Communicating with Your Animals
He was running at me full on. I stopped him at arms length by grabbing his neck. This was true one on one animal communications.
I then shook him; not hard enough to hurt him, but firm enough that he knew I could break his neck if I wanted to.
My two eyes looked into his one for a long moment and then I slowly released my hand. The communication between us was absolutely clear and he understood.
Training Male Geese
I have a new young flock of geese and it is almost a rite of passage that the leading male would someday challenge me. He was almost full grown and the biggest of the flock. And now he was testing his boundaries and wondering just how much authority he had in the world.
I feed, water, and protect them and I am very clear about our relationship. And now he and the rest of the flock were clear too.
I will sometimes sit very still and let the geese come and look me over very closely, and even do some exploratory nibbles. Is that grass on her head edible? What do her changing feathers feel like? How does she make the long snake spit water? They are very curious, but never aggressive. Especially now that we’ve ‘talked’.
Another reason to raise geese: The Barefoot Friendly Project; Transforming Harsh Land
Animal Communications – More than Just Talking
There are many different levels of communication between species. And in fact you are communicating with all of the plants and creatures around you all the time. Although you are probably not as aware of your message as they are.
The phrase “inter species communication” normally conjures up images of specially gifted mystics. Maybe some one who can hear something we can’t – it’s just out of our frequency range. Or perhaps it is a magical ability like the psychics who can also conduct seances to talk with loved ones now past into the world of the dead.
But communicating with plants and animals doesn’t have to be supernatural.
I am not discounting the direct ‘knowing’ levels of communication. And yes, if you were to focus on developing that ability over time, those intuitive levels of communication may very well open to you. In fact, I think it happens quite naturally for anyone who spends enough time in their garden or working with their livestock.
But most inter-species communication is much more practical and easy to understand.
It’s Not Magic, It’s Physical
Have you ever heard the saying “your actions speak louder than words”? The physical level of communication is extremely effective and is within reach of anyone, without any training. Not to mention, it is something you are doing all the time anyway.
There are estimates that some 90% of communication is non-verbal. These are studies referring to human to human communications, but it applies to plants and animals too. Your body posture, the quality or cleanliness of your clothes, your hand gestures, and the expression on your face, the smell your body is emitting – all of this communicates your mood and intentions.
There is also some degree of reality to that “vibe” you put out that others pick up on.
Different Ways of Communication
There really are many ways of communicating. And this is quite useful since most of the other life forms on this planet don’t quite vocalize the way we do.
For example, once I had shaken that goose, he stepped back quickly with his head slightly tilted expressing a bit of shock. When he was a few feet away, at a safe distance away from me, he began to compose himself by preening his feathers.
Watching him made me laugh at the recognition of an almost universal response after an altercation; that of grooming. Embarrass a cat and it will almost immediately start licking its fur. And humans once separated will start straightening their clothes and smoothing their disheveled hair. A hen getting up from the rooster’s rough attentions indignantly ruffles her feathers back into shape.
My laugh was not derogatory, but served as a peace offering sound and let everyone know all was well in the world. The rest of the flock who had been watching this with interest now cackled back in response, and everyone started moving off to find something else to do like nibble at some nearby grass.
Learning from Your Animals
I had learned about the power of laughter between species from two ferrets.
Don’t ask me why we have two ferrets. We certainly don’t need any ferrets. And we don’t really want two ferrets. I can’t honestly think of any good reason to have ferrets. But I have a young daughter who gets money for working, and she was convinced that buying ferrets was the best use of her hard earned funds. Sigh.
Since we have the ferrets (ah, the relentless pressure of children), I can’t help but be fascinated by them. One thing that interests me is that when I let the ferrets run free in a new area where they aren’t normally allowed in, they get so excited. They jump around and make a funny sound sort of like a cross between a grunt and a gurgle. That sound is so captivating (I’ve been trying to catch it on video and when I do, I’ll get it to you). But what was it they were doing?
Then one day it occurred to me they were laughing with joy! The ferrets definitely share the playfulness of their cousins the otters. They are amazingly good-natured creatures and love having fun. “Mommy they exude cuteness,” my daughter explains. (They exude a few other things too but I won’t go into that here.)
But the ferrets were so happy they would laugh out load as they ran and played.
Sometimes they playfully come up and nip my feet and then bound away – chuckling the whole time. I stand there dumb founded at the audacity of these eight ounce bundles of silliness daring themselves to play with a giant. It’s completely disarming.
My daughter is right, they do exude cuteness.
Read about my daughter’s other pet: The Perfect Natural Camouflage
Pay Attention to Signals from Your Animals
The ferrets got me in trouble with the chickens. One morning I decided to let the ferrets run about with me while I was working in the garden. And as the ferrets did their jumping and playing and investigating they naturally came across the flock of chickens I keep for eggs. Although these ferrets are pets and probably would never consider eating anything but the store bought supplies my daughter gives them, they were recognized by the chickens for what they are; carnivores. And the chickens were upset.
The flock is free range so they moved off to another part of the yard. But later that day when I saw the chickens again the rooster rushed me. I easily kicked him back. But from the way he looked sort of satisfied and did not come at me again, I became ashamed of my earlier annoyance. The rooster had been trying to get my attention in about the only way a rooster knows how. I was mystified what he was trying to communicate. And then it dawned on me, he was letting me know how upset the chickens were at the ferrets being loosed in their space.
Read more: Channel Your Mama-Energy for Healthy Homestead Animals
Tell Pests to Leave Before You Kill Them
Before we built our home, our little family lived in a 20×20 room above the barn. Mice also had quite an attachment to that room. My husband whom I don’t normally think much of a big communicator totally shocked me with his solution to the problem. He started by stomping around growling at the top of his lungs in the meanest bad-ass animal sounds I’ve ever heard come from a man. He did this for quite a few minutes making sure to visit each corner to insure his message was being received.
Then he set out some traps. But I think the mice got the message from his growls for we didn’t trap many and generally weren’t bothered by them again. From then on, if an occasional new mouse showed up my husband would repeat the warning and that usually took care of the problem.
We aren’t always successful with communications. I’ve tried communicating with fire ants for many years without success.
Dealing with Predators – Livestock Guardian Dogs
As you start to develop systems for producing your own food, you’ll notice that lots of other creatures like your food too. After years of losses of both livestock and plants I came to the see how extremely useful a pair of good dogs could be. In no way am I a professional animal trainer, and I had never been a “dog person,” but using dogs to protect your food supply made so much sense I had to learn.
The dogs live to chase off deer, raccoons, squirrels, and other dogs. They will harass snakes, bark at hawks, and hold off a pack of coyotes until I can get there to help. They don’t mind working all night while I sleep. And they consider themselves well rewarded by a bit of praise and the scraps I toss them.
In the Grow Your Own Groceries video set, I have a section that goes into detail of how to work with dogs – and of course, you can pick up a copy at this link: http://growyourowngroceries.com/.
Embracing New Relationships
Opening up my relationships with other living beings beyond humans is one of the many pleasures of growing my own food. Let me know your interest level and I’ll write more about inter-species communication. Talking with plants is not quite as direct and requires more sensitivity, but can definitely be developed. As with animals, learning to communicate on the physical level with plants is the easiest way to get started.
Drop me a note in the comments section below to let me know if you’re interested in communicating with plants. I’m sure you have some interesting stories to tell…
I am also intrigued with communication on even more subtle levels; working with energetics or nature spirits as was reputably done at Findhorn, for example.
And then there is that other topic to deal with; how can I love the creatures I am raising knowing their fate is that I will kill them and eat them? It is a difficult question that I struggle with and would be delighted to discuss with you. Again, let me know your interest by putting a quick comment down below.
3 Part Series about Ethical Meat: Have You Ever Been to a Hog Killin’?
Marjory Wildcraft is an Expedition Leader and Bioneer Blogger with The [Grow] Network, which is an online community that recognizes the wisdom of “homegrown food on every table.” Marjory has been featured as an expert on sustainable living by National Geographic, she is a speaker at Mother Earth News fairs, and is a returning guest on Coast to Coast AM. She is an author of several books, but is best known for her “Grow Your Own Groceries” video series, which is used by more than 300,000 homesteaders, survivalists, universities, and missionary organizations around the world.
COMMENTS(169)
Really enjoyed your story about communicating with both plants and animals. Have African Violets that are over 25 years old (gift from my Mother-in-Law) and I talk to them every time I give them a drink. Have also raised feeder pigs (they left home at 40 lbs) and my relationship with the sows was wonderful–they would see me coming out to their area and flop down on their sides to have a good belly rub. When they were almost ready to deliver a litter I would call them by name, take them by the ear and move them into their farrowing crate. They trusted me and I never had a problem handling the new babies and tending to all of their needs. Mom just laid down and made herself available to nurse her new family. Thank you for your wonderful story- to me it was pure poetry.
Thanks Florance.
Marjory, every animal has to die at some point right? It’s all in how you look at it. Domesticated factory animals have a horrible life but die quickly and humanely. Wild animals have a wonderful life but die horribly. Our domesticated homestead animals have a wonderful life and die quickly. They get the best of both worlds. I don’t think we need to feel bad about that.
Factory animals do not die humanely. Many die horribly. And their lives are awful. Like the pig who slowly goes insane in a gestation crate; the chickens whose legs break because their weight is too much for their bones; the mother cows that cry for days when their calves are taken from them; and many more instances.
We are raised to think that we need meat and animal products to live. It is not so.
Ah yes, the vegetarian propagandists must always weigh in. Everyone’s entitled to his or her own opinion, but in the USA – and in the dawning Age of Aquarius – every INDIVIDUAL has a RIGHT to be unencumbered by the opinions of other humans.
The comment-writer “JA” (Junior Achievement? Really?) mixes many different living conditions for animals in his or her impassioned yet unreasoned plea that all animal product consumption cease.
NO living being WANTS to die; God blesses living beings with life in various forms. For each form there are limitations and expectations. For a domesticated animal, life expectancy is defined by human needs. I agree with Laurie T., while emphatically differentiating small farms and homesteads wherein the human caretakers have a vested interest in the happiness and health of their animal charges, as opposed to corporation-owned livestock mills, in which the top consideration is (by law!) maximizing profit for the shareholders. There’s a HUGE difference.
Something less brutish for the Cathi’s of the world to chew-on: All our choices in life, sooner or later, return-back-to-sender — it is a Universal Law. Despite mainstream education’s gross failure to impart this “exacting” fact of Life, all of us, without exception, eventually do experience (in this lifetime or another) the same sort of suffering we callously justify for others today. There is no other way for compassion to develop and take a solid hold in us but for us to be forced at some point to endure comparable living circumstances that we presently impose upon others. Were it not for this Law, we’d all devolve into bloodthirsty brutes, but fortunately Life is infinitely wise in it’s Ways. May we all consider the far-off future we are creating for ourselves by considering the ramifications of our choices today.
I just thought it interesting Cathi, that Laurie T. has voiced her opinion to Marjory, and then commented on how “Domesticated factory animals have a horrible life but die quickly and humanely”.
JA has simply responded to Laurie T. saying that “Factory animals do not die humanely” and gave examples.
However, after they’ve stated what they think, you state that “every INDIVIDUAL has a RIGHT to be unencumbered by the opinions of other humans”… and then promptly proceed to vomit your opinions in a very attacking and judgemental manner.
Interesting…. Feels like the only judge is you!
Or perhaps to adjust a quote from yourself “Ah yes, the NON-vegetarian propagandists must always weigh in.”
You can NOT get FAT or Collagen from plants. Both are Necessary for a healthy Human Life. Don’t believe it, Just continue on your path of veggieism.
Rufus, what a shock! I could have sworn that olive oil, to take just one example, contained mostly all fat, and yet it comes from a plant!!! Also, who knew that walnuts and almonds, which are high in fat and grow on trees, are in fact an animal product, since thanks to you, we now “know” that you cannot get fat from a plant! But mostly, thanks for flying the flag of your ignorance so high that it can be mistaken by no one.
Your vegan rigor would end your family time line is rapid order, as the Indian immigrants to England found out… those Indian customs have ANIMAL PROTEIN IN THEIR RICE whether they are aware of it or not so when they came to England where such ‘extra protein’ is processed out, their Indian customary foods failed to support their live-liness… veganism is not a viable sensible life…….. and as for the appropriateness of meat in the diet, it would seem more favorable to our background evolution to favor fish, eggs and cheeses, and to honor the naturalness of prey-predator relationships… Favor nature’s examples and choose what works for you……
Please elaborate – have not heard that rice contains animal protein, am curious how this is done and that the diners are unaware. Thanks.
It’s not how people look at it, it’s how the animal victims see it. There is no humane way to slaughter anyone who does not want to die!
J.A. & Demitra M.N. I wholeheartedly agree with you both.
Agree with R.A., too. Thanks, you three, for chiming in.
Agreed!
Beautifully put, Laurie T. I think at least part of our aversion to raising and eating ethical meat is our own issues with mortality–or our state of denial about it!–and the false idea that somehow we humans are not part of nature. I too grapple with these thoughts and feelings, but the more I am open to working with the animals closely, and with all of nature, the more I am okay with eating meat!
Wonderful article, Marjorie!
I agree with you whole heartedly about the communications with animal species. It’s all about posture, and holding your ground to gain their respect. As we learn more about them, we can be more open to respecting them as as species.
Thank you for all that you are teaching. You are living my dream.
Thank you Emma.
I am living my dream too!
For several months I’ve been very involved with elderly parent problems, out of town a lot and stressed out. Because of that I’ve been deleting emails without reading them because I just didn’t have the time. Then I saw this one about communicating with animals and plants and it really caught my interest. Loved it. Hope you have more like it. Thanks
Barbar
Barbara,
I’ve been working to develop a writing style that is highly entertaining as well as educational. I think you’ll enjoy most of what we are producing.
I love your writing style!!!
Wow, so have I! Only now have I been able to take a few minutes to go through my emails–and this one from Marjory caught my eye. I too enjoyed this article because I want to learn all I can about communicating with animals and insects with care and respect without resorting to sprays and chemicals and annoying devices. I read somewhere about a woman farmer who mentally/psychically/spiritually “talked with” the deer about holding off on eating her crops until after harvest–and they honored her request! The farmer and deer actually had an understanding! When my family starts our main garden in earnest, I’d like to be able to “talk with the animals” and not be concerned about the deer, the raccoons, the wild turkey, the rabbits, the birds… Anyway, I love your blog and articles, Marjory!
All good, this communmication stuff. But I agree with Mrjory that communicating with ants has not yet worked for me…nor mosquitos!
I really enjoyed your article about communicating with animals and would love to hear about communicating with plants. I find insects very interesting and I tend to have an easy time around various bees, wasps. So, I suspect some how I’m communicating my nonverbal joy of having them in the garden.
Hi Jill,
I too like most insects. Uh, still working on the fire ants. But I have sotries about how intelligent yellowjackets are.
There is no negotiating with fire ants. It is a kill or be killed kinda thing and I prefer to be the one killing.
We had a successful fire ant nest clearing at our place in Sedona, Arizona using an “energy” process…no chemicals or anything physical…I would be glad to share it with you if you would like to give it a try sometime. 🙂
I just stumbled onto this thread – fascinating! I’d be very happy to hear about energetic communication with insects. If you or anyone else has information to share, please do.
Jill: My father raised honeybees when I was a child. He was at ease with them and rarely was stung. I was absolutely terrified and still do not trust them. He would tell me to calm down and relax as the bees could sense and smell my fear; bees were our friends. I know he was correct but I give them a wide berth. I can however speak dog, cat and poultry quite well.
The key to bees is to move very slowly and deliberately. Think to them, how amazing they are and watch them. They can tell an admirer a mile away.
I and my parents kept bees for awhile. They never bothered my parents, but would always warn me off if I was around something that they ‘owned’. I like bees. I always think good things about bees, even after being stung. I do not believe they are ‘bad’. I believe they do not like me, because I was the one that entered their hive on occasion. So I get stung, whether I think positive at them or not. My parents can walk directly in front of their hive. My Dad mowed in front of their hive. They weed, use power equipment, anything, and they don’t get stung. I cannot do any of those things for very long before the warn me off. If I ignore the warning, they sting me!
Seems very natural to love the animals one will be eating in the future, yet this is still mere ‘supposing’ as it is not yet my experience. We can give our animals a wonderful life until it is their time to give back – albeit against their will! Humans have a long history with animals and on some level animals seem to ‘get us’ more than we understand them. Horses are fascinating and we pass the in pastures often, sometimes at 55 miles per hour. Time and again my appreciative gaze will rest on a notable horse, when suddenly the horse looks up and seems to look right at me. Especially in your case perhaps the animals are grateful to be respectfully killed in love and honor. Could be! Or maybe not!
Thanks, Marjory — Love your blogs and your message, which I think you are on the cutting edge of a trend that’s going to go viral.
I would be interested in seeing a post on how you can love the animals you raise while knowing you will kill and eat them. This is something I struggle with, but I really want to raise meat rabbits. My husband won’t even consider it until I can prove I’ll be able to handle slaughtering and butchering them. (Which is fair.)
Marjory, I’m very interested in more posts about your experience with animal and plant communication. Please keep them coming. I’m a huge fan of Machaelle Wright of Perelandra, Findhorn, and others.
Addy Rae, I completely understand your thinking, and I have the same thing going on for myself. I’ve talked to many animal communicators over the years, and for those who could communicate at this level, they all say that these animals know why they’re here. The best we can do for them is love them, care for them, treat them well, slaughter them with dignity, and be grateful to them for giving their lives.
And to add a little esoteric woo-woo, I’m thinking before I breed that I might put out to the Universe and the rabbit devas that whoever souls are ready for life with me and to be food for humans and animals higher up the food chain, to please bring those souls into bodies now. Kind of a small ceremony, acknowledging their gift to us. I’m not Native American, but I so appreciate their service to the land and the animal kingdom.
And, then, we all have to figure it out for ourselves what’s right for us.
That’s my 2 cents!
Hi Anna,
That’s a beautiful note.
There was one time when I went to butcher a bunny that I got into a very zen space asking the rabbit for its life. I broke its neck as I show in the video (quickest and most painless way), and the rabbit never struggled at all. It seemed completely at peace through the entire process.
I have not duplicated that since. I hope I go with such dignity.
I hope I can do that one day as I plan on raising not only food for me but also for my dog. They are canine, after all, and so meat is what they need most!
Hi Anna,
Your “esoteric woo woo” is an amazing plan – so deeply respectful of the journey of all beings and the part you play in it. You and your rabbits will be twice blessed in the knowledge you are all willing partners in the bigger scheme of things! Congratulations; it seems like a brilliant solution to what to me seems a very difficult, complex-feeling-surrounded inevitability of raising – and eating – animals for food.
Thank you so much for your thoughts on this. I think you have answered some questions I ask myself. Intention is everything in all parts of living and relating with other beings. The more I practice this the closer I get to my plants and animals as well as my human friends, and increasingly with my self.
i have been in that position to a point. i never did the butchering. it was very tough on me the one nite kids said …i wonder which one this is and named their names and i had to get up from table and didnt finish my meal. that was 20 plus yrs ago, and it did get easier. its a mindset. there will NO DOUBT be a day when we may come down to this anyway. ive got chickens now and i really am not sure i could do the deed. i guess the only thing you can do is to just do it. but i would get more than one, as id say its would be easier to get attached to one than say 3/4 or so. bout all i can suggest my dear. its a mindset/and survival……one thing i will suggest…. DONT NAME THEM. just my thought. i really dont know per say.
We always name our live stock, is it harder? Yes but I find that if we don’t they become just a object and we don’t respect them as much as we should or appreciate there sacrifice. When we give them names it becomes important to us to give them a good life. Just my 2 cents
If I ever get a farm, I would have to keep any livestock out of sight of my wife. If she sees it very much she will name it and then it’s a pet. sigh.
I thank my animals for the contribution they are making to me, my farm and my clients, especially the ones who have sometimes life threatening autoimmune problems. I very much respect them because they are soon to become a part of me. If I don’t respect them…I don’t respect myself. I am also trying to figure out how, when it is my time to die, I can give myself back to them to become part of the circle of life again. Perhaps I will die in the fields and the buzzards will find me first. Then I will take to the skies and soar. What a rush!
Farmer Brown,
They now have burial pods, where they are planting a tree at the time of burial. Seems like a good way to continue to give to the next generations, be it shade, fruit, lumber…..
I love what you write here. I often wonder how I can also become a source of food for animals when I daie.
We went through our first hen cull last fall. I cried over the first one and the last one (Big Boy was our only rooster and our first who was getting too big for his britches.) It was almost enough to make us vegetarians. I knew it was necessary to deal with it because I’d rather know now, than before we got 30 or more meat birds. I figured meat birds would be easier since we won’t have them around for a few years, and know them by name like we do laying hens. We’ll see about that in a few months.
Hi Addy,
Rabbits are prey animals. They know their life expectancy isn’t usually determined by degenerative diseases of old age, but rather of what animal will eat them, and when. Their entire physiology and culture is based on reproducing faster than they’re being eaten. Seriously.
I’ve had a lifetime experience with rabbits, up close and personal, some for pets and some for meat. Each has his or her own personality, even those which are rendered infertile through surgery (the pets). It’s delightful to interact with rabbits, as they’re very social animals. They’re also very friendly (for the most part).
The best life a rabbit can have is to be free from fear of predation; to enjoy the company of other rabbits; to enjoy a varied and ample fresh supply of grass and greens; and to die without fear when their time has come. Marjory has a video about how to compassionately butcher a rabbit. I highly recommend it.
I so agree with you and your husband, having felt like a hypocrite when eating meat (no matter how well cared for while alive) in that I haven’t yet butchered any animal to eat. I struggle with this and know I will face it at some point.
Anna Lee,
I have wondered the same thing. What I decided was to have a natural burial (no embalming, natural fiber clothes, in an unfinished wood or other biodegradable casket) and have fruit and/or nut trees planted over or next to the grave. The tree roots will feed on the nutrients I leave behind and convert them into fruit or nuts that will feed whoever wants them. Some nice native trees in my area I thought would work are northern pecan or hickory with service berry and/or blueberry as an understory. Some wild strawberries on ground level would round out a micro habitat that would provide for creatures on all levels.
Yes, that’s a really good article. You are a good writer, Marjorie!
Some roosters are not as well mannered as yours, and do not respect a foot. Someone told me one time that it’s because they have one, too, and it’s their defense. But they don’t have any hand and they are scared of them!
If an unruly rooster rushes you, just reach out for him (like you did the goose) and advance as if you are going to grab his neck. I’ve taught children this trick and they were so tickled to be able to ‘have it over the rooster’ ! But I think you ‘got it right’ that the rooster was trying to tell you something! Congrats for understanding!!
Thanks Gracie.
I look at any unusual behavior as a signal. The rooster never rushed me before, so it was quite odd.
Hah, those little ferrets!
Marjory, I enjoyed this article. If you have any ideas about how to communicate with grasshoppers I would surely appreciate it. The chickens seem to communicate well when they are out of their run, but when they are inside the run, the grasshoppers take full advantage of any and all garden plants.
Hi LaDonna,
Well hmmm, haven’t spoken with grasshoppers – er, I havens gotten a reply that I recognized.
I really enjoyed this article, it helped cement some ideas that had already been forming in me. Over the years of keeping chickens, I have had some that I could talk to; and it seemed that they understood me. I really enjoy letting them jump up and sit on my shoulders and talk to me. BUT I was planning on butchering a bunch of little cocks that were from that years hatchings an unneeded; and my wife had a FIT!!!!! She informed me that she would not cook or eat any chicken that we had hand raised!! so, I still have some hurdles to get over LOL
Good luck with that Bill.
I really enjoyed this article, it helped cement some ideas that had already been forming in me. Over the years of keeping chickens, I have had some that I could talk to; and it seemed that they understood me. I really enjoy letting them jump up and sit on my shoulders and talk to me. BUT I was planning on butchering a bunch of little cocks that were from that years hatchings an unneeded; and my wife had a FIT!!!!! She informed me that she would not cook or eat any chicken that we had hand raised!! so, I still have some hurdles to get over LOL
I saw a show a few years back on PBS, on “Nova” I think, about how plants communicate with each other. Wish I had the link. It was mind blowing.
Hi Bonnie,
Yes I just saw that documentary and showed it to a group of school kids. They are still talking about the mother trees feeding the baby trees in the redwood forests.
To Bonnie, I saw that on nova. Plants talk to each other when they are being attack by worms. They send a message through a chemical sent to become toxic to what is bothering them. Also like Beethoven and other music like this.They grow faster. Rock , etc can stunt or kill plants.
I have been able to communicate with animals, mostly pets, since I was a young girl. Many people have laughed at me over the years but I enjoy a level of relationship with my pets that few people do.
Great story! Grab that goose by the neck and look him straight in the eye! I am cracking up!
Great warm hearted yarns full of smiles and remembered run inns with pugnacious geese! Keep up the good work.
i have around 50 or so canadian geese that seemed to take up residence in my back yard part time. they all also have kids of various ages. so cute. i live next to a creek and have a mulberry tree that they come and feast on, and leave quite alot of presents for me to clean up if i want to walk outside with no shoes… which is 90% of time. last week i decided to be brave and wander amongst them just to see how close i could get.(not realizing til yesterday just how fierce they could actually be! a little rivalry amongst a couple of them. quite a show i might add…..) anyway i had some starter feed leftover from my chicks, and i was throwing, softly talking and walking towards them at same time. i actually got about 2/3 feet away from them without any hissing, chasing or any type of distress. when they first got here a couple months ago, i couldnt even walk out on my deck. which is on 2nd floor basically without them heading for the hills. so its been quite a gratifying accomplishment for me. also have a baby bunny who loves the herb garden as much as i do…. whose about the same way. am just loving my new way of life here. except for flooding creek yesterday!!! its just something that gives me a very good feeling to be able to be trusted by mother natures wonderful families.
Hi Susie,
thanks for that lovely comment.
There is quite a balance between loving the wildlife and protecting your food supply. But it is so touching to actually befriend wild creatures.
Great article, thanks Marjory. I am looking forward to hear how you communicate with plants too. I know my communication with dogs got much better when I started picturing in my mind as vividly as I could what I was saying to them. I’ve been amazed by some of the things they have understood. Like understanding fairly complex things I had never asked them to do before. I think the more we take the time to communicate with other creatures we share this amazing planet with the better off we will all be. Most if not all of the messed up things we humans do is because we have stopped being aware of our connection with the rest of the web of life.
Hi Donna,
Yes! the visualization part does help tremendously. And it is surprising.
it is very true…..i know the feeling. talk to mine pretty much like kids 🙂 amazing huh.
Hi, I really am enjoying your information and slant on things. About the killing of an animal you have been taking care of has been difficult for me. In one of your comments you talked about comparing hogs on a commercial feed lot and one that was butchered from your farm. You used a word in explaining the difference in the pigs treatment while he was alive. I thought it was so helpful in explaining how I feel. My problem is that I can not remember the word you used. I know this may be hard but can you remember what that word was? I know this is a strange request but it would help me. Thanks
Thanks for another wonderful article. Encore!
I really enjoyed your story about species communication and I love to learn how to communicate better with my garden plants. I don’t have any animals of my own although there is plenty of wild life in by back yard including growndhugs which have been a problem in my garden. Any tips as to how to deal with them? Do you have those in Texas?
Regards,
Clara
Get a dog & post him out by your garden at night. That took care of the ground hogs that wiped out my entire row of green beans one night when I lived in upper state New Jersey. Next night, my dog caught & killed the ground hog and I never had another problem after that. Good luck!
In regards to communicating with animals, I love this topic. My VNam veteran husband has a 2 1/2 year old German Shepherd that he’s been training, since the dog was 3 months old, to be his PTSD Service Dog. And that dear dog just adores and lives for his master, does anything requested of him & does it with such a happy heart & love of life attitude. As for me, I don’t interfere with the bond between my man and his dog, so “Pal” usually doesn’t pay much attention to me when my husband is around. But that all changes in the early evening when my husband goes inside to watch his news programs and to make our dinner (yes, he is the cook in our family). That’s the time I customarily go to work in my large veggie garden in the cool of the evening. Well, “Pal” follows me into my fenced garden area carrying his favorite toy ball & spends time with me as I work right up until it gets dark or later. He lays down there, watches everything I do, comes over and “inspects” my activities, listens intently as I talk to him while working. Often he cocks his head to one side if I say something particularly relevant to him, like “treat” or “ball” or “you’re such a beautiful dog” & “I love you”. I also watch him out of the corner of my eye for the signs he gives me of anything going on around us, like assuming a pose of full attention or a small bark at something outside the realm of my ears & eyes. I don’t actually know why this dog chooses to stay close to me during this evening ritual. Maybe he likes the strawberries & blackberries I share with him, maybe it’s the lizards he likes to chase under the old logs that border my garden plot, maybe he’s just bored or lonely w/o his man around, maybe it’s because the garden is such a cool and peaceful sanctuary after a hot day, or maybe, just maybe it’s because of his natural protective nature that he’s expressing after my husband tells him to “go take care of Moe out in the garden.” And so he does, and I welcome & cherish this time with my pal “Pal”. I think dogs are such mystical creatures, don’t you?
Yes, please more info on communicating with plants and animals. Also how you deal with raising animals for food. Very interesting!!! Thanks for sharing.
I enjoyed this blog, you write quite well. I could see it happening as you described it like I was there. Thank you.
Findhorn garden is one of my favorite stories. My grandmother visited there but said by that time it had gotten too commercial. It is my intention to communicate with plants like what was successfully accomplished there having that sort of intuitive ability. I’ll let you know what I experience. I think it can be part of the healing process I’m working on.
I have been able to communicate with (fun experience) horses before, all in pictures and feelings for a person who was moving and was concerned for her several horses on the trip. Other animals too but that was the most memorable. Also another part of the healing process I’m working on.
Shortly after I began doing help desk work, I began having what seemed like LOTS of problems in the garden. I had always had a wonderful garden, so this was a mystery to me. One day I was in the garden, fussing over this insect and that disease and it dawned on me: I was out there looking for trouble! Whoa! I had to make a shift – take off the garden doctor hat and change my mind to one of appreciation and gratitude. Like with people, I began looking for the good and not allowing myself to focus on a munched leaf or small spot. It worked. I can’t say for sure if my garden actually changed, but my green friends really cleaned up my act and gave me a lesson in balance. This is not the only gift they have given me…….not by a long shot.
Wonderful post and comments!
I want to highly recommend a book I read more than 20 years ago and still re-read occasionally–J. Allen Boone’s Kinship With All Life. Still in print for more than 50 years, the book’s enduring value was captured in Kenneth MacLean’s review on Amazon: “The majority of the book is about the author’s consciousness-raising experience with an amazing dog named Strongheart [famous movie star in his time], who taught the author that every creature has within it an aware being. The story of the author’s unfoldment of awareness is simply mind-blowing. It’s NOT just about animals, and communication with them, but about life, the universe, and everything (no joke!). From his interaction with animals the author gained insight into the nature of existence itself.”
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Hi Marjory-
I am very aware of animal communication…I have been doing it all my life and professionally for 15+ yrs.
I offer workshops to teach people how to re-connect the ‘rusty wires’ so they are conscientiously aware of communication to and from other species…..
Thanks for all your sharing!!!
Marjory – Fire ants don’t listen to me either and its something I have yet to figure out! I have always had a good relationship with ants until I moved and met these fire ants. They are mean and don’t respect anyone else’s space. I used to have black widows in my previous house and they were very respectful and quiet. I told them they could stay as long as they didn’t bite my dogs or anyone. When I had guests, they hid and you wouldn’t even know they were there.
We have coyotes as neighbors and they are respectful of our territory and have never bothered our goats. They have even run past the goats while chasing rabbits, and didn’t give the goats a second look. I think people create problems with “predators” because they don’t know how to talk with them and have a respectful attitude and the ability to peacefully say, “this is our home, so please don’t come here.” We must change our attitude of superiority and arrogance to one of peaceful coexistence. We don’t have any more right to be here than any other plant or animal does. I could never live without my dogs or any of our animals. They are a part of me, as I am a part of them.
Many animals are medicine spirits who watch over us and it’s a blessing to be visited and acknowledged by them. There is so much to learn, we just need to learn how to be still and quiet inside so we can hear. Many humans feel empty inside and without connection because they have no connection to nature, so they take drugs or do foolish things.
I am so appreciative for all of these online communities sprouting up so we can share, build, and remember who we are.
Ants operate from the hive mindset — unless the order to change direction is coming from the hive Queen, ants are unlikely to change their trajectory.
Regarding the love of animals that are food,Joseph Campbell said”..what life requires of us is joyful participation in the sorrows of the world”
I have no personal experience with fire ants but I have heard that an effective solution is for them to be chicken food via a chicken tractor set over their nest area.
I spent a weekend learning about animal behaviour. The course mainly dealt with the signs of stress. It was a real eye opener and one of my best investments in learning. I am now a lot more aware of how my pets are communicating with me and how my behaviour and unresolved emotional issues impact them. We also learnt about using flower essences to support ourselves and our animals.
For a great portion of my life I painted houses. In the spring, in Georgia, wasps build their nests on the Eve’s of houses, creating an uncomfortable situation. Every painter I’ve known spends lots of money on sprays which will shoot from the ground to the eve of a 3 story house. I learned to tell the critters what would occur if they remained. I did this prior to pressure washing the home, usually when the sale was closed. When I returned to wash the house, they would be gone, without fail.
My communication with animals is more intuitive, so I’m looking forward to hearing more.
Thank You
I lived on a dairy farm as a young boy and I came to realize that everything as well as every animal including our pet collie all had a job, everything there had a use or it was sold.
That is where I found out that killing a hog or cow for food was something that was necessary for us to survive, eating clean food that we grew ourselves was so liberating, there is a certain satisfaction that comes from doing it yourself, I have used that view for what ever I was doing, I got into diving after high school and people were amazed that there was nothing that I could not do, on the farm if you did not learn how to fix the tractor or fix the milking machine it did not get done, so we learned how to do it all our selves to this day there is not much that I can’t do, short of getting pregnant, I need a little help with that.
LOL Marty,
Yes, getting pregnant is a lifetime commitment to the living being you intend to bring into the world. Not only do you need “a little help” with that, you also need wisdom to understand that your progeny are your responsibility – for the rest of your LIFE – even after they themselves define themselves as independent, there are potential grandchildren, etc. When you participate in the creation of new life, it’s best to begin with an understanding that you’re making a lifetime commitment, with or without governmental acknowledgement. Do your best to choose a suitable lifetime partner and mother of your children before you “get pregnant.”
Dear Marjory,
Your article is captivating. I hated for it to end!
I work in a stream often as well with the surrounding banks and land. One beautiful summer day, I was Blessed to have all of Mother Nature’s communication network open up to me. I had the hands-on experience that everything in nature is not only connected, but in constant communication.
Before that AWESOME event, I had usually spoken to whatever elements I was working with, such as explaining to the blackberries what task I was doing with them and how I was finding them another way to serve (since I believe everything and everyone’s purpose is to serve God’s Greater Plan).
AFTER my experience since i know everything, including me, is in communication with each other, I am a veritable chatty Kathy with any of the elements I get to be with, although not always verbally. What a fantastic world we have been given to steward!
I would love to hear more about communicating with plants, trees, water, birds, mice, ants, elephants, pigs, whatever from you, and thanks again for a great article.
I have too many animal communication stories to possibly tell here, but I do want to share an interesting story about plants. I don’t know if it qualifies as “communication”, but here goes.
In middle school I got interested in herbal medicine. So I began studying and was pretty fascinated. Some time after I began, a fireweed, one of the plants in a book I bought, began growing beside the garage. It’s grown to be quite an impressive plant after all these years and I’ve always considered it a friend. I always used to “play” with the plant. It has rather dandelion like seeds packed in these sort of explosive pods. I would bat at the pods and send the seeds swirling away in the wind, all giggles. This eventually stopped after my mom began chopping the stems down before they started going to seed in earnest, but I did it for a long time. I got married and moved out a few years ago and I live in a townhouse now. Last year, what should begin growing next to my front door? A fireweed. My mom came to visit and saw it and she asked “Is that?” and it is indeed. It’s back this year with more stems and growing fast. I’m delighted to have my old friend living with me again. I’m not sure if it’s from a seed that got lodged in my clothes years ago or not, but the plant followed me nonetheless.
Marjory – I’m ready to start learning. I raised 2 baby goats to butchering stage several years ago and kept the meat in separate cold storage lockers for a couple of months until we got a home freezer. I always knew if we were eating “Roughy” or “Toughy” for dinner until the freezer arrived. Had no problem after I didn’t know the name of dinner. But butchering has always been more difficult for me when I named my animals.
How do I make friends with my veggies? I eat them. too? Some times right in front of the live plant? I will pick a tomato or green bean and eat it, or some berries or a fig – right off the tree? I’ve got a lot to learn!! I really need this program like this. I’m 77 years old and feel I’m starting kind if late.
Wasps are my pest predators and I share my greenhouse and high tunnels with them. Now you may be thinking hornets and yellow jackets which are great workers but not open to interspecies communication. They prove this by walling in their nest with a narrow entrance and vicious guards on duty.
I am talking about paper wasps that make a paper comb hanging from a paper string in a sheltered place. They are a sisterhood rather than a queen and workers like the other paper nesting wasps.
Because their nests are open they can stand on their nest and communicate with you. If I notice one with its wings at alert looking directly at me I speak to it. When I turn and go about my work they turn and go about their work.
Sometimes they start a nest in an inappropriate location and if it is attached to a movable object I have successfully talked them into letting me move it to a better place.
If you start hammering next to a nest you did not know was there you may get butted in the forehead with a light sting to say don’t do that again.
They never bother each others nests but they will try to prevent a yellowjacket nest from getting started by robing it while the solitary queen is out feeding. When the yellowjackets get a large nest then they start robbing the paper wasp nests that are not defencible. So I try to help them out and myself by destroying yellowjacket nests.
Hi Marjory,
I will eat meat, but only if I can confirm it has been ethically raised. It is much on my mind, though, how those practicing caring animal husbandry deal with killing their animals. Is it part of a kindly circle of farm life? After all, most livestock wouldn’t even have been brought into the world at all but for the fact that their bodies would be consumed. I always ask myself, “Could I do the deed?”, and I always answer myself in the negative. Can I then justify eating even ‘Happy Meat’? If I knew how someone like you, who has a spiritual connection with all life, sees this dilemma, it might go a long way to bringing peace to my mind on the subject. On television I saw a restauranteur in France who raises his own pigs; he names each one and interacts with them. Then he does what he bred them for. How?? Is this just my separation anxiety talking? Our cultural avoidance of death as a part of life? I would love it if you would share your process in an article.
By the way, I was able to encourage an in-ground wasp colony to vacate, and a black ant colony as well – but the ants really only moved to another part of the yard. I’m a much better sender than receiver of messages, so until that improves I guess it isn’t technically ‘communication’!
Would you get back to me at the email below? The Network is terrific and I have something to offer that I hope might be helpful.
Hello!
I’m totally interested in this subject would very much enjoy more info on it!
– Tom
Thank you for this wonderful post Marjorie! I loved it. I used to talk with some bantams too! How can people not notice that animals talk to them as much as they possibly can, or are allowed to. Anyway – I too have had to delete a lot of emails lately, but I love yours. Thank you again!
It’s simple. Stop raising animals/beings in order to kill and eat them. No big deal to stop using certain animals and start co-existing with them. all it takes is to change your mind.
p.s. about the fire ants: bit once in Florida and swelling rising up from feet to body. Ran inside and took all the vitamin C I’d packed in my husband’s vitamins. swelling which had rapidly moved up my body (from my feet)then receded. A day later, this time with feet up on a chaise, I got bitten again, and swelling started. Husband and kids not around, Vitamin C gone, swelling up to chest when I called to God to help me (Something I had not been doing.) Stunned and greatly grateful I watched the swelling stop at my chest and recede again like a tide receding, and not rolling back in. changed my life forever.
Yes! More please on communicating with animals and plants!!
I have always talked to animals, whether or not they listen to me. My most memorable monologue was with a young bull moose who was munching the tops of some wild cherry saplings several years ago. As long as I talked to him softly and calmly, he just stood there and listened. The real surprise came when I ran out of things to say and turned to walk away, only to have him start following me. I looked over my shoulder to say good-bye one more time, and from not much more than an arm’s length away, he must have then realized I was a person and not another moose and became startled. They are known for having poor eyesight.
Like a few other posters, I have difficulty dealing with animals raised for food. I want to get some chickens primarily for eggs, but expect to eat them when they stop laying. I have family members who think that is horrible, but yet have no problem buying and eating processed meat from the grocery store. To me, you either decide to become vegetarian or accept the fact that some animals have to die for food. I would want to do the butchering myself in order for it to be as humane and stress-free for the animals as possible, but am still deciding whether or not I could handle it.
I really enjoyed the article, and I do believe animals can understand what people try to tell them. I would like to know if you have any suggestions for how to tell the squirrels to leave my “squirrel-proof” bird feeders alone and just eat the seeds on the ground.
Marjorie: THANK YOU!
It has been a wasteland for this sort of heart-space , but that is all changing now. So, yes please, more on this — there’s enough for a webinar out there I’m sure.
On plants Stephen Harrod Buehner is one of the best.
Now about my dominance struggle with my male Muscovy DUCK. Best advice from a usually good chicken internet site was when he got aggressive, to grab him (firmly but unharmingly) and pin him down with my body for a full ten minutes while his mind rebooted. I did this three times over two weeks. Our meditation sessions were notable. We both relaxed. When I released him he walked off calmly. Well, he and his lady now live separately as he throws himself feet and nails at the fence at me every morning… My other male Muscovy is a mellow fellow who never does a thing aggressive. They are all individuals.
What about the food with the beating hearts like the Buff Orpington chicken who likes to ride on my feet like a kid who holds your hands and stands on your feet while you dance? How am I going to put that chicken in the pot? Yes, let’s hear about that. What exactly is it about humans that this tortures at us? Does it call for a re-evaluation of our needs, recalculation of our value, reorientation of our life’s purpose? I think deeply on this. If I make my living from them, fine. If I need them to survive, fine. But if I am simply choosing to supplement my diet with the old hen, with money in my pocket and the supermarket down the street? I want to talk about this stuff.
I’m thrilled to see an interest in communicating with animals. In the past few years I have started to let my cats teach me, I am not a cat person but they are patient with me. Would love more on this subject but the basis for this is so right on.
Jackie in Texas
Jackie, I would love to know how to get a cat to stop scratching and peeing in inappropriate places. I’ve tried everything I can think of to dissuade him, including talking with him about it, to no avail. Any advice? He’s a great cat, and a wonderful companion otherwise, just has a bit of a stubborn streak, I think.
Here’s a link to good information about cats that urinate or spray inappropriately. http://www.oregonhumane.org/wp-content/uploads/2.15.16_Urine_Marking_Cats.pdf
The website oregonhumane.org has other cat training articles, including about destructive scratching. Good luck with your cat…keep the faith.
Marjory: This article is fascinating. More, please
Barb
Beautiful.. The outdoors and living souls make my life deeply joyful. Thank you for sharing your story..it resonates with my heart.
Yes, more on this topic, please. There is a wonderful documentary (it is available on-line, I believe, although you may have to search for it…for awhile it was on youtube) called “The Animal Communicator”, and it follows a woman who developed the skill to truly communicate with a wide variety of animals, and she demonstrates it over and over again. Pretty amazing (and humbling) stuff.
Stephen Harrod Buhner, the famous (in some circles, anyway) herbalist, has written a lot about communicating with plants. I highly recommend them.
It’s wonderful to see people opening up to the possibilities of inter-species communication and considering other living beings to have awareness / soul / whatever. (And I’m still a meat eater, just a grateful one.)
Hi Marjory,
I really enjoyed your stories about the goose who got a lesson from you, the rooster who taught you a lesson about ferrets and your husband stomping and growling the mice out of your space. I think the lesson for all of us is to pay attention.
For years I did healing and counselling, often by communicating with spirits (human spirits). I used to be able to feel energy lines and energy spots in the ground but I am way out of practice. I am fascinated by communicating with animals and plants. I know its possible but so far have not succeeded on a level that I want. I have four Great Danes that I can easily communicate with in that they can easily tell me when they want a drink, a biscuit, a run outside, etc. I know the meaning of different barks and growls and they certainly sense my emotions. They normally all stay close by me but if I get angry they all get away from me except one who is more likely to come and put his head on my lap.
I would love to hear from anyone with experience in meaningfully communicating with animals and plants.
P.S. I did once communicate very clearly with a very large old tree.
Yes, would like to know more re: communicating with plants and animals.
Especially how to get the groundhogs to leave. They’re living under the shed and won’t let me grow sweet potatoes.
Thanks.
Thanks for your writing about communication with plants and animals, I enjoyed so much the stories you told of different ways you have communicated with them. Please continue to share your knowledge with us. I hope to learn from you and try communicating with my plants.
I believe we are all part of the food chain. It is our nature. We are omnivores. We as a species eat plants and animals. The more I know about plants, the more I believe that choosing to be a vegetarian for moral reasons is just a conceit. Plants are just as relevant as animals. They eat, create waste, compete for the necessities of life and defend themselves. They even move their communities to more auspicious environments. I watched a patch of spearmint move over the course of a few months across a garden. The moved 10 feet! En masse! I think if you believe that vegetarians are healthier that is OK, but just to avoid killing animals is ridiculous. Plants have selves, they talk to their communities, warn each other of dangers, all the things animals do. So I say, accept your place in the food chain, and respect your neighbors. No matter who they are.
I love your comment, Catherine. I’ll listen to any argument about vegetarianism for health (they have some pretty darned good arguments). But I can’t go along with arguments about the ethics of killing one life versus another. When we eat, something usually dies – that’s life on earth. If we believe that we exist above, rather than within, nature – we’ve made a wrong turn.
Something else that gets my goat is when someone says that it’s OK to kill a fish, but not a cow/pig/whatever. I love fish, and I always try to stand up for them.
hang on a minute.
a vertebrate animal, as food for humans, is in many ways very different from any plant.
it is at a much higher level of organisation.
you can “bandicoot” a few potatoes from a plant, or a few stems of spinach, without hurting the plant.
sure, plants have feelings, of a kind, and so do fish.
sometimes people do, too.
I have two thoughts. one is one the problem some people have of eating animals. I learned from a snake my fathers friend had when I was a young man. The friend was feeding the snake live mice. for weeks the snake and the mouse seemed to be great friends even sleeping the snake would curl up and the mouse would sleep on the snake. When the snake came to the point of hunger it hunted the mouse down and ate it. For me as a young man I thought it was a trick, but as reading everyones thought I recognized this story as a lesson the snake gave me that we have to do everything that we can to confert each other, but if we feel the need to survive sometimes we have to make difficult choices in order to survive.
Two, I have found that communicating with trees seems to be a little easier. Maybe it is me but being under or in its branches seems to be its way of letting us inside of itself. I have read that plants have a very similar energy field to people as well. Food for thought.
Thanks for telling your story.
David N.: ” The friend was feeding the snake live mice. for weeks the snake and the mouse seemed to be great friends even sleeping the snake would curl up and the mouse would sleep on the snake. When the snake came to the point of hunger it hunted the mouse down and ate it.”
Just so you know, that one sometimes goes the other way. Rats in particular have been known to gnaw a torpid snake’s head off in the night. Snake keepers are advised not to leave uneaten live mice or rats in snake cages for this reason.
From the snake’s point of view here, it got a handy heating pad and then food. Such a deal!
The lesson I took away here is that just because you think positive thoughts at something, doesn’t mean that agenda is shared. As an apex predator, we get a lot of leeway to start off with nice and see how that goes. But choose carefully and responsibly, especially with peer-level creatures.
I had a long talk with a tree about this. The tree said, “Form is temporary, service is forever”. In other words, plants & animals understand Oneness much more than we do – (so much for our intellectual superiority) and they are willing to be of service to us by feeding us. BUT – Please and Thank You are really appreciated. It seems like the very least we can do.
I told my spouse that when he was hunting to ask for what he was supposed to shoot (male or female per his license and species) and promise that we would respect and appreciate the sacrifice and not waste any of the meat. If he got close enough, they would always come and present themselves to him. He said cleaning them became a sort of sacrament.
With plants they can get very excited about being picked to be eaten and enjoyed. When I first harvested some nettles they were quick to tell me not to eat the stems, only the leaves. Can you be more accommodating than that? They work really hard to produce delicious food for us and are depressed if we reject their offerings. If you understand this, you can’t help but tear up at the great love Nature has for us.
That is one of the most beautiful things I have read. “form is temporary, service is forever.” I feel like that spoke to my own soul and my purpose here in this temporary “form” is service. I am writing this down on a sticky note and placing it on my monitor. Thank you all for your amazing stories. I love to learn from like minded people. Thankful for this place we can share and learn from one another.
Thank you.
Marjorie-
There is a great book titled If a Dogs prayers were answered bones would rain from the Sky that you might enjoy on communicating with dogs.
Best,
Jess
Michelle Small Wright lives in Jeffersonton VA. on her land called Perelandra. She visited Findhorn many many years ago and was blown away, but has since, in the last 30 or so years, moved into areas of nature research and communication that is incredible. Her site http://www.perelandra-ltd.com has a huge amount of info. I would highly recommend her books which describe her early research with Nature, and they are very amusing. I work with nature all the time now in my garden and soil-less gardens too, for health etc. Everything.
Hi Marjorie, I agree wholeheartedly with you about communicating with animals and plants. I’ve always been able to read horses since I was a little girl, and had a cat that would let me walk him on a leash like a dog. Concerning plants, I saw a documentary about a woman near Dallas who works with flowers. She distills their essence and sells this to people in poor health as a treatment. She said on the video that there are no weeds, and plants will grow where they are needed. I began to examine the ‘weeds’ growing in my yard. My son had respiratory problems, and the yard was full of nettles. According to old wives tales nettle tea is good for respiratory problems. Now the weird part, after my son died there were no nettles anymore. Chickweed started to be the dominant weed. Chickweed treats obesity, and that is the health problem that I am fighting now!! It makes me think that plants communicate just by being there sometimes.
Regards,
Lisa O
To Lisa O , Use gloves to pick stinging nettle and boil the leaves only for 20 minutes. That takes the sting out of the plant so you can eat it like other potherb. Good for allergies for rag weeds, etc. Dandelion is another leave for liver. Check out bee pollen for allergies.
Marjorie,
Please say more, more about both the plant and animal communication. The most fascinating and worthwhile subject I can think of. Since we depend on them both so much. To love the creatures to be killed and eaten, what are your thoughts?
I grew up on our family farm in Kansas in the 1960s. I guess it was really more of a factory farm centered around a feedlot for cattle. The three kids in our family got assigned sheep as our 4-H project, which grew to a small flock over time. Certain sheep became pets to me, and I refused to eat mutton or lamb until I was a young adult. The cattle on the other hand were really just a herd, though I hated the cruelty they suffered in those conditions.
I went to college and moved away, and later in life I became vegan for health reasons, but gradually I recognized the cruelty we impose on animals by raising them for food. I’ve also become aware of the huge environmental burden raising animals places on our planet. Sure, a few local farmers raising a few animals is less harmful to our environment than factory farming, but the shear burden of growing enough meat to feed human demand puts this solution out of reach for the world. It’s better for the world for humans to eat directly the crops we grow instead of feeding them first to animals.
I’m much better friends with animals now knowing that I won’t eat them. We can be friends, and for me personally, there’s no reason to raise them. I grow a lot of my own food, intend to grow more, and soon plan to sell food to my community. But I won’t be including animals in the mix, and that’s fine with me, better for my community’s health, and better for the planet.
“Animals feel no pain” They have No emotions” We have come a long way as Humans.
I DO know what it’s like to raise animals for many months, some of them raised by hand since birth in my house. I found that I can love them. There is a part of me though, that separates so that when butchering time comes I can bring that part of me to the front and let it deal with things. You have to separate yourself to stay “sane”.
I have always had an affinity with animals. I have had many types during my lifetime and was lucky enough to be on a farm every summer growing up. My dogs and cat responds to my smallest commands some barely verbal. My wife however cannot control them. it isnt because they don’t like her but think of her as one of their pack. she talks a none ending stream of words to them explaining what she wants them to do and cannot fathom why they dont listen. I can bring my eyebrows together and lower my head and the dog will know he has done something wrong. I use one word commands and have no problem getting them to do what I want. They have a different language and if you are to be their master you must place yourself above them and act the part. When they respond like you want then all they need is prase not a constant flow of treats. I cant stand when people want an animal just for looks or to look at. If we are to understand their language first watch them. take the time to watch how they react to others they display distrust and dislike for certain people. I have used that judgment to my advantage. It is nothing more than sign language and if attentive we can learn it……..Grampa
I really enjoyed your article and all of the posts after it. I have been an animal person since I was a child and it is so refreshing to hear other peoples’ experiences. I am looking forward to growing my own vegetables this spring. Thanks and keep up the good work.
Hi Marjory and all others;
I have raised all manner of animals, and communicated with almost all of them. With a banty hen who would run to me, climb on the laces of my boots till I would pick her up, when she would tuck her head under my arm and go to sleep, or sit contentedly on my lap while I was doing something else. A banty rooster would fly to the top of my ‘safari’ hat and ride around, enjoying being king of all he could see, like Dr. Seuss’s “Yertle the Turtle”. And, the fire ants. I had a small group set up housekeeping in a crack between the sidewalk, and the piece of cement which slopes downward at my driveway. I was concerned!! after all the horrid stories I’d heard about them. I was always very careful to walk around and through them when going to the mailbox. I’ve stopped for a chat several times, telling them how I appreciate what they do, gathering up ‘stuff’, I don’t know what all they eat, from all down the sidewalk to an unoccupied neighbor’s house, the one beyond that where all manner of “stuff” sits in their yard–pulled out of an old house they are renovating–almost a year now–. I have told them (the fire ants) about how people fear them, and try to exterminate them. And that I don’t want to kill them since they are working so hard for me. I’ve asked them please to leave me and my house and stuff alone, and have set some warning barriers for them, of areas off limits (thin rows of wood ashes from my woodstove, diatomaceous earth, etc.–non poisionious, as I have cats walking around. They seem to be, and have been, respectful and have responded to these non threatening borders of our symbiotic dwelling. Only once have I been bitten–I was wearing sandals–and don’t know the provocation, but was reassured it was a juvenile who hadn’t yet learned our personal limits. (It got red and hurt like everything for four days. It didn’t make me mad at all of them.) They’ve pretty much hibernated now for the winter. When they are active, I give them other bugs, grasshoppers, cockroaches, etc.which I have killed. They love bits of grain, grass seeds, not much on bread crumbs. We’re still learning each others’ ways, and I have come to appreciate and care for the little rascals. I’ve spent hours tracking them, admiring their diligence, perseverance, and other qualities as they go about their business. I talk to them, and we continue to have an agreeable working relationship. They leave me, my cats, and all who carefully walk to avoid them alone. I’m very curious about them, and continue to learn about their ways. I know, call me odd. It’s ok. I talk to all my critters, ‘owned’, or just encountered. Makes life so much richer!! I love the writings of Penelope Smith, her love for animals, and ways of loving, and communicating with them have opened huge other worlds to me.
Great post. Loved the comments s well. Heartwarming to know there are so many tender hearts out there. I am fascinated by stories of communicating with plants and animals and could read hundreds of them.
Most animals stay out of the Beta level of mind – although some can entrain to it if they spend enough time with humans. Being relaxed or “in a zen state” as Marjory said gets you into Alpha, where communication is easier. If you’re using words and numbers – you’re in Beta. I had a cat who got a bladder infection. I took her to the vet and it was cured. But she wouldn’t use the litter box once she was well. I read that some cats associate the pain of the bladder infection with the litter box. So how to communicate that the antibiotics had cured the infection and it was safe to go back to the litter box without words? I set the intention to send her a message, and then I visualized her going to each point where she’d peed, sniffing it and walking on. I saw her get into the litter box and squat. I don’t know how it feels when she urinates, but I know what it feels like when I do it. So I felt the memory of that feeling, and then I felt the memory of relief – like when I almost waited too long and barely made it to the toilet in time. A sort of AHH – that feels good feeling. A few minutes later the cat ran up to me meowing and winding round my ankles. She’d walk a few steps and come back. I followed her as she led me to the litter box, jumped in and peed. Message received and understood.
After that she always used the litter box.
Thanks for sharing, Marjorie, and everyone else. This helps build back relationship, safety and love of living with nature – for that beautiful purpose in itself, and to feed and care for ourselves.
I communicate with trees quite easily. So I went to them with the question about killing PLANTS and animals for our needs. Why would anyone think that killing plants is fine but killing animals is wrong? Because they don’t run and you can’t hear the crying? The trees told me that we ALL appreciate please and thank you. Tell them what you want and thank them. My ex used this approach with hunting – starting by asking for what he wanted and promising not to waste the meat and expressing gratitude for the sacrifice. He discovered that he still had to find them – they don’t run miles to find you! But when he found them they were very cooperative. Ultimately he came to experience cleaning them as a sort of sacrament.
The first time I decided to harvest some stinging nettles I was a little nervous. I told them what I wanted to do and they said to be sure not to eat the stems because I wouldn’t enjoy them. I was going to kill part of the plant and eat it, and they were concerned that I wouldn’t enjoy the experience! In other words, I wouldn’t come back to them to harvest more to eat if I didn’t like them the first time.
When you have experiences like this you begin to understand the depth of love that Nature has for us, and you can let go of the unconscious guilt that many people are holding. This same guilt makes some people vegans and some people noncaring food producers.
You’re just the coolest…..wish you were my neighbor. Would LOVE to learn what you know. I’m a hands on learner, not a book learner…….tried books, doesn’t work for me. I think I have about a billion books – they all dust rather well!!!!! Anyway….love learning and even trying some of your expressed knowledge. I mostly stink at it but I keep trying! ha ha
Hi! Love your blogs! xx
My husband & I dove into homesteading 7 months ago…we mainly have chickens, but also cats & dogs, with a future desire for turkey, duck, rabbits, & goats.
As far as communicating…our family has been big communicators since the beginning, even before our homestead, but now goes hand-in-hand. We communicate with our chickens & even though they do become our food, we strongly believe that one must respect their livestock. We butchered our first set of chickens before thanksgiving, & this is how it went: we separate them from the flock, but we mainly like to keep the flock away so they don’t have to bare witness to another one in their flock being butchered & also because we don’t want them to get curious & try eating anything left over (potentially turning them into cannibals), then we take them out individually, give them some 1 on 1 attention, thanking them for their life, we get them to relax so much that they are almost asleep, then they are butchered (usually neck broken)…we believe that it’s best to know where your food comes, knowing they have/had a respected & loved life – it’s never easy butchering, but it makes it easier knowing our food didn’t come from a factory raised animal that was potentially abused and neglected…our animals live a good life & we think that shows in the quality of meat & also is passed on (you are what you eat, so to say, quite true). We also say a prayer for the animal once it has crossed over. Every step helps is deal with the process a little better.
As far as garden & plant communication…hands are one of the most powerful communication we have as humans (& quite undervalued & unrecognised)…natural healers, work with their hands, as do farmers & other workers – if one can imagine a healing yellow aura coming from their hands & you can use that to communicate & help plants – you can simply talk or pray for them too, but being able to communicate with plants, you first need to try to pick up their energy by intuition or third eye…it is all possible, you just must put your mind up for the challenge. xoxo
Got any hints on how to make humans a little more civil to one another?
Hi Marjory, loved hearing about communicating with animals and plants. I do talk to my plants and talk to animals as if they could answer back. I have recently met several very shy cats. I was petting the one cat and remarked to my sister that he’s insatiable like another cat we know. The owner said, no she doesn’t let many people pet her. The other cat usually stays in hiding when someone new is in the house and we made friends quite quickly. I love cats and I guess that showed up in these incounters without me making any effort.
Also loved hearing your farm animal stories as my daughter has a guardian dog, goats and chickens and I could relate to how she also communicates with her animals. During this summer her 7 yr. old son would sing to the chickens everynight.
I’d be extremely interested in more information about communicating with plants. I’ve read several Findhorn books and am very anxious to learn more about that approach to plant communication, as well
Very informative and I, too, love your writing style! Great use of humor, imagery, and it’s balanced equally with information.
Please keep writing about this topic
hi Marjorie,
you have hit on a big winner here!
Like some others, I too, have a wealth of stories which would fit here, having lived many years in wilderness, and having tried, from teen years, (half a century ago), to understand how it feels to be one or another plant or animal.
A collection of such stories such as some of us here have, would be a useful thing for general education, and also extremely interesting
Excellent post and some wonderful comments.
Most of my conscious communications have been with insects. I lived cockroach free in a cockroach infested building by explaining what would happen to them if they moved in my apartment and that I didn’t want to kill them. I told a swarm of fruit flies to go and they did. As I am walking or driving around I say “Watch out! Here I come.” so that creatures know to get out of the way. Your post opened up ways of communicating that I hadn’t thought of. I would love to hear more.
I once heard a Tasmanian tiger, or thylacine, and saw one, another time. They’re alleged to be extinct, but are regularly sighted. That’s my best story, though as a bystander, more than a star communicator.
A few people have said, it’s more about listening than whispering, or words to that effect.
God made us with one mouth and two ears
Please more on communicating with animals and plants!
Thre was a recent article about animal communications and looking into an animals eyes (just for a moment because some dogs consider that war). I try it every once in a while and it works. I just get a feeling of what they (my dogs and cats) are trying to get across. It does seem like magic sometimes.
I had a hummingbird pair that visited my garden regularly this past summer. I talked softly to both of them but the female never did trust me very much. However, the male flew right up to me almost to my face and checked me out. Once he was satisfied that I meant him no harm he went on about his business of sucking nectar out of my flowers. Such a beautiful experience! Now that it is winter and my flowers are gone I miss the hummingbird visits.
Oh Marjory, I really love reading your posts! I’ve communicated with plants and animals since I was a small child. They really DO understand. As a florist with a small greenhouse attached to my shop, I would welcome all the new plants and tell them I was really glad to have them aboard. Encouraging them to be their entire beautiful selves brought many surprised/astounded comments from my vendors when they would see 5/6″ pots instead of the mere 2-inchers that they had brought me only a couple of weeks before. When preparing a fresh basket arrangement I would go to the greenhouse and ask who was willing to volunteer to bring cheer to an ailing or shut-in person, and I would be drawn to the ones who were eager to go on a mission. Many times I received comments back from the purchaser about how lovely the plants looked upon arrival and how vigorous the continued to be.
I talk to the honey bees in my garden and tell them how I appreciate them. I’ve never been stung by one. The hornets and yellow jackets get a good talking to as they curiously investigate me. I tell them that they are to go away from me and if they persist they will meet their maker. My friends call me “the animal whisperer” because I brought an upset Llama to a calm state, and an unruly calf into the pen it was resisting. Treasures, one and all!
I did not pick up on the ants comment last time. Ants communicate by smell. Most of the ants here are not a problem they just live on the edge of the woods and build huge compost piles to live in.
Occasionally I get ones that herd aphids and spraying the leaves with diluted urine and soap gets them to move their herd to safer pastures.
I have not had experience with fire ants but I think I would try used motor oil to tell them they are not welcome.
I don’t think i’ve met a fire-ant. But Australia has stinging ants, “bull-ants” and “jack-jumpers” and the best antidote for their stings is a piece of bracken root, twisted and the juice rubbed on the sting. I did have a relationship with the green ants in north Queensland. They make nests by gathering the edges of a bunch of leaves, and fastening their edges with their mandibles. The ants used to hold these nests together just hang there. Then if you walk underneath, they fall on you and bite, (they don’t sting ) and if you climb a coconut tree, they usually have a nest up there and a line of green ants going up and down, and when you need to use both hands to hold on, they have a field day…..they like biting eyelids, and other small folds and features, you can imagine. But after I had lived among them for a few days, they stopped dropping on me when I passed underneath. I never managed to get the same understanding from the tribes on the coconut trees though.
thank you I’m about to get sheep I have no dog and I have access to three paddocks
Enjoyed reading, as always. Note to vegans, I listened to NPR tell the tale of a siting of a second wild cat in Arizona, thought to still have prides in Mexico. They were excited to state they found a second male but wondered if anything would come of it as there were no females known in the area. (first animal nature, reproduce) Then the reporter went on matter of fact to state that several wild cat species lived and found prey in the area so they were glad to know the cats would eat (second animal nature, killing live prey). Yes, rodents, bunnies and such would be just food for an animal they felt more superior, the cat (can’t remember exact species, but along cougar lines) No matter what you believe, there is a food chain and humans are on top. Speaking to your plants as you cut them yet not seeing the same for animals seems a little on the naive side.
Best wishes for GYOG as you look for additional help in growing your blog, I will stick by while you go adventuring and live vicariously through you!
Hi Marjory:
I enjoy your spirit immensely. About the subject of meat eating. I wish I were already but I’m slowly working my way towards being a vegetarian. For a healthier diet of course, but also because I believe that it was not God’s initially intention for mankind to eat. Of course He knew it would happen and of course He has allowed it, but it was NOT His Plan A…….which is really what we want from God…..isn’t it. OK, that said, I don’t thing there’s anything wrong in eating products from animals, including milk and all its subproducts, eggs and whatever else there may be that animals produce that doesn’t require them to lose their lives.
The other reason, I believe that all life on Earth is ‘human live’. I don’t mean ‘human being life’, but that all life is meant to live in harmony without the taking of other life for sustenance. With respect to animals eating other animals, I’m not really decided yet, but this discussion is about human beings eating animals, so let’s stick to that. Most people have heard by now that the greatest contributor to the causation of cancer is the four letter word, “meat”. Though granting that there is nutrition that can be absorbed from meat, it would still be commonly agreed upon by most people that a vegetarian diet is a cleaner diet.
Part of the reasoning is also because we (hooman beans) really are related to animals genetically, and in some way, this can be considered ‘eating our own species’. And we know what happens when cows get fed other cow meal, don’t we. The analogy to human beings eating animals is just a small stretch from THAT.
JCLincoln, to quote you, ” including milk and all its subproducts, eggs and whatever else there may be that animals produce that doesn’t require them to lose their lives.” Although the dairy cow and laying hen aren’t harmed, male hatchery chicks are destroyed soon after hatching, a waste product of the laying hen market, and milk cows, in order to produce reliably, must be annually impregnated to bear a calf, which if male, is sold for meat. Eggs and dairy products are associated with considerable killing. Perhaps ordering straight run chicks with the males included, and raising and slaughtering the roosters humanely, is preferable and wise.
Hi Marjorie, I liked your article on creature communication very much. I believe my goats and I communicated. There was a certain song they loved me to sing to them. It was a beautiful experience to have them respond so lovingly with a warm chin on my shoulder. And there is a spider under my cupboard with whom I have reached a level of understanding that keeps us both at a nice respectable distance from each other. Thank you for an article that touched my critter-loving heart.
God gave us the plants and animals for our food. When an animal gives its life so my family can continue to live a healthy, purposeful lifestyle–they are doing what God created them to do, and so fulfill their ultimate purpose. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. I understand and do appreciate those who don’t care to eat meat or animal products, but my body thrives on the protein of red meat. As far as the butchering process goes, it’s not fun, but there are a lot of difficult things in life. Everything can’t always be sweet and pretty; that’s just the way life is. We love and appreciate our animals, and give them lots of TLC on their journey. But we always keep their ultimate purpose in mind as we work with them daily.
I enjoyed the article. I am interested in talking with plants and animals.
I have a plant in my kitchen that reminds me to water it. I got a clear telepathic message from it.
Thanks for your interest.
I once had an interesting experience with a chicken. I was living in Botswana where people are very generous and several times I was gifted with a chicken or a goat. I built a simple chicken-wire cage in the corner of my yard for the chickens and would water and feed them daily. One day I noticed that a hen looked like she was about to die – very lethargic and droopy. She was covered with little black insects of some kind. Someone who worked with the department of agriculture gave me a can of powder (I don’t know what it was) to kill the insects. I was in a hurry because I was about to leave for a week or 10 days. The almost-dead hen protested as best she could when I took her from the pen and powdered her, especially under her wings. I quickly powdered the pen and shook some powder on the other hens (3 or 4 of them) and left for my trip. When I came back, all the chickens were alive and well. What really surprised me was that the once-almost-dead hen seemed to “love” me. Every time I went out the back door she would come running to the corner of the pen closest to me as if I were her best friend. It amazed me that she would remember me from the few minutes I spent with her even though she didn’t see me for several days after that. Now, even though my city doesn’t allow chickens, I’d like to get some for eggs. I’d view them differently after that experience. They’d be animals I could have some sort of relationship with.
Hahaha, you are so amazing and cool to talk about this. I love that I read it, cuz I’ve been “talking” with the animals for years and taught my kids to do the same. Goats, horses, ferrets, chickens, dogs….even most neighbor animals will listen, but some won’t, and I don’t tolerate that so well.
On the subject of those animals we love, I see their spirits, and respect to them would be to let them die natural death and bury them. Who is that hungry that we eat the one we love? I suppose if I were that hungry, eating the beloved hen might be different. However, my current hens are not pets, either. If I had a Buff like the woman above, I’d bury her.
Hahaha, you are so amazing and cool to talk about this. I love that I read it, cuz I’ve been “talking” with the animals for years and taught my kids to do the same. Goats, horses, ferrets, chickens, dogs….even most neighbor animals will listen, but some won’t, and I don’t tolerate that so well.
On the subject of those animals we love, I see their spirits, and respect to them would be to let them die natural death and bury them. Who is that hungry that we eat the one we love? I suppose if I were that hungry, eating the beloved hen might be different. However, my current hens are not pets, either. If I had a Buff like the woman above, I’d bury her.
I’ve talked to plants and animals my whole life and often find the communication both easier and more rewarding than verbal or otherwise communication with humans. Trees for instance have a “bigger picture” view of things that us humans could truly benefit from. My goats are my teachers of letting things that I cannot control go with acceptance and learning from them to act more consciously on what I can control. As for the killing of animals and plants for our sustenance I feel better knowing that I give each of the beings in my area of control the best possible life and as much unconditional love as possible. None of us know when our lives will end or by what means so it is what we do during our time that matters. As odd as it may sound to most people I hope that when I have no more need of this body that I benefit other beings by becoming food to perpetuate their lives. I think it is an extreme waste of a life to not be able to give this final gift of life to others even if it is just the insect and plant kingdoms.
Thank you for that. I recently was ” freaked out” by noises in our attic in an urban area of Manchester U.K. I was not easy with the thought of setting traps but the idea of going up there and shouting at them quite appeals. Thank you with love.
I work with energy all the time, I grow a rather large garden and I now have about 40 chickens that I got about 4 weeks ago and already I know what they are saying and feeling by the sounds they make when I am around. Plants too respond to human interaction. I live in Arkansas where I mine quartz crystal sometimes and a few years back I was digging and a nice clear crystal broke off the matrix and i was reminded of the fact some people believe digging the crystal from the rock is a negative action and the crystals are damaged internally, so my thoughts were asking that question as I caught the crystal, and very clearly, not my voice, I heard something say to me, we can heal ourselves, we are glad to work with humans, and from that time on I have no qualms with the mining as long as it is done with respect for mother earth
and I have started studying work with the devic realms as was done at findhorn, let you know how that goes this season
have you had any luck with cats? I have one who feels he has to spray. He’s been neutered and I’ve tried all the stuff from the pet stores. I’ve really really pondered on the fact that if I can’t make him understand he’s going to have to go. Is there any way I can make him understand? hoping you can help……………..Linda
We have a male cat who also sprays in spite of being neutered. He will also pee in the dogs bed and on his toys! We scold him and send him outside when we catch him backing up to something and starting to quiver his tail. But that has not deterred him. We keep all doors closed to any room that has one! It is irritating beyond belief and quite damaging sometimes. But when we got him we agreed to love him his whole life in spite of bad behavior/habits. So we are stuck with trying to manage. When the weather turns nice again in spring he will get to spend more time outside, which is his preference anyway. He does sleep with us every night…as well as the dog. I have tried one Body Code/Emotion Code session with him and he seemed to do it less. I need to put it on my list to do more sessions on him. I have a deep conviction that this technique will solve our problem. If you have questions about it you can reach me at mjjd44@gmail.com.
Thank you Marjory for opening a topic in which many people have an interest. We raised lambs for about 20 years. They would eat the forested field and we would eat them. I didn’t name them but I did care for them very well and they came to look forward to my presence. Made the end hard so I would leave when the butcher came. When I found out that he was slitting their throats and letting them bleed out (which lengthened their dying) I told him I wanted them all dropped with a 22 to the head so that none of them had to suffer nor did they have to watch what was happening. I didn’t trust him to follow my instructions so I stayed to make sure it was done my way. I always said goodbye to them and thanked them for how they would bless our family and health. Never became easier!
Re: communication with all that is around us, I stood over a peony one spring that had failed to bloom for 3 years and very clearly announced its fate of contributing to the compost pile if she failed to bloom that year. Got beautiful flowers after that!
And my garden, and bees, and butterflies, and ladybugs, etc all receive music when I’m outside and lots of gratitude in my heart as well as joy. Look up Emoto’s photography of ice crystals when exposed to negative thoughts and words and music as well as uplifting thoughts, words and music…you’ll never let anger enter your yard or be directed at your animals again. And hopefully it will disappear from all your relationships! Keep up the great work Marjory. You are a blessing to all whom you touch!
Thanks for this post Marjorie – much enjoyed! Reminds me of the beginning of many dog-training classes which have you (kindly) flip your puppy onto his back and hold me there until he stops trying to get up – a very direct way of establishing that yes, YOU are the top dog in this pack. Very good to get this clear when your dog is a puppy – much trickier to flip and hold a 30-50 lb ‘pup’ without someone (!) getting hurt.
I would love to hear your experience with plant-communicating. The herbalist/writer Stephen Buhner gets a lot of very detailed information from plants – from their electro-magnetic energy to his (usually more image and emotion than words) – but the best I get is sort of thumbs-up or thumbs-down (Is this a good place to plant you?). I’m usually moving too fast and reluctant to take the time to ‘just’ listen…
I too was fascinated by the findhorn garden. My grandmother went there for a visit in her late 70’s and had a hard time of it as they expected everyone to work and assigned tasks regardless of age and ability. She’d had a farm so was able to do it but didn’t like it. She said that when she went it was too commercial, too many rules.
Anyways, I’m opening to communicate with my plants, herbs and trees and am getting some response like when they need more water I’m starting to feel it. I’ll check back when I have more to report.
I’ve had TWO honeybee hives take up residence behind my outside, wooden siding….any suggestions for sounds to chase them off? It’s a very expensive proposition to have them removed!!!
Sharon
Fascinating. Please do more on communication with animals & plants. We bought a property 7 acres in central TX that had been horribly abused for many years. I started talking to it as I worked the grounds, first trying for a “yard” around the house. It just felt right. I’m expanding my skills with a couple of cats who “came to us”. You are my hero !
We grow shiitake mushrooms on logs we harvest from live trees in the late fall and early spring while the trees are in hibernation. We always give thanks to the trees we cut before hand, by thanking them for the food they will provide for us and give great gratitude. I had read and watched videos on Mr. Emoto’s experiments with water crystals, and started realizing that everything to varying degrees contains water. so made up lots of slips of paper which I typed and laminated, “You are loved. We are grateful. Thank you.” on. And put it around our drinking water bottles, in our chicken roost and laying rooms, green houses, etc. At the very least it reminds me to be thankful, grateful and express that. At best, it lets everyone know they are appreciated. Who doesnt love being appreciated? Also, we are learning about Radionics and basically everything is a frequency, as are emotions…like gratitude, love etc.