Author: soulsticespirit

12 ADORABLY WEIRD ANIMAL BEHAVIOURS:

If you’ve ever spent time with an animal companion, you know how much joy and laughter they bring! While sometimes they exhibit such human-like characteristics, other times they will behave in such silly ways that can be unfamiliar to the human experience. Here are 12 behaviours with ancient origin that are sure to bring smiles to our faces…or at least answer some questions!

1)      Sniffing into the wind- When cats and dogs were wild animals, they would smell into the wind to see if they could pick up the scent of prey in the distance.

2)      Walking in small circles before lying down to sleep- When cats and dogs were in the wild, they would walk in circles on the tall grasses to pat them down and make a “bed” to sleep.

3)      Paws the ground after eliminating- This is marking behaviour. Cats and dogs have olfactory sensors in their paws. They leave additional scent with their paws for animals to smell after elimination.

4)      Chasing tail- Animals will chase their tails due to boredom. This is especially present in herding dogs or dogs who are bred to chase.

5)      Rolls around in grass- Dogs and cats do this for two reasons; to scratch an itch and/or to pick up the scent of the area onto their hair/fur so that other animals will know where they have been.

6)      Takes food from bowl to other room to eat- this is submissive behaviour. Even in single animal homes, the animal may be exhibiting a reflection of being the last of the litter to get food or having to compete for food in previous homes.

7)      Licks plastic bags- Some cats love the crinkling sound of plastic. Animals are highly noise sensitive. Plastic is not a natural material and it sounds funny to them.  They love to play with plastic bags and other items that make noise.

8)      Eats grass- Animals will eat grass for two reasons; if they have sore tummies, grass can often induce vomiting which can alleviate the soreness. They will also eat grass if they are lacking nutrients in their diet. If the latter is the case, research into supplementing the animals’s diet with vegetables or enzymes is necessary.

9)      Eats feces- Dogs will eat feces (coprophagia) for two reasons; when dogs were wild, one of their survival methods was to dispose of any evidence that could lead predators to them. They ate their stool so as not to leave a trail behind. Poop eating can also be a symptom of malnutrition. This means that they may not be digesting all of the necessary nutrients from their diets, or that they have contracted worms and are not absorbing the nutrients from food. For clarity on this seek assistance from an animal care practitioner; intuitive or veterinarian.

10)   Rubs body against people’s legs, face and body- usually seen in cats (and sometimes in dogs), animals will rub against people to “mark” them. While it may seem cute that our furry friends are greeting us in this cuddly way, they are actually claiming us as their territory.

11)   Head tilt- Have you ever seen your dog or puppy tilt his head? Though the definitive reason for this behaviour is unclear, animal behaviour specialists (including myself) believe that the dog will tilt his head when his person is speaking with him in anticipation of recognizable words.

12)   Hiding in box, plastic bag or in shelf/cupboard- cats love to hide in objects. Most of the time this is “play” behaviour. Most cats love to be in enclosed areas. It can help them to feel safe and secure. Boxes are not only great for safety and security but they are also a great place from which to stalk their prey unseen. Cats are curious by nature and love to see what’s in the box! Also the box tends to be warmer than a cold winter floor, so cold cats can find it more comfortable.

Whether you are an animal companion or love animals from afar, it’s always entertaining to watch them. They are perfect combinations between their ancient, wild genetic patterning and modern day social companions! For more information on animal behaviour, email: jmorgan.soulstice@gmail.com.

One of the articles that receives the most hits on my blog is “Anti-Inflammatory foods for cats and dogs”. Though I am glad that people are doing the research to provide natural health options for their animal companions, it saddens me that so many animals are suffering from chronic inflammation.

Without a doubt processed foods can cause joint inflammation in cats and dogs. Often, animal food companies fill their foods with non-food items, extremely low grade ingredients and mislabel their products for monetary gain. This means that even for those of us who research every ingredient we feed our animals, we may still not be accounting for all of the factors in nutrition. Further, some companies outsource their food factories to other continents. This decreases the quality of nutrients because of the length of time it takes for the food to travel overseas to your animal’s food bowl. With all of these hurdles to jump over, how can we ever be sure that we are doing the very best we can to feed them well?

It can be very difficult to avoid feeding our animals processed foods as taking the time to make our cat and dog food is not always feasible. Even the best quality foods can have ingredients that are not ideal for long term mobility of our animal companions.  Though many people are under the impression that good quality dog and cat food are pricey, this is often incorrect. There are very good quality food brands that are middle of the road pricing that can make a world of difference to the longevity of your animal’s healthy and joint mobility. However, even this processed for may not be enough. What is the solution?

Because of both inadequate nutrition as well as environmental factors such as stress and pollution, toxins can build up in the joints. Additionally, when animals age, joints can become depleted of lactic acid and other moisture that can cause physical pain and discomfort. Additionally, the toxins can cause inflammation of muscles and joints rendering walking, standing and sitting for prolonged periods of time painful. There are so many factors that can play into joint health that it is an excellent idea to begin your animals on prophylactic nutritional supplementation. By starting them on certain holistic food supplements, you can virtually alter the longevity of your animal’s mobility.

Below are five highly effective natural remedies that are commonly used and safe for cats and dogs:

1)      Wild Salmon Oil

2)      Coconut Oil

3)      Hemp Seed Oil

4)      Turmeric

5)      Ground Almonds

Please note that when administering any new supplement, it is of primary importance to begin with a small dosage and work your way up incrementally. This way you will not overload your animal friend’s system. It is also important to integrate slowly, being mindful of the dosage relative to the size of your animal friend.

When working with oil supplementation, be advised that many oils are fattening and to be mindful of used dosages. Also, if you are administering these oils to a dog or cat with chronic diarrhea or any other bowel issues, oils may cause diarrhea. Check with your holistic animal healer before beginning any new regime.

TO SCHEDULE A SESSION FOR YOUR ANIMAL FRIEND, EMAIL: jmorgan.soulstice@gmail.com.

WHY IS MY ANIMAL EATING MY FURNITURE, CLOTHES AND PAPER?

Many of us strive to be the best guardians of our companion animals. Most of us do our best. But how much can we really do with the limited spectrum of knowledge of simply doing what we are told by medical veterinarians and advertising?

There is merit to listening to the various media that fill our head with what is “healthy” or “unhealthy” however it is our duty as animal caregivers to stop being “yes” people and start doing our own research! Animals are like people in that they require a delicate balance of nutrition to feel healthy. And every animal’s nutritional needs varies from the next. It is silly to assume that every cat or every dog will be completely nutritionally satisfied by eating exactly the same type of diet as the next.

Though there are various reasons why animals will eat non food items, a primary reason is that they are seeking proper nutrition that they are not getting from their diet. The term for eating on-food items is called PICA.

When we examine the nutritional needs of a cat or dog, we will read that kibble alone is not a valid form of nutrition. In fact it is quite detrimental to their health despite what advertising will tell us. They will fill our heads with the idea that kibble that is composed of healthy ingredients is healthy for your cats and dogs because it is a nourishing meal. And that is false. If we ask any holistic veterinarian, she will tell you that yes, kibble keeps cats and dogs alive but their quality of life is significantly compromised. Kibble has been linked to severe dehydration, urinary bladder and kidney problems, crystals and early stage kidney failure. Kibble drains the water systems in our animal friends’ bodies, leaving them unable to retain nearly enough bodily moisture from water alone.

It would stand to reason that just as every human has her own digestive needs, so does every companion animal. Animals have very sensitive little stomachs, and what works well for one dog or cat may not work for the next. In an ideal world, every guardian of a cat, dog, horse and other companion animal would adequately research, seek various professional holistic veterinary and animal communicator’s opinions. However, this is not always feasible. Of all of these options, conducting our own research really goes a long way in term of keeping our animals feeling healthy.

There is a lot of hype about various brands of food. Some of these brands are even recommended by medical veterinarians. And some of these brands are labeled “prescription diets”. However, when we  read the ingredients of some of these brands, they are not only devoid of any ingredient that requires a “prescription” (can you say marketing scheme??) but their list of ingredients comes complete with non-food items, preservatives and fillers. One might argue that they have witnessed cats and dogs living long and healthy lives on these low quality foods. This may be true, but how was their quality of life? Futher, are you taking nutritional advice from a veterinarian who has any concept of proper nutrition himself? I would be hard pressed to accept any nutritional advice from a doctor who does not eat well himself, as he has no frame of reference in terms of proper  nutrition= healthy quality of life. To add, some cats and dogs are far more food-sensitive than others. This level of sensitivity is most often relative to their person’s level of food sensitivity. Coincidence? To cite one example, many professionals will have us believe that ground up chicken beaks are a valid form of protein for your cats and dogs. Upon initial research, yes, chicken beaks are full of protein. INSOLUBLE protein called keratin—the same type of protein that is found in human hair and nails. It is not only insoluble (meaning that it does not get digested into the animal’s body and passes right through them) but there is absolutely no valid nutritional component in consuming keratin for animals. Consider this the next time you read “chicken by-product” on your food label. And for those of us who pay attention to animal welfare, it may help us to remember that the beaks that are being ground up as filler in our animals’ food come from farms that de-beak these chickens while they are still alive to utilize every last cent of their “commodities” they can. Would your animal friend want to take part in this barbaric business?

Lastly, in terms of research, it is also paramount to research where the food you’re buying is being processed. There have been several recalls of food brands for mislabelling their products. These companies will go so far as to re-arrange ingredients on labels to make them look more appealing to consumers. So you may be thinking that you’re buying whole food products when you are actually buying a low grade form of product that has been fancily decorated to look like a high quality. True high quality brands are not as expensive as these traditional vet recommended brands. They are middle of the road prices and will ensure that your cat and dog has a longer, healthier quality of life. Isn’t it time we started to nurture them the way they nurture us?

If your animal friend is eating healthy food and is still acting out by chewing, there are several other reasons that this may be happening. One reason is because the animal is not getting adequate exercise. For example, if you are the guardian of a large breed dog, this dog MUST receive at least two half hour fast paced walks per day. Until the dog begins to age, he will have a lot of energy. If we are unable to give these dogs the exercise they need, it would be irresponsible to bring them into our homes.  Not exercising our dogs is a form of abuse. Alternatively, hiring a well-reputed dog walker will help.

Dogs also thrive on discipline. They do NOT know how they are required to behave until we teach them. If we do not teach them, they will be unaware of your desired behaviour and act out. This is a main reason why dogs are re-homed; because humans lack the discipline to properly train their dogs in a consistent way. This is where we would hire a dog trainer to work with the dog. There is no need for the dog to get re-homed in this situation, as this can be VERY traumatic for the dog and cause permanent psychological damage.

Often when we are feeding our animals proper food, they can still act out. This can potentially be because their digestive systems are so sensitive that they require additional help with digestion. This is an excellent opportunity to research digestive enzymes and probiotics. Though they are not always necessary, when we are working with animals who were found as babies and were weaned too soon their digestive system development may have been compromised. Often this creates an inhibited digestive environment. Enzymes and probiotics may help. Consult your animal communicator or holistic vet for more information.

The last reason why your animal friend may be chewing your furniture is because he was weaned too early and has manifested an oral fixation. This can be altered with simple behaviour modification techniques suggested by a cat or dog trainer. With consistency and patience, your animal companion will stop chewing in no time!

If your animal friend is chewing your non-food items for another reason than is listed above, this may be a symptom of a medical problem. If you feel this is the case, consult your animal communicator or holistic veterinarian immediately.

FOR MORE INFORMATION INCLUDING ANIMAL COMMUNICATION, HEALTHY CAT AND DOG FOOD BRANDS, WHERE TO CONTACT A HOLISTIC VET AND MORE, EMAIL: jmorgan.soulstice@gmail.com.

FULL MOON, SOLAR ECLIPSE & COMET IN NIGHT SKY

Today is a day of days! This powerful full moon has the potential to bring a complete cataclysm or complete elevation of consciousness.. or both! There is the dual influence of the solar Aquarius which recognizes the human characteristic of detachment from one’s emotions as well as the lunar energies of Leo, which stirs up passion, drive and sensuality.  Additionally Jupiter opposes Uranus which conjures up ethereal, magical energy infused with sudden and abrupt change. Anything can happen! Jupiter is the planet which denotes expansion of mind, imagination and spirit, while Uranus is the planet that stands for sudden change and shaking up of energy. All of this is to say that if there is something within your energy field that needs to be released, it can happen gently if you are ready to let it go. And if you are not, today is the day to prepare to have it happen on its own. And when it happens on its own, you can be sure it will be full of surprises!

With the energies of this lunar eclipse, we can expect a heightened focus on emotional relationships. This conjunction of the sun and moon will illuminate what is valid for us now interpersonally and what is ready to be released. And today is the perfect time to ask for help with this releasing. During this 24 hour period we may feel like we are spinning out of control. But we need not worry because this is how we will begin to feel our stale energies release themselves from our fields.

On a more personal level, the balance between the sun and moon energies will shed light on where and how we must find the discipline to evolve without destroying our vital energy force or the energy force of the collective. This full moon/ eclipse focuses on shifting our energies with consciousness. If we are not conscious of our shift in energy, we will be left behind and miss this potential for initiation into a new, higher level of consciousness.

Today is the day where we have the power to tell ourselves that what we are experiencing as a loss of control is an initiation of sorts into a higher consciousness. This day is the completion of our personal and collective spiritual evolution that began during the lunar eclipse six months ago, when the Sun was in Leo and the moon in Aquarius.

To add to all of this excitement, we will bear witness to a rare comet in the dark night skies, around 3am PST. There is much mystery surrounding the astrological symbolism of the comet. In ancient times of the Greek, the comet as been regarded as an illusory symbol . In the times of ancient Roman, it was an omen of destruction.  Though these concepts do have their respective places in history, we can approach the symbolism of the comet on a more internalized level.

In ancient Greek mythology, the comet appears in two myths that both relate to grief and sacrifice. If we take this notion one step further and bring the ideas of these myths into modern day, we will see that he comet’s appearance is relevant to releasing our grief through self-sacrifice. This self-sacrifice need not be any gesture more that putting our own selfish needs aside for the greater good. And this will help us to relieve the grief of our collective planetary inhabitants. By putting our individual desires aside for a moment and looking at how we can be of service to the greater good, we will be both healing ourselves and nurturing our planet. At this time this is of foremost importance in our own evolution as well as the collective!

Comets also indicate the upbringing of “frozen” or stagnant issues within ourselves. Because comets are frozen rocks hurdling through space, we can expect movement of energy within ourselves that is ready to be released. This is highlighted here as well as within the lunar eclipse and can be expected to be a main focus of these celestial event.

If we allow ourselves to surrender this day to Spirit, we will be amazed at the magic and wonder that unfolds! Remember that we have the ability to channel our shifting energies away from upheaval and toward higher consciousness! By connecting with our higher selves, we can shift our perspective, let go and have faith that the peaks and troughs of this unique astrological alignment will bring us closer to where we aspire to be!

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WHY DO WE DREAM?

For thousands of years, dreams have been somewhat of a mystery. Scientists, spiritualists and atheists alike have all questioned why we dream and what our dreams might mean. Though each has developed their own reasoning, the commonality between them is that they are quite intriguing.

There are a myriad of dream symbols, dream concepts and dream meanings. Some dreams can be interpreted respective to the dreamer and some respective to collective dreamers. Some dreams carry messages of healing and some dreams are messages that come about from deep within our subconscious. Some dreams even carry messages of prophecy.

As with all endeavours, focusing energy on interpreting dreams will promote success in understanding them. And those who focus will realize that the more focus is put on remembering dreams, the more they begin to take shape into a larger, abstract theme. And with study, they begin to connect themselves together as links on a chain.

Though there is no definitive answer as to why we dream and what our dreams mean, there are definitive connections between what we dream, our subconscious mind and our spiritual path (if we are on one). The subconscious mind, when desiring to pass a message onto our conscious mind, will extend the message repeatedly into our dreams. It will continue to do so, time and time again until we recognize the pattern, acknowledge it and begin to heal. This is where we can begin to examine recurring dreams.

Recurring dreams are dreams that we have which occur more than once or even on a regular basis. These dreams can have been occurring since childhood, they may have stopped a few years and come back or they can be more recent. The bottom line is the same: there is a message that your subconscious wishes for your conscious mind to receive. In fact, we will continue to have dreams with the same theme until we understand the message of the dreams. To obtain the message, there is a series of questions we can ask ourselves: How do we feel in the dream? Do we feel happy, sad, anxious, fearful, etc. What kind of symbols are in the dream? Landscapes, animals, day/night… and the list of questions goes on.  By asking ourselves these probing questions, we can begin to notice a pattern. It will also help to journal. By journaling our dreams in detail for prolonged periods of time- to include how we are feeling when we wake up and any other pertinent details, we can begin to put the details together on a larger scale.

In addition to the subconscious messages of recurring dreams, dream meanings can also be as simple as your dreaming about what happened that day. That is to say, not every dream has a profound meaning. In fact, sometimes we may just be dreaming about going to the bathroom because we actually have to go to the bathroom! It may just be that simple. We may dream about food because we’re hungry, we may dream about work because we’re thinking about work and we may dream about our long lost relative because we were thinking about them before we fell asleep.

Some of the deeper schools of thought about what our dreams mean include why we dream about something we experienced that day. For example, given that the average North American is bombarded with thousands upon thousands of images throughout any given day, why did we dream about one in particular? The thought process is this: Our brains receive millions of pieces of information every day. These pieces can come from media, walking in the woods, even driving from your home to a restaurant down the street. Most of these pieces of information go completely unnoticed by your conscious mind. However, when we go to sleep, we may have a dream about an image we just quickly passed by on a billboard. Or we may dream about a commercial that we were barely paying attention to. Even though consciously, we are not focused directly on that image, our subconscious has chosen that image to dream about because of what it represents. For example, let’s say you were out driving with your family and out of the corner of your eye, you saw a sign with a dog’s face on it. You barely noticed it, except to say that it was the face of a dog. Then later that night, you dreamt very vividly of this dog wandering around your house. You wake up and think you’re crazy for dreaming about a dog on a billboard! Before you call the therapist, take a moment and reflect: what does “dog” mean to you? Commonly, dreaming of a dog implies that you are dreaming of someone who is loyal. And dreaming of a house is a reflection of yourself- in dreams, commonly your house is an extension of your body. So, it would be fair to say in this assessment that you are dreaming of a loyal friend or lover in your life.

What does all of this mean? All of this is to say that what we perceive subconsciously during the day fires specific synapses in our brains that send messages to us when our conscious mind is at rest and more readily able to receive messages.  This means that whichever signs, symbols and scenarios we encounter during the day will more easily be reflected back to us while we dream. These symbols carry meaning in our conscious mind so that we can easily decipher what our subconscious wants us to know. These messages are of healing, unresolved issues from our past, bodily messages of health and function, and of course messages of Spirit that will give us the extra push we need to succeed.

Dreams are truly fascinating. Though there is yet no definitive answer to the why’s and how’s, it s always fun to keep track of our dreams and see where their messages take us!

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON DREAM INTERPRETATION AND TO REGISTER FOR DREAM INTERPRETATIO WORKSHOPS, EMAIL: jmorgan.soulstice@gmail.com

WE RISE ABOVE

Inspired by many of my students, clients, friends and colleagues, I have apprehended that there is a very important message underlying the mass heaviness in the atmosphere. There is a colossal amount of change occurring to date politically, environmentally and energetically. And it is taking its toll on all of us.

It may come in the form of depression. It may come in the form of sudden, irrational bursts of anger. It may come in the form of hopelessness. It may come in the form of fear. But it comes. It grabs a hold of us. It tugs on our heart strings for the world as we know it. It crushes us, illuminating just how small each of us looks in the grand scheme of the universe; and renders us seemingly powerless to do anything to fight it.

Alas we, feeling so insignificant may have spoken too soon. Have we forgotten that we are all one? Have we forgotten that we are part of the same force of consciousness that is able to co-create a more hospitable environment for ourselves and those with whom we share the planet? Have we forgotten that we are part of the same unity that has created this atrocious display of evil? Surely, if we are part of the unification of these forces, we must have the power to alter our futures and the future of humanity and Mother Earth! And surely, if we are all one, we are equally able to shift current circumstances back to a peaceful environment as are the forces that have created this new reality.

Too, Mother Earth is suffering. Long before these new circumstances arose, she was tortured, dismembered and abused beyond any acceptable limits. And now that the powers that be wish to cause irreparable damage to her, will we sit blindly and silently? We know very well that our retribution is love, and that it is so much stronger than any other force in the universe. Because ultimately we know that love is the ONLY truth. We will not picket. We will not write letters to the powers that be. We will not form sit-ins. Our retribution is love. And all that is necessary for us to combat the evil that rears its ugly head is to become one with love; with truth. And when we relinquish our fear to the Divine consciousness, we are joining forces with the greatest good. And when we submit to our fear, we are doing nothing to stop the acts of maliciousness. We are doing nothing to help our sacred Mother Earth. When we submit to our fear, we are feeding the belly of the beast that has made it it’s mission to bring us down. We will not feed the beast. We will feed the Divinity that lives within all of us. We will feed the Divinity that lives within Mother Earth. We will heal our sister, our Mother Earth.

Every action we take, be it behaviour, thought or feeling, has a direct effect on the fabric of existence. Our actions affect ourselves, humankind and the multitude of all living beings with whom we share the Earth. When we behave, think and feel in such a way that emulates negativity and sorrow, we affect all life. When we behave, think and feel in such a way that emulates kindness and love, we affect all life. It serves the highest and greatest good of all to sit in peace and prayer.

Because we are in the human body and inhabit the human mind, learning to supersede feelings f angst, fear and hopelessness takes discipline. And this is one of the reasons why we have chosen this life for ourselves; to learn the practice of discipline. Yet we know that we are only given what we can handle. Therefore it is at this time that we are given the choice whether to become a part of the problem or a part of the solution.

To invest ourselves in becoming the solution takes little physical effort. We need not move a muscle. All that is required of us to become a part of the investment is to connect with the deepest, most gratifying feeling of unconditional love. It is from the connection that healing begins. From this sole and magnificent connection we heal our bodies, we heal our minds, we heal our souls. And because of the interconnection of all living beings, we are sure to impact the outcome of our collective place within the greatest good.

By simply breathing, being and loving, we are changing the landscape of human existence. Because energy is the fundamental link between all that is, if we transmute our fear and hopelessness into love and compassion, the very fabric of our reality will shift. Though it may seem simple, the discipline involved in such a feat takes patience, care and awareness. Every being has the capability to become at one with unconditional love. The more time and space we create for ourselves to sit in complete and total love, the more we will raise the vibration of our universal destiny.

TOP 5 NATURAL ANTISEPTIC REMEDIES FOR DOGS AND CATS

Ever wondered if you could treat your animal friend’s cuts and scrapes without the inconvenience of going to the vet or using conventional medicine? It’s likely easier than you thought! Here are 5 easy home remedies that can act as first aid treatment for your cat and dog:

5) COCONUT OIL- Ingested or applied topically, coconut oil is an antimicrobial, anti-fungal and antibacterial remedy. Coconut oil has many other health benefits such as healthy coat, skin and is an antioxidant; beneficial for preventing cancers.

4) HONEY- Honey is a known antiseptic by most natural healers. Here’s why- honey contains a “secret” protein that bees synthesize called “defensin-1”. This, recently found by scientists, is capable of treating burns and skin infections.

3) CALENDULA- When applied by either tea or ointment, calendula speeds up the healing of wounds and reduces pain and inflammation. Calendula also promotes accelerated skin fibre repair. Do not use on cysts or other wounds that require draining of fluids.

2) THYME- In addition to aiding respiratory illnesses such as feline upper respiratory illness, asthma and pneumonia, thyme is an excellent antimicrobial herb. To most benefit from the healing essences of the herb, prepare a poultice* and apply to skin topically.

1) PLANTAIN- Plantain has long been considered multifaceted herb. If ingested raw, it contains a high amount of B1 and Riboflavin. Its leaves and seeds are medicinally used as an antimicrobial, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic solution. For best results with wound treatment, heat up the leaves which can be used as a bandage/dressing for wounds, skin inflammations, ulcers and many other external ailments. Due to the antibacterial nature of the leaves, they also promote the cessation of bleeding on open wounds if placed on top. A perfect addition to your first aid kit!

*To prepare a poultice/compress, boil some water along with the desired herb and have a small cloth handy. Once the water is saturated with the herb, apply small portion to the cloth. Let cool and compress cloth onto affected area.

PLEASE NOTE : Tea tree oil and Lemon are both highly effective herbal treatments for humans but are TOXIC to animals even at low doses. DO NOT use these or other citrus/pine related oils and herbs on your animals. DO NOT apply any essential oils directly onto your cat or dog as this may have a toxic effect.

WITH ANY QUESTIONS OR TO BOOK A HEALING SESSION FOR YOUR CAT AND DOG, PLEASE EMAIL:

jmorgan.soulstice@gmail.com

BENEFITS OF CHIROPRACTIC CARE FOR CATS AND DOGS

The old adage of the “back cracking chiropractor” is a misnomer, brought on by those who are stuck in the belief systems of western medicine.

The practice of chiropractic care focuses on the health of the animal’s neuro-musculoskeletal systems. The neuro-musculoskeletal system is a fancy all-encompassing word that represents your animal’s brain-nerve communication, muscular system and skeletal system. All of these systems are of foremost responsibility for a properly functioning body. Nerves are responsible for your animal’s bodily functions including everything ranging from walking, scratching, eating, tasting, eliminating, thinking and feeling, sight and central nervous system. Anything and everything that an animal experiences on a sensory level is affected by her neuro-musculoskeletal system.

Particularly associated with an animal’s mobility, the spine is responsible for holding up the animal’s body. It also houses many acupuncture points that are associated with vital organ function. The spine’s proper alignment influences proper nerve function, as it has many nerves branching off of it. If a vertebra of the spine is compromised, the risk of nerve function impediment grows stronger. And the longer it remains compromised, the more the body develops in such a way to overcompensate for its weakness. After a long enough time, this can become irreversible. When it finally becomes irreversible, the compromised neuro-musculoskeletal system has the potentiality to cause severe damage.

In addition to readjusting the spine and neuro-musculoskeletal systems, animal chiropractic care has other health benefits. They can often replace surgery (Dr. Karen Becker; Animal Chiropractic Success Stories). They can reduce the need for medical drugs that induce side effects. Chiropractic adjustments can return the animal’s body into a state of balance without the use of drugs or surgery. Adjustments can also positively impact aging animals who have become moody. This is because just like humans, animals’ muscles, joints and tendons get sore. Through chiropractic adjustment, the animal’s musculoskeletal system can be realigned and decrease if not eliminate the root cause of the animal’s discomfort.

Sometimes, stress alone can contribute to poor skeletal health. If your animal lives in a stressful environment or has been around stressful people, the animal will begin to take on the stress due to extreme sensitivity to energy. When this happens, the animal’s stress can quickly snowball into a physical condition that needs immediate resolution.

The goal of an animal chiropractor is to restore function and mobility to compromised vertebra in order to re-align neuro-musculoskeletal transmission. When an animal’s nerves properly communicate with their musculoskeletal system, the chiropractor has done his job, and the animal begins to heal. To do his or her job, there is no “back cracking”. There is a short series of simple, yet effective adjustments to ensure that the body’s systems are fully functional, promoting both optimal physical and spiritually energetic function.

Animal chiropractic care is not meant to replace veterinary care. Nor is it meant to replace other holistic care. To understand the nature of why your animal requires chiropractic care, you will want to examine the root cause. Often the symptoms of neuro-musculoskeletal imbalances are caused by an underlying issue. These issues may stem from various causes from abuse, overtraining or genetics to poor sleeping habits or lack of proper exercise. To examine and locate the origin of the compromised neuro-musculoskeletal system, you will want to understand the process of observation.

Observation is a crucial part of proper animal care. When we examine our animal friends while they are healthy, we will easily be able to note the moment at which there is a change in health. For example, we can note what our animal friends walk like, what colour their tongues are and how white their eyeballs are. By doing this, the moment our animal friend begins to walk “funny”, has a changing tongue colour or has red eyes, we will know that something in their body systems is off. Depending on what detail we notice, we can seek appropriate care.

For those who believe that chiropractic care is reserved for the human race, let us all be reminded that humans are not the only ones who have spines. All beings who have spines, neurologic transmission (brain-nerve communication), a musculoskeletal system and life force energy are candidates for chiropractic treatment and optimal wellness. All living beings deserve to have the best quality of life possible!

WHY CAT FOOD SHOULD ALWAYS BE GRAIN-FREE

Most cat parents want to feed their cats the best brands of food they can. The issue is that many of these cat parents are not fully educated on what to look for in a healthy cat food. Though there are numerous benefits to a raw food diet, many cats are quite finicky and may not adjust to raw food.

What some cat parents don’t know is that cats unlike dogs, horses and humans, lack a digestive enzyme called AMYLASE. This enzyme is responsible for the breakdown and digestion of grains. Since cats do not produce this enzyme, their metabolisms are unable to break down grains.

WHAT HAPPENS TO CATS WHEN THEY DON’T DIGEST GRAINS?

Grains in cat food are mostly made from human grade cereal and starchy substances such as rice, potatoes, oats and barley. Generally speaking if cats are fed these grains on a daily basis, they can cause harm. Since the grains in lower grade cat foods are high in sugar, the cat (just like human) will experience insulin spikes due to blood sugar irregularities. And, just like humans, cats will contract Diabetes if the blood sugar continues to be erratic for a prolonged period of time. This is why we see so many diabetic cats.

For optimal wellness, your cat should be eating a predominantly wet food-based diet with about 1/8-1/4 C of grain free kibble. Kibble alone does NOT provide your feline friend with nearly enough internal moisture and can result in flaky skin, dry eyes and excessive thirst. This, as you may imagine, can eventually lead to severe dehydration and kidney failure.

If you are a brave soul who chooses to venture into the homemade cat food world, please be aware that you will need to thoroughly research the precise levels of vitamins and minerals that cats need on a daily basis to stay healthy and active. Many people believe that feeding chicken or fish alone is enough to stabilize a cat. This is not correct. Please do your research!

For more information, contact your holistic veterinarian.

BEWARE AND TAKE CARE!!

CLOSING THE DOOR WITH GRACE

As we grow older, we understand who we are. We understand that the experiences we have had have shaped us. The people in our lives have left their imprints on us. And on our journeys, we learn to understand who we are apart from those external influences. When the time arrives that we understand ourselves, separate from all else, we may find ourselves at a loss for how much gravity we have given other people’s authority. And because of the ever changing nature of existence, their beliefs and realities grow farther and more distant from our own awakened state.

For those who have dedicated our lives to self-mastery, we have manifested a keen awareness of what no longer serves our highest good. That which no longer serves our highest good is that which becomes out of alignment with our altruistic path. That which no longer serves us may be challenging to release as some of the last relationships to go are those which we hold so dear. Emotional attachment can be the hardest to face. For once we have done all we are capable of to fix a situation and there is no resolution, it is time to walk away.

Especially when faced with those whom we have known for most of our lives, looked up to and cherished, delineating what serves our highest good and what is being maintained to keep the peace to our own detriment can be complicated. Sometimes merely keeping the peace can leave us feeling stifled, unheard and insignificant. And for those of us on a mission to find and embody self-love, these sorts of relationships can be counterproductive at best. So how do we make everyone happy? We often cannot. So we must, in the name of self-preservation, nurture ourselves by closing the door.

For some of us, if conditions are poor enough; if we have not stood up for ourselves after years of being condescended to, insulted or laughed at, when we have this realization we may have the initial desire to slam the door closed. However, in keeping with Spiritualist tradition of practicing kindness, we may want to take a step back to reflect before taking action.

Because as spiritual souls, we are learning to heal all karmic retribution from our energy fields, we will want to close this door with grace and ease. If we act on our instinct to finally give a person a piece of our mind or “tell them how we really feel”, we subject ourselves to the laws of cause and effect. Though we are always subjected to the laws of cause and effect with every action we take, we will want to remember that the law of cause and effect is not our enemy. It is our friend- provided our actions are out of harmony, peace and love. This way, when we fall into the law of cause and effect, what will affect us is the act of love that we have caused in the situation as opposed to an angry or retributive action.

Part of the challenge of learning to abide by the law of cause and effect is learning to dismiss the egoic human nature. But with hard work and discipline, we are readily able to stop the ego influence before it controls us, and act out of love.

In this particular event, to act out of love as well as self-preservation is to gently and gracefully let our loved one know that we appreciate all she or he has given us, and we are now ready to close the door with grace and peace. Though the person on the other side of this may lash out due to misguided anger, fear or simply wanting to invoke our anger, we must let it go. We must close the door, be strong and walk away. We must not let those who operate from their ego level influence our personal and spiritual growth. We are strong. We are aware that we are working toward a greater good and that this means that along the way, loved ones, experiences that used to bring us joy and that which we used to place value on may fall away. As we progress on our journeys, we are in a constant state of shifting. As we grow, we attract new and equal experiences and people with like vibrations.

To close any door, particularly with those whom we love unconditionally takes courage and strength. It takes the awareness and faith that we know what is right for us, in spite of what anyone else claims. As long as we stay true to our inner knowing, we are sure to succeed. We are sure to attract miracles and wonder. We are sure to expedite our passage to learning to love ourselves.