The End of an Era – Memorial to Ember

 

Ember – May 27, 2020

Today marks the end of an era at Spring Farm CARES. Today, we said good-bye to Ember who is the last remaining horse of our original herd. Ember was born here on the farm before we were actually an animal sanctuary. As a Thoroughbred, she was bred to be a race horse. But as fate had it, Ember and four other foals, pointed us in a different direction. Ember was not destined to be a race horse. But she ended up instead, living a life that most horses never get to have. Ember was not really a people horse. While she was friendly and kind and such, she was just not into working with people.

Ember was all about her horse herd. She was a horse’s horse. She was devoted to each and every one of her horse friends. It has been particularly sad to watch over the past 29 years as one by one she slowly lost every single one of them. While we have always had a barn full of horses, Ember really never truly bonded with anyone else outside of her herd.

While today is marked with sadness for the Founders who have watched the entire generation of founding horses leave, it is also filled with joy for Ember who got to be reunited with her herd once again. She lived a good life. She never left this farm until a few months ago when she got on a trailer for the first time in her life to go to a veterinary clinic where she had to have an eye removed due to a melanoma. It turned out the melanomas had spread all inside her head. Life became unbearable with headaches and blindness and Ember could no longer find comfort in her world. So, today, we set her free.

Spring Farm CARES has been guided, loved, and moved deeper into our mission by each and every one of the animals who have resided on this farm over the years. There have been about 120 horses who have lived and died here in the past almost 30 years. They have left their mark on all of our hearts.

Bonnie and Dawn watched Ember be born into this world, and today we stood with her as she left – the circle complete. Life is a precious thing and it goes by in such a blink of an eye. We hold these animals in our lives and say they belong to us. But, in reality, we are only borrowing them for a short time. They grace us with their gifts. They teach us and walk together with us on our journey. And then the time comes at the end of the day when we can no longer keep them in our possession. They must go back to their bigger journey, onward into Spirit from whence they came to be with us.  They remain in our hearts for always. And we are all the richer for having shared this brief time with them.

Ember got to go home today to her herd. We know how excited she was to leave a body that no longer was comfortable to live in. She was met by the herd who came running to get her as they always did when she left the barn. There was bucking and kicking and running and racing. And we’re sure now that we are being watched over by a most amazing ghost brigade of animals.

As the best tribute I could think of to Ember, I wanted to include what was indeed the most important part of her life. Below are the photos of the herd she called her own. May they all rejoice together now and enjoy the freedom they always have shared. Fly free dear Ember. Welcome back home.

Special Message from Dawn

Special Message from Dawn Regarding Animal Messages

On March 16th, I began posting an animal message a day to help us all through the COVID shut down. Many of us are starting to open back up, and still others are still on pause. Regardless of where you are in the process, you are still experiencing a lot of change …. and change causes a lot of stress. There are a lot of unanswered questions. As things open we will see things changing even more. But one thing should be very clear to us as humans. We need each other more than ever and we are all in this together. We are a part of a beautiful world that needs us to remember our connection to everything. The Spring Farm CARES mission is alive and well and we are here with you as we navigate through all of this together.

However, when I started these messages, I figured it would be 2 weeks, maybe a month, and here we are 10 weeks later. I will be needing a little break from the daily messages. I will still post them sporadically, but probably not every day. Life here on the farm is still in full swing, caring for 250 animals each and every day. And we want to keep our window to those animals open for you to be a part of things.

We are also looking to add some new features as well in coming weeks. I am starting to work on those as well. Stay tuned!

Thank you for your understanding. And know that we are still right here with you. And you will still be hearing from the animals.
Dawn

Animal Message of the Day: Henry

This message today is a repeat from April. On Saturday, we lost our horse Henry. I thought it appropriate to honor him by reposting his last message.
 
From Henry: “I think it is important for everyone to understand that sometimes you need to be patient with one another. Not everyone shows their pain the same way. In fact, there are those out there who look super confident and you think that nothing bothers them, yet they are facing great pain and challenges but they don’t let you see it. There are more of you out there than you realize. I speak from personal experience. Some people have looked at me and thought I was sort of a boring or empty kind of horse. It is true that I don’t have the flare and pizazz of some other horses. I am not outgoing and a socialite like some of the other horses. I am not loud or cute or snuggly or wise even. I am just quietly waiting in my space. I’ve been through a lot. I’ve seen a lot. I’ve lost a lot. I was seen as almost a robot or toy for many years of my life. People thought I couldn’t perform well. But no one asked why. I feel a lot of heaviness in people’s hearts. I get that. But every one of you can help heal another heart by simply caring. Compassion and love are the greatest healing agents on the planet. And each of you has that to give. No one is ever without pain or challenges. But our strength comes from sharing our kindness.”
You can also read our memorial to Henry by clicking here.
 
In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges faced by the COVID-19 virus, we are posting an animal message a day. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life? Or “What would you like to share?”

Memorial to Horse Henry

Henry – May 23, 2020

Today our hearts are heavy as we said good-bye to our beloved horse friend Henry. Henry was estimated to be about 28-30 years old and he came to the farm in 2017 from a horse rescue who realized that Henry needed a sanctuary to retire and spend the rest of his days. We are honored to have been the place for Henry to take a much needed rest from a life we suspect was fairly difficult for him.

Henry was a horse who was very understated by his own doing. He preferred to blend into the background. But Henry was the epitome of a horse.  He was deep and grounded and had a heart the size of a mountain. Spending time with Henry, even for a short time, you could get the sense that there was something much deeper in there than he let on to. He was a horse who survived on common sense. He was solid. But he was like a gentle whisper in the background. You wanted to hear all he had to say, but you had to listen through all the other sounds around him to hear him and learn about who he was. You could best learn about Henry by how he made you feel inside when you were around him. Somehow, he brought comfort and peace and a sense that things are ok even when you are not so sure why they would be ok.

Henry was loving and gentle, yet there was a part of himself he guarded deeply and kept in reserve. If you stood with him quietly, you could feel that otherwise hidden part of him and he would fill you with the gratitude he carried for having helped him. Henry had endured great pain in his life. His physical body bore the scars as evidence, yet his heart still remained open to kindness. He had a little flame inside of him that gently flickered from deep within and periodically you could see that light shine out of his eyes with joy and appreciation when he let that protective guard down.

Henry was a soul who came here to find freedom from something he carried inside that burdened him. We watched him slowly and very carefully unfold like a delicate flower opening after a hard winter and growing stronger and stronger with the warmth of spring. He got to unwind, relax, take a breath, and set his heavy load down. It was as if he grew deeper roots from his feet as he healed and gained trust in who he really was.

Henry had many medical issues since he came to us. None of them were ever truly definitive and yet we knew that as a package they were symptoms of something much deeper going on in his body. In the past couple of weeks, diagnostic imaging showed us signs of major trauma earlier in his life. We have no clue about Henry’s history, but we do know that he carried a lot and never let on to the depth of what he went through. Henry just picked up and moved on.

Today, Henry’s body gave out in a way that we could no longer help him to stay. It was time to say good-bye. He understood. We understood. In his final minutes, we could see him take stock of where he was and how far he had come. He could let go now. A job well done. A life well lived. And loved. Armed with all of that, Henry did what Henry knew best how to do. He went deep into his heart, took a breath, and moved on.

Henry was the seeing-eye companion for our pony Molly. He is now the fourth friend that she has lost and our hearts go out to her. Henry was a perfect friend. He was solid and steadfast but he also could hold his ground with a pony mare who sometimes likes things just so in her own way.

We would like to thank Dr. Rachel Fraser for the outstanding medical care over the past three years and for keeping up with all that Henry presented to us in very strange ways. He made sure Dr. Rachel never got bored. And we also thank Dr. Christine Schneider who helped Henry with acupuncture and laser therapy treatments and enjoyed Henry’s unique character. Thank you, Dr. Christine, for making his final days more comfortable.

Fly free dear Henry. It’s your time now to be free.

Animal Message of the Day: O’Malley

From O’Malley: “When one is as handsome and wise as I am, it is important to stay humble.  Just because we are good at something, doesn’t make us right all of the time. We can know a lot of things but it is important to know that what we don’t know most of all is what it is like to live in someone else’s shoes or paws. Just because I see the world one way, doesn’t mean that you will see it as I do. And most likely, we will not see it the same. Each of us carries within us a piece of the universe that is waiting to be expressed. No one else has the same piece that you do. No one else knows exactly what it is you know. So why do you waste so much time trying to compare yourself to others to validate who you are? Don’t waste your time. No one can know exactly what you know in any given moment. But when you can share what you know from a place of compassion and kindness, you can help others find their way. The Universe is waiting for you to step in to who you are. What are you waiting for?”

In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges faced by the COVID-19 virus, we are posting an animal message a day. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life? Or “What would you like to share?”

Ask Dawn – May 23, 2020

How Do Animal’s Past Experiences Influence Them?

Q: My animals are all rescues. I feel like some memories they have are strong and not positive ones. I have a 14-year-old dog that was a street dog. With all the training, reassuring etc. he still, after many years, has separation anxiety. We deal with it. I just wonder how much is so ingrained in these babies that it will never be forgotten. I guess, generally, what do you think of animals’ past experiences and how they influence them?

From Dawn:

This is a multiple part answer. First, we need to note that there are no absolutes. Just like with humans, no two animals are alike, even if they went through an identical set of circumstances. Just like with humans, how they see the world, their personality, their past experiences, and their physical and mental health all play a role in how they react to and process events in their lives. No two will be the same. So, with that understanding, I will answer this in a broad generalization.

Animals experience trauma just like humans do. They can experience PTSD just like humans and they also can heal and move on.  What I have found in my experience is that animals often heal faster and a bit more readily than humans because they tend to keep more focused in the present moment. In other words, when they are moved into a safe and loving environment, they move into that new phase and move on. Again, these are broad generalities.

I, personally, have worked with many animals who have experienced great traumas both physically and psychologically. I have always been amazed at how willingly they move on to heal. Having said that, however, we humans often unintentionally keep them in trauma longer by some of our actions. Let me explain what I mean with some examples.

Often, when we adopt animals into our families who have been “rescued” and knowingly were in bad circumstances, we tend to always talk about where they came from and how bad it was. Our actions of labeling them as “abused” or “rescued” sometimes keep the energy of their traumas very much alive for them. I learned this lesson from one of our horses early on in our Spring Farm CARES history. We had a large open house as a fundraiser for our sanctuary. I had very carefully and meticulously placed signs in front of each horse stall telling each horse’s story. Every one of them had come from either an abuse or neglect situation. We laid it all out there on the sign so that people could see where their donations were going and what we all had rescued these animals from. I was quite proud of all of those signs. One of our horses was stationed right by the front door. She fancied herself the head greeter horse and she was quite eager to have visitors. She lit up, eyes gleaming with every visitor that came in the door. I felt so happy for her and went on my way making sure the volunteers at their various stations were all set. About an hour had gone by when I came back through to the barn. The once bright eyed and excited mare stood there looking totally depressed. She refused to come over to the gate for people to see her and she was literally moping in the corner.

“Tara, what is happening? What’s wrong, I asked her.

“Why did you have to put that sign there like that, she answered.”

I was puzzled.  I didn’t understand. “Stand here a while and watch,” she said.

So, I did. There was a steady stream of people coming in the door. Person after person came up and read the sign before they even looked at Tara. They cringed at her story, which was dramatic, and they walked away saying…. “oh I just can’t stand stories like this.” And not one of them looked at or acknowledged her.

It only took me three people to see what I had done so very wrong. We quickly went around and removed the signs. Instantly, people were coming in and seeing each horse as an individual, eager to meet them and learn about them, without being turned off by their past.

At the end of the day, with all of the people gone, Tara said to me, “This was important today. I am not what I went through. That is not who I am, it is just something that happened to me. It didn’t break me. It didn’t define me. Because I am here now and I want people to see who I am.”

Trust me, I have never made that mistake again.

We must be careful when we have animals who we know have been abused or suffered neglect, to understand that they are not in that situation anymore. They are with you now. They are loved. They are safe. And we need to allow them to heal and move on. If we keep on telling their sad stories to others, it affects how others react to them. Often, that keeps the animal in their pain.

Part 2 of this answer is just as important. Many times, animals act shy or they may cower at loud sounds or be afraid of men or tall people or people with hats, etc. It is our human nature to automatically assume something bad had to have happened to them for them to act that way. While that is possible, it also is possible that there is something else at play. I have personally had dogs and cats in my life that I’ve had since they were 5-8 weeks old and I knew for sure they came from good places. Yet, one would cower any time she heard a loud noise. Another would flinch if you moved your hand quickly around them. Yet, I knew for sure he wasn’t hit or slapped. Sometimes, something as simple as a broom handle falling on a floor next to an animal can startle them so badly that they react to quick movements or loud sounds for years after that. Sometimes it is just their personalities or who they are and how they are expressing themselves in this lifetime.

Yes, animals can hold on to trauma, but they also can heal. It is just as important to remember to give them the space and opportunity to heal and watching how we talk about them and label them is a good first step. All of us, no matter how good or bad we have been treated in our pasts, hold on to memories and those experiences can and do shape the way we see and respond to the world.

We help animals and people who have been through trauma the most through compassion and empathy and reassuring them how brave they are for having gotten to where they are now. And then we love them for who they are and allow them to heal without labels.

When you walk in the doors of our small animal facility or our barn, I guarantee you that you would not be able to tell which animals have come from the greatest traumas. Yes, it’s a part of their past, but it is not where they are now and it does not define who they are. Instead, we try to give them a safe place to be and to relax and unwind and show us who they really are. Then we let them find their way in their own time.

What is the Most Memorable Message from an Animal?

Q: What is the most unusual response to a question you have received from any animal? Or the most memorable one?

From Dawn:

This is a question that I have been asked a lot over the years and it is one I have such difficulty answering. I have talked to over 50,000 animals professionally since 1987. It is really hard for me to single one or even a few out as all of them are deeply meaningful to me. I have had my share of mind-blowing consultations that taught me so very much. I treasure all of them and am always humbled by the experience of doing any consultation.

However, I will answer this with what has touched me so deeply over the years and when I share this with people they are equally as touched.  The one message that I am given the most is when I have been working with an animal or human who has crossed into spirit. Early on in my career, I was amazed that every animal or person I worked with in spirit basically sent the same message to their loved ones in the physical. And I still experience that to this day. 

What they want their loved ones to know is that no matter where they are in spirit, they still feel the love of their loved ones in the physical. Love is not an energy solely based in the physical realm. Love is an energy that is just as real and alive in spirit as it is here. When we love someone, a permanent energy path is created one heart to the next. And that energy survives even after the physical body dies.

Every animal or person I talk to in spirit tells me to tell their loved ones they feel them and they also send their love back to the physical plane. We who are in the physical have the harder time hanging on to that truth. Because we are in physical bodies, we rely on the physical experience of seeing our loved ones there and being able to touch them, and hear them, and feel them. So, when we cannot reach them physically, we perceive them as gone. We forget though that we can actually still feel them. When we are deep in our grief, we are actually feeling the most disconnected from them and it is harder for them to get through to us. But when we remember them and how we feel about them and our hearts fill with that love, that is when our loved ones in spirit feel us and reach back.

I have always found this to be such a profound comfort. And I have heard this message from literally thousands of beings who have crossed into spirit.

If you’d like to submit a question to Dawn,
Please fill out the Form Below

Animal Message of the Day: Flora

From Flora: “I have seen a lot of things in life. Sometimes, more than I wish I had to see. Some things were more than I could bear. Some I thought would break me. Many times, I didn’t think I could survive. But what I’ve learned more than anything is that love has a way of bringing you through the darkest of times. Your heart reaching out to another could be the light they need to bring them out of darkness. When we cannot find our own light and think we have lost our way, the caring heart of another can make the difference of life. At my darkest hour, while in a total panic and in a traumatic situation where I saw some of my friends die, a hand reached out and grabbed me. At first, I didn’t know what to do. But slowly I learned what love meant. And slowly I learned to trust. Never doubt the light you can be to someone who is struggling in ways you may not even recognize. I love my life now. And that is a gift I never thought I’d find. We must help one another through the hard times and live with gratitude for those who have helped us along the way. This is what I have learned in this lifetime.”

 

In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges faced by the COVID-19 virus, we are posting an animal message a day. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life? Or “What would you like to share?”

Animal Message of the Day: Coco

From Coco: I have felt great defeat in my life. I lost a lot at one point and I gave up on hope. But time and love has helped me heal. I’m not a tough guy but I had to become that way to survive. It wasn’t who I am but it was who I needed to be when nothing else made sense. Sometimes, when you meet someone who is gruff on the outside, it is because they are protecting something so delicate on the inside. Try to remember that. You don’t know what sorrow or trauma they are holding in their hearts. Being gruff is just a barrier they put up to keep others from hurting them again. It takes safety and trust and time to learn to let it go and be free. I am lucky because I found that. Life is good again. I can stand out in the sun and feel the warmth fill me in every cell and know that it is mine and I can breathe and tomorrow will be another day. For a while, I wasn’t sure there would be a tomorrow. If you are feeling that way, just know that the sun will come out again. You can do this. You’ve got me here believing in you and cheering you on. Don’t give up. Don’t lose yourself. Keep the faith.”

 

In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges faced by the COVID-19 virus, we are posting an animal message a day. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life? Or “What would you like to share?”

Animal Message of the Day: Piper

From Piper: “While you heard from my friend Teddy yesterday about how he was born unable to close his eyes, I was born without eyes at all. But please don’t for a minute feel sorry for me or think I’m blind. I see more than most of you do. I understand my world at a depth that is incredibly beautiful. I climb. I jump. I leap. I play. I chase things around the room. And I even get to annoy some of the older cats in my room who need to loosen up a bit. Life is grand. Life is full of opportunity. Life is full of meaning. My life is rich beyond measure. If you think that I am blind, then you would be the one who is blind instead.”

In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges faced by the COVID-19 virus, we are posting an animal message a day. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life? Or “What would you like to share?”

Animal Message of the Day: Teddy

From Teddy: “I am a cat with a definitive purpose in life. Some people have said I’m uncooperative and difficult, but they really don’t understand who I am. Because if people truly got to know me, they’d understand that I am just being me. If you don’t feel people understand you, you are not alone. It’s kind of a people thing. I am not saying that cats are superior but in some ways they kind of are…. it is just how it is. You need to lighten up with one another. If you don’t understand why someone does what they do, maybe you don’t really know who they are. Maybe they are doing the best they can with the circumstances they have. Maybe they are just lost. Maybe they just need a cat to help them find their way. You see, the irony is that I was born without eyelids, meaning I can’t close my eyes. So, I have seen way more than the average cat or person even. Whereas some people need to open their eyes and look more closely at things, my struggle has been to close my eyes. I’ve had a lot of help. But we all have struggles. And we can’t always relate to or understand someone else’s plight. But we are always better off trying to be compassionate. Sometimes, it’s the only thing that makes the difference. Don’t make life so difficult. Feel for one another. All of us animals need you to do that for the sake of the whole world.”

In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges faced by the COVID-19 virus, we are posting an animal message a day. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life? Or “What would you like to share?”

Animal Message of the Day: Kermit

From Kermit: “I think you all need to learn to play more and worry less. The problem as I see it is that you even worry about what you play. Humans need to be more spontaneous. You see, if I feel a wave of happiness suddenly come upon me, I go with it. I might jump up and leap and twist and turn, just for the joy of doing so. I might even chase a ball around my yard. I never see humans play. You are very serious creatures. What do you do for fun?”

 

In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges faced by the COVID-19 virus, we are posting an animal message a day. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life? Or “What would you like to share?”

Animal Message of the Day: Cora

From Cora: “People think I’m shy but that is not totally accurate. I am actually just quiet. Well, quiet for a donkey that is. I like to watch and observe things. Life hasn’t always been that easy for me. I’ve seen some things that were very difficult and that I didn’t really understand. So, I like to be careful and cautious and introspective. I think carefully before I do things. That doesn’t make me shy, but it does make me reliable. You can always know who I am because I will not change on you quickly. Everyone is different. We are all unique. Labels put on anyone may not be accurate and may make things more confusing. I think we should all celebrate our own uniqueness.”

 

In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges faced by the COVID-19 virus, we are posting an animal message a day. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life? Or “What would you like to share?”

Animal Message of the Day: Tessie

From Tessie: “People have a lot of stress. The animals who care about you, worry about how hard you seem to make things for yourselves. I think the worst human invention is the clock. You set all of the things in your life based on the clock. It is your master. It doesn’t matter if you are hungry or not, you eat when the clock says to eat. Cats have figured this out about you. And we have learned to become masters of the clock. It takes a while for a cat to get the right rhythm but once we have it we can help alert you to things … like when to wake up to feed us, when to snuggle with us, etc. Sometimes, when we know the clock is commanding you to do things that you shouldn’t, a cat will step in to mix it up a bit. Like maybe you should actually get up an hour earlier to feed us. Or, maybe you should sit down for a time to cuddle with us instead of trying to complete the task you think you need to do. You can thank your cats for keeping you sane. Otherwise that darn clock will win again.”

In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges faced by the COVID-19 virus, we are posting an animal message a day. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life? Or “What would you like to share?”

Animal Message of the Day: Molly

From Molly: “I have a message to all of you who feel like you are not understood and seen for who you are. I once was in your shoes. I had a grand career as a show pony. I was spectacular. Sparkly and beautiful and built with all the right moves. And I’m pretty smart too. I had the whole package. I was desired for what I could bring to people, which actually meant that I was able to make them look good. But, who I was inside was often forgotten or never recognized at all. I could have been just a shell, but I wasn’t. There was a ‘me’ inside who no one really ever saw or got to know. Then, I went blind. Suddenly, I couldn’t perform anymore. Now, when I could no longer see, that is when I truly understood that no one saw me either. Today, I have no eyes, yet I understand now what it is like to be seen and what it is like to see others for who they are on the inside. I cannot see what is on the outside. But I can feel what is on the inside. If you are not being seen for who you are, you need to look inside for yourself first – not by how others see you, but for who you really are. And once you find that, you need to hold on to that and understand that others just don’t know you, because if they did, they’d see the beautiful being who you are. Shine bright on the inside and don’t let someone else’s blindness become yours.”

 

In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges faced by the COVID-19 virus, we are posting an animal message a day. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life? Or “What would you like to share?”

Animal Message of the Day: Marty

From Marty: “Life is a song. Each one of us has our own unique tune and tone and sound. Each of us is just one instrument in a symphony of musicians. Your song is meant to be sung. The world needs to hear what notes you are expressing. Each of us is a great composer and we compose things that no one else can. It is up to each one of us to add what we came to give in this world. I like singing. I like making cheerful sounds. But I like it even more when I know others will share their special tunes as well. We are all in this together. One giant choir. Every voice counts. Every voice matters. And we all need to listen to each other’s tunes.”

 

In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges faced by the COVID-19 virus, we are posting an animal message a day. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life? Or “What would you like to share?”

Welcome Max and Gilligan

Today we assisted Susquehanna SPCA in helping with two of five goats that they took in last night in very poor condition. We’ve named them Max and Gilligan. Both are underweight. Max has extreme deformity in his front legs from walking with feet that were overgrown. Gilligan also seems to have problems with lameness in one leg as well as overgrown feet. We are doing full medical workups and will do all we can to help them. Right now, we are helping them to settle in and relax into their new home. We will take this step by step to see what is right for each of them.

This is a case of both people and animals needing help and right now it is a matter of getting everyone involved the help that they need. That is what matters most. We do not put our energy into judging where they’ve been but instead we put our intentions into helping them all get to where they need to be. That is how best we can help one another.

Animal Message of the Day: Misty Mew

From Misty Mew: “I have a very positive outlook on life. You know why? Because even when I knew hard times, and you can be sure that I did, I always found something or someone who could help make the day brighter. You know how I did that? I learned that if I could make someone else feel better or show them that I cared, that it made me feel better on the inside too. And my view of the outside looked better when I felt better about myself on the inside. When you care about another, then care will find its way to you too. This is why cats purr. It makes you feel better doesn’t it? But it also is a comfort to us as well. Find your purr. It’s not about the sound. It’s about the vibration you send out from your heart to the world.”

In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges faced by the COVID-19 virus, we are posting an animal message a day. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life? Or “What would you like to share?”

Animal Message of the Day: Chico

From Chico: “Oh happy day! Oh happy day! There are times that joy just comes bursting out everywhere. Now if you are hearing this message and not feeling that joy, then you need to look at my photo and breathe in deeply and feel me. Do not let your dark clouds get you down. We all get clouds in our skies sometimes. We all get rain. And we all get storms. But storms pass. Rain stops. And the sun will shine again. Nothing is ever constant. Happiness and joy aren’t always readily available. But hope can be a constant. Faith can be your companion. I have learned that if we can all stick together, then we can get through anything. Sometimes it is just one step at a time, and other times we make big leaps. The important thing is to have faith in the truth that nothing ever stays the same. Because when things aren’t feeling like they are going as well as you wish, you can rest assured that things will change. And you can be singing with me, oh happy day! Have a happy day!”

 

In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges faced by the COVID-19 virus, we are posting an animal message a day. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life? Or “What would you like to share?”

Animal Message of the Day: Santino

From Santino: “Life, for me, is all about learning to trust. It takes me a long time to trust. When I lost my human who was so special to me, I thought my life was over. I had learned to trust her. And then suddenly she was gone. But I think she helped me find the place I’m in now. And they seemed to understand my ways and they just let me be me. A most amazing thing happened. I found myself again. I am trusting again. I am purring and enjoying being petted and occasionally fussed over as long as it doesn’t get too mushy. I’m not about mushy. But I have found that love survives even when you think it has disappeared. It’s not gone at all. It’s just where you can’t see it. But you can always feel it if you try. Love survives everything, always. When hearts connect, neither time nor space can dim its light. Just like the sun on a cloudy day, you may not see it, but you can know it’s there. That is what I now can trust.”

In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges faced by the COVID-19 virus, we are posting an animal message a day. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life? Or “What would you like to share?”

Animal Message of the Day: Sheeba

From Sheba: “Sometimes I wish for things that don’t seem possible. Like, I wish I was tall like a human so that I could reach things better. Or I wish I was fast like a bird so that I could fly around and discover all the things that birds do. But then I realize I am not meant to fly like a bird or to walk tall like a human. I am a cat. The best thing I can do is learn all there is to being a cat. I happen to be a little cat, small in stature, but big in presence. I’m learning that size isn’t everything but what you do with what you have been given is indeed the whole point of life. So, when a human comes in to my area, I think to myself, I wish I could make them feel better. And then I explore the ways that a cat has to accomplish that goal. And I do them. And it works. And I understand that I wish only to be the best cat that I can be.”

In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges faced by the COVID-19 virus, we are posting an animal message a day. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life? Or “What would you like to share?”

Ask Dawn – May 10, 2020

When Worry about Feelings of Guilt and Shame Interfere with Receiving Communications

Dawn Hayman, Animal Communicator answers questions submitted by readers. Dawn has been a professional animal communicator and teacher for over 33 years. Learn how to submit a question at the bottom of this post.

Q: “At different times over the years, I chose to have my last 3 kitties put down. I haven’t had a pet in many years now because I was moving too much and it was hard to get places that allowed pets. Those kitties all had long, happy & healthy lives, but I still feel guilty about putting them down.

As a result of my shame & guilt, I feel like I will not be able to communicate with animals now. I feel like they gave me their trust and I betrayed them somehow. And as a result, I am punished and the animals won’t talk to me. I know this will hamper my ability to open up. I feel I need to seriously address this or I will remain blocked. Can you help me deal with and/or understand it?”

From Dawn:

This is such a powerful and important question and I thank the person who asked this for their bravery in asking. This is one of the most common questions I am asked by people wanting to take workshops but worried that they will not be able to succeed. Being aware of our blockages and obstacles that we throw into our own paths is an important step in our awareness. The human mind finds all sorts of things to worry on and mull over…. and over…. and over. While the heart, on the other hand, brings in clarity and is that breath of fresh air we all look for and welcome.

Animal communication is based on telepathy, literally translated as long-distance feeling. In other words, communicating to and from the heart. When we breathe and center ourselves through our hearts, we tap into the most natural and primal form of communication there is. It surpasses time and space and is a gentle knowing. But the human mind has a hard time with this and will throw in all sorts of doubt and warnings that we shouldn’t trust our own hearts.  The first step is to be learning to recognize that we all do this to some extent or another. It is part of being human.

One of the constructs that our brains throws in our path is guilt. Guilt, or even the fear of guilt, casts a big shadow of doubt on our own abilities to trust our hearts. It is very common, in fact, to find ourselves questioning euthanasia decisions after they are made. And that may be the topic of a future blog post. But I want us to zoom out a little wider to encompass guilt in general. Because while I find the questioning of past euthanasia decisions to be a common obstacle, I also see this with past training decisions, or even guilt over how other people treated animals around us in our past. It is important to realize that these are our own blocks and in almost all cases are not coming from the animals themselves.

There are two parts to this question. One, is the fact of continual holding onto or beating ourselves up for things that we did not know in the past. All of us could look at things we did with animals in our past (or even our children as well) that we know today, knowing what we know now, that we wouldn’t do the same. That is a part of learning and growing.  One of the first things I tell participants in my workshops is that we all need to let go of berating ourselves for things we did in the past when we just didn’t have the information we do today. If we do not let that go, it will be a block that prevents us from moving forward.

And the second part of this answer is that, in almost all cases, the animals do not hold grudges. Animals do not judge and condemn us for our mistakes. I have found this repeatedly in the tens of thousands of consultations that I have done over the past 30 years. But I have also seen and experienced this in our own animal sanctuary where I have worked with animals who have lived through some horrific things. Animals do not hold on to judgment. They move on and allow healing to take place. That is not to say that they don’t experience trauma, because they do, just like we humans do. But animals are also quicker to forgive and move on. They stay focused in the present moment.

When you go through a euthanasia decision and process with your animal friends, they understand and feel your love and intention. That intention and love is what surrounds them through the process. In most cases, even when it doesn’t look like it to you, they are making that decision with you and actually helping you along the way. They are participating with you. When euthanasia decisions are lovingly made with that intention of helping them, the animals completely understand and feel that. There is nothing to forgive and nothing to be forgiven for. But our minds start second guessing things during our grieving process. And sometimes our minds hold onto that for a long time.

The fear that you will open up telepathically to your animals and have them berate you for decisions you have made in the past is one that haunts a lot of people. But, in reality, it is just a fear of moving into listening with our hearts. Because in your heart, you actually know the love and acceptance your animals give to you. In your heart, you know that it is ok. Your animals love you unconditionally because they see and understand the real you. They never betray that trust.

When you experience communication through your heart, it is unconditional, non-judgmental, and timeless. The first step to moving forward is to recognize your fear of what you think you might hear, and be gentle with yourself and not judge yourself for having that fear. It is a gentle process of breathing and allowing the flow to happen. The more pressure you put on yourself, the harder it is to hear your heart. And the more open you can be to experience whatever is there for you to feel, the more freedom you will find in receiving communications. It is simply a matter of being still and listening. While humans as a species have lost sight of this, it is indeed possible to find it again. And, like a muscle, the more you use it, the stronger it will get. But the first step is to try.

 

If you’d like to submit a question to be considered by Dawn for this blog, please fill out the form below.

 

Animal Message of the Day: Ember

From Ember: “Age is a funny thing. The further you get in your life, and the more you can look back upon, the better your perspective is on life in general. It’s easy to say, ‘If I only knew then what I know now,’ when we look back at our younger years. But I have found the truth is that I wasn’t equipped back then to handle what I know now and I wouldn’t have had the maturity that comes with age to use that information wisely. There are skills and knowledge we acquire in life that are not meant for just anyone to use. These are the riches in life that we gather while we are learning how best to be who we are meant to be. At the same time, we also must recognize that it is true when we look at one another as well. My knowledge and wisdom may be meaningless to you if you don’t understand what I do to get to where I am and vice versa. Life isn’t always easy. That is why we need to help each other.”

In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges faced by the COVID-19 virus, we are posting an animal message a day. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life? Or “What would you like to share?”

Animal Message of the Day: Olivia

From Olivia: “I have always felt that it is important to focus on what you have in life rather than bemoaning what you might be missing. When I was fairly young in life, I lost a back leg. It was no fault of my own.  I was lucky to find help and survive. I could have spent all my life focusing on the fact that I was missing a leg. But what good would that have done? It would have only taken away from my life an kept me from living the great life I do have. When I had four legs, I didn’t have all the things I have now. In fact, I can tell you that I am much better off now than I would have been had my path not been altered. So, keep your eye focused ahead on where you want to go rather than fretting on something you may have missed. You may have missed it for a very good reason. Please consider this. I think it could help you on your path.”

In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges faced by the COVID-19 virus, we are posting an animal message a day. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life? Or “What would you like to share?”