While listening to music, recently, I got wondering about our connection with music, moods and energy levels. 
What is it with music that resonates with us all?

Then it came to me:
It’s all about the vibrations.  Just as the Beach Boys sang to us in their hit Good Vibrations.

It scared me the word ‘vibrations’. To think that invisible feelings, invisible vibrations existed, scared me to death.  My mother told me about dogs that would bark at people and not others, that a dog would pick up vibrations from these people who you can’t see but you can feel.  And the same existed with people”.         Brain Wilson, Rolling Stone 1976

We often connect with the vibration of the music which resonates with where we are at energetically. 
Could it be that our energy is harmonising with the music?
Research has shown that music can help people with cognitive illnesses learn a new perspective in their thinking.  Music therapy has been proven to help chronic and acute pain, reduce stress and “help those affected by injury, illness or disability through supporting their psychological, emotional, cognitive, physical, communicative and social needs”.  (British Association for Music Therapy).

Numerous studies have shown the effects of music when played to animals and plants alike.
While this research and various studies are great advocates for music therapy, the majority of information focusses on the chemical effect on the recipient.   What about the effect on our vibration? Are they connected?    

“When you’re happy, you enjoy the music but when you’re sad, you understand the lyrics.”       Frank Ocean

Many healers, energy workers, light workers and spiritual workers mention vibrational energy when discussing their work and modalities, but what is our vibrational energy?

Without attempting to sound like an high school Physics teacher, I’d only get myself lost! I’ll attempt a brief overview of energy and vibration:  Stick with me a moment.

We are, and everything around us is, made up of particles of energy.  Everything then vibrates because energy just does that.  We all have our own energy field, with multiple layers, within and around us and the level at which our energy vibrates affects our state of being.  Things which vibrate slowly are considered low vibrations and make up the physical realms and, as our vibration speeds up, or gets higher, we move into higher states of awareness and consciousness, the Spiritual realms.  When particles vibrate at a very high level, they become unseen. A bit similar to water turning to vapour.  The particles of energy are not always visible in this state but we know they are there because the water was visible just before we boiled the kettle. 

So, after that physics mini-recap, (a whole lifetime of theories and learning in one paragraph!), it’s safe to summarise that our vibrational state directly affects our state of existence. 

Lower vibrational energies, as I mentioned before, exist in the very physical realm.  We feel very connected with, and become aware of, all things human about ourselves at this level.  Our emotions, our pain, our challenges, our ego.  This is the state for processing emotions, events and trauma as well as acknowledging, accepting and releasing.  It’s where we need to be to begin our journey into growth and healing.

As we learn, or rediscover, our ability to raise our vibrational energy, we begin to increase our well-being.  We begin to self-heal, reducing our levels of stress and dis-ease.  We help our physical, emotional, spiritual and mental bodies find balance and harmony.  Raising our vibration can be achieved via multiple paths, individually or combined, which I’ll explain later.  These methods often involve diving deep within ourselves, our psyche, and questioning, facing and changing vital factors which we’re allowing to keep us comfortable in our lower vibrational state.

There are many reasons to deal with issues attached to our lower vibrational energy, our physical issues, and we need to go to this state of being to begin growth on every level of our being. 

Often mistakenly understood and portrayed as ‘negative’ aspects of ourselves, our challenges and traits in those lower vibrations are crucial to self-development.  They are as much a part of us and our growth as our ‘positive’ traits.  It’s necessary to spend time acknowledging our fears, our addictions, our anger, our grief, our challenges, our beliefs and our dis-eases.  They are all a part of who we are, why we are here and are aids in our Soul’s development.  Characteristics for us to learn from. 

When we learn, we grow.

Acknowledging, although a major first step, is only the beginning of the climb.  We then move on to the understanding, learning, processing and releasing of what we acknowledged.

This is one of the many reasons some people chose to tread water above the issues going on inside of them.  The danger of staying in these lower vibrations becomes very real because it can be seen as a place of sanctuary.  Many comfort zones, fears, learnt behaviour and social imprinting have set up shop in this space of lower vibrations.  How long we shop here depends on what we need to learn and process.  It is vital to remind ourselves, regularly, that this is not a space to permanently move to, just to visit on holiday until we have processed what is required.  Like a retreat (no coincidence we retreat into ourselves to do this). 

When we stay in these lower vibrations without addressing our issue, we can become a victim or hostage to our lesson.  We allow it to become a ‘normal’ state of existence, we adapt our life to accommodate it and condition ourselves to life with that fear, that emotion, that illness.  When we take the step to addressing our fear, our guilt, our grief, whatever our lesson is, we begin to raise our vibration.  We can then allow ourselves to release what we have learnt from and begin to heal.

What if we are not ready to face, or process, our lesson yet?  We may not have realised, or want to acknowledge, what it is we need to process.  When this happens, that lesson will continue to manifest as a physical ‘issue’. 

Whether it’s a behavioural trait, re-surfacing emotion, a trigger, illness or injury, it will reside with you until the cycle of acknowledgement, processing and release has been fulfilled.    

Without processing these aspects of ourselves, we are simply applying fresh paint over a weather-beaten piece of wood.  It may look tidy and neat on the surface, but underneath it will continue to deteriorate and fall apart.  We need to address and fix what’s underneath for an holistic, long-term solution.
So, once we have accepted our lesson and decided it’s time to help ourselves heal, how do we raise our vibration?

There are many modalities and methods which assist with this.  Some we can do ourselves, others we can seek assistance from others to assist us to heal ourselves. 

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, Sound and Music Therapy are fantastic methods of raising our vibration.  Even if we don’t attend a structured session with a therapist, listening to music which resonates happiness, joy and positivity will uplift and assist healing.
Many other creative outlets, such as art, writing and craft also stimulate healing. 

Spending quality time with our animal companions and in nature will, without effort, raise our vibrations.  Animals and plants have a naturally occurring higher vibration than most humans.  They live and exist in the present, without many of the energy imbalances most humans develop throughout their physical life.  This is due to many factors, most of which are why we find ourselves in the lower vibrations.  Animals and plants live without the social conditioning and learnt behaviours many humans develop as they grow.  They don’t develop the belief patterns many humans do as they develop through childhood.  They don’t hold onto emotions or live in fear.  All of which keep us from raising our vibration and healing.  By just ‘being’ in this higher vibration with them, we raise ours.  This is why we often feel good after being in nature or spending time with our beloved companion.

Animals and plants exist in a state of higher vibration, making them natural healers. 

Meditation enables us to just ‘be’ with ourselves.  To connect with self both on a cellular and higher consciousness level.  It can be a gateway to realisation, acceptance, enlightenment, understanding, connection and so much more.  Meditations can be guided (with the use of pre-recorded audio or a meditation teacher), in group or practised alone.  Whether it’s a 5 minute meditation or 1 hour, it will help raise our vibration, bringing healing and awareness.

Reiki is a wonderful method of raising our vibration.  Whether it’s Self-Reiki, following an Attunement, or seeking the assistance of a Reiki practitioner, this gentle energy healing modality connects with the Universal Source Energy to raise the vibration of the recipient and heals on multiple energy levels.  Reiki gently encourages the body, Soul and mind to heal itself, promoting an holistic, thorough treatment.

Flower Essences, Bush Essences and essential oils are wonderful aids when we seek healing.  The essences are produced by harvesting the vibrational essence of the plant or flower.  They work directly with the vibrations in our energy fields to bring balance and encourage self-healing.   Essential oils focus more on the cellular level, stimulating areas of the limbic and respiratory systems, amongst others.  They also help the body to heal itself and balance energies in the surrounding environment. 

Other forms of energy healing and bodywork, including amongst many others, are Light, crystal and Pranic.  They all work with our energy fields to bring our vibration higher and heal on multiple levels.  Our energy flows in waves, just as in sound, light and wind.  

Nature’s energy waves and our energy waves harmonise when we are in balance, raising our vibration and promoting healing, awareness and understanding.

Changes in diet and medication can help raise the vibration of our energy field.  What we fuel our physical body with impacts on how we perform and function.  Like all fuel, if we use the wrong product, we can mess up the well-tuned mechanics of the body.  This can then manifest as disease, illness, behavioural issues and more.  Medications, like a poor diet, can suppress the physical body’s own ability to adapt and heal.  A change of medication is not always a possibility so combining conventional medicine with one or more of these natural healing modalities helps the recipient balance the effects of the medication on their energetic and physical levels.

Through these modalities, the energy fields within and around our physical, emotional, mental and Spiritual bodies harmonise with the vibrations of the Universal energy.  As we change the level of our vibration through healing, it resonates through our physical, mental and emotional bodies, lifting the vibration of our multiple energetic layers.

We are re-balanced and, as our vibrations rises, so does our awareness of our connection to ourselves, our loved ones, and our world. 

Our awareness of the Higher Consciousness is heightened and we recognise who we truly are at Soul Level. 

It can be challenging, confronting and unsettling to hear that what you thought you were doing to help someone, could be serving completely the opposite purpose.

Sometimes, it can be more comfortable for us to fully commit to helping others if it is:

• easy for us
• within our understanding
• something we have experienced ourselves.

It takes more effort and feels more uncomfortable when we are helping from a place of uncertainty. 

So how do we know what help, if any, someone is really needing?

Simple:

• Step 1: Ask them.
• Step 2: Honour their response.

By connecting and communicating with other species we co-exist with, we can do this, just as easily as asking our partner on the couch, neighbour across the fence and even ourselves.  (Although we can all be guilty of not honouring our own needs on occasion.)

One of the many benefits that comes from communicating with others is being shown things from their perspective.  It’s a valuable insight.

Many humans would understand so much more about the true needs of other species, and their own, if they saw and heard it from that viewpoint.

We are not able to fully help animals, including ourselves, until we see things from that Soul’s perspective.

A simple shift from what we think another wants and needs, to what we know they want and need is a massive step.  A simple but critical oversight which can go unnoticed when helping others.

Perspective does not rely on understanding and agreement to exist.  When combined with understanding, it offers great insight and growth, but even if we don’t understand, an alternative perspective has so much value. 

Perspective, I feel, isn’t right or wrong.  How can it be, if it is someone ‘seeing’ from their own experience?  How can another being view something incorrectly?

A battle scar is a constant ugly reminder of a traumatic experience to one being, while another welcomes it as a sign of strength from a battle survived. How someone else sees that scar is insignificant, possibly even judgemental.

Requesting a vet to euthanize a suffering loved companion can send waves of guilt through families for years.   If only they saw how their loyal companion was wanting that release from their failing physical body.  Many animals have shared the need to leave their physical bodies for various reasons.  Pain, physical limitations, to assist their humans better from Spirit, or maybe to join someone already Transitioned.  Their point of view, and needs, during this time are crucial to honouring their purpose.

Animals being transported for food are not wanting fear, pity, anger and misunderstanding from animal welfare campaigners meeting them at the gates of the slaughterhouse.  These selfless beings, born into the farming industry, have chosen to do so to bring awareness to the increasingly intensive processes and greed associated with it.  They are extremely sensitive and empathic to the overwhelming cries, shouts, anger and fear from those trying to bring awareness to their plight.

It is upsetting for them at a time when they are needing strength and understanding.  These animals ask for our love, respect, compassion, support and gratitude to help ease their journey and purpose.

They want to reassure all humans campaigning for their welfare that they fully understand their chosen life path and ask them to focus all that passionate energy into helping them raise awareness through other, more productive methods. They are wanting focus and transparency brought to the industry but via other resources.

By offering them this support we are helping them on their own purpose, not aiding our own agenda.

We need to shift our thinking radically, here, to help them and not make it more traumatic or upsetting.

Other species exist at a much higher vibration than many humans. Their connection with Source, and awareness of the Higher Purpose and their existence, is more acute than many humans.

Most humans live and exist predominantly in lower, physical vibrations.  We seek to help others, predominantly, in that state.  From that level, we get a perspective that is on a single dimension, it does not factor so many other levels of existence and ‘being’ which other species and beings know and understand.

This perspective limits our understanding and vision of a Soul’s existence, also limiting our understanding and ability when helping others.

We can offer advice and guidance to others, when it’s sought, but it’s important to always check-in with ourselves that we are offering this from the perspective, and for the good, of the recipient and their higher purpose.

We all have a purpose in this life, regardless of species.  To respect another’s purpose, and honour it, is crucial to co-existence.  This begins with helping others from a perspective of theirs, not our own.

Grief.  Its processing and accepting it into our daily routine.

• Peanut butter.
• Bed-space.
• Returning home from work.
• Carrots.
• Vacuuming.
• Grocery shopping.
• Being able to unexpectedly stay out all night.
• Porridge.
• Music.

Up until recently these were all very random, uneventful items and events…….. Until the beanbag incident.

I thought I had processed my grief following the passing of our much-loved and cuddled Staffy, Xena.

I had found myself recalling so many shared memories happily and with a smile.  Odd moments attracted nostalgia, a tear or two, a sigh and a pause but life was continuing on since Xena checked into Rainbow Bridge.

For the past 6 years, rights to a resident beanbag had been mutually shared. More mutually by me but it was considered dual occupancy.  Xena had the beanbag whilst I positioned myself, yogi-like, on top of the remaining beans. Fair deal (in her big brown eyes).

It was a mobile occupancy.  Moments shared in our bean-bag included the deck, in front of the TV, on holidays but mainly in The Healing Room where we spent many hours working together.

To then, one day, have sole rights to said bean bag was not a moment for celebration.  There was just too much space and I was not comfortable.  The multitude of beans brought emotions back to the surface which I’d considered processed, not dormant.

Xena joined me during that moment of resurging emotions but I still had all the beans.  There was no requirement to contort around her little body, allowing her to snooze undisturbed.  I felt her laughing warmly as I wrote this.  Suggesting I make myself uncomfortable for nostalgia’s benefit.  I graciously declined and thanked her for her advice, making a mental note to get more beans.  My bottom didn’t sink to the floor with two of us in it.  Maybe it did, I just never noticed.

Just as I never noticed the significance of the items on the above list either.  They were just items and events prior to Xena’s ‘departure’.

 

Suddenly, every aisle in the supermarket became a reminder of Xena.

Grocery shopping morphed from a part-present meander into a teary blurred dash as each aisle housed an item fit for our Warrior Princess.

The uneventful process of plastering a layer of peanut butter onto a slice of toast became a monumental mountain of emotions as I revisited Xena’s choice of food in her final days.

The lack of clippety-clop as her nails crossed the hardwood floorboards to welcome you home, turned silence into a deafening emptiness.

And housework turned me into a heartless traitor.  How could I possibly vacuum her hairs away?

I felt like I was erasing her slowly as each hair was sucked up.

Washing her blankets and bandanas were not cleansing experiences.  Who would have known housework could become such a conflict of so many emotions?  We did have a giggle to ourselves when I suggested to Xena maybe I should never clean the house again!

Throughout this whole processing of grief, a process which will keep me company for this lifetime, I was graced with the comfort that I could still connect with Xena.  I had not fully redeveloped the ability to communicate with other animals before our beautiful girl, Ethel, relocated to Rainbow Bridge and found her passing much more traumatic.

With Xena, she had prepared us for her transition and brought in so much support for herself, and us, while she went through that process.  We connect often which brings so much comfort.

Grief still pops by to say hello and acts as a gentle, sometimes not so gentle, reminder of how much love we shared.  If we hadn’t shared so much love, we would not feel so much grief.

Grief is merely love wearing a different mask.

Other emotions which accompanied the grief, namely guilt, disappointment, regret and loss have subsided.  Xena has walked me through that minefield.  Interestingly, a dear friend mentioned recently how she has surrendered to her situation and experience of a very turbulent pregnancy.  I noted simultaneously how I have surrendered to my grief and its process during this experience.  As my friend surrenders to her challenging experience of creating life, I surrender to the events surrounding a loved one leaving this lifetime.  I surrendered totally to the events surrounding Xena’s Transition.

It was suggested to me that I had maybe processed my guilt too quickly.  But by feeling guilt and regret would suggest I had an option of controlling Xena’s Transition.  Maybe I did, but to have taken the process of her passing into my own control would have been for self-benefit.  To relocate control of another being’s final choices during their lifetime, away from them, would have been unjust and undignified for anyone, especially for our Warrior Princess.

Allowing another to Transition as s/he chooses, is the most selfless act of love we can offer them.

It is often said that when a loved one passes into Spirit, we feel a part of us goes with them, like they are taking part of us with them.  There is always a part of us in a loved one when they pass on and they are in us, and will continue to be.  Like the ocean when waves move along the beach, droplets will be left on the beach and evaporate in the heat.

We will move on physically from one another as our energies change but we continue to be part of the same consciousness. 

The droplets remain part of the ocean and always return there over time.  That is the special personal bond and connection we share with loved ones for eternity.

Prior to our beautiful, Xena, Transitioning into Spirit last year, she took a moment during a Reiki session to show me an image of what she called the Rose of Life.

It was an image of twisted plant roots spiralling up into a tower. Humans were entwined amongst the roots which spiralled up to a higher platform of consciousness.

Xena continued to explain how, during the process of Transition, a Soul who has connected strongly with another Soul in the physical world may choose for part of her/himself to leave when a loved one, or someone they have formed a strong connection with in the physical realm, passes in Spirit. The process involved specific Souls combining energetically while in physical form.

It got me thinking, is it possible, then, to be actually mourning and missing a part of our own Soul when a loved one returns to Spirit?

It would explain why grief affects us differently as individuals and with each individual relationship.  There is the obvious lack of physical connection which we lose and mourn when a loved one passes.  There is the removal of verbal and visual contact which we also grieve for, but there is something much deeper which Xena was showing me during that Reiki session.

Could it be this disconnection from a part of our own Soul which makes us feel so lost and alone after the passing of someone we are strongly connected to?

Is this why grief is an experience as individual as we are? Something we all process differently and in our own time because we are, in fact, readjusting at a Soul level?

For anyone who has ‘lost’ someone they loved, the physical pain within their heart can feel unbearable to continue living with.  To some, it is, and there are numerous instances of people Transitioning soon after their beloved has passed, even when they were in reportedly good health prior.  Could this simply be that their Soul has decided to fully join their connected Soul on their return to Spirit?  Maybe their joint purpose in the physical realm was fulfilled.

The imagery and process Xena shared would also explain why we often still feel someone we love around us after s/he has moved on.  Because our Souls have combined, part of her/him will still be within us and vice-versa.  They never completely leave us while we are so entwined energetically.  There are numerous sayings such as “You’ll always live on in my heart”. “Forever in my heart”. “Safe in my heart forever” etc. We feel this within us.  There is a deeper level of understanding that someone is, and always will be, in our heart because we are so interconnected.

Knowing that part of a loved one does stay with us, and us with them, after leaving physically brings enormous comfort.  It did for me when Xena passed.  I realised that we never really ‘lose’ someone when they Transition, nor do they lose us.

Xena’s Transition was still painful while I processed the grief of her physical absence and some sadness and hurt do occasionally return when I have more to process, but by understanding what she patiently and lovingly showed me has made it bearable and easier to live with.  I feel her existence within me constantly and by connecting with her energy, I connect with Xena.

Although we are not all able to physically see those who Transition after they move on, we can begin to feel and sense them around us if we take time to be still and connect with them from our hearts.  For many, this may take some time following the period of grieving because we are busy processing many emotions.  It can be challenging to be truly still enough to connect, but it will come and when it does, it will bring enormous comfort, love and understanding.

So I embrace my grief as a continual reminder of my love for a very special Warrior Princess and encourage anyone else living with grief to do the same.

Allow it to teach and guide you whenever you need to process another aspect or emotion involved in the experience.

The communications with Xena have delivered comfort, understanding and release.  It is a comfort I am wanting all others to be able to experience themselves which is why, with the guidance of Xena and many other patient animals, we aim to bring Animal Communication to as many people as possible.

When spending time with our animal friends, it becomes transparent how content they are with themselves. Some have issues with the physical world, in parallel with us humans, but their connection with their true self seems to remain constant and true.

This got me wondering why we differ so much from our animal friends with our self-connection.

Many humans try to alter the core of who they are at some point in their lives, performing little tweaks or major renovations. Whether it’s to seek approval from others, acceptance from peers and society or a false belief of being loved, many of us have, at some point, tried to nurture ourselves into someone we, simply, are not. Often attempting to coax our true selves into believing that is who we really are.

Denial of true self cannot, and does not, maintain itself and it is during those moments of illusion when we struggle internally with ourselves, creating avoidable conflict.

For other species, this denial is not even a consideration. They have no desire or need to seek acceptance for their existence because they are busy existing.

The actions of some domesticated animals may be mistaken as affection and approval seeking when they are, actually, doing the opposite and extracting the love from us for us to experience. They are not remodelling aspects of themselves in exchange for approval but are simply being themselves and empowering us to do the same.

It can be a challenge to accept who we truly are and love ourselves as unconditionally as our animal companions do.

Social expectations, learnt behaviour and conditioned thinking are a few reasons for our hesitation to truly acknowledge and love ourselves completely. There are positives, however, and that is that these factors, with practise and patience, are changeable.

We will always encounter others hinting, or sledgehammering into us, the need to change aspects of our self but pause to consider why they are wanting that change. For their social comfort? Maybe we are mirroring issues they are uncomfortable, or not ready, to address within themselves. Sometimes others would like the life they envisaged for themselves lived out through another.

We must reconnect with our own Soul’s purpose and honour it.  It is not for us to become a watered down version of someone else’s existence.

Try seeing yourself as your companion does, without expectation or judgement. Past the physical and deep into your core. Feel the energy of your true self, the light within you, your Soul. The Soul is where we are our true selves, our pure selves.

Feel yourself as the being you entered this life as, the blank canvas before society moulded you. Feel who you really are and appreciate yourself for who you have become.

See the qualities those around you appreciate and love in you.

If you were your friend, think of what you love about your friend and tell yourself these qualities.  Remind yourself regularly of these qualities.  Maybe write them down for a daily reminder.

Acknowledge the aspects of yourself that you are unsure of or feel you need to change. Why do you feel you need to change? Do you need to change? It’s certain that we will have some self-qualities which take us longer to accept than others but by not liking these, we are not liking ourselves. By not liking ourselves, we do not love ourselves and how can we love another fully if we do not love our self?

How can we expect another to love what we don’t?

Our animal companions accept us as we truly are and embrace all our quirks and charms. Why enforce pressure on ourselves to modify our existence for another human?

When we do become fully aware of who we truly are and accept who we chose to be, feelings of release, peace and freedom replace those of uncertainty, anxiety and neediness.  Living as our animal companions do, existing as our Soul intended, releases so much conflict and allows us to live with confidence and clarity.

We then begin to truly live and exist as ourselves and not for others.

 

 

 

For those who follow my page or have read my previous blogs, particularly Straight from the Heart and Synchronicithree, you will be well aware of the importance of the heart in energy healing and how it is the centre of all that exists. 

I recently began pondering why it is the heart where we feel our spiritual connection and why do we connect energetically from our heart?  After all, don’t we use the phrase ‘gut instinct’?

I decided to pose these questions to my animal companions to seek their perspective and I received a strong response “It is our core essence”.

And it is.

From being the first muscular organ to fully form as we develop into a baby, to the final beat as we leave this life, the heart is a constant in our physical and spiritual self.

The heart is the core of all life.  It is what drives our physical form, pumping life-giving blood throughout our bodies, and where our spiritual connection thrives.

I often hear feedback from people during and after healing sessions where they have experienced a feeling in their chest area.  Whether it is an ache, a pull or a flutter, there is a sensation in this heart area common to many healings.

We feel the connection from our heart because it is our heart that is at the centre of all our healing. 

As with the rest of our physical body, when we use a muscle, it aches and as it heals, we feel twinges and pain.

Our heart is no different.  Or is it?

As previous conversations with my animal friends has confirmed, the heart is at the centre of all that is connected, like a spider web.  It is a delicate but strong structure where the slightest bit of interference ripples through to the centre.  All that we experience affects our core, our heart at the centre of the web.

An unborn baby’s heart is beating steadily before it can even be heard with a doctor’s stethoscope.  It is as silent and strong as the spiritual heart connection.

Could this be how some women ‘know’  they are pregnant before any physical signs and symptoms?  Are they tapping into that heart connection already?  A bond which will stay with them forever?

But why is the energy from our heart?

I was shown that our hearts are our hard drives, our mind are the processors.  The heart is a simple but effective hard drive for energy.  The mind takes the role of processing, leaving pure energy to be stored, released and received within our heart.  There is no clutter, just the absorption and release of energy.  Life giving, loving and pure soul energy.

Our energy radiates from this centre, uninhibited by the processes of the mind.

That inner energy is very powerful, it is our own in-built power source. As I’ve mentioned before, we can often see strength as an external process – how we react to a situation and how we handle experiences.  Our real strength is much deeper than that and it is something which requires constant upkeep and check-ins.  We need to look deep into the core of our being and find that energy within us, then connect with it and feel how it is beating.  Visualise it constantly spinning and pulsating, emanating pure love.

By connecting with this self-powered source of love, an empowering strength evolves from within ourselves.  The animals have shown me that this is the energy we need to be sharing with each other so we can empower others as we pass it on.

Some refer to it as their light, others love and others energy.  It is all of these.

 

As a practicing animal communicator, recognising when another animal is connecting and passing on messages has become much clearer for me over time thanks to the continued guidance and patience they so freely give.

The first step in understanding is recognising when our companion is requesting our attention to receive the message s/he has for us. 

A previous article, Mirror, mirror., goes into more detail about one of the methods our companions effectively utilise to get our attention.

A phrase often shared with me is “I know s/he is trying to tell me something, I just don’t know what it is”.  The message may eventually come through to that person themselves or they may ask for my assistance to translate.  How the message is deciphered is not of importance, taking the time to accept, respectfully acknowledge and act on the message is the priority.  We owe it to those messengers to at least try to understand what they are telling us.

It is comparable to another human attempting to communicate with us in a different language.  We would find alternative methods to come to an understanding and that is how we should be treating our interspecies messengers.

There are many messages going untranslated, lessons unlearned and opportunities for us to heal that are being missed or misunderstood.  

One particular bond between a man and his dog as they travel Australia on their own campaign of awareness, Trigger’s Big Trek, has inspired me to introduce a project raising more awareness and understanding of the messages emerging within our relationships with our animal friends.  The project is an opportunity for us all to be able to recognise the initial moment of connection, translate the message, understand it and then learn from the communication.

Numerous conversations and sessions with many knowledgeable animals over the years has brought me so much learning, although there is one particular lesson that I would like to share as my contribution to this project.

My lesson began earlier this year when one of my companions, Xena, became unwell.  Her health deteriorated rapidly and it took a few days of medical assistance to stabilise her condition.  Xena was diagnosed with an infection of her digestive system and she returned home under medication.

During the initial first few days, the focus was on assisting her recovery and monitoring her.  It then became apparent that her recovery was going to be a long one.  Initially, my thinking was “Xena is a 15-year-old girl, of course this is going to take time” but then the knowing that there was more to her illness became stronger.

The infection had cleared but Xena was holding on to symptoms in order to teach me more.

I, along with many communicators I know, sometimes find it difficult to ‘hear’ our own companions when we are emotionally immersed in their situation. It was some time after her initial illness when Xena communicated the message “Let go” to me via a very dear friend of mine who enjoys a very special connection with Xena.  It was a message I understood immediately as I had been continually trying to ‘fix’ Xena and her recovery.  The day I received that message, I did ‘let go’ and assured her that I would remind myself to trust in the universe and allow her recovery to take its own path.  This is a message which continually emerges during interspecies conversations and I was having to remind myself of it and practice the challenging task of truly surrendering all control of the situation.  Xena’s energy began to shift, it had become lighter and her recovery began.

My lesson continued as Xena’s recovery continued.

During the weeks that followed, the complexity of my lesson grew.  It was like thinking I’d learnt maths at simple division, then got introduced to algebraic geometry.

Xena and I were having extended daily Reiki sessions during her recovery and it was during one of these healings when I was consumed with grief and sadness.  Recognising that it was not coming from Xena, I asked her more and she took me through previous life experiences which I thought I had processed.  Grief was the major element.  Whenever Xena and myself would sit and connect, tears flowed freely.  Two loved ones who had previously passed had become ‘trigger events’ for me during these conversations with Xena.  I realised the connection between these two events, Xena’s illness and her lengthy recovery as I painfully re-processed the experiences.

During these two trigger events I had experienced, I had felt unable to ‘fix’ one loved one and the other death I felt  I possibly could have prevented, or at least delayed.  (If only I understood more then).

After her illness, Xena had stayed in recovery status until I released my control of ‘fixing’ her.  It was as if she had ‘paused’ her recovery until I realised this.

I was still holding that energy with me and creating a ‘loop’ of emotional distress.

It had never occurred to me how imprinted this was on my psyche. These events had to be processed and ‘let go’. They were not for me to control.  These two souls both had their own paths to follow, it was not for me to walk their paths for them or control the direction they went in.

Xena’s key message to me was as follows:

“Release the toxins.  Let go of the past, it no longer holds you, your emotions or your being.  It is a lesson you are now processing and digesting.  Allow it to flow through you and don’t hold onto it.  The energy stagnates, rots and feeds sickness and disease”.

Xena’s illness attached to her digestive system until I had digested and processed what I needed to.  All throughout her illness and recovery, she was teaching me to truly ‘let go’, not just acknowledge the phrase and nod my head in agreeance, but to action it from my heart, to truly release all control.

Xena’s selflessness, love, perseverance and teachings are so humbling.  This lesson is, amongst everything else about her, something I will forever be grateful to her for and continue to live by.

There is a refreshing sense of freedom and empowerment to truly let go.

Many instances and methods emerge where our animal friends present their messages to us, we just have to recognise the signs and that is the purpose of this project.  For us all to recognise, understand and learn from these messages.  Our companions have so much to say.

If you have an experience to share where you, or someone you know, has learnt from animal, please contact me so we can share these messages, helping others recognise what their companion has to say. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The relationship between children and animals is often one of mutual respect, innocence and love.
The special bonds that develop are beautiful to witness and teach us much about ourselves and our relationships.
There are many factors influencing the strength of our bond with our companions.  One of the reasons it can be so strong between children and animals is because children, like most animals, are living in the present.  The worry of future events and past experiences is seldom dominating a child’s mind and that is something they hold common with their animal friends.

They are living on instinct in the present moment.

Something many of us wander from as we focus on organising and ‘perfecting’ our life rather than living it.
There is also a lack of judgement between children and their animal friends which adults can often succumb to.  A child will look at an animal and see a cat, dog, rabbit etc.  As adults, some see the breed before the animal and have judged that being before any interaction has taken place.  The child is accepting regardless of what physical form they are presenting in.

They offer us such a strong reminder to have respect for all others and to truly celebrate our differences.

As we grow into adulthood, judgment can develop and present itself on a daily basis whether it’s meeting new friends, colleagues, another’s actions or overhearing  a conversation.

Judgements creep in and it is only our self-awareness that can change it.

Every time we make a judgement on a person or situation we are energetically creating something that isn’t there.

The actual being or event has been clouded and we are unable to see things as they truly are.

Being judgemental towards others merely shines the light on our own faults, not of those we choose to judge.
Another factor strengthening the bond between children and their animal friends is the lack of expectation between them.

Again, the child and animal are two beings interacting on a level.  When adults enter the equation they can bring with them an expectation of how they feel the child and/or animal should behave and if that expectation is not met or excelled it can create emotions such as disappointment, anger or rejection in the adult.  These emotions then become part of the interaction and are experienced by all parties.

By releasing our expectations of others and accepting another as who they are, not what we want them to be or become, we are able to appreciate life from a much better viewpoint.

This also applies to expectations of ourselves.  Appreciate and love who you are not what you feel others want you to be.

It is humbling how much our young friends, together with our animal friends are showing and teaching us every day, and they do it so freely. Please remember to thank your children and animal companions for what they bring to your life.

Live in the present.

Remove all judgement.  

Release expectations.