For the Love of Animals

     Many Empaths feel a deep connection with animals... we feel intense joy in their presence and our energy and compassion towards them is what calls them to us. You know how dogs can dislike certain people and seemingly know which ones are good? It's because they can read energy just as well as we do and will react accordingly. All animals have souls which is why it breaks my heart into a million pieces to hear of any form of mistreatment. I will even go so far as to admit that mistreatment of animals enrages me. Anyone that can bring harm to anything that can not defend themselves (children, animals) is the lowest of the low - this is a widely shared and believed opinion due to the amount of abuse in this world and the "entitlement" the abusers feel they had for caring out such acts. I do believe that such karma returns at some point in time because the souls that suffered need redemption.

     I have a huge heart for dogs because I'm allergic to cats. Having said that: anytime I'm in a house where there's a cat, they always find me and want to cuddle with me! I admit I give in every time, even though it's left me with a snotty nose and slightly raspy breath.. because I can't deny such love! A special bond forms between animals and Empaths because whether we fully realize it or not, we can understand them. Look an animal in the face and know what they need or want, and how they're feeling, is just one way we communicate intuitively. Many of the souls that come to us in animal form serve as guides at the right point in our lives too.. Whether it's moving on from loss, being in recovery, or having a loyal companion when you need one, they become a best friend and a source of therapy & healing.

     My love for animals began in early childhood. Between the dysfunction & abuse at home and being bullied in school, I felt for wildlife over the understanding of what it's like to feel constantly threatened and as if your life could suddenly (and possibly brutally) end at any moment. Despite the bad, I will say I was fortunate enough to grow up with pets; I started with a hamster, had trial runs with cats (revealing this intense allergy), and had adopted a dog when I was a teenager. Feeling into animals' struggles is a scary thought that brings more pain than that of recalling my most traumatic moments, but it is more and more of a reality nowadays as many species go extinct and are on the brink of extinction. Yet I have to admit that I can't deny there is a memory of mine that heavily contributed to my feelings -- I will share it in the next paragraph but please beware to skip if you're trying to avoid any triggers.

     There was one life changing day that made me begin to look at my grandmother differently. She was someone that also had dogs, but she once shared a story that completely changed how I felt about her. I must've been 12/13 years old when she told me a story about her killing a litter of puppies. She sat in the living room across from me with the rest of my family present and listening and told the story of how her dog gave birth, and that she drowned the puppies one by one in a bucket of water as the mother delivered them. This was the first time I recall seeing red and truly hating someone. I stared back at her with my jaw dropped and felt myself turn white as she ended the story with a laugh. It was all I could do to not attempt to punch her in the face but I wanted to. All I could think about was how quickly & cruelly those lives ended and how lost and depressed that mother must've been after that ordeal...

     The sad reality is coming to find out that such cruel acts on animals is more common than I imagined. It happens out of sight and tends to be how some people see fit to deal with their own animals. When I (years later) found out that many of my extended family would injure/kill their dogs when feeling inconvenienced, I wanted to crawl into a hole and die for their pain and injustice. After hearing my grandmothers story, I was further hurt by the fact that I was the only one reacting to it -- my mother (her daughter) wasn't surprised and my father laughed back & seemed understanding of it. This was just one sign of the family cycles of abuse, but that's not what I want to point out here.

     Growing up, I lived in any area that still maintained some natural habitat as we were close to a boating club on the lake. I was used to seeing birds, geese, squirrels, skunks, foxes, rabbits, raccoons, and the odd coyote or deer family at night.. this was normal in that area. Seeing that this was natural even among the heavy-residential area that it was first turned on my concern of humanity's impact on their lives. Now, that same area on the lake has been paved to extend the shoreline, and became more of a park which interrupted the natural breeding grounds for the geese. It's sad to see how much it has taken over their home, and even sadder to see that this city expanded to build more residences over the little natural habitat it had left ~ resulting in me getting used to seeing more & more roadkill with each year that passes.

These observations and it's reflections are really where the sadness kicks in for me...

     This perspective made me believe that I have to do something. Even if the people that surround[ed] me kept telling me there's nothing I can do or change, and telling me this is "the way it is", I just can't accept that in my heart. Every little effort, even if it's just raising awareness, is a voice for those that can't otherwise speak. I've tried making the "overpopulation" point to friends and was shot down by that online report about how 'the world's population can fit in one US state' ~ but that's not the point! The point is there's so many areas that build and build until there's nothing left but for it's natural habitat and it's wildlife to be destroyed... and unfortunately, those cities and metro-areas are where the jobs and the money are so you have no choice but to up the population through building more residences.

     I'll tell you one thing I know for sure: Despite living on a lake, it was a high residential (mixed with commercial) area where the lake was only good for boating and fishing (if you dared!). Even though you would never want to step foot in the water (on hot days, you can smell and see the pollution of the water from a distance), the area saw historical buildings get bulldozed to build million-dollar condos for those that want the lake view. It is a matter of opinion, but having watched this particular city transform before my own eyes makes me want to move as far away from a city as possible because I don't support this way of living. As the spiritual woman I've become, I'm very tempted to build my hut in the woods to live out my life!

     Each one of us can do our own part, even small, by taking steps in our lives that help animals. I pledged myself to adopting and heavily boycott buying pets - this has fulfilled many areas of my life as I choose to connect with animals that have suffered abuse.. giving them time, safe space and unconditional love to work through their quirks (anger). I donate items and money to local rescues and shelters when I'm unable to provide any hands-on assistance. I've even gone so far as to make sure that all of my household items, cleaning products and personal care products are vegan & cruelty free, as knowing that my money is not supporting animal testing is enough to feel I've made some difference. Better yet, you can also go vegetarian or vegan, which is something I'm working towards right now.

     That last pledge is a life-changer which is why I'm doing is slowly through eliminating certain products and having vegan days -- I believe this is perfectly fine as you're still trying and working towards the end goal. My drive to do this actually kicked in after my second Reiki attunement - when I learned how to bless meat before cooking & consumption - saw that I was able to intuitively pick up on the animals' death through the food. As crazy as it sounds, it was enough to literally ensure the food no longer tasted the same, and this was my push to get away from the meat-eating life. But up until this point, I admitted that I danced on the idea and eventually passed it up as everyone continued to say "you can't be healthy as a vegan". As with technology and many others things, food has come a long way and I myself have been able to find a fake meat that was MORE filling than beef was - you just have to experiment with some unknowns and don't be afraid to eat your vegetables!

     Whatever cause or objective you feel you need to fulfill, know that you have it in you! I easily gave up on efforts early in life because I wasn't supported (within the household) to do so, but my taking the reigns and doing the shopping over the last couple years saw that others had to ask questions (and get their minds blown by hearing some things they previously didn't want to hear). If this is how you begin to raise awareness, then good for you! Don't think any little effort isn't worth it, because it will be!

#empath #intuitiveempath #intuitivehealer #fortheloveofanimals #empathconfessions