Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Universal Wisdom: An Interview with Sandra Mendelson, Animal Communicator


Universal Wisdom: An Interview with Sandra Mendelson, Animal Communicator
By Gina McKnight
Archived from the December 2019 issue of Florida Equine Athlete
No duplication without permission (c).

Communicating with animals is not a new idea. People have been talking to their pets since the beginning of time. But how many of us can hear our pets talk back? Not many, I suppose. To hear what your pet has to say, we need an expert. Sandra Mendelson is an expert Animal Communicator. She is a “channel of animal consciousness” connecting with animals “to create deeper bonds of understanding.”

An intriguing subject, Sandra tells us that communicating with animals can bring health and well-being to both an animal and it’s human partner. There is so much to say about this process and how it can enhance and propel our lives. Sandra is the author of We Walk Beside You, a profound look into the insights of animal communication.

Welcome, Sandra!

GM: Sandra, your services are invaluable to so many. Hearing what our pets have to say creates a greater bond. When did you realize you could communicate with animals?
SM:  Happy to say, I came quite late to the party (maybe this will inspire people to realize, you don’t have to be aware of your abilities starting in childhood!).  I first “heard” a horse in 2012, when I was 52 and was doing photopuncture (acupuncture with light instead of needles) on his injured leg. A voice - that was not my own - boomed loudly in my head: “THIS HAY IS CRAP” – and five minutes later, one of the horse “moms” showed up and announced, “There’s mold all over the hay.”

GM: That’s amazing! Of course, mold on hay can be a real health issue! When in a session with a client and their animal, what is the process?
SM: I first schedule a phone conversation with the human alone. This gives them time to share their story, their concerns about/questions for their pet and anything they want me to know about their relationship.
Next, they email me a photo of their pet and, if the pet is still in physical form, I have them ask their pet’s permission for me to connect with them.  EG: "Max, is it ok with you if my friend Sandra tunes into you?  Please feel free to tell her anything you want to share with me” (note: I've never gotten a "no" from the animal yet - if the human wants to connect on a deeper level, the animals have always been on board!).  However, there is always the chance that the animal will not want to participate so we have to honor that.  If they clearly walk away or show any negative behavior such as pinned ears, that would be a “NO”.

I then tune into the animal and the session takes however long it needs.  Finally, I type up and send the transcript to the client via email.  Sometimes, the client wants to delve deeper (eg: their pet has made suggestions and they have questions about moving forward), so we schedule a follow up mini session.

GM: How can I, as a horse owner, delve into this type of communication with my horse? Is it possible? Or do I need a special skillset?
SM: All humans have the innate ability to communicate with animals and understand what they are saying, to some degree. Every one of us possesses intuitive capabilities that make this possible, we are just not taught how to identify or access them in our society.  I wrote an article that describes these gifts, known as “the clairs” e.g.: clairvoyance, clairsentience, etc. and how to get started using them to connect with animals. Animals are the greatest teacher in this regard! You can find the article on my website here: https://www.smendelson.com/post/2018-03-01-how-to-start-connecting-with-animals

In short, I believe the extent of our individual abilities has a lot to do with our personal life path and what we are meant to learn in this lifetime.  In other words, not everyone needs to write books, but they can begin understanding animals more deeply by meeting them on their level.  This means getting out of the “monkey mind”, learning to be fully in the moment, to receive and not strive for outcomes, and to trust what they feel, sense or “just know”, outside of their five senses.

GM: Please share with us one of your favorite anecdotes…
SM:  One woman called me because she was very concerned about her Border Collie Lola’s behavior, which had inexplicably become so aggressive that she had stopped taking her to agility competitions.  She was increasingly afraid of her behavior in public, anywhere.  Well, as it happens the woman underwent three serious knee and hip operations/replacements over the previous year and a half.  Lola just blew my mind; here is a snippet of what she had to say:

“Nothing and no one will ever get the better of her again – mark my words!  It’s more than just what happened physically;  I HAVE to be vigilant and keep negative energies away from her; they’re EVERYWHERE and can be carried by ANYONE (human or not).”

Me:  You know she has to walk her own path.

Lola:  NO! NO! NO! She’s not paying attention!  This is craziness and it’s obvious to me but not to her.  I look like the one with the problem, but I don’t care what anyone thinks.  Who else can point this out and protect her?  It’s a good thing you asked because she just thinks I’m nuts!

Well, the woman cracked up laughing, saying “that sounds exactly like her.”  As follow up, I asked the client to keep reassuring Lola that, “Now, with my new hips, I am stronger than ever and really safe.”   A week and a half later, the client emailed me that she took Lola to an agility competition and the aggression was gone: she was her happy self once again.

GM: Lola sounds like a really caring dog! What animals do you care for and do your own animals help you to communicate with other animals?
SM:  At this time, my animal partner is a dog named Mister T.  He doesn’t get involved in my client sessions, but he has helped me tremendously to trust what I get, be fully in the moment and out of my monkey mind (all critical to successful animal communication).  His messages are featured several times in We Walk Beside You, and one reader just told me that “He is a guru; the ‘T” stands for truth.”   He also came up with the idea for the children’s books!

GM: Do you sometimes find that an animal needs to talk with their owner (through you) in order to lead a successful life? Have you seen this result many times?
SM: Without fail, when a client has contacted me because of their pet’s odd/troublesome behavior, there have always been issues the pet needs to share in order to move forward.  One client adopted a dog who would just freeze up in terror, out of nowhere, and stop eating and drinking for three days at a time.  As soon as the dog shared the details of what she survived during her 10 years at a Romanian “asylum” she became calmer, more affectionate and trusting…and the terrors stopped.  Even while I was texting with her human right after the session, he was shocked that she came over and laid at his feet – something she had never done.   They truly begin healing, once they are heard.

GM: In general, which animal (dogs, cats, horses, etc.) do you see often, or is it a good mix? Are horses, for instance, easier to communicate with than dogs, or does it depend upon the individual animal?
SM:  Well, since my clients contact me virtually, they could be calling about any kind of animal since I don’t need to be there with them.  I get the most dogs, cats and horses, followed by small pets like guinea pigs, turtles, etc.  As for ease of communication? It’s always an individual thing; one horse took three months until he was ready to talk to me while I was writing We Walk Beside You…but, oh boy- when he finally spoke, it was breathtaking!  However, for individual sessions, I always ask my clients to get their pet’s permission beforehand. So, it’s really a team effort and the animals have always been on board and willing to talk. In the wild, some animals will talk, some won’t – again, it’s an individual thing based on how evolved they are, and whether they want to make the effort to create greater understanding among humans.

GM: As an author, you have written a series of children's books. Tell us about your children's books and how they can influence children to connect with animals.
SM:  As I mentioned, the children’s books were my dog, Mister T’s idea, not mine!  I kept asking him “what happened to you?” as he had been found on the side of the road.  Here is what he told me:

“I could tell you my story, but I don’t dwell on hardship. I envisioned the life I wanted, and it became so. Humans can do the same, but they don’t believe it. I prefer to focus on teaching children to use their internal eyes and ears (their hearts and bellies) so they can hear us and know how powerful they are. We can help them trust themselves this way and look inside themselves for answers!”  He continued: 

“This is not schoolbook learning; it is inner wisdom and must be cultivated from a young age. Children need to say or write down what they feel when they are with us, because they are still pure enough to bring through the truth of the messages we send them. They can show their parents what we share with them if they are encouraged to do so.  If they are watered like a plant, even just a little bit, their innate abilities will no longer be buried and become inactive and forgotten.” I think it would be very important and you should tell the other animals and have them contribute what they want to say to kids.”

So, I took his suggestion to the animal kingdom, having no idea that I would receive such willing participation.  Animals are just wonderful at raising children (both theirs and ours!).  They are also quite clear about the tools that can help today’s children realize their own intuitive gifts, so they become the adults of tomorrow who are more self-aware, inner-directed,  grounded, joyous, and empowered. The premise of The Secrets of the Animals trilogy - using real animal messages set to rhyme- is to share these tools in a fun, non-preachy way: 

Mister T acts as narrator and guide, taking children on a different adventure in each book:  In Book 1 travelling through the neighborhood, in Book 2 down on a farm and, in Book 3 (still unpublished), they venture out into the jungles, forests, oceans and plains of the world. On each journey they meet different animals, each of whom shares a special secret “Animal Wisdom Way” that helps children believe in themselves and trust their intuitive voice, which enables them to understand what animals are communicating. 

GM: Sandra, you are certified in Equine Photopuncture, Light Therapy, and you are also a Health and Nutrition coach. All of these tools require skill and technique. You work a lot in Light Therapy. What is a Polychromatic Light Therapist?
SM: Someone who is professionally certified to simultaneously apply two or more wavelengths of light (color) to the body, from light emitting diodes (LEDs).  The light is pulsed at the frequencies of different tissues in the body and stimulates the body’s own regeneration mechanism, accelerating the healing of pain, inflammation and infection.

GM: Please share whatever you would like with the world about light therapy and how it can enhance our life...
SM: Polychromatic Light Therapy is a non-invasive, drug-free therapy that has been proven and utilized by NASA for decades.  It supports the body’s own healing mechanism by increasing circulation and blood flow; as a result, pain and inflammation decrease or disappear, and back and joint pain, bone fractures, soft tissue injuries and bruises, burns, peripheral neuropathy, non-healing wounds, mood disorders, skin conditions, traumatic brain injury and more, typically heal much faster. 

The most significant point, however, is that you don’t need to be certified to buy and use a light therapy device on yourself, family, friends and your pets. You just have to make sure you buy one that:

1)  Delivers light that is pulsed at the healthy frequencies of the body’s tissues (spurs healing much faster).  These are called Nogier frequencies.  You’d also want the system to include Solfeggio frequencies which are very calming and de-stressing – because a body in a stressed state has a very hard time healing.

     2) Provides polychromatic wavelengths: these different colors such as visible red and blue, and invisible infrared light, each reach different depths and tissues in the body

     3) Is a Class 2 medical device, meaning it is FDA cleared for at-home use. You don’t want to mess around with inferior, knock-off products (and there are lots of them on the market) as they have already proven to be dangerous or ineffective. 

If you’d like to know more about light therapy and what it is used for, check out the following link:

Connect with Sandra…
Have a question? Email Sandra…  sandra@smendelson.com

Gina McKnight is a freelance writer from Ohio USA.








Monday, December 30, 2019

Milliron Monday: Christmas at the Movies 12 30 19

Abbott "Pete" Smith, D.V.M.
June 16, 1938 - February 22, 2010

Welcome to Milliron Monday where every Monday we celebrate the legacy of Pete Smith, D.V.M., and  Milliron: Abbott “Pete” Smith, D.V.M. The Biography (Monday Creek Publishing 2017). A graduate of Colorado State University and a well-known veterinarian in southeast Ohio, Dr. Smith continues to motivate and inspire. 

During the Christmas season, Milliron Clinic's business could be slow. Clients were busy with celebrating, as well as the Clinic staff. Except for emergency calls, Dr. Smith was on holiday, too. 

In his later years, Dr. Smith and Jody liked to go to the movie theater at Christmastime. Many people celebrate tradition by going to the movies. (This is true for my family. We went to see Star Wars last week - it's highly recommended!). 

Raised on the arts and literature (in Maine, before moving to Colorado), Dr. Smith appreciated a good drama. One of his favorite movies was A Lion in WinterI remember talking with Jody about Dr. Smith going to the local movie theater during the holidays, usually Movies10 (the theater showing 10 different flicks), he would begin by watching one movie, but then sneak into another movie, and maybe another. Jody, all the while, was still watching the movie they had intended watching in the first place. 

I hope you make it to the movie theater this holiday season. There is something to be said about the big screen, surround sound, and theater popcorn. Enjoy your journey to the New Year!




Through captivating, powerful, and emotional anecdotes, we celebrate the life of Dr. Abbott P. Smith. His biography takes the reader from smiles to laughter to empathy and tears. Dr. Smith gave us compelling lessons learned from animals; the role animals play in the human condition, the joy of loving an animal, and the awe of their spirituality. A tender and profound look into the life of a skilled veterinarian.

Thursday, December 26, 2019

Monday, December 23, 2019

Milliron Monday: Merry Christmas 12 23 19

Abbott "Pete" Smith, D.V.M.
June 16, 1938 - February 22, 2010

Welcome to Milliron Monday where every Monday we celebrate the legacy of Pete Smith, D.V.M., and  Milliron: Abbott “Pete” Smith, D.V.M. The Biography (Monday Creek Publishing 2017). A graduate of Colorado State University and a well-known veterinarian in southeast Ohio, Dr. Smith continues to motivate and inspire. 

Happy Eve before Christmas Eve! Winding down a successful year, we don't hesitate to give back to our family, friends, and community. Christmas is a good time to "pay it forward" and bless others as we have been blessed. Sometimes blessings are intangible - spending time with those we love sometimes is better than any wrapped gift. Time is the ultimate gift.

Around Christmas, you could find Dr. Smith and Jody spending time at the local church, a couple of their family flock in tow for the annual children's Christmas program. The sheep, beloved by all, were welcome on stage with the children. Baa, Baa.. real sounds for a humble nativity.

As we move into Christmas, remember those who are on emergency call and may be pulled away from their family to save a life. Best wishes for a Merry Christmas.


Through captivating, powerful, and emotional anecdotes, we celebrate the life of Dr. Abbott P. Smith. His biography takes the reader from smiles to laughter to empathy and tears. Dr. Smith gave us compelling lessons learned from animals; the role animals play in the human condition, the joy of loving an animal, and the awe of their spirituality. A tender and profound look into the life of a skilled veterinarian.


Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Monday, December 16, 2019

Milliron Monday: Emmett E. Stansbury, D.V.M. A Second Look

Abbott "Pete" Smith, D.V.M.
June 16, 1938 - February 22, 2010

Welcome to Milliron Monday where every Monday we celebrate the legacy of Pete Smith, D.V.M., and  Milliron: Abbott “Pete” Smith, D.V.M. The Biography (Monday Creek Publishing 2017). A graduate of Colorado State University and a well-known veterinarian in southeast Ohio, Dr. Smith continues to motivate and inspire. 


Dr. and Mrs. Emmett E. Stansbury at their home in Middleport, Ohio.
The home still stands.

Last week, I posted about the portrait of Dr. Emmett E. Stansbury in the hall of (former) Milliron Clinic. I wondered where Dr. Smith acquired the portrait, as it is fairly old (circa late 1800s).


After last week's post new information has surfaced. Searching through ancestry records, I found that Dr. Stansbury was a longtime resident of Middleport, Ohio. He was a beloved veterinarian in SE Ohio and the surrounding area. His home (above) still stands on 3rd Street in Middleport.


Talking with Dr. Smith's widow, Jody, she remembers that the portrait of Dr. Stansbury was gifted to Dr. Smith. When Dr. Smith first arrived in Athens, Ohio, he worked with Dr. Marvin Phillips and Dr. James Bratton at the Athens Veterinary Hospital. Dr. Phillips gifted the portrait to Dr. Smith. The rest of the story I do not know, but like most professions, a respected veterinarian lives on - even now as I write of both Dr. Stansbury and Dr. Smith. 
Emmett E. Stansbury, D.V.M.

Have a great week ahead.

Through captivating, powerful, and emotional anecdotes, we celebrate the life of Dr. Abbott P. Smith. His biography takes the reader from smiles to laughter to empathy and tears. Dr. Smith gave us compelling lessons learned from animals; the role animals play in the human condition, the joy of loving an animal, and the awe of their spirituality. A tender and profound look into the life of a skilled veterinarian.

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Art From the Heart: An Interview with Artist Diana Manitu



Art From the Heart: An Interview with Artist Diana Manitu
with Gina McKnight

From USA, meet artist Diana Manitu! The proprietor of Art From the Heart, Diana offers eclectic art. Whether it’s creating through henna paste, charcoal, and/or chalk pastels, Diana is a “person who wants to sprinkle little parts of her soul throughout the world around her and hopefully positively impact those whom her art reaches.”

Welcome, Diana!

GM: When did you realize you wanted to become an artist?
DM: I never really "realized" I wanted to be an artist. I was more-so influenced in wanting to do art of some sort by art history and architecture in our everyday lives. Art has a way of simplifying things, and so when I would see that some complicated subject or very involved matter could be easily drawn out or explained via a singular image, it was essential for me to be able to impact others in the same manner. Art gives me that option. I was also largely influenced by my Pawpaw, Boyd Hiser, and his work as a realist and folk artist.

GM: Do you remember the first piece of art you created?
DM: My work is greatly influenced by Eastern cultures (particularly Eastern Indian). Henna and the designs associated with that practice is what first "drew" me in toward that specific style of art. The first quality piece of art I made was for a friend that wanted a psychedelic piece with lots of recurring designs and patterns. When I started on it, I thought, this is gonna be crap. Why would he ask a novice artist like me? However, as the image began to develop as I worked on it, I started to believe in myself a little more. Apparently, it was a success, because he still has it hanging in his home. That is one (of many) important things that art has taught me, that there will never be a time you are ready for people to see what you create, there is no comfort zone that you reach before you are able to present your work - and that's a good thing, it ensures you to learn acceptance of and with yourself, and that applies to so many other areas of your life!

GM: What mediums do you like to use?
DM: My preferred mediums are pencil, henna paste, charcoal, and/or chalk pastels. I use paints as well, but feel most comfortable and adept at those particular mediums. When I want to push boundaries with myself, or I feel like I need to decompress and get out of my own skin, I will use mediums that make me a little uncomfortable and doubt myself. It is a way of accepting the way I feel about things, purging them, and maybe the art I am creating in the process will actually turn out decent! Haha!

GM: What are you currently working on?
DM: I am currently working on Christmas presents! Haha! Starving artist is a real thing, and so everyone is getting some sort of small art piece instead of a bought gift. I am the oldest of 8 kids, and each one of us has a very unique personality. I plan on doing a collection of silhouettes - one from each person, and at all different angles - and then adding a mane of the different things that embody their personality. I love working with silhouettes because of the generality it gives an image, but then adding extremely personal notes, to create a piece that could be androgynous, but you know it isn't, because only those particular traits are associated with only THAT person. Aside from that, I am working on base line sketch ideas for an Alice in Wonderland tarot deck I want to eventually develop fully and have printed.

GM: Describe your studio and where you like to work...
DM: My workspace is more of a drafting table in the corner of a room than it is an actual studio. Even then, I won't always complete a piece at my art desk. My studio is anywhere I feel like being. When I sketch, it's normally on the floor or ground; when painting, I sit outside; when working on a piece to sell or that is a present, I complete it at my desk. My corner is a creative little space. It has my art desk and supplies, a red leather swivel chair (that doesn't go well with the desk at all, but I love it because it is unique), and vintage style anti-war propaganda (which I collect). I have a special piece my Pawpaw did in his younger years adorning the other wall next to my desk (as he was an artist and a big inspiration of mine), as well as a stereo system and incense burners to help me relax, jam out, and get in the flow.

GM: What drives your inspiration and motivation to be creative?
DM: Everything inspires me! My happiness, the world's goings-ons, trauma, time, peace, everything inspires and motivates me. The biggest motivation for me to create is the understanding it helps me achieve within myself. I feel healed when I am working on a piece and that gets addictive.

GM: Do you have advice for novice artists?
DM: The only advice I would give novice artists are certain things I wish I could have someone say to me, haha! They are to never stop working on a doodle or sketch or art piece because you feel like it could be better and you start doubting yourself. It goes back to that comfort zone point said earlier - there will never be a time you get "good enough" to feel completely content with putting your work out there. But it is imperative that you do continue to work on it and you do not stop because what YOU have to offer the world is unique to the person that you are and you have every bit as much right to put your work out there as anyone with a degree in art or anything of that sort. Creativity isn't measured by any social construct - creativity just IS.

GM: Do you have a favorite piece of art of your own creation?
DM: I do not have a favorite piece of my own. I have a difficult time genuinely loving the work I do personally, and so that makes it difficult to pinpoint which piece I like the most. Additionally, I feel like my art is always changing, my ability is always growing, and therefore it makes older pieces of my work seem less special to me. (Art is a way to process my dislike for a lot of different aspects of myself.)

GM: Who is your muse or favorite artist?
DM: I do not have a specific muse. If I had to choose my favorite artist, it would be Salvador Dali. His perception of the world is palpable through every single one of his works, his is unashamed and forward-thinking, and his execution is clean, precise, detailed, and unbiased to any particular color scheme, theme, or subject matter. You can see him oozing from the paint in his art works, and those are traits that I really vibe well with.

GM: Are you available for illustration or work for hire collaborations?
DM: YES! I am available for illustrations and work for hire collabs!

GM: List 10 things that your fans may not know about you...
DM:
1. I have 7 younger siblings!
2. I have a Halflinger horse named Avalon.
3. I have a fascination with mushrooms and snails.
4. I do not throw away receipts from doing activities with the people I love.
5. Purple is my favorite color.
6. I first got interested in henna tattoos through belly dancing.
7. Autumn is my favorite season, because of the contrast between the gray trees, dying grass, and very colorful leaves.
8. I am terrified of caterpillars.
9. I love to write slam poetry.
10. I am a cheese connoisseur, and LOVE to cook.

Connect with Diana…





Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Milliron Monday: Letters Home Oct 10 1960

          Abbott "Pete" Smith D.V.M.:   June 16, 1938 - February 22, 2010 Virginia Joyann "Jody" Haley Smith: April 2, 1...