It’s quite ironic – it’s a beautiful Saturday afternoon, and I know that what my body & soul need is time in Nature, but I can’t seem to get myself off this chair.  So instead, I’ll keep writing, this time about connecting with Nature through its animals. Then, tomorrow, I’ll head out early to explore one of Vienna’s hiking paths.  (P.S. – good thing I’m not hiking – it’s now 4pm and pouring out!)

Animal Communication:

I started writing this blog in my head weeks ago when my friend Janis in Edmonton sent me a link to a fabulous video on Animal Communication – I’ve seen it 4 times now and it evokes such powerful emotion in me each time.  It’s the amazing story of a rescued black panther (one of my childhood totem animals) which was unusually dangerous and therefore in peril until Anna Breytenbach, an animal communicator, came to sit with it for a while.  Then everything changed.  It’s not only another example of the role of imagery as a form of communication (referring to yesterday’s post), but also a very good reminder of our human potential as we reconnect to the land and its creatures – something I believe we all need for all our sakes. I have personally felt this for years, but more so since I moved to Vienna, where I must seek out trees when I feel myself disconnecting from Mother Earth – there are very few in my district.  This short clip (13 minutes) is powerful , and I was lucky enough to see the full 52-minute program on YouTube during the holidays before it was removed for copyright reasons. One can only imagine the possibilities after watching such a video.

I once hired an animal communicator to help when my beloved cat Koya became mysteriously ill at 3 years old.  What I learned about myself and Koya through this service was invaluable.  When it comes to animal communication, some of you may be more familiar with the term horse whisperer, which became widespread after the release of the film by that name starring Robert Redford – I watched that one again last night on YouTube.  (I’m so very grateful for this free resource – have I mentioned that?)  I also had the chance to hear an animal communicator present at conference in San Diego – her description of how animal spirits shake off their mortal coil in joy, playfully bounding into their new form after death stayed with me.  She further explained how they can transition back into another body if we wish them to do so.  I can’t remember all the details, but it was great stuff!

Memories:

I love animals!  When I lived in Germany as a child (in 3 locations between the ages of 5-10), I spent much of my time alone in the forests, fields, and parks – alone, but never really alone.  In addition to angels, guides, fairies and other beings of the spirit world and of my imagination, there were the animals. I especially remember my solo bike rides to a nearby duck pond near the first village we lived in (in a time and place where it was relatively safe for 5 year olds to wander far and wide without adult supervision). When we moved to Baden, I found the forest. My family will recall the frequent search parties sent out into that forest at dinner time since I had no sense of time there.  I can’t quite remember how I spent all that time, but I do remember getting laughed at when I’d share all my animal stories with “friends” at school.  It didn’t matter – along with all my “imaginary animals” and forest creatures, there was also Heidi, my best friend,  a schoolmate’s Cocker Spaniel dog who waited by her door for me every day after school.  I’ll confess, I lost a few friends in my life when I’d abandon them for any and all dogs who came into view. I was obsessed – knew the names of every breed in existence!  When we moved to Lahr, I spent a lot of my free time roaming in the neighbouring Stadtpark with its large flower gardens filled with animals and free-roaming peacocks.  I remember “communicating” with one of the ponies who often expressed its boredom and stress at being enclosed – pawing with its foreleg up on the cement foundation to its bars that stood between us.  My heart reached out to it and I’d just spend time with it.  Back in Canada, I didn’t stop craving time with Mother Earth and its creatures.  I’d often jump on my bike to seek out natural places where I could sit and connect. Neighbourhood animals also occupied an important space in my heart and I took horseback riding lessons as a teen – although the fantasy of it was always more fun than the reality of it since I fell off a few times learning to canter in an indoor ring in the winter.  Oh well….  I was an animal lover nonetheless!

Animals as our Teachers

I learned so much from sharing a home with Koya for 13 years – as a rescued cat, she mostly taught me about love and fear.  Indeed, animals are great teachers.  I’m not the only one who feels this way- there are so many books out there about the lessons we’ve learned from animals.  For Christmas, my friends Jen & Ken gave me a bestselling book that I truly recommend:  Merle’s Door: Lessons from a Freethinking Dog.  I’ve had a lifelong love of dogs, although I’ve never had my own canine companion.  Although I cried for one almost every week of my childhood, I found that once I was out on my own, I chose to live in a way that wouldn’t have been fair to a dog.  Maybe one day…  In order to understand them better, however (and to satisfy my need to be around them during a time of great transition), I became a Certified Dog Trainer and Behaviour Therapist with CCS in 2003.  I wouldn’t hire me though – anyone who has shared a home with a dog has more experience than I do… but those 6 months were more than educational and will hopefully serve me and some dog well in the future.

Animals as Healers:

When I lived in Ottawa a bit over 10 years ago, my friends Jen & Ken and I would take their 2 golden retriever dogs and their cat Cuddles (appropriately named) to various senior citizen homes and mental health facilities as part of a pet therapy group.  This was as healing for me as it was for those we were visiting.  Witnessing such unconditional love and even occasional miracles was simply heart-opening.  I remember the time I felt moved to place Cuddles on the lap of a woman who sat in a chair in the corner all day long, not moving – quite unresponsive to her environment. I’ll never forget the look on the nurses faces when they entered the room and saw her hand slowly stroking Cuddles – utter shock and delight. It was during those times that she would also whisper to me about her past.  Together, Cuddles and I were making a difference and that felt awesome!  Anyone who has loved an animal knows what powers they have – not just to entertain, but truly to heal.  Blessed be the animals.

Totem and Spirit Animals:

We not only learn from the animals who cross our paths during our waking hours.  Animals will also visit and teach us in our dreams and visions. Some have talked about Animal Totems while other talk of Spirit or Power Animals (animal spirit guides).  No matter the case, the power of animal symbolism has long been recognized around the globe.  On Friday, in class, I spent a few minutes skimming through a classmate’s book “Animal Speak”, to research the 4 childhood totems featured in my “self-portrait” painting.  I introduced you to the story behind this painting in a previous post and you can see its development over a period of a few months in the photos below – it’s still a work in progress.  Friday’s research has certainly enriched my insights about their role in my life (summarized here).  Very interesting indeed.  I could have written a book from the years of stories we shared together in my imagination.

1. Panther: Reclaiming One’s True Power – living your life purpose

2.  Hawk: Visionary Power and Guardianship

“Through its flight, it communicates with humans and the great creator spirit.  It awakens our visions and inspires us to a creative life purpose.”

3. Snake (boa): Rebirth, Resurrection, Initiation, Wisdom – life transitions, changes, new opportunities, healing, awakening of creative forces, kundalini, visions and intuition becoming more accurate

4. Horse: Travel, Power, and Freedom

Although I haven’t had it in my possession for years, I recommend the divination deck of Medicine Cards that help us tap into the animal kingdom’s guidance.

However you choose to connect with this beautiful planet we live on and with, I encourage you to find time to do so.  You deserve it!   For today, my writing this post is my way of doing so –  my way of paying homage to God’s creatures great and small, alive and in spirit form.

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Note: On Saturday night, I found a free movie on YouTube (surprise, surprise!) about love, dogs, and great artists – some real (like Reubens), some fictional.  A Dog of Flanders (1999) is based on the famous book “Nello and Patrasche”. It’s not the greatest movie ever made, but there are days when I’m not too fussy.