On The Farm
November is a bittersweet month. It begins with Dias de los Muertos, Days of the Dead, and ends with Thanksgiving, a celebration of gratitude. I spent Days of the Dead with my good, true and beautiful ancestral spirits in shamanic ceremony. Laid out a feast with both Scottish and Chinese goodies, plum wine, whisky, almond cookies and homemade lavender shortbread, dragon eyes, and chocolate, of course. Prepared a bonfire.
The sky was clear with a new moon, all the stars were out. So beautiful. I could feel the ancestors around me, celebrating with me. I thanked them for my life and acknowledged the gifts I inherited from them. This time of gratitude has become an almost daily practice at my ancestor altar. I find my days are easier when they begin with the ancestors.
I’ve also been very busy—this time of year, many animals transition, so I support them and their beloved people in my capacity as an animal chaplain and communicator. We remember the gifts the animals gave us while they were with us, and we mourn their loss. Sometimes we can just carry the grief with us. Sometimes the grief carries us, and we have to stop in our tracks because it is too much. When that happens, it is important to acknowledge that a part of us is missing, because we were one with the animal beloved.
Oprah Winfrey once said, “You get in life what you have the courage to ask for.” It takes courage to love, either person or animal, because we know there will eventually be loss. How often do you acknowledge your own courage? your own strength? How often do you acknowledge that you can’t do it alone? The good news is that there is support when you ask. Not only am I available to help you through these times, there are many animal chaplains trained and ordained to support you. Go to their website for grief support groups as well as personal assistance. You can also donate funds on my website to provide chaplain services to someone who is experiencing loss.
We have a lot to be grateful for. I hope your Thanksgiving holiday brings you much comfort, whether with family, friends, or only your animal family. I am so grateful for all of you and your support of my work. Blessings.
A Mirroring of Minds?
Two tuning forks held near each other will resonate if struck at different times. One tuning fork adjusts to the same frequency as the fork that was struck first. The animals I communicate with have frequently showed me during sessions that they are resonating with the stresses, anxiety, and worry of their beloved people. Recently, on HolisticActions.com, Dr. Richard Pitcairn, a pioneer in homeopathic veterinary medicine, shared insights about how our energy and mindset can directly impact our animal’s healing.
Stress happens. We all experience it, and may feel guilty about affecting our beloved animal companions. Feeling bad about ourselves and what’s happening doesn’t serve us or our companions. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed or tired. When recognizing those moments, take a breath or two and be kind to yourself. Slow down, acknowledge you’re doing your best, and when you are ready, make small adjustments (like snuggle time with the horse, cat or other companion) to bring more serenity into everyone’s life.
This is especially important when your animal companion is ill or preparing to die. Your mindset can help the animal heal through their own natural ability—if you are upset/worried, the animal will often direct their energy to you to help you rather than to their own healing. Here are some tips:
Cultivate a positive mindset. See the animal in their divine perfection, happy, healthy and thriving. My horse told me very strongly that she did not want to be seen as disabled, because that is not who she was. Look at the spirit and how beautiful it is. Treasure the bond between you.
Understand healing as a process. It can sometimes feel like things are worse, but this may be part of deeper recovery. Trust the process, especially if it is holistic—it’s going to take longer, but will also last longer when recovered.
Try holistic remedies like homeopathy, herbal supplements, and acupuncture to complement traditional care. These approaches work with the animal’s energy to restore balance.
Strengthen the bond between you and your animal companion. Your calm, loving presence is powerful. Set aside a few minutes each day for quiet, intentional bonding—massage or just sitting quietly together.
Feed with intention. A balanced diet is part of holistic healing. Start with small changes like incorporating fresh, whole foods.
Educate and advocate. Be patient when introducing holistic ideas to your vet. Share your experiences and encourage open conversations.
My Happy Place Update
It was a year ago that I featured My Happy Place equine sanctuary as a “Cause of the Month”, and Julie Sabatine’s (Director) efforts to rescue two Shires. I thought you might like to see the progress, and also the work involved to not only help these horses recover, but to thrive. I thought you would like to see Julie’s report, complete with before/after photos. Care for the largest horses is very different than with others just because of their size, which presents special challenges.
JULIE’S UPDATE: Almost one year ago we embarked on the rescue of two bonded Shire horses. The Shires nearly went extinct in 1969 and is still an endangered breed. Thanks to Judy and her animal communication skills, we learned the gelding wanted a strong name to represent his character and spirit. The mare likes the color purple and wanted a soft, feminine, old-school name. So we named them Mason and Violet!
Our Shire pair have received extensive Western medicine and Eastern healing therapies to restore wholeness after a lifetime of neglect including reiki, craniosacral therapy, chiropractic care, Chinese herbs, flower essences, music, and of course, shamanic healing with Judy.
At My Happy Place, 100% of every donation dollar goes directly to providing care to the animals, so the more we receive, the more we are able to do for them. For example, we discovered Mason had not had his teeth done over his whole life, and Violet’s teeth were broken off laterally, probably due to trauma to the head, so they are on a 2-year dental program. To date, we have spent about $20,000 in medical care for them, including a trip to the hospital, where they gave us their largest stalls, side by side, so Mason could be there as Violet's emotional support animal for about a week. Then, the other hoof (er, I mean shoe!) dropped. We discovered Violet had canker in all four hooves, a dangerous, crippling condition. Also, once we were able to gently clear their feathers (long hairs around their feet), we discovered sores under the hair which were extensive.
Canker, even with extensive research, does not have a definitive cause or cure, but that didn't stop us! Our treatment plan has been rigorous. First, we built an oversized shoeing stock for draft horses, because Violet couldn’t stand to be treated. Now, she can rest her entire body weight on the chains while we work on each hoof. Her belly girth is 8 feet, 2 inches (2.5 meters)! We practiced getting her in and out to desensitize her.
Catching, haltering, and loading her was the most dangerous part of the first month. The vet comes once a week to perform cryotherapy and debridement, followed by packing her hoofs with medication and then bandaging her hooves. Her hooves are so large there is no commercially made draft size hoof boot (size 10 is the max sold) which fits her. Every other day, it takes a team of 4-5 trained volunteers and a farrier about 3 hours to change the bandages. Each time, we work to correct the hoof structure.
Meanwhile, in order to improve Violet’s immune system to support recovery, she is on multiple prescription medicines—about 30 herbs and supplements and high quality hay and forage as well as gastric support and senior feed. Throughout the day, we bag flakes of hay and spread them around the paddocks to give the horses more exercise. It also slows down their eating! Finally, we empty, wash and refill two 20-gallon buckets of water every morning and evening. They can drink 5 gallons of water in less than a minute! Today, I am so pleased to report Violet has conquered “incurable” canker in 3 of 4 hooves! She's more cooperative, she trots around the paddock, and her hair color has changed from dull brown to shiny black!
Mason’s coat has recovered as well. He was the first to trust what we were doing to support them and has been an invaluable coach for Violet to get where she is now.
With a comprehensive wellness plan, an animal can choose to open up their mind, body and spirit to love again. When this happens, nearly anything is possible. We invite you to follow the story Mason and Violet are writing by visiting our website: https://myhappyplace.org. Healing prayers are always welcome and donations are gratefully accepted on their behalf so we can get Violet’s 4th hoof healed and continue the Shires’ recovery! Thank you!
JULIE SABATINE, DIRECTOR, My Happy Place
BEYOND THE MYTHS: EXPLORING THE REAL POWER OF ANIMAL COMMUNICATION
Last month, I was chosen to be part of a group of animal communicators who were interviewed by Chené Murphy to answer questions about animal communication. Here is the link to the article she wrote for MysticMag. I think you will find it interesting and well done. It may even raise some questions of your own. If it does, feel free to contact me at info@JudyRamsey.net.
https://www.mysticmag.com/psychic-reading/experts-animal-communication/