| If you think animals have no feelings, don't tell Carla | | | | functions is to work with my spirits to extract these |
| Persons. The Phoenix-born resident knows them | | | | misplaced entities and deliver them to a neutral place |
| better than just about anyone and she'll tell you they | | | | where they can contribute to the overall good of |
| sure do have feelings. In fact, she talks to them! | | | | things, instead of causing harm. After an extraction, we |
| As a youngster, Carla found she could talk to her spirit | | | | always fill the space with positive healing power of |
| teachers and friends. She also had a cat that was | | | | some kind." |
| what she calls "a higher being" with whom she | | | | Carla said her spiritual ally might sing a sacred song to |
| connected closely to. Then in high school, she began | | | | an animal through her. She captures the song on |
| studying mysticism. | | | | audiotape and then gives it to the animal's owner to |
| It wasn't until 1987, however, that a Shamanic healer | | | | pay to their pet over and over again. |
| told her that she was particularly oriented toward | | | | Some animals are healed through the instruction of the |
| animals and should learn how to communicate with | | | | spirits to give them specific herbs, essences, diet |
| them. She immediately contacted the Foundation For | | | | changes, poultices, message, aromatherapy, exercise |
| Shamanic Studies and completed her formal training in | | | | and more. Carla admits that she is not an expert in |
| 1998. | | | | such things, so she relies heavily on the advice she is |
| Today, the 39-year-old is a Shamanic healer and | | | | given, and so far, all prescriptions have proved positive |
| Animal Communicator. She operates a successful | | | | for the animal in question. In some case, the spirit ally |
| business helping people to better understand their | | | | may actually touch an animal to bring about a healing. In |
| animals, whether it is a fluffy little kitten or a horse in | | | | such cases where energy is used to cure an animal, |
| your stable. And it doesn't matter if your beloved pet is | | | | Carla might use a plant, light, crystal or other powerful |
| dead or alive. Either way, she can tell you what their | | | | item and chant over the animal to bring relief. |
| thinking, what is bothering them and how to correct the | | | | If your animal has passed over, Carla can find out if |
| problem. But how she does it is fascinating. First she | | | | the animal has happily settled in the spirit world and will |
| goes into a Shamanic trance. | | | | communicate any messages that the animal may |
| "I use a drum and rattle, and I sing sacred songs," said | | | | have for its previous owners. |
| Carla. | | | | "A loved one's death can be a most sorrowful and |
| She does not hear the animals speaking in our reality, | | | | heart-wrenching event. It helps to contact the animal |
| but rather during the time she's in the trance-like state. | | | | (or person) and learn what its new world is like, and |
| "Only once in a while does spirit manifest so strongly | | | | make sure he or she is doing okay. It is also nice to |
| that I can perceive them in three dimensions with | | | | hear soothing messages from the loved one and to |
| ordinary reality senses, incarnate and temporal. It has | | | | learn if he or she has plans to come back and live with |
| happened, but it is rare. I hear the loud and clear in | | | | you again." |
| non-ordinary reality." | | | | If animals die suddenly, it may not go directly to the light |
| Most people today are aware of Shamanic healing. It is | | | | and cross over. This can be a problem for the soul of |
| the oldest for of healing, which has been practiced | | | | the animal, as well as for its previous owner. |
| since the binning of humankind. | | | | "Ghosts are often those lost wandering souls. |
| What a Shaman actually does is connect with | | | | Sometimes too, a soul stays her for a while before |
| compassionate spirits and seek their help to heal | | | | moving on, to comfort others or just get used to the |
| people. In Carla's case, she uses their expertise to heal | | | | idea of being dead. This is generally not a problem and |
| animals instead. | | | | the soul moves on when it's ready. As a Shamanic |
| "The Shaman enters a Shamanic state of | | | | practitioner, one of my jobs is to journey to these lost |
| consciousness through listening to rhythmic percussion. | | | | souls. My spirits and I help them understand they are |
| He or she then journeys to the world of spirits and | | | | dead, and help them move to the light where they will |
| connects with spirit allies for healing work. These spirits | | | | find peace and healing." |
| are available to help everyone and the Shaman's role | | | | The concept of reincarnation also comes into play in |
| is often to reconnect clients with their helping spirits, | | | | Carla's work. If an animal has had a bad experience |
| restoring their personal power." | | | | with a particular person in a previous life, it will likely act |
| In the case of animals, Carla said they have powerful | | | | out in some way in this one. |
| animal spirits that can help them. Once the particular | | | | "My spirits and I can perform healing on the past and |
| animal spirit has been contacted, the Shaman then | | | | current relationships to help things go better today." |
| asks for diagnoses of the animal's problem. A | | | | Another interesting aspect of her work with animals is |
| domestic pet like a cat or dog may have emotional | | | | called 'soul retrieval.' Shamans believe that when a |
| issues or physical problems that cause behavioral | | | | person suffers from a physical or psychological |
| problems. Other animals, such as horses, may suffer | | | | problem, it indicates that part of one's soul has split off |
| with lameness or some other illness and needs pain | | | | and cannot contribute to the person being whole. This |
| relief. Carla says that an animal's ailments are often | | | | can show itself through such things as memory loss or |
| both physical and spiritual, and it's important to | | | | just a feeling of incompleteness. |
| understand the animal's point of view. When she is first | | | | Often people lose a part of themselves as an |
| asked to help an animal, she will visit with it in | | | | emergency measure, to keep them from remembering |
| non-reality and find out such things as the pet's past | | | | such things as accidents, abuse or other trauma. |
| memories and current impressions. | | | | "There are pretty predictable situations that will call for |
| "In that journey, I also enter the animal's body and see | | | | soul retrieval – loss of memory, sense of not being |
| if there is pain or injury. I ask my spirit to heal the hurt | | | | all there, extreme shyness, etc." |
| and learn if there is any treatment that would be good | | | | In order for a person or pet to become whole again, |
| to pursue." | | | | they must retrieve their missing parts. In Carla's case, |
| Carla noted that one horse in Arizona told her he was | | | | she contacts her animal spirit allies to find out what |
| lonely and really wanted to be with the horses in | | | | part of an animal's soul is missing and brings it back to |
| another paddock. The horse also missed a particular | | | | them. She claims to have good results in this area with |
| colt he was fond of. When the horse was reunited | | | | horses, dogs and cats. On her site at she lists several |
| with one of the mares and her colt, the horse was | | | | success stories, including a Pekinese, a cat named |
| happy. | | | | Pepper, a horse named Harley in Arizona, horses in |
| Other Entities | | | | Florida and a litter of Doberman puppies. |
| "When people and animals are vulnerable and | | | | On her site, she also offers courses and workshops |
| dis-empowered, it is possible for entities that don't | | | | for anyone interested in becoming a Shamanic Animal |
| belong to enter our bodies. These misplaced entities | | | | healer and communicator. As well, she has Shamanic |
| can cause persistent sickness, soreness and other | | | | books, tapes and other resources available for |
| undesirable things. As a Shaman, one of my key | | | | purchase. |