Animal Empathy

[Tobi]

My dog loved music. I do too. But she had her preferences. Yes she mostly preferred classical. But oddly, she showed liking for some composers that either I hadn't bothered much with before, or hadn't really liked their music. She got me to sit and listen, and give them a chance.
Now I like that music.
So we had different tastes! Interesting.
She did not like Metal....most pop music (with a few unusual exceptions that always took me by surprise and made me laugh) Also she didn't like Wagner. I used to like it! But if it was on the radio she would put her head down and look bored as heck! Even the Ride of the Valkyries did nothing for her!

[hannah]

I read an interesting book- the secret life of plants. It shows how plants have feelings and emotions too, and like classical music but hate rock/metal/noise.
I work on a sheep farm, I see every day how they respond to both human emotions and emotions of each other.

[Tobi]

I have a field right behind my house, about 2 acres. Every day deer come down there to graze or just hang out. They are not terribly scared of me as they must see me around a lot, but they are certainly wary and would not usually approach me. Well one evening in the summer of 2011 I went out to the edge of this field. A doe was walking alongside the hedge, about 50ft away. She saw me and though she didn't run away, she stopped. I stood still but sent her a beam of love and affection. And then she started coming towards me until she was only about 10ft away. My dog barked from the house, and she turned and ran. But I was convinced she definitely sensed the love, and was interested in that.

I am certain that animals pick up on feelings/emotions and intentions. The stereotypical image of St. Francis of Assisi surrounded by animals has much truth in it, and I have a theory on this...I've noticed that when I have either been meditating or surrounded in nature for some time, wild animals have not been afraid of me...they can feel that I am peaceful and/or at one with nature. Our stressful busy lives in the west often means that we don't transmit this peaceful 'vibe', but when we do, you can notice the difference. When I am my 'usual' self, trifled with anxieties and concerns, animals do not respond in this way.

Once I stayed in a forest for about a month and when I afterwards went to visit my friend, all the animals in her house literally surrounded me when I walked into the kitchen. It was like they could feel it. And no, it wasn't just a smell or something like that, I had travelled some distance to get there.

But also I love animals..if I harboured hateful or violent thoughts towards them, I do not think they would have approached.

We have such powerful energy fields! Many people assume that if a wild animal shows disinterest in people, it must be because they lack curiosity or intelligence...on the contrary, they are showing great discernment of another species, which is quite a feat, as we can be so changeable and confusing, even to ourselves!

[Tobi]

I think animals definitely have no problem sensing our innermost feelings.
I feel very sorry though, for the ones who are connected with people who do not care, or are not thoughtful caretakers, and try to do their best with love, devotion and obedience...but sometimes get very sad experiences. They are always the ones who have so much gratitude for being "rescued" into a more loving environment. They know.

My tomcat sometimes shows more emotional (proof:he shows love, but some humans show hate) and logical intelligence (proof: he gives reasonable response to problems, while human can sink to hysteria) than some learned man, even though it cannot talk or solve complex mathematical problems. Since everything is divine in it's essence, the cat (or other animal) is in essence godly, capable for amazing things.

[Tobi]

I once had a cat, he was a lovely big, strong beautiful cat. I found him one day working out how electricity came from the socket in the wall, down a cable, and activated the kettle to make the water boil. He watched the kettle boil, then shut off, then he directed his gaze all along the wire, to the plug, and socket. He gazed at this a while, then down the wire again, and stared at the kettle. There is no doubt in my mind that he was working this out in what appeared (to me) to be a "mental" kind of way.

I used to joke that he was not a cat but an electrician in a new incarnation!

[girlsearching]

Originally Posted by Mr.Whitmore

Is it possible for animals to feel human emotions...such as pain...and rush to comfort us?

of course they do animals are keener on how people behave. i know that dogs can smell if a person has cancer.

There is a dog that comes around daily here. He has this look in his eyes....like he is reading your thoughts. His eyes display emotions...and they seem to relate to how you are feeling...

or maybe just hungry

[Tobi]

My last dog, beautiful girl...taught me so much about patience, appreciation of each moment, gratitude....etc etc
Anyway, most of the time I exemplified what she was brought to Earth to help me with. But just sometimes I fell short -and said the "F" word!! (always about something unconnected to her -mostly about computer malfunctions)
She didn't like the "F" word. She had heard that word too many times in her street-dog past before she came to live with me. (At first, if anyone said that word, she would cringe!)
What did she do? She would do a little dance, wriggle her behind, grin, try by any means she could to cheer me up! It always worked, and I would laugh.
Okay -mission completed, she would sit down, sigh, and go to sleep!