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Simple Ways to Practice Animal Communication
by Anna Lambert, MSW

Do you have the desire to communicate more directly with your animal companion and better understand puzzling behaviors? You don't need to have special psychic abilities to be an animal communicator. What it does take is your intention to speak with clarity, and to listen openly, as well as your commitment to practice with your pets on a regular basis.

First of all, know that you are already an animal communicator. As we live with our pets, we may formally train them to behave in ways that make life easier for everybody. However, we are also continuously exchanging information back and forth with our pets about our likes and dislikes, developing new behaviors out of respect for one another. There is a whole body of communication which constantly takes place, of which we may have little awareness, and which provides the basis, depending on the quality of interaction, for domestic tranquility or tension. By tuning into the ways in which you and your pet are already communicating your subtler needs, you can more consciously influence these "unspoken" agreements, and make choices to create more harmony in your relationship.

One of the ways to foster a more conscious level of communication with the animals in your life is to plan regular sessions where you commit to listening actively, and speaking clearly. Here are some ideas about how to create an effective setting:

1. Set aside a specific time in a comfortable place where you will not be interrupted. Your relationship with your pet, and your budding abilities as an inter-species communicator, is important and merits the same attentiveness you would give if you had something important to say to a close human friend.
2. Remember why you are doing this! A clear intention may not always guarantee the clear result of your choice, but it definitely assists you to keep on track. It's important to come to your session with the basic intents of respect for your pet and their perceptions, of gratitude for all the joy and love you receive in the relationship, and of openness, because what you receive from this conversation isn't within your control any more than would be an important discussion between humans. And if you are controlling it, it isn't communication, merely you inflicting your viewpoint on another living being.
3. Speak clearly. If you have a particular question or request, state it simply, from your heart. Long explanations about "why" aren't necessary, and can bring confusion to the situation. Your pet feels your emotion and honesty clearly.
4. Listen openly. Be willing to recognize that you are a part of any behavior your pet is manifesting. This is a key point. Sometimes it's a behavior change or shift in perception on your part that is what is really needed, and will work miracles in a situation. Part of an animal's service can be to guide us towards greater awareness about ourselves. Because of the special place our pets have in our hearts, we can "hear" insights about ourselves more easily than we might from a human friend. We don't need to defend our selves around our pets. Also, if you don't "hear" anything during your session, don't be discouraged. Insights have a way of occurring when least expected, through a conversation with a friend, a "coincidence", or something we observe. In an instant, our concerns can be answered or our minds inspired in a way that gives the answer we are seeking.
5. Have fun! Your animal companion loves you unconditionally. It is their greatest joy just to be in your company, and time spent purposefully with them in loving communication makes them shine with happiness. Enter into their world of unconditional love, experience it, and mirror it back to your pet. For even more fun, practices mirroring that feeling to all the people you meet during the rest of your day. After all, isn't that feeling of love and joy why you have a companion animal in the first place?

It also helps to sit quietly, and to touch your pet (although it's not a time to be distracted with petting or play). Save the appreciation romp and affection for after you're done with your session. And, please, start small. When you are both exploring this new mode, it's easiest, and you are more likely to get gratifying results when you begin with positive comments, or a simple question about what they like in a situation. Save the comments about your favorite plant that got chewed, or why they growled at your friendly Aunt Margaret for another session-your charge around a behavior can get in the way of your listening and enjoyment.

There are times in our human relationships when it is highly appropriate to seek professional help to assist us to move past a stuck place. The insight and support of a trained, non-judgmental party can spur us to move to new understandings and deeper levels of intimacy. The same is true for our relationships with our animal companions. If something in the relationship isn't working, and we can't seem to get a handle on the underlying issue, this might be an opportune time to schedule a session with a professional animal communicator. Many communicators can work long-distance; check your favorite search engine under "animal communicators" for lists of people who have developed their talents in this area.

When we set forth the simple intention to develop our innate ability to speak the "language of one" with our 4-legged companions, we open ourselves to greater joy and inner awareness. And, of course, lots of licks and wagging tails!

by Anna Lambert, MSW

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