On The Farm
Whew! We’re steaming here! Even the animals are melting by afternoon, so I’ve been walking Stitch before the sun comes up and after the sun goes down. The shift in WHEN we play has shifted HOW we play. I’m discovering new delights that I hadn’t noticed since maybe childhood, like spiderwebs more visible when the dew is on them. One patch of grass in the park was covered with miniature webs, as if the spiders had a party the night before!
Play isn’t just for Stitch. I need to play, too. When I’m playing, my mind’s parameters open, my imagination grows, my focus clears and I can fully relax. Buddhist tradition defines DELIGHT as DIVINE PLAY. When I feel delight, I am also in a state of wonder, amazement, and surprise at something unexpected that suddenly shifts my perception of life and the world. Those shifts frequently bring joy in little bursts that I can carry through my day.
Shamanically, the shifts are seen as going into different dimensions because they give us different perspectives of the world and ourselves. Children do it all the time with their imaginative play. Imagination and play are actually needed by all of us to grow cognitive capacity and to stay healthy with positive energy. WHAT IF? becomes the question that can lead us to shift our perspectives quickly. What if elephants could fly? How would that look? What if I COULD talk to animals, or what if I WASN’T depressed? How would THAT look? We can turn anything around with the WHAT IF question to see the possibilities and choices we always have.
What delights you? How long since you have truly played? The next time you go into nature, notice the little delights and how your mind and body feel when you discover them. Enjoy!
SUPPORT AND PEACE OF MIND FOR PET PARENTS
One of the resources that I frequently turn to for information is BrightHaven.org. BrightHaven, an award winning 501c3 animal welfare organization, was founded in 1990 by Gail and Richard Pope. Their mission is to support people who are helping older, disabled or chronically ill animals. Previously a sanctuary, BrightHaven now works virtually to provide education programs and resources, including the BrightHaven Caregiver Academy. Their blogs on end-of-life care are the most helpful I have found, and also align with my own practice ethics and values.
Under the directorship of Dr. Karen Wylie, the BrightHaven Caregiver Academy supports pet parents walking a sacred path—caring for beloved animal companions who are aging, chronically ill, or facing a life-changing diagnosis. “Whether you are adjusting to a new diagnosis, navigating the unknowns of daily caregiving, or making end-of-life decisions, we’re here to help you feel more confident, connected, and at peace.”
Dr. Wylie offers, “Rooted in decades of hands-on caregiving, animal hospice, and spiritual companionship, we offer practical resources and soulful guidance to help you care deeply and consciously—body, mind and spirit. We believe the pet’s voice matters, too, and we encourage families to listen closely to what their animal is expressing—emotionally, physically and spiritually—so that care decisions honor their needs and perspective as much as our own.
From quality of life tools and feeding tips, to emotional support and honoring your pet’s legacy, our mission is to walk beside you, every step of the way.”
They also host a weekly podcast, Peace of Mind for Pet Parents, where they explore the heart and soul of caregiving through real stories, gentle guidance, and uplifting conversations. You can listen on all major platforms or at BrightPathforPets.com
If you would like to find out more information about BrightHaven’s services, go to https://BrightHaven.org. Same site if you would like to donate to support their mission.
“Because love doesn’t end with a diagnosis—
and your caregiving journey is sacred.”
BREAKING NEWS!
This just in from The Canopy (https://thecanopy.eco)! If your dog sheds enough to carpet the floor, you might be tossing out a surprisingly useful material. Gardener Patrick Vernuccio, known as The Frenchie Gardener, says pet hair is a natural, zero-waste way to nourish your garden.
Dog hair is full of nitrogen, which plants love. You can bury it in planters or compost it with moist organic scraps to help it break down. It’s a slow-release fertilizer that costs nothing and cuts down on synthetic alternatives.
It also works as mulch when mixed with straw, and can even deter pests. Stuff a bit of fur in a breathable bag near garden beds. The scent may help keep deer squirrels, and rabbits away. Who knew?
As always, check that your pet’s fur is free from chemical shampoos or flea meds before reusing. This small habit turns something disposable into something regenerative.
THE BOOKSHELF
Pema Chödrön - Noble Heart
I really like the way Pema Chödrön writes. She has a very straightforward style with no nonsense. AND, she is compassionate. NOBLE HEART is actually a full 12-session audio class, a curriculum of meditations, practices, teaching stories and real-life examples presented in very clear language.
Pema Chödrön’s premise comes from her Buddhist sources. Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional. The good news is that you can’t get away from suffering, because vulnerability is why we chose to come into a body, to learn, to explore, to experience being human. Using special meditations and teachings, she shows how to cultivate your own noble heart, one that sheds its armor, and opens fearlessly to both heartache and delight.
This may be a kind of 12-step program for everyone to help us identify a perspective that sees everything as the gift which it ultimately is. A perspective of gratitude helps us to be empowered and only lightly touched by the pain of this life. The noble heart is a strong heart with resilience and passion that cultivates joy. Try it—you might like it!
ANIMAL COMMUNICATION TRAINING BY PENELOPE SMITH
The Shift Network (https://theshiftnetwork.com) is offering a full animal communication training by Penelope Smith. Penelope is one of my primary mentors for animal communication, and a good friend. She has never before offered certification in animal communication training, so this is a first. From September 8, 2025 through April of 2026, everything Penelope has offered in her full training, which took me nearly 4 years to complete, will be offered online.
I will be assisting her with student homework submissions, helping with validation and coaching. I will also be leading the integration sessions which will follow each class session to provide opportunity for questions and further coaching, as well as a deeper understanding of the topic revealed in class.
If you are serious about becoming an animal communicator, or know someone who is, contacthttps://theshiftnetwork.comfor more details. They do have limited scholarships for up to half the tuition, so if you need financial aid, just ask.
UPCOMING CLASSES
Find full descriptions and costs of the classes and events on the website - https://JudyRamsey.net. Registrations are on the website. Please note: “Repeat Student” means that you have already taken a particular class once. If repeating a class, you will be eligible for reduced tuition in most cases. Once registered, a Zoom invitation will be sent to register to receive the meeting link. If you want to attend a journey circle, please contact Judy at info@judyramsey.net. Journey circles are held the first and third Thursday of each month. All classes and journey circles are recorded for your convenience. All class times listed are eastern time.
AUGUST 21, 2025
Journey Circle—Journey circle meets on the first and third Thursday of each month, exploring themes that support your inner work. Your first circle is free. Pre-requisite: shamanic journeying skills.
Held online via ZOOM
$25 per session or $40 per month
7pm-8:30pm est
Contact Judy for registration and payment.
SEPTEMBER 4 & 18, 2025
Journey Circle—Journey circle meets on the first and third Thursday of each month, exploring themes that support your inner work. Your first circle is free. Pre-requisite: shamanic journeying skills.
Held online via ZOOM
$25 per session or $40 per month
7pm-8:30pm est
Contact Judy for registration and payment.
SEPTEMBER 27-28, 2025
Basic Shamanic Journeying— The shamanic journey is an easy and powerful tool we can use to access spiritual information. In this class you will meet and begin to develop a relationship with a compassionate spirit or power animal who is coming forward to help you at this time in your life. You will learn techniques to help you develop a self-directed practice of empowerment, allowing you to move safely, intentionally through the world in a balanced way.This class is a prerequisite to ongoing and more advanced shamanic studies.
The class will be taught online via ZOOM.
$180 per person, $90 for repeating students
9am-3pm each day (consideration may be made for west coast students with starting time at 10am-4pm)
OCTOBER 18-19, NOVEMBER 22-23, DECEMBER 20-21, 2025
Soul Retrieval— This is an advanced class limited to 6 persons. When a person experiences trauma, there is a loss of soul essence. The person’s spirit is fragmented, causing disease, mental illness, or personality and behavioral shifts. In this training, deepen your connection to your helping spirits and learn to work with them to restore a soul’s essence. Expand your ‘tool chest’ of ways to help a client integrate a soul retrieval session, and experience as well, soul retrieval of body parts and of places in nature/landscape. Initiation and ceremony will anchor your learning. Prerequisites: Medicine For the Earth/Healing With Spiritual Light and Extraction. Suggested reading: Soul Retrieval and Welcome Home by Sandra Ingerman.
The class will be taught online via ZOOM.
$600 per person, $350 for repeating students
9am-4pm each day (consideration may be made for west coast students with starting time at
10am-5pm)
Attendance at all sessions is required. Optional mentoring sessions will be held November 17
and December 1, 2024, at 7pm eastern time.