animal communication

Opening to All Animal Wisdom. Not Just the Cute and Cuddly.

Opening to All Animal Wisdom. Not Just the Cute and Cuddly.
Gidget posing with my new intuition doll made by artist, Maria Wulf

It isn’t my intent to creep those out who are a bit squeamish.

But here’s the thing. I’m really grateful for being willing to open myself to the wisdom of a creature, who I thought would be one of the least likeliest ones that I would have.

This creature, according to Animal Speak by Ted Williams, is one of rebirth, resurrection, initiation and wisdom.

He also says that out of maybe even all the animals, this is the one of great controversy and paradox.

But a series of events happened to me which really started last winter and escalated this summer.

I’m going to share the last event that happened, because I was somewhat surprised to have felt compassion for this animal that many do not care for (including myself and my fear of them).

I was strolling down my driveway early one evening to take Kylie and Gidget for a walk after dinner.

About two feet off the end of my driveway was the most brilliant emerald green snake. She was coiled up and dead.

For some reason, I wasn’t afraid to approach her, though I kept the dogs at a distance.

There were two baby snakes beside her, and two further away from her. They were all dead.

I was overcome with sadness. It felt so tragic that this whole family was wiped out in a matter of what may have been seconds.

Then I felt awful, being that they were just feet off the driveway, behind my car, that perhaps I had hit and killed them. I don’t recall hitting them, but yet, I really don’t know.

I couldn’t get it out of my mind and ended up sharing this with my friend, Dawn, who is an animal communicator.

It was with her skillful and gentle guidance that she taught me to approach this as if a dream, and to dance within the wisdom of what this may be trying to convey to me.

Most interesting is that she is writing a book about snake and the wisdom snake has for us if we are open to it. Again, I realize this may be difficult for some and I understand.

I hesitated writing about this, only because of my own fear that others may judge me and think I’m weird or have gone off the deep end. But I also realize I don’t wish to judge others who are still afraid of snakes.

But the dance I was able to do with Dawn seeing this as perhaps a dream which made it easier to approach and look at, offered some profound gifts for me.

When I think about snakes wisdom of rebirth, this has been very much a place I’ve been moving toward for the past three years or so. I’m in the process of birthing a new book I’m currently writing and also birthed a new role as a SoulCollage(r) facilitator which helps to encourage others to listen more often to their own intuition.

But I’ve also birthed a new awakening of understanding and the willingness to open myself to opening to all of the animal world. I’m also birthing myself as a woman now in my mid-life years and all that that brings.

While I feel excited about these new ventures, some of these teachings haven’t been easy to look at. But I will say, it has been very healing. I’ve definitely felt a shift within that wasn’t there before.

It has now led me to more curiosity of what other animals may have to offer me and which I want to continue to be open to.

Then just the other day I saw an intuition doll, which artist Maria Wulf makes. I knew I had to have it.

There are no coincidences and that doll was meant to be mine. She’s a reminder of the wisdom gained this summer and wisdom yet to come.

I welcome it. I welcome it all.

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Connecting with an Animal Friend Who Has Passed Over

Connecting with an animal friend who has passed over
My SoulCollage(r) card I made after Dawn took me through a meditation

I’ve had some beautiful experiences over the years of not only connecting with an animal friend while they were alive, but after they have physically left this world also.

Each a gift in a profound way. Each a way in which I could heal on another level.

I truly believe animals are the mirrors to our souls, often reflecting what is going on in our own lives, trying to help us learn and understand, and deepen our compassion.

One thing because of my work and having written a few books, I often hear from others and their struggle to move through the loss of an animal friend. They want to know how to move through many feelings and often how to let go of guilt.

I’ve thought about how I could possibly help for quite some time now and I’m really excited to announce an online course I’ve co-created with a dear friend of mine, who is an animal communicator, and author of many books, Dawn Baumann Brunke.

Barbara and Dawn with Gidget
Barbara and Dawn with Gidget

The name of our online workshop is Connecting with An Animal Friend Who Has Passed Over through SoulCollage(r) and Animal Communication

We will help guide you through meditation, an understanding of the basics of animal communication and a creative and delightful process of SoulCollage® as a way in which you can honor and pay tribute to a special animal friend who has passed over.

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Space is limited as we wish to provide an intimate and personal setting to support you in the workshop.

You can learn more and register for this workshop which starts in September by visiting this link.

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A Small, but Significant Victory for Gidget

A Small, but Significant Victory for Gidget
It’s a jammie kind of day today!

Yesterday marked one month since Gidget has had a seizure. To go a whole month is a small, but significant victory. She had two in April and her last one was May 11th. I feel hopeful we are on the right track.

I wanted to take this opportunity to share what I’ve learned so far. I’m not suggesting others do what I’ve done. A big lesson for me through this so far has been really paying attention to not only my own intuition, but trying tot listen to what it is that Gidget needs to help her feel better.

Something also important for me is that not every dog is the same – they are all different – just like people are. What may work for one, may not work for another. While this can be scary and frustrating because you want to do the right thing and never cause your pet pain or distress, it has been a lesson in trying to really pay attention.

For Gidget, I think a number of factors have played into her seizures. Am I 100% sure yet?  Nope – but after lots of reading and research and discussions with Dr. Andrea who practices both traditional and Chinese medicine, I feel like I’m looking at Gidget as a whole. I feel closer to understanding how to hopefully prevent them for her — and again, not what may be right for another dog — but what is right for her at this time.

When her seizures began in January, I began keeping a journal and notes of time they happened and for how long. I also really thought about what I’d done differently in her routine/diet since they began.

This led me to discontinue a product I was giving her with an ingredient that may have not done well in her body. I’m still not comfortable in sharing what that is because again, every dog is different, just like every person – so some dogs may not react as Gidget did. It’s also possible her system just could no longer handle this ingredient – it happens with people – so why not dogs, right?

But I couldn’t ignore the strong intuition that awoke me early one morning  a few months ago urging me to check out the ingredients in this particular product. This led me down a path of research and seeking out a vet that practiced holistic and Chinese medicine, and also looking at Gidget’s diet and her individual body and habits.

I’m also reevaluating vaccines for her. One thing I did know when I adopted her is that she is vaccine sensitive. Vaccinating is a huge controversial subject, but again, I think we have to do our own research, talk with our vets, and look at our own dogs as individuals — and do what we feel is best in our hearts.

I also incorporated what I believe in, and that is, working with an animal communicator. From that reading, I incorporated massage for Gidget to try and help remove what we felt was stuck energy from a previous injury or possibly because of her IVDD.

Do I necessarily know how to do massage for animals?  Nope. But my animal communicator, Dawn encouraged me to tune into what we all innately know if we just take the time to listen and go with what feels natural. I can say massage time with Gidget has not only been beneficial to her, but to me, too.

I also changed Gidget’s diet slowly, but surely to grain free and choosing more cooling foods for her based on her Chinese medicine diagnoses. And I’ve also incorporated Chinese herbs as well.

I’ll certainly feel so much better once I can say three, four, five, six months down the line that she hasn’t had any seizures. But for now, I’m very hopeful what I’m doing is right for her.  Only time will tell.

And you know, that’s the thing too – time. Not giving into fear and trusting what we feel is the right thing to do. And often that takes time to let it all play out.

And lastly, but most importantly, there is one thing I’ve been giving her a heavy dose of — and that is — love.

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