Dear Friends,
July 4th was Independence Day here in the US. Celebration abounded around cities, towns and neighborhoods with fireworks, music and picnics. I have to say this summer holiday is not my favorite holiday. The loud noise of the fireworks has sent several of my dogs and friend’s dogs into pure terror over the years. Imagine what these beings are hearing when we are hearing some of the louder fireworks! I know that a couple of my dogs have feared for their lives.
One sweet doggie of mine, Cosmo, a beautiful Australian Shepherd, would pant, tremble, and pace whenever a firecracker exploded. His heart would race and he would have incontinence of his bowels and bladder. Eventually I found some natural supplements that worked somewhat with his anxiety. However, in looking back, I realize that in my desire to help my sweet boy, I fed into his fear with my own tremendous concern for his wellbeing. My intentions were honorable but my tactics a bit off. I would hold him and coddle him, and allow my own anxiety to rise watching him suffer. Cosmo, being a sensitive soul, was looking to me for guidance and what he experienced in addition to his own fear was my anxiety as well.
Fast forward to this year, I now have a 5 year old Australian Shepard, Waldo. He started out in his first 3 years of his life with minimal stress around the fireworks. This year however, his anxiety heightened and every loud bang sent him running to me very anxiously wondering how he should respond. This time, instead of enabling his fears, I clapped my hands, got excited and exclaimed that wasn’t it wonderful that people were having fun!
I would still pet him and hold him a little but I set limits when he tried to crawl in my lap and claw at me in fear. I would firmly explain to him that he was safe in this lifetime and that his fears are from other times and places when he was not safe, other lifetimes. I would then distract him with something fun like a dog treat or a play with one of his toys.
For years, with Cosmo, I would dread the upcoming day of celebration. Many years ago, my neighbors lit so many fireworks that my house seemed to be smoking and I thought it was on fire. I drove around the neighborhood begging for people to stop lighting the fireworks letting them know what my poor dog was experiencing. Soon after, I wrote a letter to the editor for the Seattle Times about fireworks and Animals that became published.
What I realized in these experiences with my precious animals is that I was also part of the problem. By changing my response to the fireworks with Waldo, I am having a quicker outcome of relief with him than I ever did with Cosmo. An interesting note is that my other dog, Willy, wasn’t bothered by the fireworks at all this year. And when the fireworks went off by the dog park over the weekend, I observed that several dogs did not have issues with the fireworks at all.
Animals, like humans, come to this earth with issues they need to resolve. I have experienced my animals change and grow leaps and bounds when I work with them on their issues. I have found by talking to them, showing them pictures telepathically of outcomes I am desiring, they respond!
I have an 18 year old cat, Sierra, who hid in the closet for 3 years while Waldo was a puppy. Australian Shepherds have a longer puppy span! I finally smartened up and communicated with her and showed her how to hold her space better (telepathically) with her brother and explained that I would very much like her to be part of the household again. This was 2 years ago. Within days, she came out of the closet, (literally) and has been out since.
Fast forward to bringing Willy home 16 months ago as a 9 week old puppy. I was worried Sierra would once again pursue her safe place in the closet, but she held firm to her spot. She sits proudly in the hallway on her favorite chair and when she moves all the animals give her space. She shifted her energy so profoundly that none of the animals bother her!! Even the puppy!
I can’t change that people are going to set off fireworks. And I admit, I like watching the bigger fireworks displays over Elliott Bay here in Seattle. However, I hope over time more people will become increasingly conscious about how the loud noises upset the creatures of this earth. I have witnessed birds overcome with confusion over the loud noise and smoke. I found one bird in my wood stove covered in soot, the day after my neighbors lit so many fireworks as I mentioned above. Luckily, she/he was alive and I was able to release her back outdoors.
In the meantime, I will continue to do my best to help my sweet family member Waldo, overcome his fears. I will continue to work on how I respond to his anxiety and fears as well as my other animal family members and remind myself how they too are here to learn and grow!
This is also a wonderful reminder that perhaps we can do the same for ourselves when we have experiences that cause us tremendous fear and anxiety. Perhaps we can acknowledge to ourselves we have fear but then set limits gently in terms of how we coddle ourselves with them. Often times our worries and concerns are based on past life or childhood experiences. If our response to something feels over the top in terms of our emotional reaction than there is a good chance it’s rooted in other times and places.
Turning your attention to something fun, distracting yourself with something that makes you happy can dissipate anxiety and fear. If you reframe an experience to have a more positive meaning, much like I am doing with Waldo, then you can experience tremendous relief within your emotional being.
And if you are hiding away in your home due to fears of getting out in the world, remember my experience with Sierra! Hold you space and what you desire so clearly and profoundly that no one will bother you. And most of all enjoy the natural fireworks that is your LIFE!
Namaste,
Rosemary Veilleux RN