Today’s DyingWords guest post is by my dear friend and long-time working colleague, Sue Coletta, who just released her fifth book in the Mayhem Series titled Unnatural Mayhem. Before giving you a taste of it, Sue’s going to talk about telepathy and talking with the animal kingdom. This is a very insightful read but, then, what else would you expect from Sue Coletta.

Deep down, each of us has a powerful, underused connection to the world around us. Consider the time when you sensed someone watching you, even if you couldn’t see them. Or the gut feeling, telling you something significant was about to happen. Or the intuitive, instinctive feeling that gave you the name of the person on the other end of the line before checking the caller ID.

If we learn how to tap into this sixth sense, we begin to notice when someone—dead or alive—is thinking about us, even when we’re physically apart. Telepathic communication explains why, when you randomly thought of a friend and she texted you the next day. Or that time when you spontaneously called an old friend, and they said, “I was just thinking about you!”

Writers are especially attuned to the “little voice” inside us. Some are more intuitive than others, but we all have an underutilized sixth sense. Once we learn its power and how to use it, new doorways open up, doorways that enhance our writing.

If we’re open to the possibility of telepathy, the more sensitive we’ll be to messages from our Spirit Guides and ancestors, and the synchronicities or coincidences that have always been present in our lives.

The Natural World thrives on telepathic communication.

An animal’s survival depends on it. If you’ve ever wondered how one species warns another about potential threats, telepathy answers this question. And humans — as members of the Natural World — can tap into that same energy.

The notion of telepathic communication first intrigued me as a way to chat with animals, wild and domestic. Because when we watch and listen to animals, they help us reach our full potential. Animals enrich the mind, body, and soul. They’re sentient, intuitive beings who communicate with us in many ways. Body language, vocals, and telepathy, whether we’re cognizant of it or not.

Think about this: The average animal knows more about their environment and ecosystem than you or I ever will.

An intuitive exchange with any animal — cats, dogs, guinea pigs, crows — begins the same way. First, with physical body cues. Then with the silent language of love. Remember the miraculous gift Poe gave me last Christmas? I’m watching the calendar, hoping and praying Poe will bless me again this year.

How to telepathically communicate with animals?

Step 1: Rest your hands over your heart and practice deep breathing exercises.

Step 2: Once you’re relaxed, pay attention to your heart, to your soul, and feel the gravity of your love for that animal.

Step 3: Express your love for that animal by visualizing a soft beam of light, a tether connecting the two of you.

Step 4: Silently or vocally ask the animal for permission to telepathically communicate with them.

Step 5: If you don’t sense any reluctance, express how you’re open to receiving messages in return. Keep it light in the beginning and progress deeper once you build trust, confidence, and strengthen your bond.

Keep in mind, animals live in the moment. They’re not distracted by the phone, the to-do list, or regret. And so, you must also stay in the present to connect with them.

The only obstacle is you.

Trust the flow, the energetic pulse of life. Align with, not against, this flow. By blocking out all distractions, the energy exchanges between you and animals will naturally occur. You are in the present, anchored by love and grace, and coming from a place of neutrality. You are part of the Natural World, connected across space and time.

When we focus on lowering the frequency of emotions — fear, self-doubt, anxiety — we raise our cognition, enhance the vibration of our energy, we align with nature. Animals are drawn to bright inner lights, and thus, will be enthusiastic about communicating with you.

“Telepathy, of course. It’s amusing when you stop to think about it—for years people have argued about whether or not such a thing exists—and all the time it’s been right there, lying out in the open like Mr. Poe’s The Purloined Letter. All the arts depend on telepathy to some degree, but I believe that writing offers the purest distillation.” ~Stephen King, On Writing

What does the quote mean?

The best way to think about writing is the process of transferring a mental image from your mind to the mind of a reader. As writers, we envision scenes, settings, characters, etc. Our job is to transfer that mental image to the page for the reader to experience later.

Sounds a lot like telepathy, doesn’t it? Because it is!

Hence why writing coaches tell us to envision our ideal reader(s), carrying their image with us while writing. The trick is learning what imagery to include and what to leave out. Hint: Less is more.

In the Animal Kingdom, the sender and receiver of communication may be part of the same species or from different species.

Crows, for example, warn the chippies, squirrels, and numerous small birds when dangerous predators are in the area. They do this with a vocal alarm, and every animal pays attention to it. When crows are relaxed around good people and familiar animals, they blink several times per minute and have a roaming gaze. If a predator prowls or coasts into their domain, their unblinking, hard stare warns other wildlife in the area.

Warning Coloration

In species, such as wasps, that are capable of harming potential predators, they’re often brightly colored, and this modifies the behavior of the predator who either instinctively knows to be wary or has learned to use caution through past experiences. Some forms of mimicry fall in the same category. For example, hoverflies have similar coloring to wasps. Even though they’re unable to sting, wasps still avoid them.

Behavioral Changes

Wolves and coyotes may adopt an aggressive posture, such as growling, head leveling, or baring teeth to warn a potential predator to stay back, that if they approach, they are ready and willing to fight. Rattlesnakes use their telltale rattle—it means, “If you come near me, I will strike.” Certain amphibians have a camouflaged back that helps them blend into their environment. If confronted by a potential threat, they flash their brightly colored belly. This says to the predator, “Don’t bite me or you’ll get a mouthful of poison or venom.”

Stotting

An example of prey to predator communication is stotting, a highly noticeable form of running by some antelopes, such as the Thomson’s gazelle. Stotting shows that the animal is healthy and fit, thus not worth pursuing.

Human & Animal Communication

We are all part of the Natural World. Various ways in which humans interpret the behavior of domestic animals and/or wildlife fit the definition of interspecific communication. Although dogs can use vocal communication, they mainly display nonverbal cues like tail carriage and motion, ear and eye position, body position and movement, and facial expressions. Recognizing the correct nonverbal cues will help decipher what the dog is telling us.

While observing a dog’s body language it’s crucial to observe the entire dog, as well as the situation or context. For example, a dog’s wagging tail doesn’t always mean Fido’s happy. A tail in motion is often noticed first, but the rest of the dog is board-stiff, the ears folded back, and the dog’s in a couched position. The full picture — verbal, nonverbal, and context — tell us Fido isn’t happy.

5 Common Groups of Canine Signals

Keep in mind, a dog could use more than one response at a time. Hence why it’s important to analyze the entire dog, not just one body cue. Fido may start with a display of excitement, then decide the stimuli is a threat and switch to aggressive posturing, or send fear signals, or both.

As we review each group, notice the similarities to other species, including us.

Fearful Communication

When a dog is frightened, he’s likely to react with his whole body. He may lick his lips, yawn, keep his mouth tightly closed, cower or lower his body, lower or tuck his tail, or flatten his ears. He may also tremble or shake, avoid eye contact, or lean away from the frightening stimulus.

The body language may be a combination of several signals and/or may appear as a progression through these signals as the dog’s response intensifies. Sometimes, the complete absence of active signals can speak volumes. A dog that won’t eat food or treats, avoids humans, and/or freezes when someone reaches for him — a “shut down” appearance — is demonstrating fear. Sadly, we often see this behavior in shelters when dogs don’t get adopted right away. Shelter dogs also may display high arousal or excitement.

Arousal Communication

The arousal in shelter dogs could be due to many factors, including age, confinement, lack of physical and/or mental outlets, and personality. An arousal/excitement response may indicate joy directed at a certain person, another dog, or toy. If the context is a favorable one, the dog should have a soft, relaxed body, eyes, and mouth, along with a wagging tail that jumps for attention. He may also play-bow — rear-end in the air, front-end lowered — to demonstrate excitement. Other cues may include jumping, mounting, and mouthing. Mouthing should be soft (no teeth).

Arousal behaviors can also be directed at unfavorable stimuli, such as an unwanted human, animal, or situation. Arousal signals in this context may be coupled with fear signals, such as trembling or a low/tucked tail. Or the arousal signals are paired with aggression — barking, lunging, anxious pacing or spinning, or biting of the leash, clothing, or the threat itself. The dog’s fur pilo-erects (hackles), his ears bent forward or at attention, stance upright and erect. The tail is often up and wagging stiffly, and the eyes are wide and focused on the target. He could also bark, growl, and/or lunge.

Anxious Communication

If a dog becomes stressed, he may exhibit excessive panting, pacing, and lack of focus. Similar body language to a fearful dog, when in reality, he’s filled with anxiety. Thus, why context is key. A dog that jumps at the kennel door as someone approaches is displaying arousal/excitement. Whereas a dog bounding off the side walls of the kennel displays anxious communication.

Aggressive Communication

Aggression is a normal and natural behavior in animals, triggered by a perceived threat. Aggressive vocalizations and body posturing are warning signals.

In dogs, we understand aggression through body language that includes stiffening or freezing, eyes widened with whites visible (called whale eye), tense mouth or curled lips, wrinkled nose, bared teeth, barking, growling, and air snapping.

All species have their own aggressive communication. Including us.

Relaxed Communication

We all love dogs in a relaxed position, like s/he doesn’t have a care in the world. Mouth relaxed, lips slightly parted. A smiling appearance. Head and ears relaxed in a neutral position, body loose, eyes soft. His/her tail may swish back and forth or wag in a circular motion. My favorite is when a dog’s lying in the frog-leg position. Those froggy legs are hard to resist! Guinea pigs and squirrels also froggy leg, btw.

All species use relaxed communication. Including us.

Why am I sharing this specific topic with you? Glad you asked.

UNNATURAL MAYHEM  has just released! It’s a book I’ve wanted to write for years, but when the idea first struck, I thought I had to create a new series. The day I sat down to write the fifth book in the Mayhem Series, I realized I already had the perfect characters to tell this story.

UNNATURAL MAYHEM is also a pivotal book in the series. If you haven’t read any other Mayhem books, you can start here and not feel lost. Shawnee will fill you in.  What Shawnee ultimately discovers sets her on a new path to fulfill her destiny. And her and I share that same burning passion driving our every step. The underlying message in UNNATURAL MAYHEM touches me on such a deep, personal level that it’s taken the series in an exciting new direction.

UNNATURAL MAYHEM was also personally fulfilling to write. I wanted to create a story that matters, a story that could help make a difference, and I think I’ve accomplished that. Ultimately, you’re my judge and jury. My hope is, the story will touch you on numerous levels. Though some scenes are deep and emotional, others are laugh-out-loud hilarious. And, of course, there’s plenty of action and suspense.

Poe scored his own cover! Check it out…

Description:

Can a cat burglar, warrior, and Medicine Man work together to stop a group of trophy hunters before they tear apart the Natural World?

Explosive news of a crow hunt rings out in the White Mountain Region of New Hampshire, and one hundred crows gather to put an end to it. With so many lives at stake — including Poe’s — Shawnee and Mayhem must work together to stop the trophy hunters before they obliterate the local murder.

Taking on twenty-five experienced hunters armed with shotguns is no small feat. If they fail, Poe may lead his brethren to their death.

No matter what it takes, this group must be stopped. But what if Shawnee and Mayhem aren’t seeing the full picture? What if these men have secrets worth killing over?

The dedication, and my wish for you:

May Mother Earth guide your feet.
May Father Sky keep his arms around you.
May Grandfather Sun warm your cold days.
May Grandmother Moon keep the glow in your heart.
May the Star Nations light the way to the next destination
and the Great Spirit always keep you shielded from pain.
  ~Native American blessing

From my family to yours, Happy Holidays!

*To try and make a difference, most of my proceeds will go toward protecting Mother Earth’s Innocent Ones. I wavered whether to mention this, because I hope you’ll want to experience this journey, revel in the beauty of Mother Earth and all Her inhabitants, and not just buy the book as a donation. That would defeat its purpose.

*   *   *

DyingWords followers — Please leave a comment to wish Sue Coletta well with continued success in her work. In my opinion, and knowing Sue for ten years, I say without hesitation she is an outstanding crime writer – fiction and non-fiction – in today’s market. And don’t hesitate to Look Inside Unnatural Mayhem.

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Unnatural Mayhem