Nature Over Nurture

Nature over Nurture

Good intentions don’t always guarantee success. That was the case with Linda, Annie and a dog named Peggy Sue. 
Linda and Annie were both avid animal lovers and shared their home with several birds and dogs, all rescued adoptees.
Their passion was nurturing these deserving animals back to health and happiness in their loving home.
Linda and Annie’s newest adoptee was an adorable Schnauzer who had been rescued from a puppy mill. Her life in the puppy mill was misery and abuse; she was confined to a cage and bred to bear one litter after another and that was the entirety of her life experience.
Linda and Annie brought her home knowing she needed lots of work but believing with patience, love and positive socialization, she could become a wonderful addition to their family. They named her Peggy Sue.
The first days were completely overwhelming for Peggy Sue, so many new things all at once; stairs, couch, carpet, furniture, even grass and dirt. So many new textures, smells and possibilities after a life in a metal cage, Peggy Sue was thrilled!
Linda and Annie introduced her to the other family dogs and birds and began the task of house training. Everything was going well, Linda and Annie had so much experience with rescues, Peggy Sue could not have asked for better guides into her new life. 
Several months went by and Annie called me with heartbreaking news. They had lost one of their birds, a Cockatoo who had been with them for many years had been killed by Peggy Sue.
Linda and Annie were devastated by the loss of their cherished companion. They had both worked very hard acclimating Peggy Sue to her new home and teaching her the rules. But Peggy Sue had been relentless in harassing their birds.
Reprimanding her helped when they were home, but they had to be able to trust her when they were not.
They tried gates which she scaled. They tried crating her away from the family as punishment. They tried every trick in the book, but Peggy Sue could not be trained out of her fixation on the birds.
It all came to a head when the cockatoo let himself out of his cage and Peggy Sue was there to see it. She went after him and he died instantly.
Linda asked me to communicate with Peggy Sue to try and find out why she persisted in this behavior and what could be done to train her to stop.
When I connected to Peggy Sue, she showed me a feeling like a zap, a sort of electrical charge that flooded her senses when she saw the birds or any animal smaller than her. Once she felt that charge, instinct took over and training went out the window. It was so overpowering, she really had no control, nor could she comprehend why she was being punished for it.  To Peggy Sue’s mind, she was doing what nature demanded that she do and therefore was correct in her actions. She really didn’t understand being reprimanded for behavior that felt completely ‘right’ to her.
As Peggy Sue had spent so much time in a puppy mill, she had too much to digest all at once. Just going from a life in a cage to life in a home was enough for most dogs; but Peggy Sue had such a strong prey drive that it was too much to learn to control her instincts as well as how to make all the other adjustments to life with a family.
“Can she be broken of this?” Annie Asked.
I suggested an animal behaviorist. They might be able to give some instruction on how to deprogram Peggy Sue. But this was an expense they could not pursue and there was no guarantee it would work.
I also felt so much tension in the once happy house; everyone was now walking on eggshells.
Linda no longer trusted Peggy Sue and was still angered over the loss of the cockatoo. Linda simply could not overcome that right away.
I also felt that Annie and Linda’s relationship was suffering. They were both torn to pieces over their loss and did not want to risk harm coming to another bird. Everyone’s nerves were frazzled, even the other dogs. 
Annie was both heartbroken from the loss of the bird and at the thought of failure with Peggy Sue.
I let Annie know that they had giving her all they could. They had saved Peggy Sue from a miserable existence and with love had transformed her into a well mannered dog that would be someone’s perfect companion.  Peggy Sue was just not right for their household.
She would be better in a home by herself or with one other dog, but no small animals. Peggy Sue’s sweet and loving nature could really shine through if she wasn’t forced to constantly deny her instincts.
The stress for everyone in the house and especially Peggy Sue had reached a critical stage. The best option for all was for Peggy Sue to be re-homed.
The decision to let an animal companion go to another home, even knowing that it will be better for the animal is one of the hardest decisions an animal owner can face. It’s also one of the toughest things I have to tell a client.
But sometimes it really is the best decision, best for the family and best for the animal.
Linda and Annie were heartbroken by their losses. But they know they gave Peggy Sue a new life and that she will be happier in a different setting, one without so many temptations to overcome. And their household will be less stressed without the fear of harm coming to another bird. Annie and Linda did everything right for Peggy Sue, but sometimes it just was not meant to be.

 Peggy Sue was placed in a loving home with one other dog. She has adjusted very well to her new owners and house mate. The new owners realize they are truly blessed to have Peggy Sue as part of their lives. She is a very well trained and loving companion.

Commuication with my Cat Fred

A Communication with My Cat Fred

I was outside in the garden when my cat Fred sauntered over to join me.  As we sat together enjoying the early summer sun, I decided to check in with Fred.

My first impression was one of complete contentedness. Fred showed me his gratitude for being given the freedom to come and go as he pleases. He showed me secret cat paths through bushes and trees leading to an open field filled with sunlight. He showed me the simple pleasure of curling up for a nap in the sun whilst listening to birdsong and the scurrying of small creatures. He showed me the feel of a sinuous stretch upon waking and the joy of returning to his house and finding one of us to give him a nice rub and food.

He suggested that I should get out more too. I left our communication thinking what a wonderful and wise cat I had in Fred. How very Zen of him.

Teachings from Fred

Many of us spend too much time with our ‘must do’ tasks, either doing them, on our way to do them or worrying about doing them. We all need to remember the adage, “Take time to stop and smell the roses.”

Set aside some time to go outside into nature and just be.

Oil Spill

Oil Spill Meditation

Brilliant blue water surrounds me and there are brightly coloured fish and corals everywhere I look. A small clump of seaweed undulates with the water, I look closer and  spot a seahorse clinging tightly. I’m entranced with the diversity of life. A big silver fish glides over head and I follow him away from shore, some anemones wave as I swim past.

The water becomes colder and darker as we swim ever deeper.

Some dolphins come up beside me. They tell me that they cannot go further, there is something strange ahead. The water smells and tastes different, they are confused. This is the way to their hunting ground, they have traveled this way for generations.

They don’t know where to go, where they are, everything is wrong with their navigation system. It’s worked for millennia, was perfected over millennia and was destroyed in an instance’s carelessness.

A school of fish approaches, hysteria has taken over, they are as disoriented as their dolphin counterparts.

I cannot help these animals in their confusion, but I try anyway, I must. I send out a white light of protection with the message to avoid these waters. They seem to take some comfort in the white light, but my message conflicts with their instincts and their instincts are stronger. They have to continue on their way, they have no choice. I send more light and more light with the hope that they will listen to my message, my pleas.

They continue on.

I send more light, more light….the oil covers it.

This Oil spill is still affecting the under water animal. Please send Light and Love. 

Example of my Meditations

 I enjoy meditating on different animals and at times they send me messages. Here is an example of one of my meditations.

Meditations on the Humpback Whale

At first, all senses are overwhelmed by the vastness of body. Yet for all this mass, I am so light in the water. I am weightless. In the current’s flow, I take a downward flight to the cold, dark deep. There I find solitude, a stillness that is sacred and pure.

I turn to the dim light far above and begin my journey up. The water warms with my ascent. I break the surface embraced by the sun’s heat. My back follows my head up, I take in a giant breath of clean air as the long curve of my body cuts the water’s surface, finally lifting my tail out to kiss the sunlight and air before sliding back into the depths.

Back into the silence of the sea to be covered again by the pure solitude and peace of the Divine.

My existence in solitude is pure beauty.



Teachings from the Humpback Whale

Everyone needs to experience solitude. Make a time and space for yourself to dive in and feel the pureness of the Divine surround and fill you like the waters of the sea.



Humpback Haiku

Grand form surfaces
A fluted tail waves good-bye,

Downward again swims.


Karen McCormack

Red-tailed Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

I thought I would begin this blog with a little about my art work and the discovery of my power animal.
I do animal portraiture in pastels on sanded paper. For many years my work has focused on dogs, cats and farm animals but I have recently begun to do paintings of wild animals.   I am currently working towards a one woman art show that is set for March, 2011, in New Jersey.  Around the same time I began to paint wild animals, I began to focus on them during my meditation practice and then I started receiving messages from them. I received one life changing message from my power animal, the Red-tailed Hawk. Here is our story.
I was researching power animals in order to give a class about them and one day I noticed a Red-tailed Hawk calling to me in my backyard. I thought,” That sounds nice,” and went back to preparing for my class.
After that, I started to notice the hawk a lot; on my drives around town, on my walks by the river and in my back yard. Then one day on my morning run around my neighborhood, I saw the hawk in the distance. It headed right towards me, flying just over my head.
I stopped and stood still. The hawk circled above me three times. I could hear the hawk in my head and so I asked, “What? What are you trying to tell me?”
Much to my surprise, I heard a response, “I have a message. When you are ready, you will receive it.”
At this time in my life I was just starting to focus on my animal communication. I had not stepped out into the world to let others know about my ability. I was not ready. I was afraid of what relatives and friends would think. Maybe the hawk sensed that and knew I wasn’t really ready for my message. Thankfully she didn’t give up on me.
Months went by and I could hear my hawk calling and would see her from time to time. She was always in the back of my mind, so one day at work I was completely shocked to see someone carry in a hawk with a broken wing. I thought she was the most beautiful animal I had ever seen. I was in awe holding her, studying her face and her wings. She was just incredible. Even in what must have been an alien environment to her, she remained completely calm while we worked on her. She knew we were helping her, she knew her recovery depended on her co-operation and indeed, after a few weeks of rehabilitation she was completely recovered.
But what was my message? If I was supposed to receive a message from a hawk, this would have been the time. Why were so many hawks suddenly in my life? What did it all mean?
Then one day it all came together and I got my message. I was on my way home from work driving down the road towards my home. To the side of the road I saw a Red-tailed Hawk. I happened to have my camera, so I pulled over and got out.  I walked right up to the hawk and asked if I could take her picture. She agreed. I got within 3 feet from her. Clicking away with my camera she decided that if she moved up on to a rock wall the photos would be much better. Click, click, click away with my camera.
I stopped and thought that maybe she was hurt. Maybe the carcass she was holding in her talons was stuck, wrapped around her leg.  I moved closer to her and picked up the carcass carefully pulling on it. She looked at me and pulled back. I pulled again, she pulled back. I gave one more tug and she looked at me and released the carcass.
She gave me her food. She gave me an offering.
There was my message,“You are ready to communicate with animals. It is time to give your gift for others to learn and to help. It is time for you to go and follow your Divine Plan.” 
It was that clear. I knew what I had to do, what I needed to do. The next day I booked myself to do readings in public. I started a website, had business cards made, started a FaceBook page, group page and now a blog.

The Divine has lead me and I am following. I ask no questions, I just do and it has all been good, very good. I am thankful and humbled by this gift. I am pleased and honored to share it with all who believe and want to learn.
I still see my friend the Red-tailed Hawk. She has a family now that she is raising in the woods behind my house. I hear her call; it wakes me in the morning. I thank her every day for the messages she has given me. 

Welcome

To all,Hi Everyone,
Welcome to the Whispers from Animals Blog. I will be posting stories about my animal communications and my animal art works here; there will also be listings of upcoming art shows and local events were you and your animal companions can come and meet me. Some of you know about my book in the works and I will be posting some sneak peeks here from time to time, so check back often.

Thanks for visiting,
Karen