Welcome to our growing community!

March News ~ Helping Each Other Move Forward!

As we all started the year on a high, we know that there will be some bumps in the road to navigate during 2012. Part of our acknowledgement of the challenges this year may bring for us each, is knowing that we have close friends and community to support and assist us along the way. The animals, and our deepening connections with them, provide a very special form of support, encouragement, and personal growth. They are always eager to share their wisdom and guidance, along with reminders to enjoy and appreciate life and the abundance of positive energy around us.

As we enter ASN's 6th year, many of our core courses are returning to this upcoming Spring schedule, plus we have a variety of new offerings to share as well. Growth and change continues to flow, and abundance of new connections is heartwarming! We are always grateful to have the opportunity to add new presenters and topics to the Animal Spirit Cafe, which is a place of resonance and harmony as the gatherings with both new and existing presenters flow throughout each month. New class series topics continue to unfold, and we are honored with the faculty members openly sharing their wisdom and experience. Cafe membership continues to grow, and we would like to express gratitude to everyone here for helping to make this an interactive and dynamically expanding community as we learn more about our animals, ourselves, and the world around us.

Correlating with each of our four ASN programs of study, we have introductory offerings {free} openly and continuously available so you can learn a little bit about each topic, and consider a direction of study that you may wish to consider or prioritize.  These introductory offerings may also assist you in determining a variety of classes that you may wish to consider for personal interest and growth.  These openly and continuously available courses include: Introduction to Animal Communication, Introduction to Shamanic Animal Healing, Introduction to Reiki , and Finding the Grace in Grief.

Our monthly Animal Communication Practice Circle within Animal Spirit Cafe rotates as an evening and daytime gathering every other month. This practice circle complements the variety of live topics, guest presenters, and archived recordings available to members as our Animal Wisdom Mastery Hour series.  New Practice Circle members are always welcome!  

Teleclasses starting up in the months ahead include Levels 1 and 2 for Animal Communication and Animal Reiki; the various Shamanic Webinars including: Being a Healer, and Building your Power; plus the special teleseries topic Legacies of Love: A Gentle Guide to Healing from the Loss of Your Animal Loved One. ASN also now hosts teleclasses in Spanish with ASN instructor, Daniela Camino, from Mexico City! Various in-person courses are scheduled throughout the months ahead in Illinois.

ASN is host for in-person courses for the Foundation for Shamanic Studies with midwest instructor Timothy Cope.   The Basic Workshop/The Way of the Shaman® will be held again October 27 & 28, 2012.  Plus in May 2012 the FSS Advanced workshop, Shamanic Extraction Healing Training, will take place.  Also, Celtic Shamanic instructor Tom Cowan will be returning again in April 2012 with Embracing Sovereignty ~ A Workshop in  Celtic Shamanism.

Scheduled ASN courses can be reviewied on the website calendar. Classes are continuously being added to both the Animal Spirit Cafe schedule, and the main ASN course calendar.  So you can easily locate a variety of dynamic learning and sharing opportunities that will support your growth personally and/or professionally as you explore holistic care for companion animals and their families, including yourself!

Included here below is an overview of some key items coming up in the next few months as the Spring Term flows!

Teleclasses
In-Person Classes
Special Events

Teleclasses

Animal Communication

Begin or continue on your Animal Communication path by taking Communicate with Animals ~ An Introduction as an On Demand or LIVE teleclass with Kristin Thompson, an Animal Communicator and Interspecies Life Awareness Coach. This is a FREE offering, and includes a $20 gift for you to use towards your Animal Communication Level 1 In-Person ~OR~ Level 1 Teleclass registration. This course is continuously available in an On Demand format! Click HERE to connect!

You can discover and explore the key aspects of animal communication, and experience a heart-centered connection with your animal companion.

Then you can continue on or start with Level 1 Animal Communication (no prerequisites except recommended reading). Also facilitated by Kristin Thompson. Our next Level 1 teleclass will be starting in mid-MAY (Course code AC102).

We are approaching our in our 6th year of offering the Level 1 teleclasses, and the testimonials consistently show how impactful and rich this course is for participants! Here are just a few bright comments:

For those who have completed Level 1, the Level 2 Animal Communication course series is being offered on the upcoming start date (course code AC202).

• Monday evening beginning April 30th

If you have an interest in Animal Communication-related topics, you are enthusiastically welcome to join us for our Animal Spirit Cafe Mastery Hour teleconferences !

The upcoming Animal Communication related call in April will be:

• Wednesday mid-day, April 25th - Subscribe Now

After You're Gone ~ Talking to Missing Animals with Guest Presenter Carole Devereaux

Also, if you have had any Level 1 Animal Communication course (within ASN or from elsewhere), you are invited to join us for our monthly Animal Communication Practice Circle within the Animal Spirit Cafe!

The upcoming Animal Communication Practice Circle related calls in March and April include:

• Thursday evening, March 29th
• Thursday mid-day, April 26th

For those not attending the AC Practice Circle live at these times, the animal teacher feedback is always posted online in the Animal Spirit Cafe Forum following the gathering. Continued practice and animal teacher connections are key aspects of on-going skill building, plus personal and professional unfoldment, so we are pleased to offer this monthly Practice Circle!

Shamanic Healing

ASN's Shamanic Animal Healing instructor, Carla Meeske, has now been offering her classes in a webinar format (rather than teleclasses) since November 2010! There is a 2-part formatted "Intro to Shamanic Journeying: 3 Worlds" webinar that will be scheduled again for late Spring, and that will be followed with the various 2-week and 4-week webinar topics/modules throughout the year. The material in the 2-part intro is also continuously available as our Learn to Journey Video On Demand course noted below.  Once you have basic shamanic journey skills, whether through ASN training or elsewhere, you can join in on any of Carla's webinar training modules.

Begin or continue on your Shamanic Journeying path by taking Shamanism for Animals as an On Demand course with Carla Meeske, Shamanist. This is a FREE offering, and includes a $20 gift for you to use towards your Intro to Shamanic Journeying video course, or the Intro to Shamanic Journeying: 3 Worlds 2-part webinar.

Introduction to Shamanic Journeying in the 3 Worlds 
Introduction to the core concepts of shamanic journeying, teaching you to easily access the non-ordinary reality realms where your Spirit Helpers reside. Suggested for those interested to jump into the beginning or the middle of the Shamanic Healing webinars, but with limited experience in shamanic journeying.

This Introductory option, course code SH055, is continuously available in a VIDEO On Demand format.

Check out Carla's BLOG for SH055 Introduction to Shamanic Journeying by clicking HERE! (course code previously SH105)

Shamanic Healing 6 Month Training in a Webinar format!
Here's the sequence:

• Level 1/Module 1A: Introduction to Shamanic Journeying: 3 Worlds
  Join Carla Meeske as she takes you on a magical path into shamanism, beginning with meeting your Power Animal and journeying into the 3 Worlds. Connect with sacred places in the Upper, Middle and Lower Worlds that have special meaning and healing for you. (Course code SH100, 2-part Webinar; our next course section begins early 2013. The Intro to Shamanic Journeying in the 3 Worlds VIDEO On Demand class does substitute for this LIVE SH100 course.
• Level 1/Module 1B: Shamanic Animal Communication
  Once you have learned to journey you can work with your spirits to do deep and amazing animal communication using the shamanic journey. (Course code SH101, 2-part Webinar; our next course section begins early 2013. With basic shamanic journeying skills, one can choose to take the webinar modules listed below, Level 1/Module 2 and above, without specifically taking this Level 1/Module 1B course.)
• Level 1/Module 2: Connecting with your Spirits' Power
  The Connecting with your Spirits' Power series focuses on our developing our personal relationships with our personal helping Spirits. As we do so they shift us inside, changing how we think and see, and turning us back to our source and wholeness. (Course code SH102, 4-part Webinar; our next course section begins in early 2013.)


• Link to the Shamanic Healing program of study page, or here below, for more links to Levels 2 through 4 webinar courses, and associated prerequisites if you have existing shamanic training and would like to participate in various webinar modules.
  • Level 2/SH203 (Module 3): Being a Healer (begins March 13, 2012)
  • Level 2/SH204 (Module 4): Building Your Power (begins April 17, 2012)
  • Level 2/SH205 (Module 5): Core Healing Techniques - Extraction and Power Retrieval for Animals (begins June 5, 2012)
  • Level 3/SH306 (Module 6): Animals' Death & Afterlife (begins July 17, 2012)
  • Level 3/SH307 (Module 7): Advanced Healing Techniques (begins August 28, 2012)

If you have interest in or experience with shamanic healing, you are welcome to join us for our Animal Spirit Mastery Hour teleconferences !

Future Mastery Hours with Carla will be scheduled Fall 2012. Numerous archived shamanic topic calls are available at this time in the Cafe! Click HERE to view!

Animal Reiki

As we continue our 3rd year of offering Animal Reiki telecourse offerings, we have these available as equivalent alternatives to the in-person Animal Reiki classes options. (We have also have a 3-part "Adapting Reiki" teleclass series for those with existing Reiki training.)

These Animal Reiki telecourses have fulfilled our goal to make the Animal Reiki training and attunements available to those interested, but simply not able to travel to our in-person Animal Reiki courses due to human and animal family responsibilities, or the reality of travel costs.

For those who can take an in-person Animal Reiki 1/2/3 courses, the in-person and teleclass materials are fully interchangable, so either format could be taken at each consecutive level up through Level 3.

Looking ahead to Animal Reiki teleclasses coming up this Spring Term:

• Join us for An Introduction to the Intuitive and Spiritual World of Healing Thru Reiki as an ON DEMAND or LIVE teleclass with Linda Epstein, Animal Intuitive and Reiki Master Teacher. This is a FREE offering, and includes a $20 gift for you to use towards your Animal Reiki Level 1 In-Person ~OR~ Level 1 Teleclass registration. This course is continuously available in an On Demand format! Click HERE to connect!
• Level 1 Animal Reiki - Teleclass Format
  Learn and experience the gentle art of Reiki healing for animals and their humans. (Course code AR102, a 5-part Teleclass begins Tuesday, March 6, 2012, 7:30-9:15pm CT.)
• Level 2 Animal Reiki - Teleclass Format.)
  Strengthen the Reiki flow and connection. Gain a further understanding of the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual relationships. (Course code AR202, 5-part Teleclass begins Tuesday, April 17, 2012, 7:30-9:15pm CT.)
• Level 3 Animal Reiki - Teleclass Format.)
  This course will help you to understand various techniques to enhance the energetic flow, including healing with crystals. You will be attuned to Reiki Master Practitioner. (Course code AR302, 5-part Teleclass begins Tuesday, May 29, 2012, 7:30-9:15pm CT.) This Level 3 teleclass is also now available in a private mentoring format.

Animal Loss & Grief Support

Our newest distance learning program of study is guided by Teresa Wagner, and other established professionals. This is a three level program which will guide participants to be a compassionate presence and trained counsel for end-of-life care, loss, and grief.

As part of the opening of this new program, we are now offering an openly available teleclass with Teresa, Finding the Grace in Grief.  This is continuously available On Demand.

Upcoming LIVE teleclasses within this program of study include:

• Legacies of Love: A Gentle Guide to Healing from the Loss of Your Animal Loved One
  For some of us, losing an animal means losing a family member. The hole it can leave in our emotional hearts and our physical lives can feel harsh and devastating. This facilitated group process gently and lovingly provides participants with an opportunity to express their grief, understand their grief, and explore many strategies to heal their grief hands-on, with ample opportunity for active discussion and sharing. (Course code GS103, 4-part Teleclass, beginning Monday, June 4, 2012, 7:30-9:30pm CT.)
• Essential Counseling Skills for Animal Communicators, Healing Practitioners and Those Providing Grief Support
  The necessary foundation of all healing work is compassion and love. Effectively communicating the energies of love and compassion to our clients is not automatic, however deeply we may feel these qualities in our hearts. They need to be effectively and appropriately expressed. It is the skillful expression of empathy along with compassion and love that creates a sacred haven of safety, understanding and acceptance in which our clients can open to their own full healing. This workshop provides an opportunity to learn very specific skills to bring the power of our love, compassion and expertise alive to serve the clients we care so much about. (Course code MS230, 5-part Teleclass, beginning Monday, October 1, 2012, 7:30-9:30pm CT.)

Additional Teleclasses

• Animal Spirit Cafe Mastery Hour: 12 Energy Principles for Success with Linda Binns. We all want success. Unfortunately though, we’ve mostly been taught that you can either be successful or happy. Life often seems to be more about struggle than harmony. On this call, you’ll learn 12 important energy principles that will help you live a more balanced and harmonious way of life. When you live your life with these principles in mind, you’ll find that success comes much more easily. You stop fighting to try and make things happen, you stop resisting what does happen. You step into the flow. Your energy is in alignment with the life that you want and life is easier as you move into that alignment. Working with and applying these principles can and will bring you a happier, more harmonious and prosperous life. Animal Spirit Cafe Mastery Hour, Wednesday, April 18, Noon-1:00pm CT).
• Animal Spirit Cafe Mastery Hour: Soul Recovery Work with Jacquelin Smith. The powerful work of soul recovery involves gathering the pieces of an animal’s spirit and/or pieces of their energy bodies that have fragmented due to trauma and integrating them back into their proper place so that the animal’s mind, body, emotions and soul are once again intact and aligned. All beings are whole within their divine core. Yet when trauma happens in this world, energy bodies can dissociate and get out of balance. From these imbalances, misbehaviors, physical ailments, and other issues can occur. This is not only true for our animal friends but for humans as well. Soul Recovery allows the animals to be fully present on every level and to better fulfill and actualize their purpose as the wonderful healers and teachers they were created to be and are. Animal Spirit Cafe Mastery Hour, Wednesday, May 16, Noon-1:00pm CT).

In-Person Classes/Events for Spring and Summer 2012

Animal Communication 

In-person learning opportunities are also available in several topic areas. These are both alternatives to, and complement, the scheduled teleclasses and On Demand offerings.

• Level 1 Animal Communication. Introduction to the essentials on how to get in touch telepathically with your animal companions. Course Code AC103.
  
  • With Carol Schultz.
    Held in Barrington, IL. Saturday, April 14, 2012, 9:00am-5:30pm.
  • With Dawn Wrobel.
    Held in Beecher, IL. Sunday, May 20, 2012, 9:00-5:00pm.
  • Additional 2012 dates will be scheduled in Barrington and Beecher, IL, plus the Buffalo, NY area
• Level 2 Animal Communication, The Deepening. Build on the Level 1 Animal Communication classes with exercises, material, and discussions to enhance your skills and confidence. Course code AC203.
  • With Carol Schultz. Held in Algonquin, IL. Friday, July 20, through Sunday, July 22, 2012, 9:30am - 5:30pm daily.
  • With Kristin Thompson. Held in Lily Dale, NY. Tuesday, August 7, through Thursday, August 9, 2012, 9:30am - 5:30pm daily.
• Level 4 Animal Communication, Interspecies Counselor Course. This deeply introspective course is for those students who wish to continue expanding their abilities and awareness, further develop and fine tune their skills, and explore becoming an interspecies consultant for animals and their people. Course code AC402.
  • With Kristin Thompson. Held in Colden, NY. Saturday, September 15, through Wednesday, September 19, 2012, 9:30 - 5:30pm daily.
• Level 6 Animal Communication, Teaching the Level 1 In-Person Course (The Basic Course: How to Communicate with Animals). Advance your skills and bring the world of animal communication to others through teaching. Apprentice to teach the Level 1 In-Person Course (The Basic Course: How To Communicate With Animals). Course code AC603.
  • With Carol Schultz. Held in Barrington, IL. Saturday, April 14, 2012, with additional mentoring session time via phone.
  • With Kristin Thompson. Held in Lily Dale, NY. Monday - Wednesday, July 9-11, 2012.

Animal Reiki

• Level 1 Animal Reiki. Learn and experience the gentle art of Reiki healing for animals and their humans. Course code AR103.
  • With Dawn Wrobel. Held in Beecher, IL. Saturday, May 19, 2012, 9:00am-6:00pm.
  • Additional dates for Fall 2012 will be scheduled in Algonquin, and Beecher, IL

• Level 2 Animal Reiki. Strengthens the Reiki flow and connection, and further understanding of the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual relationships. Course code AR203.
  • Fall 2012 to be announced, Algonquin, and Beecher, IL

• Level 3 Animal Reiki. Further strengthens the Reiki energy and understanding of various techniques to enhance the energetic flow, including healing with crystals. Course code AR303.
  • Spring 2013 to be announced, Algonquin, IL

Special Events Highlights

Upcoming special events through September 2012 include:

• Embracing Sovereignty ~ A Workshop in Celtic Shamanism - a LIVE workshop with Tom Cowan. Shamanism is an earth-based spirituality in which spirits of the land—animals, plants, elementals, ancestors, faeries—play dominant roles as teachers, guides, and guardians. In Celtic traditions the Spirit of the Land Herself is named Sovereignty. She is the Goddess of the Land, the foundation for all moral and political authority. In this workshop we explore Sovereignty’s role as the center of the Irish “medicine” or spirit wheel. We will better understand our responsibility to correct the imbalances in our lives, and in the world we live in. Prerequisite: Participants must have shamanic skills to work with power animals and journey into non-ordinary reality. This is a 2 day in-person event in the Chicagoland (Glenview), IL area on April 28 & 29, 2012. (Course Code SE920, beginning Saturday, April 28, 2012, at 9:30am CT)
• Shamanic Extraction Healing Training - a LIVE workshop; Foundation for Shamanic Studies Advanced Workshop with Timothy Cope. Participants are initiated into the extraction method of healing, including how to see, sense, and remove localized illness and pain connected to spiritual factors. This is a 2-day in-person event in the Chicagoland, IL area on May 19 & 20, 2012. FSS The Way of the Shaman® course is a prerequisite for this Advanced FSS course. (Course Code SE911, beginning Saturday, May 19, 2012, at 10:00am CT.
• Creating Shamanic Tools - a LIVE workshop with Dawn Wrobel. Join us for a fun day of creating with spirit! Learn about the various tools and traditions as you watch your own take shape. We’ll spend the day working with spirit, through meditation and shamanic journeys, to create tools for use in our shamanic practices. The centerpiece of the day will be the birthing of an elk frame drum. This is an in-person event in the Chicagoland, IL area on June 2, 2012. (Course Code SE957, Saturday, June 2, 2012, 9:00am - 6:00pm CT)
• Introduction to Soul Retrieval - a LIVE workshop with Dawn Wrobel. The process of soul retrieval is a shamanic practice whose purpose is to reintegrate the pieces of the soul that might have become disconnected, trapped or lost through trauma. It changes lives by helping to restore balance. In addition to guidance and practice in retrieving soul parts, this introductory workshop covers material on the understanding of soul loss in traditional cultures and the differences encountered in working in our contemporary culture. Prerequisite: For those who have the shamanic skills to work with power animals and journey into non-ordinary reality comfortably. This is a 2 day in-person event in the Chicagoland, IL area on September 22 & 23, 2012. (Course Code SE958, beginning Saturday, September 22, 2012, at 10:00am CT)
• The Way of the Shaman - a LIVE workshop; Foundation for Shamanic Studies Basic Workshop with Timothy Cope. During the Basic experiential workshop, participants are introduced to core shamanism, the universal and near-universal basic methods of the shaman to enter nonordinary reality for problem solving and healing. Completion of this workshop qualifies participants to take more advanced FSS workshops (to be hosted by ASN in 2011 and after). This is a 2-day in-person event in the Chicagoland, IL area on October 27 & 28, 2012. There is no prerequisite for this class. (Course Code SE905, beginning Saturday, October 27, 2012, at 10:00am CT.

Explore our Complete Course Catalog

Visit our “Introductory Classes” section to see the 100 level classes without prerequisites, or our “Course Catalog” section to see the full listing. Consider starting out, or continuing, with a topic module or core class of interest to you, and experience the flexibility and enjoyment of learning long distance from our experienced faculty.

For those seeking continued and deeper learning, visit our Programs of Study section to learn more about each pathway of sequenced learning offered through Animal Spirit Healing & Education Network.

March Classes

Visit our March class calendar for more details

April Classes

Visit our April class calendar for more details

We are looking forward to connecting, inspiring, and guiding class participants as we continue to expand our course offerings and programs, begin our Spring Term, prepare for our Fall Term, and move into more new and exciting initiatives ahead!

March 20, 2012

We are very honored that Animal Spirit Network has been endorsed by Tallgrass Animal Acupressure Institute as an Approved Elective Requirement Provider for students in the Tallgrass certification program. Tallgrass offers highly interactive training programs in acupressure and other vibrational medicine modalities for animals. Concentrated program options for Tallgrass Institute students are located on the ASN website at Tallgrass Institute As with ASN site visitors and ASN study program students, all Introductory Classes are also openly available for both personal interest and professional development.