I've only recently learned to go through the grief process in a halfway decent way. Recently, as I blogged about in my last post, I had to help my friend say goodbye to her horse, Kidd. He had a very sudden and severe colic and there was absolutely nothing we could do to save him. As I go through the process of dealing with the emotions his death has left me with, I am continually struck with how well we dealt with the process--not that it was easy, just that we handled it as well as I think we could have.
First of all, we waited until he was completely willing and gave his permission before we euthanized him. As I said in my last post, I think we were able to help him transition instead of stealing his soul out of his body--and what a difference that makes to my emotional state afterwards! (not to mention, the ease to him of transitioning).
Secondly, we stayed with his body as long as we felt we needed to. My friend kept stroking him and hugging him and sharing stories and how she felt about him. In the past I was never able to do this when my animals died, wanting to avoid the reality of death. I would go to the lengths of averting my eyes from their body, as if pretending what had happened hadn't really happened. I would immediately cover their body with a tarp, or call to have it removed. I remember several times when I lost a horse having terrifying dreams of them wandering around the pasture after they died, with coagulated blood, like a zombie. I think this was a direct result of me trying to avoid the reality of their death and refusing to sit with their bodies.
I also think this process can be important for the horse himself to leave his body. When an animal has time to process the fact that they are crossing over, they may immediately leave their body and cross to the other side. However, when something happens this sudden and surprisingly, they can remain attached to their body just like we are. In this case I think it is important that they have our support in order to detach from their bodies and move on. As we sat with Kid's fallen body, I continually communicated with him and reminded him that he would need to leave his body soon. I continued to prepare him for the reality of his death, just like I had before he was euthanized.
I also think back to when my horses died, and wonder if the feeling I had that they would come back to life had to do with the fact that their deaths were (relatively) sudden and I did not properly prepare them for euthanasia. I imagine that they stayed attached to their bodies just like I felt Kid had, and probably contributed to my difficulty processing the fact they were gone. Not only did I not allow myself to process the fact that their soul had detached from their body, I did not support them in this process either.
The third thing we did right was allow everyone else who loved this horse to say goodbye to him. Kid lived at a treatment center for adolescents, and was one of the main horses we allowed the boys to ride. When we were sitting with his body, my boss came up to me and asked if I thought we should let the boys come out to say goodbye. I am a therapist, but don't always have the answers. I was immediately torn. Would they be able to handle it, or would it just add more trauma to their lives? While sitting with Kidd I began to feel more and more certain that he wanted the boys to come say goodbye to him; in fact, he told me he was not planning on leaving his body until they did!
So, I went inside and explained to all the boys what happened and asked who would like to come say goodbye to Kidd. All the boys were all extremely somber. All but one of them wanted to come out, many of them already in tears. They all came out and sat, kneeled, and stood around Kidd. Some of them had tears running down their face. They were all extremely serious and connected to what had happened They shared memories about him and what they would miss. They stroked him and gave him hugs.
One of the boys said: "You know, it feels like with horses, it's almost like they're hardly even there!"
(This would confirm the communication I got from the first horse that crossed over, that horses can "come and go as they please," while people and dogs are more solid in their bodies)
Confirming that this had been the right choice, most of the kids also shared memories of times they hadn't gotten to say goodbye to important animals or people in their lives. "When my dog died," one said, "my mom wouldn't let me see it, she just took it away." Another said: "I wasn't allowed to go to my step mom's funeral. I always felt like it must have been my fault, because I was left out of everything"
Another said. "When my horse died, my dad just left it lying in the ditch. I never got to see it or say goodbye." All of them had memories of being left out of the dying process because of parents who wanted to protect them. All of them were extremely grateful for being involved in this process and being allowed to say goodbye.
Our boys are troubled teens and needless to say do not always handle things maturely. However, I couldn't have been prouder of how they handled this event. As an adult, I have never handled an event like this as well as they did! And I am so proud and grateful that Kid was able to guide me in guiding them through this process.
There is still a process of grief that follows an event like this, no matter how well you handle it; and never any perfect way to go through it. However, I feel like I am finally learning how to move through this process with grace and an open heart--thanks in part to a horse and some teenage boys.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Friday, June 4, 2010
Fear of Suffering
I have been struck recently by the extreme fear of suffering we have for our animals when they are facing a life-threatening condition.
We want to do best by our animals, and want to make sure that we are not causing them excessive suffering, and that is honorable.
However, in my understanding of death, suffering can sometimes be a necessary part of the process of dying, that helps prepare the soul to split from the body. Skipping past this process because of our extreme fear of watching our animals suffer is not doing service to anyone.
Before I understood all of the things I do now about animal communication and spirituality, I was put in the position several times to euthanize animals before (I believe) they were ready. They all had life threatening conditions, that they were not going to recover from, and thus I allowed the vets to talk me into euthanasia.
I have suffered extreme guilt from these instances for years, because the feeling I have always had was that I literally stole these animals souls from their bodies, before they were really ready to part with their earthly form.
There is a huge difference between stealing a soul and aiding an animal in transitioning.
If I had these instances to do over again, I would allow my animals to pass in their own way and time, when they were fully prepared and ready. This doesn't mean that we couldn't assist with euthanasia, but I wouldn't force this on them, no matter my perception of their suffering.
The universe, working in the way it does, has given me the opportunity (of course) to "do over" these instances in the form of helping other animals.
In the past three days I have assisted two horses in crossing over. Both of them had fatal colics. The first horse was young (only) 6, and had been colcky for most of the day, and possibly the night before. When all treatment failed, the vet re-palpated to confirm that he had a displacement. The vet said: You have three options: Surgery, Time and more fluids (not likely to work), and euthanasia. When he said the third option the horse gave a low level whinney--a literal physical validation of what he wanted (He was in with his pasture-mate and for the rest of the day hadn't made a sound). He told me: "Why would I want surgery when I can just leave this body and get a new one? Why would I want to go through all of that?"
When the vet went to get the euthanasia injection, he took me over to specific spot in the corral and laid down, as if to say: "I'm ready." In spite of the difficulty for all of us in putting down a beautiful 6 year old horse with no other health problems, it was clearly the choice that he wanted for himself at that time.
The other horse, a 21 year old thoroughbred started colicking in the morning after acting normally for feeding time. Initially he seemed to be very mild, and seemed to think himself that he was going to be fine. However, after his symptoms getting worse after medication and over a two hour period we decided to call the vet. By the time the vet had arrived he had begun to act very painful, with huge stomach cramps, although never lying down. After every possible pain killer and tranquilizer, he was only acting worse, not at all tranquilized and still acting like he was in extreme pain. The vet said she thought our only option was euthanasia. (This all happened within a thirty minute time period). With the horse's owner breaking down over the pain he was in and the vet certain that there was no hope for recovery, the decision was made to euthanize him. However, being connected to the horse, I kept feeling "no, not yet! Just wait." The horse was in obvious pain, his back legs buckling with every step, and extreme stomach cramps racking his entire body; and his owner was sobbing, saying, just do it, I can't watch him suffer. But when the vet approached with the euthanasia I began breaking down, saying "Can't we just wait? He's not ready." Even with my logical mind knowing the horse was not going to recover, nothing in me could allow the vet to approach to euthanize the horse at this moment. For two agonizing moments we were all at a stand still, watching the horse "suffer," until he took two strides forward, his hind legs buckled and he fell to the ground. "Ok," I said, "Now is okay." And we were all in tears as the vet helped this horse cross over to the other side.
The horses have told me this week that I am the "gatekeeper" to the other side. No matter my arguments over this responsibility they have told me that they trust me: They know I won't allow them to suffer, but I also won't allow them to cross before their time.
Sometimes that time is just a matter of minutes while the soul prepares to leave the body and take its journey onward.
Who am I to rob them of this, just because of my fear of suffering?
We want to do best by our animals, and want to make sure that we are not causing them excessive suffering, and that is honorable.
However, in my understanding of death, suffering can sometimes be a necessary part of the process of dying, that helps prepare the soul to split from the body. Skipping past this process because of our extreme fear of watching our animals suffer is not doing service to anyone.
Before I understood all of the things I do now about animal communication and spirituality, I was put in the position several times to euthanize animals before (I believe) they were ready. They all had life threatening conditions, that they were not going to recover from, and thus I allowed the vets to talk me into euthanasia.
I have suffered extreme guilt from these instances for years, because the feeling I have always had was that I literally stole these animals souls from their bodies, before they were really ready to part with their earthly form.
There is a huge difference between stealing a soul and aiding an animal in transitioning.
If I had these instances to do over again, I would allow my animals to pass in their own way and time, when they were fully prepared and ready. This doesn't mean that we couldn't assist with euthanasia, but I wouldn't force this on them, no matter my perception of their suffering.
The universe, working in the way it does, has given me the opportunity (of course) to "do over" these instances in the form of helping other animals.
In the past three days I have assisted two horses in crossing over. Both of them had fatal colics. The first horse was young (only) 6, and had been colcky for most of the day, and possibly the night before. When all treatment failed, the vet re-palpated to confirm that he had a displacement. The vet said: You have three options: Surgery, Time and more fluids (not likely to work), and euthanasia. When he said the third option the horse gave a low level whinney--a literal physical validation of what he wanted (He was in with his pasture-mate and for the rest of the day hadn't made a sound). He told me: "Why would I want surgery when I can just leave this body and get a new one? Why would I want to go through all of that?"
When the vet went to get the euthanasia injection, he took me over to specific spot in the corral and laid down, as if to say: "I'm ready." In spite of the difficulty for all of us in putting down a beautiful 6 year old horse with no other health problems, it was clearly the choice that he wanted for himself at that time.
The other horse, a 21 year old thoroughbred started colicking in the morning after acting normally for feeding time. Initially he seemed to be very mild, and seemed to think himself that he was going to be fine. However, after his symptoms getting worse after medication and over a two hour period we decided to call the vet. By the time the vet had arrived he had begun to act very painful, with huge stomach cramps, although never lying down. After every possible pain killer and tranquilizer, he was only acting worse, not at all tranquilized and still acting like he was in extreme pain. The vet said she thought our only option was euthanasia. (This all happened within a thirty minute time period). With the horse's owner breaking down over the pain he was in and the vet certain that there was no hope for recovery, the decision was made to euthanize him. However, being connected to the horse, I kept feeling "no, not yet! Just wait." The horse was in obvious pain, his back legs buckling with every step, and extreme stomach cramps racking his entire body; and his owner was sobbing, saying, just do it, I can't watch him suffer. But when the vet approached with the euthanasia I began breaking down, saying "Can't we just wait? He's not ready." Even with my logical mind knowing the horse was not going to recover, nothing in me could allow the vet to approach to euthanize the horse at this moment. For two agonizing moments we were all at a stand still, watching the horse "suffer," until he took two strides forward, his hind legs buckled and he fell to the ground. "Ok," I said, "Now is okay." And we were all in tears as the vet helped this horse cross over to the other side.
The horses have told me this week that I am the "gatekeeper" to the other side. No matter my arguments over this responsibility they have told me that they trust me: They know I won't allow them to suffer, but I also won't allow them to cross before their time.
Sometimes that time is just a matter of minutes while the soul prepares to leave the body and take its journey onward.
Who am I to rob them of this, just because of my fear of suffering?
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Friday, April 30, 2010
Animals and Religion
I remember a Sunday school lesson when I was 4 years old, where the teacher had taught us about how God wanted us to love. We had put together a little model of a bird. On the model, it stated that God wanted us to love: 1. Others 2. Ourselves 3. The Animals.
As a 4 year old I was very dismayed and bothered by this lesson. I remember continually asking my mom, why would God want me to love myself or other people more than the animals? My mother and the Sunday school teacher both tried to explain that God loved the animals but he loved people more than the animals. We were his "chosen" species, and while he loved the animals, he love us more. I could never wrap my four year old brain around this concept, and still have trouble with the concept that religion tries to teach that we are "the chosen," somehow greater than the rest of the living beings on this planet. Many religions would argue that we are the only beings who have souls and are worthy of eternal life (a belief system that crushed me when I first lost one of my animals).
Isn't it this sort of out-of-balance mentality that has gotten our planet where we are now?
Recently I have been thinking a lot about animals and religion. I consider myself to be not only a believer, but a follower of God. In fact, I believe learning and practicing animal communication has brought me closer to my creator, my source, and my own heart. By learning to listen to the animals, I have learned to listen to my own higher powers, be it spirit guides, angels, or the Ultimate Creator. By walking this path I have cultivated a relationship with God that is far beyond what I had before I started on this journey, and one that is growing deeper every day.
This journey has lead me to the place where I believe strongly in having my own personal relationship with God, not one that is dictated to me by a religious leader. I believe it is this personal relationship that has brought me to a place where I can communicate with animals, see energy, and facilitate healings--a place far beyond where I ever thought I would be!! It has also brought be to a place where I feel I can hear God's voice on a daily basis and have Him as the main guide in my life. Isn't this an amazing thing?
I am now beginning to realize there are many paths to get to where I am now. Some people will get there walking the way I have walked. Others will be guided there through a religious belief system. There is no right or wrong answer, as long as we are continually following our hearts, listening to our higher power, and walking in love.
When I teach people how to be intuitive and listen to their heart in speaking with the animals, I teach them that the truth always comes in through love; if something comes in through the form of fear or hate, we can always know it is not of the heart, and not a truth. Fear is of the head, love is of the heart. It is the heart that leads us to the truth, and the head that often leads us astray.
I believe we can use this same system when putting our religious belief systems to the test. If a belief seems to be based on fear, I believe it is moving us away from God. If it is based on love, then it brings us to a closer relationship with ourselves and our Creator.
I know much of the fear that is in religion has simultaneously driven people away from religion and also driven religious people away from things that could bring them closer to God. I hope more and more people will begin to recognize animal communication and similar fields for what they are--a way to move closer to God, one's own spirit, and the ultimate truth of creation: that we are all connected a linked through the power of love and spirit.
As a 4 year old I was very dismayed and bothered by this lesson. I remember continually asking my mom, why would God want me to love myself or other people more than the animals? My mother and the Sunday school teacher both tried to explain that God loved the animals but he loved people more than the animals. We were his "chosen" species, and while he loved the animals, he love us more. I could never wrap my four year old brain around this concept, and still have trouble with the concept that religion tries to teach that we are "the chosen," somehow greater than the rest of the living beings on this planet. Many religions would argue that we are the only beings who have souls and are worthy of eternal life (a belief system that crushed me when I first lost one of my animals).
Isn't it this sort of out-of-balance mentality that has gotten our planet where we are now?
Recently I have been thinking a lot about animals and religion. I consider myself to be not only a believer, but a follower of God. In fact, I believe learning and practicing animal communication has brought me closer to my creator, my source, and my own heart. By learning to listen to the animals, I have learned to listen to my own higher powers, be it spirit guides, angels, or the Ultimate Creator. By walking this path I have cultivated a relationship with God that is far beyond what I had before I started on this journey, and one that is growing deeper every day.
This journey has lead me to the place where I believe strongly in having my own personal relationship with God, not one that is dictated to me by a religious leader. I believe it is this personal relationship that has brought me to a place where I can communicate with animals, see energy, and facilitate healings--a place far beyond where I ever thought I would be!! It has also brought be to a place where I feel I can hear God's voice on a daily basis and have Him as the main guide in my life. Isn't this an amazing thing?
I am now beginning to realize there are many paths to get to where I am now. Some people will get there walking the way I have walked. Others will be guided there through a religious belief system. There is no right or wrong answer, as long as we are continually following our hearts, listening to our higher power, and walking in love.
When I teach people how to be intuitive and listen to their heart in speaking with the animals, I teach them that the truth always comes in through love; if something comes in through the form of fear or hate, we can always know it is not of the heart, and not a truth. Fear is of the head, love is of the heart. It is the heart that leads us to the truth, and the head that often leads us astray.
I believe we can use this same system when putting our religious belief systems to the test. If a belief seems to be based on fear, I believe it is moving us away from God. If it is based on love, then it brings us to a closer relationship with ourselves and our Creator.
I know much of the fear that is in religion has simultaneously driven people away from religion and also driven religious people away from things that could bring them closer to God. I hope more and more people will begin to recognize animal communication and similar fields for what they are--a way to move closer to God, one's own spirit, and the ultimate truth of creation: that we are all connected a linked through the power of love and spirit.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Keeping it real
I realized that someone reading my last few posts might imagine me at home with my animals constantly engaged in philosophical conversation.
In spite of the deep information I get from animals sometimes, I would say in general our day to day interactions are much less intense.
Here is a summary of the main things my animals have to say to me on a daily basis:
My dogs:
1. I want to go outside
2. I'm hungry
3. I'm bored
4. I love you
My cats:
1. I want to go outside
2. Feed me!
3. We need new water
My horses:
1. I want to go out on the pasture
2. When will you play with us again?
3. I love you
So you can see, there is really not that much philosophizing going on around here!
Keeping it real when doing animal communication sessions is important to me. If I go in as an animal communicator and wax poetic without ever addressing the animal's basic needs, I think I am being grossly neglectful.
It doesn't do any good to address an animal at a spiritual level, for example, if it isn't getting fed!
I recently read a post on another animal communicator's website that asked the question: How do you know that what you received is real?
Answer: Because you can see it in the physical. Otherwise you never know and shouldn't treat it like fact.
This was a refreshing viewpoint to see, because I think too many animal communicators are out there leading people on spiritual wild-goose chases.
I had a person call me once to ask me to check in with her horse to see if there was anything physically wrong with it. I do this kind of thing all the time; but in this situation she was asking because she was out of town and wanted someone to check in on her horse while she was gone.
I told her I could attempt this only if she also sent someone out to physically check on the horse! Animal communication is no substitute for two pair of eyes.
I recently did a riding session with a horse and rider that demonstrated this to me strongly. I had communicated with the horse and hadn't found any major problems. So I said: tack up, lets see what happens when we put the horse in the situation you are speaking about. Within one minute I had pinpointed the problem, which was just a simple mechanical error on the riders part.
Does the fact that I have to watch the situation in action make me less of an animal communicator?
I don't believe so at all. I believe it makes me more responsible and better at "keeping it real."
In spite of the deep information I get from animals sometimes, I would say in general our day to day interactions are much less intense.
Here is a summary of the main things my animals have to say to me on a daily basis:
My dogs:
1. I want to go outside
2. I'm hungry
3. I'm bored
4. I love you
My cats:
1. I want to go outside
2. Feed me!
3. We need new water
My horses:
1. I want to go out on the pasture
2. When will you play with us again?
3. I love you
So you can see, there is really not that much philosophizing going on around here!
Keeping it real when doing animal communication sessions is important to me. If I go in as an animal communicator and wax poetic without ever addressing the animal's basic needs, I think I am being grossly neglectful.
It doesn't do any good to address an animal at a spiritual level, for example, if it isn't getting fed!
I recently read a post on another animal communicator's website that asked the question: How do you know that what you received is real?
Answer: Because you can see it in the physical. Otherwise you never know and shouldn't treat it like fact.
This was a refreshing viewpoint to see, because I think too many animal communicators are out there leading people on spiritual wild-goose chases.
I had a person call me once to ask me to check in with her horse to see if there was anything physically wrong with it. I do this kind of thing all the time; but in this situation she was asking because she was out of town and wanted someone to check in on her horse while she was gone.
I told her I could attempt this only if she also sent someone out to physically check on the horse! Animal communication is no substitute for two pair of eyes.
I recently did a riding session with a horse and rider that demonstrated this to me strongly. I had communicated with the horse and hadn't found any major problems. So I said: tack up, lets see what happens when we put the horse in the situation you are speaking about. Within one minute I had pinpointed the problem, which was just a simple mechanical error on the riders part.
Does the fact that I have to watch the situation in action make me less of an animal communicator?
I don't believe so at all. I believe it makes me more responsible and better at "keeping it real."
Monday, April 19, 2010
Heart First
I've realized recently that I have a theme in my life of jumping into things "heart" first.
Call it an on-the-job hazard.
Focusing through the heart is such an important part of communicating that I've become over-confident in throwing my heart into to things without hesitation.
The fringe benefit of doing what I do is that I get to fall in love on a daily basis.
A communication session, after all, is nothing other than an exchange of love between myself and the animal.
Could there be any better job?
It is funny to think how protected I used to keep my heart, frightened that something might happen to damage it.
Now I realize that the heart is bigger than any tragedy. When I am grounded and connected, there is nothing it can't handle.
The animals have also been teaching me lately about love.
I used to think that love was limited, and once lost, you would be lucky to find it again.
I have realized through the animals that love is unlimited in the universe, and always trying to find ways to reach you.
How fortunate I am to be able to receive it from the animals on a daily basis!
Call it an on-the-job hazard.
Focusing through the heart is such an important part of communicating that I've become over-confident in throwing my heart into to things without hesitation.
The fringe benefit of doing what I do is that I get to fall in love on a daily basis.
A communication session, after all, is nothing other than an exchange of love between myself and the animal.
Could there be any better job?
It is funny to think how protected I used to keep my heart, frightened that something might happen to damage it.
Now I realize that the heart is bigger than any tragedy. When I am grounded and connected, there is nothing it can't handle.
The animals have also been teaching me lately about love.
I used to think that love was limited, and once lost, you would be lucky to find it again.
I have realized through the animals that love is unlimited in the universe, and always trying to find ways to reach you.
How fortunate I am to be able to receive it from the animals on a daily basis!
Sunday, April 18, 2010
The Deer's Message
I have learned in my life, that often I am not just helping the animals, but the animals are helping me.
I have learned to pay attention to the messages that the animals bring into my life and my person.
Many times these come through the animals closest to me in my life--my dogs, my horses, my cat. . .
. . .sometimes they come to me from the untamed animals who live in nature.
I have to admit, I was skeptical of this phenomenon when I first started delving into animal communication. It seemed to me, that most wild animals only wanted to steer clear of people; and unlikely that one would have a personal investment in my own spiritual path.
I must learn to be more humble.
It was on my first quest that the hummingbirds started talking to me. Like markers of my thoughts, they would fly close (right into my face) to validate the spiritual messages I was receiving. "Truth," they would say, sometimes giving me the word before I even realized that they had flown but a breath away from me.
On my most recent quest, an golden eagle landed at the apex of my circle on the last day. An indescribable feeling of peace and connection came over me as he joined in my quest. Before he flew away, I had the presence of mind to ask him what message he was bringing.
"You are on the path of a seer," he said, before spreading his wings to fly away.
I cannot remember ever feeling more connected, more at one with all around me.
I learned later, that the eagle was symbolic to the native americans for carrying our dreams back to the spirit world.
How incredible, to have the dreams of my quest carried back for me by such a divine presence.
The other day I had an unlikely chance to commune with the natural world again, when driving back from an appointment on the interstate, a deer suddenly appeared in the middle of the road. With a long line of traffic in front of me, only the car directly in front of me seemed to spot this stationary visiter and swerve, leaving me little time to react.
Slammed brakes sent the van I was driving fish tailing over the road, before I safely passed the deer and continued on my drive.
At the time, it seemed very significant to have a deer standing stationary in the middle of the road directly ahead of my vehicle and none other.
My logical mind immediately assumed the deer must be bringing a warning. But my heart seemed to know better.
Safely back at home, I connected to the deer and asked it if it had a message for me.
"You are not alone," the deer said. "All we of the forrest are with you and have your back. All of the woodland creatures, the faeries and the elves, the creatures of the night, the gnomes, and the dwarves, those that walk on two feet and on four: We are all behind you. We are protecting you. We are guiding your soul through the triumphs to follow. You have our favor. Your soul has our light. We suround you and keep you well."
As I have been going through some significant trials recently, the message was comforting.
But the deers message continues in my life as I am guided to learn how to "move like a deer through the forest--seeing no resistance so facing none."
The deer sees the trees in the forest as guideposts, merely small markers to keep them on course.
I am endeavoring to do the same with the twists and turns in my life.
While I still believe animal communication should take place at a grounded and practical level, I am learning that there is no place too deep for the animals to take me; no lesson too great for them to present.
Onward, with the animals at my side.
I have learned to pay attention to the messages that the animals bring into my life and my person.
Many times these come through the animals closest to me in my life--my dogs, my horses, my cat. . .
. . .sometimes they come to me from the untamed animals who live in nature.
I have to admit, I was skeptical of this phenomenon when I first started delving into animal communication. It seemed to me, that most wild animals only wanted to steer clear of people; and unlikely that one would have a personal investment in my own spiritual path.
I must learn to be more humble.
It was on my first quest that the hummingbirds started talking to me. Like markers of my thoughts, they would fly close (right into my face) to validate the spiritual messages I was receiving. "Truth," they would say, sometimes giving me the word before I even realized that they had flown but a breath away from me.
On my most recent quest, an golden eagle landed at the apex of my circle on the last day. An indescribable feeling of peace and connection came over me as he joined in my quest. Before he flew away, I had the presence of mind to ask him what message he was bringing.
"You are on the path of a seer," he said, before spreading his wings to fly away.
I cannot remember ever feeling more connected, more at one with all around me.
I learned later, that the eagle was symbolic to the native americans for carrying our dreams back to the spirit world.
How incredible, to have the dreams of my quest carried back for me by such a divine presence.
The other day I had an unlikely chance to commune with the natural world again, when driving back from an appointment on the interstate, a deer suddenly appeared in the middle of the road. With a long line of traffic in front of me, only the car directly in front of me seemed to spot this stationary visiter and swerve, leaving me little time to react.
Slammed brakes sent the van I was driving fish tailing over the road, before I safely passed the deer and continued on my drive.
At the time, it seemed very significant to have a deer standing stationary in the middle of the road directly ahead of my vehicle and none other.
My logical mind immediately assumed the deer must be bringing a warning. But my heart seemed to know better.
Safely back at home, I connected to the deer and asked it if it had a message for me.
"You are not alone," the deer said. "All we of the forrest are with you and have your back. All of the woodland creatures, the faeries and the elves, the creatures of the night, the gnomes, and the dwarves, those that walk on two feet and on four: We are all behind you. We are protecting you. We are guiding your soul through the triumphs to follow. You have our favor. Your soul has our light. We suround you and keep you well."
As I have been going through some significant trials recently, the message was comforting.
But the deers message continues in my life as I am guided to learn how to "move like a deer through the forest--seeing no resistance so facing none."
The deer sees the trees in the forest as guideposts, merely small markers to keep them on course.
I am endeavoring to do the same with the twists and turns in my life.
While I still believe animal communication should take place at a grounded and practical level, I am learning that there is no place too deep for the animals to take me; no lesson too great for them to present.
Onward, with the animals at my side.
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