Animals have their own destinies and life paths, as do humans. One difference between humans and animals is that humans have freewill. This affords humans the choice to override or resist their desires to eat, sleep, play and die, while animals rely on instinct for these behaviors.

Using their instincts, animals eat when they are hungry, sleep when they are tired, play when they are feeling playful and leave the planet when they are called. Observing their ways helps us to reconnect with our instinctual nature. This instinctual part of ourselves is connected to nature’s rhythms and cycles—just like our pets. This aspect of our nature has instincts and intuitions that speak to us very subtly. Their messages are so subtle that they are easily unheard, ignored, or downplayed by our freewill. Our pets remind us, by their example, to acknowledge this aspect of ourselves.

If animals had freewill, they, too, could override their instincts. The rhythms and cycles of nature would be very much disturbed if nocturnal animals decided to stay up late. In overriding our own instinctual needs for sleep, we disrupt our body’s rhythms and cycles. When we consciously override a desire for sleep to complete a deadline, we can also consciously do what it takes to get ourselves back into balance. It is when we unconsciously and chronically override our needs that we create problems for ourselves.

To further emphasize this important point, if an animal in the wild ate out of boredom, this would greatly disrupt our ecosystem and create obesity in nature. Animals eat when they are hungry. Yet humans also choose to eat when they are tired, stressed, depressed or bored. We might even override our hunger-signals with a cigarette, sugary snack or cup of coffee to keep us going. Our destruction in these cases is directed toward ourselves and the ecosystem that is disrupted is our physical body. 

A pet can be overweight because their family excessively feeds them treats as a means of showing love and getting love. If this is the case, you may be overriding your instincts of what is best for your pet. You may also want to revisit your beliefs around love and its association with reward. If you think that your pet desires a treat, he could really be desiring some love and has associated love, by your lead, with a treat. Obesity in a pet can also be due to lack of exercise and boredom. Animals in the wild are stimulated by the goings on of nature. When choosing to have an animal in your care, it is important to stimulate them since you have taken on nature’s responsibility. 

Just because we possess the ability to choose doesn’t make us better, and it doesn’t mean that we always make the best choices for ourselves or our pets. Most humans have lost touch with the helpful aspect of their instinctual nature. Choice, our gift of freewill, is a wonderful gift that humans have when it is used for the highest good for all concerned, but it can also be very destructive when it is not. Observing our pet’s instinctual nature can help us to more wisely utilize our freewill.

Pets Remind Us To Be In The Moment

Our pets live in the present moment. They don’t worry about what the past has brought or what the future will bring. Because of their connection to nature, they trust that they will be warned of impending danger and don’t get caught up in worrying about possible worst-case scenarios. Their instincts also allow them to move forward with associations. If there is enough of a negative association, they will avoid a similar encounter in the future; and if there is a positive association, they will embrace the encounter when it comes their way. 

When Kiara was a kitten, she put her paw in the door of the dishwasher just as I was closing it … ouch! Kiara does not lose sleep over her dishwasher encounter, but you can be sure that she stays clear of the dishwasher door when it is open since that episode. Her brother, on the other hand, will jump right into the dishwasher when I am loading it. He does not share her fear because he has not had a bad experience with the dishwasher.

Because of our freewill, we have the ability to learn from our experiences and move forward with what we have learned. Unfortunately, if an experience is undesirable, we often move forward, like Kiara, with the fear of experiencing a similar incident in the future. Control is a means that many people use in an effort to ensure that the undesirable won’t be repeated. Controlling your environment and those in it, in efforts to avoid the possibility of an undesirable outcome, will pull you out of the present moment because you are expecting the past to be repeated. Unfortunately, in this case, our instinctual nature can trip us up. Our animal friends, in this case, can show us the limitations of instinctual fears alone.

It has been documented that prior to the tsunami, animals found safety by going to higher ground. Nature sent out a warning. And because of the animals’ connection to nature’s rhythms, they sensed the warning and heeded it. There were very few animal deaths because of this. There were also aboriginal tribes in tune with nature’s rhythms. They, too, sensed nature’s warning and sought higher ground. The aborigines who were fishing went further out to sea for safety and avoided tragedy.

Observing your pet can remind you of what it means to live in the moment. If you fear that the past will be repeated in the moment, it is likely that you have some unfinished business that needs tending to. Your freewill in conjunction with your instinctual self affords you the opportunity to learn from a less than desirable experience and to move forward with what you have learned. In this way, you move forward with more of yourself and don’t have to worry about repeating the past. 

It is fun every now and then to give yourself permission to have a pet day—a day when you allow your instinctual self to be your guide for the entire day. Listen to this aspect of yourself, be sure that your means to act is for the highest good for all concerned, including yourself, and do it—eat when you are hungry, rest when you are tired, play when you want to play, be around people when you want, and retreat to solitude when you have had enough. 

The Lesson Of Self-Acceptance

Animals are completely accepting of who they are. A cat does not wish that they were a dog, nor does a female dog wish she was a male. Sometimes an animal’s idiosyncrasies may resemble that of another animal (i.e. a cat that plays fetch with her guardian). As humans, we might project our thoughts onto the animal and think they want to be a dog; but, in actuality, they have had their fetching behavior positively reinforced, so they continue the behavior. 

Like our pets, humans will repeat behaviors that are positively reinforced. This is how we figure out how to get our love needs met while growing up. Some of the behaviors we continue are not at all what we want to be doing as adults. Nevertheless, we find ourselves consciously or unconsciously continuing them by default. 

Pleasing others, for example, is a behavior that was positively reinforced for many of us in childhood. Pleasing others in search of approval can become addictive. If you are frustrated when your pet does not want to please you, this may be a heads-up to recognize your tendency toward seeking approval. Humans in search of approval are not accepting of themselves or others. In this way, our pets are mirroring these feelings we have about ourselves. Cats, on the other hand, are usually not interested in pleasing people. This can be irritating to approval seekers.

Freewill makes our lives more complex. It gives us more choices and we must acknowledge how our choices affect us and others. Controlling a behavior, or substituting an addiction for a more socially acceptable one, are ways of changing a behavior; but neither will create inner peace or self-acceptance. The inner turmoil that created the instinctual behavior (such as pleasing) must be healed for there to be inner peace. There must be acceptance of yourself for the reasons why you were invested in your behavior. When the purpose for your behavior has been fulfilled internally, the behavior will no longer be necessary. 

Communicating With Your Pet

Your pet can learn the meaning of some commands from you, but she does not have the ability to understand our spoken language. What she does understand and respond to is the tone of your voice. Your warm loving tone is desirable and your sharp reprimanding tone is undesirable. As a rule, rewarded behaviors are repeated and reprimanded behaviors are abandoned. 

Talking with your pet so she feels safe during any change from her routine is important. You have chosen to accept the position as her guardian, and helping her to feel safe is part of that responsibility. The best way for her to be comforted by your tone is to speak to her, so don’t worry that she doesn’t understand the words, the tone is what comforts. Just making a choice to comfort your animal is making a loving choice, and your pet will feel that love in the tone of your voice. Her instinctual nature will pick up on your feelings and tone. 

Carol’s cat, Peaches, does not enjoy going to the vet. On one particular occasion, Carol forgot to be sensitive to her anxiety. She tried to sneak Peaches’ carrier up the stairs, but she heard her and ran to the attic to hide in the eaves. Needless to say, she missed her appointment. Carol realized that she hadn’t communicated with Peaches and, instead, had tried to control her. Once she became aware of her position, she apologized to Peaches for not being sensitive to her anxiety. 

Peaches had responded to Carol’s fear. She sensed it and ran. Carol was sneaking the carrier up the stairs because she was afraid Peaches would hide if she saw it, and she did just that. Carol wasn’t respectful of either Peaches’ fear or her own. Instead, she tried to control it and it backfired. As Carol forgave herself for her approach and apologized to Peaches, she was then able to choose a loving approach for the next appointment. 

We have higher selves and animals have devas. These are the parts of us that connect us to our Creator. You can speak with your animal’s deva and ask for their assistance. Their deva won’t interfere with their destiny anymore than our higher self will interfere in ours without our permission, but they can help you to communicate with your pet so that everyones’ needs can be met. Your love can influence your pet’s destiny, just as theirs can influence yours. Communication with a deva can also be done with pictures in your mind.

The next time Peaches was scheduled to go to the vet, Carol spoke with Peaches’ deva about her appointment. She let her know that she was going to the vet and pictured how gentle and loving the vet and her assistant are toward her. She also let her know that she was going to have the injection because Carol loves her and wants to keep her healthy. When it was time to go, she held this intention of love and the visit went very smoothly. 

Messages From A Sick Pet

A sick pet can be reflecting some unfinished business or stored emotion you are holding. Receiving the messages your pet’s sickness has for you will assist him in his healing process. A sick pet is a messenger, and receiving the message can facilitate the release of the messenger—the illness.

Pam’s dog, Sandy, was diagnosed with a terminal blood disorder. His bone marrow had ceased to produce blood and it had been necessary for Sandy to have some transfusions. Pam and I began to work on what Sandy’s potential departure was bringing up for her.

Sandy’s illness was bringing up some unresolved abandonment issues from Pam’s childhood. As these issues were addressed and healed, Pam was able to be supportive of Sandy’s destiny, whatever that may be. She no longer “needed” Sandy to live in order to avoid the pain of abandonment. She certainly still desired for Sandy to live, but only if it was his destiny to do so. 

Pam had a conversation with Sandy’s deva and expressed her love, gratitude, regrets and support. She thanked him for the time that he had nurtured her inner child and let him know that she was doing this for herself now, thanks to his guidance. She told him that she was supportive of his choice, whether it be to remain with her and her husband or move on.

When Pam brought Sandy to his next checkup, his blood was fine and the blood from the transfusion should have been used up by then. The vet referred to it as a miracle. Sandy’s body was producing blood again and he was taken off of the terminal list. There was no “logical” reason to support Sandy’s return to health. In this case, Sandy’s illness was a messenger. Pam got the message and the messenger was no longer needed. 

There is always healing and growth when looking at illness from this perspective. The outcome may be death or life; but in either case, the consciousnesses of the parties involved are forever changed by the experience.

Conclusion

The growth and healing experienced over the course of a relationship with a pet friend can greatly impact your life. From acquisition to departure, our pets have many gifts to offer— the greatest being the gift of unconditional love. It is beneficial to receive your pet’s gifts and to express your gratitude regularly; but if you are like most of us, seeing your pet as a teacher is a new concept. It is never too late to learn from your pet. And, it is recommended that you thank your pet for the love and joy they have brought you right now!

Following are some suggestions to assist you in relating to your pet as a guru. From this healing point of view, the current situation is addressed along with the bigger picture. In order to be sensitive to what your pet needs, it is necessary to separate out and process any emotions their behavior is bringing up for you. 

1. Express the feelings your pet has brought up for you, meditatively or by journaling prior to responding to a situation. When their behavior or condition triggers emotion for you, ask your higher self what you are feeling. You may realize that you are taking their behavior personally because they are bringing up some unfinished business from your past. Emotional static can cause you to lose touch with the prospect that your pet has needs and is attempting to communicate something to you. 

2. Ask your higher self, “Why am I taking my pet’s behavior personally?” 
3. There is likely to be some unfinished business from your past that your pet has brought up for you to heal. Ask your higher self what that might be. Then, meditatively address the person from your past with whom you are still holding an emotional charge. (Apply steps 1 and 2.)

4. Forgive yourself for blaming your pet for how you are feeling, and change your attitude. 

5. Also address what your pet needs. You can ask for his deva’s assistance with what you need, as well as with what your pet needs and what is best for your pet. 

Addressing a conflict with your pet from the perspective of teacher and student will deepen and strengthen your bond with him. Rather than being stressed by him, you will be able to see your pet as a messenger with a gift of healing for you, and be grateful for his teachings. When there is an emotional charge, there is a bigger picture presenting you with an opportunity for healing. And the current situation, as seen without your emotional static, is indicating what your pet needs. Sometimes the current situation resolves itself miraculously as you address the message the bigger picture is holding—as in the case with Pam and Sandy. In any case, when the bigger picture is addressed, healing takes place on some level and facilitates resolution of the current situation. In relating to your pet as a guru, you can grow together and have more reasons to be grateful for his presence in your life. 

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Dr. Trish Whynot is a Holistic Counselor and Doctor of C.O.R.E. Education. She utilizes meditation, aromatherapy and crystals in her alternative approach to eliminating the root cause of problems. She experiences life as an amazing journey and assists those ready to view their lives from a healing perspective. Private appointments available via phone or in person at her Middleton, MA office. Call 978.314.4545 or visit www.holisticoncepts.com or www.TrishWhynot.com for information. 

All information in this newsletter is based on the opinion and experience of the practitioner. It is the responsibility of the reader to only take what makes sense to them. This information is not meant to be used as a substitute for medical diagnosis, treatment or cure of an illness.