Reflections of the Heart , livre ebook

Reflections of the Heart
W HAT O UR A NIMAL C OMPANIONS T ELL U S
D EBORAH D E M OSS S MITH
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
Copyright 2004 by Deborah DeMoss Smith. All rights reserved
Howell Book House
Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Smith, Deborah DeMoss, date.
Reflections of the heart : what our animal companions tell us / by Deborah DeMoss Smith. - 1st ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 0-7645-5949-4 (alk. paper)
1. Callahan, Sharon. 2. Animal communicators-California-Biography. 3. Human-animal communication. I. Title.
SF411.45.C36S65 2004
636.088'7'019-dc22
2004009475
Printed in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
This book is dedicated to Jerry, Order of the Orange. His resolute and loving presence inspired me to give those without a voice, a voice .
Love is a mirror, it reflects only your essence, if you have the courage to look in its face .
Rumi, c.1248
Contents
Foreword by Allen Schoen, D.V.M.
Introduction
1. The Animal Blessing
2. A Child Pays Attention
3. Secrets and Seclusion
4. The Reconnection
5. Flower Power
6. The Storytellers
7. The Real Thing
8. The Bond
9. A Passion for Living
10. Pure Motives
11. Following the Heart s Lead
12. Good Thoughts
13. Friendship
14. Keeping the Faith
15. Living in the Here and Now
16. Aging With Grace
17. Loss and Grief
18. Lighten Up
19. On Being Different
20. Reach Out and Touch
Epilogue
Resources
Foreword
If one would have told me years ago, as a veterinarian committed to medicine and science, that one of my most respected and valued friends, would be an animal communicator and flower essence developer, I would have dismissed them as not having both oars in the water .
However, as my mind has opened to the awareness that there are many approaches to helping animals, people and the planet heal, I have realized that I should not be attached to a limited number of modalities; but instead I should be open to whatever can be of benefit to all beings. This journey has led me to acupuncture, herbal medicine, chiropractic, mind-body medicine and other therapies.
Yet, in 1999, when I first met Animal Intuitive Sharon Callahan at the San Francisco Humane Society conference, animal communication and flower essences were still a bit over the top for me to grasp from a scientific background.
But, as I got to know Sharon and her work better, that soon changed. For, in time, I had the opportunity to see her undeniable connection with animals and their caretakers, one that was grounded in an impressive, healing ability to communicate with both.
I am forever grateful to know Sharon professionally and personally, one who shares my belief that animals are sentient beings rich in body, mind and soul. Savor the stories of the animals and their messages, their human companions and the woman who connects them all with love and wisdom in Reflections of the Heart: What Our Animal Companions Tell Us . May this book bring light into you and your animal companions lives.
-Allen M. Schoen, M.S., D.V.M. Author of Kindred Spirits: How the Remarkable Bond Between Humans and Animals Can Change the Way We Live
Introduction
When our family veterinarian announced a decade ago that physical tests had not unraveled the reasons for our cat s deteriorating physical condition, she suggested I call an animal intuitive whose work she respected. Sharon Callahan, she said, had more than a way with animals; she had a direct line to them, an awareness that allowed her to communicate with them emotionally, mentally and spiritually. And unlike other animal communicators, she made her own healing flower essences for animals. I took the number and never regretted it.
Through her intuitive abilities, she was able, as Sharon explained, to merge with our feline Jerr-Berr, pick up his thoughts and mental images, and feel his emotions. It was like, she said, being so in tune with another, you know exactly what he or she is feeling and thinking.
The consultation, along with the prescribed flower essences, not only helped Jerr-Berr, but it also helped me to see my feline friend in a different light, one that reflected back on me. Through him, I learned about myself.
Jerr-Berr taught me using the language of reflection. That is what the animals in our lives do. As our mirrors, they show us, with their behaviors, emotions and attitudes, an honest picture of ourselves, allowing us to approach life more aware of our thoughts, feelings and actions, as well as our rich spiritual connection to one another.
Offering examples of mirroring, Reflections of the Heart: What Our Animal Companions Tell Us features the animal companions bees, cats, dogs, horses, parrots, rabbits, snakes and a turtle. Their true stories of loving service to their human partners will hopefully shine in your heart. And, that, I m sure the animals would say, would be the fairest reflection of all.
1 THE ANIMAL BLESSING
Dr. Dorian, do you believe animals talk? I never heard one say anything, he replied. But that proves nothing. It is quite possible that an animal has spoken civilly to me and that I didn t catch the remark because I wasn t paying attention.
Charlotte s Web , E. B. White
Bathed in the late autumn sunlight of Central Park, the woman sat cross-legged on the knoll, gently twisted like a soft New York pretzel. Her eyes surveyed the city s big expanse of recreational fields, tree-lined paths and wooden benches, all peppered with the sounds of people in play and private conversation. A long way from her home in Mt. Shasta, California, she was new to the many languages that wafted through the air. But she was not a novice to another kind of language that interlaced the buzz of the park, a language that went beyond the resonance of verbal words, but that no less communicated stories with rich images, thoughts and feelings.
As if on cue, two Airedales, their wiry tan and black coats recently washed, interrupted Sharon Callahan s contemplation as they strutted by with their human companions. As the frisky dogs sent a hey-aren t-we-having-fun message Sharon s way, she and her partner Purusha laughed. But the canines had more to say. Knowing the importance of reconnecting to nature, they wanted the woman who seemed so easily to tune into them to know that they were proud to be the catalyst for today s outing with their fellow city dwellers; they also wanted her to know they were just doing their jobs, for they took their service to their human friends to heart. As Sharon acknowledged their work, the boys sped off barking, headed toward some quick movements they d eyed by a nearby tree.
As she closed her eyes and centered herself to meditate, other animals beckoned to this petite woman wrapped in the free-flowing purple top and soft black pants. The squirrels and birds, that so many New Yorkers care for with bread crumbs and peanuts, had something to add. Though they had no taste for the canine species endless obsession for chasing, they did agree with the dogs in one way: they were glad to do their part in helping to bring people together to nurture life of all kinds, knowing that when people nurture others, they also nurture themselves. And since September 11, 2001, when the devastating collapse of the World Trade Center shook them all, that need was even greater than before.
Thanking them for their service, Sharon made a mental note to emphasize that in the homily today. She lay back on the sparsely grassed hillside and gazed into the pastel sky. In an hour she would be walking into a Manhattan church to give a homily and be an integral part of a special blessing. It would be another first for her: speaking to a large gathering in a structure that reminded her of another one she had walked away from years before. What a sense of humor the Universe had.
Though she d grown up i