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Zoë has become blind

Zoë has become blind

Behave holistic

Zoë’s owner (13 years old) was very concerned about her beloved dog’s wellbeing since she suddenly became blind. This was the main reason for requesting the session: to check whether Zoë is still happy with her life despite her blindness. In addition, Zoë had several age-related complaints and a heart murmur. Usually, I don’t get this much physical information beforehand, but in Zoë’s case, it was very detailed. This made it much easier for me to focus on what I felt and place signals in the right spots. In this case, that was very helpful because it allowed me to ask more targeted questions and pick up signals better.

Control questions:

  • Where do you like to sleep most? With you!!
  • How do you feel about car rides? I see wide eyes and panting, which I interpret as stress and discomfort.

Questions to cover in the session:

  • Do you have any pain?
  • Do you still have a zest for life?
  • How can I best help you now that you are blind?
  • Did your vision gradually decline or was it sudden blindness?
  • Why did you start eating or drinking more suddenly?
  • I want you to lose a bit of weight for your health, so I need to reduce your food. You may beg for food.
  • Can you understand why you need to sleep beside the bed, to avoid accidents at night?
  • Would you prefer more walks or being in the buggy?
  • Are your kibble too hard?
  • How is your hearing?

Impression of the animal during the session:
Relaxed and clearly present.

Stones selected for the session:
For a session, I always intuitively select two stones for the animal for support. This is purely feeling-based, and only after the session do I check their properties. Often, they match the animal’s needs very well. You can acquire the stones and place them at the sleeping area or attach them to the collar. Optional.

Rose Quartz:

  • Love, emotional release
  • Stone of love, heart, and friendship
  • Opens the heart to give and receive love
  • Attracts harmonious love and friendship relationships
  • Promotes self-love and self-acceptance
  • Calming for grief and trauma
  • Enhances empathy, openness, and helpfulness
  • Relieves emotional stress quickly
  • Reveals underlying causes of problems
  • Positive effect on the heart, reproductive organs, sexual problems, and fertility
  • Benefits chest and lung conditions
  • Supports Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
  • Helps with dizziness

Emerald:

  • Activates the heart chakra
  • Stimulates love, inspiration, openness, honesty, positivity, joy, and unity
  • Positive effect on relationships, friendships, and group cooperation
  • Promotes mental growth, foresight, clarity, focus, alertness, balance
  • Helps overcome setbacks
  • Can stimulate clairvoyance
  • Positive effect on eyes and vision
  • Supports regeneration and healing
  • Sinuses, lungs, heart, liver
  • Rheumatic conditions, immune system, claustrophobia, infections, muscles
  • Diabetes, epilepsy

Both stones fit Zoë and her story beautifully. I would recommend acquiring small versions of both and either attaching them to her collar or placing them at her sleeping spot.

Session notes:
I started by feeling her body to identify areas of discomfort. Zoë has many physical complaints, which I wanted to sense to answer whether she has pain.

  • Head: right lower jaw under hinge slightly sensitive.
  • Ears: pain-free, left slightly itchy.
  • Eyes: fine, no pain or high pressure.
  • Chest: slight pressure/tightness, likely from heart murmur, fluid retention, or overweight.

She feels surprisingly good for her medical condition. Minor complaints, but overall fine physically.

I asked if she still enjoys life. She smiled and said: “Oh yes, I’m still happy.”
For her, being blind and partially deaf is not as burdensome as we might think. She “sees” with her nose and “hears” through touch. At home, she experiences little difficulty.

You can help by not moving large objects indoors. Outdoors feels unsafe since she cannot judge surroundings. She enjoys walks in the carrier or buggy.

Her vision declined gradually, but total blindness was somewhat sudden, causing stress and panic. That is why she ate and drank more – stress-induced. Prednisone also increased appetite. Reduce portions slightly for weight loss, but not too aggressively to avoid stress.

Not sleeping in bed: she wants to be close. A small, soft bed in the main bed is a good compromise.

Outside: she enjoys outings, especially in cold weather in the carrier or buggy.

Kibble: manageable but may need softening soon.
Hearing: slightly muffled, continue monitoring.

Phone feedback:
The session had a significant positive effect on the owner, who could fully understand Zoë’s behavior. Zoë prefers to stay close, as blindness and hearing loss create insecurity. Shorter distances and a nearby soft bed make her feel safe.

Noppes

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Noppes hasn’t lived with his current owner for very long. And the owner actually had only one question: “What can we do to make you feel good/better at home with us?” He seems to like it here, but he meows extremely loudly and a lot.

The information I received beforehand besides the photo: Noppes, male cat, 13 years old. He is on pain medication for osteoarthritis, otherwise declared healthy via bloodwork and physical exams.
He is now with us in his fourth home.

Control questions:

  1. What color is the plush bed you brought with you?
  2. What do you have on your nails?

Impression of the animal during the session:
Good, clearly present. However, a somewhat short attention span, so I had to retune frequently.

Stones selected for the session:
For a session, I always intuitively select two stones for the animal for support. This is done purely by feeling, and only after the session do I look up their purpose. Often, they align very well with the animal’s needs. You may choose to acquire the stones and place them at their sleeping area or on their collar. Optional.

Amazonite:

  • Balance and strong protection against radiation and harmful influences
  • calming
  • brings balance in extreme mood swings, grief, worry, anxiety, trauma
  • strengthens free will
  • reduces a victim mindset
  • helps with problem-solving by balancing intellect and intuition
  • relieves tension
  • positive effect on metabolism, nerves, nervous system, brain, pituitary, thymus, osteoporosis, teeth, skin, and calcium deficiency

Chakra Pyramid:
The chakra pyramid is a composite stone of red jasper, peach aventurine, gold quartz, green aventurine, sodalite, amethyst, and lapis lazuli in chakra colors. They balance the various chakras. Chakra means “wheel” in Sanskrit and refers to the energy centers connecting our physical and energetic body. Each chakra influences specific organs, emotions, and levels of consciousness.

Session notes:
We start calmly with the color of his bed. I perceive light gray, not too dark. Then I ask about his nails. As I do, my fingertips start to itch, feel hot, slightly tingly/numb, and my left palm becomes warm. The left side seems more affected than the right. I interpret that the issue is more in his toes and joints rather than the nails themselves.

I tell him that I understand he is already in his fourth home and that this makes me sad. It also makes him sad and confused. Everything is new again. I ask about previous situations. He releases little about the first two, presumably the first two homes. Something comes up about a busy family where he didn’t fit, but that is no longer relevant.

About his last home, he indicates it wasn’t bad, memories feel good. A calm place with an older man, a clear routine that Noppes followed. The feeling that the man could no longer care for himself comes through strongly. Noppes likely wasn’t treated badly, but perhaps his health was neglected due to the owner’s limitations.

He appears searching when asked why he meows so much. Searching, insecure, momentarily confused. Loss of a familiar environment combined with aging and less flexibility to adapt. He misses familiar items and spaces and must adjust to new routines, house, and people. Age is clearly a factor. Forgetfulness or hearing loss may also play a role.

He enjoys being at your home, likes the bright environment, and appreciates clear daily rhythms and recognizable points. Overview and fixed routines are especially important right now.

Summary and attention points:
The intuitively chosen stones indicate imbalance and a need for balance, which is reflected in the session. Amazonite could be beneficial, e.g., a small stone at his favorite sleeping place.

Physically, the left forepaw and left shoulder felt notable. Also, recurring itching at the left side of the head, just above the ear. Age-related memory issues or slight hearing loss would not be surprising.

Owner feedback:
The impression of the animal during the session is very recognizable.
Bed color: green, large plush mouse/ pillow, now discarded. Two other blankets: brown/gray.
Nails: Itching issues, especially left ear with wax build-up, scratching injuries, minor blood. Rubber nail caps provided. He also licks the left shoulder. He is on painkillers and anti-inflammatories.

The previous homes’ descriptions mostly match: 2nd home = busy family, 3rd home = quieter with predictable routine. Previous medical and skin care was partially insufficient.

Conclusion: A fixed daily routine is crucial for Noppes. Observations on dementia/hearing loss will continue.

Morris Goes to Stay Elsewhere

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Morris Goes to Stay Elsewhere

I had the opportunity to talk with Morris because he will be staying with someone else for a longer period. His owner is going on a trip, and both the owner and the person taking care of him wanted to prepare him well for the extended stay. I was given some very difficult control questions, and I wasn’t sure if I could answer them correctly. But I love challenges, and after discussing it with the owners, we decided to take on the challenge and see if I could figure it out. And unexpectedly, it worked out really well!

Control Questions:

  • Who is his favorite dog friend? I saw a husky-like dog, and the name sounded like “Pierce.”
  • Where does he prefer to sleep? Flat on the ground, nice and cool.
  • Where does M. live? The name sounded like “App…dam.” I saw double doors leading outside, probably to a garden. An older, rather narrow house, and I think it has wooden floors.
  • Where does he like to swim? A lot of greenery in the surroundings. The water moves due to an overflow. I heard the word “Lek.”

Questions to Be Discussed in the Conversation:

  • Does Morris agree with staying at M.’s place for a while? Explain why and that it will be from October.
  • Does he feel abandoned because of this?
  • How does he feel at M.’s home?
  • D. wants to tell him: “I’m not leaving you behind, this is not a goodbye. We’re just doing different things for a while. You are truly my friend, Morris.”
  • M. wants to tell him that he is more than welcome and in good hands.

Impression of the Animal During the Conversation:

Very balanced and calm. A beautiful, sweet dog.

Crystals Chosen for Morris Before the Conversation:

Chrysoprase: Chrysoprase is a powerful cleansing stone, both mentally and physically. It reduces dependence on love and approval from others (and therefore also jealousy and heartbreak) and helps against obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors. It can alleviate sleep problems, nightmares, and claustrophobia. Chrysoprase promotes a positive attitude, acceptance, and trust in both oneself and the bigger picture. It enhances creativity and appreciation for beauty and art. It helps open up to the spiritual side of life and assists in reaching a meditative state. Physically, chrysoprase is strongly detoxifying, supports liver function, and has positive effects on skin conditions, eyes, gout, and infertility in women, especially when caused by an infection. In combination with smoky quartz, it helps against fungal infections.

Pyrite: Pyrite is a strong insight-giving stone that promotes self-awareness, brings repressed memories to the surface, and helps understand the causes of difficult situations or illnesses. It stimulates liver function, helps with circulation problems (e.g., varicose veins), and promotes red blood cell production. Pyrite suns have a strong pain-relieving and antispasmodic effect (for example, in menstrual cramps).

Source: edelsteinenmineralen.nl

Conversation Summary:

I started the conversation by asking if it was okay for me to speak with Morris on behalf of M. and D. He agreed. After the control questions, I moved on to the main topic: preparing him for his longer stay with M. I explained that D. would be traveling from October and that he would be staying with M. during that time. He was fine with it because he also enjoys being at M.’s place. He appreciated that everyone was making an effort to prepare him well for the long stay.

Since the control questions were quite difficult, I asked him if he could give me something to confirm that I was truly speaking with him. He asked for his personal belongings to be brought along and showed me a stuffed toy that must come with him—a favorite plush toy with long ears or floppy parts.

He understands that D. will be away for a longer period but also that he will return and won’t forget him. I picked up on something about an item that D. is taking on the trip—something that has no real function but is important to D. to have with him. Possibly something from his family, maybe from his father. Comparable to a small mascot that gets photographed everywhere. Does such an item exist? Morris thinks it’s fun and asks if D. could send him a mental picture every now and then, so he can keep up with the journey.

Morris does not feel abandoned. He comes across as a very calm and realistic dog who doesn’t get into trouble easily and sees things clearly. He knows that D. won’t forget him. Their bond is strong.

He does feel comfortable at M.’s place and in her home. He still needs a little time to fully adjust, but they are working on it, and that’s good. This way, the transition won’t be too abrupt. Everything will be fine!

I tell him what D. wants to say to him, and I receive a very warm and emotional feeling in return. “We are each other’s friends,” he says. This really gives me a lump in my throat.

Morris, you truly feel welcome with M., and he absolutely senses that. “We’ll manage,” he says. “It’s going to be okay!”

What a wonderful, calm, and balanced dog Morris is. I am completely convinced that this will all turn out well. Thank you for the conversation!

Owner’s Feedback:

And then comes the feedback. Once again, I was feeling unsure if everything had gone well and worried that the owners might find the answers too simple. But after reading their feedback, I can only say: “Simple is fine—more than fine.” It doesn’t always have to be complicated.

“Hi Esther, thanks for your conversation with Morris. We are super happy with it, especially D. It was so special to read—truly a gift! Morris’ best dog friend does indeed look like a Husky, and his name is Mischa (so with the ‘ie’ sound!). He really prefers to sleep on the ground. We thought he didn’t have a stuffed toy… but D. said that just yesterday, he suddenly pulled an old remnant of a stuffed toy out of his toy basket—it used to be a rabbit with long ears! There’s only a small paw left now, but it used to be his favorite toy. He loves swimming in the Maas; we live near Rotterdam! So, the moving water makes sense. When Morris stays with me, the door to the garden is always open, and in the kitchen, I have vinyl flooring with a wood print. D. recently received something from his father that he is taking on his trip—some kind of earplugs. Morris was there when he got them, so maybe that’s what he meant! We hope you are happy with the answers too. It meant a lot to D. that Morris said, ‘We are each other’s friends.’ ♥️ Thank you so much, Esther, from the three of us!”

Pacha is lost

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I think missing animal cases are the hardest for me to do.

There’s so much more involved than in a regular conversation. You don’t want to give false hope or take advantage of the owner’s desperation. Emotions run extremely high for the owners, and usually for the animal as well. My own doubt about whether I’m doing it right plays a big role, and the question “Is the animal still alive?” is especially difficult for me to sense.

Whenever someone requests this type of conversation, I am always honest about it. I don’t want to give false hope, and even though there are often good results, it can also go completely wrong or turn into a frustrating process when there are no results at all. Only after discussing this, if the owners still want to proceed, do I do it with all my heart and full dedication.

Pacha has been missing for a week, and her owner really wanted to have this conversation.

Pacha was very clear in sending images of her surroundings. She showed me that she was in a place surrounded by high buildings—four apartment blocks forming a square, I would say. She is there but too afraid to return. During the day, she hides under a sheet of material or wooden planks stacked against a wall.

I asked her if she was trapped. No, she isn’t locked in, but she doesn’t dare to go back.

After the conversation, I decided to call her owner so we could figure out where this might be. A detailed written report wouldn’t really serve a purpose here—we want to find her, not sit and read. I explained to her owner what I had seen and asked if it made any sense.

She lives in an area with greenhouses, so there are no apartment buildings. But she immediately knew what I was referring to! A factory is being built nearby, and she could very well imagine that this was what Pacha had shown me. In fact, it was the most logical place for her to run after being startled by the dogs in their garden. The cat and dogs live separately in the house, but she had accidentally ended up in the garden—where she never normally goes—and was chased away by the dogs.

I advised her to go search in the late afternoon, when it would be cooler and the site would be quieter.

This afternoon, I couldn’t hold back my curiosity and had to check if they had found her yet. Unfortunately, she’s not home yet, but there is good news. She has been spotted by the neighbor of the factory site! She is in the exact area she showed me. Her owner is continuing the search, and the neighbor has promised to call as soon as he sees her again.

Fingers crossed that she will be found soon and brought home safely!

And I’m just grateful that I was able to play a small part in this.

Come on, Pacha, show yourself and go home—you are so very missed!