Animal Communication Creates a Deeper Bond
The ability to speak with Lukas, my dog, as part of a normal day has created a relationship with him that I never would have ever imagined. He was, in fact, the first animal I ever connected with intentionally. At the start of the first animal communication class I took, the teachers told us to ask an animal to appear to us in our minds. Some people got horses, other elephants. Me - I got Lukas. There he was, front and center, toes splayed on the snow - and he would not leave. I told him, in my mind, that I was making it up, that he was too easy to connect to but he would not budge! He said “I am here to help you with his and I’m not going anywhere.”
I shouldn’t have doubted him. I mean seriously, it was my dog-pack in-spirit who lead me to learn animal communication in the first place. So why wouldn’t it be Lukas who appeared first? He did, after all, take the proverbial baton from India and Bono so I would keep learning and growing. I just didn’t know it then.
But I do now!
Lukas and I talk constantly about all sorts of topics. Mostly I’m worrying about him and he responds to me with his equivalent of an eye roll. (yeah, I worry a bit too much… I’m human!) But what’s really cool is our relationship has deepened over the course of our chats. It’s become a partnership where we’re consistently working together to help each other out. His favorite thing, of late, is to do something that makes me stop working. For example, about 2 hours ago, I was answering a student’s question for a class I’m TA’ing. I really wanted to get it done but Lukas was constantly, and with increasing urgency, popping his head under my right arm so that my fingers would fly off the keyboard and I’d have to go back and correct all the typos. After three attempts, I looked in his eyes and said “I just need to finish this sentence and we’ll go for a walk.” He didn’t didn’t drop his gaze, nor did he leave my side, keeping his snout at the ready to flip my arm again if I didn’t keep my promise. As soon as I typed in the period to the sentence, he poked my arm. “Now?” he asked. I replied with the magic word “walk!” and he took off for the back door. We ended up taking a nice long walk - one we both needed because we couldn’t walk last night or earlier today due to rain. Not only was he hurting for a walk but, come to find out, so was I, evidenced by the fact that I’m now back at my desk, refreshed, and writing this post. And don’t you know? It’s so much easier to write than had I plowed through after helping the student. A win for everyone!
Our animals want us to deepen our bond with them, to form a partnership. And you can easily tune in to what they are asking you to do - not for them but for yourself! Next time your animal tries to get your attention and you feel like it’s not a good time, take a deep breath, quiet your mind and notice what you are doing or thinking about when their interruption started. When Lukas interrupted my work, for example, I was hunched over my computer, back strained, neck starting to cramp as I rushed to answer the student. When I finally paid attention to his nudging I recognized how I was feeling - both emotionally and physically. That allowed me to take a breath, pause for a moment as I thanked him, mindfully finish my answer to the student and then acknowledge that indeed, I needed a break.
By realizing and accepting that our animals are here to work WITH us - and understanding that they will do things to get our attention so we can focus on our growth opportunities, our trust in them and their actions solidifies. And when this takes shape, our bond to our animals, and I daresay the deeper world around us, strengthens in ways we never thought possible. Try it and let me know how your relationship with your animal changes!
Photo by Trish Dailey of Tailwagger Photography