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He Ain't Heavy, He's My Schnauzer

In communication sessions we animal communicators often receive stunning insights from our clients (the four-legged and winged clients, not the humans) about the temporary nature of life on earth, the power of higher energies that unite and direct us, the healing power of unconditional love....but often, the animals are simply learning to enjoy earthly life. Like young children, they honestly and spontaneously share what seems exciting to them.

By the time I acquired 5 month old Seamus, my first Irish Water Spaniel, I had been doing animal readings for a few years and had already completed my Reiki I and II courses. I decided to make one of our evenings a gadget-less evening -- no t.v., no computer, no telephone -- during which we would listen to New Age music and commune on a higher level. I just knew that when I tuned into this magnificent dog, I would be receiving the wisdom of the Masters.

I placed my hands on him, closed my eyes, and as is my practice, began slow, rhythmic breathing until I reached the corridor of gracefully swirling, muted blue and violet light, the zone where psychic images fade in and out, sometimes symbolically, usually literally, almost photographically. I allowed myself to bask in that energy a few moments before I formulated the question to ask this highly intelligent and undoubtedly heaven-sent dog:
"What is it you most want, Seamus?" I asked, and I received this very clear and quick answer:

Pizza.

Yes. Pizza.

It was actually a very logical response. Two nights prior, I had brought in a pizza, and being as undiscpilined with my dogs' diet as I was (O.K., am) with my own, I offered him a few bites. Obviously, he liked it...he liked it enough to have been thinking about it and didn't hesitate for a fraction of a second to blurt his response,which came as a picture (they most often do).
So I honored his request weekly for the next 11 years.

During a consultation, dog owners (even though I flinch at that word owners), eager to make their animals' lives more comfortable, ask that same question, and I am always entertained by the array of answers I've received over the years. Lynn, a Minnesota Irish Water Spaniel breeder, listened as I asked her girl Tonks what she most wanted. Tonks's response was also swift and unmistakable:

The bats, she said.

O.K., the bats. I've learned not to question or doubt what the dogs tell me. I looked at Lynn and said, "She says she wants the bats." L:ynn responded, "Tell her she can't have them. They're mine."
"You have bats?" I asked, and she said yes, she has a stuffed bat collection (not stuffed in the taxidermy sense, but as in plush toys), and Tonks would just to have to learn to live without them.

I've seen a standard poodle ask its owner about skiis in the closet, a lab mix confess a love affair with turtles and turtle replicas, a horse request ice cream more than once, and a cat demand her medication be buried in the same breakfast her owner eats, buttered toast. Animals have requested that their humans honor departed companion dogs by prominently displaying that dog's old collar in the house; I've listened to requests for sunglasses, sushi, rides in the convertible, and, believe it or not, a set of drums -- imagine my confidence level in telling a New Jersey chichuahua owner that her dog wants to play drums. It turned out that the woman was a kindergarten teacher who specialized in music and brought the dog to school periodically, where he'd seen the children play the instruments. The dog professed himself a natural drummer. (Are you laughing yet?) Two weeks later the woman called me to tell me she brought home bongos, which the chihuahua does, in fact, play quite well; he banged his paws on the skins as soon as he saw them. She has videotaped this for the skeptics.

Follow your bliss, as Joseph Campbell said. Do what you love, advise the spiritual gurus. This is why I do animal readings; it's blissful. I revel in the laughter and silliness from animals in daily conversation, which serves to balance my tears during the more profound, end-of-life readings I do. The animals act upon their natural, childlike curiosity, their keen powers of observation, side-splitting humor and unabashed joy. This is the way I try to live my life. Too bad it took me almost 40 years to get here.

Comments

I had to stop by again and post a comment after reading this post. Now it all makes so much more sense to me. (I don't know if you are aware of my "Woody story." If you have some time and want to read it, it is posted on my blog. The story is all true, no fiction here.) When Woody first spoke to me and I happened to tell my mother and my husband, neither one believed me. They laughed and thought I was joking. I wasn't. I "can" read his mind I guess and when that doesn't work he knows how to verbally" yes "verbally" communicate his wishes. He, too, is a lover of pizza and spaghetti and lasagna. He has taught me to listen, listen carefully.

Woody's impact on my life has been tremendous and any doubt I ever had of a powerful connection between man and animal has disappeared.

Thanks so much for sharing.

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