by Aluna Michaels, M.A.

The bond between a pet and his/her caretaker is often deep and profound. Animals resonate with us in a deep way that few humans can. This is due to the fact that animals do not have an ego. They don't have "stuff" in the way of their love and their connection with the Divine. They love unconditionally.. and are constantly doing service for us in ways we often do not recognize. We may feed them, groom them, take them to the vet for shots, and in return they soothe our souls in a subtle, but perceptible way.

The more we are open to the spiritual gifts our pets bring to us, the more they can share those gifts. Animals are a great blessing for people who do healing work. Healers love their talents and the joy those talents bring to others, yet they often feel drained by a lack of reciprocal energy. They give so much away and don't receive as much back. Animals, by their nature, transmute the disharmonious energy of stress. They are like spiritual cleaning ladies who come into our consciousness and mop up the spills the emotional turmoil of the day leaves behind. The scientific community validates this concept. Studies have been done which show people with a pet recover faster from an operation, or that elderly pet owners live longer, healthier lives non-pet owners.

The consciousness of the human is mirrored by the consciousness of the animal. When we are about to make a leap in consciousness, an animal may come into our life to represent that shift and to aid in that transition. If we already have pets and are going through a transition, sometimes the animal may have a health challenge, may run away or even die.

While researching this article, I found fascinating information on animal evolution in the writings of Paramahansa Yogananda. The Hindu metaphysician states, "The attention, intuition and evolution of animals can be quickened through training by an intuitive person. Listen to the various sounds uttered by different animals when they are happy, boisterous, or jealous; you will gradually be able to interpret them and use them to talk to the animals and help them to quicken their evolution. Mental telepathy can, in fact, be established between humans and their pets. Human company can quicken the intuition of animals and thereby quicken their evolution. Remember that God is in all."

If you are a metaphysically oriented person, you can trust that your pet's soul has been drawn to you in order to benefit from your level of consciousness. The animal's energy is being raised up, perhaps because it desires to make the leap from one species to the other in its next incarnation. You are supporting that animal in preparing for that leap. In return, your pet is serving you tirelessly on a subconscious level. There is wonderful natural and harmonious balance that exists between you both.

Since the animals help us transmute our unhappiness and negativity, pets helps us to become a higher quality of person. When we are receptive and aware of the subconscious work our pets are doing, we will be more willing to serve and care for them, which helps to quicken their soul evolution. It is a win-win situation.

This is not to say that humans are a superior species, but we have all known animals that are almost human, as if they were on the dividing line between the species. Some animals are craving to have the soul experience of being human -- and we can help those animals with that desire.

We, in turn, have much to learn from our animal friends. Humans have a more developed ego than animals, and it is obvious that our ego can either help us or harm us. We must use our willpower wisely. We learn to remain humble in the presence of animals, to become more kind and less selfish. Through our pets, we can learn how to harness the energy of our ego to perform positive, constructive actions.

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