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COMMUNICATING WITH ANIMALS is nothing new.
For a long time on this earth, humans and animals shared a
common awareness. Within the great, wondrous Web of Life,
there was a single language of being in which all – human
and wolf, butterfly and sea turtle, mountain goat and whale
alike – freely conversed and knew one another. Our ancestors
were able to tap into this universal language, communicating
easily with animals and various aspects of nature. We, too,
carry this ability within ourselves. It is an inherent part
of who we are.
“Look about you,” urged George Washington Carver. “Take hold
of the things that are here. Let them talk to you. You learn
to talk to them.” It is not so difficult. In fact, many who
have opened to the wonders of talking with animals say that
it’s simply a matter of remembering, of tapping into that
shared awareness with the circle of life that we already
know deep down inside ourselves. For some, this experience
is like coming home – a sense of suddenly knowing ourselves,
and all our relations, in a more exciting, expansive way.
It makes no difference where you find yourself in the
continuum of life – male, female; aged 9 or 90: if you’re
reading this and wondering, Can I really talk with
animals? the answer is Yes! And not only that,
for one of the great things about consciously recalling how
to listen to animals is that you can’t help but learn to
listen – really listen – to deeper aspects of yourself as
well.
 Time
to Remember!
As children, we are naturally open to communing with the
world in an innocent, nonjudgmental way. Very young children
frequently use their innate ability to connect with animals
and communicate in ways that are simple, effortless and
wholly genuine. Gradually, this freedom of conversing with
all manner of species is generally weaned out of our
everyday existence as we are taught – and all too often
accept – that normal, polite people just don’t talk to
animals.
But all of this is changing! Children of the current
generation are among the first wave of a more expansive
consciousness that embraces animals, nature and the world at
large in deeper, more profound ways. As author, animal
communicator and teacher Penelope Smith notes, “My
prediction is that by 2012 kids will be saying to their
parents, ‘You mean there was a time when people didn’t
communicate with animals?’” Or, as her beloved orange cat
Sherman puts it, “It’s all progressing very rapidly.
It’s all getting much more relaxed. Humans are less uptight
than they used to be.”
One wonderful benefit to communicating with animals is that
recalling this skill requires us to feel our deeper
relationship with life and share ourselves from that
connected state of awareness. This makes it an excellent
activity to explore with children, or as a family, for as we
open to the energy that flows through life, we deepen all
our relationships. We come to know that we share a common
awareness, for we feel it moving through us, connecting us
with every other living being.
This basic connection is the same one our ancestors used to
communicate fluently with the natural world. More and more,
humans are remembering that this ability is our birthright.
Although we may not constantly hold this awareness in our
everyday lives, it is simply a matter of shifting
perspective, deepening, and tuning our consciousness to
recall this connection whenever we choose.
 So,
How Does It Work?
There are many ways to tap into our natural abilities to
communicate with animals. No matter which method you use,
however, it all boils down to one thing: relationship. Any
form of meaningful communication involves relating to others
(as well as ourselves) in an honest and authentic manner.
And that’s really all communication with anyone – be that
individual two-legged, four-legged, winged or gilled – is
about: remembering our common essence and sharing our
thoughts and feelings from that connected state of
awareness.
Tuli Bear, a cat who lives with author and communicator Tera
Thomas, advises thusly: “Open your heart to every living
thing. We are all connected to each other, a part of each
other. Close your eyes, take a deep breath and just feel it.
You will know this is true. Isn't it wonderful?”
Indeed, as we relax into a quieter, more tranquil state of
being, our logical mind slows down. Our habitual ways of
seeing the world shake loose and we become more receptive to
perceiving in different ways. As rigid thoughts of how
reality “should be” release their hold, we shift to a more
intuitive state of being, one that is quite naturally
capable of telepathy.
The word telepathy comes from tele, meaning distant
or far away, and pathy, meaning feeling or
perception. Telepathy is feeling from a distance, or
perceiving from far away. It transcends the way we normally
understand time and space. With telepathy, we can expand our
awareness to connect on inner levels with any other being –
be it the cat sitting by our side or a cheetah speeding
across the African savannah. With telepathy, we rediscover
our fluency in the universal language.
We can receive telepathic information from animals in many
different ways. This may include visual images (pictures or
movies within the inner theatre of the mind); inner feelings
(an ache in the body that corresponds to an animal’s body,
or sensing emotional feelings, such as fear or excitement);
inner hearing (what an animal is hearing, or hearing an
animal’s thoughts within the mind); or intuitive flashes (a
sudden “knowing”). We must then translate these inner
impressions in ways that we (and other humans) can
understand.
 Many
people discover that they have a preference for one mode
over another. If you are very visual, for example, you might
get a lot of pictures, and you may want to practice sending
images in return. If you like to talk and share ideas, you
might sense an inner translation of words and sentences that
resembles a dialogue. Over time and with practice, you might
strengthen all modes and discover that you enjoy
communicating in a variety of ways.
The Basics: Four Easy Steps
The basics of communicating with animals are not that
different than communicating with people: you share an
interesting thought or observation and await a response.
This may excite you to share something else and listen
eagerly to a reply. And so it goes, back and forth, an
exchange of information, ideas, thoughts, laughter, sadness,
joy and delight. What could be more natural? The four steps
below are a general guideline you might follow when
connecting with your animal, be it beloved dog, cat, horse,
guinea pig or goldfish.
1. Attuning
Attuning is about moving deeper in relationship, intimately
feeling the bonds connecting you and your animal friend. To
begin, get comfortable in a quiet place. Close your eyes,
breathe deep and allow the center of your being – your
heart, your mind, your soul – to connect with your animal.
Feel your animal connecting to you. Sense the flow between
the two of you. Don’t force the situation; rather, let it
unfold. Your only goal is to quiet yourself and welcome the
adventure.
2. Stating your Intention
As you sense a deeper connection, address your animal
directly, just as you would a good friend. You can use words
(“I’d like to talk to you”) or images (picture yourself
conversing) or feelings (feel your desire to communicate).
Or, use all three (say it, picture it, sense it). In truth,
it doesn’t matter so much what you do or how you do it since
this isn’t about doing, but about being. Allow
yourself to be in that place that genuinely desires
to connect. It may help to first express your feelings –
“I’m nervous about this, but I’d really like to talk to
you.” Or, you might ask a question: “Is there anything I can
do for you? What’s it like to be you (a dog, a cat, a
horse)? Do you have a message for me?”
 3.
Receiving
Here’s where you let go of everything and open up wide for
the answer to come. Let go of all your thoughts about what
could happen or might happen. Sshhh … how can you hear when
you are listening to doubts or planning what to ask next? Be
open, relaxed and receptive. Welcome any and all feelings,
sensations, images, words, smells, tastes or combinations
thereof. Don’t judge what you get or wonder if it is
“right.” It is what it is! Allow the full message to come to
you before you send a second message.
4. Closing, Giving Thanks
As my wise, old dog Barney used to say, “Good manners
never go out of style.” Offer warm feelings and thanks
as you end your conversation. By thanking your animal, you
acknowledge your appreciation and make first contact
something you can build upon. Remember to thank yourself
too! Thank your intuition and desire to connect with life in
a deeper and more meaningful way. Even if you don’t sense
anything, thank your animal and yourself for a very good
start. Really mean it, too, because although it may seem
that what you are doing is little, what you are being is
deep and expansive and very great indeed.
As a cat named Maya expressed to all readers through her
friend, communicator Gretchen Kunz, I want to thank you
for making the effort to get to know us and talk to us. You
should be congratulated, because even trying is a very
evolved thing to do. I think everybody should do it, but
then, I have very high expectations! So, good show! I am
proud of you, and you should be proud of yourselves!
Sharing the Mystery
Every time you sit down with your dog or cat, tune into a
whale or dolphin, or trade thoughts with a rabbit or
ladybug, you are relating to another being. You are sharing
yourself in a way that is unique to you, and that dog or
whale or rabbit or bug is sharing in a way unique to him or
her. Every conversation, just like every relationship, is a
little bit about sharing our own inimitable take on the
mystery of life.
There is no “one way” for everyone. There is no “right way”
either. We each need to find what works for us. As KC, a
cat, related to communicator Morgine Jurdan, “There are
many ways to communicate with animals. Each person and each
animal being unique leads to unlimited variations. Don’t get
stuck trying to force yourself into just one way, or judging
your abilities by someone else’s standards. Part of your
journey is about discovering who you are. The more you learn
about yourself, the clearer a channel you will become to
understanding animals, plants, nature, other human animals
and all of life.”
It’s also important to acknowledge that while it’s great to
have a plan – to sit down quietly and have a nice
heart-to-heart – it’s also great just to lose yourself in
the joy of the moment. Many animals are experts at fun. Some
conversations will be sprinkled with humor,
 jokes,
puns and gentle jabs of glee. Other animals may purposely
bring humor in as a healing aid. As my dog Zak is fond of
reminding me, the vibration of laughter is an opening; it
allows us to laugh at ourselves and shake loose our own
self-imposed limits. “Never underestimate the power of
humor,” says Zak. So, don’t be afraid to let yourself
laugh. Wisdom isn’t always serious.
We all have brilliant gifts we bring to the planet, both as
members of our own species and as spiritual individuals. As
we share our talents and visions in appreciation, we
celebrate the richness of our diversity, the many
distinctive and exceptional ways we all have of seeing,
sensing, understanding and contributing to the world.
As two dwarf hamsters called Emily and Princess told
communicator Kat Berard, “The world is evolving quickly,
much more quickly than many know. Be part of the evolution!
Know that you are important to this world, to its evolution,
and that your contribution of self – your unique self, your
talents and skills and personal touch – is needed and very
important. We – the collective We of human and nonhuman
beings – need you. Truly.”
As you continue to tune into your animals, your friends’
animals, and animals you meet in the wild, remember that the
universal language is one we already know, one that we share
with all life. Since it has been awhile that humans have
used this language in a conscious way, we are a little out
of practice. So be kind to yourself. And celebrate yourself,
for in learning how to remember, you are helping the entire
world to remember too!
© Dawn Baumann Brunke, 2004 |
