On The Farm
Spring equinox brought beautiful spring weather—right on time. There are four swans in the lake. They stayed even through the below freezing weather we had for the last couple of weeks, so I’m hopeful that we’ll have a couple of swan families to watch this summer. The bird feeders outside my tiny house office windows are hosting the change of seasons as different species of birds begin to arrive. I’ll put out some wool fleece for nest making soon.
Seed catalogues excite me. I feel such potential when I open one and begin to imagine what the garden could look like, and see the new tools and gadgets that are coming out. My mind is always bigger than my pocketbook, but it feels good to dream and then to manifest a smaller version of the world I want to create, the beauty I want to surround myself with. What beauty do you want to manifest in YOUR life? Begin now to see it and imagine what your world would be like with the colors, the textures and the energy of plants around you.
I wish you all a beautiful spring and good beginnings. This month’s newsletter has some good resources for educating yourself about care of your animal friends. Take a look!
Caring for Aging Animals
There are some benchmarks that we need to observe to assure that our beloved animal friends enjoy life with us for as long as possible. Here are some quick “watch points” that will help you and your veterinarian work in partnership on behalf of your animal family.
Cause of the month
“Never, never be afraid to do what’s right,
especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake.
Society’s punishments are small
compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul
when we look the other way.”
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Many of you know that I am currently in an animal chaplaincy training program. Within the program, I am meeting some wonderful people — activists, artists, pastors, veterinarians, and others who love animals and want to help animals and people who love animals. One of the beautiful people in the program is Patricia Denys, an artist who has joined two other artists, Mary Holmes and Karlie Kawa, along with designers Jeff Brouwer and Mark Lukas, to create a beautiful online magazine about animal welfare. Through original artwork, interviews, visual culture information, cruelty-free product reviews, legislative alerts and even plant-based recipes, this creative group has produced a truly amazing award-winning journal.
The creators have published a photography book, ‘Animal Magnetism’, won a Silver Award and a Gold Award from the American Advertising Federation for the magazine in their first year, and created an award-winning film short, “Awesome Living With Andy”. They all have long histories of experience in animal advocacy, rescue and activism and the magazine is a beautiful production and powerful voice for the animals.
As involved as I am in the animal world, I did not know much of what the journal presents. It is opening my awareness to a whole new level of animal engagement. Published online bi-monthly, this magazine’s articles and features will educate you about current animal events, inspire you to make choices beneficial to animal welfare, help you clearly understand issues affecting animals all over the world, and celebrate the victories in the progress made.
Animal Culture addresses head-on the issues that animals confront—such as their lives in shelters and the harsh conditions they face in the food, entertainment, fashion, and research industries. The magazine shines a spotlight on those animals who are hidden, misunderstood, and not listened to—as well as those human beings who are fighting to protect them.
While production is online currently, with additional support and subscribers, the group is looking ahead to print publication in the future. If you are passionate about animals, take a look. Subscriptions are based on what you can afford, so there is a wide range of costs to choose from. At the least, you will be well informed. Take a look at the YouTube video that introduces the magazine. Join me in taking animal love to another level.
The Bookshelf
If you are like me, you’ve had a really frustrating time finding holistic advice, treatment and information for your animal friends. Only one of my veterinarian team is knowledgeable about holistic remedies and approaches to animal care. AND, when I try to discuss the topic with people, it’s like treatment has to be one or the other—either standard western medicine for animals OR holistic. My one veterinarian is able to combine both really well and have the two approaches complement each other.
Now, I’ve met Dr. Jeff Feinman, DVM. He and his staff of experts on holistic medicine got together in 2016 and created a fantastic website, https://holisticactions.com. Why is this being covered in the Bookshelf you ask? Because this site is a gold mine of information for your animal care, holistic or not. You can get everything from a free course on holistic care for your animal to blogs, articles and webinars on topics that cover a very wide range of conditions, from allergies to liver problems.
Dr. Jeff believes that the two veterinary approaches can be complementary, so the information you get onsite is very thorough, and presented in ways that you can give to your own veterinarian so the two-three of you including the animal, can be a good team! There are two tiers of membership, free and expensive. The free membership gives you excellent access to resources and the other, more expensive option ($27/month) gives you even more, including the ability to ask questions of the staff, access to online education, and a 15-minute monthly consultation.
At the least, join to see the free course, Holistic Pet Health 101. I think you’ll be hooked. Enjoy.
Upcoming classes and workshops
CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
Find full descriptions and costs of the classes and events on the website
Registrations are on the website except for Journey Circle. Once registered, a Zoom invitation will be sent to register to receive the meeting i.d. and passcode. If you have difficulty with a registration, please contact Judy at info@judyramsey.net. All classes and journey circles are recorded for your convenience.
April 6 & 20, 2023
Journeying Circle
If you know how to do shamanic journeying, you know that it is a path of direct revelation. Come join us as we explore different aspects of our life’s path, doing healing for ourselves as well as for the world. Zoom registration required—contact Judy at info@judyramsey.net
7pm-8:30pm EDT
Cost is $25 per session or $40 per month to attend
Zoom
April 8, 2023
How to Teach Journeying to Clients
If you are a shamanic practitioner who sees clients in a treatment capacity for shamanic work or counseling, you may be interested in this mini-course. I teach most of my clients how to journey for themselves to empower them in their own healing process. Attendees will receive a copy of my foundational outline for teaching journeying, which is Sandra Ingerman’s outline plus my own embellishments and techniques. If you have questions about whether this class is for you, just email me at info@judyramsey.net
9am-12pm EDT
Cost is $50 per person
Zoom
April 29-30, 2023
Basic Shamanic Journeying
The shamanic journey is an easy and powerful tool used to access spiritual information. 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. The techniques will 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.
9am-3pm EDT
Cost is $160, $75 for repeating students.
Zoom
May 4 & 18, 2023
Journeying Circle
If you know how to do shamanic journeying, you know that it is a path of direct revelation. Come join us as we explore different aspects of our life’s path, doing healing for ourselves as well as for the world.
Zoom registration required
Contact Judy at info@JudyRamsey.net
7pm-8:30pm EDT
Cost is $25 per session or $40 per month to attend
Zoom
May 6-7, 2023
Ancestors: The Power Within
Ancestors can be powerful allies in your practice, and healing our ancestral lines can help us heal ourselves and our families. Explore your heritage, deepen your connection with the grandmothers and grandfathers in ceremony, in initiation and in the shamanic journey. Prerequisite: basic journeying skills.
9am-4pm EDT
Cost is $180, $90 for repeating students
Zoom
May 27-28, 2023
Basic Animal Communication
Learn how to communicate with animals telepathically the way they communicate with each other. Step by step instruction with fun exercises. Open your natural intuitive skills.
Prerequisite: ANIMAL TALK by Penelope Smith.
9am-5pm each day EDT
Cost is $150 per person, $75 for repeating students
Zoom