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THE ANIMALS' VOICE It is with great pleasure that I launch this column to give the animals a loud, clear voice. They have a lot to tell us, and a lot to teach us. As an animal communicator, I have the privilege, on a daily basis, to meet remarkable beings: the bird who couldn't understand why his family was no longer living together; the dog who described how her cat companion was being mean to her and no one stopped him; the rabbit who loved to visit nursing homes because it felt good; the horse who wanted to be a mom. Each of these animals got to be heard because their human companions were worried, angry, or confused about their behavior, and wanted to find out why. Indeed, our animals have rich inner lives, with deep bonds to their human companions, and clear opinions about their lives and their families. However, the only way they can express themselves to us, in ways we understand, is through their behavior. They may tell us that something is bothering them by changing their hygiene habits. They may protest our decisions by avoiding us, or hiding. They are upset if they can't do their jobs, and may start worrying. They will aggressively protect us if they think we are afraid of something, or something is dangerous. Yet, what we observe from them is only a fraction of what they want to convey. When they get to speak for themselves, we find that their behavior makes perfect sense to them, even if it drives us crazy. They communicate to us through thought forms, pictures, images, feelings, and sometimes words. They "talk" telepathically, so we have to "tune in" to them, much like tuning in a radio signal, to get their thoughts and feelings. Take Merlin, a beautiful tuxedo cat, who stopped using his litter box after his person's son went off to college, and his girlfriend moved in. On the surface, one might conclude that Merlin did not like this woman and was making a statement. Quite the contrary; he liked having her around. She had been around for a long time, he said. While he didn't like the fact that his home routine had changed, his real problem was - ready for this? - she kept the litter box too clean. This is a highly unusual response for a cat. Merlin, however, liked the fraternity house atmosphere when it was just the guys living together. His new companion agreed to clean the litter box every other day instead of twice a day. Merlin was pleased. He settled into the new routine, and resumed his usual litter box manners. Every animal is unique, with his or her own story, regardless of how common or universal the behavior is. This column is dedicated to that uniqueness. It focuses on the animals and their messages. It is designed to give them a voice, to tell us what they want us to know. If you have a situation or a question that you would like so see addressed, send a fax to 410-358-8300 or e-mail to terri@petspeak.com. Responses will appear in future columns. For an animal communication appointment, contact me at terri@petspeak.com, or at 410-358-3954. [Editor's Note: If you want more information about Animal Communication, see our interview with Terri in the archived December edition.] |
Squirrel & Cat While working on my business papers, my gaze was drawn to the window and the always present activity outside near the bird feeders. Squirrels were having their way with the seed. One squirrel in particular was not satisfied in chasing all the birds away but he also challenged other furry brothers and sisters even though the feeders they were raiding were in trees other then "his." Oh, what a bold little fellow. He raced along a branch of his home tree and leapt across to the next. Down he sped to the level of the next feeder. With fierce abandon, he pounced on the other squirrel. Loud chucks and screams followed. The enemy was quick to scramble off as far away as my eyes could follow. With a loud chuck and flick of his tail Squirrel demonstrated that he was king of all the feeders in the area. Emboldened with his bravery, he decided to venture down the tree to stuff himself on the marshmallows I threw out on the ground in an effort to minimize the toll he was taking on my birdseed stores. Now at the base of that tree sat a very patient calico cat named Halloweh, which, I was told by my daughter, means beautiful in another language. Halloweh was ever so quiet as she sat gazing upward. Squirrel hung on the tree gazing downward. He saw no movement in the area of those marshmallows so down he cautiously crept. Cat could hardly contain herself. Squirrel was only a few feet above her. Squirrel kept coming down. Cat sat still. Now squirrel was only inches from Halloweh. He surmised that he needed to step on something before reaching the ground. Cat held her position... He stepped off onto a tricolored thing that was actually Holloweh's head. Cat tried to throw him in the air and catch him. Squirrel tumbled through the air and landed a few feet away at the base of a bush. He scrambled up the bush but it took him only up a few feet. Cat leapt up the bush, but squirrel jumped off and ran back up the tree he had come down. Cat ran up the tree after him but was no match for the swiftness of squirrel. At about the 20 foot level, cat gave up. Now, how to get down? Halloweh is a plump housecat not given to much exercise. She scrambled on to a nearby branch as if to look further into the matter of squirrel catching. Soon it was obvious to me that Halloweh would not be coming down by herself. I let her stew on her situation for a half hour. Relenting, I got out my ladder and she allowed me to rescue her. She decided to come directly in and sit by the fire to cozy herself from her ordeal. [Betsy Fiore is owner of Bethany Painting, Bethany Beach, Delaware, 302-539-3623]
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The Creative Selg, a collage by Mimi Ruth Holistic Health-Body, Mind, Spirit As Pisces gives way to Aries, this month, the strength of the feminine moves from oceanic chaos to powerful focus. It is a good time for finding our warrior girl within, and perhaps finding our truth by handing the masculine arrow back to those who lost it, as Lilith, the original woman, in the following poem, hands the original arrow back to Adam. She is much the better for reclaiming her natural power, and not aping his. Warrior Girl Silently this Day the bellsalong my warrior dress whisper “it is time” this Time that I’ve been waiting for four times a thousand years my ear a hawk’s eye for this day my own feet the messenger, and one last Time I dance the prayer - funny, I didn’t think it would be here my ankle slips on maiden fern then he points |
Letters To God From the dog Dear God: Why do humans smell the flowers, but seldom, if ever, smell one another? Dear God: When we get to heaven, can we sit on your couch? Or is it still the same old story? Dear God: Why are there cars named after the jaguar, the cougar, the mustang, the colt, the stingray, and the rabbit, but not ONE named for a dog? How often do you see a cougar riding around? We do love a nice ride! Would it be so hard to rename the "Chrysler Eagle" the "Chrysler Beagle"? Dear God: If a dog barks his head off in the forest and no human hears him, is he still a bad dog? Dear God: We dogs can understand human verbal instructions, hand signals, whistles, horns, clickers, beepers, scent ID's, electromagnetic energy fields, and Frisbee flight paths. What do humans understand? Dear God: More meatballs, less spaghetti, please. Dear God: Are there mailmen in Heaven? If there are, will I have to apologize? Dear God: Let me give you a list of just some of the things I must remember to be a good dog. 1. I will not eat the cats' food before they eat it or after they throw it up. And, finally, My last question... [Anonymous source received via e-mail] |
March, the month of lion and lamb, suggests spring while we navigate the ending throes of winter. For those of you interested in the reality of global warming, there are four new books available to help us understand the science and the implications. The Winds of Change: Climate, Weather, and the Destruction of Civilizations by Eugene Linden
Field Notes from a Catastrophe: Man, Nature & Climate Change by Elizabeth Kolbert
The Weather Makers: How Man is Changing the Climate and What It Means for Life on Earth by Tim Flannery
The North Pole Was Here: Puzzles and Perils at the Top of the World by Andrew Revkin
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