animals, the world and me

I’ve probably already mentioned that the bunnies are currently going through a bit of a humping stage in their bonding process.

Believe it or not, humping isn’t just about mating – we have two boys so that would be pretty impossible. Humping, especially during bonding, is all about determining the hierarchy. One day one bunny may be trying to be top-bunny, the next it can be the other. It goes back and forth until they determine where they each stand in the relationship.

We started the bonding process with our two bunnies in the middle of February. And we chose to follow a plan where, every third day of 4+ hours each day involving no negative behaviour, we could expand the bonding pen by half a fence panel (about 30cm).

We started with a pen consisting of 4 panels, aiming towards a pen made up of 12 panels. If you give a few extra days at the start of the process for the bunnies to settle in, it should take about 55 days to reach the final pen size of 12 panels.

We hit a bit of a wall recently with our bunny bonding.

Spring Fever kicked in big time with Bobo. It’s something he experiences every year even though he’s been neutered and doesn’t have the same degree of hormones coursing through his body. All the same Spring Fever arrives faithfully in our home and with it comes the urge for Bobo to hump.

When it has come to our bonding experience, one of the Facebook groups focused on bunny bonding has proved absolutely invaluable to me.

In that group are a handful of experts with a ton of experience in bonding and who generously and freely give their guidance and support as you navigate the complicated and, often, challenging bonding process.

Each and every time I have asked questions seeking practical “how to” guidance, I have been met with sensible, practical, and sage advice.

Do you know what the primary cause is for the breakdown and failure of the bonding process between two (or more) bunnies?

You might be surprised to learn that it usually has nothing to do with the bunnies and everything to do with the humans involved, usually the guardians. Because humans aren’t the most patient species on the earth. And they also come with a rather large ego. Both of which, combined, can lead to disaster when you’re bonding bunnies.

Never in a million years would I have thought that learning how to bond two bunnies would teach me so much about life. And never in a million years would I have thought that I would be writing a series of posts about bunny bonding and sharing with you the life lessons I was receiving.

If nothing else, it proves that no matter what we’re doing, no matter how big or small, how important or trivial the task, life has always something to teach us… if we’re open to see and receive that invaluable lesson.

In my previous (and first) instalment about the lessons I am learning through our bunny bonding process, I talked about how Olaf was reacting out of fear when he and Bobo met, how he would instantly go into attack mode to protect himself. However, in a situation that was stressful and overwhelming for both bunnies, Bobo was able to remain relatively calm.

Firstly, I’m delighted to share that since those initial meetings, Olaf has calmed down and begun to realise that Bobo, though much bigger than him, isn’t a threat, but a bit of a softie.

Before I share about the first lesson we learned thanks to the beginning of our bonding journey with our bunnies, let me give you a brief history.

We can learn so much from those we share our lives with, especially, (I believe) our pets and young children because they don’t hide anything. They’re an open book. What they feel they share. There is no such thing as pretending or putting on a brave face. They’re completely and utterly honest. We, in turn, just have to be open to understand and observe what may be happening in their lives to grasp what may be happening in our own.

When people talk about manifesting, their focus tends to be on the things they want to manifest in their life. Very few focus on the things they don't necessarily want to manifest.

And, yet, the Law of Manifestation works both ways.

Because, an important concept contained within this law is "where attention goes, energy flows".

A few months ago, as I was out walking, I came upon 4 plastic boxes in a farmyard. Outside one of those boxes stood a lonely calf... just enough room in the box for shelter, just enough room outside the box to lie down.

The calf was being confined to a small area so he could neither exercise nor move, thus ensuring he didn't develop any muscle and, when slaughtered and fed in a restaurant or his meat sold in a supermarket, his meat would be tender and succulent.

Today is Mother's Day in the UK when we celebrate the amazing mothers and grandmothers who have helped us and supported us as we grew into the amazing people we are today.

We celebrate all mothers, both young and aged, both new and practised, around the world, for the love they give their children.

And today I invite you to also celebrate and show gratitude to Mother Earth herself.

As a child, when you pushed and pushed and pushed, eventually your mother would lose her patience and have to take measures in order to retain order and respect, right?

Why do we humans think Mother Nature would be so different?

If your children are running wild, if they're destroying everything that you have so generously provided for them, if they're abusing you, hurting you and disrespecting you, would you stand back and let them continue down that path of destruction? Of course you wouldn't.

On the first occasion I met Archangel Ariel, she brought with her two spirit animal guides for me; animals that were mighty and majestic. On this later occasion, when she wished me to pass on her message which I am now sharing with you, I was shocked by the animal that joined her.

Standing by her feet was a tiny, humble mouse.

Going from the presence of this strong and beautiful peaceful Tribal Queen with her lioness and my two majestic spirit animals to a strong and beautiful Tribal Queen with her lioness and a tiny little mouse, was somewhat of a shock.

Recently during a meditation and attunement I received an unexpected and hard-hitting message, delivered by Archangel Raphael in his gentle manner. At first I was a little confused by the message as it didn't seem to be the type of message that would be attributed to Archangel Raphael as, on the surface, it didn't seem to relate to healing.

However, after some contemplation, I realised that it was about healing; it was about the healing of the human spirit and respect for the sentient beings we share this planet with.

We're closing in on the final days of January and here, in the Swiss valleys, there's still no snow.

That's unheard of.

The bunnies and I moved to Switzerland to join my husband in early November 2015. And every January since, if not earlier, we've had snow fall on the valley.

But this year, not yet.

As humans, one of our most basic needs, most basic desires is to receive and experience love. And it's absolutely no different in the animal kingdom.

Animals give out unconditional love all the time.

Just think of a dog that's been abused, is rescued and given a new forever home. Do you think that dog holds a grudge against his previous human guardian and is, therefore, unable is love someone new who will return love to him/her?

A number of years ago, a few weeks before Christmas, my Mum phoned me with some shocking news: "Viv" she said, "this year for Christmas dinner we decided we'd just cook chicken instead of turkey."

There was a deafening silence on my side of the phone as I tried to take in what my Mum had said. No turkey at Christmas? NO!!! That could never be!

Some time ago I joined a weekend course which taught the basics of animal communication. Following the course I set up a private facebook page for anyone who had attended the course and wanted to keep practising so they could strengthen their new-found animal communication muscle.

Every now and then someone in the group posts a photo of a pet, it could be their own of that of a friend, and anyone who wants will tune into the animal and communicate with him/her, should he/she wish to communicate.

While on an animal communication course, I was communicating with a beautiful and highly sensitive dog.

Although new to animal communication, I felt our conversation was going quite well.

But then, suddenly, things seemed to change.

As you most likely already know, we have two bunnies, Forrest and Bobo, whom we adore with all our hearts.

And as you would expect, they are very different bunnies with very different characteristics. Where Forrest loves to kiss and lick us, and loves us petting and making a fuss over her, Bobo is very hands-off...

Recently, Forrest went in GI Stasis again. Although Archangel Raphael steps in each and every time I ask for his help and heals Forrest, it doesn't mean that she has since stopped going into GI Stasis. It does, however, mean that I can turn to Archangel Raphael for help and trust that he will step in for the highest good of Forrest.

Our most recent experience, that I am talking about here in this blogpost, taught me such an important lesson. A lesson in trusting fully and letting go.

I feel I would be remiss as someone who promotes the 3 loves: love of self, love of angels, and love of animals, if I didn't write down my feelings about the forest fires that have been consuming vast areas of our planet in recent weeks.

As I write this we are facing the most destructive forest fires ever as they consume vast areas in 4 corners of our planet: California, Alaska, Canary Islands and, most notably, the Amazon where the smoke has traveled 1500miles to Sao Paulo, smoke that is covering a landmass so huge it can be seen from space.

I often see orbs when I'm video-chatting with someone. 

What orbs are, are little balls of light that 'fly' across the screen. They aren't dissimilar to specks of dust but what differentiates an orb from a speck of dust is that the orb tends to move in an unusual direction (maybe zig-zagging) or at a faster speed than a speck of dust.

I started seeing orbs when I began working with the angels.

Norway is phasing out the use of palm oil by announcing a nationwide palm oil biofuel ban.

This is brilliant news and I hope many countries follow their example.

Palm oil is in so many products from cosmetics to our food and it's causing so much damage to rainforests, orangutan habitation and contributes to greenhouse gases.

We have two beautiful bunnies in our home; they're very much the centre of our little family and centre of my world.

So when they are ill or not feeling the best, the bottom tends to fall our of my world. I would and do do anything and everything I can to help them feel better.

And so was the situation with our princess, Forrest.

One of our bunnies, our little princess, Forrest, has a delicate and sensitive digestive system (a bit like me... I actually think she mirrors my health). It means she often (at least in the past) gets a dirty bum and she often goes into Gastrointestinal (GI) Stasis.

GI Stasis is a dangerous condition in bunnies and is the number one cause of premature death in healthy bunnies.