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Mostly my walks are a time for easy, fluid exercise and a slowing down of thoughts and concerns. I guess you could say they are like meditation in motion. How jarring then to suddenly have a skunk pop out of the green into the path in front of me! My fluid forward momentum recoiled into a wary stop about ten feet away from the skunk who was now arching it’s body up like a Halloween cat; the hair on its rigid tail standing on end. The not-so-subtle curve of his rear end in my direction made it clear I would be the target of something very unpleasant if I dared to move. 

I waited, holding my breath. The skunk, satisfied with my response, relaxed completely and continued across my path with it’s tail softly waving. I almost burst out laughing when another skunk bounded out of the weeds to follow the first one! I thought of the school crossing guards who stop traffic so the children can safely cross the street. The first skunk had clearly asked me to stop, using very obvious body language. Some forms of animal communication are just plain common sense and some forms of meditation are best with awareness of one’s surroundings!

Kneading the cushion back into it’s groove to hide the bone, she resumed her position of the arm of the couch. But she couldn’t relax. It was obvious where she had hidden the bone by her furtive, nervous glances towards the buried treasure. Her soft eyes took on an intense, glistening quality. Her floppy ears slapped against the sides of her face as she shot glances in all directions, alert for intruders. It wasn’t long before Eliot the cat sauntered into the room, slowly padding his way towards the couch. This elderly, toothless-but-dignified feline didn’t see or hear very well, but as he rounded the side of the couch, it was clear he had a destination in mind.

The tension in Missy’s body was unbearable. She was quivering with fury. Unable to contain herself, she exploded off the arm of the couch, growling ferociously at Eliot. He didn’t even notice as she skidded across the tile floor behind him, a look of shock and surprise washing over her face- her grandiosity completely deflated by a mere cat.

Back on the arm of the couch, humbly resting her head on her paws, she hoped no one else had noticed either.

Donna had just been with Lexi and hadn’t noticed anything in particular but when she looked closely, there were small cactus spines embedded in the skin right in the spot Lexi had pointed to! Donna had to use tweezers to remove the tiny, irritating pieces. Lexi had clearly communicated with me through pictures and was able to get relief from her physical discomfort and I was able to confirm that her home was a perfect fit on many levels, validating Donna’s desire for Lexi’s happiness and well being.

I showed her mental pictures of the house and yard and described it as a “play bubble”, while encircling the space with white light that delineated the boundary.  I explained that Vaughn wanted her to stay inside this play bubble and that she didn’t need to fight or defend herself there. I said that it would help Vaughn feel better if she agreed to stay inside the bubble. She understood and her defensiveness settled into a calm agreement. 

Alphie’s reaction when I explained the situation was completely opposite. This large, plush cat with her delicate pink nose was fearful and worried. She didn’t want to get into any trouble. I showed her the same pictures of the house and yard with the white light as the boundary. I described it to her as a “safety bubble” and told her she would be fine if she stayed inside this boundary. She wouldn’t get into any trouble and nothing bad would happen to her there. She was relieved. 

With the exception of a couple excursions into the adjacent yard by Freddie while Vaughn worked in the garden near the fence, the cats have complied with the request. They are able to retain the freedom to enjoy a roll in the grass, to sun themselves and hang out on the porch with Vaughn, while also preventing a stressful interaction with animal control. A happy solution for everyone! 

Here’s what Vaughn had to say about the sessions with her cats:

 “Shelly was spot on in her description of two very different cats she never met physically.  I am thrilled by the results. If you have any concerns with your animals, she can help. She has an uncanny way of opening to the animals and creating a space in which they can clearly communicate what’s going on and hear what’s needed. I can’t recommend her enough.” 

Some kind of hound mix by the looks of her folded over ears, long tail and lanky body. I decided to call her Willow. Hoping to win her trust so that I could help her, I bought special treats from the pet store and offered
them to her on a flat rock outside her lair. She was highly attuned to my movements and body language and even my voice was disturbing to her. I had to be aware of my intentions, gestures and gaze to avoid scaring her.

I sat on the ground about 20’ away to gently watch and allow her to become comfortable with my presence. I began returning during random times of
day, placing treats on the rock and retreating to my usual sitting spot. I didn’t expect anything from her and offered simple, unobtrusive company and the chance to know me as a safe person. After a few days of leaving food for her, she felt comfortable coming towards me to take treats from the flat rock that I had now moved to a place halfway between us.

A few more days passed and I moved the rock to a spot just two feet away from where I was sitting. I placed a treat out and waited, looking away at the sky and breathing into my belly while feeling myself rooted, quiet and relaxed. I sat perfectly still with my elbows propped on my knees and my head turned away. She approached and took the treat, quickly turning to go back to her soft hole under the cattle ramp. I put another treat on the rock and a second one on the top of my shoe. She came towards me more quickly and ate the first one and then, to my delight, she ate the second one off the top of my shoe! I made no attempt to touch her or even to move, only looking towards her softly when she chose to lay down a few feet away.

Sharon laughed in her email and wrote me that it was the red waffle iron he was showing me! His favorite treat came out of that red thing on the counter and he was trying to tell me about it!  The crumbs of waffle that Sharon had me hold on my shoulder were enough encouragement for Chico to step over onto me for a visit. His little feet tickled as he stood and ate the waffle bits. When he finished, he went back to perching on Sharon, descending the front of her shirt and checking me out some more. What a delightful little character!

 The next time I connected with Chico, the reading was equally unusual. This time he made it clear that he was concerned about Sharon. He said she had some stuckness around her solar plexus and there was a need for her to have some energy work to help. And he wanted to assist.

Since I’m a Craniosacral Therapist, the readings I offer for people’s animals usually include some distance healing as well. It’s particularly helpful in releasing trauma and Sharon had experienced a mishap while riding a horse and that had impacted her abdomen.

When I arrived with my table for the appointment, Sharon brought Chico’s cage into the room with us for the session. She placed it on a cabinet near where we would be working together, but didn’t open the cage door. I clarified that Chico wanted to help with the session by being free to connect with us in any way he chose.

I observed him as I worked quietly with Sharon. He came out of the open cage and slid down the blanket draped over the side like someone rappelling down a cliff. Then he hopped onto the edge of my water glass and leaned in for a sip before turning and pooping in it, which made both Sharon and I laugh. He was owning the space!

As I worked with Sharon over about an hour, Chico eventually made his way to her shoulder where he watched me carefully; looking at me first with one eye then the other; supervising my work. When I began connecting with Sharon’s solar plexus things got very interesting. Chico suddenly bent forward, fluffed up his feathers and shook himself. A fraction of a second later, I felt a strong discharge of energy from Sharon’s body go down my back and out my legs! This happened repeatedly, with Chico sensing what was coming right before I felt the energy release.

After this had happened several times, Chico told us the session was done by flying right back into his cage! I was astonished. Clearly this little being knew exactly what he was doing to help and support Sharon-and I was merely the interpreter. 

(As a side note: Sharon has given me permission to share this story with others who would enjoy hearing it and benefit from knowing about animal communication.) 

I decided to take a different approach since all I really wanted to do was connect with her and give her a pat. I wanted her to understand my intention and not feel she had to be wary of me coming close to her for any reason. I stopped and took a deep breath, feeling my body come to a quiet stillness.

I closed my eyes and made a clear picture in my mind of me walking up to her shoulder and scratching the underside of her neck and her chest. After a few moments of visualization, I opened my eyes and looked at her.

She had her head down and was nipping off the grass. I started walking towards her and she kept grazing, allowing me to walk right up to her shoulder as I had imagined.

I scratched her neck and talked to her in a soothing voice, still holding the leash in my hand. She stayed with me while I petted and scratched her all over, not making the slightest attempt to walk away from me. My mental pictures had been stronger than the physical evidence of the leash I held in my hand. After a few minutes of soft connection with her, Firework and I walked back to the house together, the leash now stuffed away in my pocket.

Several years had passed, and after moving away and not interacting with May at all, I went out to the pasture recently to take some photos of her for this blog. There she was, grazing with two new horses. I stood outside the fence and said hello to her out loud, even though she was too far away to hear me.

Noticing my presence, she pricked her ears forward with curiosity and began walking directly towards me. I climbed through the fence and snapped some photos as she approached.

After sniffing my hands, she turned and positioned her body at an angle; a gesture that clearly invited me to put my hands on her shoulder. I then recalled that she had recently cut one of her legs on the fence, but it had mostly healed and she wasn’t limping. I didn’t know which one it was and casually asked out loud if she would show me. To my surprise, she lifted the leg nearest to me and I saw the grayish scab near her hoof!

A tingling discharge of energy suddenly ran down the back of my body as some residual trauma energy from the injury released. That must have been all she wanted because she turned and walked away, standing nearby in the sun; remembering my hands from another gentle encounter. 

 Another has two thick puffs of orange feathers on his forehead like misplaced eyebrows, since his little round eyes are actually on the sides of his head. A third has a cap of orange covering his head with what appears like a bald spot in his feathered orange hair, brown feathers showing through on the top of his head. Or perhaps his little knit cap is simply in need of mending.

 A Meadowlark suddenly proclaims the brightening day from some unknown perch, the song of it calling out to beckon spring. 

A shiny Red-Winged Blackbird alights at the table of birdseed, joining the other guests. They enjoy the morning feast and then depart to the welcoming depths of the Spruce tree to chatter together and wipe their beaks. Whenever I feel glum in these last clinging days of winter, the cheerful happiness of these song full creatures lifts my spirits and centers me in unquestionable knowing. Spring is near.

She had turned the container so the clear bottom was facing my direction. I could see her tiny red tongue deftly flicking the remaining yogurt off the bottom, circling around in increments as if carefully washing a dirty window. When she popped her head out to look at me, she would lick her lips with satisfaction. Finishing the first course in her unusual breakfast, she scampered to the end of the picnic table where she found the bright green and black caterpillar I had put there the night before. It had seemed out of place on the bare ground, it’s colors contrasting with the dark soil instead of camouflaging it’s presence. I had picked it up to avoid stepping on it. Clutching it in her delicate paws, the chipmunk began eating it. I could see it’s goopy moistness stretching from her mouth like melted cheese as she nibbled it.

After enjoying the plumb caterpillar feast, she scampered to a patch of dandelion greens and yanked several large leaves out, folding them over neatly and then methodically stuffing them in her mouth while chewing rapidly. Undoubtedly a bitter aperitif to help digest her rich and unusual meal! By this time I had finished my tea and my heart was warm with the laughter brought by my bold and hungry visitor. And she didn’t seem to mind being my delightful and surprising guest.

The tips of the Cottonwood trees lining the ditch path now have gleaming golden leaves and the weeds lining the path have reached their full capacity, creating a tangle along the edges. Fillmore likes to trot alongside me with his nose to the dusty path, sniffing everything and then falling behind my steady strides. I hear his pattering feet thundering to catch up and he passes me, a mess of flying hair and scattering dirt. He always stops not far away, turning to look at me quizzically. He wants to make sure I’m coming, his eyes catching mine under the fringe of bangs. I smile. “Yes I’m coming.” He likes my company too.

I love how the ends of his twirled hair swing back and forth like a dusty skirt as he trots along. He must be impossible to keep clean. Soon he needs a drink and simply pushes himself down through the weeds, alighting in the ditch and doing a little swimming while lapping up the water. Of course, when he gets out he stands right next to me to shake off his sopping wet coat of muddy hair! No matter, he is gleaming with infectious happiness. We wind along together in content silence towards my house, the sun warming us both. It seems like such a simple thing to walk together, but my friend Fillmore gives me a gift every time he accompanies me. It’s the gift of having my heart opened to irresistible joy.