Each of us come into this lifetime with a whole circle of spiritual resources which include guides, guardian angels, spirit animals and so on.  This circle of resources is your own personal posse that is always listening to you.  They like to help you as often as possible , daily if you allow them by providing  protection, guidance and healing. 

Spirit Animals are guides from your circle of resources that come in animal form to teach or deliver a message.  They are often referred to as power animals, animal guides and they are all one in the same.   It is believed that animals are receivers of energy and become mirrors for you to learn about yourself.  The spirit animal that appears for you is bringing your their sweet "medicine" in the form of guidance, wisdom, teachings, power or protection.   ​

Humans express their love to their animal companions in so many ways.  Getting the best food possible, walking them, playing with them, brushing them, taking them to the vet, snuggling with them, training them, cleaning up after them,  making sure they have enough mental stimulation  and the list goes on and on.  Why do we put so much time, effort, attention and love into these furry beings? 

I believe its the unconditional loving presence that they hold for us. 
No matter which way you show up they are there to just be with you. You! You just as you are! They meet you where you are at:

• in your grumpy after work attitude
• in your pity party victim mode
• in your frenzy of trying to get everything on the todo list completed
• in your life is great
• in relaxing and chilling out mode
• or in your the struggle is real mode

They are not asking you to shake it off or change your attitude and yet being around them your energy may shift.  Scientifically this is because they are releasing oxytocin the bonding hormone.   

Animals are excellent teachers of being present.
They are present in the moment not thinking about the squirrel at the park that outsmarted them, or the hiss the neighbor cat threw their way.  They are in the moment.  Seeing you, being with you, loving your for being you in whichever way you show up.  Gifting you with a great template to love and accept yourself.

Since animals are teachers of being present and embodied.  I invite you to take a moment to allow your sweet one to show you how much he/she loves you. 
Pause... breathe.... settle into you body... taking a few deep breaths to connect with your heart.  Then gently imagine a beautiful river of love flowing from your heart to their heart.
Then ask them how much they love you? 
​Animal communication happens really quickly so be open and aware of the first feeling, thought, sensation, smell, image or emotion that appears. 
Allow that to be the answer without much thought. 
Sit with the sensation for a few breathes. 
Acknowledge your body for the great job listening and then you can send love back to them.

Enjoy being present and allowing in the expressions of unconditional love.

At one of my Animal Communication practice group sessions, when the group was sharing reflections of what their takeaway was from the evening, one of the students shared in wonder, “I did not realize it could be that easy.  It is just like having a conversation with a friend.”

She had been conversing with one of her cats about an annoying, demanding behavior and she gained clarity through the conversation that her cat was asking for snuggles instead of treats.  When she understood this, guilt, as well as frustration, came up on how she had been responding to the tone of the meow.  I reminded her to be as compassionate with herself and invited her to reflect on if there was something she needed to ask the cat so that she could respond in a loving way instead of responding in frustration to the cats’ demand.  Taking her own needs into account, she was then able to request the cat to ask for the snuggles in a sweeter tone instead of the demanding NOW and it would be easier for her to respond compassionately.

This sentiment was then echoed within less than 12 hours when I met a friend on a walk and she said, “I did as my dog requested. When she was barking and barking at another dog I told her calmly there was no need and invited her to keep walking.”  And with wonder, my friend added, “It worked–she stopped barking and we walked on.  It was so easy.”  The dog had requested her human speak with clarity and tell her what she wants instead of yelling what she did not want.

Animals and kids are the greatest teachers — so honest and pure.  I remember when my son was 3 and we were on a walk with him in a stroller and two black labs on Flexi-lead leashes.  The dogs had this habit of what I called “circling the wagons”.  They would constantly be circling us and I would be high-stepping over the leashes, contorting my body in all sorts of way to keep the leashes untangled while moving forward.  My frustration level was off the charts and my voice and response to them matched it.  When, once again, they circled the wagons I screamed, “Zoe and Jetexas enough!” as I gruffly untangled the leashes and had ripples of waves of anger cascading off of me. From within the stroller, a sweet voice wisely suggested, “Mama, you know if you tell them calmly what you want they will listen.”

After much laughter, frustration, and gratitude I agreed to give it a try.  I sat both the dogs down and told them “Zoe and Jetexas I would like us to move along in a flowing manner with each of you staying on your sides of the stroller and no more circling of the wagons. ”  That walk was a turning point for the next three miles, as we moved as a flowing unit with ease and little corrections.  If there was a correction, I calmly told them what I wanted.  It was that easy and it can be that easy for you, too.

​Photo by Matheus Queiroz on Unsplash

Today is Endangered Species Day and I agreed with Spirit to start on a journey listening in to each of these endangered species and bringing the wisdom onto a global platform.
I laid upon Grandmother Earth for guidance on this journey.  Being held by the earth, I looked up the list of Endangered Species in Washington State.  The  Short-tailed Albatross was first on the list.

I lay back to listen to the wisdom of the albatross and fell into a deep journey of flying with powerful wings outstretched and riding and flowing with the air currents.  As well as being at one with the waters as I transitioned from flying to floating.  Both the air and the sea felt buoyant and effortless.   An inner compass and knowingness guided my course – this map was interconnected with earth, air, water, sky and understanding of the weather patterns and currents of air and ocean.   Albatross loudly proclaimed “I am the teacher of trust and listening to one’s internal guidance and deep river of knowing – the intuition.  Navigating the unknown can be effortless and buoyant by staying connected and listening to your internal wisdom. Learn to  flow with the ups and downs of life by staying loyal to yourself.”
There is the spiritual message from the Short-Tailed Albatross.  Now to find out if and where these birds live in Washington state.  According to the site E-bird Northwest*: 
“On 15 August 2015, a live hatch-year juvenile Short-tailed Albatross was found about one mile north of Tatoosh Island, Washington, and sent to a wildlife rehabilitation center. Unfortunately, despite best efforts, the young one did not survive. Interestingly, because the bird was banded as a hatchling on 2 March 2015, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) was able to learn that it came from one of the colonies in the western Pacific Ocean off the coasts of Japan and Taiwan.”  
Curiosity pushed me further how many were there once of these magnificent birds and how many are there now?.  According to BirdWeb:
“At the beginning of the 20th Century, the Short-tailed Albatross was fairly common throughout the north Pacific. Remains found in excavations of Native American dwelling sites corroborate reports by early naturalists that this species was more common near shores than were other albatrosses. Their historic population is estimated at over a million birds. On their nesting islands, they were aggressively hunted for food, oil, eggs, feathers, and feet, and in one 17-year period, over 5 million were killed. By 1933, when all forms of Short-tailed Albatross hunting were banned, and the bans were finally enforced, the population was only 3-50 birds. They were considered extinct in the 1940s. In the 1950s, a few young pairs that had been at sea for a several years returned to Torishima Island and began to breed there. Since then, numbers have gradually increased, but a bird that is so late to breed and lays only one egg per year is slow to rebound. Currently there are an estimated 1200 birds worldwide, with 600 of breeding age. The largest colony is on Toroshima Island, an active volcano that could easily wipe out the population once again. There are no breeding populations in the United States, but several individuals have been seen regularly during the breeding season on Midway Atoll in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The small population size and limited breeding distribution have left the Short-tailed Albatross genetically vulnerable. It is listed as endangered by the United States Department of Fish and Wildlife, and is a candidate for listing by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.”  
Albatross Behavior: Short-tailed Albatrosses engage in elaborate courtship dances and tend to maintain long-term pair bonds. They are graceful in flight but clumsy on land. It is believed they can sleep while in flight, gliding on air currents and staying aloft without flapping for hours or even days at a time.  
While in New Zealand I witnessed an Albatross landing at a nesting site.  When this massive bird came in for a landing he proceeded to do two somersaults before stopping sideways on a bush.  He awkwardly picked himself up, shook off and belabored walked over to his mate.  To see them on land I did not witness the grace and beauty of them in the air – gliding on currents.  I realized there are areas in my life where I am not so agile and graceful as in others – just like this albatross.  
I got one message from the Albatross but  I was curious about the other teachings and meanings of Albatross As A Totem that were out there.  I often look up the totem meanings of animals I encounter because I know that Spirit has sent them to me as a messenger and if I  can’t discern the message or if I feel what I heard from the animal did not resonate with me, I turn to the internet and more often than not a message appears that completely resonates with me.
According to the psychic website Aunty Flo, the Albatross as a totem teaches us:
The Albatross totem tells us to believe in freedom. It allows us to think wise and search for solutions beyond the horizon. The message is to break ourselves from the shackles of self-developed constraints and limitations. The Albatross totem energy is exactly opposite to conservatism and the philosophies that bounds freedom of speech, freedom of belief and the freedom of adopting a particular culture.
What a beautiful teaching from a bird that is endangered.  All this information both spiritual and physical data has given me and I hope you an understanding of this amazing bird.  And I long to see this birds return to their population numbers in the millions.  On this Endangered Species day, I commit to weekly connecting with an endanger species and bring awareness to their wisdom, teachings, and plight.  In this great web of life, we are all connected.  Aho!
I invite you to read and explore further about the albatross.
Below are links to the articles I referenced:
http://birdweb.org/birdweb/bird/short-tailed_albatross
http://ebird.org/content/nw/news/pelagic-birds-wa-and-or-pacific-coast-short-tailed-albatross/
http://www.auntyflo.com/magic/albatross

​

I have been pondering gratitude and the expression of it on my long walks that Prince,  my dog, invites me on.   When we are in the woods and he is running with other dogs and chasing balls I can feel the gratitude radiating off him with his big smile on his face and his responsiveness.  As well as in the evening after he and I have had a session of tug of war or wrestling he settles down with a happy sigh.  Then as the evening progresses he will check in on what I am doing throughout the evening with more of a  “Hey, now what’s going on?” attitude compared to an exasperated “When are we going to play?” sighing attitude.
​
His attitude of gratitude invokes more engagement with me.  Curiously I wanted to explore the feeling of gratitude which leads me to a blog post about “What is Gratitude?”   which explained
Gratitude is both a feeling and an attitude, thankfulness is the demonstrative expression of it, whether extended to ourselves or others.   We can express thanks in words—spoken or written—or in deeds, by extending time, resources, or gifts to support people in unexpected ways or to help those in need. Appreciation is the recognition of that which makes us feel grateful, and can also be expressed internally or externally. Gratitude often ignites acts of generosity; we are moved to offer ourselves to others without expecting anything in return. Buddhists refer to generous acts that are freely given as “royal generosity.”  These are just a few of the qualities related to gratitude.  The expression of gratitude creates an opening that invites many other positive states and experiences into our lives.
Prince’s clear expression of gratitude does create an opening that is inviting more bonding moments even if it is just an ear rub and a kiss.  His embodiment of gratitude is teaching me to be present in the moment of the expression of energy I am radiating out.  Am I clearly communicating energetically and verbally my gratitude in the moment?  And what does that feel like?  Each situation may be different and I am starting to track the moments I feel most alive and full of gratitude.  The times that are the easiest for me to track this feeling is during a conversation with the animals,  healings, teaching or leading ceremonies and I am grateful in those moments because I am so present.   
Now can I cross train myself to feel the gratitude and the aliveness when chopping vegetables for dinner?  Or when I am in conversation with a person who has opposing views?  Can I be present and not get lost in distraction and thoughts?
 According to ANGELES ARRIEN  From her book Living in Gratitude: A Journey That Will Change Your Life
When people in great numbers choose to practice, integrate, and embody gratitude, the cumulative force that is generated can help create the kind of world we all hope for and desire, for ourselves and for future generations.
 I am thankful that I share my life with Prince, who can teach me about being present and embodying gratitude and exuding it with great clarity in the moment.  I can then help create the world based on gratitude, kindness, compassion, and equality.
So this brings me to my gratitude for my clients, students and teachers and their animal companions and for the opportunity to be part of such deep and heartfelt conversations, healings, teachings, and ceremonies.  Each conversation heightens my awareness of the depth of compassion and love that our animals have for us.  Since the animals live in the present and are so attuned with the flow of energy they are skilled guides of balance and guiding us to the road back home to the heart, self, being here now and expressing ourselves in the moment.  I often think of their role in the family as the family system therapist knowing when to demand attention to get their people off the computer, knowing who needs a snuggle or a long, long walk to help their person reconnect with nature and themselves.
 To echo the animals in the advice I have heard repeatedly throughout the year
“Tend to yourself as well as you tend to your animals!”   
Take yourself out on a walk, lay down and snuggle when you are tired, close the computer and look at the beauty that surrounds you may it be a ball at your feet with an eager dog to catch it or a demanding cat on your desk.  Be present with the moments of life.
Originally posted Nov. 23,2016

 

An orb spider offered me some food for thought.  As I was standing observing her web bouncing back and forth in the wind.  I asked, "Aren't you nervous your web is going to blow down?"  She responded "I don't cling to my web.  I trust my web. If I clung to my web and tried to control the web it would surely break and I would get hurt."  She then sent me an image of her being catapulted through the air after desperately trying to hold it all together.  The fluidity and the sense of calm that radiated from her as she rode the web like a surfboard as it was bouncing, jiggled and wobbled was inspiring.  So I ask you:
Do you cling to your web and hunker down during windy turbulent times?
Or do you enjoy the ride and trust your web?

​

I went for a walk at the beginning of the new year and pondered the question,

'What can we expect in the coming year and how can the animal's guide us?”

As I asked this question I felt the wise counsel of spirit animals that are my frequent helpers join me.

According to the animals, the theme for us humans in 2016 is;
​                  Being physically present in the moment.

The animals acknowledge the brain as a fabulous tool and encourage us to take breaks from being thought driven and let the brain rest for long periods. During these breaks, they invite us to tune into the body’s innate wisdom by exploring the different ways the body listens, gathers information and sends signals. It is through this exploration that we will gain an awareness of the complexity of the human body.  According to the animals, listening to and honoring the information received from the body strengthens and helps to build the intuitive muscle and opens us up to being more present in the moment.

The animals then reflected on the inner turmoil of humans that comes from denying our wildness, which is the very essence of who we are as individuals. They encourage us to embrace our unique gifts, whatever they may be, with loving self-acceptance. The wise animals want us to understand that once there is peace within, the outside world will come more easily into balance and alignment.

It is the hope of the animals that we can become aware of the support and teachings they have to offer and that we are open to their help. A simple way to begin is by observing our companion animals for lessons in how to be present and more balanced in life.

They also want us to consider that when animals present themselves to us in dreams or in the physical world in unexpected ways it is a message to look more deeply into what that animal represents.  The internet is a great resource for information about animal totems.  Once you have some information you can start asking that animal totem for help and guidance in your life, letting it lead you to a new way of being.

For example recently, some friends and I observed a Canada goose standing atop a tall tree stump overlooking a pond.  Normally that perch is occupied by a blue heron.  We marveled at the oddity of seeing the goose on a stump so high up as if he was overseeing his domain. I whipped out my phone and did a quick Google search on “Goose as Totem”. The wise web revealed to me that Goose medicine is about "Communicating your need to others – no one can help if you don’t speak out." This spoke volumes to me and reminded me throughout the day to communicate more clearly.  Thank you, Goose.


The animals ended the conversation with a simple catchphrase for 2016   
                                     
​                                        Become human beings, not human doings.  



Websites I often refer to when searching for messages from totem animals.
http://www.spirit-animals.com/
http://www.whats-your-sign.com/
http://www.spiritanimal.info/

Originally posted Jan. 2016

​Wisdom from a Downy Woodpecker to my question of 
"Why are you going from small branch (twig size) to small branch getting bugs when you have that incredible beak to drill for bugs?"
It replied "I use my imagination when getting food.  My beak has many uses and this is easier at the moment." 

It got me thinking about how I limit myself at times with my tools and gifts thinking life has to go a certain way or this is the only way to go about something. 

​Using my imagination and looking for the most efficient and easier way at the moment is refreshing.