Getting Started with Animal Communication

Getting Started with Animal Communication

A complaint I often hear from animal lovers is that, try as they might, they just can’t hear what their animals are saying. They have tried reading books to understand how the process works; they have tried joining online chat groups; they have tried relaxation exercises and visualizations and meditations to quiet their minds so they can hear better; in short, they have tried and tried and tried, but they just aren’t getting anywhere. Nearly paralyzed with frustration, many of them convince themselves that they will never be able to do this, that communicating with animals is something that only a few special people are able to do.

This is nonsense.

I firmly believe that all creatures-including humans-are telepathic, that we are all able to send and receive non-verbal, non-physical messages. But we are told from a very young age that this isn’t possible, and so we eventually convince ourselves that it isn’t. Because the vast majority of people have accepted this silliness, the inability to communicate with other species is considered “normal.”

So the first step in re-learning how to communicate with the animals is to believe that you can, to know that you can, to understand that telepathic communication is a gift you were born with, and that no one can take this gift from you.

As you begin this journey, it is important to realize that communication with the animals can happen in a variety of ways. Many people think that because they don’t hear their animals’ thoughts and feelings in words, they aren’t communicating with them. Remember that communication is about sending and receiving information, and speech is not the only way we do this. After all, the animals are not speaking in words, at least not in a language we would understand. How information is received depends in large part on the individual doing the receiving.

Information may come to you in words. I often receive information from the animals in this way. I write down exactly what I am hearing, so that I don’t forget anything and so that I don’t decide that I’m not hearing correctly and dismiss part of a message. But information may also come to you in visual images. For example, I have seen accidents that animals had with previous owners, have seen their living spaces and the changes they would like made to them. I have also seen physical problems, such as injuries (that the human was unaware of) and parasite infestations.

You might also receive information in the form of physical sensations. I conduct all of my sessions across distance; in other words, I am in my office and the animal is in her or his home. But even across distance, I can feel pain or tension in an animal’s body. Once, when I was working with a cat, I suddenly felt as though a thick rope was being tightened around my throat. I was in such pain, that I actually began to cry. The cat told me she needed her thyroid checked, which the human later verified.

Or you might just suddenly know that something is true. You’ve probably all had the experience of hearing the phone ring and knowing who it is before you pick it up. I imagine that you have this kind of connection with your animal companions as well.

As you practice communicating, it’s important that you allow yourself to connect with the animals. You can’t force yourself to make the connection. Wishing doesn’t work either; studying for hours doesn’t work; getting mad at yourself doesn’t work; comparing yourself to someone else doesn’t work. You need to be gentle and kind with yourself; you need to be patient. You need to treat yourself the same way you treat your horse or your dog or a young child when you are trying to teach one of them something new. You take it one step at a time; you keep the sessions short; you forgive mistakes; you recognize and celebrate small successes.

Here are a couple of exercises you can try. I recommend that you buy yourself a notebook that you like writing in and a pen or pencil that feels good in your hand.

1. Think of times when you knew what your animal was thinking or feeling. Remember the day when you just knew your horse didn’t feel like working? He looked fine; he wasn’t sick or off; he just wasn’t quite himself. Or the time when you knew something was wrong out in the barn even though you couldn’t actually hear anything from the house? Or the time when your dog smiled at you with love and joy, and you felt your hearts connect?

Think of as many times as you can. Write them down in as much detail as you can remember. You don’t have to do this all at once. Think of it as an exercise that will help you to let go of resistance, that will allow you to see the talent you already possess.

2. The next time you are with your horse, quietly stand next to him or her. Don’t focus on asking a question or hearing an answer. You can quietly groom if this is something your horse enjoys, and if you can do it without turning it into a task. Take your time; don’t rush. Just be with your horse.

Or you might want to bring a chair out into the pasture or paddock and sit near your horse. Bring your notebook. Again, you are not asking a question or worrying about an answer. You are just being with your horse. If a thought comes to you, or an image, or a word (even just one word), write it down. If nothing comes, don’t worry. It may not come today, but it will come.

Until next month,

Be well,

Pam

*This column originally appeared in From the Horse’s Mouth in July 2006.

© 2006 by Pamela Sourelis