TUESDAY August 11th 2009

AUTHOR

Dawn Baumann Brunke

Tuesday Night Dawn of Shades with Guest Author Dawn Baumann Brunke

Animal Voices, Animal Guides

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Door Is Round and Open . . .  

           

  Read it now!

Part One:    Beginning the Journey

Chapter 1  ~  Once Upon A Time

Did you know that the ability to talk with animals is nothing new? By opening to myths and legends, we revisit an older time when the relationship between humans and animals was much more fluid, when spirits experienced different viewpoints by taking on different shapes, bodies and forms. In this chapter, we look at animal mythology from both the human and animal perspective, exploring the legend of the unicorn and a myth told by a group of Musk Oxen. Also included are two storytelling games and a meditation to encounter mythic consciousness.  

 Chapter 2  ~  Becoming Doctor Dolittle 

Although the good Dr. Dolittle is a fictional character, there is a surprising key that is held within his name ~  Do little. It's true: to become an individual who speaks with animals there is little you need do. That is because animal communication is not so much about thinking as it is about sensing, not so much about doing as it is about being. This chapter explores some of the different ways humans and animals sense the world and how communication between species is not only possible but easier than you think. The basics of animal communication are covered, along with many helpful tips from a wide variety of humans and animals, including cats, dogs, horses, hamsters, donkeys and wild squirrels. Many games, clues, tips, exercises and projects are also included in this very lively chapter!  

           

  Read an excerpt!

Chapter 3: Magical Meetings

This chapter looks at synchronicity and opening to the signs that are all around us, all the time. It is not so much a matter of searching for signs, but of seeing the signs that are already here. With this chapter, we look more closely at the animals that show up in our lives: What do they have to show and teach us? What do they reflect that we might not want to see? How do they mirror to us a deeper sense of who we are?  We explore the power of magical meetings through projects and exercises, ideas and stories from both humans and animals -- even beetles and flies. This chapter invites you to ‘be part of the magic.’

 

Part Two: Seeking Animal Wisdom

Chapter 4: Power Animals, Spirit Animals—Ambassadors of Awareness

This chapter focuses on the Native American idea that each animal species holds a unique “medicine” for the planet. As we connect at deeper levels to various animal groups, individual animals, power animals, spirit animals, totem animals, and animal spirits, we deepen our relationship with the animal world and fine-tune our ability to take in different forms of animal wisdom. Activities and exercises include creating an animal altar, discovering our power animal and incorporating different ways of opening to and working with animal medicine. Animal contributors include rabbits, a group of animals from the Africa, and a bumblebee.

Chapter 5: Animal Guides and Teachers

How can we know that we have found an animal teacher, or what a specific animal guide wants to teach us? As we open to the teachings of animals on deeper levels, we become detectives, apprentices, students and partners in the journey. This chapter includes advice from several animal teachers, insights from some Iditarod sled dogs, and conversations with a cow named Christina and a wise little puppy named Riza. 

Chapter 6: Animal Dreams                   

Another powerful way to connect with animals is through our dreams. This chapter includes stories of how deep connections with animals are often first made through the dream world. Drawing upon the previous chapter, we look at how animal guides (as well as departed animals) use the dream state as a means of communication. By investigating a dream about frogs, we look at a variety of ways to work with our dreams and deepen in appreciation of all the wisdom they offer us. Also included are some "real life" examples from animals about the types of dreams that animals dream! 

           

  Read an excerpt!

 Part Three: Deepening in Relationship 

Chapter 7: Animal Healing

This chapter explores the nature of holistic healing and the power of touch. We look at the notion of being “called” to assist with healing, as well as the natural reciprocity of healing energy that occurs when two or more beings form a deeply authentic relationship. Stories illustrate how humans help animals heal and how animals help humans heal. We investigate a variety of healing modalities and different ways to access the “healer within” and expand our own healing repertoire. Also included are directions for giving animal massage!

Chapter 8: A Look at Death

Many animals hold a different view of death than humans do. This includes less fear and more acceptance of the natural cycles of living and dying. This chapter presents some deeply touching stories about and by animals regarding death, and looks at questions such as: What happens at death? Why is this subject so taboo for many people? What can animals show us about death and lessening our fears around this issue? A cat named Rooskie shares his experiences of the days before and after his transition to the spirit world. Also included are ways to honor, remember and connect with animals who have died or are in the process of dying. As we approach death with less fear and more openness, we are able to become ever more present with all those who are transitioning.          

           

  Read an excerpt!

Chapter 9: The Art of Shapeshifting 

In many cultures of many times, humans have embraced the art of shapeshifting – transforming one’s bodily form or consciousness – in order to perceive the world with new eyes, feel the earth in a new and exciting way, and experience life from diverse perspectives.  In this chapter, a variety of stories, meditations and exercises look at how can we move with a particular animal in consciousness and know the world through or with that animal’s eyes. Shapeshifting contributors include a dog, a shark, a lion, some finches and a flying insect.

Chapter 10: Center Being

How can talking with animals, working with animal guides, healing or shapeshifting fit within your life? How might you use these abilities in a professional capacity? What is it that calls to you most deeply? This chapter presents several examples of human-animal working partnerships and look at the many ways we can become ambassadors of deeper understanding. In finding and living our passion, we increase our authenticity in the world. In aligning ourselves with our "center being," we tap into the flow of all life and our connection with all beings.

REVIEWS

“The oneness of all life is vibrantly highlighted in this beautiful book.

It will stimulate many to open up to and remember a universal language that is understood by all creatures.”

H.R.H. PRINCESS IRENE of the NETHERLANDS, author of Science, Soul, and the Spirit of Nature and Dialogue with Nature 
 

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LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT

Dawn Baumann Brunke
Dawn graduated from Lawrence University, summa cum laude, in 1981. 
Her B.A. is in Comparative Religions and Symbolic Anthropology.  She also has a degree in Massage Therapy from the Potomac Massage Training Institute, where she taught Anatomy and Kinesiology for several years.

Dawn Baumann Brunke is a writer who
specializes in the areas of healing,
metaphysics and spirituality. She has
published over three dozen interviews,
including talks with natural medicine writer
Dr. Andrew Weil; former NASA consultant
Richard Hoagland; noted speakers Gregg
Braden, Patricia Sun and Caroline Myss;
and many animal communicators.
The author of Animal Voices and Shapeshifting with Our Animal Companions, and Awakening to Animal Voices, Dawn is the author of Who Lives Here?, a series of animal and nature books for children. She has published short stories in LadyBug (for children), Leviathan (anthology), and Rosebud (literary quarterly), and has won
both Grand Prize and Editor’s Choice in the Alaska Daily News/University of Anchorage creative writing contest.  She has also published book reviews and nonfiction articles on a variety of subjects, and contributed to a book series regarding the healing benefits of essential oils.

Dawn has been the Editor of Alaska Wellness,  a bi-monthly magazine focused on health and wellness for the body, mind and spirit. She is listed in the both Who's Who in America and Who's Who of American Women.

Dawn lives with the wild man Bob Brunke, their daughter Alyeska, three dogs Max, Zak and Riza, and other animals in Wasilla, Alaska.

ISBN-13: 978-1-59143-098-/

Quality Paperback. July 1, 2009. 6"x 9". 

Inner Traditions/Bear & Co., P.O. Box 388, Rochester, VT 05767.

Toll-Free 1-800-246-8648  Telephone (802) 767-3174,

Fax: (802) 767-3726, http://www.innertraditions.com, $16.00.

Zak and Dawn

According to Echo, an Arabian mare, “Humans are beings of love who have forgotten what love is and who they are.” In Animal Voices, Dawn Baumann Brunke gives animals like Echo a voice—a direct line of communication to the human mind, reopening the shamanic dialogue with the animal kingdom that our earliest ancestors enjoyed. She shares dozens of revealing human-animal conversations, conducted telepathically by herself and two dozen other professional animal communicators, including Penelope Smith, Dr. Jeri Ryan, Carol Gurney, and Raphaela Pope. These lucid and eloquent communications remind us that when we are open to communication with animals, we are open to deeper layers of ourselves.

The starring contributors to this book are the animals themselves, everything from cats and dogs to lions and whales, who reveal themselves to be sentient beings with their own thoughts, emotions, and spiritual reasons for being on the planet. A herd of llamas discusses the difference between individuality and group consciousness; dolphins explain multidimensionality; a parrot talks about his past life as a Buddhist monk; and a cat expounds upon the value of the shadow. The story of how Brunke overcame her initial skepticism and learned to hear these voices invites us to reconsider their ideas about the true nature of animal consciousness.

In Shapeshifting with Our Animal Companions, Dawn Baumann Brunke moves beyond the “how” and “why” of animal communication presented in her earlier books to a profound journey of shared awareness. Through conversations, dreams, and merged consciousness with a variety of animals and spirit beings, she reveals the vast treasure of wisdom and experiences offered to us as we open ourselves, confront and release our fears of death, and expand our sensory perception to include other modes of existence.

Brunke reveals how by shapeshifting—moving in and out of shared awareness with others—we may better understand and embrace the diversity of consciousness in our world as we learn to awaken our true selves. Through encounters with animal teachers of shapeshifting, she explores the three stages of transforming consciousness: letting go of old ideas and habitual modes of perception, experiencing different forms of consciousness through the eyes of others, and integrating these experiences into a greater awareness of our own being—thus discovering the deeper nature of who we all really are.

Includes Games, exercises and meditations for deepening communication with all life.

Conversations between animals and professional animal communicators

Advice on how to connect with animal guides and teachers.

Techniques for receiving animal messages in dreams.

Words of wisdom from cats, dogs, horses, llamas, ravens, goldfish, whales and more.

AWAKENING TO ANIMAL VOICES was published in 2004. Although this book was  originally written for teens, it is actually for everyone. In 2009, the book came out as a revised edition for all ages; it was given a new cover, new design, and renamed ANIMAL VOICES, ANIMAL GUIDES.  Although  you may still

This page was last modified on Wednesday, January 13, 2010 04:23:21 AMThis page was last modified on Wednesday, January 13, 2010 04:23:21 AM

purchase copies of Awakening, once they are sold that title will be out of print. In short, Animal Voices, Animal Guides is the “new” version of the book. [Both books are very much the same content- wise; the difference is mainly in style differences (see bottom of page for specifics.] Rather than presenting a single formula or path, this book explores a wide variety of ways in which we can all more deeply attune ourselves: through lessons from animal teachers and experiences with animals of all kinds to dreams, healing, shapeshifting and, of course, animal communication. The book is based on the premise that by opening ourselves in relationship with animals, nature and the world at large, we necessarily deepen in relationship to our authentic self and in connection with all beings. 

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Animal Communicators

For a list of all communicators in Animal Voices and/or Awakening to Animal Voices click here: Link to Communicators

You can also follow a link on that page to other communicators and related sites.

Some Internet sites sponsor free groups, forums, and newsletters that provide informational e-mail or allow you to interact with others who have similar interests. For example, go to Yahoo and type in your area of interest (such as “canine search and rescue” or “animal communication”). Joining an Internet group can be an invaluable resource to learn more, share information, and exchange stories with  others.

Many communicators also offer newsletters. Some are available by a paid subscription while others (mostly online newsletters) are free. Check out some of the Animal Communicator links to see what's available and what might interest you: Link to Communicators

For a list of animal communication books and more: Book Recommendations

To learn more about the Musk Ox Farm in Palmer, Alaska, see www.muskoxfarm.org.  

For more on the Iditarod Sled Dog Race, see www.iditarod.com. 

For books on holistic healing and other specific healing modalities: Book Recommendations

Flower Essences: There are many excellent flower essences you can use with your animals (and many practitioners suggest that you take the essences as well as your animal). To learn more, check out the following sites:

Alaskan Flower Essences (See Steve Johnson's book, The Essence of Healing, for information on healing and using flower essences with animals.)  

Anaflora Flower Essences 

Bach Centre or Bach Flower Remedies

Flower Essences Society 

Green Hope Essences  (See their Animal Wellness collection.)

Therapeutic Touch: See this British Columbia website for articles on Therapeutic Touch with animals.

Trager : Trager International   

For books on deepening with animals through death: Book Recommendations

To learn about animal hospice see Rita Reynold's site, Blessing the Bridge. 

The Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement ~ A non profit organization with a very well organized site offering free services for anyone bereaving a beloved animal friend. 

Pet Loss Grief Support ~ Includes support, advice, the Rainbow Bridge story, and a candle lighting ceremony in memory of pets, held every Monday across the world. As noted on the site, "It is a very healing ritual with no adherence to any religion or creed, just a simple lighting of candles to bring us all together."

Pet-Loss Links  ~ This site has a long list of links to various resources as well as many articles on losing a beloved animal friend.  

Pet-Loss Support Page ~ Includes a forum, chat room and links to resources. Between this site and listed those above, you will find many links to additional sites that can help in a time of loss. 

For books on this subject: Book Recommendations

For an excellent on-line guide to learning more about animal teachings, visit Shamanism—Working with Animal Spirits.

For a unique Shamanic approach that integrates dreaming, animal guidance and messages, see Scott Alexander King's Animal Dreaming site. There are numerous articles about animal totems and animals teachers here, as well as interpretations of the symbolic and spiritual language of the Australian animals. 

Save a Pet  (Toll-free 1-800-Save-A-Pet). A free service that allows you to search for animals up for adoption in your area. Also includes spay & neuter information as well as volunteer opportunities.

Pets 911(Toll-free 1-888-PETS-911). This group also has information on spay/neutering, animal behavioral issues, pet welfare organizations and emergency animal care. 

Pet Finder . Includes articles and a good resource library, list of shelters and rescue groups, messages boards and classified ad department for lost, found and adoptable animals. 

This is a tricky area for most animal communicators since a lost animal may be constantly moving and, thus, the information on where to find the animal can be constantly changing. Some excellent information on finding Lost Animals can be found at Kat Berard's site.  Kat offers some excellent suggestions and many different ideas that may help you if your animal decides to go off on an adventure of his or her own.   

Also, communicator and friend Morgine Jurdan has put together a very extensive list of folks who work specifically in helping people to find lost animals. Some of those listed are professional communicators, while others use a variety of means (such as dowsing) to locate lost animals. Click here to view the list and contact information at Morgine's site, or here to stay on this site. Thanks to Morgine for putting together this very helpful resource!

To find a low-cost spay/neuter program near you, visit SPAY USA or call toll-free 1-800-248-SPAY. 

Also, see Pets 911, as listed in Animal Adoption, above. 

Best Friends Animal Sanctuary ~ www.bestfriends.org. This excellent site of the nation’s largest animal sanctuary offers a wealth of information on everything from animal-related careers to starting your own no-kill center.  

Wildlife WayStation ~ www.wildlifewaystation.org. Rescues, rehabilitates, and provides sanctuary to wild and exotic animals from around the world; educational and volunteer opportunities. 

The Elephant Sanctuary ~ www.elephants.com. Natural habitat refuge for old, sick, and endangered elephants; also offers education, online newsletter, internship programs, and volunteer opportunities. 

Jungle Friends ~ www.junglefriends.org. Refuge for abused, neglected, and unwanted primates; outreach and volunteer programs offer opportunities to learn while caring for monkeys. 

Angels Gate ~ www.angelsgate.org. Residential hospice and animal rehabilitation sanctuary. 

Oasis de los Gatos ~ www.oasisdelosgatos.org. A non profit organization that maintains a sanctuary for feral cats, and provides information to educate humans about feral cats.

There are many excellent groups that focus on specific species in promoting mutually beneficial ways of living for humans and animals alike. A few examples: 

Alley Cat Allies ~ www.alleycat.org. National group promoting nonlethal control for feral and stray cats. 

Bat Conservation International ~ www.batcon.org. Devoted to conservation, education, and the finding of win/win solutions for both people and bats.  

The Goldfish Sanctuary ~ www.petlibrary.com/goldfish. Dedicated to the universal well-being of goldfish everywhere. 

Delta Society ~ www.deltasociety.org. An excellent resource to learn more about service and therapy animals, including career opportunities. 

North American Riding for the Handicapped Association ~ www.narha.org. National group promotes the benefits of the horse for individuals with physical, emotional, and learning disabilities. 

Assistance Dogs International ~ www.adionline.org. Training standards for service dogs and dog partners, with links to groups all over the country that train assistance dogs, many from shelters. 

Loving Paws Assistance Dogs ~ www.lovingpaws.com. Trains service/social dogs to assist physically disabled children; promotes children and dogs working together to achieve greater independence. Volunteer and puppy-raising positions available. 

Dogs for the Deaf ~ www.dogsforthedeaf.org. Rescues dogs from shelters, trains and places them with deaf individuals. Volunteer opportunities for foster friends, puppy raisers, and telephone interviewers.  

Guide Dogs for the Blind ~ www.guidedogs.com. Provides free guide dogs and training to the visually impaired. Volunteer opportunities, along with information on how to become a guide dog instructor. 

Association of Pet Dog Trainers ~ www.apdt.com. Articles and list of trainers who use positive-based training methods. 

Flying Dog Press ~ www.flyingdogpress.com This site includes many articles by Suzanne Clothier (author of Bones Would Rain from the Sky: Deepening Our Relationships with Dogs) on training and working in partnership with dogs. 

To learn how to become an exotic animal trainer and work with your animals in partnership, see trainer and teacher Kayce Cover’s SynAlia Training ~ www.synalia.com. 

National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association ~ www.nwrawildlife.org. 

Lindsay Wildlife Museum ~ http://www.wildlife-museum.org/. This wildlife rehabilitation and educational center in California "connects people with wildlife" to inspire respect for wild animals and their habitats and to help people take action to protect and preserve nature. 

The Jane Goodall Institute ~ www.janegoodall.org. Wildlife conservation, research, and education programs to benefit people, animals, and the environment, including Roots & Shoots, especially designed for young people of the world.  

The Natural Resources Defense Council ~ www.nrdc.org. Environmental action organization using law, science, and member support to protect wildlife and “ensure a safe and healthy environment for all living things.”