Finding creative ways to communicate directly with our cats is essential. It is the most important way in which we can deepen the bonds between us.
So the other day when read an article written by Dr. Linda Bender, DVM, I was fascinated by the way she is thinking outside the traditional box to help animal guardians to more deeply connect with their pets.
Dr. Bender is the author of “Animal Wisdom: Learning from the Spiritual Lives of Animals”. She suggests that if we keep our minds and hearts open to explore non-traditional methods we can communicate telepathically with our pets. In fact, in the article, “How to have telepathy with animals”, Dr. Bender asserts that not only can we communicate with them telepathically; this method is preferable to communicating verbally.
In the article, Bender gives specific instructions on how to telepathically communicate with pets. By “quieting the mind, focusing on the present, and opening the heart, we create the sacred space in which our souls can encounter the souls of animals”.
This is necessary to initiate such a connection. Bender also suggests that daily meditation is helpful to open the heart, and makes it easier to settle the mind.
Bender believes that animals think in feelings and pictures. So when they want to connect with us the easiest and most natural way for them is to send us a feeling, a mental image, or both. Bender recommends that before trying to receive message from your pets, and the best way to learn and understand exactly what animal messages are like, is to begin practicing sending messages to them. She writes, “With telepathy with animals, the “languages” animals use instead of words are languages that humans know too. We’re just not accustomed to relying on them.”
According to Bender, there are five “proven” practices to help build our ability to communicate telepathically with our pets. The first practice is to send a “picture” message.
If there is something you want your pet to do, instead of using a verbal command, form a mental picture of that task. If you want your dog to bring you a toy or have your cat sit in your lap, picture it. Then send that picture to your pet over what Bender refers to as the “telepathic airwaves”. She says that you may be amazed that your pet actually responds to your picture request. She also believes that our pets prefer this communication method, much in the same way that we prefer receiving messages in our native language.
Practice 2: Send a Feeling
Send your pet a feeling. Bender suggests that If you are pleased with his/her behavior instead of saying, “good kitty”, experience the feeling strongly and then send it. Once you find that your pet seems to “get it”, you can go on by sending other emotional messages to your pet. You can share all your feelings since we all know that animals pick up our emotional “vibes” and very often will respond to us.
Practice 3: Making a Metaphor
Even though you don’t have to send these messages directly, making a metaphor of a feeling or something that is going on in your life is helpful in learning how to express feelings through symbolic images. For example, if you are “bursting with pride” over something, learning how to form a mental picture of this emotion makes it easier to send a picture image of your feeling.
Practice 4: Sending Comfort
Think of an animal for whom you feel compassion. It could be an injured racehorse or an abandoned homeless kitty. Think of ways in which you could offer comfort to that animal. Then build a mental picture of how you would want to help that animal, put it into your mind and heart and then telepathically send it on.
Practice 5: Sending a Request for Help
If you have a current issue in your life for which you are seeking inner guidance, put the request into a form of a question as if you were asking for help from a trusted friend. Sit quietly, checking out the emotions that is motivating your question. Put these feelings into a statement rather than a question. Do these feeling bring up any metaphors or mental images? Then send your statement along your emotions or images telepathically; asking for guidance. Bender says that “you are more likely to receive what you truly need — not just from animals, but from other spiritual beings, and even from living people.”
I tried several of these methods with our cat, Dr. Hush Puppy. I sent messages to help him feel better physically, and to be able to eat more easily. I was totally amazed by his positive response to my “messages”. So I am learning that the expression, “It works if you work it”, is true.
Bender is a certified instructor with The Chopra Center in Carlsbad, CA and has lectured on animals and healing at The Chopra Center. She has also produced a meditation CD entitled “Awakening the Heart”. You can follow her on Facebook
To learn more about Dr. Bender’s work, watch the fascinating video of Dr.Chopra interviewing her produced by The Chopra Well
Have you ever communicated with your cats telepathically? Share your experiences in a comment.
P.S. Here is long but interesting video which is all about communicating with animals:
OK.. this is fascinating…. I rea your piece Jo and decided that I was going to give this a try, even though I have often had difficulty doing “visualizations” in the past. For some reason I can visualize my girls pretty well, especially Shadow (my tortie girl). Shadow loves to hide (well, she IS a cat, right?) and I hadn’t seen her for awhile. Calling her name will eventually get her to appear, but only eventually. I decided to try this out and went into my bedroom. I laid down on my bed and visualized her jumping up onto the bed and climbing up onto me, as she often does. VERY quickly, she appeared and did just that. I gave her lots of positive attention. Now, she may have been under the bed; felt me get onto the bed and hopped up there on her own. Later, she was in the living room, along with Stella, when I was about to make tuna salad. While she likes tuna she is not as excited about it as Stella is and often cannot be bothered to get up from a snooze to come and get some. (I always put a little people tuna in their bowls when I make tuna salad). I can’t put down two bowls if both cats are not there because Stella will scarf down both servings. I often have to put Shadow’s share away until later when she is in the kitchen alone. While I was opening the cans, I visualized Shadow coming into the kitchen and eating from her bowl….. and…. there she was! I am going to keep trying this to see if these were flukes or not- I’m thinking not right now…. but thanks so much for this. It’s very, very cool!
Having been born and raised with cats, and coming from a background where spiritual connection to other living beings is as natural as breathing for us, this is not surprising or new. Of course it is true! and it can only help, not only our own relationships with our beloved feline family members, but also our relationships with others of our own species, if we prioritize for intuitive, direct connections with others, including with our Supreme Being.
I frequently receive (and send) picture communication with my pets. They frequently get through when I’m sleeping. One incident that comes to mind was a few years ago, I was napping and was awakened by an image of my cat Jenny digging dirt from the foundation of the house with a little kid’s pail and shovel. She was digging like mad an a human way. All of a sudden I realized, “Oh she’s locked out and the cat door is closed.” I went to the back door where she was sitting and she had a few choice words for me. lol