While I'm Away...When You Travel & Your Animal Companions Stay Home
2009 copyright Nedda Wittels
Does your cat ignore you for the first 24 hours after you return from a trip? Does your dog or bird stop eating while you are gone? Do animals who normally get along begin to fight? Do they start to get upset when your suitcase comes out? Do you worry about them when you have to travel?
Our animal friends don't have to use telepathy to notice that a suitcase has been pulled from the closet. They know this means something is about to happen that affects their lives, but they don't know what to expect each time. Setting expectations helps reduce stress for everyone. Here's how to make things easier for yourself and your animals.
"Before You Leave" Technique
While you may not believe that you are telepathic, you can still communicate with your animals about your trip. If you think your animals may have questions, ask an animal communicator to help you with this conversation. Animals are all telepathic, so if you choose to do this yourself, use mental pictures and take the time to fill in details.
- Be physically present with the animal, sitting down if appropriate.
- Close your eyes for a moment, take three deep breaths, and tell yourself to relax as you exhale.
- Get the animal's attention by saying the animal's name.
- Just as you would tell a spouse or partner about a trip you are taking, tell your animal friends. Include details and use mental pictures or images to help get the message across.
- Tell them you are going away and the purpose of your trip.
- Tell them when you are leaving and when you are returning.
- Tell them who is going to take care of them.
- Fill in more details about their care while you are gone.
- Tell them you will miss them and be sending them love from your heart while you are gone.
"While Traveling" Technique
Each day while traveling, you can communicate with your animal friends, sending love, reassurance, and updates (mental postcards) about your trip. You will probably find this is a relaxing moment for yourself. Your animals will appreciate your daily contact.
- Lie on a bed or sit comfortably in a chair or cross-legged on the floor.
- Take three deep breaths, and on each exhalation, imagine any stress you are feeling is flowing out with your breath.
- Breathe normally, and pay attention to your breath, watch it going in and out for a minute or two.
- See, feel, allow, imagine you are in your heart center (the space in the middle of your chest).
- Just be in your heart center and connect with the Unconditional Love that lives there in unlimited quantities.
- See, feel, allow, imagine your animal friend in your heart center with you.
- Say hello to him/her and imagine yourself holding them as if you were actually physically present together.
- Imagine stroking, petting, or grooming them for as long as you wish.
- Talk to your animal friends, just as if you were physically present with them:
- Tell them about your day.
- Tell them how much you love and miss them.
- Remind them you will be home in (fill in number) of days.
- Tell them you will "visit" them again tomorrow.
If you have to be away on a trip, give these methods a try. You may find that not only are your animals feeling better about your being away, but you may feel more comfortable with the idea of traveling and leaving your animal family members at home.
Note: Visit Nedda Wittels on the Web at raysofhealinglight.com