There was a time on earth before man clothed himself in many layers of thoughts, ideas, and superior attitudes, when animal and man walked side by side in mutual respect and understanding. Man knew that the animals had been given to him as companions, to teach, comfort and show the way. All things were seen to be appearances of God and so were listened to and respected. It was a true paradise on earth with each creature doing its part and co-operating in perfect harmony for the well being of all.

     In this present time, things have shifted so radically that almost no trace of this paradise remains. Now Earth and all her forms of life hang in the balance. Because man has forgotten to listen to the earth itself, he may be in the last days of life as he has known it. He has reached a crucial point....a turning point, or perhaps beyond....and the animals know it. They feel this urgency and they are trying to tell us. When will we listen?

     Unlike a great percentage of humanity, animals have not lost their profound attunement to Earth as a living being. Because their information comes directly from Earth, they are intimately aware of planetary fluctuations. They are able to sense earth changes both locally and on all parts of the globe, and usually prior to the events manifesting on the physical plane. Since they perceive holographiclly, they are keenly aware of the suffering of other members of their particular species, as well as that of the collective animal over-soul. They are aware of the minute by minute destruction of the rain forests, the demise of the great cats, the plight of whales and dolphins, the depletion of the ozone layer and planetary distress in general.

     Earth only gives forth things that allow man to understand Her and himself in greater detail. As a species becomes extinct (they are not extinguished, the simply slip into the realms of light) humanity loses a great earth teacher. Unique earth lessons are lost, never to be duplicated again. As we destroy the rain forests, for example, we lose forever animal and plant life that hold keys to the balancing and healing of the human body, mind and spirit. Many of these keys are lost before we ever find their precious gifts. They are like exquisite wrapped presents thrown away unopened. All things are here for a purpose, and to destroy any one of them is a great, great loss.

     There is a "quickening" or acceleration in consciousness taking place in this time. Animals are becoming increasingly able to speak to us, if we will but take the time to listen and to recover the telepathic ability that we lost in childhood. If we are to save ourselves and Earth, we must listen to, and learn from, Earth's non-human inhabitants. They can tell us what to do. They know, and they are willing to share their knowledge, if we will only listen.

     We can begin by tuning in to to our companion animals, those ones who have come to be our personal guardians and protectors. They are feeling the same urgency felt by the dolphins and whales. Much of the "unexplained" anxiety, nervousness, neurotic behavior, and resultant diseases that our pets increasingly suffer, have as much to do with the overall state of Earth and humanity, as with what is happening in their immediate environment. For, you see, animals perceive the "big picture."

     As the great cats are driven to extinction in ever increasing numbers, is it any wonder that your cat suffers from non-specific anxiety? As the wolf continues to be persecuted in Alaska and other areas, is it any surprise that your dog manifests neurotic behavior at times?

     How can I take on such an enormous task?, you might be asking yourself. What about my own stresses and concerns? The answers lie not in adding anything to our busy lives or figuring anything out. It is simply a matter of tuning in.....listening. Perhaps there is another way for us to live. Maybe it is far more simple than anyone imagines. Could it be that the answers to all of our questions, both personal and planetary, have to do with simplicity, presence, and love?.....Could it be?.....Ask your animal!

     We can learn (or remember) how to communicate telepathically, and once we have, not only will we be able to understand our own animals on a very deep level, but we will have access to all animals everywhere. Not only will we be able to talk with animals as individuals, but we will be able to talk with the uniting over-soul (the consciousness or total wisdom) of any given species. Because telepathy knows no distance, we can talk with the collective intelligence of Elephant and Tiger, Seal, and Salamander. Just imagine the information and understanding to which this gives us access. What can the otters tell us about the rivers of the world, or fishes about the ocean, or birds about the air? Why not go straight to an expert!

     Start at home. Acknowledge yourself as the divine being that you are. Acknowledge your animal companion as an equally divine and spiritually evolving being. Let your capacity for love grow, for as love grows, so grows our ability to communicate with life in all its myriad forms. Learn from your animal companion, and then expand this understanding outward to include all of Earth's wondrous inhabitants. Walk softly upon Earth, for She has many unique ways of speaking. As your awareness grows you will find Her speaking not only through animals, but through fern and flower, lizard and ladybug.....there will be nowhere you can direct your senses that She is not speaking. 

     As you focus more upon the living world that surrounds you, many wonders and miracles will begin to appear. . . the miracle of the birth of every living form, the wonder within the cycles of nature, the beauty of an unfolding flower. The more you attune to nature, the more you will begin to feel within yourself a reverence and kinship with all of life. With such a perspective, no creature will be too small to escape your interest and concern and you will have access to the greatest library of all, the wonderful living library of the earth.