Enabling

08/20/14

We all know what it means to enable someone to stay stuck in a bad habit or pattern. We make excuses and cover for them, or help instead of encouraging them to do it themselves. Unfortunately, we also enable our animal companions in the same way and often cripple them emotionally. While we think we are being compassionate and kind, often we are actually limiting the actions and responses of our dear friends.

I hear it all the time – “my dog can’t be alone for even a minute,” “my bunnies have to be separated or they will kill each other,” “my cat will only eat tuna,” “my horse goes crazy if I leave town.” Now these things may all be true at this time, but there are ways to help your animals change.

Don’t allow the WHAT IS OF TODAY to create the future. There are endless possibilities for each being on this planet and just because your dog was abused in the past, doesn’t mean it will never heal and be happy, healthy and whole. But it will stay stuck in the past and that old habitual pattern if you keep enabling it to do just that.

So what to do? Assess the situation objectively. Do some research and see if there are professional trainers who can help you modify the behavior. Maybe there are some new products on the market or things you’ve never tried like emotional release techniques. Just because it’s been this way for a while, doesn’t mean it has to stay this way.

The most important thing for you to do is to hold the vision of what you want. That’s right, hold the vision and allow your animal to expand to meet it. If you want a happy relaxed dog that sleeps when you are away, you must hold that vision and send that picture to your dog as often as possible. Allow yourself to believe that it is possible, then set out to find things that will help.

We all want what’s best for our animals - a critter that is happy, healthy and well adjusted in all situations. So please, don’t limit your animals by enabling them to stay stuck in unhealthy patterns. Find some help and hold the vision. Be realistic – expect a miracle.

Communicating with Trees

August 11, 2014

I know many of you understand that we can communicate with our animals, but do you know that you can also communicate with all of nature? Everything has consciousness and therefore you can communicate with anything – rocks, trees, plants, animals, even the elements of air, wind, earth and water.

I find that trees are very friendly and easy to connect with. If you develop a relationship with a tree in your yard or nearby, you’ll be amazed at the friendship that can result. So find a tree that you love and start spending time with it.

Sit across from the tree and gaze at it silently. Often you will see faces in the bark. Or sit with your back against it and ask that it help you ground and get calm. Trees can take us to a very quiet place where telepathy happens.

Me (on left) hugging a giant Redwood

I also like to put my arms around the tree and hold it until I feel my heartbeat sync up with the beat of the tree (you just have to trust me on this one). Then call out mentally to the tree and introduce yourself. Tell the tree how much you appreciate it and what it does for you, your area and the planet. Now relax and open up your heart and listen. Notice the images, thoughts, words or feelings that come in, and accept them as real. The more you do this, the deeper your relationship will become and the more information you can gain. You also might think of interesting questions to ask, like what’s your favorite season, time of day, or critter that hangs out in this area?

Some of the coconut palms in Bimini were yellowing and not doing well this year. We all sat down and talked to them asking what it was that they needed. There were some minerals and nutrients lacking in the soil, but many of the trees said that they needed acknowledgment. They didn’t like that we brushed by them and never even said Hello. It was quite a lesson for some of the people in my group.

I have had many amazing conversations with trees and they so love it when we acknowledge them and connect. They stand silently for hundreds of years, holding the energy of the planet, giving us food, wood, shade and oxygen. It’s time we showed our appreciation and offered our friendship.

Let me know how it goes. I’d love to hear your tree stories.

Litter Box Issues

August 3, 2014

I get several calls each month about cats peeing around the house. They do this for many reasons, but these are the top three to consider.

1. Medical condition – If your cat is peeing out of the box you should immediately make an appointment with your veterinarian. Any change in your cat’s behavior can indicate a medical problem. Inappropriate urinating can indicate a urinary tract infection, cystitis, crystals in the bladder, or other urinary tract diseases. Cats who feel pain when they urinate will avoid the box, either because they associate it with pain, or they are trying to show you that they hurt.

2. Marking – Some cats will mark or spray outside of the litter box. They may be communicating with other cats (inside or outside) about their territory, or they may be stressed. Cats can mark by squatting and urinating on a flat surface or by backing up to a vertical surface and spraying. This can also indicate a medical issue. Stress will cause cats to put their scent around, so that they feel safer.

3. Litter box aversion – Sometimes a cat has an issue with the box itself. He may not like the location, the size (it could be too small), it’s not clean enough, or the type of litter that’s used.  Most cats prefer a natural soft litter that is not scented. It’s also important to find a litter that is dust free as litter dust can cause allergies and sinus issues in cats. Most cats prefer an open box so they can see what’s going on around them, but some like a little box with a lid or cover.

There are other reasons why kitties urinate inappropriately such as aggression or behavior problems with other animals in the household. Some are reacting to noises or negative energies in the space. Cats even can take on and mirror our own anxiety and stress through this behavior.

I hope that you won’t ever have this issue in your household, but if you do, please take your cat to the vet and ask that they look for all possible causes, not just infection. If your cat gets a clean bill of health, look at the other causes above and if you still can’t figure it out, give me a call.