Dr. Doolittle move over. Marta Williams is the real-world animal communicator and in Ask Your Animal she effectively describes how to intuitively communicate with the reader’s pets. Primarily she focuses on horses with some discussion involving dogs and cats but does touch minimally on other animals. Williams starts the reader off with solid examples of intuitive communication. She follows up with practical exercises anyone can easily use. She promotes finding ways of communicating which best suit the reader rather than offer a rigid set of rules to follow. This flexibility allows the reader to better explore their own intuition.
Logically, Williams starts with how to send intuitively before moving on to receiving. Most pet owners already speak to their animals, so making the move to more intuitive conversation is a logical first step.
As with most guides to working with intuition, Williams advises the reader to ask questions and listen for the answers. Unlike most guides, she offers an array of possible questions in order to help the reader along. She covers a multitude of situations like keeping the peace among the animals; choosing or adding a new pet; and solving conflict among animals and between the animals and humans in a household. She also offers appropriate consequences for bad behavior including a closer look at the owner’s own behavior and how it affects the animals.
Unlike most holistic approaches, Williams involves different types of vets in her discussion on the care of animals. She refers to situations when it is necessary to see a typical vet or a holistic vet or trainer. At length she discusses common issues for animals and who is best qualified to address the issue – the standard vet or a communicator. She also discusses alternates to traditional shoeing for horses.
The analogies William presents offer clear insight into how her techniques are supposed to work. Additionally these analogies come from a variety of people lending more credibility to her technique and demonstrating others are able to effectively utilize these techniques. Williams seems to linger on the past a lot when dealing with animals. This could be because she works with rescue animals that may have more past issues of abuse and neglect. A typical family pet may not have the same types of issues so wouldn’t dwell in the past as much.
With care, Williams tackles the topic of death and dying animals. She helps the reader recognize the grief at the loss of an animal friend. Additionally when she delves into beliefs like reincarnation, which may not be shared by the reader, she suggests the reader simply skip the section. This demonstrates a respect for a variety of beliefs.
At the end of her book, Williams briefly discusses extending her technique to all living things including plants and the planet. She even offers exercises to help with these communications. She closes with an exercise to help create a better environment for everyone using her intuitive communication technique.
Williams is obviously an animal lover and environmentalist. While it is clear that she is passionate on the topic, she presents her views as a gentle options rather than the only right way. She isn’t militant or offensive in promoting her views and ideas instead gently leading the reader through her beliefs. The entire book reads like a friendly conversation.
For anyone who works closely with animals this book offers a valuable technique to implement. This, however, does not exclude the everyday pet owner who can also implement these techniques in an effort to improve relations with their own pet family.
~review by Eileen Troemel
Author: Marta Williams
New World Library, 2008
pp. 256, $14.95