Healing Stories

In my experience, all animals are able to guide their own healing and this may be via animal communication, applied zoopharmacognosy, reiki or transformational bodywork.

I’m passionate about my work and life as an animal healer and animal communicator and I love the opportunity to speak about the extraordinary animals I meet and help. Each and every animal I meet is an individual and has their own story. I try to share as many of these stories as I can to help our understanding of the animal world and of how healing can enhance an animal’s life. You can listen to me talking about some of the animals I've met and helped in the video.

Some animals may need essential oils and herbs to help with a physical issue such as hayfever or arthritis, whilst others want to communicate with me about how some of the experiences in their life have affected them. More and more animals are coming forward to ask for help to heal past lives that are impacting on their current lifetime. Some animals have already passed and may need some resolution or soul support to help in their transition.

As an animal guardian, the ways you can help your own animals are many and varied. An applied zoopharmacognosy session offers you the opportunity to support your animal’s healing, by offering them the remedies that they have self-selected for themselves. An animal communication session offers you the opportunity to ask your animal questions, to send them messages of love and to gain a deeper mutual love and trust. An animal attunement honours that bond of love and trust and further deepens it and has led to spontaneous instances of animal communication between a guardian and their animal.

I believe that we all have the ability to hear our animals! It is only a matter of tuning in to their frequency. How often have you automatically opened a door for your dog, or refilled a water bowl just because of a certain look your cat gives you? This is why I’m also passionate about teaching animal communication, so that we can all have a closer connection to the animals around us. 

Amy was 32 years old and recently retired when she became incredibly lame with arthritis affecting all four legs. She had been on a maintenance dose of an anti-inflammatory prescribed by her vet for several years and had been comfortable until this sudden worsening of symptoms occurred. Box rest was prescribed along with the maximum dose of anti-inflammatories. I soon had a very stressed and unhappy horse, separated from her friends and in a great deal of discomfort even with the extra medication. This happened the week before I started my equine training at the Ingraham Academy of Zoopharmacognosy, which soon gave me the solutions to Amy’s problem.

Having trained with Caroline Ingraham in observing how a horse will self-select it’s own natural medicines, I returned home with a supply of remedies that Amy might be interested in. I offered a range of essential oils, herbs and macerated oils to Amy, having first sought my vet’s approval to do this alongside the traditional medicine he had prescribed. Amy self-selected Peppermint, Juniper Berry and Wintergreen essential oils by inhaling them and then nibbling at the bottles. These are oils that are frequently selected by animals with arthritis or with similar symptoms of pain and stiffness. When I offered the oils on my hand, Amy enjoyed licking the Peppermint and then turned to the side, offering her most painful leg to me. Carefully watching her reactions, I stroked the oil onto her leg. She immediately began to relax and it was such a relief to see some of the tension leave her body. I offered the Wintergreen and Juniper Berry in the same way and she offered her leg each time. As indicated by Amy, I made up an Aloe Vera gel containing Peppermint, Wintergreen and Juniper Berry essential oils. This gel was self-selected by Amy twice a day, every day over the coming days. She wanted it rubbed in to each of her legs. She showed such a quick improvement, that she was back in the field with her friends within a couple of days and only in her stable overnight. She continued to improve and I was also able to reduce the dose of her veterinary anti-inflammatory.

Amy’s quality of life returned with the introduction of Applied Zoopharmacognosy into her life and she spent many happy hours with her friends in the field. Her wellbeing was further supported by the healing energies of Reiki. I introduced Amy to Reiki in the year following her attack of arthritis. She was extremely sensitive to this energy and would indicate her desire to receive healing by nuzzling me or more often, reversing towards me! Reiki can help to bring balance and relaxation and this was demonstrated by Amy. She found it helpful for me to direct healing along her spine from her tail and down her front and back legs. She would visibly relax and stretch out her neck and adjust her posture, re-balancing the way she was standing as she found relief.

Amy enjoyed her retirement and lived to be 35 1/2 years old. She self-selected her ‘arthritis gel’ every day for 3 1/2 years and enjoyed her regular Reiki sessions.

Merlin, a five year old English Pointer was found in a terrible state. He had been shot in the face, neck and hindquarters with a shotgun, which had peppered him with lead shot. He had then been abandoned to fend for himself. He was filthy, emaciated and in a state of shock when he was rescued by an agency in Ireland and then transported to England for re-homing.

After operations to remove more than forty lead pellets from his body, he was able to join his new family. They were made aware that further health problems may follow, owing to pellets that could not be removed due to their close proximity to nerves and blood vessels. Ten pellets could still be clearly felt in Merlin's ears and throat area.

When I first met Merlin, the evidence of his mistreatment was still clearly visible, even after weeks of intensive care. He was terribly thin and covered in little wounds. He also had a grossly swollen toe which had been broken by two pellets. The vet feared that the toe would need to be amputated for Merlin to be able to walk normally in the future, as the bone was badly damaged and infected. 

Merlin responded amazingly well to Applied Zoopharmacognosy and within minutes of being offered Valerian and Hops essential oils to inhale, to help him to relax, he had clambered onto my lap and it was from this position that he enjoyed many of his self-selections. He would choose to be on my lap or his new Mum’s lap during his Zoopharmacognosy sessions and this seemed to reinforce his feelings of security and comfort, as he chose his own natural medicines to help himself return to full health. This was fantastic for Merlin and his new Mum, as it quickly deepened their bond with one another. I showed her how to understand from Merlin’s reactions to the oils, what he needed most and this empowered her in his care, to be able to give him what he needed. It showed very clearly how important it is to listen to an animal and to then support them in the healing they request.  

Many of Merlin’s favourite essential oils and absolutes were the oils that are often self-selected by rescue animals and those that have suffered emotional trauma, loss, anxiety and a change of circumstances. These included Valerian, Neroli, Rose Otto, Yarrow, Linden Blossom and Violet Leaf. These oils seem to help an animal to overcome any traumas they have experienced, helping them to release both the memory and the emotions associated with it. Merlin expressed this with emotional releases while inhaling these oils. He would start shuddering, whining and shaking and then fall into a deep sleep. He was gradually able to reach relaxation more easily over several sessions.

Merlin was desperate to lick Violet Leaf absolute in every session and also to have it applied topically to his chest and head where he had suffered some of his worst injuries. Violet Leaf is often selected by animals who have changed homes and those who suffer from anxiety. It has some pain relieving properties and is also popular with animals who are anticipating pain, such as those that fear visits to the vet or that dislike being touched if they have suffered a past abuse. In Merlin’s case he may well have been associating close human contact and touch with being hurt. Self-selecting Violet Leaf helped him to overcome this fear and he began to really trust his new Mum, becoming happier with being touched where his injuries had been sustained.

One amazing moment during our second session came after Merlin had licked 2.5ml of Violet Leaf. I offered Linden Blossom absolute and Yarrow for Merlin to inhale and he inhaled both, shuddered, sighed and placed his wounded paw into his Mum’s hand before going deeply to sleep. This was a turning point in their relationship, as Merlin showed his total trust in his new Mum.

Please see part 2 of Merlin’s Healing Story, to learn more about Merlin’s amazing recovery.

Merlin, a rescue dog who had suffered neglect, abandonment and life threatening gunshot wounds, was responding incredibly well to his Applied Zoopharmacognosy sessions. The sessions were providing him with the opportunity to self-select natural plant extracts, including essential oils, that offered him emotional support as he adjusted to his new home, restoring his trust in people and starting his recovery towards full health.

Merlin was soon able to successfully self-select his own natural medicines for his physical problems as well. He was very interested in Seaweed absolute which has the ability to bind with heavy metals such as lead, helping them to be expelled from the body. It's also a valuable wound healer, helping to heal abscesses and draw out foreign materials from infected wounds. 

Merlin repeatedly mouthed the bottle of Seaweed absolute, but didn’t appear to want to lick the oil. He did however want to have it dripped directly onto the wound on his broken toe, which had been stapled by the vet. He indicated this by moving to put his foot as close to the bottle as he could manage and standing very still while it was applied.

He then self selected Green Clay powder to be applied to the wound on his toe as well. Green Clay also has the ability to draw out toxins and to bind with heavy metals, helping them to be excreted from the body. 

Merlin then wanted to lick 4ml of Seaweed absolute, after initially not wanting to. His priority was to have it applied to his wound and then he was interested in self selecting it in a new way. He then enjoyed green clay mixed with olive oil, barley grass powder and spirulina, all of which provide a wealth of nutrients. These all became firm favourites over the coming days.

Merlin had the Seaweed absolute and Green Clay applied to his wound daily. Sometimes Merlin wanted Seaweed applied to some of the wounds on his head and ears. He also self-selected Yarrow (anti-inflammatory), Wintergreen (pain relieving), Peppermint (nerve repair and cooling) in a Dead Sea Mineral Mud base, which is another remedy that can help to draw out foreign matter. He wanted this applied to his broken toe daily, avoiding the wound, as well as to his ears and throat where the pellets could still be felt.

Merlin made an incredible recovery! Only ten days after his toe had caused so much concern, he had the staples removed and was allowed to start gentle walks. He no longer needed an amputation and all signs of lameness had vanished. On the same day it was noticed that seven of the pellets in his ears and throat had disappeared. They could no longer be felt under the skin and the remaining three pellets felt much smaller and softer. It seemed that the lead was dissolving under his skin.

Merlin’s strong interest in his favourite remedies lasted for three weeks. As he returned to health both mentally and physically, he naturally stopped wanting or needing the remedies.

Within one month, Merlin looked and behaved like a different dog than the one who had arrived at his new home. He adjusted to his new family, his two new dog companions and his new life very quickly and his Mum reports that he is friendly, outgoing, extremely bouncy and loves long walks and cuddles!

The photo shows a joyful dog in a red collar. That's Merlin, living his best life, with his best friend, just 5 months after his rescue. 

Merlin features in Caroline Ingraham's groundbreaking books, "How Animals Heal Themselves" and "Animal Self-Medication."

Jessie was a dog with a fear of fireworks. When she heard them she paced anxiously for hours on end and there was nothing her owner could do to pacify her. She roamed restlessly, looking for a hiding place, but nowhere suited her. She panted and became overheated and was clearly very stressed. Sometimes she barked hysterically, only to rush away in fear. It was very distressing for Jessie and her owner, especially as they lived close to a field where regular firework displays were held.

Jessie reacted with excessive fear at other times too, running away from loud noises or noisy children and barking at passing scooters or skateboards. With Bonfire night approaching Jessie’s owner was keen to see if Applied Zoopharmacognosy could help Jessie to cope better, with the additional hope that her other fear issues may be helped.

During our two hour session together, I approached the problems Jessie faced by offering her a selection of essential oils and plant extracts that have been frequently self-selected by other animals with the same or similar fears. These fears may have evolved from a past bad experience or been sparked by an event that an animal found traumatic. In Jessie’s case, her reaction to fireworks and other loud noises indicates a need to both defend herself by barking, but at the same time protect herself by running away. Many of us may have witnessed this ‘fight or flight’ response in our own animals.

Jessie’s owner was with her throughout the session, offering Jessie emotional and physical support, whilst also learning how to offer the oils herself, so that she could continue to help her dog in overcoming her fears in the following weeks. Jessie reacted in a positive way to Rose Absolute and Rose Otto. She inhaled from the bottles, yawning and becoming very sleepy. She then inhaled Jasmine absolute and she gave a little squeak and lay down. These oils are often popular initial remedies for dogs in an Applied Zoopharmacognosy session. However, her reactions to the oils that followed, were more unusual and extremely interesting, displaying the sort of submissive behaviour a puppy might show when around it’s mother. Jessie interacted closely with the oils and with her owner and myself, allowing us to witness her emotional releases and support her while she expressed them.

Find out how Jessie improved in part 2 of her Healing Story.

Jessie was a dog with a fear of fireworks. She was able to help herself by self-selecting her own natural remedies in an Applied Zoopharmacognosy session. She had already relaxed at the start of her session with Rose and Jasmine essential oils. She then went on to display very interesting behaviours in response to the other essential oils that I offered her for fear.

Linden Blossom is a remedy that is often popular with animals who are fearful and those who have experienced upsets and traumas. Jessie chose not to approach this bottle at first. She lay down on the other side of the room and became very sleepy, although she was trying to stay awake. She whimpered and sighed. She hid her face between her paws, but was still looking at the bottle out of the corner of her eye. This was the clue for me to be patient and wait, as Jessie’s reaction suggested that she would find benefit from the Linden Blossom, but that she needed time to think it over first, before choosing to inhale it more closely.

Then, something changed and Jessie climbed on to her owner’s lap. In between inhalations of Linden Blossom, she licked her owner’s face! This was such a wonderful moment to witness. She gave a big yawn and settled down. Her owner re-offered Linden Blossom and Jessie was keen to lick a drop. She wanted more oil stroked over her head and chest. She became very affectionate, pressing her face against her owner’s face and neck. It was as if she were a puppy again, seeking affection and reassurance. I re-offered Rose Otto to assist with the release of past trauma and any unwanted memories and Jessie climbed onto my lap and fell asleep.

When Jessie woke up, she sat on the sofa next to me, looking to see what was coming next. I offered her Violet Leaf which can help an animal to cope with frightening situations and can also help an animal who anticipates a bad experience based on past experiences. I also hoped that it would comfort her heart and soothe the restless behaviour she displays when she’s frightened by fireworks. Jessie inhaled with interest and also wanted the oil to be stroked along the length of her spine. She returned to her owner for more cuddles and climbed up onto the back of the sofa, so she could press her face against her owner’s cheek. She repeatedly inhaled from the bottle and then licked her owner’s face.

I offered Vetiver for its calming and comforting effects. Jessie was still on the back of the sofa and she came along the back of it to sniff intently at the bottle. She licked my face. She lay down close to the bottle, with her paws on my shoulder and her body along the sofa back. She inhaled and gave a big yawn, then inhaled again, repeatedly. I then offered Valerian for its ability to ease tension and anxiety and to offer deep relaxation. Jessie was still leaning on my shoulder. She took a long concentrated sniff from the bottle and licked her lips. She inhaled deeply three more times and became very sleepy.

Jessie’s favourite oils, Rose Otto, Linden Blossom, Valerian, Violet Leaf and Vetiver, were left in dilution, so that her owner could continue to offer them each evening in the build up to Bonfire night. Jessie found benefit from these oils almost immediately. A few nights later, fireworks were set off close to the house, waking the household. Jessie reacted in panic. Jessie’s owner offered her the first essential oil that came to hand, which was Rose Otto. Jessie wanted it applied topically to her chest. She got back onto her bed and her owner dripped Rose Otto around where she was lying. Jessie immediately settled down and went back to sleep. This was a wonderful reaction, as normally, Jessie would pace anxiously for several hours after the fireworks had frightened her.

A few days later, shortly after Jessie had inhaled and licked her favourite oils, she was let out into the garden and a distant firework was heard. Jessie gave a tiny woof and stayed where she was. This was a big improvement, as her normal response would be to rush to the bottom of the garden, barking hysterically, before rushing back indoors. There were other noticeable improvements in her behaviour as well. Jessie visited the vet and her owner commented on how much calmer she was than normal. On a walk, Jessie encountered children on scooters, which would normally scare her, prompting barking and running away. This time, she calmly ignored them! The same evening, three loud firework bangs were heard nearby and Jessie took no notice. She also ignored distant fireworks, heard when she was in the garden.

During Bonfire Night itself, Jessie coped much better with the firework displays than she previously had. Loud and prolonged fireworks still made her very anxious. However, her owner found that by encouraging her to inhale Rose Otto, Valerian, Linden Blossom, Violet Leaf and Vetiver, she could persuade her to settle on her bed. Jessie’s owner would then offer a topical application of whichever oil she seemed keenest on and also drip this onto her bed. Jessie would then relax enough to go to sleep. Her owner is really pleased to see such an improvement and Jessie continues to be generally calmer and to ignore skateboards, noisy children and scooters, making for much happier walks in the park!

Reiki healing for guinea pigs? Yes, they really love this gentle healing energy! The thought may be making you smile, but have you considered that size is no barrier to feeling? That our smaller pets experience a range of emotions and feelings that we may only attribute to larger domestic pets? Offering healing to guinea pigs has taught me that smaller animals are extremely sensitive to the world around them and that they really benefit from being given the opportunity to release anything that is troubling them.

Many of us are now aware of bee communication and the fantastic Hive installation at Kew Gardens in London, has offered people the opportunity to hear how bees communicate with one another. But, what if I told you that it was possible to help people to really understand what the bees were saying?

This summer, I have been encouraged to expand my Animal Communication, to connect with smaller creatures than I have before. Bees were the first smaller animals keen to communicate with me. This proved to be very important for a newly established beekeeper called Kristin, who was visiting Glastonbury in the UK from her home in the USA. When she told me that she was worried about how her new colony of bees would be reacting to her leaving them for a few weeks, I was immediately aware of a young, gentle energy connecting with my heart….her bees!

I had a very clear insight at that moment, “I am going to attune Kristin to her bees.” The thought of bee communication had me buzzing on many levels and luckily Kristin was equally enthusiastic!

As luck would have it, we were staying at Abbey House in Glastonbury, where there are resident bees living in hives in the beautiful gardens. This was the perfect place to connect Kristin to her own beehive in Iowa. I tuned in to Kristin’s bees and asked for us to have an open line of communication with her queen and all the bees in the colony.

A bee messenger named Gallagher, came forward energetically as spokesbee for the hive, supported by the God Apollo. Their energies were attuned with Kristin’s, raising her vibration so that she could feel and hear her bees communicate. The energy was extraordinary and as the energy increased, the bees began to emerge from the hives beside us and fly straight up into the sky.

Kristin’s Queen Bee stepped forward to communicate with Kristin, introducing herself as ‘Queen Matilda’. She reassured Kristin that the bees understood that she was in the UK to learn more about healing and beekeeping and that the knowledge she brought back would benefit her hive and the hives of her friends. Queen Matilda was able to answer Kristin’s questions about what her bees needed for their wellbeing, including a list of plants, essential oils and crystals the bees would like in their environment.

Gallagher and Queen Matilda explained that bee communication for Kristin’s ears, would be heard as a low vibrational hum, which could be turned down if needed. This would be louder and more high pitched when the bees needed something. It was at this stage that Kristin and I realised that I was also receiving a bee attunement, so that they could call on me for help, as and when they needed it. As the bee attunement came to an end, I saw a line of bees in my mind’s eye, waggling their bottoms at Kristin. Apparently, bees do this when they are very happy!

In essence a bee communication channel was set up for Kristin. On her return to the USA she was delighted to find that her bees had very quickly established a thriving colony, far more quickly than she had expected. Since her attunement, she feels better able to provide what her bees need. Kristin and her mentor, who has also now been attuned to his bees, are setting up holistic methods for beekeeping to help reduce the stress levels of their bees and to help them to be happy, healthy and productive in their colonies. This has important implications for helping bees worldwide, when they are so sadly in decline in many areas of the world.

Kristin says, “Thank you to Self Selection For Animals…Susannah. Your attunement to my bees has really helped us to bond and work easily together, we seem to all be thriving. This attunement and healing has changed my life as well as my bees and I am so pleased!”

It was such a pleasure to meet a cat called Smeg in person on 25th Feb 2017, when his owner Charlotte brought him along to experience a Pet Attunement with Animal Totem. Smeg had been causing Charlotte concern by biting her without any warning and she was worried that he must be unhappy to be behaving in this way. This behaviour started after Charlotte lost her beloved boxer dog Bruce in October 2016.

I have recently been guided to start attuning owners to their pet’s energy, prompted by the pet themselves. The pet attunement helps to align and balance energies between pet and owner, bringing greater understanding, clarity and also the potential of opening up and expanding communication between them.

As this new healing practice has developed, I have been guided to work alongside intuitive artist Kristin Wieland, who collaborates with me on some of the attunements to draw the energy and produce an Animal Totem for the pet. The totem expresses the pet’s energies, contains messages for the pet and their owner, brings information from the pet for their owner as well as bringing deep healing for the relationship.

Smeg’s session began with him having the freedom to roam around the consultation room. He explored the floor and then the table where Kristin’s pens and papers were set out. I asked for grounding and protection for all those present and I was then prompted to start Charlotte’s attunement to Smeg’s energies. I took her hands and placed them in prayer position. When the pet attunement came through me, I placed my thumb on Charlotte’s third eye to transfer Smeg’s energy and messages to her.

The healing energies came through very intensely for Kristin’s drawing, right from the start. I was aware of Smeg investigating what Kristin was doing and even rubbing himself on the totem she was drawing for him. Smeg was curious about what Kristin was doing, but was holding back from approaching me. I find that this is quite normal for an animal when they are given the opportunity to receive healing. I energetically take a few steps back and invite an animal to join me.

Smeg paused and sat down on the other side of the table from me. I tuned in to him and waited for guidance. Then healing flooded in as Smeg accepted the help being offered. As he sat, I remotely attuned him to the energies of Apollo and Archangel Gabriel. These Higher Beings came forward to support Smeg, to raise his vibration and to help him feel more confident in communicating his needs.

Smeg got up, walked across the table to where I was standing and hopped down onto the chair I had vacated. He was ready for healing and indicated this to all of us, by moving himself into position, guiding me to where he most needed healing. He placed his right hip into my hand and after a while, he turned around and placed his left hip into my hand.

Smeg gradually became more settled, sitting and then lying with his paws tucked under him. The healing flooded to his solar plexus chakra, helping to boost his confidence and his sense of his place in the world. It also went to his sacral chakra, aiding flow in all areas of his life and helping him to feel safe.

Physically and emotionally, Smeg needed a lot of healing for his hips. He showed me himself trapped inside the fridge he had been found in. He relived the trauma with the support of healing. He had experienced panic, desperation and hopelessness during his long confinement.

He needed to be able to express this to Charlotte. What it meant to him to finally be heard and found and loved. Why he feels unsure of how to show her love. Smeg communicated that he had been unsure of quite how he fitted into the life he was leading. He needed close contact to the healing energies flowing through my hands to be able to release.

Smeg then guided me to send healing to his base chakra by sitting directly on my hand. He also wanted healing to his stomach area and he gradually stretched out, relaxed and allowed for the healing he needed to take place.

The pet attunement that came through for Charlotte from Smeg, contained vivid images. There was a swallow with a red heart on his chest, representing a wild freedom. The sun coming out from behind a cloud. Many affirmations of love flowed through for them both. Smeg was able to express his love for Charlotte and his joy at being a part of her life. He communicated that with Bruce’s passing, he now feels confident enough to share his fears with Charlotte.

I felt that Smeg had turned a corner during his session, as he displayed more and more trust in the process and was able to relax fully. The healing that came through for him from his animal totem that Kristin was drawing, together with the healing messages Kristin conveyed verbally for Smeg and Charlotte, took the pet attunemet to a whole new level.

Smeg’s totem was strikingly powerful, giving the sense of breaking free and being propelled forwards, together with strength and passion. As Smeg’s session came to a close, he curled up as close as he could get to his Animal Totem and slept for a long spell of time, upside down!

Charlotte very soon reported that Smeg had stopped biting her and seemed much happier. This is what she had to say about Smeg’s healing experience:

"Susannah Rafelle and Kristin Wieland this boy is now a very happy cat after seeing you both for his pet attunement/totem reading. He has stopped biting me! This only started after Bruce’s passing and I think he felt he had to test me because he thought I would get rid of him or not love him anymore. After the healing he was able to express himself but also to understand he was not going anywhere! He is now a happy, contented boy."

Leo was a snake who was very jumpy and nervous about being handled or approached by his owners. He had a particular fear of being in his vivarium. He had come to his new owners as an adult python, from a home where he had lived most of his life in total confinement, in a small and bare vivarium, with nowhere for him to hide away. Consequently, when he arrived at his new home, he became very alarmed at being in his vivarium, despite the fact that it was larger, with plenty of places for him to hide under branches and other natural plant material. He would bang against the glass when put into it, desperately trying to find a way out.

To help Leo to recover from the emotional trauma he had suffered from being continually confined, his owners allowed him a great deal of freedom, with space to roam in their home. Sadly, Leo remained very nervous and would hide away whenever they came into a room that he was in. He needed to be returned to his vivarium regularly to maintain his body temperature and physical health, but this was clearly affecting his mental and emotional wellbeing. His owners asked me to offer Leo Animal Communication and Transformational Bodywork Healing to look at ways to ease his distress.

Leo was so nervous of people, that distance healing was the kindest method of communication and healing to use in his case. He was so keen to communicate and to receive healing, that he didn’t wait for me to tune in to him at the arranged time, instead he tuned in to me the very next morning! I find that this very often happens when an animal is ready to face their fears and to receive healing. I woke up with the awareness of Leo’s energetic presence with me. As I tuned into him, I could feel that he was very anxious and afraid. He showed me how he was feeling, filled with a panicky urge to flee and hide away. I was aware that his owners had collected a new snake the previous day and I could feel that he was worried about what this meant for him. Was he being replaced by the new snake? This fear had triggered his need to connect with me so urgently.

As I reached out to Leo with Animal Communication, he withdrew his energy from me and showed himself hiding away. I told him that it was safe to talk to me and that he was very loved. He gradually “peeked out” and allowed the connection to develop between us. When I reassured him that he was not being replaced by the new snake, Leo said to me “I like it here. I have freedom. They understand me”. He then showed me himself aged around 7 months old, several years before he came to his new owners. He was being roughly handled, squeezed and having his tail pulled. His little mouth was gaping open in fear and shock. He showed me that he had hated confinement in a small vivarium and had felt rising panic at being misunderstood and at being stuck in a situation that was making him so unhappy.

I prepared to send healing to Leo, by grounding us both and putting energetic protection in place and as I did so, I saw an emblem, featuring the head of a bull with an eye between its horns. The scene he then showed me, felt like a memory and also seemed to connect him to a past life in Egypt. It was a suffocating and frightening scene, where violently swirling sand was surrounding the figure of a teenage boy, who was struggling to walk and repeatedly falling to his knees. As I tried again to put protection in place for Leo, all I saw was a swirling cone of sand. It was constantly collapsing in on itself before swirling again. I felt it represented instability in his aura and protective field. In my experience, instability and imbalance in an animal’s aura and chakra system can be the cause of feelings of anxiety and an inability to feel safe and grounded. I often find that by clearing and balancing the aura and chakras, an animal is then able to relax, becoming calmer and more focused in their everyday lives.

As Leo showed me the basis of his fears, Transformational Bodywork Healing started to flow through me, to him. The healing flowed through his whole body as he guided me to where he needed it most. Leo said, “I like being with my owners” and he gave a huge sigh and I felt an emotional release from his heart. There was a sense of relief as Leo recognised that he was happy in his new home. Leo then received healing to balance and clear his chakras (the energy centres in the body) and his aura. I found that Leo’s sacral chakra was completely dislocated and twisted out of place. Fortunately, it eased back into it’s correct position quite quickly and I linked it to his other chakras. I felt that this dislocation of one of Leo’s major chakras had hindered his ability to feel safe, bringing a sense of detachment and difficulties in “belonging”. It could also explain his flighty behaviour, as it would have restricted the natural flow of energy through his body, creating feelings of anxiety. His solar plexus increased in vibrancy, which should help Leo to feel more confident. Leo’s remaining chakras, including his base, heart, throat, brow, crown, earth star and causal, all felt very lethargic and some of them had shut down and appeared cold and unresponsive. I reactivated them and linked them back to the other major chakras. As I did so I could feel a steady increase in Leo’s energy and some of his chakras showed a new vibrancy of colour. After this, his aura looked stable and became coppery orange in colour and was pulsating rather than fluctuating. It felt as if Leo was being recharged. Leo then indicated that he had had enough healing for the time being. He had stayed with me for 75 mins of  Transformational Bodywork Healing for Animals and Animal Communication.

Only 3 days after his distance healing, Leo’s owners reported some remarkable improvements in his behaviour.

“Thank you so much, Leo is now very easy to handle and doesn’t freak out. He’s not jumping everytime you walk past his vivarium or trying to get away when picked up. He’s like a different snake!”

Leo continues to be far more relaxed about life and is now choosing to socialise more with his owners, rather than hiding away all the time.