The Dreaming – Excerpt #41

The Dreaming




“Well,” she took a defensive stance, “dogs don’t talk.  Normally.”  That was true, wasn’t it?

“Cream, come here.”

She watched Peaches closely, clearly hearing her say the words to Cream without moving her lips.





The Dreaming is available now in paperback and eBook formats.



As always, thank you for reading,



Gina Briganti writes paranormal, fantasy, and sci-fi romance in north Texas. Her constant companion is a special soul who masquerades as a dog.

Visit her blog,, for book trailers, newsletter sign up, and whatever else she thinks up.

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Boomer Goes to the Vet: The How to Version for Reiki Practitioners



It’s 8:18 in the morning, and I’m supposed to help Boomer relax during his veterinary appointment at 8:30. 486 miles away. Will I make it in time? You bet! Using a blend of distance Reiki and animal communication, I’ll be able to help him through some of the most anxious moments of his life.

How to: Distance Reiki is a level II technique. If you took Reiki level II with me, you probably practiced it during the class with a photograph of a person who knew it was coming so that you could compare notes of what you experienced, and what they experienced. If you need a refresher, you can find the distance symbol in your notes or in The Reiki Sourcebook by Bronwen and Frans Stiene.

How I prepared to connect with Boomer is that I quieted everything within me. Mind, body, and spirit were still. Once I felt connected to Boomer, I visualized that we were together. In my mind’s eye, I spoke to Boomer, calming him. I pet him, the same way I would if we were together in the same room. The energetic version of Boomer was terrified to be on the way to the veterinarian’s office, but the connection I made with him during his first session calmed him. My intention was to place my hands over his crown chakra, the way I would if I was with him, but he was too upset for that. Boomer responded to feeling the Reiki come through my hands as I pet him.

You will read below about how I learned to communicate with animals. I have worked with some of my students to help them develop their ability in their own ways. I’d love to help you with it.

Please understand that intuition, and animal communication, work in different ways for different people. If you are clairaudient, you may be able to hear them the way that I do. If you are clairvoyant, you may be able to see mental images that they are showing you. If you are empathic, you may be able to sense what they are saying, and translate that sense into words for them. I think that empathic knowledge is the most common way that intuition presents itself.

I think the most basic action you can take to deepen your communication with animals is to spend time in meditation. In addition to meditation, you can add an affirmation. I suggest the one I used. I was being literal, but, well, that’s how things happen sometimes. “Help me to see what I cannot see. Help me to hear what I cannot hear.” I will also gladly build an energy bridge between you and an animal that you wish to communicate with to help deepen the process for you both.

Questions? Please ask.

Back to the original story:

You see, Boomer is a sensitive dog who senses things that have gone on in that veterinary office. When his people asked me to help them figure out why he is so incredibly afraid of his annual appointment, I had no idea that his anxiety was so palpable. Boomer informed me that he has really good reasons for not wanting to go there. Animals have died there and he knows it without a doubt. Animals are hurt there. In pain there. Did I know that they cut animals with knives there? Boomer asked this question of me in a panicked voice during a complete anxiety attack that he experienced just from talking about going to the vet for his shots.

During my first talk with him about his upcoming appointment, I spent time helping him to release that anxiety. He loved it. He responded to it. It made a difference. When it was time for the actual visit weeks later, I could help him repeat his mantra – “They’re not trying to hurt me. They’re not trying to hurt me.” We repeated it together while I added in soothing Reiki. In addition to my efforts, I recommended Bach Pet Rescue Remedy, a flavorless liquid homeopathic preparation that you drop into your pet’s water.

For the first time in his life, Boomer was able to go to the vet without a total melt down. He allowed the technicians to do everything they needed to do without trying to escape or making much noise at all. He does still need to work on letting the technicians take him out of his people’s sight. He’s no dummy. Those back rooms are where all the bad things happen.

If you’ve never met an animal communicator before, allow me to introduce myself. You may recognize me from other jaunts around Tipsy Lit. I don’t consider myself so much a communicator, as I do a translator. Animals don’t speak a different language than we do, it’s just that a lot of people can’t hear them. All communication is energy.

My Reiki master training led me to accidentally tap in to this ability when I was practicing a master technique and my lovely miniature pinscher, Baby Doll, laid her head on my knee. Soon after, the simple things we say about our animals, such as “He wants water,” or “She doesn’t like onions,” became extremely accurate between Baby Doll and I. For example, Baby Doll would go to the door and stand there expectantly. I asked her, from my mind to hers, why she was there. She would answer the same way, letting me know that there was someone coming up the walk. It took them at least 10 minutes to get to the door. She must have tapped into their intent and shared it with me.

My understanding of how animals communicate grew to the point where I can help animals with all sorts of things, like barking and digging. Those are very common behaviors that I’m asked to address. It’s also very helpful to owners to know what an animal is experiencing during big moves or changes.

Can I express with words how satisfying it is to be able to help an animal share what’s behind their behaviors? Or what names they use for their people? And the expressions on their faces when I start talking to an animal that hasn’t been “spoken” to before…priceless. The ears go sideways. The body, still. Their eyes are intent on mine. Can you imagine how funny it was when my daughter’s cat stared at someone else, didn’t get a response, and turned to me to ask if that person “speaks cat.”

When our dog Lucy realized that I could speak to her and that no one else in the house could, she started treating me as her translator. Someone would ask her a question, then she would turn to me and stare at me until I tuned in to her answer. Then she looks at the asker when I’m telling them what her response is, and then turns back to me when they ask for her response.
Life with animals takes on a whole new dimension. For me, for them, and for their owners.