Journeying with Animals –

Saturday, June 16, 2012 from 10am to 4pm, $90; a light vegetarian lunch and herbal teas will be provided.

Shamanic Journeying allows us to more deeply explore our spiritual communion with animals by enabling us to…

…relax and travel into realms that honor the Spirit of all Life

…open up to the wisdom and healing available to us

…receive messages and teachings from the Masters – the animals themselves

…increase our awareness and consciousness of other species

…and enjoy the beauty and bliss of communing with the animals in a deep and soulful manner.

Gathering together in a small group, I will guide you through the Shamanic Journeying process. Everyone will have an opportunity to connect with a Power Animal and much more. There will be ample time for journaling and sharing your experiences.

This workshop is ideal for those who treasure the path of interspecies communication and wish to explore Shamanic Journeying as a resource to help broaden and deepen their experience with animals.

Space is limited so please contact me prior to registering for the workshop to ensure availability: (828) 337-4686 or rain@rainhummingbird.com. Thank you.

Directions and additional information will be provided after registration.

(Author unknown)

We had this great 10 year old cat named Jack who just recently died. Jack was a great cat and the kids would carry him around and sit on him and nothing ever bothered him. He used to hang out and nap all day long on this mat in our bathroom. We have 3 kids and at the time of this story they were 4 years old, 3 years old and 1 year old. The middle one is Eli. Eli really loves chapstick. LOVES it. He kept asking to use my chapstick and then losing it. So finally one day I showed him where in the bathroom I keep my chapstick and how he could use it whenever he wanted to but he needed to put it right back in the drawer when he was done.

Last year on Mother’s Day, we were having the typical rush around and try to get ready for church with everyone crying and carrying on. My two boys are fighting over the toy in the cereal box. I am trying to nurse my little one at the same time I am putting on my make-up. Everything is a mess and everyone has long forgotten that this is a wonderful day to honor me and the amazing job that is motherhood.

We finally have the older one and the baby loaded in the car and I am looking for Eli. I searched everywhere and I finally rounded the corner to go into the bathroom, and there was Eli. He was applying my chapstick very carefully to Jack’s . . . rear end. Eli looked right into my eyes and said “chapped.” Now, if you have a cat, you know that he is right–their little butts do look pretty chapped. And, frankly, Jack didn’t seem to mind.

And the only question to really ask at that point was whether it was the FIRST time Eli had done that to the cat’s behind or the hundredth. And THAT is my favorite Mother’s Day moment ever because it reminds us that no matter how hard we try to civilize these glorious little creatures, there will always be that day when you realize they’ve been using your chapstick on the cat’s butt.

Teach Us And Show Us The Way
by Chinook (Anonymous)

We call upon the earth, our planet home, with its beautiful depths and soaring heights,
its vitality and abundance of life, and together we ask that it

Teach us, and show us the Way.

We call upon the mountains, the high green valleys and meadows filled with wild flowers,
the snows that never melt, the summits of intense silence, and we ask that they

Teach us, and show us the Way.

We call upon the waters that rim the earth, horizon to horizon, that flow in our rivers and streams,
that fall upon our gardens and fields and we ask that they

Teach us, and show us the Way.

We call upon the land which grows our food, the nurturing soil, the fertile fields,
the abundant gardens and orchards, and we ask that they

Teach us, and show us the Way.

We call upon the forests, the great trees reaching strongly to the sky with earth in their roots
and the heavens in their branches, the fir and the pine and the cedar, and we ask them to

Teach us, and show us the Way.

We call upon the creatures of the fields and forests and the seas, our brothers and sisters the wolves and deer,
the eagle and dove, the great whales and the dolphin, who share our home, and we ask them to

Teach us, and show us the Way.

We call upon all those who have lived on this earth, our ancestors and our friends, who dreamed the best for future generations, and upon whose lives our lives are built, and with thanksgiving, we call upon them to

Teach us, and show us the Way.

And lastly, we call upon all that we hold most sacred, the presence and power of the Great Spirit of love and truth which flows through all the Universe, to be with us to

Teach us, and show us the Way.

Heartfelt Lessons From My Cat

About 10 months after I moved into my cottage across from the Blue Ridge Parkway; I was walking from my back door to my workshop, when this young Tortoiseshell cat came out of nowhere, jumped into my arms and started licking me all over.

Wow- how unusual! My own 4 spoiled fur kids don’t even do that.

Needless to say, Gizi became my outdoor cat. I built a mudroom off my back door so she’d have shelter, yet could come and go as she pleased.

Well almost.

You see, all my cats through the years have stayed inside so I would always know they were safe. So when Gizi came in for her evening meal, I would lock her cat door so she’d be in for the night where the raccoons, foxes and other night wanderers couldn’t harm her.

But Gizi had other plans. She stopped coming home in the evenings and I was forced to go to bed and ”trust” that she knew what she was doing.

About a week later, I was surprised to see her back in her room, asking for her evening meal.

“Gotcha tonight” I exclaimed as I bent down to lock the cat door.

Incredible—the lock was broken—had Gizi found a way to do this?

I began to realize that this little cat had come to me to teach me, not only to trust, but to let go of control.

It’s been 8 years since Gizi became a part of my life and the bond we have is amazing. She sends me pictures of where she is when she is accidentally locked up or stuck somewhere, and has even come to me in the dreamtime, when she was missing for 4 days. Gizi has been a warrior that protects her property from other animals and has left me gifts of rodents she’s killed.

Seven months ago Gizi was shot and had to have her leg amputated.

I can’t imagine living without a leg- how will she handle this?

To my surprise, she found her balance pretty quickly and as she got stronger, she not only ran around the house, but I saw her throw her toy up in the air and jump on her 3 legs to catch it!

Very entertaining!

This amazing, beautiful creature has taught me to get balance in my life and to learn to adapt to whatever life throws my way. Although no longer a warrior, Gizi is doing just that as she is enjoying her new role as Princess of the house.

Enjoy and Happy Spring!

This live (teleconference), interactive class, which you can participate in from the comfort of your home, starts April 3. This will be an in-depth, 6 hour workshop scheduled in four 90-minute classes. I will guide you through exercises and share techniques that will allow you to communicate with animals and you will have the opportunity to communicate with an animal in this class.

Details & Registration

6-hour animal communication workshop scheduled in four 90-minute classes.

Tuesdays, April 3, 10, 17, 24; 7 PM – 8:30 PM (US EDT)

Registration: $135

To register, click here.

Course Description

Telepathic Animal Communication is a natural way of communicating between all living beings…and everyone can learn how – all it takes is training and practice! This class will teach you about the nature of intuition and telepathic communication and key steps you can practice at home. Most of us who love animals are already experiencing this amazing connection with the animals in our lives, and we simply need to become aware and open our hearts to deeper understanding.

• Learn how to quiet and focus your attention.
• Practice opening the channel to transmit messages with animals and to receive what they communicate telepathically in thoughts, images, impressions, feelings, messages.
• Discover blocks to communicating with animals and how to overcome them.
• Enjoy exercises that open your heart, increase your awareness and understanding of animals and your receptivity to telepathic communication.
• Learn how to experience animals’ perspectives, how you may have already communicated telepathically with animals, and how to expand on that.
• Discover how nurturing a heart-centered connection can enhance your relationships with your animal companions, bringing clearer understanding about their needs, behaviors, wishes, humor, wisdom and purpose in our lives.
• Experience what it is like to expand into an entirely new level of communicating with your animal friends. I invite you to open your heart and mind to this natural and intuitive connection!

This class is appropriate for everyone ~ won’t you join us?

What is a Tele-Class

This is a live, interactive class conducted over the phone, on a conference line which enables you to learn from anywhere in the world without the cost and inconvenience of travel. Once you have registered for the class, you will receive an email confirmation with the teleclass access codes and other pertinent details.

Optional post-class follow-up session

Schedule a one-hour individual phone consultation (mentoring session) with me to assist you personally with deepening your intuitive and animal communication abilities. Post class discount: $75; normally $90.

I am so excited to share this information with all animal lovers. For questions or more information, please contact me directly at 828-337-4686 or rain@rainhummingbird.com. To register, click here.

Dylan, photo courtesy of Donna

As I have said throughout this series, animal communication is a natural and innate ability already within you. Your connection to animals and the deepening of your telepathic abilities is something to cultivate in your life. And that means, practice, practice, practice. Practicing with a wide variety of animals and in various situations on an ongoing basis will help you hone and deepen your skills.

The more dedicated you are to your practice, the more you will receive, the more accurate you will become and the easier this will be. So, let this be easy. Imagine that your animal communication practice is like a feather in the wind. The feather allows itself to glide and be carried by the wind. Be the feather in the wind. Honor the flow of your intuition and allow this process to deepen naturally in its own time.

To recap what you have learned in this 6-part series, and to assist you in moving forward with ease and grace with your animal communication practice, may I suggest you keep the following mantras at hand: 

• Be Present: relaxed, centered, grounded and alert.
• Be Open and Receptive to all intuitive flow in your life. Cultivate this relationship with yourself.
• Perceive Not Project. First impressions are the intuition. Second-guessing is the rational mind.
• Acknowledge and Accept whatever you receive and express your gratitude.
• Practice, Practice, Practice 

Have fun! Best wishes for a joyful journey with animal communication!

Many people find it helpful to take a workshop or work one-on-one with a mentor to deepen their animal communication skills. If you would like assistance at any time, I would welcome the opportunity to be of service to you. To find out more about mentoring and my upcoming workshop in April, please visit my website http://rainhummingbird.com/workshops/ or feel free to contact me at 828-337-4686 or rain@rainhummingbird.com.

My Merlin doing kitty yoga

Hopefully you have been practicing communicating with animals and having fun. Of course, as with any new practice, it takes time to become proficient.

People living in modern industrial societies have a tendency to question their intuitive abilities. We ask: “Did I get it right?” “Am I making this up in my head?” Sometimes we become discouraged, thinking we cannot communicate with animals at all. Allow me to reassure you that you are not alone if at some point you question your abilities. But, have faith. A temporary moment of discouragement in not cause to throw in the towel. My suggestion is to acknowledge the thought and then release it. Perhaps say to yourself: “Oh, there’s my mind trying to convince me I can not do this. Rubbish. I can do this. I am communicating with animals.” Let go of limiting thoughts, refocus your attention, honor your intuition, and move on.

There is a learning curve with animal communication. Chances are, you did not learn to read a novel before you learned the alphabet and words. Be gentle with yourself. Allow animal communication to unfold in your life easily over time. You will be glad you did. The joy of being able to communicate with animals is extraordinary and the resulting deepening of the bond you share with your animal companions is well worth any effort involved in practicing telepathic communication.

I encourage you to trust, honor and respect your intuition and to cultivate this relationship with your Higher Self.

One of the things you will learn as you continue to practice animal communication is differentiating between perception and projection. Intuition is immediate. Whatever perception comes first, this is the answer. Projections are thoughts that come from the mind. In short: first impressions are the intuition; second-guessing is the rational mind.

With gentleness and innocence, notice if there are any ways you may have limited or blocked any messages. If so, recognize and release these perceived obstacles and limitations now. Let them go. Know and trust that as you move forward in deepening your telepathic abilities, you do so with an open mind and heart. Be gentle with yourself and recognize that you are learning and expanding your perceptions now. Practice regularly and you will see your accuracy and proficiency expand and improve.

Also, honoring your intuition is not something to relegate solely to your animal communication practice. Guidance and information is available to you at all times and useful in all aspects of your life. Have you ever had a ‘feeling’ to take a different route home, not followed your intuitive flash, and then found yourself stuck in traffic? Perhaps you had a ‘feeling’ to take your umbrella when leaving your home one morning, even though it was a clear sunny day, and mid afternoon a rainstorm developed. All of these, and countless other helpful messages, stream into our consciousness all of the time, if we allow them to. The more you open to and honor your intuitive abilities in all aspects of your life, the easier animal communication will be for you. It is all the same thing.

As for moving through those times when you may doubt your telepathic communication with animals, remember that anything and everything you do to acknowledge and accept whatever you receive will foster more flow. Resist analyzing, evaluating or criticizing. This only creates blocks and obstacles to the flow. Do not be afraid to acknowledge whatever communication you get. Do not worry about what other people think. For that matter, do not worry about what your mind thinks. Rather, acknowledge and accept whatever you receive and express your gratitude. Think of a garden hose in which water flows naturally and effortlessly. When kinked, however, the flow is blocked. Intuition is similar. I encourage you not to stand on the hose but rather let your intuitive abilities flow. Be in the flow of your life.

In summary, believe in your ability to send and receive messages from animals. Do not invalidate your perceptions and impressions in any way. Acknowledge and accept whatever you receive and say “Yes!” to your intuition. It is not about being right or wrong. It is a matter of opening and practicing. Relax. Have fun. This is a joy!

If I can be of service to you at any time, please call me at 828-337-4686, send an email to: rain@rainhummingbird.com or view my website, http://rainhummingbird.com/workshops/, for information about mentoring sessions and my upcoming workshop in April.

Duke, photo courtesy of Diane

Telepathic communication does not require being in the physical presence of one another. However, some people find it easier, at least initially, to connect telepathically with an animal that is physically present. Either way is fine. Some people prefer making the connection with their eyes closed. Others prefer gently focusing on an animal or a photo of an animal. Again, there are no right or wrong ways to connect. Whatever works best for you is fine. I encourage you to experiment with both having animals present, and not; with either closing your eyes, or gently focusing on an animal or photo. Try different ways and see what is most comfortable for you.

In Lesson 3, you had the opportunity to practice sending and receiving messages with a friend. Now you will do this with an animal. Perhaps there is a special animal in your life you would like to ask, or one that has volunteered to help you. You can also ask a friend if you can connect with their animal companion. You may also wish to try this with animals in nature. As always, have fun with this and experiment.

Before you choose an animal to work with, let the animal know you would like to practice animal communication and ask the animal to assist you. When you are fully present, calm, relaxed and alert (refer to the relaxation exercise in Lesson 1 if needed), let the animal know you are learning to open more deeply to communicating with animals. Be humble and ask the animal to help you. Listen and watch for a response, whether telepathic or physical. If you do not feel you can receive an answer telepathically yet, ask the animal to give you a sign if they would like to help you. Be open to their response and let your telepathic senses expand. Most animals are so delighted you want to communicate with them, they are eager to be of service to you. Acknowledge and accept whatever response you receive and thank the animal.

Let’s begin!

Relax and be present in the moment (refer to the relaxation exercise in Lesson 1 if needed). Now, telepathically greet the animal. Send a message saying hello. Pause and see if you receive a reply. Relax. Have fun with this. If at any time you feel your own thoughts streaming in, step back energetically, refocus your attention, focus on your breath, relax, be present, grounded and centered, and begin again. Animal communication has a natural flow, just like any conversation. Keep it simple. When you’re ready, telepathically ask the animal a simple question. Perhaps ask them how they are feeling. Relax. Be open and receptive to whatever comes to you. Remember that messages may come in many forms: a feeling, sensation, image, sense of knowing, or another way. This may be different at various times or vary with different animals. Be open to surprises! Say “yes!” to whatever form the messages come to you. Acknowledge and accept whatever you receive. Thank the animal for sending you a message. Continue the process of receiving and relaying messages, just as you would in any conversation. Remember to keep it simple. Do not make this hard; it is not difficult. Let it be easy. Resist any temptation to analyze, evaluate or criticize. Let the meaning unfold naturally. Remain innocent and nonjudgmental. Acknowledge and accept whatever you get and enjoy the process. Thank the animal for communicating with you.

In the beginning, I suggest you keep your communications brief and simple, fostering an environment that allows you to build confidence over time. Keep your thoughts positive. Trust your ability to easily and effortlessly send and receive messages. You do not need to initially understand the full meaning of every message. Accuracy and proficiency will come with practice. Simply focus on an easy and effortless exchange of messages. Keep it simple. As you advance, ask for clarification if there is something you do not understand or you wish to have more information about. However, do not keep asking the same question over and over. If you find yourself unable to receive clearly at some point, take a break. Come back to the communication when you feel centered, relaxed and alert. Be gentle with yourself and have fun!

Many people find it helpful to take a workshop or work one-on-one with a mentor to study animal communication and have assistance developing their skills. If you would like assistance at any time, I would welcome the opportunity to be of service to you. To find out more about mentoring and my upcoming workshop in April, please visit my website http://rainhummingbird.com/workshops/ or feel free to contact me at 828-337-4686 or rain@rainhummingbird.com.

Communication is a two-way process of receiving and sending messages. Both require being fully present in the moment, as was covered in Lesson 1. In Lesson 2 you had the opportunity to recall ways you have already received messages from animals. Now we will discuss ways to transmit telepathic messages.

Telepathic transmissions happen among all beings all of the time. Most of us have had telepathic experiences: One example I frequently use is thinking about a friend who then suddenly phones you. And vice versa. This is telepathic communication. A message was transmitted by one and received by another. With animal communication, the exchange of messages is happening purposefully with an animal. In other words, you are intentionally connecting with an animal and transmitting and receiving messages between one another.

For this next exercise, you will need a partner to practice telepathically sending and receiving messages. You can choose to practice sending messages with an animal and request a sign of confirmation. However, in the beginning, I suggest practicing with another person so you can receive verbal feedback. This will help build your confidence and reassure you that you are clearly sending and receiving messages.

I suggest you choose a partner who is open to telepathic communication and willing to participate in this with you with a sense of innocence, wonder and enjoyment. I also encourage you to have fun playing this game! Keep it simple and light. Don’t be concerned about getting it ‘right’. You are just getting started. Have fun, be gentle with yourself and do not be attached to the outcome. With practice, you will become more proficient.

To begin, select what you and your partner will telepathically communicate. It may be a color, a place, a favorite food or whatever you wish. Decide who will be the sender and who will be the receiver. Repeat the exercise, alternating between being the sender and receiver. For the purpose of writing this exercise out for you, I will use a color. I learned this exercise over two decades ago from Penelope Smith, the pioneer of animal communication. To this day, I still remember that, as the sender in the exercise, I visualized a butterfly with iridescent blue wings. This is a powerful exercise that can greatly enhance your intuitive abilities. I encourage you to practice this often.

Whoever will be the sender can choose a color and let the receiver know what color was selected. Ready?

Gently close your eyes. Feel your feet on the earth, grounded and totally supported. Breathe deeply, releasing any tension. (Review the relaxation exercise in Lesson 1 if you wish.) Allow your childlike innocence to take over and approach this exercise with a sense of playfulness and wonder. Do not force your thoughts. This is a fun game. Be open to surprises. Relax and breathe. Now, gently become aware of your partner. Breathing, relaxed, all is well. Gently feel your breath at your heart center. Breathe. Gently allow your heart to open, breathing, relaxed. This is easy. All is well. Feel connected to your partner through the love light of your heart center. Relax. Breathe. Feel the connection between you and your partner, heart to heart. Imagine that you have doors at the center of your heart and gently open these doors slowly allowing your connection to one another to deepen. Breathe. Senders, feel your color as best you can. What are its qualities? Is it soft or bright, warm or cool? What shade is it; dark or light? What feeling, emotion or physical sensation do you feel with this color? It is important to feel the color. If you stay in that feeling you will transmit that feeling to your partner. You may also think of objects or images you associate with this color. Transmit this to your receiver now. Allow all of this to flow gently from your heart center and into the heart center of your partner. Receivers, allow the color to flow into your own heart center. Feel the color. Is it soft or bright; warm or cool? How light or dark is the color? Open your awareness to any images, thoughts, sensations, tastes, smells, sounds, emotions or perceptions your partner has sent. When you are ready, open your eyes. Receivers, jot down a description of whatever information you received.

Now, share the information with one another. First, receivers share what you received. I encourage you to speak in declarative statements: “I saw…,” “I felt…,” “I heard…,” “I had a knowing of…” etc. I encourage you not to include comments like: “Well, I don’t know if this is accurate, but…” Please do not invalidate your intuition. That will not help you deepen your abilities. In fact, invalidating statements reinforce blocks and limitations. Simply and clearly state what you received. Remember, this was a game to help you hone your intuitive abilities. So, acknowledge and accept whatever you received. You are just starting out and the goal is to have fun with this so you will continue to practice and develop your skills over time. While the receiver is speaking, the sender should listen attentively, not commenting until the receiver is done. Once complete, the sender can share feedback, such as: “What I sent was an image of…,” “the feeling of…” etc. There are no judgments here. There is no good/bad or right/wrong. Simply acknowledge what was sent and received and thank one another for doing the exercise together. Good job!

The more you practice telepathically sending and receiving messages, the easier it will be. Over time, you will receive more, and more accurate, information in your communications.

If at any time you would like assistance, please feel free to contact me at 828-337-4686 or rain@rainhummingbird.com or visit my website http://rainhummingbird.com/workshops/ for information about mentoring sessions and my upcoming workshop in April. It is a pleasure to be of service to you.