:: Growing up in Germany, our neighbor's horses were my playmates, my confidantes, and my peers. And though I didn't have pets, I pretended my grandparents' German Shepherd was mine.  :: I definitely felt more like myself in the company of an animal than with most human beings. :: As I grew up and learned how to work with horses and train my dog and run a farm and teach students, the way I communicated with animals changed.  I lost my heart connection. At times I forced when I should have felt, I pushed when I could have yielded, and I struggled when I could have partnered.  :: My horse Okie's image popped into my mind and with it a message. "Don't ask how I can come to you. Ask how you can come to me." With this statement came the understanding: the animals were not my problem—I was.  :: And, as I breathed a lot and was more present, I could suddenly hear and feel more consistently what the animals around me expressed.  :: You, too, can return to that place of deep, meaningful relationships with your animals and with yourself. When you meet your animals where they live, in the now, you will find what you have been seeking: a deep and magical bond that surpasses any other relationship.  It is so easy. No training is needed. :: On average, you take 20,00 breaths a day. Let's be more specific, except for the occasional sigh so loud that you make yourself aware of your breath; you unconsciously breathe 20,000 times a day. Here is one secret: Just one conscious breath puts you right into the present moment.  :: When your cat traipses over your keyboard she says … your head is buzzing and it is time for you to stop and take a breath. Chances are you have been sitting bent over your laptop for hours, your breath has gotten shallow, and your brain is getting fried. Your cat is looking out for you because she wants you to be more present and at ease. Hence the visit.  :: You’re always only one breath away from genuinely connecting with your animal … in the now. Show Notes available here: https://www.mindful-connections.com/podcasts