The Energetic Weight Our Pets Carry

You come home from a frustrating day at work, or you jump off a frustrating Zoom call. That beautiful, loving face of your pet may be right there eagerly hoping for some of your free time and attention. You may even have a chance to acknowledge it – they sit on your lap, you spend a few minutes petting them, or you walk out and touch your horse or donkey, or you walk over and engage your bird or other pet in the home. All of these connections with your pet that you make throughout your work day or after work are magic for you. Our pets are actively working to clear the energy of our work day. They help distract us, shift our attention to something more loving and giving, and by their mere presence can force us into the present moment. But rarely are we consciously aware of the impact our “dirty” work energy has on our pets. You might notice your pet acting out, appearing uncharacteristically lethargic, or seeking more 'velcro' time than usual after a particularly heavy week—often, they are simply carrying the weight we haven't yet put down. For more on this particular topic, you can read my blog Dirty Bath Water. 

The ”Clearing” Role of our Pets
​First, let’s acknowledge the “clearing” that our pets can do in our homes and lives. We may not know it but our pets are energetically clearing the proverbial dust in the trails of our work energy – or for that matter, any of the “yucky” energy we are carrying from life’s conflicts, challenges, fears, or uncertainties. Literally any negative emotion, the breadth of which we test in the Emotion Code, can be around us and in us like Pigpen in Peanuts.

Nature’s reset is instinctual; just as this Rosella shakes off the day's dust, our pets are naturally working to clear the energetic trails we bring home

They don’t just watch us; they feel us. Being mindful of what we share energetically is the highest form of care we can offer our silent companions

​How Pets Absorb Our Stress
In addition to the clearing noted above, when we are touching them, holding them and otherwise are in contact with them, they - just like us as humans - can “absorb” negative emotions and energies. If you’ve had an Emotion Code or Body Code session for yourself or another family member, you may have encountered an “absorbed” trapped emotion. In my work, I’ve seen this between close friends or family members, and I also see it quite often in young children who absorb it from their parents, and finally, I’ve seen it in pets absorbing from their owners.

​Transition Rituals: “Clean” Entry from Work to Home
None of the above makes you a bad pet or human parent, friend, or family member. It is natural in the course of our lives that we carry these emotions and energies and that’s why you enlist the assistance of practitioners like myself.  In the meantime, though, you can help “cleanse” yourself outside of an appointment. Just as we wash our hands to keep the home clean and ourselves healthy, these rituals “wash” our energy field so we don't bring the "proverbial dust" of the office into our pet's space. It creates a "clean" entry into the home, ensuring the time spent with your pet is actually restorative for both of you. These practices create a "buffer" between work and our pet (and human) family. Here are a few ways to reset your energy field and help clear some of these energies.​

Creating a 'clean entry' is as simple as finding your own path back to center—leaving the digital noise in the woods and bringing only your presence home

1. Overall, do your best to eat, exercise and rest well. Having an overall well-balanced body and life can help reduce the chance that you are holding onto trapped emotions, misalignments, energetic allergies and other negative energetic impacts.
2. Enlist the help of mini rituals to shift the energy you may have experienced. Here are some of my go-tos

                 a. QiGong movements that move energy up and out of our bodies
                 b. Showers or salt baths
                 c. Grounding in nature – with feet or bodies direct to solid ground
                 d. Sound bathing – using the vibrational frequencies of crystalline sound bowls or other sound instruments, such as gongs and tuning forks, can                           help to relax us and balance our body's energetic and emotional states.

One cautionary note: If one of your rituals is to diffuse essential oils into your home or room, do be aware that some essential oils are not healthy for our pet companions. For more insight on which may be toxic, please refer to these resources for more help: DoTerra, Pet Poison Helpline, and ASCPA Essential Oil tips.. The toxicity varies by species – cats don’t necessarily have the same reactions as dogs as other small pets in the home. So It’s important to understand the impact before misting these oils.

Daily Balance: Doing Our Best

​In all that you do, know that you are doing the very best that you can. We often juggle many tasks, realities, and struggles in our daily lives. Find the way that works best for you to remind yourself to take a break. And in that break, “infuse” one of these activities into your day to reduce the “static buildup” of the day’s challenges and emotions. It helps you and of course has the downstream effect of helping the loved ones in your life – including your pet companions – and most especially those in your close physical environment. Wishing you wellness and joy ….

If you’re looking for more ways to support your animal companions, explore our full collection of resources in the Pet Wellness Hub. This approach is also a core part of the strategies we cover in the Professional Wellness Hub for career professionals looking to integrate these methodologies.

We are all doing our best to balance these two worlds. Sometimes, simply opening the gate with the intention of being present is the most powerful healing ritual of all.