Gazehound's Animal Communication &#187; 2009: September &#8211; December

GAZEHOUND’S ANIMAL COMMUNICATION NEWS

December 2009

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Keeping in touch with the animals….
and the people who love them

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“Holiday Memories”

The Holiday Season is a time of joy, a time of stress, a time of laughter, a time of worries, a time of celebration, and often a time to reflect upon the past. The more past we have behind us, the more we remember holidays gone by. As the stores begin to stock Christmas items, people decorate their homes, and we start the process of shopping, it is impossible not to think about the days of our youth. Although many adults look at the season as one of commercialism and headaches, even the most humbug of us can’t help remembering the magic of the season, pretty lights and shiny wrappings, and the anticipation and excitement of childhood.

For those of us who have made animals such an important part of our lives, many of those holiday memories include the pets of our youth.

Today, I find myself thinking of Percy. Percy was my very first pet, a sandy-yellow cat with a white bib, belly and paws. He came into my life when I was four years old, and my Aunt Inez’s white angora kitty had a litter of mixed-breed kittens. Having been born an avid animal lover, I can remember begging my parents for a kitten, even at that young age, and the joy of picking out my own kitty.

Percy was my constant companion. He would play games with me for hours on end, and I recall the adults laughing as Percy would jump out from behind a piece of furniture as I ran by, hook his claws into my footie-pajamas, and “hitch a ride”.

When I began school, Percy would spend his days sleeping on top of the television, in front of the living room window. A few minutes before the school bus arrived at the end of the road, he’d jump up, beg to go out, and trot up the road to greet me as I got off the bus. He followed me everywhere, even going so far as to stand up to the neighborhood dogs to make sure I didn’t get out of his sight.

Percy passed away when I was twelve. He got into a neighbor’s basement in search of vermin, and fell ill several days later. We surmised that he’d gotten ahold of a mouse that had ingested poison, and could not be saved. I was devastated.

Now, many decades later, I recall Percy with such love and fondness for all he taught me, and for all he gave me.

I would love to extend an invitation to all of you, to visit this post/newsletter on my website, and in the comments area at the bottom of the page, share your memories of your first pet.

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FYI NOTES and NEWS

Holiday Special on Gift Certificates!

When: November 1st through December 31st
How much: Sets of 2 gift certificates for $60. Click to buy through Paypal
Sets of 3 gift certificates for $85. Click to buy through Paypal
Or order by check to: Gayle Nastasi, 485 Gridley Rd, Middleburgh, NY 12122

See also: the Rates and Services page, where the special will run throughout the season.

Don’t forget, also, that gift certificates do have an expiration date. If you’ve given them as gifts, or have them tucked safely away at home, check those dates and be sure to redeem them before they expire. I’ll continue to post this reminder in each issue of “Creature Thoughts”.

New Newsletter Format Coming Soon

As of January, 2010, the Creature Thoughts newsletter will be mailed out by a new server, rather than YahooGroups. Current subscribers should not have to do anything to implement the change.

Website Features

Challenge Games

Our fourth Challenge Game, “Picture This” is online! Have you played yet? Remember that it will be replaced by the next game mid-month. Visit the site by the link above, and join us in a new intuitive experience!

Some Recent Rambles

Polls

I have added a Poll feature in the left sidebar of the website. The polls will change monthly. Feel free to stop by and add your vote!

Testimonials

Have I helped you with your animal friends in a way that you’d like to share with others? You are welcome to visit the Testimonials Page, and leave a “Reply”! I’d love to see your pets featured on the site!

And Other Stuff, too!

Don’t forget that you can always keep up with changes and info on rates, policies, and “other fun stuff” on my website, including the archives of Creature Thoughts.

Additional Web Address! In case it’s easier to remember, we have a second domain name: AnimalCommunicator-NY.com. Visiting that address will automatically redirect visitors to the regular website, and hopefully, it will be easier for people to write down and share.

Off-Site

E-News List

It has become more important than ever, that all of my clients are subscribed to my e-news list. Thus, whenever anyone inquires about information, or sets up an appointment, they will receive both an invitation to the list and a separate note from me letting them know they’ve been invited. I strongly encourage all my clients to stay in touch, by remaining subscribed to this list. And please feel free to forward this newsletter issue to any friends, family, and acquaintances whom you feel might be interested in joining us.

As noted above, come January 2010, I will be changing servers for my e-news list. List members won’t have to do anything to implement the change, it will all be automatic. If you suddenly stop receiving your Creature Thoughts newsletters, however, email me right away and I’ll try to help remedy any problems.

Free Help For Our Animal Friends at NELR

Northeast Llama Rescue and Barnyard Sanctuary and New York Wildlife Rescue (an IRS 501(c)(3) charity) accept Paypal donations through their website at http://www.redmaplefarm.net. I’ve dedicated much time and love in the past several years toward helping to build a safe place for our wild friends in need, and our livestock rescues, and am extending the offer to all of you to aid in their care as well. And now, we have a totally painless (and free) way for anyone to support the animals at NYWRC/NELR. If you sign up to shop online through iGive.com, at no cost to you, every purchase you make through the iGive gateway will earn a donation for the animals.

To sign up to shop through iGive for NYWRC:

And even if you don’t sign up (but why would anyone not sign up since it’s free and painless?), you can still earn money with each internet search you do simply by logging in to the iGive search engine rather than Google or whichever other search engine you normally use:

I set the above link as my homepage in my browser to remind me to search through iGive and earn pennies for the animals each time I search. iGive’s usual one cent per search is doubled through the month of December, too, so get using it now while we can earn the big bucks!

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Gayle Nastasi (of Gazehound’s Animal Communication) is a professional animal communication consultant and writer, who hopes her connection to the animal world can serve as a way to help her fellow humans enrich their relationships with their animal companions. By better knowing our non-human friends, we ensure a kinder future for our world and we learn what it means to be a unique and essential part of all that is. Permission is given to forward this article to anyone you feel might enjoy it, as long as it is understood that copyrights are held by Gayle Nastasi, and the author’s name, and links to her website(s) are left intact. If this publication has been forwarded to you and you would like to subscribe to Gazehound’s free monthly e-newsletter, “Creature Thoughts”, just visit the newsletter link below.

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– Gayle P Nastasi
Animal Communication Consultant

http://www.gazehound.com

Free newsletter: http://www.gazehound.com/animal-communication/free-newsletter/
Archives and blog: http://www.gazehound.com/category/creaturethoughts/
Online Book Shop: http://astore.amazon.com/gazehound-20

Challenge Game #4: Picture This

Gayze — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 05:00:08 +0000

These games are quick, fun and easy to play. For all of them, you’ll need a notepad and something to write with, so you can jot down your results and bring them back to the original post to leave as a comment. I will be playing along, but won’t post my own results till others have had a chance to check in first.

Although all the games are created to be quick to play, and posting once is fine, it’s also fine if you enjoy them enough to play multiple times. Feel free to return and post second, third, or more comments.

Remember that you must visit this web page to play:
http://www.gazehound.com/challenge-game-4-picture-this/

Picture This

Did you all enjoy Here Kitty Kitty? I hope you had fun with that one. Thanks to everyone who took the time to return to the website and share your experiences!

This month, you’re all going to be artists!

If you’ve been reading my blog/newsletters for a while, you’ll already know that one way animals communicate is through visual images. Today, you’re going to test your ability to receive a picture your best animal friend sends to you.

Don’t worry, it’s fun, no one expects you to be a Rembrandt, and you may be pleasantly surprised by the outcome of the game.

To play this game, you’ll need:

A piece of paper
Something to draw with that allows you to draw in multiple colors (try to at least have the primary colors, black, white, brown and gray on hand if possible).
Your best animal friend

What I’d like you to do, is to go to a room that is not where your animal is located. If he’s snoozing in the bedroom, go to the kitchen or living room, etc. If he’s outside, step into the house. Settle down anywhere you can get peaceful and connect with him, but not see his surroundings.

Sit quietly with your paper and colored pencils, markers, or box of crayons. Reach out, using your favorite focal point if you wish help with connecting, and simply ask your pet to show you an image of something in the room, or in the yard, or in the paddock or stall…. You get the picture.

(Ha ha, maybe not yet, but you will!)

Once you’ve done that, without really thinking about what you are drawing … just start drawing.

Are you seeing a shape? Draw it. A combination of colors? Scribble them down quickly. Don’t worry about details, you’re just looking for basics here. You don’t have to be able to recreate an object in detail. Just sketch out the general form and hue of what you receive. Yes, stick figures count!

Try not to think too hard about it; try not to “remember” what might be in the room. Just connect and draw.

Once you think you’ve got your picture finished, return to your animal’s side and look around.

What was he or she sending you a picture of? Can you match your drawing, in any way, to an item in his surroundings? Come on back here and let us know!

This little game is technically referred to as “remote viewing” among psychic researchers … or at least it is a variation of that theme. Normally, a remote viewer would simply be seeing things, on their own, in a distant location. In this case, you’re doing that with the help of your animal. Instead of just pulling the image to you, you’re asking your animal friend to help by sending it to you.

Keep in mind that what you’re receiving, you are seeing through the animal’s perspective. Don’t expect the object to look just like what you find in the room. Leave your mind open to variations, to interpretations, to only receiving a very general connection to what is actually there. In addition to surprising yourself that you actually received the picture, you may also get some insight into the special way your animal friend looks at the world around him!

Expect to be entertained, as well. Sometimes what we receive, and what is actually sitting in the target location, can be related in ways that are quite comical. Just an example to help you understand what I mean: Years ago, I was taking a class on astral projection, and we played a game somewhat similar to this, except that we were instructed to travel to another room and look at a target item the instructor had placed there. The picture I came back with was a tall, skinny bird, like a heron or egret, with shaggy head feathers, standing with his feet in the water. The instructor laughed, though I didn’t know why at the time. When we got to the room in question, and looked at the object, I discovered a mop bucket full of water, with the handle end of the bucket in the water, and the shaggy mop head at the top.

Not exactly a tall skinny bird … but I “kinda sorta” got the picture.

How about you? Think YOU can get the picture?

I look forward to reading about your experiences!

Have fun!

Do you have any specific suggestions for future games?
Anything special you think you’d like to play?
Feel free to make a suggestion!

And A Reminder!

Holiday Special on Gift Certificates!

See also: the Rates and Services page, where the special will run throughout the season.

New Newsletter Format Coming Soon

As of January, 2010, the Creature Thoughts newsletter will be mailed out by a new server, rather than YahooGroups. Current subscribers should not have to do anything to implement the change.

Creature Thoughts: November 2009

Gayze — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:33:47 +0000

Anitra Frazier’s “The Natural Cat”
Cat Attract Litter and Additive
No More Bad Cats!
Clicker Training for Cats

GAZEHOUND’S ANIMAL COMMUNICATION NEWS

November 2009

Sherlock, Kayce and Katie Price
Photo ©Deirdre Price

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Keeping in touch with the animals….
and the people who love them

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Due to the fact that November is National Novel Writer’s Month, and I’ve signed up this year, I’m sending out the November issue of Creature Thoughts a couple of days early…. In light of this, consider today “November 1st” where the gift certificate special is concerned, as well. –Gayle

“The Third Cat Syndrome”

In honor of our third challenge game, “Here, Kitty Kitty”, I thought I would dedicate the theme of this issue to cats. A very common reason I am called for help is what I refer to as “The Third Cat Syndrome”. It goes like this:

A cat-owned household has a lovely pair of felines. All is well, all is peaceful, and (most obviously) all is clean. Mom and/or Dad see(s) a lovely cat or kitten who is telling them loud and clear that it wants to come home with them. They have plenty of room, after all, and all the resources to care for three cats. They certainly have more than enough love to go around. So, they bring the third cat home.

And all h**l breaks loose.

Possible scenarios: cats start fighting (often even the two that have always gotten along), hairballs are upchucked all over the place, someone goes off their feed, kitties start doing naughty things they’d previously never think of doing. And what is the real ugh factor almost guaranteed to be part of the plan? Mom and/or Dad start finding really stinky wet spots all over the house (or maybe just in one select spot … which is NOT the litter box).

Who’s The Culprit?

The first thought is usually that it’s the new cat performing the bad behavior. This, however, does not always turn out to be the case. When that “odd cat out” comes into the picture, even the most well-behaved and immaculately trained cats can act out. Although, in some cases, of course, it is the new cat, one should not be quick to assign blame until the investigation is complete. It could very well be Mommy’s own angel-kitty who’s whizzing up the carpets!

It’s also common thought that “male cats spray”, and (in addition) that neutering them will stop the spraying. Although this may be true to some extent, and often neutering does make a difference, we’re now looking at a totally different scenario. If you’re dealing with the “Third Cat Syndrome”, be sure not to automatically assume it’s one of the boys peeing in the corners. In fact, in my experience, having dealt with many dozens of such cases in the last decade, it’s more often a female … and often the “queen bee” of the household … who starts what we not so affectionately refer to as the “pee wars”.

Cats is Cats

Cats are wonderful, cats are marvelous, cats are magical, and cats are a blessing of life I could not live without. Cats are also cliquey snobs when it comes to accepting a new “purrson” into their ranks. They have a hearty dislike of change (in fact, although adding a new member, or a shift in household citizens, is a very frequent cause, it’s not uncommon that any major … in the cat’s mind … change can cause an upset in behavior). Cats also use a unique social language to express their distaste. It’s a language which makes perfect sense to them, of course, and it’s surprising how many kitties are actually quite baffled as to why their humans are getting so … pi**ed off … at them!

Although the “Third Cat Syndrome” most often happens when two cats find themselves three, the number is actually just a generalization. Whenever cats are comfortable with their ranks, and another cat enters (and, though not as frequently, it can also happen when cats suddenly find their numbers reduced), chaos can erupt. I’ve also seen this happen when the owners of a contented only-cat decide their kitty needs a companion (and this is a major reason why our Sasha is still an only cat, after the passing of his dear mother Sachet … who, by the way, was our “queen bee” and always the little angel to initiate the pee wars in our house. We’re afraid to upset our peaceful little apple cart, because after an initial period of grieving, Sasha has become very happy to be an only kitty.)

Prevention Is The Best Cure

The problem of cats acting out is frequently a preventable one, although most of the time people are taken unawares by the sudden appearance of a Mister Hyde in the midst of their darling little Jekylls. Anitra Frazier, in her book, The New Natural Cat (which has now been re-released as The Natural Cat, though I do not have the new edition) outlines a charming way to introduce a new cat into a household. In a nutshell, her method involves convincing the resident cat(s) that the new one was left behind by accident, and that the true owner has forgotten to collect him. Then, this gradually becomes: “since you’ve gotten used to him, I guess we’ll let you keep him”. I have in fact seen this method work quite well. I’ll let you read the details of the method in Frazier’s own words, as it would be a disservice to try and fumble through a second hand account here, but I think you get the idea.

Another common method of reducing stress when a new cat is introduced is to confine the newcomer in one small area for some time, and only allow introductions in a gradual and highly supervised manner. Take baby steps. The temptation is to rush the process, and this almost always leads to problems. Once the cats are, in a supervised way, interacting peacefully, return New Kitty to his or her “bedroom” at night (or when you have to leave the house) for some time. Even though they may allow the “visitor” into their space during the day, cats are very protective of their sleeping quarters, and of being “exposed to the stranger” while they expect to be safely snoozing.

Feeding the new cat with the others … and always giving New Kitty his dish last … is a way to acclimate the tribe, as well. Feeding times should always be supervised, with the new cat fed in a visible but distant area at first, and his dish gradually moved closer to the main clan’s supper station. Similarly, treats and treat-training together (once introductions are well under way) is a good way to gradually draw in the new cat. When cats’ minds are preoccupied by something fun, such as clicker training, they are more likely to reduce their protected personal space and allow a new cat to interact with them.

Watch the cats carefully. It is said that if several cats can stay in a room together, and pretty much ignore one another, they are well on the way to becoming integrated.

Always remember that the existing cats in the household are most needy of your attention. For a while, don’t pet or fuss over the newcomer in front of them … reserve his attention to his own room. It’s only after you’ve begun to see clear signs of acceptance that you’ll start treating the new cat as an equal in front of your other kitties.

All Hope Is Not Lost

Of course, I am usually not called until after the problems have already begun.

The “Third Cat Syndrome” is not the end of the world. One does not have to resign themselves to living in a house that smells like cat pee. However, difficult problems very rarely have easy solutions, and the human heads of household are going to have their work cut out for them to solve the problem.

The first step in solving the problem, oddly enough, is a step backwards. Look up at the “prevention” suggestions above, and see what can be implemented in the light of starting over.

During the starting over and/or re-training, it’s essential to locate and thoroughly deodorize any spots the cats have been using to express their frustrations. A black light is a big help with that process, and look for enzymatic deodorizers such as “Nature’s Miracle” in large quantities. Do you have a favorite deodorizing product? Visit this post on the website and leave your recommendation in the comments section!

You will also have to isolate, and probably retrain, your prime offender. Although no one likes to do this, it’s essential if you want to stop the problems permanently. If more than one cat is involved, it’s possible you may have to confine them all in a small space, such as a small bathroom or large cage, with a litter box for a while. Most of the time, a week will suffice, and the cats will have to be watched carefully after they’re let back out. You may wish to confine them again when they can’t be supervised, for some time, to prevent the problem reoccurring. In addition, the use of Cat Attract litter or litter additive is reported to be very helpful in some cases.

An animal communicator can help with the process by explaining to the cats why their humans are so upset, and the purpose of the confinement. However, talking to the cats is not going to work on its own … it’s a tool to use in addition to the actions taken by the humans.

The biggest mistake many people make is not starting the “tough love” measures soon enough. The longer the habit has been going on, the harder it will be to eradicate.

In Closing

Kitties are wonderful little people. They also can create wonderful little … and not so little … problems when they become upset and attempt to communicate to one another, and their humans, that they have issues. “The Third Cat Syndrome” is one of the more common negative experiences people have with their cats, and I hope this article sheds a bit of light on it for my readers. If the pee wars have already begun in your house, don’t worry … they are fixable. It may take a bit of work on your part, of course, but you can get a handle on the problem … and find a solution that doesn’t require getting rid of the cats!

Oh … and apologies to all my cat-less friends out there! Maybe next month’s article will be dogs-only!

Links of Interest

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FYI NOTES and NEWS

Holiday Special on Gift Certificates!

See also: the Rates and Services page, where the special will run throughout the season.

New Newsletter Format Coming Soon

As of January, 2010, the Creature Thoughts newsletter will be mailed out by a new server, rather than YahooGroups. Current subscribers should not have to do anything to implement the change.

Website Features

Challenge Games

Our third Challenge Game, “Here, Kitty Kitty!” is online! Have you played yet? Remember that it will be replaced by the next game mid-month. Visit the site by the link above, and join us in a new intuitive experience!

The Book Shop

Featured Items:

Veterinarian’s Guide to Natural Remedies for Cats by Martin Zucker
Getting In T-Touch With Your Cat by Linda Tellington Jones
Animal Reiki by Elizabeth Fulton
Bach Flower Remedies for Animals by Helen Graham

Some Recent Rambles

Polls

I have added a Poll feature in the left sidebar of the website. The polls will change monthly. Feel free to stop by and add your vote!

Testimonials

And Other Stuff, too!

Don’t forget that you can always keep up with changes and info on rates, policies, and “other fun stuff” on my website, including the archives of Creature Thoughts.

Off-Site

E-News List

Free Help For Our Animal Friends at NELR

To sign up to shop through iGive for NYWRC:

================================

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Creature Thoughts (October 2009)

Gayze — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:11:46 +0000

GAZEHOUND’S ANIMAL COMMUNICATION NEWS

October 2009

================================

Keeping in touch with the animals….
and the people who love them

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The Tree With the Lights In It
“Focal Points”

Long, long ago, I was mesmerized by a book by a woman called Annie Dillard. The book was called Pilgrim at Tinker’s Creek. In one section of the book, long about page 80 or so, Dillard begins to talk about “The Tree With The Lights In It”.

In the August, 2009 issue of Creature Thoughts, I mentioned this tree, and how, since reading that book back in the late 1970s, I have used the image as a focal point. Whether I am meditating, or connecting with an animal, or simply need to really get rooted and grounded mentally, emotionally or spiritually, The Three With The Lights In It has never failed me. It’s my favorite focal point, and brings me back to where I need to be without fail.

If you’ve been reading Creature Thoughts, or my other blog articles, you’ve heard me refer often to “focus”. It’s imperative to be able to focus, regardless of whether you’re pursuing a physical activity that requires concentration, or a spiritual one. Many people who claim they have trouble meditating will blame that trouble on an inability to focus. This is where adopting a favorite focal point can be a valuable tool.

Everyone will have a different image they like to focus on, and even though two people may share a general tool, each person is going to perceive that tool in his own unique way. Many people use candles to focus when they meditate, for example, but each person will describe a different sensation, or zero in on a different aspect of the flame, once they become in tuned with the practice. (A note of caution here, candles aren’t necessarily the best choice for cat owners. Just ask my dear friend’s long-haired tortie-cat … and her poor singed tail.)

Some people need a physical image to bring their minds into the realm of peaceful concentration. Others hold to a mental image that is just as reliable. One reason I love “my tree” is that the image created such strong and vivid emotions the first time I read the phrase, that it’s stayed with me, and is something I can carry along no matter where I am. The Tree With The Lights In It, in fact, is so real to me that I’ve occasionally had animals, when I’ve used it to help alleviate distractions during a connection, actually ask me about the tree. It’s so clear in my mind, that they can see it in theirs.

Whenever I think of focal points, I can’t help thinking of childbirth. If you’ve had children, and gone through Lamaze or other natural childbirth training, you’ll know what I mean. Lamaze teaches the use of focal points to help the mother past the pain of contractions. With the birth of my daughter, I chose my husband’s eyes as my focal point. Poor guy. When transition (they don’t call it that for nothing….) came, and the pain became practically unbearable, my poor hubby had nail-marks in his hands and arms because I was so “focused” on those green eyes that I wouldn’t let him move from in front of me.

I wish I had remembered the tree at that point for his sake, you know?

If you are practicing animal communication, and find that your mind often wanders, and makes it difficult for you to maintain a connection, back up a bit and examine the concept of personal focal points. Think back on objects or images, moments in time, memories that bring you a sense of peace, and which you are certain can hold your attention. Play with different images until you find one that works for you almost every time … and carry it with you. Like my Tree With The Lights In It, your personal focal point will help you to move forward on your journey, and be a friend you can count on always.

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FYI NOTES and NEWS

Don’t Forget….

… that gift certificates do have an expiration date. If you’ve given them as gifts, or have them tucked safely away at home, check those dates and be sure to redeem them before they expire. I’ll continue to post this reminder in each issue of “Creature Thoughts”.

Gift certificates are always available at a special discounted price. Visit the Rates and Services page for details.

Website Features

Challenge Games

Our second Challenge Game, “Who Am I?” is online! Have you played yet? Remember that it will be replaced by the next game mid-month. Visit the site by the link above, and join us in a new intuitive experience!

The Book Shop

New Additions and Featured Items:

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard
Infinite Possibilities by Mike Dooley
Nature-Speak; Signs, Omens and Messages in Nature, by Ted Andrews
The Artist’s Way; A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity, by Julia Cameron

More On-Site Fun

Some Recent Rambles

Polls

I have added a Poll feature in the left sidebar of the website. This month’s poll asks whether you would like to see me offer a monthly live group-chat session. Feel free to stop by and add your vote!

Testimonials

Have I helped you with your animal friends in a way that you’d like to share with others? Feel free to visit the Testimonials Page, and leave a “Reply”!

And Other Stuff, too!

Don’t forget that you can always keep up with changes and info on rates, policies, and “other fun stuff” on my website, including the archives of Creature Thoughts.

Additional Web Address! I often have to spell things out — slowly, including things like “z, as in zebra” — when I give my website address over the phone. Therefore, I’ve taken out a second domain name: AnimalCommunicator-NY.com. Visiting that address will automatically redirect visitors to the regular website, and hopefully, it will be easier for people to write down and share.

Off-Site

E-News List

Free Help For Our Animal Friends at NELR

To sign up to shop through iGive for NYWRC:

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– Gayle P Nastasi
Animal Communication Consultant

http://www.gazehound.com

Challenge Game #2 — Who Am I?

Gayze — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 04:15:38 +0000

Challenge Game #2: “Who Am I?”

Variations of this game have been played in animal communication workshops and psychic development circles. I first played a version of it in a workshop, many years ago, put on by Dawn Allen (who was not even Dawn Allen yet) in upstate New York. Since then, I’ve seen similar exercises recommended in a number of different places.

Play along, have fun, and return to let us all know what you experienced!

I would like everyone to take a few minutes out of their day to get quiet and focused. Be indoors, be outdoors, be sitting, lying down … in whatever place and position you feel safe and comfortable. Breathe slowly and naturally, relax your body, and wait until you feel quiet and open to receive.

Once you are fully relaxed … reach out and ask an animal to “let you in”. What I want is for you to simply connect to an animal and experience the world through its senses. Here are the rules of the game:

Do not reach for an individual animal, especially one you already know. Just reach out and be open to whoever responds.
Do not reach for a particular species of animal. The key to the game is not to know who you are connecting with.
Be respectful. Let the life forms around you know you wish to learn, to be taught by them. Explain that you wish to broaden your horizons and experience life from the viewpoint of another species for a moment. Do not ask the animal who or what it is.
Then, once you feel you’ve made the connection, allow the impressions to come in. Open your senses. What do you see, feel, smell? What physical sensations do you experience? Do you feel emotions? Desires? How does the world look and feel to you from inside that animal’s skin?
After you have absorbed that animal’s point of view for a few moments, jot down your guess as to what species of animal you experienced.
Then, ask that animal to show you an image of itself to confirm.
Once done, return here, tell us what animal offered to be your host, and what you experienced!

I look forward to hearing about your adventures in a new realm!

Creature Thoughts (September 2009)

Gayze — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 05:00:27 +0000

GAZEHOUND’S ANIMAL COMMUNICATION NEWS

September 2009

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Keeping in touch with the animals….
and the people who love them

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Aliens On Earth: The So-called “Lower Life Forms”

In our first Challenge Game we played with the concept of “trust what you receive”, and I used “bugs” to illustrate. I elaborated on why I chose to have people connect with “crawlies” in the following comment:

WHY A BUG?

Everyone’s guesses as to why I chose a bug were great, and definitely things for us all to keep in mind as we interact with the life around us. Cara did have part of my reasoning, in fact, when she said “if we are able to connect with a bug, then we can possibly connect with anything else”.

Think of the title of the game, “Trust What You Get”. Insects, spiders, and other “crawlies” live their lives from such an alien perspective, compared to humans, that I was hoping that what you received would be “different” enough, in some way, that you would be able to really feel that it was coming from the bug. If something you received was foreign to you in some way, it would be easier to trust the inflow.

Did you feel that what you received, since it came from a bug, was unique and different enough to be helpful when you consider the theme of the game?

Some of our visitors expressed some excellent reasons, as well, for connecting with insects, spiders, and their like. On person even chatted with a slug! Here are some of those thoughts:

“My initial thought on why you chose Bugs is, for me personally, I tend to respect them, but not really connect to them. They often get the “Ew!” response. I capture and release them from my home because I don’t want to harm them. Helped me get beyond what their body presents to me and get to their spirit/essence.” (Jan)

“I think you chose bugs as a first challenge because this time of year they can be a challenge. We tend to want to get them out of our space, using pesticides, mechanical means, or whatever to “get rid of them.”. Maybe, we will realize there is value in all living beings and find a way of communicating with them to get them out of our space, if that is what we think is necessary. Ask them to leave, show them another place for them to take up residence and if they don’t what may happen. That’s my 2 cents on what you may have been thinking……….” (Jeanie)

“Bugs are all around us, all of the time. They are a part of our lives whether we are aware of their existence or not. They are our neighbors, our guests, and sometimes our enemies, although that, as with everything else in our world, depends on perspective. Perchance this exercise is in part to make us more aware of the lives around us?” (Susan)

Life on earth is organized in a very specific way, scientifically speaking. I’m sure you all remember the hierarchy (or “taxonomy”) … Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species. Yes? …No? Sorry; I’m a bit funny that way … that odd tendency to hoard bits of trivia most people would never use again in their lifetime (I wish I could remember where I put my car keys….). The concept began with Carl Linnaeus (1707 – 1778), and is still held today as the standard line of thought on how life is organized on earth.

The two primary Kingdoms of life are Plants and Animals, and when we get to the Phyla of the animal kingdom, we take a look at the different types of animals, organized by biological similarity. Many people, including many scientists, also think along the line of complexity when studying the animal kingdom. The Chordata, animals with backbones, are all organized under one Phylum and are considered to be more complex, or “advanced”, than the Arthropods (which include insects and spiders) or Mollusks (which include our friend the slug).

But does our level of advancement really depend on whether we wear our skeletons on the outside or the inside? There are an estimated ten million species of insects on this planet, of which only a little over a million have been logged and described. It seems to me that this indicates that being an insect is quite a successful way to wander through the universe. It makes one pause and re-think the term “dominant species”, doesn’t it?

When Susan said, in her comment to the Bug Game, “Bugs are all around us, all the time,” she wasn’t kidding!

As our little game illustrated, insects and “lower life forms” are, in actuality, thinking, feeling, intelligent creatures. They have self awareness and emotions, they know what they need and want. They can also impart wisdom, often in interesting and unexpected ways. The crawlies who participated in our game showed us humor, intensity, an unparalleled work ethic, focus, drive…. And some let us know that they really didn’t have the time to stop and talk to a silly human. Self-importance? Wow.

Whether we talk to animals, or just love and respect them, observing nature can teach us so much. Humans can be very egocentric animals, bless our hearts, and often miss out so much because we have a reflexive tendency to walk past other species without noticing them, or with a subconscious (or conscious) attitude that because they are extremely different from us, they are inferior in some way.

Does “different” have to mean “less”?

There are spiritual belief systems among our species which hold fast to the concept of reincarnation. Many of those see a spiritual path as one of growth, from less complex and evolved, to more complex and evolved, which describes more evolved beings inhabiting more evolved bodies. I believe this encourages the tendency, even “among the enlightened” (as the saying goes), to look at other species as below us on the evolutionary ladder … both biologically and spiritually.

By taking this approach, how much are we missing? If you played the Bug Game with us, when you reached for your new connection, were you expecting to touch the mind of an equal? Or were you looking for primal impressions from a creature who might not actually have cognizant, rational thought at its disposal?

Were you surprised by what you received?

In his absolutely marvelous little book, Kinship with All Life, J. Allen Boone introduces the reader to “Freddie”, a common house fly. Boone writes:

“Before Freddie the Fly came to live with me and made such an unforgettable place for himself in my admiration and respect, my attitude toward flies had been one of uncompromising enmity. “

Did your experience, as brief as it was, change how you feel about the species you touched minds with?

Connecting with the so-called “lower life forms” is not only eye-opening, but it is an excellent way to practice our animal communication skills. It allows us to reach for some-ONE who is so very different from ourselves, that what we receive from them is often foreign or startling. This helps us to trust that it is not just our imagination, and at the same time opens our minds to possibilities that the common man and even the biologist may not have considered. These creatures from distant phyla don’t think like us, but they do think. They don’t feel like us, but they do feel. They have intelligence and a unique approach to wisdom all their own, which can broaden our horizons and enlighten our minds in often … humbling … ways.

I hope everyone who has already played “The Bug Game” enjoyed the experience. If you haven’t yet played, or would like to play again, the page will be online indefinitely and the game officially “open” until the next one is posted in mid-September.

The next time you come across an insect, a spider, a snail … stop and say hello. You never know how they might reply.

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FYI NOTES and NEWS

Don’t Forget….

Gift certificates are always available at a special discounted price. Visit http://www.gazehound.com, and view the Rates and Services page for details.

There will be a rate change as of July 1st, 2009. The new rates will be:

* Basic session up to 1/2 hour: $36
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Website Features

Recent Ramblings!

In Cool Stuff: What I’m Reading: The Artist’s Way
In Pree-Am-Siamese: Pree’s Thoughts On Reincarnation
In Cool Stuff: Book Recommendation: Animal-Speak
In DragonDreamz: The Dreamtime — A Question of Questions
In Creature Thoughts: Challenge Game #1 – Trust What You Get

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Don’t forget that you can always keep up with changes and info on rates, policies, and “other fun stuff” on my website: http://www.gazehound.com, and that you can find archives of this newsletter and other articles on my Creature Thoughts Blog: http://www.gazehound.com/category/creaturethoughts/. Archives before May 2009 can still be found at the old blog site: http://gazehound.blogspot.com.

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