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Communicating With Your Own Animals
Can I really communicate with my own animal
companions or other domestic or wild animals? How would I go about doing
this? Telepathic communication, whether with animals or people (or
insects or whatever) is an ability inherent in all of us -- we just need to
relearn or “re-member” it (find that piece of ourselves and own it again).
99% of it (my opinion) is trusting yourself, the animal you’re working with,
and the Universe that you are communicating telepathically. I believe
anyone who wants to (re)learn to do this can do so. Doubt (a mild form of
fear) is the biggest obstacle, with outright fear a close second.
It does take practice to strengthen and refine
your abilities. Get with a few friends and their animals once a month. Or
just use a picture of the animals. Ask the person what they want to know
about/from their animal. Get quiet, take a few deep breaths and blow them
out through the mouth. Call the animal’s name in your mind or out loud (one
to three times, whatever feels right, then say hello). Trust that they hear
you and are responding (you may or may not feel/sense anything or hear a
hello back, but trust anyway). Ask the animal a question (again, out loud
or silently, whatever feels most comfortable/right for you), and then sit
quietly and see what you get. It may be a sound, a color, a picture, a word
or several, a physical feeling somewhere in your body, an emotional feeling,
or something else. If you're just starting out, validation/confirmation is
necessary until your confidence builds and you trust yourself about what and
how you receive information, and can translate/interpret for the person (or
yourself) what it means. For example, receiving an impression of a color or
a sound, rather than words, from an animal may mean something to that animal
or the human that the human could confirm, but may mean nothing to you.
It may be unreasonable to expect or assume
that you will be having involved or lengthy conversations with animals right
after an initial/basic seminar or workshop. It takes time and practice, as
with anything worth doing, if you want to be proficient. It's like using an
atrophied muscle -- time and exercise and good nutrition (i.e., good
information, input, confirmation) will return it to health. Very few
communicators have opened spontaneously and completely to this; they may
have taken courses, read books, and talked with a lot of different animals
to become proficient. Each case/session is a learning experience, so
there’s never a point where you “know how it all works”. About the time you
think you do, an animal will make an interesting, challenging or eye-opening
comment which leads you to a new way of viewing something, whether from the
animal’s perspective or your own.
So if you want to use this natural ability,
start with the above, and be patient with yourself. I didn't start out
having full conversations with animals, even though I'd been "communicating"
with them in my own way my whole life. And as Dr. Jeri Ryan taught in her
basic seminar, lose those words/phrases like “I’m not sure but I think I got
. . . ; I’ll try to . . . ;” etc. She had what she called the “Zen Board”
at the front of the classroom. It was a little chalkboard, with a cup of
water and a paintbrush next to it. Every time we used a phrase indicating
doubt or negation of our ability to communicate telepathically with an
animal, we had to go to the front of the room and write the word in water on
the chalkboard. It would dry and slowly fade to nothing. Which is what our
fears do when we face them . . . they fade to nothing. Which is best
addressed by “feeling the fear and doing it anyway”. We picked up on the
idea pretty quickly and soon were calling each other on our fears and
doubts, sending each other to the chalkboard, and laughing at the fears and
doubts. Very powerful technique. Now when I talk to clients or people
interested in doing this, and they express doubt, I explain Dr. Ryan’s
lesson and then ask them where their Zen Board is. J
Here’s one woman's experience: "I was
wondering if you could tell us about your learning experience with Animal
Communication? I have had [a certain author’s book] for a couple of months.
I have tried to communicate with my dogs [name change: Sasha] and [name
change: Storm]. I follow her instructions very closely and I am having a
problem getting anything. How long did it take or how many tries did it take
before you got something for the first time? Each time I have tried to talk
to Sasha I don't get anything. The first time I tried to talk to Storm, he
was laying on my lap on the couch. I asked him what he liked to eat and
immediately I pictured him grabbing a piece of bread off the counter. I
thought that was just me remembering it because I didn't see it from his
point of view. I then asked him what he liked to drink? When he was younger
he used to take drinks from cups on the coffee table. He hadn't done it for
a long time. I didn't get anything back, but he immediately got up and went
to the coffee table and took a drink of my juice. Last night I was trying to
talk to him and wasn't getting anything. He kept stopping from chewing his
bone and looking at me very weird (I tried with my eyes closed and open).
The fish in the fish tank were going crazy splashing the top of the water,
which I have never seen them do before. I felt a warm feeling and my mouth
started to water. I started to taste something in my mouth, but I couldn't
make out what it was. Still didn't hear or see anything.
My response to her: "a good tip to remember --
Don't question, don't judge, don't analyze the pictures, feelings, thoughts
that pass through your mind or body (sensations) -- take them at face
value. Your first impulse is to discount it or doubt it. It’s hard to get
out of that mode because we get so used to ignoring our gut feelings, our
intuitive side. Think about it: why would you get a picture of him grabbing
bread? It could have easily been of him eating oranges, or biscuits, or
ice cream, or whatever. First impression is usually correct; I'd go with
the bread, myself! And same thing with the drink -- WOW, can you ask for any
better confirmation than to have him show you? My immediate impression is
that it isn't about a particular drink for him -- it's the drinking from the
cup that's fun, it's always a surprise (never know what will be in it), and
it always tastes good. He doesn't do it now because he knows the rules, but
he gave you an answer to your question because you asked. Good boy! Always
thank them after a communication attempt, even if you feel you didn't
connect. It's important to honor their participation in the process, even
if THEY don't want to connect. Hmmm, maybe the warm feeling and taste in
your mouth was what Storm was experiencing chewing on his bone? Not sure,
didn't ask/follow this up. And the fish, like any being open to it, can
pick up your energy -- you were sending energy, thoughts and intentions, and
the fish are capable of receiving them just as Storm and Sasha are. Sasha,
by the way, isn't sure about all this yet -- give her some time, and keep
trying."
How long did it take for me to re-learn my
telepathic ability? A while. I've had the telepathic connection ability
since childhood (as many people do), but shut it down for several years at
various times. This last time it took me about 6 months to open it back up
all the way, to where I was receiving full session information (usually 1 to
1-1/2 hrs' worth). And I've been studying this for several years, have
studied with three communicators (Val Heart in San Antonio, who trained with
Penelope Smith; Penelope herself; and Dr. Jeri Ryan). Start small (as
simple as saying hello in your mind to the animal, wait to hear a hello back
or to get a feeling, knowing, or sense of a hello coming back), acknowledge
what you receive and thank the animal. Then take baby steps from there: ask
them to send you a picture of what their favorite activity is, or toy, etc.
See what you get. Yes, you may know what it is, but then again you may be
surprised. There are lots of little exercises you can do. Amelia
Kincaid’s exercises are excellent -- do them more than once. [She’s the
author of Straight From the Horse’s Mouth.] I think just
about every communicator's book I've read has exercises of some sort in it.
Take one exercise a week and do it several times, then move on to the next
one. It's like any muscle -- it needs to be exercised to grow, strengthen,
improve.
How do I start
communicating with my own animals? They communicate like we do (mental
pictures, feelings, thoughts, etc.), but more so visually. The best way to
start "seeing" and communicating with your animal is to begin viewing the
world through his or her eyes. Get down on their level (physically lay down
on the ground if necessary) and see what they see, smell what they smell,
feel what the ground would feel like against their skin (rough, smooth,
cool, damp, ?). Then try meditating, or just getting very quiet and
undistracted, and see if you can "feel" what their energy and physical body
feel like to themselves. The animal doesn't have to be around for you to do
this; you can use a photograph and use the same imagination technique. It's
a very eye-opening experience, especially the part where you're on their
level physically. Everything looks so much bigger all of a
sudden (reminds me of Lily Tomlin's Edith Ann and her rocking chair).
And that's what they live with day in and day out. If your animal is a
horse, then stand up on a box so that your eyes are level with his/hers, and
look around, look down, see how far down the floor is from your head, and
feel how long your legs and your body are, and how strong your back is.
Imagine all of this, what it feels like for them. . . you will no
doubt gain some interesting information and perhaps a new perspective about
your animal's interaction with life.
How do I know I'm
communicating with my animals? First, lower your expectations of
yourself, let go of your expectations for the communication and your
attachment to the outcome (i.e., the form that the information may come
through as). Don't expect to hear something big and profound when you
firs start out. You might, of course! But you may be completely
missing their communications because you want it to come to you in a certain
way. Start expecting the unexpected -- it may be you receive a sense of
"knowing" about something that then proves correct, or you heard a word or
two out of nowhere, or you get a physical sensation in some part of your
body while connected to the animal. There are many ways to receive
information; the hardest part is getting out of your own way, not judging
what you get, and trusting your first impression/instinct. Books which
cover the animal communication process are most helpful, but it still comes
down to practice, practice, practice -- and more practice. And working with
others' animals, not just your own, so the person can give you honest
feedback on the information you receive. To make it easier (truly) -- you
don't want any information other than the animal's name, age, sex and
whether or not they've been altered. It’s amazing how much information you
can pick up when your mind isn't cluttered with preconceptions of what you
"should" be getting and how it should come through.
 Could it really happen, could I really do
this? Yes. The real question is, can you get out of your own way (out
of the “right and wrong” or “can’t be real” thinking) that stops you from
this? It’s “work”, yes, but only in that you’re exercising and stretching
your beliefs and your intuitive abilities. It’s actually quite fun! And
challenging, frustrating, eye-opening, exhilarating, inspiring,
eye/heart/spirit/mind opening work, and a regular deliverer of AHAs! Pick up
a book on animal communication, any book (I suggest starting with Amelia
Kincaid’s for those new to the field) and that’s your first step . . . then
take the next: borrow someone’s dog/cat/fish/iguana/horse/whatever and talk
to it. Don’t “practice” talking – really talk to it. Take it serious – but
don’t get in your head about it. Stand firm in yourself and “act as if” you
can speak to non-human beings, and you can, you really can. The worst thing
you can do is stomp on your own abilities and dreams . . . what’s left if
you do that? Dust. About the only thing I know of that you can make with
dust is mud pies. Which, of course, have their place in the world, but I
don’t think you’re looking for mud pies – you’re looking for telepathic
connections with the non-human sentient beings we are blessed to have on
this planet.
If you want to do this, then do it. It’s that
simple. I have yet to meet anyone who started talking with animals, whether
their own, their friends, or professionally, who reached a point of saying,
“geez, I HATE doing this work”. Start with Amelia Kincaid’s book. It’s a
great book, fun to read, has exercises in it. Then move to other authors
like Penelope Smith (she writes from a much more spiritual perspective about
the animals’ messages to humanity and to individuals, and how everything is
connected).
Don’t start out expecting to hear something
big and profound. Let go of those expectations, and your attachment to the
outcome. You may hear something big and profound, but you may very well
completely miss the animal’s message because you want it to come to you in a
certain way. Start expecting the unexpected -- you receive a sense of
"knowing" about something that then proves correct, or you hear a word or
two out of nowhere, or you get a physical sensation in some part of your
body while focusing on the animal . . . . There are many ways to receive
information; I think the hardest part is getting out of your own way,
avoiding judgment about what you receive, and trusting your first
impression/instinct. Books which cover the animal communication process are
most helpful for learning the basics, the tools, understanding the process.
But it still comes down to practice, practice, practice -- and more
practice. Work with others' animals, not just your own, so the person can
give you feedback on the information you receive. To make it easier to
avoid doubting yourself, don't ask for any information from the person other
than the animal's name, age, sex and whether or not they've been
neutered/spayed. It’s amazing how much information you can pick up when
your mind isn't cluttered with preconceptions of what you "should" be
getting and how it should come through.
Don’t expect perfection – expect that you will
receive. That’s what your intent is. Don’t limit yourself by thinking if
you don’t get it “right”, don’t do it “perfect” or “completely”, that you’re
not good at this. Practice. Practice. Practice. And trust yourself, trust
what you receive, no matter how mundane or trivial or mind-expanding it is.
It came from somewhere – unless you can say that you deliberately sat and
“thought” about what the animal would say (and you know what? even if you
did that), the information which pops into your head, the voice you hear
from within yourself, the pictures or movies or flashes you see in your
mind’s eye, come from somewhere, and not just your imagination. So . . . is
it possible they came from the animal? VERY!
Check out Dawn Baumann Brunke’s book,
Animal Voices
http://www.animalvoices.net/AboutAuthor.htm. It contains very spiritually evolved messages and wonderful
information from the animals and animal communicators she interviewed.
What should I look for in a course? If
you choose to take an animal communication course, it should be a mind
opening experience and one that leaves you juiced up about doing this!
Whether a particular seminar/teacher is for you or not depends on how well
you fit with the teacher's style, do you feel comfortable with their energy,
do they encourage you to trust yourself with what you receive, etc. I rate
a good teacher by how well they interact with their students (for instance,
do they answer questions with enough detail that you can utilize the
information). Are they compassionate/respectful toward their students
(i.e., their “ego” isn't so big that they must keep you in the "student"
position as your ability increases -- can they accept you as a peer when you
reach a certain level of proficiency/accuracy?). Do you come away feeling
better about yourself and your abilities than before you started, . . . .
If you can do so, take a basic communication course in your area. Look
on Penelope Smith’s animal communicator directory at
www.animaltalk.net for a communicator nearby. If there isn’t one, find
one in your state that may be willing to travel to your area to teach if you
can gather some folks together to form a class.
Do you have any advice for other people
about this field? Don’t let your fear, doubts, uncertainties or worries
about what people will think stand in your way! The best gift you can ever
give yourself in this lifetime is to follow your path! If you are drawn to
animals, then by all means pursue that, in whatever way feels right to you.
I’ve taken many different directions on my life path over the years, but
they all come back to helping animals. In fact, my experiences and training
have given me a broad basis for understanding and working with them to
enhance the quality of their life and their relationships with humans and
other animals. I tell people to always “take the next step”, whatever it is,
even when it doesn’t look like it fits with your life plan. You may be very
surprised to find out how it fits into that plan six years down the road! Or
how all of the unique and seemingly unrelated courses you’ve taken, books
you’ve read, projects and hobbies you’ve done, jobs you’ve held, suddenly
seem to tie together in a common theme to bring you to a place that makes
perfect sense to your head, your heart and your instincts. That’s when you
truly know you’re on your path! It doesn’t matter what your path is – it
does matter that it make your heart sing and bring you joy.
This page will be
updated periodically with new questions. |
