Why I Read Out Loud to My Dogs
Here’s why reading out loud to my dogs has quickly become one of our favorite energy healing practices.
Photo by 2Photo Pots
Checking In
I like to check in regularly with my dogs to see what kind of energy healing they want for that day. Sometimes they want Reiki, sometimes Chakra balancing, sometimes Psychic Surgery, and sometimes Pangu Shengong energy healing.
When my senior dog, Max, let me know that he wanted me to read out loud to him for our session, I smiled. I felt silly at first, but I understood what he was doing. He wanted to show me some simple—and unexpected—ways we could shift our energy together.
Here’s why reading out loud to my dogs has quickly become a favorite energy healing activity for both of us.
1. Calming voices tell our nervous systems that they can relax.
When I asked Max what Energy Healing means to him, he told me that my voice is an energetic anchor for him, just as his physical body is an energetic anchor for me. (If you haven’t read I Asked My Animals What Energy Healing Means to Them yet and you’d like to, you can find it here.) Though I was surprised by his answer, it made sense to me.
Think of a voice that you find soothing, calming, grounding. You don’t just hear that voice in your ears; you feel that voice in your whole body. The voices of those we love let us know that we aren’t alone. They bring us into the present moment with each other.
When we read aloud to our animals, we create a soothing energetic bubble with our voice and invite them in.
2. Words shift our energy.
When we read something distressing, our body tightens and our breath gets shallow. When we read something pleasurable, inspiring, enlightening, or expansive, the cells of our body expand; there is space for deep breathing.
I like to read novels, non-fiction, and philosophy to Max. When I read something that distresses me, he can feel me get tense, and he gets up and leaves the room. His action helps me tune into my energy and invites me to shift it. (Because we humans often aren’t in touch with our own energy!)
When I read something to him that brings my energy into a good place, he settles in next to me. We cozy up in the big dog bed, blankets around us, for story time. He often drops into a deep sleep. Two year old Ziggy, the mini golden doodle who has lots of energy, comes close too. Sometimes she’ll curl up in the dog bed next to us; sometimes she’ll squeeze onto the big bed with us.
Chances are high that my energy was out of whack before this moment. Reading aloud to Max and Ziggy brings me back into alignment. This feels good to them—it’s an energy they want to be part of.
Click here to read about the benefits of reading out loud to your animals on my Substack…
