AN ARTICLE FROM: WWW.AFRICANATURE.COM

TALKING WITH ANIMALS
By Betty Lewis

How do animals communicate with each other, and how can we communicate with them? Can anyone talk with animals, or only a gifted few?

Researchers around the country have been studying intra and inter-species communication for many years. Studies range from trying to interpret whale calls to teaching sign language to chimpanzees, but the fundamental, most basic type of communication, common to all species including humans, is telepathy.

Telepathy is defined as the transfer of pictures, thoughts and feelings using mental energy. This is how geese know when to change leads in their flying formation, or how your dog knows when you’re going to the refrigerator. Have you ever noticed that the cat who always comes home for breakfast stays away on the day of his veterinary appointment? All of these animals are simply focusing or tapping into the thought process of another.

Telepathy isn’t the only type of communication, to be sure. Most animals have some kind of vocal skills, and body language signals are also highly developed in many species. The more communication cues available to two parties, the more complex will be the thought exchange process.

Many people have mistakenly believed that body language and vocalizations are all there are to animal communication. However, to add depth to our understanding of our animal friends, and indeed, all animals, we must recognize and add the telepathic component.

All humans have the capability of communicating telepathically, but often this ability has been under developed or arrested in early life. A parent who tells a child that it is "impossible" to know what an animal is thinking may cause the child to repress his abilities to talk to his dog until the child, too, believes he can’t do it. Also, our emphasis on verbal skills in our education system tends to eliminate any latent intuitive skills.

By adulthood, the repression process is so complete that it takes a re-education approach to once again become fluent in a long-forgotten language.

I consulted with one miniature dachshund who began lifting his leg in the house, after 5 years of being a model citizen. When I asked him "why?" he replied, "I’m the boss now. Isn’t this the way I’m supposed to show it?" Upon inquiry, I discovered that the older dog had just been neutered due to a prostrate problem. This, indeed, changed that relationship between the dogs. The behavior stopped when I pointed out how distressed the people were about his choice. Fortunately, for him, being the dominant dog was not a priority and being a respected member of the family was.

Another reason for actively trying to talk to animals includes pinpointing health concerns. An animal isn’t likely to tell you she has "epilepsy," but she can tell you she hears a loud buzzing in her head, everything goes dark and she thinks she’ll explode, as one little dog told me. Symptoms can then be used by health professionals to make correct treatment choices. A dog with a mammary tumor told me about emotional changes in her life revolving around the recent death of a close canine friend and a changing relationship with her human friend. With conversation, it became apparent that her mammary growth was related to emotional growth which had turned inward for a lack of appropriate expression. Her homeopath is using this information to prescribe more accurately for her. Her person recognizes that environmental changes also must be made to remove the source of her misdirected feelings. With this two pronged approach, I am confident that her body will be able to return itself to balanced health.

Some animals are overt clowns and we enjoy laughing with them. Others have a more subtle sense of humor which we will miss unless we learn to listen to them on a more subtle level. Animals are often observant and perceptive, and we can learn about life by listening to them. If we choose to share our lives with animals, we probably want to have as complete a relationship as possible. Talking with them in their own language adds this dimension and enriches us all.