Author: soulsticespirit

WHY DO DOGS TILT THEIR HEADS WHEN WE SPEAK?

We have all borne witness to the adorable doggie head tilt. It is certainly one of their most lovable qualities. Puppy and dog alike, head tilting is an important body language communication effort. But why do they tilt their heads?

Even though dogs have a far greater reaching spectrum of audibility than do humans, they do not have as acute of a locator of the sound they hear. So, when a dog tilts her head, it is perhaps to locate the origin of the sound they hear. This may explain why dogs tilt their heads when we make strange noises toward them.

Of course in some cases, dogs will tilt their heads if they have earaches or ear mites. These head tilts are often accompanied by scratching and other secondary symptoms such as dark fluid in the ear or whining. If your dog is tilting their head and scratches their ears, you may want to make a vet visit.

Unfortunately in rare cases, dogs will tilt their heads if they have a growing brain tumor or Cushing’s disease.  The head tilt is a very common symptom of a growth in the brain. Constant head tilting should be examined by a vet immediately. Constant head tilting is often a major sign of physical distress.

Generally however, the head tilt is not a symptom of an illness. Generally the head tilt is a symptom of an adorable canine behaviour.

Some schools of thought suggest that your dog is attempting to see you better. The theory states that the location of the dog’s muzzle may interfere with their ability to see where the noise is coming from. By tilting their heads, dogs can see our faces better, in turn creating a more discernible way to read our facial expressions. Our facial expressions are our most notable forms of visible communication.

Perhaps dogs have adapted to our energies in terms of the reason why they tilt their heads. Perhaps they have learned to understand that their tilted heads bring us a tremendous amount of joy. By our reaction to their tilted heads, knowing how delightful we express that it is, it’s possible that dogs realize that they can get a laugh, cuddle or even a treat from such adorable behaviour.

Many people believe that dogs tilt their heads as a signal of empathy toward their people. Because dogs are so emotionally sensitive, it would make sense that they wish to express their empathetic, compassionate side through the head tilt. Wouldn’t this make their adorable behaviour even more so? Dogs are remarkably good at reading our energy. Whether we vocalize it or not, dogs are cognizant of when we are happy, sad, angry or hurt. Though they may not understand the words per se, dogs definitely understand he energy behind our voices and behaviours. In order to acknowledge that they understand us, or at least how we are feeling, they may give us an empathetic head tilt. Some experts have even gone so far as to say that the more empathetic the dog, the more frequent the head tilt.

Of all of the theories about the adorable head tilt, on the other hand, the origin of this behaviour may be a bit simpler than many would believe. Perhaps the origin of the head tilt is a result of our dogs’ necessity to better understand our spoken language. It may not be out of a necessity to find the location of our spoken word or from whom they are coming per se. It may be in an attempt to understand the words themselves; the human language. Many believe, (myself included), that dogs tilt their heads when they recognize a word or phrase we speak. Particularly words that have an exciting meaning attached to them such as “food” “walk””daddy’s home” can have a tilting effect on your puppy’s head. Your dog  likely recognizes the word you’re speaking and reacts by tilting their head. Your dog likely tilts her head to communicate that she understands that particular word or phrase. After all, her incentive to learn and remember select words and phrases you speak is based on a very exciting result!

Whatever the real reason (of course there may be more that one!), the doggie-head tilt is a behaviour that brings laughter and love and enriches our lives with joy!

TO SCHEDULE YOUR ANIMAL COMMUNICATION SESSION, EMAIL jmorgan.soulstice@gmail.com .

FULL MOON IN VIRGO 2020

Monday, March 9^th births this year’s full moon in Virgo. As the night sky is decorated with three planets, this lunar event promises to be a colourful one! This full moon is our first of two Supermoons of the year. This means that while aglow, the Supermoon appears larger than a regular full moon. This “super” aspect is visible as the moon is at its closest to Earth relative to the non-supermoons.

As with all full moons, this one is ideal for releasing. Taking the time to meditate, ground and release each and every full moon is a wonderful way to clear out old, stale energy and make room for the new and positive. Partaking in grounding is necessary in order to release that which no longer serves our highest good. Any and all grounding meditations are enhanced through contact with nature which will be easy at this time. As Virgo is an Earth sign, we will gravitate toward spending time in nature. We will feel at home in nature which will provide a comfortable environment in which for us to ground. With the moon in Virgo, we will find it quite easy to connect with our Mother Earth in order to ground. All we must do in order to ground is to touch a tree, connect our feet with the ground (if we are in an available climate to do so), or to envision ourselves rooted somehow into the Earth. We can then take several deep breaths, enhancing our Earthly connection. After we have connected with our Earth, we may send our old, stale energies into the Earth. Do not concern yourself with whether your energy will harm Mother Earth. As long as you set the intention to release your old energies into the Earth to be neutralized and healed, you will not be causing any harm. By setting the intention and the invitation for Mother Earth to help you to heal, you will be communing with her in a natural and beautiful way.

During this seemingly chaotic time, we may feel the need to organize ourselves. Because the sun is in ethereal Pisces, we may have recently been feeling a loss of control over our lives. If we have, this full moon is just the gift we need. Virgo is a meticulous, organized sign that aids in organizing and reorganizing which will help is to reinstate control over our lives. If we have been feeling overwhelmed lately, we can call on the energy of the Virgo moon to help us to put our lives in order.

The Virgo full moon can create a sense of discomfort within us, as it illuminates the areas of our lives and minds that, to us, are imperfect. There are lessons with this. For those of us who are perfectionists, we may find, at this time that we become easily frustrated by our imperfections. Should this occur, we must remind ourselves that perfection is a myth. It is far easier to accept ourselves fully than to battle our ego every step of the way. We know intellectually that nobody is perfect. Therefore we must learn to love ourselves for who we are instead of becoming frustrated by how we do not fit into the myth of perfection. Let this full moon in Virgo serve as a reminder of the remainder of the self-healing we must to do in order to learn to love ourselves fully and relentlessly.

In addition to our full moon in Virgo, 90 minutes before sunrise on March 9^th, three planets will be visible. Mars, Jupiter and Saturn will be strung in a diagonal line above the horizon. There is yet another strong tie to the Earth element as Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto transit through Capricorn (Earth sign) and Venus and Uranus transit through Taurus (Earth sign). With Mars in Capricorn, we will feel a drive to work. Particularly for the self-employed, this time period supports brainstorming, getting to work and seeing your projects through to their completion. This lunar period is an excellent time, in addition to the aforementioned getting into nature, to lay any foundation for new projects that have been on the backburner. This is a great time to put yourself to work. Any activity that requires diligent physical labour is favoured now as Earth energy emphasises construction of ideas both physically and mentally.

Thankfully, on this day Mercury resumes forward motion. All of the chaos of the last three weeks will finally calm. We will feel lesser apt to stay in and hide under the sheets, feeling more social and communicative. Because of the highlighting of Earthly matters, communication in relationships is favoured. This is a good time to have that “chat” with your partner, as the lines of communication have cleared and you’re now able to see eye to eye.

After several weeks of disorder, turmoil and disarray, we finally find the reins to reel it in and regain control. This full supermoon comes at the perfect time. Taking charge of our lives, de-cluttering and reorganizing are the ideal activities in which to engage at this time. After all, spring is just around the corner!

To schedule your Animal Communication or Mediumship reading, email: jmorgan.soulstice@gmail.com

WHY DO ANIMALS LICK?

We have all had the adorable experience of being licked by a companion animal. While it may appear that they are trying to communicate their love of us, we may in fact be misjudging the situation. Often animals exhibit behaviour that seems cute and cuddly when in fact they are trying to tell us something entirely different. Cats and dogs communicate in a variety of ways of which many people are unaware. Unless paying close attention and being open to why an animal is behaving a certain way, many of these communicative efforts go unnoticed.

Many cats and dogs develop a “licking” habit and it may be a warning sign to pay attention to. Though it may seem like your cat or dog is grooming or kissing you, sometimes they are, however this is very often not the case. Whether physical or behavioural, when an animal begins to excessively lick, this is a very first sign of something serious.

Animals lick excessively for several reasons. The first and least problematic is that they were weaned too early from their mothers. This is common in certain breeding situations. When the breeder is careless and takes the babes from their mother before they’re finished feeding from her, the babies will compensate for the rest of their lives by suckling and licking people or toys. This licking behaviour is also common in situations where something happens to the mother and she is unavailable to feed her babies. This , again, often results in a lifelong licking habit.

Mostly in dogs, a reason for licking is dominance-type behaviour. If your dog is constantly licking the faces of other dogs and people, take note, as this is a potential dominance behaviour pattern that should be addressed with behaviour modification. Or, the dog who is engaging in the licking of faces is curious as to what the face ate for lunch. Licking faces alone may not be a symptom of dominance, but licking faces in combination with other dog dominance behaviours is one to watch out for.

Animals may lick objects in the house that are non-food related such as furniture, appliances, walls or other metals. This is a sign of many potential issues that bear examination. One such issue is that they have developed a compulsive licking habit as a result of household stress. If an animal lives in a home with constant noise, yelling and arguing, people regularly filtering in and out of the house, a dirty environment, a smoky home, a home with an offensive odour, many children yelling and screaming and pulling on his ears or tail or any other type of high stress household, they may outlet their anxiety by licking household items, excessively self-grooming or licking their people. In this particular case, this dog or cat is attempting to communicate that her/his living conditions are too stressful. It is important to take heed of what you and your family members are currently doing to impose this behaviour on your animal. It is important to take significant measures to tone down whatever you are doing to offend your animal. After all, your animal is a member of your family just like the rest of you. Only he is unable to verbally ask you to turn down your volume, stop smoking, ask the kids to stop jumping on and tugging at his ears and tail and so on. So he begins to compulsively lick.

As opposed to physical behaviours, there is a more dangerous side to excessive licking. This danger lies in the health-related licking patterns. One such behaviour is excessive licking of people as a message that the animal is thirsty and dehydrated. Feline and canine dehydration is highly prevalent amd and dangerous in  today’s society. With the human belief that dry food and water provides adequate moisture to their diet, they suffer. Dry food is dehydrated food. If anyone was to attempt to subsist on dehydrated food for their whole lives, their insides would shrivel up. Water alone is insufficient in terms of providing and distributing moisture to all of the body’s organs. Water is an excellent cleanser of toxins from the body, however it often does not nourish the body as it needs. By adding extra moisture to their diet such as wild salmon oil or coconut oil and/or wet food or bone broth, you will be adding necessary moisture to their diet, thereby decreasing the likelihood of dehydration. In a best case scenario, integrating whole foods such as ground turkey or beef, whole pieces of fish or chicken, venison or other forms of whole proteins (WITHOUT sauces and spices!), you will be ensuring that adequate moisture is distributed properly to their body’s organs and tissues. If your kitty or puppy is excessively licking you, themselves or other household objects, and you’re feeding a mostly or completely dry food diet, it is definitely time to consider a diet switch.

Because the kidneys are responsible for processing the body’s water as well as filtering the body’s toxins for urination, when a cat or dog eats mainly or all dry food, the kidneys have to work overtime to process the dry food through. This is because the kidneys do not have adequate moisture to properly and easily do their job. Withboit adequate moisture, the kidneys are forced to drain water from aml other of the body’s organs in order to process the toxins through. Prolonged dehydration from a dry-food based diet will inevitably lead to kidney failure and a lot of pain for your animal and yourself. This is because eventually, if the kidneys run out of sufficient moisture to process the body’s toxins to be eliminated in their urine, the toxins eventually build up within the kidneys and the kidneys shut down. This is the painful reality of kidney failure.  If your animal licks you excessively, it is always important to weed out this potentiality by adding more moisture to the diet. If, after a week or two of added moisture, the animal is still licking, you will know that it is not dehydration. **REMEMBER** Water alone is NOT sufficient moisture for a cat or dog. Ask your holistic vet about and Research EFA (essential fatty acids) supplements that are safe and nutritious for your companion.

Perhaps most dangerously, excessive licking of the animal’s own body is a sure sign of distress. Whether an animal is licking the wall or household item or excessively self-grooming, there is a potential that the animal is in extreme pain. Studies have linked wall-licking to severe headaches, extreme liver imbalances and other fatal illnesses. If you notice that your animal is excessively self- grooming, Pay attention to where the animal is grooming herself. Generally, excessive licking of the abdomen can mean a tummy ache, constipation, diarrhea, bladder crystals, painful elimination, or other physical discomfort. This can be a sign of extreme stress such as living in a house with a smoker or other strong and persistent odour. It could also mean severe abdominal pain. If your animal is excessively licking her/his spine or lower back, he may have a painful back injury that needs attention. Or, he may have a kidney issue as the kidneys of the cat and dog run along the lower portion of their spine. If the excessive grooming is accompanied by apparent straining to go to the bathroom, loss of appetite, lethargy, hiding, red eyes, vomiting, a discoloration of the tongue or saliva, or any other unusual symptoms, take your animal to a vet or holistic care practitioner IMMEDIATELY. If your animal is excessively grooming and it is not accompanied by any other “red flags”, pay attention to the levels of stress your animal may be encountering and do your best to remove the stresses from her life.

TO SCHEDULE YOUR ANIMAL COMMUNICATION OR MEDIUMSHIP READING, EMAIL:

jmorgan.soulstice@gmail.com.

NEW MOON IN PISCES: ALLOW YOURSELF TO GET SWEPT AWAY! DON’T FALL FLAT ON YOUR FACE ON THE WAY DOWN

Today, Sunday February 23, births the New Moon in Pisces. As with all new moons, this occasion is an excellent one for planting the seeds for your next new beginning. Today is a wonderful day to put pen to paper and write down everything your heart desires in the form of intention in order to manifest your life’s wishes.

With both the sun and moon in Pisces today, we will want to daydream the day away. Piscean energy is ethereal, surreal and dreamy. If we are creative-minded, this lunar period will have the benefit of drawing out our artistic sides, allowing us to fully delve into any creative projects. Do not be alarmed if this creative effort lacks actual tangible actions. The Piscean energy is one that will have us creating to our heart’s content in our minds. However, putting our brilliant plans into action may have to wait until next month’s new Moon in Aries.

During this lunar period, there is a “go with the flow” type of attitude. There is a lot of leeway in terms of letting the universe “do its thing” while we wait for the perfect moment to take action. Remember that intention setting is a tandem effort between us and Spirit. In order for our intentions to come to fruition, we must engage in actions that support these causes. Thus, there is a motivation to focus on the brainstorming portion of the process at this time however we must also be mindful that we will later be motivated to set the brainstorming into action.

Additionally, Pisces are a highly sensitive group of people. With the moon in Pisces, we will likely strongly resonate with the sensitive nature of the Pisces and feel inclined to retreat to solitude as much as possible. Being true to our feelings, honouring our need to retreat from social engagements, is an important step to self-care. Taking the time to honour our feelings is a form of self care. Ignoring our need to fly solo could result in an emotional rollercoaster. It is always important to listen to our bodies and minds in order to stay balanced and focused on our health.

The New Moon in Pisces is an excellent time to focus our energies on expanding our spiritual abilities. This is a time that we may feel compelled to look within and carry out much needed self healing. Because of the highly intuitive nature of the Pisces, drawing on this energy will allow us the inspiration to engage in activities such as reading, studying and practicing spiritual rites and divination. This New Moon is also a great opportunity to begin journaling. Journaling opens many windows to the subconscious. By recording our thoughts, feelings and experiences pertaining to our spiritual path, we can keep track of how far we have come since we first began.

This New Moon will have us remembering our dreams. On the subject of journaling, keeping note of our dreams unleashes the power of our unconscious mind and brings forth its messages to our consciousness so that we are able to better understand ourselves. Our dreams are the gateway to becoming in alignment with our spiritual path, our soul’s journey and our life purpose. Utilizing the Piscean energy to remember our dreams will undoubtedly provide clues for our individual healing journeys.

To add to the ethereal energy of this New Moon, the planet Venus is highlighted. This is to say that there is an emphasis on romance. Because we are subject to daydreaming at this time, we may easily fall in love. Be cautioned that the love that is in the air may be short lived. Before you fall head over heels, stop and remember that we are under Piscean rule and are prone to getting swept away. We must also be mindful, that before we leap into the arms of our new romance, that Mercury is in retrograde. This makes it a poor time to make any life decisions.

Too, if you are in a relationship and are unsure where it is going, or if you are interested in someone and have not yet made your move, this is not the ideal time to do so. With Mercury in retrograde and both the Sun and Moon in Pisces, it’s easy to get lost in emotion and act from an unbalanced state.

Though the energies of this New Moon may seem somewhat illusive and confusing, there is much to be said for spending the day in solitude. Keeping an uncomplicated life is a sure fire way to find and maintain inner peace. Because this lunar period will have us engulfed in sensitivity, take this time to go into nature, connect with its beauty and take the time you need to heal.

TO SCHEDULE YOUR MEDIUMSHIP READING, EMAIL: jmorgan.soulstice@gmail.com.

6 HIDDEN SIGNS THAT YOUR CAT AND DOG ARE IN PAIN

Companion animals are very sensitive beings. They do their best to communicate their thoughts and feelings with us whenever possible. However on occasion, we may miss a signal or two. It’s always a good idea to take note of our animals’ behaviour when they are healthy so that we are able to note any sudden signs of distress; however big or small. Most animals will not cry or whine when they are in pain, in fact many behave asymptomatically. To stay on top of our animal’s physical comfort, we will want to note the following hidden signs and symptoms that an animal may exhibit when in pain.

1. HIDING– Should you come home from work or school to find your animal unusually hiding behind or under furniture or even in the corner of a closet, pay attention. Most animals, when in pain will hide. This is because genetically, they are wired to steer clear of predators. When they are injured or in pain, they are vulnerable and easy targets for predators. This is why companion animals will hide when they are not feeling well.
2.  CONSTANT GROOMING/NOT GROOMING ENOUGH– Animals, particularly cats, are very clean beings. Healthy cats will groom themselves after every meal and several times in between. Dogs, too have their way of self-cleaning. It is vital that we as caregivers of these animals notice when their regular grooming habits change. For example, if you are a cat caregiver, pay close attention to the frequency and location of your cat’s grooming. Should you notice that he is excessively grooming (that is to say, more than post-feeding or drinking), you may have an issue on your hands. Pay specific attention to the location on his body at which he is grooming. Do you notice that he is mostly grooming his belly? His legs? If he is grooming excessively in one specific area of his body, he is more than likely in pain or other discomfort. This does not necessarily mean that the animal is in pain in the specific area that he is grooming. The animal could be in virtually any type of pain and feel compelled to lick a specific area. This type of specific grooming can also be linked to an allergic reaction. Either way, it is vital to pay close attention to the area on the animal’s body where he/she is excessively grooming (licking, biting, etc).
   By the same hand, if an animal is not grooming herself at all, this is also a signal from your animal that she might be in pain. When an animal is not grooming, there is a strong likelihood that she is physically unable to groom (muscular pain, organ pain, nausea, etc). Cats and dogs much prefer to be clean whenever possible. They will lick their hair/fur and bite areas in an effort to clean themselves. There is a definite message coming from your animal if she is reluctant to groom/clean herself. It is very important to seek medical attention if you find that your animal is not grooming for more than two days
3.  NOT EATING OR DRINKING– Much like humans, if animals are in pain or discomfort they will lose their appetite. If this is the case in your home, do not force-feed your animal. If your animal generally loves food and has suddenly stopped eating or drinking for more than 12 hours, be aware that this is a sign that the animal is feeling off. It may be temporary nausea which could pass within a day. Or it could be a symptom of a much deeper issue. If the animal is reluctant to eat for longer than one day, there is a strong possibility that she may be in pain. Whether the pain is mouth pain itself such as an abscess, resorptive lesions, sore teeth/gums, whether the pain is  preventing her from walking toward her food dish, or whether she has hidden bodily trauma, pay very close attention to how she behaves. Often if the animals has chronic allergies or an upper respiratory infection, they will not eat because theyre unableto smell their food. Given that flr mosg cats and dogs, smell is their preferential sense, the inability to smell their food can be a major sign of discomfort.                                Too, especially in the summer time when our animal friends go and play outdoors and are not directly in our eyesight, they may hit their heads or scratch themselves in a painful way that we do not witness. Because we are unable to watch what they are doing every second of every day, we cannot always be sure that they are staying out of trouble. If you have allowed your dog or cat to roam outdoors without watching their every move and subsequently you find that they have no appetite or are disinterested in food and water, this is a clear sign that they may have ingested something that does not agree with them or they have hurt their bodies in some way. Do not avoid the signs. Take your cat or dog to the vet immediately if they suddenly refuse food and water for hours on end. This does not mean that every time your cat or dog misses a meal that you should be concerned. What it does mean is that if your animal has stopped eating seemingly out of the blue, or their eating habits have suddenly changed,  it’s likely a sign of pain.
4.  NOT ELIMINATING– Often when animals are in pain, they will avoid elimination. Occasionally this is because they are unable to physically get into their litter box or get down the stairs to go outside. Generally, animals will need to eliminate within 45 minutes of eating or drinking. Generally, animals will need to eliminate when they wake up or just after breakfast. If you have been out of bed for an hour and your animal has not gotten up to ‘go’, pay close attention. This behaviour could be because the animal is experiencing muscular pain and is unable to walk to their designated elimination areas or to physically be able to squat to “go”. It could be because of digestive trouble, headaches or worse-organ failure. If an animal refuses to eliminate for more than several hours, this is a major concern. There is severe risk of toxic accumulation in the kidneys or bowel and this can be fatal. If an animal has not eliminated in 12 hours and has no pre-existing condition that would explain the behaviour, seek medical attention immediately.
5.  INABILITY TO SIT STILL– Healthy cats and dogs are able to sit comfortably and rest for hours on end. Usually, their sleep routine is based on ours. They wake when we wake and sleep when we do- often napping in between. If an animal is in pain, they will have difficulty sitting in the same position for a prolonged time. If you notice that your animal is constantly trying to switch sitting or standing positions, they are likely in pain. This behavior is  exhibited by sitting or lying down for a few minutes, then standing up and restlessly trying to find new positions in which to sit or lay down. This behavior becomes a pattern for hours on end, often the whole night through.  The pain could be musculoskeletal or organ pain. When in pain, animals will seem restless and impatient. They will be unable to find a comfortable position in which to rest.
6.  LETHARGY– Most animals who are in pain will not want to play or even get up in the morning. They may seem lazy or tired. However upon closer inspection they may indeed be in too much pain to do any activity at all. If your animal is lethargic it could be for any one of a number of reasons. However, if the lethargy is combined with any of the above symptoms, it bears examination. Healthy animals will not be lethargic. There is always a reason why they are lethargic, whether its too hot outside for them and they don’t want to engage in their regular activities because of heat discomfort, whether you’re feeding them an unhealthy diet and they feel sluggish or constipated, pr any other number of reasons, it’s important to rule out physical pain. Pay attention to whether the lethargy is accompanied by any other “out of character” behaviors. If so, your animal may very well be in pain. If your animal is lethargic, consider making an appointment with a holistic veterinarian to get to the bottom of it. Be mindful that regular vets will most often treat physical pain with x-rays, pain pills and occasionally invasive and traumatizing surgery. Believe it or not, in many (but NOT ALL) cases, your animal’s physical pain can be successfully treated by holistic medicine. Instead of using pain medications that have serious side effects, holistic veterinarians use treatments such as red light laser therapy, chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture and herbal remedies.  These types of treatments are non-invasive and often leave our animals feeling peaceful and pain-free!

For more information on holistic veterinary medicine and why more and more people are gravitating towards taking their animals to a holistic veterinarian:

https://soulsticespirit.com/2017/03/19/thinking-of-going-holistic-how-to-prolong-and-improve-your-animals-quality-of-life/

There are many hidden signs and symptoms of pain. Not all animals will exhibit their pain in the same way. It is imperative that you do not wait until it’s too late. If you suspect that your animal is in pain, seek immediate veterinary attention. Better to be safe than sorry!

TO SCHEDULE YOUR ANIMAL COMMUNICATION OR ANIMAL REIKI SESSION, EMAIL: jmorgan.soulstice@gmail.com

ROMANCE & CAREER: NOW’S TH TIME TO GO FOR IT!

Today is a wonderful day! It is this year’s full moon in Leo. For most, this full moon will be a highly positive charged lunar period. After months and months of difficult astrological alignments, after months of the deep dark work we have done on ourselves in the same of spiritual growth and self love, we are finally gifted an uplifting Full Moon period! As with all full moons, this one is a time to release our intentions into the atmosphere. We have worked hard on our intentions that we have set on the new moon and this is the time to let them go and allow the Universe to work with us to co-create the reality in which they come to fruition.

Leo is all about self-confidence. Leo is a fire sign which means that we will be full of passion for our endeavours both personal and professional. This lunar period is an excellent time for us to express our passions in the ways that bring us joy. The moon being in Leo brings about a sense of awakening and confidence. Leo’s are empowered, courageous individuals. By connecting with the Leo energy during this full moon, you will bring to the surface inner strength, courage and conviction. Leos embody the spiritual warrior consciousness. They are fearless and unafraid of self work. To harness this Leo energy is to allow ourselves to break free of the fears that come along with change. Leo is a fire sign which means that this lunar energy allows our passionate side to emerge, encouraging us to cast aside any self imposed blocks in the name of following our hearts. Leo is emotionally driven and very passionate about the cause. This sense of determination can create an ideal environment to recognize what we wish to shift within our lives and to take the head-first plunge into it.

Leo, the sign of the lion, embodies courageous energy. It invites us to align with our inner strength in order to discern what aspects of our lives are fulfilling our needs and which are not. Are there any aspects of our lives that are out of alignment with our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual healing journeys? By connecting with our personal power of discernment, we can easily and confidently acknowledge which aspects of our lives we can let go. Perhaps these aspects of our lives had once served a purpose on our healing journey. Now that their purposes have been accomplished, they are no longer necessitated in our lives.

For those of us chasing after relationships, this may very well be the occasion that we feel inclined to put ourselves “out there’ and take that risk. In addition to the confidence that shines in the atmosphere, our full moon is in perfect alignment (trine) with the planet Mars. The alignment between the full Moon in Leo and Mars gives us the courage to take initiative. We will intuitively become aware of exactly what we want and how to go after it. With all of the self empowerment going around in our environment, we may feel excited about going after the prospects in our paths. This means love. If there is someone you’re after, now is the time to go for it! For those of us currently in relationships, this is an excellent time to spice things up. This is a time where we feel secure, self assured and energized about our partnerships. This is a wonderful time to reignite the flame in our romance. It’s a great time to try something new and exciting!

There is, however, one pause for thought. Though Leo’s are confident, empowered and courageous, they can sometimes be hot headed and stubborn. There may be a tendency, for some during this time to feel frustrated if circumstances do not unfold to their liking. Leo’s can sometimes also be impatient which can lead to arguments or anger. For those of us who are short-tempered, let us remember that drawing on the Leo moon’s energy can make us feel more frustrated than we already are. For those of us who feel impatient, argumentative and confrontational, this lunar period is an excellent opportunity to learn to LET IT GO. Learning to walk away from confrontations is a tool that will be useful for the rest of our lives. It is a tool that will bring us inner peace and wisdom. So- if not now, when?

While the moon is in impassioned Leo, the sun is in tepid Aquarius. Aquarians are quite removed from their emotions which allows for logic to take the forefront. Though air signs, Aquarians have a unique way to remove themselves from attachment to emotions and circumstances to obtain an objective view. When it comes to self-work, drawing on the sun’s  Aquarian energy will allow us to remain objective in all of our endeavours. This is particularly helpful while processing any aspects of our lives that no longer serve our highest good. After all, the more we attach ourselves emotionally or physically to that which we desire to release, the more difficult and dramatic it becomes. By harnessing the detached mantra of the Aquarius sun, the discipline of release will feel simpler.

The Aquarian solar energy will have us in full warrior mode, discerning what must be released without becoming overly attached to what we must bid farewell. The lunar and solar balance create an optimal time to shed our skin and become in alignment with our improving paths for the new year. Between the warrior Leo and the warrior Aquarius, we will be running full force into the brightness of our futures, letting go along the way of all that does not serve our healing journeys.

TO SCHEDULE YOUR INTUITIVE READING, EMAIL: jmorgan.soulstice@gmail.com

THE JOURNEY TO HEAVEN: A MEDIUM’S PERSPECTIVE

Witnessing our companion animal transition to spirit is unquestionably one of the most painful experiences that a human can live. It is far worse than losing human family. Perhaps it is so because we are unable to ask our animals if they are ready to exit, if they are in any pain or how badly their pain hurts. We are unable to ask them if they loved us, if they had a good experience under our care and if we could have done anything to make their lives better or more comfortable. Perhaps it is because our animal companions were far more loyal and trustworthy than any fallible human could ever be. Perhaps it is because the love of a companion animal is truly unparalleled.

Whatever the case may be, the single most painful aspect of living with such a loyal spirit is that the end of the experience is inevitable. As little as we want to think about it, we know that one day, their end will come and that we will be absolutely devastated. What’s more, to add to the devastation of the loss of our best friends, we are left with so many unanswered questions. We wonder if we made the right decisions at the right time to let them go. We wonder if our animals were angry or hurt or sad that we had to let them go. We wonder if they felt afraid, alone or how badly they were suffering. These questions, to us, are paralyzing at best.

As if the grief we experience at the time of their transition wasn’t enough, in every situation in which we must say goodbye to our loving animal family members, we experience a tremendous amount of guilt. Humans can spend years, lifetimes, rerunning the circumstances of their beloved animal friend’s life and death, time and time again. They often wonder if they could have managed the lives of their beloved friends any better. They wonder if there was anything that they could have done to prolong the lives of their animals or to lessen the suffering at the end of their lives. It is easy to get lost in what we ‘could have done had we had more information’. In almost all cases, we can take comfort in the fact that we did the very best we can with the knowledge we had at the time. We cannot go back in time and change the knowledge that we had. It is in our best interest to accept that we did the  very best we could with the tools that we had at the time.

Whereas in living through the transition of a human family member we can ask all of the above questions, we are generally unable to do so with animals. We are unable to ask for their forgiveness and be sure that their forgiveness of us is granted. We are unable to ask them if they are in pain and if there is anything we can do to help. We are unable to be certain that our animals are truly cognizant of how much we love them and how grateful we are for their place in our hearts. If only we were aware of what animals think during the final moments of their lives.

The animal’s concept and thought processes at death vastly differ from that of the human. Whereas humans tend to make death a dramatic experience, animals do not. Whereas humans tend to want to be surrounded by family members and loved ones at their time of passing, animals tend to want to transition on their own. This is also how their wild ancestors chose to pass. When wild cats and dogs get old or sick, they break away from their pack or pride and go off and die alone. This is not sad. This is the way of the wild. Companion animals are no different in this way. In fact, many humans will find that their animal chooses to pass on their own as soon as they leave the vet clinic or home. This is animal nature. This is not to be taken personally by humans, it is not something to spend the rest of our lives regretting – that we were not present with our beloved family member when they passed. Make no regret about it. Your animal did this on purpose so as not to let you see them die.

What may surprise us most is what animals do think about as they are transitioning. They do not feel alone. In most cases, they do not feel afraid. They certainly do not feel angry or unforgiving of us for the choices that we have made. They do not begrudge, blame or feel that they are in an unjustified situation. No. When they are in their final moments of life, no matter what the circumstances, companion animals really only have one concern. Whether their life’s end was imminent after a long journey with terminal illness or whether their passing was sudden and unexpected, their end of life thoughts are the same: Will my person be ok without me?

Companion animals are completely selfless beings. They have been gifted to very fortunate humans from the Universe in order for us to help us and to heal us along our healing journeys. From the moment we adopt them until the moment we have to say goodbye, these selfless beings feel that it is their role to care for us in a way that nobody else can. They feel that it is their role to provide the kind of love for us that we have been missing. It is their role to take away our pain and suffering in any way they can. In their self-sacrificing way, even as they are transitioning from life to death, their only concern is the fact that once they have left the physical world, they will no longer be available to us to take our pain away. Even at their time of dying, in the last moments of life, they are very aware of the suffering that their death will cause us. At the time of their passing, in their final moments, they wonder who will take care of us if they are gone. They feel sad that they are responsible for causing us to suffer. Sometimes they even feel that they are letting us down. And in their final moments, of course they know we love them with every fibre of our being. After all, we have told them innumerable times throughout our time together. And they have intently listened.

Sometimes these last thoughts that our animal companions have can keep them stuck. Sometimes, even when their bodies give out and pass away, the souls of our animal friends can become stuck between Earth and the afterlife. The afterlife is not “heaven” per se, but a beautifully bright space of unimaginable unconditional love. It is a healing space to which all souls, both animal and person travel upon the death of their physical bodies. But before they allow themselves to leave,  sometimes our animals are so concerned with how we are going to feel without them that they are unable to fully cross over into the afterlife and continue their soul’s purpose as the Universe intended.

While it may seem altruistic of our beloved animal companions to want to continue their loyalty to us even after their souls leave their bodies, it can be harmful. This can trap their souls in an Earthly realm so that they are unable to go into the afterlife to continue their soul’s purpose. We may be glad for this because it means that our animals are “still with us”, however we must remember one integral notion: the animals whom we were gifted by the Universe in order to heal were just that- gifted. They, in the grand scheme of things, do not belong to us. We did not create them. They are gifts. They are individual beings with individual souls on individual healing journeys of their own and we must respect that. We must let them go.

This is not to say that grieving the loss of our beloved friends is wrong. Ensuring that we thoroughly grieve is an essential part of moving on. Learning to forgive ourselves for any mistakes or discrepancies we made is an crucial aspect of healing from the trauma of losing our best friends. True, we will never be the same. But it is necessary to take the time we need to heal. It is necessary to take the time we need to deal with our pain. However it is necessary for their safe and peaceful journey into the afterlife that we do not to dwell on it for longer than necessary.

After every lifetime, the soul leaves the body behind and ascends to the afterlife to begin its healing journey. Life on Earth can be hard. It is often full of pain and suffering. All souls who have lived on Earth will thereafter undergo many healings in the afterlife. Your animal companion is no different. After living their lives on Earth, your companion animal’s next destination is the afterlife. And you have the blessing of being able to help them get there.

It would be a lovely sentiment if we could keep our companion animals with us for an eternity. However, this is not in your animal’s soul’s best interest. It is your animal’s soul’s best interest to live out their life with you and then go into the afterlife to heal. In order to avoid trapping your animal on the Earth plane and stopping them from going to their next Heavenly destination in the afterlife, you must take one simple action. To allow your animal’s soul to be free to ascend, you must tell your animal that you will be ok without them. Even if you feel you will not be, you must tell your animal that you love them with all of your heart and that the healing will be hard but that you want your animal’s soul to be free to ascend to the afterlife and heal. Your animal is so concerned with your well being that they feel responsible for it even after they die. Do not prevent them from moving on. Be inspired by their selflessness, give back to them and let their soul be free.

If your goal is to invite your animal companion to visit you after they have departed, there is a healthy way to do so that does not involve keeping their souls Earthbound. All companion animals love to come and visit us once they are healed. After their souls leave their bodies, they ascend into the afterlife and embark on their healing journeys. Their journeys can last anywhere from several days to several months (earth time) according to how much pain and suffering they had in life. Once their healing journeys have been completed, all companion animals love to come and spend time with us again. They miss us as much as we miss them.

Even after they transition, our beloved soul-animals are always with us. Though we may not be able to see, hear and smell them, they are with us. They just exist in another place. If we are fortunate to believe that they are always with us, we can establish a valuable and valid relationship with them from wherever they are. As even in their spiritual state, they feel responsible for our well being. And we are grateful, as on a very deep level we understand that the reason that we love them so much is because they remind us of from where our souls came. They are little pieces of heaven who were sent to us to remind us of the space our souls go once we transition to Spirit. They remind us of Home.

BLESSINGS, DEAR ONES,
ANIMAL AND PERSON
LIVING AND IN SPIRIT

WITH LOVE AND GRATITUDE,

J MORGAN SAIFER

WHAT THE ARTICLES AREN’T TELLING YOU

We have all studied the law of attraction. We have tried it to see if it works. Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes it works for the minor details of our lives. Its inconsistent at best. We have written down our intentions, made our vision boards and sent positive, loving thoughts and feelings towards them. We have been told that we are entitled to all of the abundance the Universe has to offer; all we need to do is to tap into it and harness it and honour it. So- why is the law of attraction not working for us? When it comes to the proper execution of the law of attraction, what most of the texts and articles you read fail to tell you is this:

There are 12 laws of the Universe. Each law plays off the others. This is to say that fundamentally, you cannot utilize only one law of the Universe and expect a perfect result. Each of the 12 laws supports each other to create a whole. The law of attraction is just one of the 12 laws of the universe. In order to achieve best results from calling upon the law of attraction, you will want to consider the other supportive laws surrounding it. One such law, the most crucial secondary law to manifesting, is The Law of Inspired Action. The Law of Inspired Action articulates that in order for our intentions to come to fruition, we must engage in thoughts, actions, feelings and beliefs that support them. This is to say that, as an example, should we wish for a new job, we may write an intention such as “I have a career that I love that pays all of my bills”. And then we walk away from the paper, expecting a new and improved life awaiting us the next day. Part of intention setting is to write our intentions down and let them go. This allows the Universe to work behind the scenes in order to co-create our desired intention. However, the fruition of our intentions is not solely up to the Universe. In fact the Law of Inspired Action indicates that we, in tandem with the Universe, are responsible for co-creating our intentions. As per our example of manifesting a new career that is better suited to our needs, we must partake in the journey of its fruition. For example, instead of intending for a new job and expecting one to be dropped on our doorstep, we must engage in thoughts, beliefs actions and feelings that support our desire for a new job. This may mean looking at the job bank every day or making any other effort to seek appropriate employment. This means taking the time to seek the employment instead of assuming that one day it will just appear. This also means making the effort to believe that you are worthy of your dream job. Instead of telling yourself that you’re hopeless and it’s never going to happen, cast your fears aside and believe in yourself.

Many people assume that once they have listed their intentions, all they must do is sit and wait for their intentions to happen. As with all spiritual endeavours, intention setting takes work. Whatever we are aiming to achieve, in addition to letting the Universe know what we desire, we must work towards the goals. We can let the Universe know what we want, and they will do their part in creating it, however we must also take action to make our intentions happen. Should our intention be to “be the healthiest version of ourselves that we can be”, “lose weight”, or anything else heath related, we can easily sabotage our intentions by looking at ourselves in the mirror and not loving what we see. Every time we see our reflection, our following thoughts and feelings impact our intentions. Should we look in the mirror and feel disgusted by what we think we look like, we will experience negative consequences. Each time that we tell ourselves that we are ugly, that we are fat, that we are unworthy of love- these thoughts and feelings sabotage our intentions. By replacing these harmful thoughts and feelings with those of self love and self worth, we are engaging in thoughts, feelings, beliefs and actions that support our intention to be healthy, to lose weight or to get in shape.

Looking at how the Law of Attraction works on a more fundamental level, what many people are unaware of is that the words we use play a huge role in the fruition of our intentions. There are three tried, tested and true guidelines when it comes to the proper execution of the Law of Attraction. These guidelines are called “The Three Ps”.

1. Positive words- When creating your list of intentions, using only positive words will be the only way to attract what you desire. For example, should you wish to quit smoking, instead of using the phrase “I don’t smoke”, you can use the phrase “I quit smoking” or “I am smoke-free”. By using negative words such as “don’t, can’t, shouldn’t, etc”, you are reinforcing what you do not desire and sending that into the Universe. By using positive words, you are reinforcing what you DO desire, and sending that into the Universe. At all times, the Universe responds to our vibrations. Whether you choose to send a positive r negative vibration into the universe, it will respond in kind- thus, by using positive words throughout your list of intentions, the Universe will respond.
2. Present tense- When creating your intentions, they must always be written in the present tense, as if you already have them. For example, instead of writing “I will quit smoking”, you may write “I quit smoking”. This is because technically, all that exists is right now. The past has already happened and the future has yet to happen. Should you write “I will quit smoking”, you are setting the intention to perpetually happen in the future. By writing “I quit smoking”, you are setting the intention for right now.
3. Personalization- When intention setting, ethically you may not create an intention for anyone other than yourself. This is because you are only responsible for yourself. Should you create an intention for someone else, you are likely to violate their free will. For example, let us say that you have a relative who is ill. Naturally, because you love them and wish for them to be well, you add to your list of intentions “uncle Bob is healed”. Sounds selfless, right? No. While your intentions are pure, you may be violating Uncle Bob’s karma. He may have done something in his past to attract said illness. It is his karma to work through, not yours. Every living being walks his/her own karmic path. Should you interfere with anyone else’s karma in this way, you are blocking them from living out their life’s purpose. In other words, neither Uncle Bob’s nor anyone else is your responsibility. Often, should you attempt to violate anyone else’s karma in this way there are karmic consequences for you.

The details of utilizing the law of attraction are very specific. The more specific we are with our wording, the better opportunity for success there is. The Universe is very literal and will take your written words literally. This means that using particular words is a must. It is always important to add, at the end of your intentions, the phrase “in my highest and greatest good”. Adding this statement will ensure that whatever work you must do on yourself to achieve your goals will be done with greater ease and in a much gentler way. Working on yourself to achieve your intentions can be gruelling at times. To help us through this process, we will want to add the above phrase at the end of our list.

Generally, we create our list of intentions on each New Moon. While this is not necessary, composing our list at this time every month helps to get us into the routine. As legend has it, if we write our intentions during the new moon, as the moon grows, so do our intentions. Once the moon becomes full, we can either burn them, sending them into the atmosphere, or we can set them aside to read in the years following to see how far we have come. Be sure not to view your list of intentions every day. Be sure to write them down and let them go so that your ego is removed from the process and the Universe can co-create in its own way. Divine timing is everything.

TO SCHEDULE YOUR INTUITIVE READING, email: jmorgan.soulstice@gmail.com

FREE YOURSELF FROM THE TIES THST BIND: NEW MOON IN AQUARIUS

Following the first full Moon of 2020, on Friday, January 24^th, we are faced with the first new Moon. After the brutal self-examination that our previous full Moon incurred, this new Moon brings about a new challenge. Despite the challenges that this new Moon in Aquarius brings, we can take comfort in its opportunity to begin again. As with each new Moon, we have the blessing of being able to manifest a new start for ourselves. New Moons signify the beginning of a new lunar cycle. This beginning is a time when we are able to ignite change through conscious intention.

This new Moon lies in the zodiac sign of Aquarius. Aquarians are known detachers from their emotions. Hence, this new Moon’s challenge- how to make sense of our emotions. Aquarians are air signs. This means that they are not attached nor comfortable with feeling their emotions. And if they are, they certainly do not want to regale their partners or loved ones with them. Aquarians do not wish to be encumbered with their emotions or the emotions of others. In fact, this new Moon is all about becoming comfortable with emotional freedom.

Emotional freedom can be about releasing attachment to our emotions about others. If we are in romantic partnerships, for example, we may feel compelled to want to process our emotions without the help of our partner. Or, it could mean that our partner will wish to process their emotions with our help. For this, we must be prepared. Should we wish to process our emotions on our own, we must make the time to do so. This new Moon is the perfect time to learn to stand on our own two feet instead of relying on others to tell us the answers.

Emotional freedom is far more than becoming detached from the emotions that we have about our interpersonal relationships. Emotional freedom is about releasing attachment to our fears ad insecurities. Often this is difficult because we have become so attached to our fears and insecurities that they have become our identity. This attachment to our fears has often been a lengthy process, and it’s important to recognize their origin. Perhaps we experienced childhood stress, trauma or loss. Perhaps we had a frightening experience that led us to create thoughts and belief systems in order to protect ourselves from being hurt again in a similar way. It is now time to detach from these defense mechanisms so that we are able to heal them and to nurture the parts of ourselves that were wounded enough to create them in the first place.

Thankfully, if we should find ourselves in the company of others, we will find it easy to identify our feelings. As we spend time around other people, we will be easily able to take personal cues regarding what aspects of our consciousness trigger fear and insecurity. Drawing on the Aquarian need to detach from our emotions, we will readily be able to view our fears and insecurities from a higher perspective; one of detachment. This new viewpoint will gift us the knowledge of how to let them go.

Because Aquarius is ruled by the planet Uranus, we have the opportunity during this new Moon to liberate ourselves from that which binds us. Uranus is the planet of ‘shaking up and breaking free’. Thus, we can look at this new Moon as either an uncomfortable time of change OR we can look at it as a time to break loose from the ties that bound. Change can be frightening. However as spiritual warriors we have empowering courage. We are brave and can shake loose of whatever may be holding us back.

Astrologically, the start of this decade is challenging on every level. It has challenged us to look within and come to terms with our shadow selves. It has challenged our self worth, self confidence and self love. And now it is challenging our identity. It is challenging us to take a look at ourselves and to discern how much of our identity we have created out of fear and how much we have created out of love. It is challenging us to move away from relying on others for emotional validation and turning to ourselves for comfort. We are strong and fierce and CAN succeed these challenges. We can rise above, for once we do, we will emerge as butterflies from long dormant cocoons.

TO SCHEDULE YOUR INTUITIVE READING, EMAIL: jmorgan.soulstice@gmail.com .

HOW YOU CAN PREVENT THIS PAINFUL DISEASE

There is a growing epidemic in today’s companion animal world. This problem is quite serious and harmful to our beloved furry friends. It is an escalating issue and its impact is severe. Long term consequences of obesity result in: arthritis, torn cruciate ligaments, hypertension, hypothyroidism, impaired respiration, heart disease, poor gastrointestinal health, chronic renal disease, hepatitis, urinary tract disease, inflammatory bowel disease, constipation, hepatitis, cancer, diabetes – just to name a few.

Companion animal obesity is alarmingly prevalent in today’s society. Aside from its serious side effects, obesity can be fatal. Companion animal obesity does not happen overnight. It takes years to create. However, obesity is easily reversible and even preventable altogether. With so much education on the subject, why is companion animal obesity so common?

Perhaps most commonly, many humans mistake feeding for love. Because our furry friends find feeding time to be so exciting, we often associate their happiness with food. By over-feeding our animal friends, we are not helping them. In fact we are often shortening their lives and time with us! Even more hazardous to their health, humans will feed animals ‘people’ food. While some ‘people’ food is beneficial to animals such as whole meats and steamed veggies, most table foods cause serious health problems for companion animals. The digestive systems of cats and dogs (and parrots, horses and hamsters) are not wired for all of the fatty, saturated, sugary, starchy foods that many humans consume. These rich ingredients cause many painful organ imbalances such as pancreatitis, diabetes, kidney or liver failure, UTI’s, bladder crystals, several types of cancer and more. Though it may take some discipline on our part, dissociating food from love is the best way to keep our beloved furry ones healthy!

One key factor in the rise of obesity is carbohydrates in the diet. Genetically, cats and dogs mainly subsisted on meats. By adding grains to the diet, marketing companies have found marketable filler, allowing them to cheap out on the main staples of the companion animal diet. Most of the carbohydrates found in cat and dog food are full of sugars and starches which not only slow the metabolism but also impair digestion. Consequently, weight gain is almost inevitable. Of primary significance to carbohydrate-infuse foods is that felines are physiologically unable to digest grains. Cats lack the digestive enzyme that is responsible for the breakdown of grains (found in almost all carbohydrates). When cats eat grains, the carbohydrates metabolize into sugars. With excess exposure to grains in food (causing excess sugar levels in the blood), feline diabetes runs rampant. Further, there are innumerable documented cases of the link between carbohydrates in the diet and yeast overgrowth in dogs and cats. It is our role in our animal’s lives to read labels and make sure that we understand what the cleverly worded names for sugary, starchy carbohydrates are on labels and how they can harm our animals. It is out job as their caretakers to do our very best to understand how their digestive systems differ from ours and that even a small portion of sugary, fatty food can do such painful harm to their little bodies. 

What many companion animal caregivers fail to acknowledge is that companion animals need sufficient exercise to burn calories. In this respect (and many others) humans and animals are the same. In order to maintain a healthy body weight, we must balance the calories we eat with the calories we burn through daily activity. Humans often disregard their cat or dog’s need for exercise. Humans often excuse this by telling themselves they are “too busy” to adequately walk their dogs or play with their cats. They often feel that their yard is sufficient exercise for the dog and that the cat walks around their home enough to burn the calories necessary for healthy weight maintenance. Unless these animals are reaching a cardiovascular endurance that is equivalent to a ‘light sweat’ of a human’s cardiovascular routine, they are likely not burning the calories needed to stay healthy. In many cases, finding suitable exercise for cats and some dogs can be challenging. However with research and a little bit of creativity, creating a healthy exercise regimen for our companion animal friends will ensure that they do not fall into the trap of obesity. They will live longer and have a healthy quality of life. Just like people, cats and dogs feel the pain of obesity both physically and mentally. The wear and tear on the knees and hips and joints, the inevitable difficulty breathing, the bloating and gas, and the knowledge and sadness of a compromised ability to be a cat or dog and run, jump, climb and play. The depression tahy comes along with the knowledge that life is passing them by and they’re unable to enjoy it to its fullest. Fogs and cats were born to hunt, chase, jump, climb, play fight with other household animals, among so many other fun physical activities. For an obese cat or dog, being unable to do these activities is just devastating. 

Sadly, almost all processed (store bought) cat and dog food is full of preservatives, non-food items and carcinogens. These frighteningly harmful ingredients cause an alarmingly high rate of inflammation and obesity within our animal friends’ bodies. Preservatives such as corn gluten are exceedingly common in many veterinary recommended foods. This is to say that even professionals are suggesting that foods whose first several ingredients are harmful to an animal in many ways (chronic inflammation, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease to name a few). Frighteningly, many consumers fall prey to accepting what veterinarians and marketing companies claim is “healthy’ instead of conducting their own research. This failure to read and research labels is a very real and very avoidable cause of obesity. By making time to research exactly what it is you’re feeding your animal friend, you might be very shocked at what is being passed off as “food” in the animal community. Many of these gorrific ingredients are cleverly hidden by marketing teams that come up with healthy-sounding words in ireer to put youninto an illusion that youre buying healthy food. One very common example of this is when a lable reads “natural flavour” or “natural chicken/beef/salmon (etc.) flavour”. Most consumers would read this and think it sounded pretty healthy! After all, the word “natural” on a food product leads us to believe that it comes from a natural source. Wrong!! When a label reads “natural…” it refers to the spray on flavour (which are full of chemicals, by the way) that the food processing machines spray onto the food to make it taste like the original food source. When cat or dog food is processed, it goes through so mamy processes that it stands to lose many of its vital nutrients and virtually all of its flavour. Because the food companies want to make it appetizing to the animals, they spray on chemicals to the food (especially dry food!)  to make it taste like meat. Companies also add in extra vitamins and minerals to compensate for those that are lost throughout the food’s creative process. While adding in these vitamins and minerals seems like a good thing, most of these companies tend to oversaturate the food. Unfortunately this oversaturation has lead to an alarmingly high number of hyper and hypothyroidism in cats and dogs. There has recently been found a strong link between the two. Take the time to read labels. Get to know the species appropriate diet that is best suited to your companion. If this is all confusing and overwhelming, it’s always OK to ask for help! Ask a holistic veterinarian. Ask the people at the store from which you buy your cat or dog food. Use a searchengine and start looking for reputable websites on these subjects. Ask your friendly neighborhood Animal Communicator! There are so many reliable resources out there!

Most readily available to all companion animal caregivers is portion control. Many caregivers ‘free feed’ their cats and dogs. This means that they leave food out all day for their animal to eat whenever they so choose. This behavior is often detrimental to their animal’s health. Animals who are home alone all day will tend to ‘boredom eat’. Many humans suffer from boredom eating as well. If animals have no other task to complete throughout their day, they will choose to eat just for something to do. By controlling the amount of food they have access to, we can monitor their weight more closely. Many objections to this idea come into play in homes where humans work long hours and animals are unable to go for so long without food. This is correct. Ideally, animals should be fed small meals every four hours (as should humans). If humans are out for prolonged time periods, leaving food ‘games’ for their animals can help with portion control. One such game is the feeding puzzle wherein dogs must work though a puzzle to find their food. By suggesting that animals work for their food, we are creating a task for our animals which will give them purpose and relieve them of boredom while you’re at work. It will be a great way for them to be nourished in your absence. Additionally, animals who have been undernourished prior to coming into your home will tend to wolf down every ounce of food as soon as it’s placed in front of them. Free-feeding poses a serious threat to those previously undernourished cats and dogs because they can eat far too much in one sitting and become quite ill. They will more than likely vomit. But what’s worse is that if they’re so focused on eating everything they can as quickly as they can its possible that food could become lodged in their throats rendering them unable to breathe.  By monitoring your feeding portions, you will be ensuring a healthier body weight for your animal friends!

It is crucial to put ourselves in the bodies and minds of our animal friends. How would we feel if we were being fed improperly and could not do anything to remedy it? Animals are unable to shop for themselves and in many cases are unable to voice how uncomfortable nutrient-poor food makes them feel. Many animals love table food so much that they wouldn’t object if they could- until they fell into chronic pain or disease. It is our role as companion animal caregivers to give serious thought to what we are feeding them and make healthy choices on their behalf.