Do You Want To Be An Animal Communicator?

Continuing on the theme of what it takes to be an animal communicator from my last blog, here are wise words by Dawn Hayman www.springfarmcares.org, a very experienced animal communicator who trained with me. She submitted this article at my request when I was editor of Species Link journal in 1994, and I also included it in my Interspecies Counselor Course.

Be Prepared by Dawn Hayman

Someone called me asking for information on how to become an animal communicator. She commented about how lucky I must be to be doing this. She didn't like working with people and was sure she could handle animals much better. She was also looking for an easy, fun job. She didn't have time to take any courses but was a fast learner, she assured me. "Just tell me what I need to do," she said. I took a deep breath and tried to explain that it wasn't as easy as that. She assured me that she understood that she would have to work at it, of course, but she was sure that she could do it, because she was good at giving advice. She wanted me to teach her all I knew over the phone.

I had never worked with this person before and knew nothing about her, but the one thing I did know was that I couldn't help her. I tried to explain about animal communication, but I could tell I wasn't getting through. I sent her some information on material that she could read, and I hoped for the best. However, I couldn't rest well that night. So many thoughts were going through my head. I had recently had the unfortunate experience of coming across two people who were using their animal communication skills in a very negative and unethical manner. I decided to sit down and write about what it is that I do.

I am an animal communicator. It took me a long time to be able to say that. I cringe at the title "animal psychic" and when people tell me how "gifted" I am. To say that I am gifted implies that this is something that very few people can do. That didn't seem right to me, because this is something that everyone has the ability to do. It was one of our animals, though, that pointed out a simple fact to me. She told me straight out, "you are gifted. It is a gift available to all, but not all are gifted to use it." I could see the point but still had trouble being gifted. However, this really is a gift, and a very precious one. It is a gift wrought with incredible rewards and with enormous responsibilities. It is not something to be taken lightly and as a "job." It is really a profession. If I were to write a job description, it would be difficult, but it would read something like this:

It’s a Journey
So you want to be an animal communicator. You should be prepared for the following things in your endeavor: First, it is not a journey with a destination. If you are looking for an end result, you will be disappointed. If it's the journey you like, then you will have a chance.

If you are looking for great insights into animals and their ways, you will be filled with delight. You will also have to look straight into the insights you will find about yourself. Some of them may not be so easy. However, they are sure to be pure, if you allow them to happen honestly.

Be prepared to laugh. Also, be prepared to feel all other feelings, and to learn how to deal with them. For many of us, that is not easy.

Be prepared to drop all of your preconceived notions about how things should be, in order to be open to new ideas.

Judgment and Advice
Be prepared not to judge others. Sometimes you will hear things from people that you will consider wrong or bad. People often do the best they can with what they have, and your ways may not be right, just because they are your ways. Things aren't always what they seem. By judging others in extreme ways, you eliminate any chance for them to change.

Be prepared not to give advice. What may have worked for you may not work for someone else. People will look to you as an authority. They may do something that you say, rather than seeking the necessary medical or technical advice that they need. This is not within the realm of animal communicating, and is very dangerous, indeed.

A People Profession
Be prepared to deal mostly with people. This is a people profession. It will be people who call you and people you talk to. It will be the people that you are helping to reconnect with their own abilities to communicate to their own animals.

This is not about proving what your abilities are as a communicator. It is about helping others to find their abilities. You will be a facilitator. A bridge. You can also be prepared for emotional outpourings from people. You have to be able to deal with emotional issues in a non-judgmental and supportive way, without taking on the problem yourself or having to save the day. Sometimes people will disclose to you some very personal issues. It will not be your position to judge. It will be your time to listen.

Don't look for glory. Some people will try to make you a hero. Mostly it is their doubts of themselves speaking. These times are very humbling.

Remaining Humble
Be prepared to remain pure and humble. There will be certain built-in safeguards. Whenever you start losing your humility, someone (often, an animal) comes along to help you out. You need to be open to listening.

Be prepared to listen a lot. The important things will not be what you say but what you hear. The silences are also important. Be sure to listen to them.

Be sure to understand and respect confidentiality, both for humans and animals alike. People and animals will be telling you some of their deepest concerns. They may seem unimportant to you, but they mean everything to the people and animals involved.

Be prepared to say no. There will be times when your own energy is low, you are doing some business of your own, or you just plain can't bring yourself to talk to another animal that day, and someone will call crying about an emergency they have. You will not be doing anyone any favors by stretching yourself so thin. You will be less likely to get a clear communication, more likely to make yourself ill, and not be of benefit to the situation. Sometimes this gets very, very difficult, and often this is hard learned.

Be prepared to accept your own limitations and be comfortable with them. You can only do what you can do. Once you can accept that, the things that you do will only get more pure.

Personal Growth
Be prepared to learn to take care of yourself. You will learn to understand the ups and downs of your own energies. When they are down, you need to rest and do things to recharge yourself. The quickest way to burnout is to ignore your own signals. You must learn to listen to yourself.

Be prepared to grow and change. Every conversation with animals and humans alike will take you to new places and deeper understandings about so many things.

Be prepared to add more and more to this ever-growing list.

Get the training that will help you to be a good animal communicator.