Hello, my dear listeners … gawwwk, episode # 99.
And I feel I picked a purrrrrfect topic for this almost one-hundred episode moment.
This ain’t no parlor game.
I am not talking about the podcast but rather about my phone sessions as an animal communicator.
Let me ask you, do you tell people that you are intuitive?
That you hear, feel, or see pictures of visuals your animals send you?
If you do, congratulations.
If you do not, yet. No worries. Sooner or later you will. Maybe unexpectedly, blurted out. And that will be your icebreaker.
Being intuitive means you activate a part of your being that lies dormant in many people.
There was a time when being intuitive was no different than being a baker, or a builder or banker.
As an intuitive you are present and in synch with time and space to receive the information available through consciousness.
Being intuitive is not part of a parlor game. Connecting with animals intuitively is fun, but no game.
And to provide a fun and fruitful intuitive service, all participants must be motivated to participate in meaningful ways.
If the dog’s person is hesitant about my work, the dog might also be hesitant to speak.
Similar to a child. If asked a question, a child often looks at the parent to see if it is ok to answer. Animals do the same. Every so often, a client is skeptical about connecting with animals telepathically. If they are reserved and don't want to give anything away, the animals can be reserved and not share as easily.
Thankfully, my open mic opener is usually an icebreaker.
Most days, I work with animals and their people over the phone. I have a current photo of the animal on my laptop. At the start of our session, your animals take the spotlight. It is a chance for them to express themselves and share their thoughts, feelings, and ideas. This is a unique opportunity for your animal to be heard and understood.
I do not start with direct questions like, “How come you buck every time the trainer gets on your back?” Or “What can we do about your food aggression?”
I wouldn’t walk up to a person and ask them, “How did you get that broken tooth?”
It’s just more polite to allow the animals to chat about anything on their mind.
After the open mic, we will address your concerns and get your animal's input.
If your animal is experiencing physical issues or behavior challenges, possibly due to pain or overwhelm, rest assured that we will work together to pinpoint the problem. I offer a variety of healing modalities, each carefully selected to support your animal's overall wellness. This comprehensive approach is designed to address your pet's needs holistically.
Recently, a horse in the spotlight explained that he is hard to read. He also mentioned that he might be a prospect, a sales prospect. When I asked his person if those statements made sense, she agreed. The horse was very stoic and rarely let her know how he felt. And indeed, as of late, she had thought about selling him.
Well, of course, our conversation flowed easily after that. The woman felt I had connected with her horse, and our chat began.
Next the woman asked, "Why did he buck me off?" and the horse answered through me, "Because I have a headache."
The person asked what could be done about the headache, and the horse gave me a visual of a problem in the upper cervical spine. We went back and forth until we figured out what the horse needed to release the tension—in this case, chiropractic.
What a fruitful call.
Only once did a new client try to engage me in a parlor game.
This gentleman's dog was very chatty once he had stepped up to the virtual mic.
The dog wanted to show me his favorite place: I saw a lake, nature, and pine trees. The dog expressed how much he loved the scent of pine needles.
The dog's person was not impressed. He said, “I don’t know what the dog was talking about.”
Next, the man asked me what his dog's favorite spot in the house was. I saw the dog in the bedroom, covered by something that made the space dark and cozy.
Maybe he likes to be under the bed, I wondered. The human said, "Nope."
It turned out the dog was happiest under a blanket on the bed. That was close enough for me.
But, more importantly, why did the guy ask? He knew the answer.
"What is my dog's favorite treat?" he asked next.
"It's small and dark brown," I answered, "I’d say it looks like a liver treat?"
"No," the guy said, "it's a duck treat.
Considering the variety of dog treats available, from cream-colored milk bones to green teeth-cleaning treats, cubes of cheese, and hide-free chew sticks, my description of a small brown treat was spot on. Does the dog know the difference between liver and duck? Was it maybe duck liver? Who the heck cares? And more so, why are we talking about things the man already knew?
This was the first time I offered my money-back guarantee.
The guy declined. I persisted.
I have one more question, he said.
I should have said, “No.”
"What place outside does my dog like best?"
I exhaled and shared the visual the dog gave me.
"I see a dirt road lined with trees, "I said.
"Nope, he likes our driveway."
At that point, I got smart.
"What kind of driveway do you have?" I asked.
"Gravel," the guy answered.
"And are there trees, left and right?"
"Yes," he said.
"Well," I answered, "then I am describing exactly what your dog showed me."
While I was on a roll, I revisited the dog's other favorite place, the lake and pine trees.
I asked the guy if he was sure the dog had never been near a lake with pine trees. I expanded on it, "It looks like it could be a place in Maine."
"We have never been to Maine, but we did go camping on a lake in New Hampshire," he answered, “and the dog did enjoy that.”
I was done with the parlor game I never signed up for and sent a refund.
For me, tuning in and helping an animal and their person is an honor.
Recently, a new client, a dog, stepped right up to the microphone. The first thing the dog expressed was directed at me. “You think I am cute.”
I agreed with the dog.“And you would want to put your hands right below my ears on my neck and massage me there.”
I agreed again.She was right. This dog had one of those sweet faces and her ear looked soft and floppy. I knew grabbing the skin by her neck and massaging it would be deeply satisfying. For me.
“I would not like that,” the dog chimed in.
She sent me a visual of me keeping my hands to myself, her nose coming closer to sniff me out.
“It is not respectful to immediately pet a dog,” she said. “You need to let me sniff you.”
“I understand, “ I said and then explained to her that I would stand still and let her check me out.
And that I was not going to follow my desire to pet her.
That established the dog was ready to move on and said she liked walks in nature. She showed me paths in the forest, no homes in sight.
Then I felt her lean in. I literally felt the dog, who at that moment was a few states South of me in her house, lean in and mumble under her breath, “You can tell them that,” meaning her people, “Nature walks are good.”
I cracked up. And so did her people.
Then, the dog was off to the next topic: her nose. She said she had a very good nose. Next, I saw her walking toward a kitchen where she … “Cleans up around the edges.” She expanded on how she liked it when her people were cooking. And yes, if something fell to the ground, she was there to clean it up. Kitchen time was an important part of the day for her.
By now, her people had giggled and hmm-ed a lot on the other end of the line, and I couldn’t wait to hear their feedback about the topics their dog had brought up.
I said, “Ok, let’s stop here and see what resonates with you.”
The people quickly shared that their dog loved walks in nature. They felt the dog was most happy in the woods.
Then they shared that, as of late, they hadn’t gone on many long walks due to an injury to her person. OMG, can’t make that shit up. That’s why the dog leaned in and mumbled that I should tell the person that Nature walks are good. The dog was aware that her person could not go and didn’t want ot make a direct request but did want to point out that it was one of her favorite things.
How about the kitchen? I asked.
“Her favorite thing. When we get ready to make dinner, this dog is there before we pull the first pot out of the cabinet,” her person said, “must be her nose.”
We laughed.
“And yes, she eats what falls to the floor.”
It sounded like kitchen time WAS her favorite time.
“How about touching her?” I asked.” I feel that she is curious and friendly about people, but people are not allowed to touch her—at least not strangers.”
“And that is the reason why we wanted to speak with you. Nobody can touch her.”
There was a pause.
“It's funny you mentioned touching her right there near her ears and neck. The ears are the only part I can sometimes touch, ” her person said, “It has been like this since her surgeries.”
As a two-year-old, the dog had been spayed. Several complications developed, and she had to be operated on - under full anesthesia - two more times. Since those surgeries, the dog has never been the same.
Diving deeper, we explored the pain and discomfort the dog was experiencing daily.
Together with the dog, we pow wowed the options and devised some strategies to help the dog: a round of pain meds to see if that offered some relief. Energy work to release the trauma she experienced during and after the surgeries.
Turns out, finding a vet willing to prescribe medication without touching and probing the dog is difficult. But touch is a no-go for this girl, too much pain and discomfort. So the exploration to help this dog continues and I will hopefully have a part two to share.
This is no parlor game.
Helping animals express their concerns and supporting their humans in finding solutions to the animals' emotional or physical pain is a responsibility I don't take lightly.
What bugs me the most about that parlor game call is that the dog never got to share anything meaningful. Most animals want to share important things that have meaning and provide new insights or perspectives on their lives. And when the people are honestly engaged, the animal gets engaged and takes us to new places. They take us not to the old campground but to a part of the body that is stuck. Not to the cozy spot in bed under a comforter, but into their mind, explaining why no one should touch them.
The best calls are those when we allow the animal to be in charge, and we can say at the end, wow, this boy or girl took us on a ride today. A ride we could have never imagined.
Engaging in a mutual exploration with animals is not only a responsibility but also a privilege that I deeply cherish. It involves immersing oneself in the unique world of each animal, understanding their needs, desires, and concerns on a profound level.
By delving into their world with genuine curiosity and empathy, we gain insights that pave the way for meaningful connection and support. Navigating this journey together, we honor the sacred bond between all living beings and strive to create a world where every animal is seen, heard, and valued.
I will talk to you next time when we celebrate the 100th episode of Let’s Have A Chat!
Until then, auf Wiedersehen!