In Sickness and in Health

I was sick for a week, fever, headache, congestion, exhaustion.  I could barely get out of bed.  If I hadn't had two cat sitting jobs and one wonderful dog-walking job, I would have stayed in bed all week, but I was able to drag myself out and spend time with the lovely animals that were left in my care.  It was good for me to be with the animals.  Otherwise, I would have allowed the old voices in my head convince me that I am a lazy, good-for-nothing slug.

It's amazing that with all my years of uncovering, discovering, recovering, there are times when those negative voices get a hold of me and won't let me go.  Equally amazing that as soon as I started feeling better, everything was right again.  My hope is back, my optimism, my certainty that my life is unfolding divinely and Divinely.  My fear about money that crowded my thinking is gone and I am sure that I live in an abundant Universe and will always have everything I need.

The image of my mother, defeated by life, lying in her bed, unable to find much joy in anything presents itself to me when I'm laid up.  And, then I fear that I will follow her footsteps into despondency, lethargy and poverty.  I'm constantly working to change those voices and pictures and, for the most part, I succeed.  But when I'm sick the way I was last week, unable to do anything for myself, the old patterns emerge.

Thank God for the animals!  As sick as I was, the time I spent with the animals was time out of my head.  Those are the purely unselfish moments, when someone else is more important than the way I feel, when I am able to give myself unconditionally to the care of those gentle beings who ask for nothing more than my  company.  They don't think I'm a lazy, good-for-nothing slug.  Each one greets me at the door with excitement.  "Hey Eileen - so happy you're here! Play with me!  Brush me! Pet me! Walk me! Yay for Eileen!"

As they nuzzle their beautiful furry little heads in my hands, I am sure, once again, that I am on my Divine, God-given path with full support and encouragement from my Higher Guidance.

Litter Box Wars

Macduff came to me at 3 years old, declawed, which is mutilation and needs to be outlawed as it is in the UK and Beverly Hills County.  Aside from a host of psychological and emotional issues stemming from the mutilation of his front paws, Duff sprays when he urinates due to having been neutered late in life.  He'd been neutered at Animal Control, which was his second to last shelter.  Bide-A-Wee rescued him on the day he was to be euthanized and I adopted him the day he came out of isolation at Bide-A-Wee, but that's a story for another day.

So, Macduff goes into the litter box, scratches at the litter, then proceeds to spray the walls and floor.  Of course, the solution was to get a jumbo litter box with a very tight connection between the cover and the actual box so that the spray doesn't leek through.  $200 later, I found the right box.

Enter, Misty…

Misty, a 13 year old rescue, came to live with us in April 2010 (see earlier posts for her story).  Misty is a love, unassuming, unafraid and unwilling to use a covered litter box.  How do I know this?  Every time Misty used the litter box, she'd stick her butt out the opening and pee all over the floor.  I uncovered the litter box and put it n the bathtub, where I could easily clean up any mess.  This worked for about 4 days, after which Duff refused to jump into the bathtub to do his business.  Every time I took the box out of the bathtub to clean it, which I did about 3 times a day, Duff would use the litter box.  Otherwise, he waited. He stopped jumping into the tub.  Period.  End of Story.  "I'm not going in there.  Forget about it."  I understood.  When you declaw cats, it changes the alignment of their spines and, hence, their hips (among other things).  It was uncomfortable for him to have to jump into and out of the tub every time he needed to use the box.

Away went the litter box.  I bought a container from the Container Store with tall sides and back and an opening in the front.  Misty, for some reason, didn't like this box at all and peed alongside the box instead of in it.  Goodbye container.

I finally found a litter box, uncovered, with a tall back.  Misty liked this one.  She used it appropriately and all was well, except when Duff sprayed above the tall back.  After much thought, discussions with hardware salespeople, trips to the Container Store, Internet searches, I found plastic refrigerator shelves - cut them to fit and taped them onto the back of the box, which made the back of the box 2 feet high and easy to clean.  Success!   For a few weeks… until two days ago when Duff decided to spray sideways out of box.

I failed to mention that I had had two litter boxes at one time, but the problems described above were doubled, so why bother with two boxes that don't work, when I could just have one box that doesn't work?

At this moment, we are using the jumbo covered litter box.  I just ordered a dome shaped box with steps leading into the box by a company called Booda.  See photo below.  I'm hopeful that Misty will use the dome shaped box that I will keep on the floor of my linen closet.  If she chooses to spray, she sprays in the box and Duff will use the covered box he's used to using.   Why do I think that might work?  Because hope springs eternal.

More Reiki

Just a quick post…

This morning, Duff was laying on his favorite chair, which is our favorite chair, actually, but he gets to use it more than I do.  He's good about sharing and we spend lots of time first thing in the morning reading (me), purring (him) and getting lots of love (both of us).

As I was seated on the floor in front of him, my palms became hot and I knew Reiki was being called forth.  For those of us who are new to Reiki, the word translates loosely to "universal life force."  From the Japanese, 'rei" meaning spirit and "ki" meaning energy.

I first did Reiki on myself to clear my energy and then proceeded to do Reiki on Duff.  I started with his head, but he shifted his body so that my hands were on his solar plexus chakra and sacral chakra.  He began purring IMMEDIATELY!  He continued to purr louder and louder and stretch out.  Every once in awhile he would lift his head and nuzzle my arm.  He even gave me one quick lick (which is unusual for Duff).  When he'd had enough, he moved again but this time more forcefully so I knew to stop.   He continued purring for about ten minutes after I removed my hands.

Here is he directly after the session.

So contented.  Lovely boy.  I'm so fortunate to have him in my life.

The Healer

Monday, Jan 10, I went up to Woodstock, NY to take a Reiki class with a practitioner named Thurman Greco.  I have previously taken hands-on healing workshops for 2-legged animals as well as our beloved 4-leggeds, reptiles and birds.  My last workshop was this past December 2010 with Margrit Coates, called "Hands-on Healing for Animals" taken at the Open Center in New York.  I highly recommend Margrit's class to anyone interested in animal healing, whether it be for  your own animals or as part of your career path.   I felt that the Reiki was very similar to the way Margrit teaches her classes.  I'm going to continue with Reiki II with Thurman in February.  Also, highly recommended.

This morning, my beautiful cat, Macduff, was laying on his favorite chair.  He was all stretched out and happy.  I walked over to him and gave him a couple of strokes on his lovely head, when he reared up, growled and hissed at me.  He's been doing that more often since Misty came to live with us.  (See my previous posts for the history.)  Macduff has gotten better, millimeter by millimeter.  He still growls and hisses at Misty, but he doesn't run away and hide anymore.  He stands his ground and full-of-grace Misty still does not retaliate in any way.   But, back to this morning …

I looked into Duff's eyes and saw the "fight or flight" response all over his beautiful face.  Poor Duff.  I began to give him Reiki - hands off - a couple of inches above his body.  I started with his head.  After about a minute, Duff moved his body and kind of stretched out.  After a few minutes, he began to purr.  I worked on his chakras, now with my hand lightly touching his body.  He turned his head toward me and nuzzled me, purring away.  I continued for a few minutes more, maybe 10 minutes in total, and left him sleeping and purring.

Misty was in the bedroom and just climbing into her heated bed.  She loves that bed.  I began doing some Reiki on her - I began at her head, but she moved to tell me, "Not there!"  I then put my hand on her brachial key chakra (the area above her shoulders) and I felt pain in my hands, along with a prickly feeling and heat.  I allowed the energy of the Universe or the Higher Consciousness (call it what you will) to flow through my hands, my body now a vessel (as I did with Duff).  Misty began purring like a motor.  I let my hand stay there until I felt the energy coming from Misty even out.  I then moved my hand to her solar plexus and heart chakras and did the same.  At one point, I asked Misty to please let me know when she'd had enough.  A moment later, Misty got up and moved to her other favorite spot to sleep.

Whatever anxiety I may have been feeling this morning is gone.  As I allow healing to come through my being, I allow those I touch to heal me.

Bereavement and Blessing

I haven't blogged in quite awhile.  I met someone last night who encouraged me to keep blogging, saying that although people don't leave comments, I may have quite a following.  So here I am again.

I've been feeling like I need to branch out somewhat with my animal communication work, like I need to spread my proverbial wings.  As I lied on the massage table of my healer/mentor/body-worker on Friday, I was able to see where my path is leading.  Shortly, I will be certified as a spiritual counselor and "minister." (I dislike that word; hence the quotation marks.)  But, as such, I will be able to go where my heart is leading me… to be a pet bereavement counselor, to counsel those whose animal companions have died and/or to help them get ready to say good-bye.  Although that is part of the work I do now, being certified in our society lends credence to my work.

It is a sacred responsibility to be present for those who are transitioning.  It is a high vibrational passage and to be chosen to be present is a privilege and an honor, whether it be for our beloved companion animals or for our human companions.  To give healing and comfort, to raise awareness, to bring light and love to one being raises the vibrational pattern of all beings.

This is my heart.

Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust

How do you tell someone that her cat is suffering allergies because her home is so dusty that when I was through with the session and got home, I tore my clothes off, threw them into the hamper and showered?  Whew!  Poor kitty! But, as an animal communicator, it is my job to communicate what I receive.  The thing is, I had no idea that I'd be hearing about dust.  The wonderful thing about communicating with animals is that one is often surprised by the communication.

I remember a time when I had a table at the Quest Bookshop Psychic Fair in New York City.  A woman came to me with a drawing she had done of a cat at one of the city shelters.  The woman, whom I'll call Anna, had been working with this particular cat to socialize her and get her ready for adoption.  She felt that she was making real progress with cat.  When Anna got to the shelter the previous Sunday to continue her work, she was told that the cat, Lily, had been euthanized.  Anna hadn't even had time to say goodbye.  She felt guilty as well as betrayed by the shelter system.  You can imagine her devastation.  Anna, who usually takes photographs of all the animals she works with, hadn't taken one yet of Lily as she thought she'd have much more time with her.  I usually work through a photograph.  It helps me to focus my energy and intention, but this time, I had a little line drawing on a crumpled piece of paper.  As I looked at the drawing, the essence of that little being came through loud and clear.  And, the communication I received confirmed that you never know what you're going to hear.

Although I endeavor to put my own feelings and thoughts aside when I go into a session, often I  have judgements and preconceived ideas that I mentally put on a shelf.  When Anna first told me the story of Lily and the shelter, I was expecting to feel sadness and maybe fear and longing from the cat's perspective.  What I got proved to me again how little I know.  What Lily communicated to me was gratitude and joy.  She told me how important is it for beings who are transitioning to be sent off enveloped in love and light.  She told me to thank Anna so much for the work Anna had done; that it was because of Anna that Lily was able to transition peacefully and joyfully; that love is all that matters.  She reiterated how grateful she was to Anna for the love she was able to feel before she passed on to continue her journey in spirit.  It was because of Anna that Lily was able to transition without fear.

In the case of the dust-mite-allergy-cat, what I thought might be a stress-related reaction turned out to be what I think is an allergy to dust mites. I encouraged the client to vacuum and get an air purifier.  I also firmly suggested that she take her cat to a vet to make sure that what I intuited was correct.  As always I reminded my client that I am not a vet nor a medical professional of any kind, that my services are informational only.  I do not diagnose nor treat.  Hopefully, she'll take my suggestions seriously and get her cat to a vet, vacuum her apartment and dust the furniture.

Communicating with animals takes me from the sublime to the mundane, from Dust to dust.

Macduff, Mirror and Mentor

My cat, Macduff, is a fighter.  Like me, he's very vocal about what he likes and what he doesn't like.  I don't know if he and I were born fighters or made fighters by the circumstances of our lives, but I tend to believe that a being is born with certain characteristics and those characteristics are either strengthened or weakened by environment and circumstance.  I also believe that our lives unfold exactly as they must in order for us to learn our soul lessons.  I believe we are all connected and that the Universe does not play favorites, that we and all those whose lives we touch, are living out our highest good.  I don't pretend to know what that is or why sometimes life is harsh and unfair. I just believe that life is just even when it doesn't look like it is.  Because I believe life unfolds as it must does not mean that I don't take up causes and fight for justice.  I became an animal communicator to give voice to the voiceless.  Had I been living in the 1920's I would have been a union organizer.  As I said, I'm a fighter.

Macduff is still hissing and growling at Misty and, at times, at me.  I've been running around like a crazy woman, ordering supplements and remedies online, talking to other animal communicators and calling on my angels and spirit guides to help me help Macduff.  And, finally, this morning when Duff turned to me, growled, hissed and jumped off the chair we were sharing, it came to me.  I closed my eyes and once again asked heaven to help me.  I connected with Macduff and understood that Macduff is a fighter.  He was born a fierce warrior and whoever had him before I adopted him tried to break his spirit by declawing him and doing worse.  I know my cat was hit by whoever had him.  I always see him in a family who mainly ignored him.  When Macduff struck out or growled at the child in the home, he was yelled at and hit by a man, things were thrown at him.  I see Macduff being chased.  I always see the same man when I tune into Duff's past.  He is slight, between the ages of 30 - 40 years old.  He's not a mean person, but he is ignorant.  He's the same man who brought Duff to Animal Control.  He's a smoker.  I always smell cigarette smoke when I see him.

So, what I am saying here is that I understand now that remedies and potions and massage and TTouch may soothe Duff at times, but I cannot change his basic personality which was cemented by abuse.  I merely need to accept who is and why he is the way he is.  I have to stop trying to change him.  I've spent hundreds of dollars on animal communication sessions, a homeopathic vet, internet purchases, but more than that, I've spent hours stressing about how I can help.  Today, I've stopped.  If my cat needs to hiss and growl, so be it.  Sometimes I need to as well.