"My goal in life is to become the person my dog thinks I am,” states a plaque that can be found in many homegood stores. Some of us would substitute cat, horse, goldfish, guinea pig or any number of other animals. The good news is that we already are that person, and our loving animals recognize that even when we can’t. Our animals are our companions, but they also are our teachers, healers and guides. Now more than ever, their special role in our collective awakening is being brought to the forefront of consciousness. Time recently had a special edition devoted entirely to how animals individually, nationally and globally affect our health.

If we have ever loved an animal, then we have communicated with them. Often we think we are just reading their body language or that we are so accustomed to their routines that we know what they want or need. While that is true to some extent, it is not the whole story. Animals are communicating with us all the time, and we with them as we are both naturally telepathic.

“We see, first, that birds and beasts have certain audible cries which convey a more or less definite meaning...and second, that they also have some ‘telepathic’ faculty of sending emotional impulses to others of their kind at a distance....And the hypothesis of silent communication certainly ‘works’ since it helps greatly to clarify certain observed phenomena of animal life,” said William J. Long, a Stamford-based naturalist who authored How Animals Talk in 1919. “All men seem to have some hint or suggestion of telepathy in them....meanwhile, by employing speech exclusively to express our thought or emotion, and by habitually depending on our five senses for all our impressions of the external world, have not only neglected but even lost all memory of the gift that was once ours,” he continues.

Although we may discover after many hours of searching and meditation that the point of love is oneness, we still find our joy an elusive being. Our egos convince us that we are chasing down our joy, while in fact we are running away from it. At this point in our spiritual evolution, we need to admit that the concepts of love, oneness and joy are a choice. We can continue to make the same choices over and over, or we can admit we are wrong and start over every moment of every day.

“You are on this earth, in this world of perception, for one reason: to experience the reality of Life in all its forms, and know that they are One,” says James Twyman in The Art of Spiritual Peacemaking. Experiencing the deep connection of non-human love with our animals brings us to this place. We surrender to the truth that we are connected in a place beyond form with a soul-to-soul connection.

If we sit or stroll in nature, without intention except to extend an aura of peacefulness, we can experience an unconscious oneness as animal do. Animals will greet us with a look of surprise and angle for a better look, but they will make eye contact and show signs of curiosity before they scamper away. That is the beginning of animal communication.

Our domestic animals hold a special place in bringing about coming changes on our Mother Earth. They live in continued oneness with the whole as well as in our dualistic world of form and divine source. They are truly domesticated; they share our passions and our fears. We are here to be truly helpful to one another and, in doing so, we heal each other. Every time we want to tear our hair out because life with our animals is just not working, there is a lesson to be learned. No matter how much that seems to be the case, they do not act out simply to drive us crazy. This is where animal communication is an asset; it is intensely practical and spiritual.

In order to communicate with our animals, we must see them as equals. We communicate telepathically with a soul-to-soul connection. Start with connecting with a wild animal, whether it is a squirrel, bird, deer, fly or another animal that shows up in our lives. Extend love outward but don’t project our perception of ourselves; simply see radiant energy extending out like ripples in a still pond. Whatever creature that shows up is meant to be. Politely, remembering the pleases and thank yous, ask the creature if it would mind having a word or two. They will make eye contact. Even if they dart into the nearest bush, there is still a connection. If they stay around looking curiously at the human who is willing and able to talk to them, ask them simple questions about how they are doing or if they have enough food. Whatever comes to mind is appropriate. Trust what you hear. Communication comes in many forms. Learning how you hear is a big part of being able to communicate with all life. Know that wherever we each are on our individual spiritual journey, being able to communicate with animals will open us further.

Gwen Gangi, an animal communicator all her life, began studying animal communication in 1993 with Dawn Hayman of Spring Farm Cares. Living in Monroe with her husband, son, three dogs and two parrots, Gangi also owns a local pet sitting business. Connect at FurtoFeathers.com, [email protected] or 203-610-2444. See ad, page 50.

For Natural Awakenings readers, Gangi has offered to provide an Ask Your Animal consultation at no cost. Email a picture of your animal and include two questions that you would like to ask your animal. She will pick two recipients a month and email you their response.