COMMUNICATING WITH ANIMALS is nothing new. For a long time on this earth, humans and animals shared a common awareness. Within the great, wondrous Web of Life, there was a single language of being in which all – human and wolf, butterfly and sea turtle, mountain goat and whale alike – freely conversed and knew one another. Our ancestors were able to tap into this universal language, communicating easily with animals and various aspects of nature. We, too, carry this ability within ourselves. It is an inherent part of who we are.

“Look about you,” urged George Washington Carver. “Take hold of the things that are here. Let them talk to you. You learn to talk to them.” It is not so difficult. In fact, many who have opened to the wonders of talking with animals say that it’s simply a matter of remembering, of tapping into that shared awareness with the circle of life that we already know deep down inside ourselves. For some, this experience is like coming home – a sense of suddenly knowing ourselves, and all our relations, in a more exciting, expansive way.

It makes no difference where you find yourself in the continuum of life – male, female; aged 9 or 90: if you’re reading this and wondering, Can I really talk with animals? the answer is Yes! And not only that, for one of the great things about consciously recalling how to listen to animals is that you can’t help but learn to listen – really listen – to deeper aspects of yourself as well.

Time to Remember!
As children, we are naturally open to communing with the world in an innocent, nonjudgmental way. Very young children frequently use their innate ability to connect with animals and communicate in ways that are simple, effortless and wholly genuine. Gradually, this freedom of conversing with all manner of species is generally weaned out of our everyday existence as we are taught – and all too often accept – that normal, polite people just don’t talk to animals.

But all of this is changing! Children of the current generation are among the first wave of a more expansive consciousness that embraces animals, nature and the world at large in deeper, more profound ways. As author, animal communicator and teacher Penelope Smith notes, “My prediction is that by 2012 kids will be saying to their parents, ‘You mean there was a time when people didn’t communicate with animals?’” Or, as her beloved orange cat Sherman puts it, “It’s all progressing very rapidly. It’s all getting much more relaxed. Humans are less uptight than they used to be.”

One wonderful benefit to communicating with animals is that recalling this skill requires us to feel our deeper relationship with life and share ourselves from that connected state of awareness. This makes it an excellent activity to explore with children, or as a family, for as we open to the energy that flows through life, we deepen all our relationships. We come to know that we share a common awareness, for we feel it moving through us, connecting us with every other living being.

This basic connection is the same one our ancestors used to communicate fluently with the natural world. More and more, humans are remembering that this ability is our birthright. Although we may not constantly hold this awareness in our everyday lives, it is simply a matter of shifting perspective, deepening, and tuning our consciousness to recall this connection whenever we choose.

So, How Does It Work?
There are many ways to tap into our natural abilities to communicate with animals. No matter which method you use, however, it all boils down to one thing: relationship. Any form of meaningful communication involves relating to others (as well as ourselves) in an honest and authentic manner. And that’s really all communication with anyone – be that individual two-legged, four-legged, winged or gilled – is about: remembering our common essence and sharing our thoughts and feelings from that connected state of awareness.

Tuli Bear, a cat who lives with author and communicator Tera Thomas, advises thusly: “Open your heart to every living thing. We are all connected to each other, a part of each other. Close your eyes, take a deep breath and just feel it. You will know this is true. Isn't it wonderful?”

Indeed, as we relax into a quieter, more tranquil state of being, our logical mind slows down. Our habitual ways of seeing the world shake loose and we become more receptive to perceiving in different ways. As rigid thoughts of how reality “should be” release their hold, we shift to a more intuitive state of being, one that is quite naturally capable of telepathy.

The word telepathy comes from tele, meaning distant or far away, and pathy, meaning feeling or perception. Telepathy is feeling from a distance, or perceiving from far away. It transcends the way we normally understand time and space. With telepathy, we can expand our awareness to connect on inner levels with any other being – be it the cat sitting by our side or a cheetah speeding across the African savannah. With telepathy, we rediscover our fluency in the universal language.

We can receive telepathic information from animals in many different ways. This may include visual images (pictures or movies within the inner theatre of the mind); inner feelings (an ache in the body that corresponds to an animal’s body, or sensing emotional feelings, such as fear or excitement); inner hearing (what an animal is hearing, or hearing an animal’s thoughts within the mind); or intuitive flashes (a sudden “knowing”). We must then translate these inner impressions in ways that we (and other humans) can understand.

Many people discover that they have a preference for one mode over another. If you are very visual, for example, you might get a lot of pictures, and you may want to practice sending images in return. If you like to talk and share ideas, you might sense an inner translation of words and sentences that resembles a dialogue. Over time and with practice, you might strengthen all modes and discover that you enjoy communicating in a variety of ways.

The Basics: Four Easy Steps
The basics of communicating with animals are not that different than communicating with people: you share an interesting thought or observation and await a response. This may excite you to share something else and listen eagerly to a reply. And so it goes, back and forth, an exchange of information, ideas, thoughts, laughter, sadness, joy and delight. What could be more natural? The four steps below are a general guideline you might follow when connecting with your animal, be it beloved dog, cat, horse, guinea pig or goldfish.

1. Attuning
Attuning is about moving deeper in relationship, intimately feeling the bonds connecting you and your animal friend. To begin, get comfortable in a quiet place. Close your eyes, breathe deep and allow the center of your being – your heart, your mind, your soul – to connect with your animal. Feel your animal connecting to you. Sense the flow between the two of you. Don’t force the situation; rather, let it unfold. Your only goal is to quiet yourself and welcome the adventure.

2. Stating your Intention
As you sense a deeper connection, address your animal directly, just as you would a good friend. You can use words (“I’d like to talk to you”) or images (picture yourself conversing) or feelings (feel your desire to communicate). Or, use all three (say it, picture it, sense it). In truth, it doesn’t matter so much what you do or how you do it since this isn’t about doing, but about being. Allow yourself to be in that place that genuinely desires to connect. It may help to first express your feelings – “I’m nervous about this, but I’d really like to talk to you.” Or, you might ask a question: “Is there anything I can do for you? What’s it like to be you (a dog, a cat, a horse)? Do you have a message for me?”

3. Receiving
Here’s where you let go of everything and open up wide for the answer to come. Let go of all your thoughts about what could happen or might happen. Sshhh … how can you hear when you are listening to doubts or planning what to ask next? Be open, relaxed and receptive. Welcome any and all feelings, sensations, images, words, smells, tastes or combinations thereof. Don’t judge what you get or wonder if it is “right.” It is what it is! Allow the full message to come to you before you send a second message.

4. Closing, Giving Thanks
As my wise, old dog Barney used to say, “Good manners never go out of style.” Offer warm feelings and thanks as you end your conversation. By thanking your animal, you acknowledge your appreciation and make first contact something you can build upon. Remember to thank yourself too! Thank your intuition and desire to connect with life in a deeper and more meaningful way. Even if you don’t sense anything, thank your animal and yourself for a very good start. Really mean it, too, because although it may seem that what you are doing is little, what you are being is deep and expansive and very great indeed.

As a cat named Maya expressed to all readers through her friend, communicator Gretchen Kunz, I want to thank you for making the effort to get to know us and talk to us. You should be congratulated, because even trying is a very evolved thing to do. I think everybody should do it, but then, I have very high expectations! So, good show! I am proud of you, and you should be proud of yourselves!

Sharing the Mystery
Every time you sit down with your dog or cat, tune into a whale or dolphin, or trade thoughts with a rabbit or ladybug, you are relating to another being. You are sharing yourself in a way that is unique to you, and that dog or whale or rabbit or bug is sharing in a way unique to him or her. Every conversation, just like every relationship, is a little bit about sharing our own inimitable take on the mystery of life.

There is no “one way” for everyone. There is no “right way” either. We each need to find what works for us. As KC, a cat, related to communicator Morgine Jurdan, “There are many ways to communicate with animals. Each person and each animal being unique leads to unlimited variations. Don’t get stuck trying to force yourself into just one way, or judging your abilities by someone else’s standards. Part of your journey is about discovering who you are. The more you learn about yourself, the clearer a channel you will become to understanding animals, plants, nature, other human animals and all of life.”

It’s also important to acknowledge that while it’s great to have a plan – to sit down quietly and have a nice heart-to-heart – it’s also great just to lose yourself in the joy of the moment. Many animals are experts at fun. Some conversations will be sprinkled with humor, jokes, puns and gentle jabs of glee. Other animals may purposely bring humor in as a healing aid. As my dog Zak is fond of reminding me, the vibration of laughter is an opening; it allows us to laugh at ourselves and shake loose our own self-imposed limits. “Never underestimate the power of humor,” says Zak. So, don’t be afraid to let yourself laugh. Wisdom isn’t always serious.

We all have brilliant gifts we bring to the planet, both as members of our own species and as spiritual individuals. As we share our talents and visions in appreciation, we celebrate the richness of our diversity, the many distinctive and exceptional ways we all have of seeing, sensing, understanding and contributing to the world.

As two dwarf hamsters called Emily and Princess told communicator Kat Berard, “The world is evolving quickly, much more quickly than many know. Be part of the evolution! Know that you are important to this world, to its evolution, and that your contribution of self – your unique self, your talents and skills and personal touch – is needed and very important. We – the collective We of human and nonhuman beings – need you. Truly.”

As you continue to tune into your animals, your friends’ animals, and animals you meet in the wild, remember that the universal language is one we already know, one that we share with all life. Since it has been awhile that humans have used this language in a conscious way, we are a little out of practice. So be kind to yourself. And celebrate yourself, for in learning how to remember, you are helping the entire world to remember too!

© Dawn Baumann Brunke, 2004

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dawn Baumann Brunke is the author of Animal Voices and Awakening to Animal Voices: A Teen Guide to Telepathic Communication with All Life, from which this article has been partially excerpted. For more, see www.animalvoices.net or Email: brunke@alaska.com