photo: The She-Creature on flickr
Have you ever been to a psychic?
Even though I’m thoroughly woo-woo, I’ve only been to one psychic in my life, and that was in my twenties.
The psychic told me some things that were totally right-on, and other things that were way off. I can be extremely impressionable, and I’ve found it’s better for me to build a relationship with my own intuition than to rely too heavily on the intuitive information of others.
That said, I had the honor of getting to know someone who was not at all impressionable, someone who had such a clear sense of her own mind and her own will, that no psychic in the land could sway her.
Yes, that’s right, I’m talking about my Guru: Lucy, the cat. (For previous entries about Her Highness, go here and here and here.)
photo: z egloff
When my Guru made her way into my life, she was a year old. I found her in an animal shelter in Healdsburg, California. She was brought into the shelter by an elderly woman who mistakenly captured her in a raccoon trap.
From the minute I met her, the Guru was her feisty self. She let me hold her for about a minute. Then she bit me.
It was love at first sight.
I brought the Guru home to live with me and everything was fine. At least, for the most part.
She still had a tendency to bite and she often seemed pissed off. I had one friend who summed it up nicely. After gazing upon Lucy’s face for the first time, my friend remarked that she looked like she’d spent time in prison.
photo: z egloff
When another friend of mine mentioned she’d talked to an amazing pet psychic, I was intrigued.
After all, I had no idea what had happened to my Guru in the first year of her life. Her feistiness pointed to possible abuse. Why not talk to the psychic and see what came up?
So I set up an appointment and gave the woman a call. She lived on the East Coast, so I wasn’t able to see her in person.
As it turned out, that may have been for the best.
First of all, the woman let me know she didn’t like the term “pet psychic.” She preferred to be called an “animal intuitive.”
Got it.
Also, she sounded like she smoked about four packs of cigarettes a day and had known more than one bar fight in her time. This impression was purely from the sound of her voice and was probably totally made up. Probably.
photo: John Benson on flickr
We got down to business right away. She had me hold Lucy in my lap while she asked about her history.
Right away, the psychic started giving me information she would have no way of knowing.
She talked about a little kink in the middle of the Guru’s spine. I felt Lucy’s back: Sure enough, there was a little bump, right where the psychic said it would be.
The psychic said the bump was due to a fall Lucy had taken in her first year, a fall that was due to abuse. Apparently, Lucy had been around little children and they had not treated her well. The psychic said Lucy was probably not too happy about kids, especially boys.
This was totally on target. The Guru was terrified of kids, especially little boys.
photo: Jen Millward on flickr
The psychic also shared some fascinating tidbits.
Lucy, she said, was not athletic. (“She likes to recline,” the psychic said.)
It took a minute for this to sink in. Up until that moment, I’d thought all animals were athletic. But no. Animals, just like humans, have a range of sportiness. And the Guru, apparently, had not received that gene.
You mean that the Guru, like me, would have been the last one picked for the team in gym class?
Apparently so.
The psychic also said Lucy thought of our house as her house. “Don’t all cats think that?” I asked. “No,” said the psychic. “But Lucy does.”
photo: z egloff
The psychic then proceeded to give me advice on how to handle Lucy’s bossy persona. She dispensed this advice in a manner quite similar to Lucy herself. She was abrupt and even caustic.
Indeed, as the psychic rattled on, I realized she had maintained this brusque manner the entire session.
No wonder she’s a pet psychic, I thought. She’s not too good with people.
When at last the session was finished, I hung up the phone and went on with my life. As did the Guru.
Since that call, I couldn’t tell you how many times I referred to the information I received. The psychic’s advice helped me understand the Guru better. It helped me take better care of her, and have compassion for what she experienced before she came to live with me.
Yes, the psychic was abrupt, even rude at times. But she had a gift, a gift she was sharing with the world. One that aided both the Guru and me.
They say our teachers bring forth exactly what we need in service of our enlightenment.
Did the Guru lead me to the pet psychic in order that I might gain greater compassion for the Guru and the pet psychic? Did the Guru intend for the psychic to push my buttons so I could grow in tolerance and objectivity?
Or did she just want me to know she wasn’t athletic so I would stop trying to get her to chase her toy mouse?
She was a Guru, after all. She knew that she and the mouse were one and there was no need to chase anything.
Or maybe she was just lazy.
Either way, I never messed with the Guru. She was too busy reclining meditating.
photo: z egloff
Do you have a Guru with a tail? What has she or he taught you?! Share your comments below!
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Lucy’s friend, Jack, is from Healdsburg animal shelter too. But he’s a very athletic 14 year old whose only abuse has been having to occasionally wait for dinner.
Hi Tracy,
Wow – an athletic cat. What a concept.
From the standpoint of a cat, having to wait for dinner probably constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. Lucy is constantly waiting for dinner – starting right after breakfast. 🙂
XOZ
Kali, Lucy’s sister from another mother, was also abused and lost her hind leg in the process, as you know. She has taught me patience and letting go of (some) control. She brings me immeasurable joy and comfort. AND she calls the shots around here! She sends regards.
Hi Antonia,
Lucy and I send our regards back to Kali. Lucy is especially relieved to know that Kali calls the shots. “This is how it should be,” she tells me. 😉
XOZ
Hahaha — love hearing of this experience and how you integrated the abrasive, husky-voiced intuitive’s feedback into your daily life with Lucy.
My 2 gurus (grand-cats) are Mr. Mo and Archimedes, and they teach me repeatedly that it’s feasible to turn and walk away from any person who doesn’t particularly appeal to you and/or doesn’t offer you food. They also teach that a nap is desirable anytime, anyplace, and that cardboard boxes are way better without their contents.
Hi Karen,
I’m going to have to remember those lessons from Mr. Mo and Archimedes – especially the part about turning and walking away from those who don’t appeal. And the thing about the cardboard boxes.
One of the best parts about cats is that you don’t have to guess where you stand with them. They always let you know.
Thank you for sharing your gurus with us! 🙂
XOZ
Love Lucy — I have a Daisy — 13 and very much the Boss of the house and its inhabitants.
Hi Angelica,
Say Hi to Daisy for me. Glad to know that she’s keeping everyone in shape over there! 🙂
XOZ
Will do — she’s also a calico 🙂
so many times we think of what SHOULD be, rather than what IS. And so many problems come out of trying to force what is, into something else.
I became a much, much happier person when I took the Lucy approach to living. Relax if you want. Move if you want. Don’t chase toy mice (or join a rat race) if that ain’t your thing. Freak freely.
Thanks for sharing your story and the funny pics of Two-Face.
Hi Tanya,
I agree with you – the cursed SHOULD has gotten me into a lot of trouble. On the other hand, the Freak Freely school of life is so amazingly liberating. Do what you love – what a concept.
Two-Face says Hello. 🙂
XOZ
My semi-athletic 4-legged guru of the feline variety is named Zoe, also from an animal shelter, though not Healdsburg…she will tell you we are a matched pair. She sits on my feet when I meditate, and lets me know when it’s time or passed time to do so. Calico, of course, which is the only sort to have…I do call her “Z” but that’s been happening longer than I’ve known you!
Hi Janet,
I’m glad to know that I’m named after such an awesome cat. And a semi-athletic, 4-legged one at that.
I like the sitting-on-your-feet part. I’d say that I should train Lucy to do that, but we both know that would never happen.
XOZ
Very interesting for a non cat owner, I have had cats,dogs, rabbits, birds, lizards, fish, turtles and now nothing. Just myself to take care of which I do love. Bless you and Lucy and Cali. Love you all.
Hi Norma,
Taking care of yourself is a noble and worthy cause. Well worth all the time spent in such an endeavor.
My list of pets over this lifetime includes: cats, dogs, birds, turtles, fish, gerbils, mice, rabbits and newts. The weirdest were the newts. They scared me.
Bless you too!! 🙂
XOZ
Z, I wonder if Rowdy and Rascal will need physco therapy after all of this moving trauma. I KNOW I do.They were let outside Sun. for the first time in their new home and loved it. No attacks from the gentelman cat on the premises.
Glad to hear that the gentleman on the premises behaved himself. Always good when that happens. I will say a little prayer for Rowdy and Rascal! 🙂
Or love at first bite? Lucy is beautiful. We took in a stray cat who showed up at our house. The first time my husband tried petting him he bit him……4 puncture wounds and lots of antibiotics later, we kept him around by feeding him to make sure he didn’t have Rabies. When our dog invited him in through her doggy door he sprawled out on the floor and looked like he’d gone to heaven. My husband had the honor of naming him…..”Chomper” as he had become our dog’s best friend and would not be leaving. He has become quite domesticated and loves to curl up under the covers with my husband. He is definitely of the reclining variety. 🙂
Wow! Do you think the pet psychic, sorry! animal intuitive, works with bobcats? My husband and I do animal rescue and we have two females roughly a month apart in age. One we could seriously use some insight into, she has trust issues and we don’t really know how to communicate with her.
Hi Mary,
I don’t know for sure, but I would think you could find an animal intuitive who could talk to a bobcat. The pet psychic I worked with was named Marlene Sanders and she’s from the Philadelphia area. I don’t have her number anymore, but I sent an email to the friend who gave me the referral. I’ll post the number here if I get it. And good luck with the bobcats!
XOZ
Z, I couldn’t resist the blog. I once had a beautiful Batik. She looked very, very similar to Guru. She found me at the Safeway store in Guerneville. I needed to buy some milk and then this beautiful life grabbed my neck once I took her from the cardboard box. She grabbed my heart immediately. She was my psychic in that she would let me know about people, loved adventures, (sharing a home with a hamster) and all the agility I could possibly endure. She was with me for 19 years and I loved her very much.
Thank you for the opportunity to reflect on the love that can come to us in unexpected ways.
Smiles and laughter back to you!
Marlene
Hi Marlene,
Thank you for sharing about your beautiful psychic friend! 19 years is such a long time – I’m glad you were able to share so many years with her. Our Guru is currently 12. I have a feeling she’ll be around for a while longer.
Stop by again any time! 🙂
XOZ