dog. It will be interesting to see what the coming weeks have in store for me . . . but for the time being, I am happy to have Chester around to visit with. I hope he'll continue to come by for his daily visits.