Animals Do Get Mad

 

This is a blog I wrote almost fifteen years ago. I noticed that recently it has been getting a lot of views so there is something in here that people seem to be interested in. Thus, I am giving it a refresh and publishing it again - trusting that it will serve people in some way.

Sometimes people get confused about the emotional side of animals and have a difficult time squaring up all the different things we hear about what animals feel. They find that the things they believe about animals are occasionally in direct conflict with other things they believe about animals. 

One example of this is the belief that animals love unconditionally so people often assume that means they can't get mad. But the truth is animals DO get mad and for some people that doesn't seem to gel with the idea that animals are just happy all the time, happy to be with us, thrilled when we walk in the door (ok, maybe that isn't what everyone believes about cats) :-) but it's difficult sometimes to embrace the idea that if our animals feel, then they have the capacity to feel all the things we feel, and that includes being irritated or mad at times. 

I think the difference with animals is that they seem to get over it more quickly, forgive almost immediately. They don't hold grudges. They can be mad one moment and then be finished with the feeling. Often times all it takes is for someone to acknowledge their feelings or explain something to them and then they feel content again. I think that is why they are generally peaceful and happy. They may be irritated from time to time or get their feelings hurt, but they don't stay stuck there, as far as I can tell. 

But still, sometimes it's hard for us to believe that they get upset, especially if they are upset with us. Years ago when I was in the presence of another animal communicator, I was talking to her about my beliefs about animals and I said something about some breeds of dogs being smarter than other breeds. She stopped and said, "Lucky is upset with you for saying that" and I was thinking "What? Lucky's mad at me? How is that possible, with all the nice things I do for her. :-) It wasn't like I said German Shepherds are dumb."

The communicator told me that Lucky believed all animals are equally intelligent and that the only difference is in how they are labeled and treated. Since certain breeds are labeled as "more intelligent" they show more of their intelligence. Breeds that are labeled as "goofy" often act that way to appease our expectation. On a personal level, if they are treated like they are smart and will catch on quickly to things, then they usually do. If they are treated like they are dumb, they don't bother to let their intelligence shine through. She said Lucky was upset that I didn't realize that all animals were equally intelligent. 

I am happy to say I have learned a lot about animals since then and have since grown to share Lucky's belief. I'm embarrassed that I used to misunderstand animals that way. I don't even know where I learned that  but I'm just happy that I got "re-educated." While it took me a few days to wrap my mind around the idea that Lucky could be mad at me, it seemed to shift our whole relationship onto a new level. I saw her in a different light and was much more conscious of the things I said and how she reacted. It changed the way I looked at ALL animals and helped me understand the magnitude of what they were capable of. 

I continue to see evidence of other animals being upset and it still makes me smile, because it is a reminder of their emotional capacity and how much richer our relationships with animals can be when we more fully embrace the depth of their emotional experience. 

One time I was giving a dog a Reiki treatment and I asked her guardian how her birthday was because I knew some friends of hers were throwing a party for her at a park. Just then I could feel irritation from her dog. When I tuned in, what I got from the dog was that she was mad that she hadn't been able to go to the party. In her mind, since the party was at a park, she should have been able to go. When I told her guardian what I was picking up, she smiled and nodding in a "knowing" sort of way, letting me know she wasn't entirely surprised to hear her dog was upset. She explained that this particular park didn't allow dogs. At first I felt resistance from her dog and could sense she didn't believe her guardian because she believed dogs were allowed at all parks as long as they were on leash and well behaved. Her guardian explained to her that this particular park didn't allow dogs because there were a lot of deer and other wildlife . . . while her guardian was saying this, I felt contentment run through her dog's body. She heard what her guardian said, she understood it and she was no longer mad about being left at home when her mom went to the park for her party. 

Sometimes animals get irritated because there is a change in the home and no one bothered to give them a heads up about it. It could be the arrival of a new animal, the departure of a family member, or where their bed got moved. Animals just want us to explain things to them. Once we do, they are content again. 

I have worked with many animals who were having "behavioral problems" that started once a new animal was brought into the household. Usually, all it takes is for their guardian and I to acknowledge their feelings and explain how things are going to be different or the same now that the new animal is there, and miraculously the "behavior problems" go away. As I said, they can "get over things" quickly once someone acknowledges their feelings and helps them understand what is going on. 

Our animals also get mad at us sometimes or feel let down if we aren't taking care of ourselves or we're letting other people hurt us. They don't stay mad, but they certainly have feelings about it. 

I had a client whose cat was sick so I was giving her frequent Reiki treatments. One particular day, I could feel anger coming from the cat, which I had never picked up before. I asked her guardian what had been going on around the house, and at first, he wasn't offering up much. The sense I got was that someone was being taken advantage of but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Finally, her guardian told me that his girlfriend hadn't been treating him very well lately and he admitted he wasn't doing anything about it. Finally, the pieces fell into place and I explained that his cat was upset that he wasn't standing up for himself and that she would prefer if he didn't let the girlfriend walk all over him anymore. His reaction was a mixture of gratitude, amusement and disbelief. Months later, after the girlfriend had moved out, he confessed to me that he was still stunned (and very touched) that his cat cared that much about how he was being treated. 

This leads to another interesting thing about the work I do. I am usually contacted initially to help an animal, but the majority of the time, the guardian ends up getting help as well. I probably coach the humans as much as I communicate with the animals. Typically, I partner with the guardians to help the animals, and I partner with the animals to help the guardians . . . and it makes the work I do even more gratifying. 

If you aren't already embracing the depth of your animal's emotional capacity, I hope you will consider moving in that direction. There is so much we can learn from animals if we're willing to "listen" to them, observe them and give them credit for all they have to offer us.

Can We Be Kinder To Ourselves?

 In my humble opinion, one of the most beautiful gifts our animals can give us is to assist us in building our "kindness muscle" - although it is a gift that goes far wider and deeper than we may think. From what I have learned from my animal clients, while the first piece may be in how we treat THEM, the true gift is how we then transfer that kindness to ourselves. 

This is probably one of the biggest things I have seen play out consistently since I began working with animals. Animals are frequently asking their guardians to treat themselves as well as they treat their animals.

It makes you wonder . . . how kind are we to ourselves? Have you ever stopped and really thought about it? What do you consider "kind" acts towards yourself? Is it buying yourself something new? Taking a bubble bath? What does "kindness" look like when you are being kind to yourself? 

When I ask this question of my clients, they are usually a bit stumped . . . as most of us don't think in terms of how we can show ourselves kindness. Our focus is so often outside of ourselves - showing kindness to others (whether it is our pets, our neighbors, our friends, strangers, wildlife etc). Time and time again, I see guardians who will do anything for their animals (whether it is ensuring they get adequate exercise or have access to the healthiest food possible or advocating for their animals physical and emotional well being, etc). Most guardians would do anything to ensure that their pets are healthy, happy and feel safe - and yet, they don't treat themselves with that same level of care and concern. 

Why is that? Why are we willing to take better care of our pets than ourselves? (I see this play out with people and their two-legged children too - so it is not just animals)  Is it because we don't believe we deserve it? Do we think their health and well-being is more important than ours? Do we feel it is selfish to take care of ourselves? 

I believe we ALL deserve to be healthy and happy. We all deserve to feel seen, heard and well cared for. I believe that being kind to ourselves opens the door for us to more easily be kind to others. When we "fill our cup" so to speak, we have more to give. On top of that, when we are being kind to ourselves, we are "modeling" how we would like others to treat us. (And it also helps us see more clearly when we are not being treated with that same level of kindness by others).

So my questions to you are: Where are you doing more for others than you are doing for yourself? (not just your "children" - for everyone in your life) What can you do to bring things into balance? (i.e. being as kind to yourself as you are to everyone else?) How can you show more kindness to yourself? 

A simple exercise you could try, in addition to asking yourself the questions above is get a blank piece of paper and write out all the kind things you do for others - a couple examples are maybe you stop to allow a car to enter a busy street from a side business or you let the person behind you go ahead of you at the check out lane when you notice they only have 1-2 times and you have quite a few more. Maybe you have brought food to a friend or neighbor or helped a neighbor look for their lost cat or dog. Are there times you have offered words of encouragement to someone who was feeling down or discouraged? List all of them out - everything that comes to mind. I have a feeling this list will quickly become quite long as you allow yourself to think about it.

After you write down all the ways you are kind to others, write a list of all the kind things you do for yourself. You might be surprised at what you see (or not). Are the lists equal? Not that they have to be equal but are they even close? 

Next, look for a few things you could put on your "for myself" list. (You can use the "kind to others" list to get inspiration or give some thought to things like how you speak to yourself, how compassionate are you towards yourself when you are having a tough day, where do you fall on your priority list? Can you find some opportunities to move yourself up a bit higher?) 

I don't think you will regret being kinder to yourself. I would love to hear what you have decided to start doing for yourself that is "kind" so feel free to share in the comments. 

Grateful For Companies That Strive to Do Better

Last week a good friend of mine sent me a present to brighten my day. Kino has always loved to over-participate in the opening of packages - LOL - typically slobbering and leaving nose drips all over the outside of the box and then cramming his nose into the box and rooting around before I even have a chance to remove the contents. 

Given that he is having so much trouble standing up these days, I thought it would be nice if I sat down on the floor with him and opened the package there so he could "participate" in the unveiling. As expected, he was super excited to see what we got and was reacting his "usual" way - which I think brought me as much joy as he was feeling himself in that moment. 

While I was admiring the beautiful scented candle we had received, Kino continued to root around inside the box. I thought he was just enjoying the smells inside the box but then I heard him chewing something. Much to my chagrin, I realized he was enjoying a "packing peanut snack" and my attempts to get them out of his mouth went over as well as it always has when I have tried to fish something out of his mouth. Lots of growling followed by his success at swallowing what was in his mouth as quickly as possible, whether it had been chewed or not. 

It immediately reminded of our early days together when I was just "fostering" Kino. He had a bizarre fascination with my ear plugs and he ate probably 10 pairs of them before I figure out what to store them in on my bedside table to keep them safe. Giggling, I recalled the mischievous look he would get right as he remembered he hadn't yet eaten the earplugs that day. 

In my mind, I could still see images of us both making a beeline for the bedside table, with me diving onto / across my bed in an attempt to get there first, like a hero detective on a TV show . . .  sliding across the hood of a car to catch the bad guy. LOL  And somehow, Kino always got there first. 

I used (and still use) the neon pink and yellow earplugs from the drug store so seeing them the next morning while cleaning up poop was a horrific sight the first couple times and slightly less disturbing as time went on but still . . . not the most pleasant of sights. LOL

I knew they always came out so in an attempt to be as chill as possible, I just made up my mind to be prepared to see packing peanuts the next morning and I did my best to enjoy the giggle I got being reminded of our early days together. 

Yet after three days, there was still no sign of the packing peanuts and I began to get a little concerned. Why hadn't they been "processed" yet? Deciding it was time to do a little research on packing peanuts, I discovered, much to my delight, that the packing peanut manufacturers have been doing what they can to improve their product and have found a way to make biodegradable ones! Seeing this brought about a deep sigh of relief. 

Here is what I found: (and fortunately they had pictures of "old school" peanuts vs. the biodegradable ones so I could confirm Kino had indeed eaten the "new and improved" packing peanuts.)

Can You Eat Biodegradable Packing Peanuts?

People often wonder if you can eat biodegradable packing peanuts. The answer is, yes, dissolvable packing peanuts are completely edible and non-toxic. If a pet or small child (or anyone who’s curious) gets their hands on one, there’s no need to worry. Biodegradable packing peanuts are 100% safe to ingest, by accident or otherwise.

Feeling my body relax at what I read, I couldn't help but think of one of my most favorite Maya Angelou quotes: "When we know better, we do better." It made me happy to know the packing peanut manufacturers were doing their part to "do better." I smiled as I imagined that it might be possible for all companies to figure out how to do what they do in a way that is less harmful - to people, to animals and to the environment. 

Then I went even further with my imagination and thought how cool it would be if companies just did it on their own - not because the government passed a law or threatened them with a fine or something along those lines. How wonderful would it be if all companies cared enough and had enough integrity to figure out how to do what they do with the least amount of harm to ALL. How fabulous would it be if the phrase "We've always done it this way" was replaced with "Lets figure out how to do it better" and if the notion of "Seeing what they can get away with" was replaced with "Challenging themselves to do no harm." What if they were driven not by how much profit they could make but how much they could help people AND the environment while making their product.

A girl can dream right? 

For now, I am happy to know that I don't have to stress out if I find Kino enjoying another packing peanut snack. 

I feel grateful for people who do things to lift the spirits of others and even more grateful that I have some of these people in my life. 

And I feel gratitude towards companies who care enough to pay attention to these types of things . . . and make the choice to use the biodegradable peanuts to ship their products. :-) 

Lucky's Journey (in pictures)

I am often fascinated to see what old blog posts of mine are being accessed. Today I noticed that this one popped up. Clearly, someone was digging deep in the archives to find this one, as it is from June of 2009. It is basically a high-level story of Lucky's life, told with pictures.

It was so fun for ME to read it again and I couldn't stop smiling as I looked at all the pictures. I thought I'd re-post it, as others may enjoy reading/seeing some of the highlights of Lucky's life when she was here. (and at least 1/2 of these little highlights didn't end up making it into the book so it made it even sweeter to see them all again)

I hope you enjoy it! If you do and you haven't read my book yet, maybe it will inspire you to buy my book and give it a read.  :-) 

Here is a link to the blog:

https://healinganimaltruths.blogspot.com/2009/06/luckys-journey.html

Here is a link to where you can purchase my book:

https://riversanctuarypublishing.com/shop/lucky-for-me/

Animals Can Teach Us About Kindness and Trust

I originally wrote portions of this blog in 2009 . . . The other day, I noticed that it was getting traction again so thought parts of it were worth a re-post. I feel even more strongly than ever that animals deserve so much respect for all they do to teach us while they are here.

Here is it - I hope you enjoy! 

If you read my blog regularly, you know how much I appreciate it when people are kind to one another and kind to animals. As a witness to so much of this kindness, I wanted to share a few of these stories in the hopes that you will be as touched as I have been.

My first story is about animals treating each other with kindness and how important it is to pay attention to what they are telling us. 

I went to one of my client's houses to give Reiki to her cat, Misha. (Yes, this is 2009 when I did all my work in person)  :-) Misha was older and had been dealing with some health issues, so she was getting periodic Reiki treatments to help her stay strong. When I arrived at their house, Misha was laying on the couch where she usually was for her Reiki treatments, and snuggled next to her on the couch was another of my client's cats, Sweet Pea. 

I said hello to them both and then prepared to start working on Misha, when all of the sudden Misha got up and walked to the other side of the couch and sat down. It seemed odd but I moved over to her new position and started to put my hands on her when again she got up and moved - this time back to where she had been sitting before. I was talking to their guardian while this was going on and wasn't paying close enough attention to what Misha was telling me. As I moved back over to where Misha was sitting, I tuned in and heard what she was telling me . . . she felt that Sweet Pea needed the treatment more than she did. 

After telling their guardian what I was picking up, I asked if it was OK with her if we added in some energy work with Sweet Pea on my visit that day. She told me she had wanted to talk to me about Sweet Pea anyway, as she hadn't seemed herself the last few days, so she was happy to have me offer her some energy and see what was going on with her. While I was working with Sweet Pea, Misha just sat there, contently watching us, pleased that I had listened to her and happy that her "sister" was getting the help she needed. 

I had the thought when I first got there . . . that there was a reason Sweet Pea was laying in the "Reiki spot" when I arrived, as it is something she had never done before when I came to work with Misha, but since my appointment was with Misha, I didn't pay enough attention to what I was sensing. Fortunately, Misha was determined to get me to "hear" what I needed to hear.

After about forty minutes of soaking up the energy, Sweet Pea got up from the couch and went into the other room. Immediately, Misha got up and laid down on the couch in front of me. She was telling me that now it was OK for me to give her Reiki. :-)

I was so touched by her kindness, the way she was looking out for her "sister" and making sure she got the help she needed. It was so selfless, so generous, so protective. I was in awe of her, even though I know I shouldn't have been surprised. Animals are so loving and so loyal. It's not something they have to learn, it's just who they are. 

Another beautiful example - also from 2009:  A few weeks ago, I came home to find a message on my machine that warmed my heart to the core. It was a message from an older gentleman I had met more than a year earlier telling me he wanted to give me a book he had read as a thank you for teaching him that he could talk to animals. He said there was a part in this book called “Wesley the Owl,” that made him think of me and what I had taught him. He really wanted me to have the book and I was touched on so many levels.

This man wasn’t a client or someone I had extensive interactions with. We just had one seemingly random conversation but that conversation had obviously impacted him greatly. It was so important to him that he make contact with me that he tracked me down through the vet office I used to work at and was able to get my contact information through them.

As I thought back, I could recall our conversation vividly. He was such a kind man. You could just feel the gentleness of his soul when you were standing next to him. I remember he had told me that there was a feral cat that had been living in his yard for some time. He had been putting out food and fresh water for her every day for ages and while she was obviously content to live there outside his house, she still wouldn’t let anyone come near her. He told me he had noticed in recent weeks that she was no longer eating and that she was losing a lot of weight. He was worried about her and he wanted to get her help but he didn’t know how he’d ever get her to the vet, given how afraid she was of humans.

I could see the sadness and the worry in his eyes. I could feel how much it hurt him to feel so helpless to come to her aid. I remember telling him that he could try talking to her, that he could explain why he was worried about her and ask if she would trust him to take her to a place where she could get some help to feel better. I remember he looked at me oddly, which didn’t surprise me because a lot of people look at me that way when I tell them they can talk to animals, but then he said, “Really?  I can talk to her and she’ll understand?”

I explained to him that while feral cats are slightly more difficult to communicate with, as they haven’t been exposed to as much vocabulary as an indoor cat, I believed that they can understand if we use more simple words. I also told him I believed animals can feel what is in our hearts, so if he focused on his desire to help her, she would feel that too.

Our paths never crossed again and hadn't thought about it over the next year. When I listened to his message, I could sense that his desire to give me the book was so genuine and sincere, I made a point to meet him at his house the next day to accept the book he was offering me. When I got there, I immediately felt the gentleness of his soul again and I was so glad he had found a way to get in contact with me. After a brief discussion about the book, he told me what happened after we had spoken that day.

He said he went home and talked to her, explaining what he wanted to do and why. Much to his delight, he discovered that she did hear him and understand him. And much to his surprise, she did allow him to pick her up and put her into the cat carrier so he could take her to the vet. He told me he never would have thought it was possible but clearly it was and he was so happy that he was able to bring her to see someone and not feel helpless to support her anymore.  He added that it was really important that he let me know he had learned something very important from me that day, that I had changed the way he thought about animals.

As we were standing in his front yard, I looked around and then said “Is she still here?” and he said, 

“No, that’s the sad part of the story, even though she trusted me to bring her to the vet, they weren’t able to make her well. I did everything they suggested but I could never get her to eat again.” 

He went on to tell me that several weeks later, as her condition grew worse and he knew she was in increased pain, he asked her if she'd like him to bring her back to the vet to help her get out of her body . . . and once again, she allowed him to put her in the carrier and take her to the vet one last time.

As my eyes welled up with tears, I told him how sorry I was. She had obviously meant a great deal to him and it made me so sad to think he lost her after all of that. But he had a different take on it entirely.  

He seemed genuinely touched that he had learned that animals could understand him when he spoke to them.  As I could feel his gratitude, another thought washed through me, and it was this . . . because he took a chance and talked to the cat, even though it didn’t result in a prolonged life, what it did do was give them both an opportunity to trust, which I believe was a gift to both of them. 

In her final weeks, she learned it was safe to trust someone and I know it meant a great deal to her, to feel the love and respect that he had for her. For him, this sweet older gentleman, I know it made him feel good to know he was able to help her, even if it was ultimately to help her make her transition. 

And for me, I was touched beyond words to know that a casual conversation I had with a stranger ended up giving both this cat and this loving man an opportunity to have the experience they had. It was a sweet reminder for me that I shouldn't be shy about sharing what I believe to be true about animals, even with strangers.

Sometimes You Just Need to Laugh

This is one of those things that is sad but it's actually pretty funny as well so everyone reading this has my full permission to just enjoy the laugh and not feel sorry for me.  :-) 

A couple nights ago I was having a tough time . . . Kino's legs were weaker than usual and I was trying to get a harness on him and get him outside to go potty before he had an accident in the house - but *I* was having trouble providing the support he needed. My lower back was really sore and weak which made it harder to hold him up. His back legs kept slipping and sliding out from under him, like he was doing the splits, which made it even more challenging to not trip over his legs. I was doing my best not to step on his feet / legs and not fall down myself but it was extra hard that night. 

Reaching a place of overwhelm, I began to cry . . . feeling in that moment like I didn't have it in me to keep doing this. As we were fumbling our way to the door, I grabbed what I thought was a kleenex from the table to stick up my nose. (FYI: I have taken to just sticking kleenex up my nose lately because I cry a lot - both good tears when something has really touched my heart and sad tears when I feel overwhelmed with what Kino and I are going through and I have been experiencing both of those reasons for tears with more intensity lately. Since constantly wiping my nose makes the skin chaffed and sore, it is easier sometimes to just stick a kleenex up my nose.)  LOL

Once I had secured the kleenex in place, we managed to make it the final stretch out the door and even though we were still slipping and sliding, I was doing my best to hold it together for both of our sakes, especially because we were going out the FRONT door. 

We can get to grass much quicker in the front yard, which provides more traction than concrete so he often opts for the front yard - thus having kleenex shoved up my nose was a bit of a "risk" but a risk I was willing to take because I was actively crying and generating a lot more snot and didn't have a free hand to be able to deal with all that. It was getting dark so I hoped no one would be walking past the house at that exact moment and see me looking like such a hot mess.

Once we were outside was when I noticed that the "kleenex" wasn't feeling too good. It was rough and scratchy and hurting the inside of my nose and I was also getting a strong scent . . . I couldn't put my finger on it because I was so focused on trying to keep Kino standing yet I knew it was a familiar scent. I was sure I didn't have any scented kleenex or toilet paper in the house so I was confused. With all that was going on I didn't have a free hand to pull the tissue back out of my nose, so I was forced to leave it there until I got him safely back inside. 

Well, as we were stumbling back into the house it hit me. I had accidentally shoved a used DRYER SHEET up my nose!!  Clearly it says a thing or two about the limit to my current house keeping skills if I have used kleenex AND used dryer sheets laying around - LOL - but it made me laugh so hard!  And it was just what I needed to shift my mood in that moment - from feeling overwhelmed to feeling amused. 

Every time I think about it, it makes me laugh all over again. Oh my goodness - if someone had seen me, we might have been photographed for some kind of social media group that shares pictures of "scary / crazy people around the neighborhood."  LOL  

Anyway, I hope it gives everyone who reads this a bit of a giggle too. Just know that if you have rough moments or rough hours or even rough days, you aren't alone and it's OK. A lot of us are going through these ups and downs - especially those of us who are really sensitive to energy. 

This post is meant to encourage you to hang in there and let yourself have a laugh when you can. Sure, it's more fun to laugh at something outside of us - like a funny TV show or video or a good comedian but these days I will take the "funny" in any way it is available. :-) 

ps: I shared this story with a good friend of mine and once she stopped laughing, she DID express curiosity about the used dryer sheets laying on tables, so here is a quick answer to that in case anyone else is wondering. 

Here by the beach, in an old rental house, everything has a bit of a mildew scent - which is NOT a pleasant way for your clothes and linens to smell. Therefore, I place used dryer sheets in drawers, closets, etc. all the time in an attempt to keep things smelling a little better. AND with Kino being in the condition he is in, I frequently drop everything I am doing in order to help him (i.e. if he falls down or gets himself stuck somewhere). 

Therefore, I am only successful at getting from the laundry area to some mildew smelling location in the house about 50% of the time. The other 50%, I drop the used dryer sheet on the closest surface because my priority in that moment has shifted to Kino. Between that and the frequent tears . . . you can hopefully understand why there might be kleenex AND used dryer sheets laying about the house.  LOL

Our Animals Can Help Us See Ourselves

Over the years, I have seen example after example of where our animals can be a "mirror" for us. Often times when we understand what they need, we discover it is the same thing we need. Or when we identify something they need to work on, we find that it is something we need to work on as well. I don't think it's any accident that this occurs . . . as I believe it is part of their purpose here on earth, to help us learn about ourselves and help us grow. 

I get so tickled when I am able to witness these occurrences of "mirroring" - to see the eyes of a guardian light up when they realized how much they have in common with their animal or how deeply they are deeply touched when they learn more about what their animal is trying to teach them.

I vividly recall the opportunity I had to work with three wonderful women and their four horses many years ago. There were a mixture of physical and behavioral issues that had these women stumped and they were looking for insights into what was going on. 

When one of the gals asked me why her horse would occasionally stop and refuse to move anymore when they were out for a trail ride, her horse showed me through her feelings and some images that she needed to know the "big picture" before they went out for a ride. She wanted to know where they were going to go, how long they would be gone and when she was going to get to eat again. :-) 

As I was explaining in more detail about the horses' desire to have her expectations managed, her guardian shook her head and began to laugh. She said, "Oh my gosh, she's just like me!" It hadn't occurred to her that her horse needed the same thing she did but now that she knew, she was more than happy to start offering up more of an explanation before they left the barn. She knew how much it helped her to understand the "big picture" before engaging in something so it was easy for her to provide that to her horse.

One of the other horses was being pushed around by some of the other horses at the stable when they were out in the pasture. I sensed some confusion in him, given that he was always complimented by all the 2-legged folks for being such a sweet, gentle horse and he didn't know how to still be sweet and gentle while standing up for himself with the other horses. I talked to him about how it was OK for him to be confident, that he would still be the same sweet horse he's always been, even if he stood up for himself a bit more. I told him it was safe to be both sweet and confident.

At the time I was talking to him, I sensed it was potentially an issue for his guardian as well, but I didn't say anything at the time. I had just met her and wasn't sure how comfortable she would be if I began pointing out what my intuition was telling me about her. :-) 

Much to my delight, a while later when we were working with one of the other horses, the guardian brought it up herself, mentioning that she saw the connection when we were talking to her horse. She said she often was afraid to speak up for herself for fear that people wouldn't like her anymore. I suggested that maybe it had come up that day so that they could both work on it and help each other make progress on this area. The other ladies who were there with us were kind enough to chime in and let her know that she could speak up for herself around them and it wouldn't change how much they liked her. I could tell by the smile on her face, especially in her eyes, that it really struck a positive chord with her. 

The week before that, one of my dog clients was having difficulty recovering from an injury. I told his guardian that I sensed he wasn't healing because he wasn't resting enough. He seemed to always feel like he had to be "on" - always doing something, and since he never stopped moving, his muscles weren't getting a chance to heal. 

As I was explaining all of this, she looked down at the ground, then slowly lifted her eyes to meet mine and quietly said, "He isn't the only one who has this problem." She confessed that she had trouble being still herself, that she never seemed to stop moving either. I suggested that maybe it was something they could work on together. They could take some time out each day where they both rested and were just still. I sensed that it was something she would be more apt to do if it was also going to help her dog. 

I think our animals are offering us insights about ourselves all the time and there is so much we can learn if we look at ourselves as closely and lovingly as we look at our animals. All of my clients genuinely want to help their animals and go to great lengths to ensure they are happy and living a balanced life. I think their animals genuinely want to help their guardians too and will go to great lengths to ensure they too are happy and living a balanced life. 

Sometimes our animals will help give us the courage to do something for ourselves when we see how doing that same thing has helped them. 

Our animals are able to give us great insight into ourselves if we are willing to slow down, get quiet and pay attention to the subtle messages they are offering. 

So what do you think your animal is trying to tell you about yourself? You might be amazed at what you learn.