Thank you so much for following this blog about animals and animal communication! I wanted to let you know, however, that I have moved the entire blog to my main website and that is where new posts appear. I hope you will hop on over there to catch up and sign up to follow me at that location. And if you have a blog too, please put that in the comments there so I can check it out. Thanks so much! 
Archive for Thoughts About Animal Communication
Hello, Blog Followers!
Learn How to Talk to Animals – A Practical Guide for a Magical Journey
Yes! My book by that same name is finally up on Kindle at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007BSOLWW! It should be in print on Amazon soon. AND, if you have a Kindle e-reader you can “borrow” it for free through Kindle’s new ADP Select program.
If you read it, will you please leave me a review? Here’s the book description:
Whether you aspire to be a professional animal communicator, want to talk to your own animals, or simply wish to understand animal communication better, this unique book is for you. Leta Worthington has distilled her 25 years of experience into an easy-to-read yet complete guide. Learn How to Talk to Animals answers commonly asked questions like: “What is animal communication?” and “How does it work?” You’ll find insights as to why opening the heart and learning to use the brain differently are important for ensuring success, and practical instruction for expanding your subtle awareness. Many other compelling topics, such as the dos and don’ts of animal communication, are covered as well, but if you’re eager to dive in you can skip to Part Two and start practicing with Leta’s step-by-step guidance. Verbatim case histories and fascinating true stories will spur your confidence and enthusiasm. This book is a one-stop-shop for anyone ready to experience the magical journey of talking to animals.
And stay tuned for my next book on animal afterlife and animal reincarnation. Thanks for visiting!
Animal Communication Ethics – When to Cross the Line
Several years ago, a farrier in one of my beginning animal communication classes reported that a draft horse at one of the barns he worked at had been talking to him every time he was on the premises, telling him about the abuse she was experiencing. He had never heard of animal communication — certainly never studied it — so he thought he was going crazy and of course had no idea what, if anything, to do about this.
Likewise, one of my good friends, Kara, once found herself caught in a dilemma. Should she or should she not tell the owner of one of the horses at her barn what that horse had been telling her for two weeks?
One of the “rules” most of us animal communicators follow, from a code of ethics for the profession developed by Penelope Smith many years ago, reads:
“Unless someone is in great immediate danger, I provide assistance through telepathic communication with nonhuman animals only where requested, so as to honor individual choice and privacy.”
(You can read the entire Code of Ethics HERE.)
So how do you know when to “cross the line?” Here’s my friend Kara’s story.
Kara was making nightly trips to the barn where she was boarding her mare, Sasha, in order to tend an injury the mare had incurred. It was mid-winter – cold, dark and dreary by the time Kara reached the barn. She usually found herself alone as she sat in the barn aisle, patiently waiting while her mare’s foot soaked in a bucket.
Another boarder in a stall nearby, a gelding we’ll call Jim, began calling to her every night, “Help me! Please tell my mom I need help.” Kara ignored Jim as politely as she could, because she had studied animal communication so was well aware of the above stated “rule.” And although she was quite gifted in animal communication, Kara had no intention of practicing it professionally. But being the compassionate animal lover and horse person that she was, Kara finally succumbed to Jim’s pleas and engaged with him enough to hear what he had to say.
Jim told Karen “I can’t breathe!”, and she “saw” and “felt” something in his throat. The message was very brief but very strong, and Karen felt certain she was hearing Jim accurately.
Kara didn’t really know Jim’s owner, Sally, but she had noticed that Jim had been having problems that interfered with his training. He could not be worked for any length of time, or very hard, without seriously overstressing him physically. But nobody could figure out what was wrong. Kara was also pretty sure that Sally was the last person on earth who would be open to hearing that her horse had “talked” to someone — anyone — and told them what was wrong with him. But Kara’s impressions from Jim were so strong that she decided to approach Sally and tell her what Jim had said to her. She figured she had nothing to lose.
“I know you’re going to think I’m crazy …,” she began, and she then outlined to Sally what Jim had told her. Sally glared, Kara persevered. She encouraged Sally to have Jim scoped, a simple inexpensive procedure, just in case there was in fact something in his throat. Sally did not respond and stormed away. But a few days later, saying nothing to Kara, she had her vet out, they scoped Jim, and, sure enough, he had a large benign tumor growing in his throat. The tumor was one that could be removed fairly easily, Jim recovered perfectly, and the problems with his training were solved.
This is a perfect example of how and when it is okay to “cross the line” ethically and hear out what an animal is trying to tell you, even if you don’t have permission. If the animal feels they are in trouble or danger, it is the humane thing to do. You may or may not be able to help bring a solution to their problem, but you can at least reassure them that you understand, and that you will do anything you possibly can to help them. And, believe it or not, sometimes it gives an animal a huge sense of relief just to know they have been heard. Some of them need to vent just like we do!
Animal Communication – What Do the Animals Say?
What do the animals tell us in an animal communication session? What is on their mind? Do they have the same issues we humans have? Do they even want to ‘talk’ at all?
First of all, yes, 99.9% of our animals do want to talk to us given the chance. Whether their ‘talk’ comes through as words, pictures, or ideas varies, but their eagerness and willingness to share is 9 times out of 10 amazingly strong. In my experience, only when an animal is so traumatized or ill as to be completely shut down or unable to relate will he choose not to participate in a communication.
So when you get an animal ‘on the horn,’ so to speak, what does he or she say?
He says what’s on his mind, just like we do, and often will initiate the conversation with whatever that may be. And usually (though not always) it jives with what is top of the mind for his person.
If you’ve ever had a session with an animal communicator, you have probably at some point in the process said or thought, “I knew that!” Often things the communicator tells you simply confirm what you yourself have felt about your animal. You are closer than anyone to your animal. It is only natural that you should pick up and know more about them than anyone else.
The same goes for the animal. Especially if you have a close bond with him. Animals who live with us as members of our families often read us better than just about anyone. For instance, your dog knows when you are sad before just about anyone else in the household, right? So if you have concerns about your animal, enough to justify having an animal communicator intervene, chances are your animal has already picked up the gist of the topic at hand.
Countless times I’ve had an animal open our conversation with thoughts or comments like:
- Am I in trouble? (a cat who isn’t using the litter box)
- I am so sad because I am disappointing Alice. (a horse who can’t perform a training exercise)
- I’m so excited, something is going on — I can feel it! (a service dog whose household is expecting a new baby)
- I’m very upset because John seems so worried. (an elderly dog with a health condition his owner is worried about)
These are just examples but are typical of what I’m talking about. The animal has picked up the main emotion of whatever issue is preoccupying his person and, whether she understands it fully or not, is reflecting her owner’s concern/joy/excitement over that issue.
The fact that our animals are so incredibly sensitive and receptive to our thoughts, whims, and moods makes it doubly important that we go out of our way to communicate with them — any time, all the time, about everything and anything. In an animal communication session we make sure we get the big issues out on the table first, clarifying the details so the animal won’t worry.
- We help the cat understand why humans prefer he use the litter box and reassure him that we will also make sure he doesn’t have a urinary infection that has caused this momentary behavior blip.
- We ask the horse if there is a reason he can’t perform the exercise, and he shows us that he has a very sore stifle.
- We show the service dog that a new family member is soon due and that everyone is thrilled and excited about it, and that he will be the infant’s guardian.
- We carefully convey to the older dog that we understand he isn’t feeling well, that his person cares deeply and feels concerned about it, and that everything possible will be done for his comfort and well being in the future.
Those are the kinds of things the animals tell us — exactly what is on their mind . . . and ours. So be sensitive. Fill in the blanks for them. If your dog has started acting nervous and anxious, and you are packing up to move in two weeks, make darn sure he knows what’s happening, and reassure him that he will go with you and be taken good care of throughout the entire relocation process!
*********************************************************************
MAYBE THESE ADDITIONAL POSTS WILL HELP.
Animal Communication — What IS It Exactly?
Leta & Cathy
When I was little, I used to make pretend voices and talk out loud for the animals in our household, telling everyone what they were thinking and how they were feeling. It was things like, “No, I don’t wike that food!” or “I want you to stay wid me,” but even though it was silly and simple and baby talk, it was all clear as a bell to me. I always felt I knew exactly how our animals were feeling and what they needed us to know. My older brother, cynical even at age six, would just laugh and shake his head.
This example is actually a very good representation of what animal communication is all about. It’s telepathic communication between a human and an animal, plain and simple, in whatever way one wants to translate it.
As a profession, animal communication has gained in popularity over about the last thirty years in the United States, and in practice harks back to indigenous cultures the world over. In North America, communing with all of nature, both flora and fauna, was second nature for the Indian tribes, and much later cowboy mythology touted those individuals who are now called horse whisperers. Talking to the animals has always been a part of human nature; but as science and technology have expanded, this natural link between species has become more and more obscured and therefore viewed with skepticism by many.
So what exactly IS animal communication?
For starters, think of it this way. If you are an animal lover, you were probably totally obsessed with and plugged into any animals that you were exposed to when you were a very small child. And you talked to them all the time — it was just second nature to you then. No doubt there were many times you understood things about your animals that the adults in your life were missing. This perceptive ability is a natural gift we are all born with, but as we reach the “age of reason,” around 5 to 7 years of age, it is literally conditioned out of most of us because of cultural considerations, left-brain learning, and the expressions of disbelief by those around us.
This gift of being able to converse with the animals can be reawakened and “relearned” as an actual skill. And with a little time, patience, and practice it can come to feel as natural as it did when you were a child.
The process itself can best be described as a telepathic conversation — a dialogue between you and an animal. Although many of us do possess what would be called psychic perception, and that gift can sometimes kick in while one is talking to an animal, the basic animal communication process is not like a psychic reading. One does not look at an animal and divine everything about him, past, present, and future.
Instead, the animal communicator invites the animal into a discussion, then asks questions and listens carefully and compassionately to whatever the animal tells or shows him. Information is conveyed back and forth in a variety of ways: words, pictures, emotions, physical sensations, and more, which the communicator then “translates,” as carefully and conscientiously as possible, in order to retain the animal’s true message. He does not put his own spin on the story or allow his subjective opinion to influence what he hears. If he is doing his job well, he simply serves as a vehicle for enhancing communication and understanding between different species.
The professional practice of animal communication does require training, for it involves mediation and diplomacy when helping solve problems that exist between humans and their animals. But the basic process is the same, and it is quite simple. A sincere, direct conversation with someone you care about is what it boils down to.
**********************************************************************
Want to give it a try? Talk to Your Animals. Here’s How.
To order Leta’s book in a print or Kindle version, Learn How to Talk to Animals – A Practical Guide for a Magical Journey, go HERE.
Talk To Your Animals. Here’s How.
Your animals really want you to talk to them. They want to know — anything and everything.
Your animals are members of your family. They are your best friends. If you’ve had them for a while they can read you like a book and are often your first source of love and support when you’re in a pinch. They not only welcome but want you to pour your heart out to them. They want to understand things.
There are lots of reasons to talk to your animals:
- In case I haven’t said it enough: THEY WANT YOU TO. They really do. They want to know stuff.
- You can clarify situations that might be confusing to them (like a move, a new partner, a job change schedule, a vacation, etc.).
- It will greatly enrich your relationship.
“So how?” you may be asking. “I’m not an animal communicator.” You don’t need to be. If it doesn’t feel easy to you, calm down, take a deep breath, and try these few simple steps.
- Get in mind what you want to tell your animal. If it is a complex message, break it down into several short parts. List these in writing if that will help.
- See the message in pictures. If there’s a progression, form a series of pictures in your mind.
- Focus and then silently project the initial thought to your animal. A short, simple sentence or thought form is best.
- At the same time see and send a picture that matches it.
- Progress through your entire message in steps, using this technique each step of the way.
Here’s a quick example of what it might be like to send a simple communique to your dog about the fact that you will be moving to a new house soon. First, to get your dog’s attention, just say his name silently a few times and picture it being thrown to him in a water balloon and landing on his neck. That usually gets their attention if nothing else will!
Samson, we love our house (show picture of current house).
It will soon be time to leave it (show a picture of the family happily vacating the house).
This will happen in two weeks (show a picture of something that gives an impression of two weeks — pages of a calendar are good [and yes, animals can get time]).
We will be going to a new house (show a picture of the new house).
It will take 4 days to get to the new house (again show a picture that conveys the time span involved).
We will be living there a long time and will be very happy (show a picture of your family there, settled and happy).
That’s basically it. It can be that simple. But there’s room for a lot more, and you can flesh out the conversation with as many details as you like. Or you may get a whine and sense that Samson needs reassurance or is feeling insecure about this, so you would then begin telling him and showing him how safe you will keep him, how he will always be with you, how all of his toys and dog dishes and bed will have a special place in the new house, etc.
If you sense things are getting complicated or there’s a big problem brewing, call an animal communicator, by all means. But you’ll be amazed at what you can convey on your own, with no training or experience whatsoever. Just start simple, always keep it positive (not we have to move, but we are looking forward to a big change in our life), and, most importantly, constantly reassure your animal about how much you love him.
And don’t be surprised if, when the movers arrive, Samson is waiting by the front door with his bags packed and his bowl in his mouth!
English or Western? Baptist or Buddhist?
Does it really matter? Well, yes . . . if you’re involved in a particular equine discipline that requires one style or another. But not really . . . if you’re not.
Just go with whatever makes you comfortable — whatever blows your skirt up.
And I won’t even touch on religious differences.
I think most of us horse folks these days have reached a point where we don’t thumb our noses at each other for our respective styles of riding, training, and horsekeeping. At least I hope not.
But, unfortunately, many of us do still tend to think we are ‘better than’ (fill in the blank) in matters of politics, religion, and . . . animal communication.
I got my first negative blog comment just a few days ago, from a fellow named Toby, and felt it a good opportunity to once again address skepticism when it comes to my chosen profession of animal communication. Here’s Toby’s comment (I actually found it rather entertaining — and all misspellings and grammatical errors are his, by the way — I’m a virtual witch when it comes to good editing). And I quote:
Wow! This is the most absurd story that i have ever wasted my time reading!! It is obvious that the the horse owner that needs a “communicator” doesn’t know enough about horses to even own one. A horse’s brain is so small they are not capable of reason and for someone to lead people to believe that horses tell them what they want cracks me up!! It sounds like a lucrative career to trick people into paying for your horses thoughts and opinions. The first thing that comes to mind reading this are those preachers that scam people out of thousands of dollars. Many good trainers can help you with your horse problems that require no tarrot cards! All animals are basic creatures that have to be controled and it is required by humans to gain respect otherwise the animal will take advantage of them. Just like when you have multiple horses in a pasture, at feeding time one horse is “boss” and takes the first feed bucket. Sounds like these people have been defeated by an animal and the only one making any progress out of this deal is a communicator that is padding a pocketbook! But I admit, Mr. Ed told millions every week what he wanted!
I was happy to publish and respond to Toby’s comment because I really do believe that we are all entitled to our own beliefs and the expression of same. (Plus, he didn’t cuss me out or use any bad words.) I just look forward to a time where we, individually and en masse (CERTAINLY including the media) don’t spend our time and precious energy putting the other side down, whoever or whatever “the other side” may be at the moment. When we do so, how much time and energy do we have left over for focusing on the things we really enjoy, or for nurturing those we love? So here was my answer to Toby:
Woo-hoo! You go for it Toby! Yours is the first response of this ilk I’ve ever had. And I say: You and yours believe whatever you want; Me and mine will believe whatever we want! It just boils down to the same ole, same ole about politics and religion — lots of different belief systems, and who’s to say which one is right and which one is wrong. I’m just happy you took the time to read the entire post!
So there, Toby.
No, really. Treasure your beliefs and live by them. But don’t shore yourself up by putting down those who don’t share them.
Whether you ride English or Western, just enjoy your ride . . . and let others enjoy theirs. And, as a friend of mine once said when we were engaged in a philosophical discussion about judging others: “Wouldn’t this earth be a boring place to live if we were all alike?!” Amen
*********************************************************************
If you’d like to read the blog post Toby was referring to, it’s the one just before this one: DO YOU HAVE THE WRONG HORSE … FOR YOU?
And if you’d like to read a few more thoughts on whether to believe in animal communication or not: SO YOU DON’T BELIEVE IN ANIMAL COMMUNICATION
Animal Communication – It’s a Blast!!!
Is animal communication fun? You bet it is!
I’ve written a lot of posts about the pitfalls and obstacles encountered by the person on the path to practicing animal communication, the ethics that must be carefully observed, the difficulties involved in maintaining a “clear channel,” and so on. Enough already! Let’s focus on the good stuff!
No two ways about it: animal communication is a barrel of fun. You’re an animal lover, right? If you’re like most of us animal lovers, you probably have at least a few at home, perhaps of several different species. You probably enjoy spending as much time as possible with them and find them to be some of, if not THE, best companions you know.
If you’re an animal lover then it’s probably obvious to you why doing animal communication for a living would be fun. But here are a just a few of my favorite reasons:
1. You get to meet a lot — and I mean a LOT — of interesting different animals who you’d probably never have an opportunity to meet otherwise.
2. You get to meet a lot of interesting people too and make lots of new friends!
3. You learn a lot about how different personalities operate, and this ends up being very helpful in your own life. Plus, it’s just downright fascinating.
4. You get to help solve lots of problems for animals, which often means their lives become a lot better.
5. You get lots of praise and thanks from the folks you help — always a good feeling.
6. You have many opportunities, at animal shelters, etc., to do pro bono work and be of service in a unique way — and nothing makes one feel better than reaching out and helping others in need.
7. As an animal communicator you’re in business for yourself. You can create your own schedule, work from home, and call the shots. Yippee!
8. Offering the gift of animal communication, whether through a session or a class, often helps open up new horizons for other people, broadening their outlook on the world and enhancing their own understanding.
9. You can choose your own area of specialty in regard to the kinds of cases you take and can therefore practice what you like to do best, AND what you’re best at doing!
10. This is not top of the list, but it IS necessary, and yes, it is fun too: You can make money.
There are lots more things that can be added to this list of why doing animal communication is fun, and I’m sure you can think of several that are unique to you and your circumstance. Yes, there are lots of things to watch out for if you practice, but you’ll learn those along the way. So if you’re tempted to start an animal communication practice, I’d say go ahead and dive in! You’ll have lots of fun!
Is Empathy a Help or a Hindrance in Animal Communication
Empathy — the trait of feeling what others are feeling — is something most of us possess to one degree or another. And often we aren’t even aware of when it’s happening. We may wonder why we’re feeling so blue after an outing to the grocery store, when we started out the day feeling on top of the world. Could be because we picked up some moody emotions from a few folks in the super market.
Most animal communicators possess a high degree of empathic awareness, which can be very helpful in understanding what is going on with the various animals they talk to. But a skilled communicator has learned to discern when the emotions she is feeling are hers and when they are the animal’s, AND how to clear the ones that don’t belong to her once a communication session is over. Using one’s empathic awareness this way takes a lot of understanding and skill and doesn’t come overnight. And if it is not harnessed and properly understood, it can wreak havoc in one’s life. What follows is a very sad example of how it literally ruined one person’s life.
Several years ago there was a lovely woman in one of my beginner-level animal communication classes who was quite clear that she wanted to learn the skill in order to practice it professionally. I will call her “Grace” because she was a lovely, mature woman who obviously had great compassion and wisdom.
But as the day wore on and we got into practice sessions with animals, I noticed an odd thing. No matter what animal Grace connected with her feedback was filled with grief, and she would be in tears while conveying the sad impressions or messages she had received from the animal. These dismal emotions were the only ones she was able to pick up from the animals, regardless of their situation. I didn’t want to single her out by identifying what I thought was going on for her, so instead I took this opportunity to familiarize the class with what I call the Velcro Effect — explaining how similar vibrations in two different individuals magnetize each other. Grace clearly had a lot of grief and sadness in her psyche, so those were the emotions she tended to identify with in others, including the animals.
Needless to say, by the end of the class poor Grace was emotionally devastated and totally drained. She did seem to understand the lesson about how empathy can be like Velcro, and how that had affected her practice sessions with the animals, but I was worried about whether she would be able to internalize this and use it to protect herself from taking on so much heaviness from the world around her.
I never saw or talked to Grace again, and not long after the class I received a call from one of the students to let me know that Grace had committed suicide. I was speechless and shocked, and very, very sad, but on some level I was not surprised. I had clearly seen that Grace was a “psychic sponge” who absorbed much of the negativity and sadness she came in contact with. She was probably severely depressed, and not just due to her own personal issues. If she did not understand this, and was not able to get the right kind of help for it, it is no wonder that her life became unbearable to the point of wanting to end it.
I prayed for Grace’s soul and that she might find peace. And I also felt a lot of pain in wondering if I could have done more to help Grace learn to manage her empathic gift so it would not have been her undoing. I wish I had reached out to her more actively after our class was over.
***************************************************************
TO READ A LITTLE MORE ABOUT EMPATHY AND ANIMAL COMMUNICATION:
Animal Communication – The Velcro Effect
What in the world does Velcro have to do with animal communication?! Well, nothing, really. The “Velcro Effect” is just what I call something that happens a lot between people and animals, or between people and other people for that matter.
It has to do with empathy. As defined by the online Mirriam-Webster dictionary, “empathy” is the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another.
I’ve talked a lot about empathy in previous posts, but in this post I want to describe how empathy can be like Velcro, so first I will tell you about my own experience when how this works was brought home to me in a BIG way. And it happened in an advanced animal communication workshop.
We were doing an exercise that we were not told the purpose of. Nine of us sat in a circle and each of us looked at the person on our left — naturally at the back of their head, since they too were looking to their left. We were to focus on the person for about 20 or 30 seconds and jot down the first 2, 3, or 4 impressions that came to us. We were not to wonder why, just jot down the impressions.
Suddenly the young woman on my right, someone I had never met before, burst into tears. She was so deeply aggrieved that she had to leave the circle and indeed was incapacitated for several hours following the exercise. Since I, like everyone else, still had no idea what this exercise was about, I didn’t know what had happened.
Once our instructor had helped this girl find a level of comfort and settle down in another room, she came back and we finished the exercise. We went around the circle, each of us reporting the impressions we had received while looking at the person on our left. Most of the words were things like “joy,” “nurturing,” “sadness,” “playfulness,” “service,” etc. Our teacher then asked me if I was grieving. I said no, but that I had been through a very deep and serious period of grief during the previous year.
She then explained what it was we were to learn from the exercise. I paraphrase here (and the Velcro analogy is mine):
When you are tuned-in to another being, the vibrations the two of you share the most at that time will come to the forefront and will be what each of you notices most about the other. Those vibrations magnetize each other and kind of stick together, like Velcro.
She then explained that the girl to my right was in a very deep period of grief, and, since I still had vestiges of grief left in my vibrational field, that is what she picked up the most. My grief, although quelled and in the past, triggered hers actively and caused her to fall apart.
Gee, did I feel terrible. But wow, what a lesson we all learned from that exercise.
How does this apply to animal communication? Well, if you are an empath, or one who has a lot of empathy, it means you are very tuned in to peoples’ and animals’ feelings. And, unfortunately, until you have learned how to control and manage your empathic ability, you are going to experience and feel the emotions and vibrations your subject and you share the most, which may have nothing to do with the subject at hand.
This is not a bad thing, and empathy is a great asset in animal communication. But it is really, really important to understand how it works and to beware of the Velcro Effect, since it kind of has a life of its own and can therefore interfere with what it is you are trying to learn from the animal you are talking to.
In my next post I will relate a very sad story indeed, about someone whose level of empathy became her undoing. Stay tuned.
A DAY IN THE LIFE ... of an animal communicator 