Intuition, Imagination, Relationship & Integration
You're sentient, the animals are sentient, it's time to come together.
Come together is such a nebulous phrase though, isn't it? I mean you already live with them, care for them, love, honor and respect them. What more is there to coming together?
Let me tell you a true story about dog Emmie. I adopted Emmie many years ago when dog Squirt was getting older. My logic at the time was that Squirt could teach Emmie from a dog's perspective how things worked at our house. And having two dogs was twice as much fun as one dog, right?
Oh my, things did not go as planned!
Squirt became extremely possessive of me and domineering over Em. She wouldn't let Em get close to me, causing Emmie to become more anxious. Emmie wouldn't eat, she started panting, shaking and submissive peeing.
The three cats showed their angst and displeasure by hissing, smacking Emmie, hiding and throwing up. One of my cats, Billy, developed a UTI and needed vet care.
It was a rough couple of months as we got used to each other and Emmie became an accepted member of the household.
What Could I Have Done Differently?
In hindsight, I recognize there were many things I could have done differently to ensure an easier and more serene integration process for all of us.
I assumed Emmie was the only one who would be the change in the household. I did not allow for the fact that adding her into the household drastically changed the dynamics for all of us. Squirty and the cats had become accustomed to each other and their lifestyle. They were comfortable with how things were and knew their places within the house. Adding Emmie into the family mix meant that each and every one of us had to make allowances and changes to create a new way of being together. In hindsight I wish I had:
Not acted as immediately as I did when I first thought to get a new dog.
Not forced the animals to immediately interact with each other.
Followed the animals lead as they set the pace for integration
With the Help of Intuition and Imagination
If I were to do this again, I would use my intuition and imagination to guide and smooth the process along.
I would include using a divinatory tool like a pendulum, dowsing rod or kinesiology.
Using the tool I would have watched it for any changes in the tension as we worked things out.
HINT: Using an object that you aren't attached to, like a divinatory tool, as a substitute for your relationship helps you assess more clearly and with less attachment the changes that may be occurring in the relationship.
Just For Today
One thing you can do is to ask a tool to come forward and work with you. You may not get an answer immediately, and that’s OK. As a matter of fact, it may take a few days for a tool to come forward. That’s OK.
How will you know when one comes forward? That answer is individual for everyone. Do you already have a way of recognizing your intuition at work? If so, use that. If not, here are some possible ways it might show up:
Hearing an inner voice
Seeing the tool in your minds eye
Getting a feeling, or a knowing, that a certain tool is the one.
Once the tool has come forward, thank it and take time to get to know each other. What does it look like, feel like? Does it have a particular smell or sound? Does it have a name?
When you feel comfortable with the tool begin working with it with and an animal family member. Watch the tool for how it is behaving:
What is it doing?
Is it relaxed or taut?
Does it feel energetic or tired?
How is the animal reacting?
Use this as a baseline for how the relationship is between the animal(s) and you. Check the tool at least daily and make the needed tweaks so that all of you become more comfortable..
If, with Emmie and the other family members, I had taken the time to ask and answer these questions and any others that might have come up, it would have made a world of difference in easing all of us into one connected family.
Got questions? Feel free to contact me. If you care to share, I'd love to hear how this helps to deepen the relationship between all of you.
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