|
 |
Volume 8 No. 2, August -December 2005
 Probably from the moment we are born we are subtly, and sometimes overtly, conditioned to tune out our intuition. I have come to view intuition as inner knowing. I use it to communicate with animals and nature, and as an inner compass to guide me on the best path in life. I see it as a survival skill and believe that's how animals use their intuition. In my new book Beyond Words, I develop the thesis that intuition is an innate human ability, commonplace in ancient cultures.
Intuitive information often comes in the form of feelings, and feelings of any kind are not generally well received in our modern day, ultra-logical culture. As we grow up we are encouraged to suppress emotion and rewarded for being rational and logical. You may recall at least one of these phrases from your childhood:
Honey, you are just imagining things.
You know animals can't talk.
That's not really real.
Be grown up.
Don't be so dramatic.
Don't be silly.
Don't make things up.
You don't know that; you can't prove that.
That's impossible.
Don't get emotional.
Most boys were also probably admonished to, Stop acting like a girl!,. When I teach people how to communicate intuitively with animals and nature, I tell them that they already possess the ability to do this; I am just helping them reclaim it. Here are some tips for reclaiming your innate intuition and using it in everyday life.
Often in my consultations, I will convey what I hear from a person's animal and the person will respond, "I knew that was true, I had a feeling about it, but I didn't trust myself to believe it." Feelings are the front lines when it comes to intuition. To reclaim and revitalize your own intuition, the first place to start is with your emotions. If you have a feeling about something pay attention to it, don't just brush it off. Keep a diary and write down those vague musings, then reread them days or weeks later to check their veracity. Most of the time what we feel may be true, is in fact true. But we are trained to completely override this inner navigation system, following instead the advice of just about anyone but our own selves!
Intuitive information can come to you in a variety of ways: feelings, images you see in your minds eye, memories of other situations that have relevance to the present, and words or phrases that pop into your head. Some people even get virtual sensory data like phantom physical feelings, smells and tastes. The key to reclaiming intuitive information is to accept it. Try this experiment: Whenever you find yourself in a quandary about a decision between two or more options, try consulting your intuition. Get a pen and paper and sit quietly. Consider each option and record your intuitive data for each. To do this, first set your intention to receive intuitive guidance about each option. Then write the first option at the top of the page. Now immediately begin sensing what intuitive data you are receiving and write it down. I liken this process to a radar scanner. Your sole purpose is to recognize incoming data and record it. Don't judge it or try to alter it; record it as accurately as you can. Again you may receive feelings, thoughts, memories, or other data. No matter what comes in, just write it down. Do the same for each other option. Then compare what you have written. My guess is you will have received some pretty clear guidance about each option, courtesy of your intuition.
Another technique for jumpstarting your intuition is to pay close attention to how you are feeling in any given situation. Make it a habit to stop and do an internal check of your emotions. If something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't! The consequence of ignoring your feelings is that your intuition will shrink away from you and become less and less apparent and accessible. If you want to truly hear the messages from your intuition you have to honor your feelings.
 My new book Beyond Words: Talking with Animals and Nature, published by New World Library, is now available in bookstores and online at amazon.com and barnesandnobel.com. You can also purchase a signed copy directly from me via my website.
Beyond Words is a collection of amazing true stores from clients, students, colleagues, and friends of their experiences with intuitive communication. I am now scheduling lectures at bookstores in my area (northern California). For bookstores out of my area I need to combine the lecture with a workshop. Please get in touch with me if you would like to help organize a lecture and workshop in your area.
I hope you like Beyond Words and I hope it helps in some way to heal the rift between humans and the rest of nature. My best method of promoting the book is you: if you like it, please tell others about it. And if you have a connection to someone well-known who loves animals and might be able to promote the book, I will be glad to send you a copy to give to them and also a free signed copy for yourself. I am open to any other promotion suggestions you might have, and would welcome your help. Feel free to contact me, and thanks!
 Robin Gates, one of the story tellers in Beyond Words, told me another great story recently. She was hanging out in the pasture with her grey Arab, Henry, one day when he came up to her and nipped her on the arm. Not hard, but enough to feel it. She was shocked and sent him away trotting. Then he came up and did it again. This time when she sent him away, he trotted, turned, and looked directly at her. In that instant she received the message, "Check my feet." Robin realized this was a directive from Henry and thought it odd, because the horses are barefoot on a grass pasture and she never finds the need to check their feet. When she picked up Henry's front right foot, she found he had a large stone lodged there - securely and probably painfully. She removed the stone and promised Henry she would try to listen better the next time he needed something from her.
Note: Robin is a trainer teaching the Liberty Training mentioned below in the Reading Recommendations section. Her website is http://libertyhorsetraining.com
 Carolyn Resnick, the author of Naked Liberty (see reading recommendations below) had the opportunity to try an animal talking experiment the day after she finished the manuscript for my new book. She saw a dog locked in a car in a parking lot. Although the dog was not in any danger or overheated, he was panicking - barking and racing back and forth between the front and back seats of the car. Carolyn decided to try talking to him intuitively. She sent him the mental thought that his person would be back soon and that he was perfectly OK and could stop barking and settle down. To her amazement the dog froze in mid stride, looked at her, sat down, and did not move or open his mouth again.
 A few years ago when I met my client, Deb Erdman she told me she regularly rode her 38-year-old horse, Taffy. One day she decided to take a longer ride along the beach and thought it might be too much for Taffy, so Deb took her other horse instead. When she got back Taffy gave her the "cold shoulder" all day and turned her butt to Deb whenever Deb approached. Communication can't get much clearer than that. Taffy wanted to go too!
So now, even at 41, Taffy always goes on trail rides. If it is long ride, she gets ponied, and Deb still rides her for the short ones. (To all you barefoot people - yes, she is a barefoot horse.) Taffy loves to be out in front, and she is a marvel when it comes to teaching other horses not to be afraid on the trail.
 There were thousands of animals left behind and stranded by the hurricane. At the time of writing this alert animals were being abandoned by rescuers and shot by local law enforcement. People were being forcefully evacuated and made to leave their animals behind to die. Tragedy and grief heaped upon itself.
The situation has surely changed since then. What's not sure is whether for better or worse. What is certain is that animals rescued from Katrina will need to be fostered long term and thousands will need to be adopted. Please consider adopting animals from shelters in your area who are taking in Katrina victims.
To find out the latest from New Orleans, check out:
To volunteer or donate to the Katrina animal resuce effort check out these grassroots groups:
Now more than ever, we need to stand up for the arctic refuge and protect it from the Bush administration.
http://www.nrdc.org/land/wilderness/arctic.asp
Visit the Earth Island and International Fund for Animal Welfare site to learn how you can help stop the slaughter of dolphins and whales in Japan
 This is natural horse trainer Resnick's memoir of growing up in Encino, CA in the days before there were fences; the horses just stayed at her house because there was food and water and they were surrounded by desert. As a youth Resnick spent three summers living with wild mustangs and learning how to integrate into their herd. Her training techniques, which will be the subject of an upcoming book, incorporate what she learned from that experience. Her book is fascinating and her techniques are very different from anything else I have learned from natural horse trainers. I highly recommend this book.
 Pryor invented clicker training, using it first with dolphins. With this reward/cue positive training technique you can teach your cat to come when called, walk on a leash, give you a high five, and stop unwanted behaviors. Yes, cats are trainable. Order the kit which includes the book, the clicker and the cards through Karen's website, which is: http://store.yahoo.com/clickerpets/getstarclict2.html
Note: You can order clicker training aids for dogs there too. For horses, go to Alexadra Kurland's site, www.theclickercenter.com
 The Golden Compass
The Subtle Knife
The Amber Spyglass
Written for a young audience, Pullman's books are equally appealing to adults. He creates a magical, irresistible world of giant talking Polar Bears, parallel universes, magical happenings, and benevolent witches. Each child in Pullman's universe is born with a visible animal double who guides and protects the child into adulthood. You won't be able to read just one.
 Be very careful when using any pesticides or chemicals in your home. It is best if you can use nontoxic alternatives. I get a lot of calls from people whose animals died or became very ill because of exposure to household chemicals like antifreeze, herbicides, and cleaning products. Also be very careful about exposing animals to fumes of new paint or new carpets. It is best for you and your animals to use non toxic paint and nontoxic carpeting and glue.
If you want to go holistic with your animals' care, check out my links page to find a holistic vet and check out my reading list to find books on how to go holistic.
 The death and destruction that occurred in the South did not have to happen. It was caused by complete negligence on the part of the US federal government, which disregarded the threats posed by global warming, squandered taxpayer resources on an immoral and illegal war, and continues to fix elections and give tax cuts to the ultra rich while the rest of America struggles to survive.
The lack of response by the US government in the Katrina disaster was criminal. The challenge for the American people at this time is to take back control of the election process and the resources of the US and hope to bring about a new regime that will promote and protect the best interests of the American people and the rest of the world.
 The only bright spots in this hideous nightmare have been the selfless and valiant acts of the American people. Here is one great example from a Doberman rescue group: "We are all celebrating tonight! In the midst of all the sadness and death we have something to share that will make you sigh and smile! Some friends from Gulf Coast Doberman Rescue (GCDR) SWAM down Marango St. which is off St. Charles St. in downtown New Orleans, the water was up to their necks. They swam around floating bodies that were tied together, in raw sewage, they went on relentlessly. They swam to an apartment building and then broke down a door they went to an upstairs apartment and broke another door. On the threshold waiting were 3 very happy Dobermans! Gulf Coast Dobermans! They took one of the doors they had broken down and put the Dobes on it and floated them out. The door started sinking so they carried one and put the other 2 on their backs. They came to a Wildlife and Fisheries boat who told them they could get in the boat but the Dobes could not. The GCDR rescuers responded "We swam in and we will swim out." Then the Wildlife and Fisheries took all of them in the boat. The GCDR rescuers then went to the city of Metarie where they broke down a door in a house and rescued a Lab mix, a cat and a yellow canary! The 3 Dobes are now bathed and they are trying to get word to the owners that they are fine. AWESOME! To our rescuers in the field stay safe."
"Now it should be incandescently clear that no one who has any concern for the integrity and life of America today can ignore the present war." - Martin Luther King Jr. - 1967
|
|
