Tiger

Often I am asked about whether or not animals reincarnate. It is my experience and belief that they do.  Frequently, the animals in our lives have shared previous lives with us either as animals or people although more frequently as animals.

You may have wondered, felt and believed in your heart that one of your animals was with you previously.  Chances are you are right.  Many times I have assisted clients in learning about their past lives shared with their animals from either this lifetime or centuries before.  I have also helped them reunite.  When the reunion is meant to be, when there is a “Soul Agreement”, the universe will work it’s magic and you will find each other.

Occasionally the animal chooses not to share past life information; we need to trust that all is as it should be. It is important to remember that we are given the information we are intended to know to guide us on our path.

Following is a story from my own personal experience. I have shared this before.  Today I was guided to share it again and then when all was ready to send realized…today is Doc’s birthday.  He is 8 years old today, February 22, 2012.  You will understand the signficance of this once you have read the story. 

Love, Loss and Reincarnation.. a two-part story
Over the years, I have had the pleasure and honor of communicating with many animals both here and in Spirit. These animal teachers have taught me that our animals come into our lives not by accident but by design and by Divine. This story is about my sweet dog Tiger, a Lhasa/Maltese, who passed into Spirit June 22, 2004.

Tiger was the guardian of the house. Though small in stature, he was very large in courage. He had many fears; loud noises, vacuum cleaners, things out of place, yet he never let those fears stop him. Instead, he would ferociously protect me and our home. One of the funniest quirks he had was watching television. He would sit with me and watch the television intently. If another dog ever showed up on TV, however slight or small, even just a bark in the background, Tiger was quickly in front of the TV screen. With his front paws on the TV and back legs planted firmly, he barked and howled at those dogs on the other side of the “window”. At first I asked him not to bark, but then I realized how important his job was to him, and so his barking became music to my ears.

Tiger was just 11 years old when he seriously cracked a tooth requiring surgery. I talked with Tiger about the upcoming surgery. I told him what to expect and that afterwards the pain would go away. Then, during his surgery I connected with him to reassure him again that the pain from the tooth would be gone. When I connected with him, he was out of his body and told me he wanted to leave, to go to the light. Frightened of losing my closest 4-legged companion, I said, “no, please, do not go to the light. I need you here, you are my best little man.” He went back into his body and I ended our conversation.

Shortly thereafter, the vet called to tell me everything had gone fine, Tiger had awoken from the anesthesia and I could pick him up. I didn’t think anymore about my talk with him; I was just grateful he decided to stay. When I picked him up at the vet I thought he looked fine but when we arrived home I knew something was very wrong. Without going into all the details, Tiger began having complications. I took him back to the vet that evening and then again the next morning. The vet thought he was having an allergic reaction to something that was given to him during the surgery and gave him some medicine to counteract the reaction. They expected him to be better soon, but he wasn’t getting better. We went home and I watched Tiger get worse. For the rest of the day, I tried to help him be comfortable as I watched him leave his body and come back. I tried to visualize him trotting down the driveway on our walks to the mailbox or running around stealing horse “apples”. Deep inside me I knew that he was leaving me and that there was nothing that could be done to bring him back. Every once in awhile he would come back and do something very “Tiger” as best he could. I considered taking him to a specialist but I knew in my heart that western medicine could do no more for him. I trusted that the prayers would work and couldn’t think about other possibilities. I offered him some helichrysum essential oil to help him with the pain and he became much more peaceful.

It was about 10:30 at night when our toy poodle Maddie began frantically barking, waking us up. Tiger was laying at my feet gasping his last breath. I picked up his limp body and felt his heart beating but he was gone. I tried to revive him with CPR even though I knew he wasn’t in his body. I pleaded for him to come back but it was not to be. Within moments his heart stopped beating as he passed away in my arms. A peacefulness came over me and I realized that his spirit was still with me even though it had left his body.

I held Tiger in my arms for two hours until it was time to bury his body. My partner dug a hole by a grove of trees near our deck. The night was beautiful and clear, lit up by the moon and stars. We put his little red jacket on him that said “Run Hard Bark Loud”, which was the essence of his existence. Gently we placed his body in the grave along with special tokens to honor him–frankincense, sage, a special white stone, a feather, special toys and treats. An owl spoke as if in prayer. My tears became rivers as my cries echoed off the surrounding land. Just then a pack of coyotes joined in singing a lengthy hymn for Tiger. It was a sacred and beautiful crossing over the Rainbow Bridge where all our beloved animals go when they leave Earth.

The next day a small voice inside made me realize the date was important. Looking in Tiger’s file, I found the paper work from when I first got him, June 21, 1993. On the exact day and month that he came into my life, he planned on leaving but he stayed an extra day at my request. He spared me from getting a call from the vet saying he died in surgery. I was given one more day to be with him and hold him as he crossed over completely. He planned to go on exactly the same day and month he came into my life so I would know THIS WAS OUR AGREEMENT. Our souls had made an agreement before we came to this lifetime. It was his time to go; his lessons and work here were done. I was guided to check the dates so I could be reassured that there were no coincidences. There was nothing I could have or should have done differently which brought me a great deal of peace.

Wendy's Aura with Tiger

Two weeks after his passing I had the opportunity to have a photograph taken of my aura (energy field). It was a new and fascinating experience, especially when the woman explaining the colors and their significance (who didn’t know me at all) told me that there was another energy field enmeshed in mine, a very small one (right side of photo, upper half). With tears welling in my eyes I told her “Yes that’s my dog Tiger who recently crossed into Spirit.” And in the photo I could see that there was a small energy field, a beautiful light golden color over my aura.

As I write this, it has only been 5 weeks since his passing. Even with him here in spirit, I still miss him physically very much. He talks to me and often helps me with my work, assuring me that he can be here with me and in the other realms as well. I trust that when he needs to move on, I will be ready.

In his passing, Tiger gave me a precious gift. He was a reminder for my belief that there are no accidents or coincidences. Those who come into our lives, whether they are two- or four-legged, are here for a reason. They are part of a divine plan that we cannot possibly understand nor do we need to. I believe he intended for me to share this message. Our animals are here for a reason and for a specific time. They are here to help us learn to love ourselves and to love others. When their work here on Earth is done, they will leave us. Be grateful for the time you have with them here. Treat them with kindness and listen with your heart open. When you cross over into Spirit, they will be waiting for you.

Part Two…
In a lifetime we can connect with and love many animals, but certain souls for whatever reason connect more than others. Tiger was like a soul mate to me. I’m not sure what it is that distinguishes that heart connection from another, but it was much deeper, a knowingness, a connection, an understanding. He looked right through me, he understood my deepest feelings, my fears, my joys. He was the one who urged me back to my childhood ability to communicate with the animals. It wasn’t until years later that I recognized how subtle he had been staring, piercing me with his thoughts and emotions, urging me to listen. I remember sitting in my office, working on my computer staring into the monitor and feeling as if he were screaming at me. I would turn around and find him staring at me with an intensity that caused his body to tremble. “Get away from that stupid machine and come play with me” he would say. I chuckle at how many times he tried to get through to me before I finally “got it”.

Fast forward seven months.  I’m conducting an introductory animal communication class during which I guide the students through a meditation and communication experience.  During the pause created for them to connect with one of their animals, I ask my own animals if anyone needs anything.  Tiger pops in and as always I am grateful to feel his energy and love close to me.  He greets me with a matter of fact “I’m coming back.”  What?  You’re coming back?  “Yes, he says, very soon”.  I’m almost in shock.  I tell him how happy and excited I am and I ask him to please look as much as possible like he did as Tiger.  He was just so adorable in my eyes.  He tells me he is coming back to help me with my work, to help heal the animals.  This time though, he doesn’t need the trials and lessons of his former life and so he will choose to come back without the painful early experiences of a puppy mill.  This time, a happy, healthy “puppyhood” will support his work and lessons. 

As my students share their experiences, I too share with tears and excitement. Tiger is coming back. Where, when and how he will come back doesn’t seem to matter. I know Tiger will be back with me soon and I know I will be clear when it happens. A heavy weight is lifted off my heart.

Two months later as I was checking my email I saw the subject “puppies” from a woman who has brought me two dogs. She was not a professional breeder, but someone who had an exceptionally loving, intelligent and physically healthy female toy poodle and decided to have two litters of puppies. In the email, the woman explains that she had already scheduled the spaying of her toy poodle, Ebony, when she received a call from a woman who desperately wanted a female puppy of her lineage. She explained the male had been neutered. “No problem” was the response; she had a sire in mind, a Maltese. (Remember, Tiger was a Lhasa/Maltese cross). And so an agreement was reached, Ebony was bred one last time to a Maltese.

As I read the email and came to the word “Maltese”, it hit me. “Oh my God, it’s Tiger”, he’s coming back in this litter as a Malti-poo. My heart is beating fast, tears well up in my eyes, joy explodes through my body. I’m so excited I can hardly think straight. I panic. I need confirmation, this is so important. I call my friend and mentor Asia Voight. She telepathically checks in with the litter of puppies and confirms what I already know, Tiger is back. (Typically animal communicators do get help from each other when it involves ones own animal in a highly emotional situation). My inner guides kick-in. “Go back to the email, check the date”. And so I re-read the email. One female puppy was born before midnight, the others after, on February 22nd. Exactly eight months to the day that Tiger left, he came back. Once again, he wanted me to be sure that if I had any doubts, the date clue would guide me. Bless his soul!

Baby Doc

From my discussion with Asia we were certain he was a boy, light colored and big. There were three boys, one black, one little white one, and one chubby white and tan one. I sent an email back to the breeder to let her know I wanted the chubby tan and white boy. I telepathically connected in with Tiger, now in a little baby body but he was busy! He said “Mmmmm, more milk”, and began drinking from his mother. He wasn’t interested in talking at the moment! Later, I had another communication with him about what he wanted his name to be. He told me “Doc”, Doctor Doolittle. My partner was “listening” at the same time and heard “Doodle”. So “Doc”, aka Doctor Doolittle, it was.

I was able to visit him for the first time in person at about three weeks of age. I was very excited as I walked into the home and could feel Tiger’s energy. By this time, I had become used to feeling his energy with me, but his energy felt a bit different now. I could also feel and hear his new youthfulness come through. It’s as though you are connecting to two animals when an animal soul comes through a new body. There is the familiar and wise soul you know so well and then there’s the personality/ego of the new puppy which will pop in occasionally as well. It is all part of the process of reincarnating back into a body with the soul or “higher self” having a more prominent role in the beginning. This “higher self” then begins to step back a bit as the new personality comes through to experience puppyhood.

Standing in the livingroom I am feeling all this excitement and the energy of Tiger and I look to see seven tiny puppies lying on a blanket on the floor, eyes barely open. I’m handed a chubby fluffy whitish puppy and I connect immediately. After holding this puppy for about 5 minutes, the breeder says “oops”, that’s not Doc, that’s Dolly. Confusion sets in. I really connected with her. She hands me Doc. I really connect again. Yes, this is definitely Tiger, but what about the other puppy? Eventually I pick up each of the puppies to say hi. It is pretty clear to me that Doc is Tiger, but I am left with this doubt because of my connection with Dolly. After leaving to clear my mind and get a little help from Asia, I realize that Dolly also wants to be with me and was also with me in a previous life, previous for both of us. We too have a very strong bond, but because she is female, there is the risk that the owner of the sire will pick her. I let the breeder know that I would like to take both Doc and Dolly if Dolly is not picked. I’m also quite certain that I am going nuts as this will mean a total of 6 dogs in the house. I convince myself that because 4 of them together weigh less than Lucy, our Shepard/collie cross, they don’t really count as 4 dogs, just one.

When the puppies are about 7 weeks old the call comes, the breeder has chosen Dolly. I am sad, but I connect with her and let her know that she will be loved and cared for. I trust that all is exactly as it is supposed to be. Another week passes and it is time to bring Doc home. I can’t help but cry tears of joy as I make the drive to bring Doc/Tiger back home.

Doc the helper

Tiger is excited to be back with me and this family. He came back more quickly than is typical, explaining that his time “between lives” was quite easy. This lifetime he wanted to experience coming into a healthy body, undamaged physically and emotionally to a loving family. He is experiencing what it is like to be a puppy with loving siblings, to not be left alone or neglected but completely loved, nurtured and protected. He adores his big brother King and sister Maddie. This time his body will be strong and healthy, not riddled with complications from vaccinosis. He is experiencing all the joys of puppyhood as a healthy, well socialized, little guy. The name he chose was no accident. I soon discovered he had a gift for helping me and the animals by selecting essential oils. It began when he picked an oil for himself. Sniffing over the large tray of closed bottles, he stopped, picked up one particular oil with his mouth, then set it down. It was exactly what he needed. My inner guides told me to ask him what another dog I was working with needed. Without hesitation, he went back to the tray, sniffed only a brief second and picked up a bottle with his mouth. I looked at the oil he chose; it was one of the top three picks for this situation! I offered the oil to the dog and it was taken heartily. What a treat to have such a gifted helper.

As I review all that has transpired since Tiger first came into my life in 1993, clearly he has been here to help me with this work. He has taught me so much. With his special needs as a puppy, he took me on a path to learn about holistic care for animals; the problems of over-vaccination, commercial diets and food allergies. He also reminded me of the miracles that western medicine can offer during his ordeal with a herniated disk in his neck and the surgery that saved him. And it was his persistence in communicating with me that returned me to my soul’s path of talking with the animals to help them heal. Through his passing, he allowed me to experience what it feels like to be with a soul as it transitions to the other side and to feel that soul’s energy with me even when the physical body was no longer there. I experienced being able to call upon the soul for comfort as I grieved the loss of his physical presence, and I witnessed the graceful dance of the soul and the new personality as he came back to me in his new body. What an amazing teacher he has been.

The Gift of Vision from Eagle

As I was driving down Hwy 54 the other day a beautiful Eagle flew over close to my car so I could see him clearly.  This is not a place I typically see eagles and so I was not surprised when Eagle showed up today for my blog meditation.  I have found that the Spirit animals will present themselves in physical form prior to bringing a message.  Eagle is offering to help anyone that asks for more clarity on that which eludes you. 

From Eagle: “If you call on me I will be your vision…to see what you might not be noticing in your life and to call attention to that for you.  When you connect with me that which you have not wanted to see or have been unable to see will become clear to you.  Remember if you receive this information through me it is important for you to know and perhaps act upon.  I am connected to Great Spirit and I bring you that which is most important now.  If you have been struggling with your life, let me provide clarity.  Those who can see and/or hear me are meant to be given my messages.  They are being called upon to bring their gifts forward into the world.  Whatever stops you from doing this can be viewed and released through me.”

Eagle shared a personal message with me that I found very valuable.  I had sensed something was “stuck” and as soon as Eagle pointed it out to me I was able to have a big release which today meant a torrent of tears.  Even though I was raised in a home that frowned upon crying (Stop crying or I’ll really give you something to cry about), I welcome tears.  Tears release energy and emotion stuck in our body and energy field.  When we cry, we release this energy in a way that honors our humanity.  And of course it releases toxins too!  My deep gratitude to Eagle.

Eagle is offering a great gift; a gift of vision for more clarity in your life.  I suggest you find a picture of an eagle that you resonate with and place it somewhere you will see it daily.  Maybe it is on your meditation altar or perhaps near your computer.  Let it remind you to take time to connect with Eagle and hear your message.  If you have difficulty getting quiet, you might want to use my guided meditation for animal communication which is available free on my website, http://www.wendywolfe.com/.

If you are so inclined, share your experience with Eagle here (sharing as much as you are comfortable with) so that others can know that this guidance is available to them too.

King

Something happened the other day at the dog park that reminded me of how much our animals reflect our energy.  Becky and I were walking down the path with Hanna, Doc and King.   All three were running freely ahead and off in every direction.  They love that about the dog park…no leashes just total freedom. 

If you aren’t familiar with my dog family, Hanna is a Westie, about four years old.  Doc is going on 7, a Maltipoo who weighs about 10 lbs.  King is 8 and though large in bravery is a  mere five and a half pounds of Toy Poodle (he named himself).  There is also Maddie a 9 yr old Toy Poodle but she wasn’t at the dog park that day.

As we were walking down the path, I heard some people back a few hundred yards (or that’s my best guess…I have no clue about distance).  What got my attention was that the woman was clearly distressed and calling to her dogs, I could tell she was worried a fight might break out.  I looked back and noticed two large dogs.  From the energy in her voice, I was now concerned that these dogs might present a problem for mine.  I didn’t say anything but I was listening closely and checking back occasionally to see where they were.  As we continued walking I noticed that King was no longer running out in front with the other two but had glued himself to me to the point that I needed to be careful not to step on him.  That’s when I realized he had picked up on my concern and was sticking close by his pack leader probably thinking he might need to take over that position.  I noticed the woman behind us had leashed her dogs and so took a deep breath and let out the tension.  King ran ahead and joined the others.

Our animals feel our energy and are influenced by it all the time.  Over hundreds (thousands) of years they have learned to stay tuned into their environment and all the energy and emotions that emanate from it.  This has helped them to survive as a species.  When they live with us on a daily basis, they are exposed to our energy and often react to it.  

When we are anxious, angry, stressed, excited or sad the energy of those emotions is felt by our companions.  Fortunately, many of them are very good at deflecting the energy.  If they are able to get outside and be a dog or cat, they have the opportunity to burn off that excess energy.  For some, it can become too much without a release valve and unwanted behaviors surface.  Often I have communicated with animals in these situations and by helping them understand the situation and modifying their environment to better support them, the behavior changes. 

The interesting part is that if the overall situation doesn’t change, the behavior may reappear after a period of time.  And then I hear back six to twelve months later that help is needed again. 

Mind you, I am not placing blame here or judging.  I’m just sharing what I have observed and what the animals have shared with me.  Fortunately, they love us unconditionally and are willing to help us in anyway they can.  They know we are trying to live a more peaceful life and they don’t expect perfection.  Maybe if we didn’t expect perfection from ourselves we would experience less of the anxiety, sadness, etc.

From an energy sensing standpoint, we humans have moved away from our awareness of what is happening around us.  We are exposed every day to an inordinate amount of stimulus that has actually deadened our consciousness to the energy that is us and surrounds us. 

As babies we come into our lives very aware of our energy body and all of the energy around us.  But we are quickly led into a world that emphasizes thinking over feeling and speaking over reading with energy.  Our intuitive senses are put on the back burner.  Then enter all sorts of technology to distract us from our lives and the majority of us walk through life without really paying attention to what is right in front of us. 

Even though we aren’t conscious of the energy around us, on some level our being is aware.  We are absorbing other’s energy…we just aren’t usually aware of it.  This constant barrage creates a great deal of stress everyday…stress that we are not even aware of.  When this hidden stress triggers physical responses in our body (the flight-fight response of increased adrenaline, and cortisol) we can suffer with a host of physical ailments.  

There is a social trend to becoming more awake human “beings” and less human “doings”.  By studying our animal companions we can learn a great deal about being present, being aware of our energy bodies, and playing just for the sheer joy of it.  In the process we become more grounded and provide a better environment for our animal companions.

Mariah feeling free and sassy

My dogs don’t obsess about what they did in the past or what will happen next week; they live excitedly for this moment. Smokey, my beloved trail horse, has forgiven me as I learned a more appropriate way to care for him over the years. Mariah, my beautiful, spirited, mare is teaching me to embrace my femininity and power; to live with reckless abandon. And regardless of my mood, I am always greeted with joyous appreciation upon returning home. Animals give us many gifts; they are “medicine” for our souls. They teach us everyday about living in the present, forgiveness and unconditional love. Surely their medicine has added many years to our lives.

With all these gifts from the animals we might ask ourselves, “how are we tending to their needs”?

In my animal communication classes, I teach that while our companions have souls and life purposes just as we do, they came into this life experience in a specific physical body.  That body is encoded with DNA that maps out their instinctual nature.  It is what they came here to experience.  Even though we can communicate with them telepathically, it is also important to understand their language and their “animalness”. 

While not all companion animals have the same level of instinctual nature, I have communicated with some pretty angry cats who are not allowed outside, horses so sad from being isolated in a stall that I cried with them and dogs saddened and confused about why they were abandoned for being a “dog”.

We need to protect our animals from harms they might not understand but we also need to be clear about the impact it has on their quality of life. We need to support them in as many ways as possible to be congruent with their instincts while balancing this with keeping them from serious harm.

Cats want to stalk, play with and eat mice. They want to catch birds. They need to be physically on the earth to ground their energy.

Dogs want to roll in smelly stuff. It is instinctual.   They need to be able to run and play with other dogs…to be part of a pack.

Horses are very social herd animals. They need to live in a herd with room to run and play. They need to graze. Being in a stall for a horse is like a person being locked in a 5′ x 5′ bathroom for half of their life.   And don’t get me started on shoes.

What is true for all of these animals is that when we deny them the pleasure of being who they really are they can become depressed which eventually results in disease.  When we allow them to live their true nature they thrive.

Having worked with hundreds of animals over the years, it is my observation that much of the medicine required for animals today is a direct result of our interference with their instinctual nature. Poor diet, over-vaccination, stress, exposure to chemicals and toxins play a huge role in much of the disease of our companion animals. Commercial dog food, cat food and grain based feed for horses are like a prescription for a shorter life and degenerative diseases. Corn, soy, wheat and rice should not be staples for any of these animals.

Cats are carnivores. They must eat meat. Dogs are designed to eat primarily meat but will supplement with berries and plants (but certainly not grains or tapioca starch). Horses eat grasses and “weeds”.  Grazing or eating off the ground is imperative to their dental health.  When we feed our animals for convenience or cost savings they pay the price (and we usually do too in vet bills).

So how can we support them? Seek out information about the nature of your companion animal. Study dog breeds and their characteristics before adopting. Research how horses live and thrive in the wild. Google holistic health and diet for cats, dogs, horses, or whatever companion animal you share your life with. As much as possible allow them to be the instinctual being they came here to experience.  You can also read my previous article “5 Keys to Prevent Disease” for more detailed information.
 
As always our animals provide lessons for us too.  Like the animals, when we stray from our instinctual being, when we deny who we really are, disease occurs. We too need to live in harmony with the earth, grounded by her and following her rhythms.  By observing and supporting the animals we can begin to see how the way we are living our lives today disconnects us from who we are and creates disease and how recognizing our instinctual nature can bring us peace and harmony.

Shatung:  It is getting very difficult for me to hunt to feed myself and my family.  Our landscape is changing.  Everything in my world is changing.  What was once a perfect place for me no longer is.  There is less ice for me to live on.  I am frightened for my species and for our world.    We are a very gentle form but we need our home. We are being chased out of areas where we once lived with great abundance.  There are man made structures where we once hunted and roamed.  When will this stop?  Will our land be given back to us? 

Wendy:  I know that the earth is warming as a result of man’s use of fossil fuels which is why your land is disappearing.  Many of us are working to change this.  We are changing our lifestyle to be less dependent upon these fuels and to use sources of energy more naturally provided by our world like the sun and the wind.  It won’t happen overnight.  There are people who care about what happens to your species.  They are fighting for you and your survival.  I feel your sadness and I feel your fear. 

Shatung:  How many of you are there?  When will it stop?

Wendy:  I can tell you that the number of those who understand your plight is growing everyday.  Large groups of people have come together to correct what is happening.  Because there are so many of us contributing to this problem we often feel like there is little we can do to make a difference.  Talking with you now I am given more resolve to do every little thing I can think of to reduce my use of fuels so I know I am a part of the solution and not the problem.  If everyone else that cares makes these small changes it will make a difference.  Simple things like changing out incandescent or fluorescent bulbs to LED lights, driving less, lowering (or raising) thermostats, buying locally and with minimal packaging are things we can all do.  We can also choose wisely as we select those who make decisions for us.

I also know that our prayers and intention are very powerful.  I am asking others to take a few minutes to send prayers/light/or intention for resolution to the polar bears. 

 Shatung:  Humans don’t seem to understand the delicate balance of earth’s creatures.  Each species carries a specific energy that contributes to the whole.  If my species or others are lost, there is a tear in the energetic fabric that weakens the overall stamina of the earth affecting all.  There is perfection in our world. 

Wendy: I am truly sorry for what is happening to you and your home.  I do promise to do what I can to help reverse this trend.  Is there anything you would like from me or others?

Shatung: Send the fish back.  The seals are gone because they have no fish to eat and we need the seals. 

Wendy: I will share this information with others so they can make wiser choices.  Thank you for sharing your concerns with me.  Remember that many people do care about you and your families. 

After our conversation I did a google search on Polar Bears.  I learned that some populations are diminishing, but not all.  Still they are an endangered species.  I also learned that overfishing of cod and some other species is resulting in fewer seals and therefore less food for the Polar Bears.  What she said to me about “bring back the fish” then made sense.  If you would like to learn more about how you can help the Polar Bears, here are a couple of sites I found that might be helpful.   Polar Bears International  and World Wild Life Organization.

I just returned from a fabulous and inspiring two days in Asheville, NC with my mentor Christine Kane and an amazing group of souls creating a better world with their businesses. While I enjoy traveling it means leaving my favorite furries behind. If you’re like me, this is never easy. Years ago (okay decades) I was hesitant to travel because I didn’t want my buddies thinking I had left them. So I’m sharing how I keep them happy and calm until I return. We’ll also hear from Doc to see how he feels about my travels.

1. Find the best care for each individual. For most animals, having someone come into your home and stay with them is the ideal situation. However some dogs may be happier at a day-care facility they are familiar with where they can hang out with their friends during the day. Cats generally do not like their surroundings changed so an in-house sitter is almost a must.
2. Tell them about your trip before you drag out the suitcases. I call this “talk before trauma”. Last week I shared how our animals understand a great deal of what we verbalize to them. Take a few minutes to get centered and tell your animal that you are leaving, how long you will be gone, when they can expect you back and who will be caring for them and where.
3. Use pictures to help them understand this process. Visualize yourself going out the door and then driving or flying to your destination, give them pictures of who is caring for them or where they are going, show them the sun rising and setting (or them being fed) for the number of days you will be gone and then show them you walking back through the door.
4. Remind them. The day you leave, repeat what you told them before being sure to include when you will be back.
5. Keep your emotions light. During this time of preparing them it is important that you stay in a positive emotional state. If you are feeling guilty or sad or anxious, they will know this and it will not be congruent with what you are communicating. You are telling them everything is fine and you are coming home soon so be sure that your emotions reflect this.
6. Connect while you’re away. Pick a time each day to connect in and remind them when you are coming home. I like to do this at night when I get into bed. Take a moment to get centered and focus on your heart center, think about your pet and feel the love you have for them, visualize them and communicate that you are fine and that you will be back home soon.
7. Provide extra support for the overly anxious.Some animals have stronger attachments and become more stressed when separated from their tribe, pack or herd. Have your caretaker offer hydrosols (yarrow works well) or essential oils* (cypress, lavender or neroli) while you are gone to provide some calming and grounding.
    

   

   Doctor Doolittle

Here’s what Doc would like to share about being left behind (by the way he loves helping out this way). I chose Doc because of all my “kids” he is the most attached to me.

Wendy: I’m sharing with my readers today about how they can help their animals be more comfortable when they leave for a few days or maybe more. Since I just left you for a few days I thought you would be willing to share your feelings.

Doc: I don’t like it when I don’t get to sleep in my own bed. (He sleeps in Becky’s bed when I am gone). And I don’t like it that you aren’t here as much during the day; it’s boring.

Wendy: Okay. I understand why you might feel that way. Do you worry that I’m not coming back?

Doc: No, I know you are coming back. I am still connected to you through our cord so I know that plus you told me. (The cord he is referring to is an energy connection we share). When you are gone and you contact me it feels like I am traveling with you. It is very comforting..but I still want to be in my own bed.

This next part I have to share even though it isn’t related to this article. It’s a continuation of our conversation and makes me chuckle.

Doc: Why is that cat in here? (I let Red come in for awhile this morning).

Wendy: Well it’s pretty cold outside today and he really likes to hang out in here with you and the other dogs.

Doc: He pushed me down the stairs. He did it on purpose. He doesn’t act like other dogs. (he did push his way onto the back deck stairs one time knocking Doc down).

Wendy: No cats don’t act like dogs. I think Red really wants to be friends with you and the other dogs. He wants to be part of the pack even though he isn’t a dog. And I don’t think you need to be afraid of him. If he ever gets in your face you can stand up to him with your energy like you do when King gets really bossy. Want he wants most is to be friends.

Doc: I’ll think about that but I’m not turning my back on him.

*do not use essential oils with cats unless you have been trained or work with a professional animal aromatherapist.

Please share this post and like on facebook if you found it helpful or entertaining.

People often think I only communicate with animals through focused telepathy. Actually, our animals can understand a great deal of what we verbally speak to them…especially when we are congruent. By that I mean that our words match our emotions and our intentions. It isn’t just the words they have learned by association, such as “treat”, “walk”, or “apple”. They are able to understand us because our thoughts have energy and as we speak, the thought that is associated with that verbalization is communicated through energy. If you really want to ramp up their understanding, picture in your mind what you are saying to them. Pictures speak a thousand words to animals.

Red and his house

 Just as some people are better at communicating than others, animals have different levels of communication ability. My cat Red, is probably the best communicator I have ever known…well at least with four legs. He is very clear about his needs and he also demonstrates repeatedly that he HEARS me. Let me share a few examples.

Here at Open Heart Ranch there is a large labour of moles. Despite my pleas to move out to the pasture area, they have built their tunnels throughout the yard mounding up dirt and ripping up grass over vast areas. Since they didn’t want to cooperate with my suggestions about a different area for them to live, I enlisted the help of Mr. Red.

Red came to me about five years ago. I first met him when he was just a small kitten at the nearby organic dairy farm when I was buying milk. He wanted to come home with me but I told him we already had three cats and that was plenty. Six months later in the middle of a very cold February, Red showed up with a friend. He has been here ever since.

With Red, all you need to do is ask something out loud as if you were talking to a person and he responds. This first happened when Red decided to bring “treats” to the dogs. There is a small fenced area to let the dogs out for a quick “do your business” run. Red began bringing remains of his catch and leaving them in the dog yard. Sometimes they weren’t even remains but the entire “catch”. Not wanting the dogs to have “raw meat” besides what I was providing, I told Red not to bring them anymore. He stopped. Okay, he did it again about 6 months later but again stopped when asked. I also explained to him that the dogs did get plenty of food every day despite what they might be telling him. ( I think he and Doc have a system going.)

I decided to ask Red to help solve the mole problem. Now I know cats don’t like the taste of moles, they have told me so but Red has always been eager to help. I asked him to reduce the mole population and explained that they were tearing up the lawn. Twenty minutes after I said this to Red, (again, out loud), there was a dead mole lying on the side deck and a proud Red looking up at me. I thanked Red and told him he could put them somewhere else when he was done with them but to continue the good work.

Guardian of the Ranch

Red spent the next few months keeping the mole population down. As the summer came to a close the moles had found a new work ethic and were digging tunnels faster than ever having moved into the vegetable garden. Again, I spoke to Red. “You really need to help with these moles. They are ruining the garden, I need you to get more of them”. Shortly (30 minutes) after I said this to Red, I was down near the barn sitting outside with some friends. I noticed Red where the garden meets the pasture. He appeared to have something. Red began working his way towards me and as he got closer I could see he was “herding” a mole. He continued to herd the mole until he got about 10 feet away from me. As I watched this I was shocked to see the little mole stand on it’s hind legs, bare it’s teeth and lunge towards Red. Red would jump back a bit and then look at me. Then the mole would run a bit with Red in pursuit and the mole would “attack” again. This continued for about 10 minutes. I had no idea moles were so vicious towards a cat. Clearly Red wanted me to know that his skill with the moles was no small feat. He did eventually kill that mole. And while I am not thrilled to see animals die, I felt I had given fair warning to the moles about where they might live. After all, there was another 60 acres for them to choose from.

When the kittens were born this past summer, Red was initially a bit put out by the attention they were getting and that they had invaded his territory. I discussed this with him. Rather than scold him for hissing and spitting at them I decided what I really needed from him was to help protect them. I explained to Red that these kittens were now part of our family and it would be important for him to protect them and watch out for them. Since Lucy died, Red has assumed the role of Guardian of the Ranch. He is a great Watch Cat. Red took to heart what I said, made friends with Mama kitty and plays with the girls. He is still a bit standoffish to Junior but that is to be expected. He never fights with any of them, he only occasionally defends his personal boundaries.  After all, he is the top cat.

I know Smokey also hears me quite clearly although he is a bit more apt to reply with “whatever” or “yeah, when I get time” .

Have your animals heard you too? I encourage you to share your stories in the comment section of this blog for others to read. Understanding just how intelligent and soulful our animals friends are opens the door to a more peaceful world.

P.S. I am committed to trying again to convince the moles to move to greener pastures this spring.

Mama Tiger

Today a white mother tiger showed up with her three cubs to share with us the importance of being fierce in the face of injustice.  She also reminds us of the impermanence of the physical.  If you are like me, you were raised to be nice and forgiving.  Good girls don’t raise a ruckus or talk back to those in authority.  While that might serve us well at times, there are also times when we need to be fierce, like Mama Tiger.  She reminds us that it is important to be fierce to protect the innocent, helpless and young.  Okay, no more Ms nice gal. 

 Mama Tiger:  I am the mother in all of you.  The fierce guardian of the young.  My fierceness is in each one of you but often it is hidden under being nice or good.  You have been quiet too long and need to bring out your fierce anger at the injustices of this world.  It is our responsibility to protect the young and the helpless.  When predators approach we must stand up to them and show our teeth.  We must use our claws if necessary to stop them.  If I were not to protect my cubs who would?  If it means I must use force and even kill I will.  For anyone who threatens my young threatens my species. 

 Wendy:  But you also kill to feed your young.  What about the young animals you kill? 

 Mama Tiger: It is because I must do this to care for my young.  Without food they will starve.  I choose the animals that are weak and make quick of my work.  I don’t take pleasure in this, it is purely for survival. I respect that their mothers will do everything in their power to protect their young too.

 Wendy: It feels so violent to me.  It is difficult for me to digest. 

 Mama Tiger: Violence comes from a different place than does the need to protect and provide.  Violence comes from a place of hatred or need to control out of fear.   It is something more often found in the human animal than any other animal.  The means of survival of predator animals (other than human) is often portrayed as violent to justify the violence of humans. 

 Wendy: Honestly I hesitate to write about this darkness.

 Mama Tiger: Without darkness there is no light.  You cannot ignore the dark.  Where you err is to believe that dark is bad.  You must label everything rather than just experience it.  It is the labeling and meaning that you give it that brings distress for you.  Allow for both dark and light to be a part of your world.  But where you need to change dark to light, do so.  Most importantly remember that this body is only temporary.  The young who give their lives to feed my young have not died…they have only changed form. 

 Where will you be fierce today? 

 I wish for you the joy of connection to your Divine essence and the Mystery of All That Is.

 I wish for you the comfort of knowing that you are loved in so many ways by two-leggeds and four-leggeds alike.

 I wish for you strength to face the bumps that will inevitably come on the road ahead because you are evolving… and yet perfectly evolved.

 I wish for you a heart that laughs readily and loves deeply.

 I wish for you to see clearly that your perfection is in your imperfection.

 I wish for you to know that you are unique in this universe and this world desperately needs your gifts.

 Merry Christmas

Happy Hanukkah

Joyful Winter Solstice

Thank you for being on this journey with me.

 Love and Light,

 Wendy

Today in my meditation, our herd leader Miami came to me to talk about the end of life for animals. He knew this was weighing on my mind as I have been dealing with many client animals recently preparing to leave their body. Miami, who is 28 years old, has been in a great deal of pain with a hoof abscess. When our animals age and begin to have physical problems it’s hard for us not to start thinking about when we will be without them. In his amazing wisdom, Miami shares about this process from his perspective. I am sure you will find it enlightening.

Miami: I want to talk with you about the end of life. The end of this physical body for animals. When we are aging we are not concerned about dying. We seldom like that we are not as physically able as we used to be but we are not sad. We do notice your feelings towards us, your sadness, your trouble dealing with seeing us age. It’s a curious thing to me that you fight so against what is a natural process.

Wendy: But don’t you feel sadness at the thought of being without your human or animal companions?

Miami: We do have moments of concern for those we “leave” behind but we also know we are never without our companions. And more importantly we aren’t focusing on leaving them because we are still with them. Why would we be anywhere in our thoughts other than where we are in the moment? That’s just silly.

We do appreciate that you go to such lengths to to make us comfortable although when it is just to keep us in our body longer it isn’t so much for us as it is for you. Most of us are okay with that. We appreciate that we have come together in this lifetime to share love and lessons. Much learning and love occurs as we come to the place where we are preparing to leave this physical body.

Wendy: So what should we do? For example, right now you are in a great deal of pain from your abscess correct?

Miami: The pain is better. What your doing is very helpful. More than anything I appreciate the attention from Becky. It reminds me of when we did everything together, back when we did showing and I was her partner everyday.  We were very much a team.

Wendy: So you are rebuilding that connection?

Miami: We never really lost it but we are bringing it back to a place that feels familiar and good.

Wendy: What about when we are very worried about you? Like I was when Smokey was sick this summer. How does that affect you?

Miami: We feel that from you. Sometimes we take it on which actually can weaken our health but that is a choice if we do. If we chose to take on your energy we do not need to be fixed. No one is doing anything “wrong”. You people worry so much about getting things “right” when there really is no “right”.  Any choice is the right choice, because it is the choice that will provide exactly what you need at the given time.

Wendy: How is it for you being in such pain?

Miami: I don’t think that much about the pain. I do get frustrated that I cannot move as quickly as I would like, that my ability to be the leader is diminished.

Wendy: But it doesn’t seem that anyone is trying to take over as the leader. It seems they all still respect you very much despite your physical issues right now.

Miami: They wouldn’t dare think of taking over. I still hold the power in this herd and until I relinquish it no one will challenge me. (Ha, this is sooo Miami :-)

Wendy: So at some point you might decide to give the herd leadership to someone else.

Miami: Yes, I suppose at some point but that won’t happen for quite some time. This hoof issue is temporary.

Wendy: How do you think we can best support our animals that are in the end stage of their physical life?

Miami: Of course it depends on the animal. Allow them to experience their transition. Help with pain if you can but be careful not to project your own fears onto them. You (humans) are very fearful in an unnatural way. We (horses) instinctually protect ourselves but we don’t go out of our way to find things to be fearful of. I don’t worry that this hoof issue is any more than what it is. Let go of guilt you harbor about not having done enough or the right thing. The energy of the guilt is a very low vibration and does not help either one of us. Celebrate all that we have shared together and learned together and remember we are never truly separated. Our spirits are together always.

Thank you Miami.

I can tell you from my experience talking with many animals at the end of life that they really cherish you being with them and being fully present.  Miami seemed to say this as well.  I know it can be so difficult to get clear about what they need or want from you.  Getting quiet and just being with them can help tremendously.  If you still cannot get clear, you can always contact me for assistance.