Human-Animal Communication
It is obvious that all representatives of the animal kingdom communicate among themselves. Certainly, they do not use words, but elephants, whales and dolphins communicate with the help of body language and sounds. Humans and animals have an ability to communicate not only with their species. Communication between people and animals may be observed in everyday life. People are substantially dependent upon speech as the primary way of communication; therefore, in most cases, they are unwilling to accept other ways of communication.
The age of ecological emergency has caused the need to recognize the connection of people and other living beings. Communication between animals and humans has taken urgency and has a deeper meaning. Animals can teach people how to live in harmony with nature (Smith). Animal-human communication is based on the sign, signals and mostly on telepathy as both of them are able to get emotions, images, intentions and thoughts. The concept of communication between animals and humans has long existed in the history. It has been an element of many folk tales and myths.
Communication comprises signs and signals. Gesture, sounds and signals have evident meanings. Animal communication, which is genetically determined, includes screams, grunts and hoots which are used in similar situations to express one thing. In most cases, animal communication consists of signals (“What is Animal Communication?”). There is an idea that animals can tell us about health challenges or behavioral problems. People can notice and make out the pictures sent by pets, when they are quiet and their thoughts are set aside.
When animals start the flow of communication, they start feeling free, and their communication becomes more accurate and quicker. At this time, they seem to send whole messages conveying their thoughts. Animal communication helps to determine the feelings, thoughts and needs of an animal. It also gives information about a relationship with humans and other animals, their feelings concerning particular situation or place. Domesticated animals are examples of animals who try to communicate with humans. Attentive and caring animal owners can comprehend the message that is in the alert ears, shining eyes and wagging tails.
Pets usually convey messages to show that they want to play, go for a walk, that they are hungry, what they like and dislike, how their body feels, if they like their food, barn, kennel, sitter, trainer, saddle, blanket, and others. However, in order to express their thoughts and ideas more accurately, animals use their body language. Domesticated animals, for example dogs and cats, are the prime examples of successful animal–human communication. They live their entire lives in the human environment and pick up a lot of cues about how to express their needs and feelings. However, people must also learn how to understand pets and live in harmony with them. Dogs scratch at the door, when nature calls.
It gives the signal that a person should open the door and let the pet outside. Humans frequently seek to mimic communicative signals of animals to interact with them. Petting and stroking pet animals are types of specific communication which expresses affection and love. In the same way, people lose their eyes towards a pet, the same as cats do, in order to establish a tolerant relationship. Dogs may show the place, where something is hidden by pointing or looking at it (Diedrich). It is believed that animals rely on their sixth sense.
They can sense and predict disasters, catastrophes and bad events. Attentive pet owners may notice their ability to sense what is going on. Animals can successfully read human feeling and thoughts. Dolphins perceive the information with the help of sound waves which are generated in their skulls melon. This process is known as echolocation, which is also seen in bats, but the production mechanisms are different.
When being scolded, a dog is able to understand the mood of the owner; the animal gets information from his stance, tone and body language. In the same way, people differentiate between angry and happy barks and meows. Animals also communicate with humans through body language. Humans use body language to express ideas; it is also an essential part of business and romantic relationships. An animal uses body language in a similar way in order to communicate with humans. The example may be a dog that is cowering, when it is afraid or a cat that exposes its belly, when it feels comfortable.
The method which is used to convey messages between animals and humans is called telepathy. It is the most regular way of animal communication. Telepathy is considered to be sensing the ideas, feelings, thoughts and pictures which are in someone’s mind, before the words are uttered. Being a mind to mind connection, telepathy helps in dealing with emotional problems, behavioral problems, new animals, and others (“About Telepathic Communication”). All humans are born with the ability of telepathy. Nevertheless, people learn to rely on verbal communication and as a rule put telepathy aside, when these skills are not trained they become weak.
Animal owners have a terrific opportunity to develop them. Communication with an animal is a two-way process; thus, there is a sender and a receiver of information. Sometimes, when people ask their pets about the pain in their body, they may feel pain in an area of their own body. Animals may even show where the injury happened. In order to better understand animals, people have to treat them with respect and compassion as each animal is an individual with their own personality (“What is Animal Communication?”).
Many people do not know what to do with their emotional and mental energy. They unconsciously send it in various directions, without any notice of the effect they have on others. Animals have the ability to experience and reflect back people’s impinging upon them with their energy. As a rule, animals are exceptionally sensitive to the energy in the form of emotions, feeling, thoughts and intentions which are directed toward them. Sounds of different intensiveness may alarm, disturb or even provoke them. When people see animals, they flood them with energy in their desire to see favorite pets.
They automatically direct their energy on the animals. It can cause various reactions in animals which depend on their familiarity with a person and temperament. When animals receive uncontrolled energy from people, they may feel oppressed, angry, afraid, uncomfortable or distracted. The reaction of wild or traumatized animals is often considerably severe in such situations. Experience of communication with animals shows that they are drawn to a quiet and attentive environment (Smith). p; Animals are very sensitive creatures and aware of the energies which surround them.
Thoughts, feeling and emotions comprise the energy which is available to be picked up on. Dogs are considered to be man’s friends, because they care about their masters. They learn master’s expressions and know when he or she is ready to engage in some fun. They easily determine friends from enemies and show their teeth or press the mouth together (“Naturally Social: Cool Ways Animals Communicate”). As animals work on their feeling and intuition, they instantly pick up the pictures from people’s minds. Awareness of mental images in one’s minds may help in successfully communicating with animals.
When people see that their dog is going to snap at someone, people create a mental image of snapping, the dog sees the image and acts on it. Thus, it is crucial to be aware of the image behind the picture. When people feel fearful of a dog, it is quite natural that the dog will pick up the fear and react badly. Fear prevents us for effective communication with animals (“How We Are Able to Communicate with Animals”). People are conditioned to believe that animals are inferior to humans in their ability to feel, think and make choices.
It is vital to respect animals and recognize their essence as fellow intelligent beings. It is very important to discard any condescending attitude that animals are less evolved, lower and less intelligent beings as such thoughts may block true communication. Animals have the ability to get people’s emotions, tone of voice, images, intentions and thoughts, even if the words are not totally understood.It is possible to use in communicating with animals the same counseling techniques that are used by humans to help through problems and traumas. In order to make such communication effective, people have to admire spiritual qualities of animals, such as love, devotion, trust, sincerity, kindness, honor, humility, joy, unselfishness, wisdom, and many others. It will help to transform the relationship, enhance the two-way communication and understanding.
While working on the improvement of communication with animals, people should not flood them with emotions, regardless how positive or negative they are (Smith). In spite of the fact that the majority of those who have contact with animals claim that they do communicate, there are also those, who consider it a complete nonsense or the result of imagination. They are convinced that communication may be only in the oral form and with the help of words. As ccommunication in animal species ranges from vocalisms to behavioural gestures and movements, they cannot express their ideas and tough in the distinct way. The fact that we understand what animals want, like, or dislike is a sheer guess.
Some animals are able to communicate in ways we do not know about, or cannot understand but it is not proven. Humans communicate using spoken, written and code languages, as well as a body language, touch, sight and smell, whereas animals communicate through sounds, actions and cues. Human-animal communication may be provided in many ways, but the most frequently used one includes telepathy and body language. In order to make communication with animals successful, people have to put aside routine thoughts and treat animals as individuals.
