"From the very beginning, all beings are by nature Buddha."

– Rinzai Zen Master Hakuin

FOCUS

I have been doing this work for more than 20 years and I’ve been shown time and again and have come to believe that we are in co-creation with our animal companions on a spiritual path. In this lifetime, they have chosen (yes, I did say chosen) a different form from ours. In that, there are inherent differences, but each of them is a sentient being with a soul, karma and a journey just like each of us.

Whether we remember or not, long before they physically came into our lives, we made an agreement with each of our companion animals. It is part of their purpose here and part of ours. That agreement can take many forms. Yes, it can be karmic and you may have known each other in another lifetime, in another form. Unlike most of us, they remember the agreement. They know what they must do in order to honor it and will even risk ridicule and punishment to do so. They will consistently hold the space, with every ounce of their being, for each of us to awaken to this memory.

Through telepathic communication and shamanism we can explore, discover and commune with our beloved companions in a way we have not before.

If we now have the ability to know what they would choose, what they want and need, how do we approach meeting these wants and needs? If we know that they have a purpose and a path, how do we assist them? If we are in each others’ lives for a reason and a purpose, how do we discover and achieve it? How does all this inform our role as guardian and how does it inform our guardianship of these sentient companions? Does it require that we look at every aspect of our lives with them differently? It must. At the very least, it asks us to revisit and explore anew their care. Re-examining, with their input, things like:

APPROACH

So, the doe eyed creature slobbering on a ball at your feet, the coquettish feline chasing a dust bunny like a whirling dervish, the winged court jester who screams nonstop every time you talk to your mother, and the stately mare who becomes a wild eyed rebel with no apparent cause are really our guides and teachers. And we are theirs.

Within the framework of what could be an evolutionary approach to life with our companion family, we have the opportunity to address much more than chewing on slippers and missing the litter box.

“You cannot, and will not, encounter a circumstance, or a single moment, that does not serve directly and immediately the need of your soul to heal.”

– Gary Zukav, SEAT OF THE SOUL

Accepting that our relationship with our companion animals is one of co-creation, a more holistic viewpoint and approach becomes necessary. If we take behavioral disturbances at their face value and look to “fix” what we see as a “problem”, we miss the gift. Yes, on the surface we may find relief of that specific “problem”, but we have not healed the underlying cause. When the root cause is left unhealed, the surface “problem” is most likely to return or re-present itself as a brand new “problem”. In this context then, does “fixing” the “problem” really solve the issue. Holistically, if we look beyond the surface of these “problems” we find something deeper and more profound that calls to be healed. This approach can allow for healing of many issues and this healing and re-visioning can bring about change in new and profound ways.

Over the years, I have seen these things play out in some of the most amazing ways. People who have come from the most conservative of thinking have become clear channels of communication with spirit. One-time disbelievers, who are now long term clients, whose own ability to communicate with their companion animals has so blossomed that my assistance is rarely needed (truly my end goal with all my clients). I have watched animals’ “problems” dissolve as their humans heal. I have seen animals’ and peoples’ lives change radically for the better.

Unlike most humans in western societies, our companion animals still maintain an alive and awakened connection with Source. This allows them greater knowledge of who they really are, what they have come here to do and how to do it. This knowledge may give them a better understanding of ourselves than we may even possess. In that knowledge, they also know how to guide us to our healing, if we allow them. That is part of their job here, part of your agreement with them.

As important and essential as it is for each of us to fulfill our purpose, it is equally necessary and imperative that they be able to fulfill theirs. There is so much beyond our perception that they have to offer us. Being open to and accepting of these gifts is one of the most important ways in which you can be of service to them.

www.rachelrandel.com