Animal Speak
Once upon a time, a long time ago, we humans recognized ourselves as a part of nature and that nature, including the animals, was a part of us. The conscious and subconscious worlds were inseparable. The ordinary and the supernatural were naturally merged, and often experienced as one reality. The shaman, priests, and priestesses intuitively communicated with and sought out the animal kingdom as a guide to the mystical and holy…. a divine connection to Spirit.
How did we stray so far?
I won’t try to answer that here, but I will try to gently awaken the human being reading this–to help remember what we have forgotten–our sacred connection to animals and the powerful medicine that they offer.
Animals speak to us constantly, as does nature. Some of the earliest forms of communication took place as indigenous cultures tracked animals. Even while hunting, there was high respect, esteem, and gratitude held for the animal kingdom. Animal totems represented animals as revered spirit beings that served as a guide for an individual, family, or clan. These totems were not merely symbolic but viewed as living, conscious, spiritual partners that offered protection, guidance, and insight, and appeared in dreams, visions, or everyday life. Animals were as much a member of a family as a living, breathing human.
Today, in addition to our current wildlife world, we have domesticated pets, or as I prefer to think of them–our ‘animal friends.’ Nearly 70% of U.S. households have at least one animal in residence, totaling almost 400 million, primarily dogs and cats, nationwide. It’s estimated that 4 million of these are adopted from shelters annually.
We love our animal friends and they love us.
Animal communication is not new, but one can feel awkward or outright strange when contemplating the concept that animals and humans are able to send and receive messages to each other. But we hear of these stories all the time…. that butterfly, dragonfly, or red cardinal that shows up, is often felt to have been sent on behalf of a beloved who has crossed the veil and is now in spirit form. And we hear of miraculous stories of reunification–true stories of dogs and cats, separated from their human families, usually by accident, who travel hundreds, if not thousands of miles, to return to their owners. How is this possible??
Animals come to us for many reasons–to teach, to guide, to comfort, and to play. I’ve had many, many animal friends in my lifetime, and currently share my home with one grey, shorthaired feline named Ollie. Ollie is not an overly affectionate cat…. he doesn’t like people in his space, he’s not a lapcat, but he is the only cat I’ve ever had that loves, and I mean loves, to play ball. If he hears the word “ball” he will immediately come running, either with one of his little multicolored, fuzzy balls in his mouth, or he’ll surely start hunting for one. Over the years, I’ve bought so many toys for Ollie, many of which have bells on them, that if my home was ever struck by an earthquake, you would think that Santa’s sleigh had landed.
Ollie and one of his famous balls
Every dog and cat I’ve ever cared for has been unique, possessing their own individual qualities–not unlike humans. And every furry friend who’s accompanied me in my soul’s journey has loved me unconditionally. Not once has any of my animal family members ever started an argument with me, talked back, judged me, asked me for money, borrowed my things and not returned them, or dumped me for another human.
Has an animal ever done any of the countless things that humans have done to disappoint or hurt you?
If one wishes or seeks a closer, more intuitive connection with animals, then I suggest 3 easy ways to start….
Step 1: Settle Down
It’s as much about YOU as it is about them. Calm your mind and calm your energy. To really hear animals and ourselves, we must enter a state of stillness–of being, not doing. Go beneath the surface in order to see and then let go of the self-judgment, the constant chatter, the expectations of self and others, and ideas of how things “should be.” Erase the board in the monkey mind and breathe deeply. Calm down.
Step 2: Open Up
Once you have turned down the volume, allow yourself to become aware of any and all signs or messages that the animals are trying to send you. Be present, curious, and attentive to both inner and outer sensations, images, thoughts, or feelings. Pay attention to what seems to stand out most strongly. Drop into your heart center. What are you seeing, hearing, sensing?
Step 3: Listen Deeply
Continue using your senses to connect and communicate. We experience the world through our senses, as do animals. You may see an image emerging in your mind, hear an animal’s thoughts, feel emotions that may not be your own, or feel physical sensations. Trust what you receive. Expect it to happen. If at first, nothing seems to be happening, then ask the animals for help and be sure to thank them.
This process appears simple, but it takes practice. Taking nature walks, sitting under a tree, watching animal documentaries or viewing the birds or squirrels at your backyard feeder help immensely to create this heart telepathy.
And sometimes just speaking to the Universe can bring about a most unexpected, pleasant surprise….
Even though I live off a busy road, my home is surrounded by land with many trees, i.e., woods, and contains a menagerie of wildlife as its residents and passer-bys. Typically, I’ll see squirrels, deer, groundhogs, rabbits, racoons, chipmunks, wild turkeys, not to mention the plethora of birds, and the occasionally sighting of a night fox (that happened once 🦊).
On one not so typical day–middle of the day in the afternoon–I confirmed my mental observation, while at home for lunch, that the usual wildlife had seemingly disappeared. I had been noticing this for some time and was bothered by it. I know it’s normal for this to occur though, due to the cycles of activity per seasonal shifts, breeding phases, etc., but it had seemed like it had been nothing but stillness for the longest time.
I missed my animal friends.
As I was making this observation in my living room, I said aloud to whoever might be listening, (as I’m often inclined to do, and I highly encourage the practice), “I wonder why there hasn’t been any wildlife here lately?” as I walked across the room to look out the big window, and at that precise moment I stopped in my tracks….Presenting itself was the largest coyote I had ever seen, “galloping” (is the best word to describe it) across the backyard. I was so stunned, my brain shouted “It’s a wolf!”, then I immediately laughed, “No, silly, it’s a coyote.” Still just as exciting and still in shock, I started tapping on the window pane to get its attention, and it stopped in its tracks–with one paw up in the air (the stealth of the “wise trickster”), as I said “You’re not supposed to be here!” Shamefully, I admit that’s all I could think of at that moment, in the middle of the day, but of course it was supposed to be here….I was the interloper on its land.
It then turned its head to look towards my direction, and I swear to you, it slightly bowed its sandy colored, furry head like it was tipping its hat respectfully, “Yes, ma'am," and off it went–back to its trotting gait to head behind the barn and into the woods.
I’ll leave you to ponder on that, and in the meantime if you want to communicate with animals….
Calm Down
Open Up
Listen Deeply
Til next we meet in the forest….
Love,
Amanda♥️
