Written by Emma Liston, Energy Healer
Emma Liston is best known for her "magical" ability that goes beyond traditional energy healing. As the heart of Being-Magic, she works with both humans and animals, though animals are her true passion. Calling herself an “animal kingdom guardian,” she sees her work as a life purpose, using her unique gifts to bring comfort to those she helps.
Soul contracts are profound agreements made between souls before incarnating, with the purpose of helping to fulfil life’s greater purposes, missions, and lessons. Every relationship in your life, whether with family, friends, colleagues, or even bosses, serves as an opportunity for spiritual growth through shared experiences and lessons.
Interestingly, these contracts also extend to our animal companions, who often play a pivotal and sacred role in our soul’s journey. It’s believed that those who assist animals (in any way) are not only helping the animals but also clearing their own (and possibly the collective) karma by offering support to creatures that are vulnerable and dependent on human care. In this article, you’ll discover tools and insights to begin understanding the sacred contracts between you and your animal companions.
What makes animals different?
Animals offer a unique form of support that often surpasses what other people can provide. Unlike humans, who may mask their true selves for various reasons, individuals can, and often do, engage with animals without pretence. This ability to be authentic, free from judgement or expectation, allows people to let down their guard and be vulnerable. In this space of openness, much healing becomes possible. The unconditional nature of the bond with animals fosters growth and transformation that may be difficult to achieve through interactions with other people.
What exactly are these contracts?
These contracts can vary greatly in complexity, ranging from straightforward to intricate. However, regardless of their simplicity, they reflect the exact terms of mutual understanding between us and our animals, holding equal significance. Animals, with their pure hearts and lack of ego, offer love without condition. They do not judge us by our possessions or status; instead, they perceive beyond the surface and connect with the essence of our soul. While some of the examples below may overlap, I’ve outlined several key types of soul contracts that we can have with our animals:
Bringing out hidden traits or learning new ones
Animals have an extraordinary ability to enter our lives at pivotal moments, often offering support and companionship during times of hardship. In these challenging periods, they serve not only as comforting presences but also as catalysts for personal growth, helping us build resilience and navigate discomfort with greater ease.
Beyond their role as companions, animals can also foster the development of essential qualities that we may not yet recognise within ourselves, such as patience, empathy, and unconditional love. Their behaviour often mirrors these traits, allowing us to see in them the very qualities we might be struggling to embrace.
In fact, there are moments when we find ourselves admiring an animal’s inherent goodness,s perhaps even adoring it for its gentle nature or unwavering loyalty. In such instances, we may come to realise that these positive traits are not just external; they reside within us as well, waiting to be discovered. This profound connection can feel like a sacred bond, a mutual understanding, or what could be described as a unique and transformative contract between human and animal. Through this, animals may guide us toward a deeper awareness of our own potential, revealing strengths and virtues we hadn’t yet seen in ourselves.
Mirroring
Animals can often reflect aspects of ourselves that are in need of healing, whether physical or emotional. Consider a scenario where you are experiencing discomfort, such as a sore leg, and notice that your animal begins to limp. While it may seem coincidental, this behaviour might actually be a reflection of your own condition, encouraging you to address the pain you’re neglecting. In such instances, animals act as mirrors, guiding us toward the healing we need.
This mirroring effect is not limited to physical ailments. It can also reveal emotional wounds that require attention. For example, if your dog exhibits aggressive behaviour, it may be a sign that there is unresolved emotional trauma in your own past, such as a time when you felt unsafe or threatened. The behaviours and conditions of our animals often serve as a prompt to explore and heal these deeper emotional issues.
Such experiences highlight how animals can play a vital role in our healing journeys. Whether it's a physical ailment or an emotional wound, the challenges our animals experience often point us to the areas of our own lives that need attention and care. In some cases, this mirroring extends even further, where both you and your animal may share a common wound that you’ve chosen to heal together in this lifetime.
Taking on illnesses
Animals have a remarkable ability to "mimic" human physical ailments, often as a way of encouraging us to prioritise our own well-being. In some cases, they may even take on serious, life-threatening conditions on our behalf, ensuring that we do not have to endure the same fate. This selfless act often occurs when we are on a significant life mission and the animal has consciously agreed to carry this burden for us. It's crucial to recognise, however, that animals perceive death differently from humans, a perspective I will expand on later in this article.
Healing physical and emotional wounds
Animals have a unique ability to aid in our healing process, addressing both physical and emotional wounds, whether stemming from specific trauma, or more general conditions like depression and anxiety. Often, their presence serves as a grounding force, creating a space for us to process and confront these wounds. In some instances, animals appear at pivotal moments in our lives, offering support when we need it most.
These wounds, if left unresolved, can hinder our ability to fully embrace our soul's purpose in this lifetime. By facilitating healing, animals help unlock our potential, guiding us toward the fulfilment of our deeper calling. Beyond their presence in our waking hours, some animals even accompany us through our dreams, working alongside us in other realms. During these dream states, they offer guidance, can assist with the fulfilment of karmic contracts, and even provide energetic or spiritual protection.
Holding space through unconditional love
Many individuals experience trauma at various points in their lives, whether during childhood or adulthood. For some, the trauma may not appear overtly significant, such as having a parent who was emotionally unavailable. It's essential to recognise that each person's trauma impacts them in uniquely individual ways. Comparing one trauma to another, based on perceived severity, is neither helpful nor necessary. We all carry wounds that require healing, and once we acknowledge this reality, we can begin the process of recovery.
In this journey, animals can play a remarkable role. Their companionship and loyalty provide us with a source of comfort and trust that may have been absent in our human relationships. Animals have an innate ability to "see" and "hear" us, offering a sense of validation and connection that might have been missing from more influential figures in our lives. Through their unconditional love, they create a safe space for emotional healing, allowing us to open up in ways we might not have thought possible.
In many cases, this connection with animals can empower us to establish healthier boundaries and reconnect with our true selves. Their influence can be transformative, guiding us toward greater self-awareness and personal growth. The potential for healing through our bond with animals is boundless, offering a path to reclaim our strength and embrace our full potential.
Triggering behaviours
Animals, like humans, can exhibit behaviours that are challenging, frustrating, or even irritating. These behaviours, such as urinating outside the litter box or destroying furniture, are often signs of underlying issues that need to be addressed. While these actions can be difficult to manage, it’s important to approach them with compassion and understanding, as they may be a reflection of the animal’s emotional or physical state or even something they are trying to mirror in their human guardian.
Animals displaying these behaviours are often some of the most courageous souls, as their actions may be met with frustration and even abuse. When faced with triggering behaviours, it’s essential to pause and reflect on what’s happening internally within yourself. Consider how you’re feeling emotionally or mentally, or examine your home environment for any factors that may be influencing your animal’s actions.
These observations can provide valuable clues as to why the behaviour is occurring, as animals typically act with a specific purpose. In many cases, what may seem like disobedience or disrespect from the animal can actually be a projection of your own unmet emotional needs. If you’re feeling unheard or disrespected in your personal life, your animal may be reflecting these feelings back to you. Recognising this connection allows you to uncover and heal the underlying emotional wounds you may not have been consciously aware of.
As you work through this personal healing process, you may find that the animal’s triggering behaviour begins to dissipate. When the emotional wounds within you are truly healed, the animal often responds by ceasing disruptive behaviour. Ultimately, the goal of these behaviours is to help you recognise that you deserve to be heard and respected, empowering you in the process.
Reflections
Animals can often serve as mirrors, reflecting what is happening within us. At times, this may manifest as a singular event, where your animal exhibits behaviour that seems out of character. Alternatively, it could occur during an unexpected encounter with another animal. Perhaps a dog behaves aggressively towards you or, conversely, moves you to tears despite your indifference to dogs. Similarly, interactions with wild animals or even insects can carry significant meaning, acting as a symbolic animal guide that reflects inner emotions or unresolved matters that require your attention at the moment.
What about animals that have already crossed over?
Whether an animal is physically present or has passed on, the bond shared with them remains deeply significant. As I’ve explored in a previous article, communication with animals is not confined to their physical presence; we can still connect with them after they’ve crossed over. Animals perceive death in a fundamentally different way than humans. For them, death is simply a transition, not an ending. They may even return to you, whether in a different form or through another means, continuing the relationship that transcends the physical world. In many ways, the bond between humans and animals is part of a larger spiritual journey, and in some cases, your animals can continue to assist you after they have crossed over if that is part of your contract with them.
For anyone grieving the loss of a beloved animal companion, it’s important to recognise that animals view death as a natural transition, a step in the larger cycle of life. Once an animal has fulfilled its purpose, it moves on, and this process is beyond our control. One of the biggest barriers to reconnecting with our animal friends, whether they are still here or have passed, is the weight of unresolved grief. Feelings of blame, guilt, or regret can create emotional blocks that make communication difficult.
It’s vital to work through your grief in a healthy way, allowing yourself to mourn without carrying unnecessary guilt about the circumstances of their passing. Remember, the way an animal departs its physical body is not something you have control over. Holding onto feelings of guilt or blame not only hinders the possibility of connecting with your animal in spirit but can also influence how you interact with your current or future animal companions.
Grief and guilt can manifest in subtle yet impactful ways, such as becoming overly protective, anxious, or fearful with new or existing animals. These emotional weights can unconsciously alter your behaviour, shifting the dynamic of your relationship with them. Additionally, unprocessed grief and emotional stagnation can create blockages in your body, which may eventually lead to physical illness.
The emotional and spiritual connection between humans and animals is profound, and as a result, the grieving process can feel especially intense. Allow yourself the time and space needed to heal, but remember, it’s essential not to stay in that place indefinitely. Grief is a natural part of the healing journey, and it’s okay to feel sadness and loss. However, you can find peace and joy again. Take comfort in knowing that your animal’s spirit is always with you, watching over you.
Ultimately, your animal wants you to celebrate their life rather than mourn their passing. By honouring their memory, you continue the energetic connection that exists beyond the physical realm, preserving a bond that is everlasting.
Want to uncover the soul contracts you have with your animals?
If reading this has sparked your curiosity about why your animal is in your life, or if you’re navigating prolonged grief, book a call today to explore how a session can deepen your bond with your animal or help with healing, whether they’re by your side or in spirit.
Read more from Emma Liston
Emma Liston, Energy Healer
Emma Liston is a passionate advocate for animals, combining healing and interspecies communication to create meaningful change. Together with her global community, she facilitates worldwide healing events for animals affected by war, natural disasters, and other crises. Her unwavering belief in the magic that surrounds us drives her to inspire a global shift in the way we care for all living beings, one animal, one human, and one act of kindness at a time.
