Animal communication or intuitive reading - which is right for you?

Animal CommunicationIntuitive Development

Sep 6

The difference between animal communication and an intuitive reading

If you’ve ever called an animal communication session a reading, or have wondered if there is a difference between a reading and an animal communication session, I invite you to listen in. Today we’re discussing the benefits of each and giving you some tips on deciding which is right for you.

Hello Dear Intuitive One,

For as long as I’ve done this work, I’ve heard folks (practitioners included) use the terms “animal communication” and “intuitive reading” interchangeably. However these two modalities are as different as cats are to mice.

When your heart is heavy with anticipatory grief when your dog is sick, or you are too frustrated to hear your intuitive voice because your cat is bullying your new dog, it can be hard to know which modality is best for the situation.

Animal communication and intuitive readings offer very different benefits

Before I offered animal communication professionally, I was trained as an intuitive reader. Back then, as a general intuitive practitioner, my sessions were spent reading auras and chakras and tapping into the energetic information my clients needed to see a clear path forward for them and their animal friends. This work was profoundly empowering and beautiful.

Back then, most of my clients were new to the whole energy, intuitive, psychic realm stuff and intuitive readings helped them explore and expand safely, with support.

When I expanded my training to include animal communication - outside of the ways I was trained to do so in my intuitive reading training- I was blown away at the level of connection and information that communication provided. Instead of just reading the energy of an animal or around a situation, I learned how to talk directly with the animals.

Learning how to talk WITH animals shifted things from feeling like I was an outsider looking through the windows and filling in the blanks to actually pulling up a chair next to the animals I was communicating with and having a heart-to-heart chat about everything they were feeling, thinking and sensing about it all - first hand.

The two major differences between intuitive reading and animal communication

Intuitive reading is about observing.

Intuitive reading is all about intuitively observing and “reading” the energy patterns that a person, animal or situation emanates and radiates.

In a reading, a practitioner will intuitively sense, see, feel, hear, or have a kind of intuitive knowing about what’s going on with your pet based on what they pick up from your animal’s energy. This style of energy reading is a bit like the way many empaths pick up the vibe from a place or person. (I imagine you’ve experienced this!)

In an intuitive reading, a lot of wonderful information can be gathered, like what the vibe of a pet is or what the energy of the situation feels like.

Intuitive reading can be helpful to help visualize what’s happening in your animal’s energy and see the situation in a new way.

I understand intuitive reading to be a bit like going into a new bookstore to check out the scene. While you are there, you may see and sense all of the books and while focusing in on one particular book you explore this books front and back cover, how the weight of the book feels in your hand. You might even flip through the pages and catch a glimpse of a few chapter titles.

Intuitive reading is like this. It helps you observe the energy around a particular situation, person or in this case your animal companion.

Image: A photo of animal communicator Joanna Schmidt (me), in the garden, holding Miss Kitty, a black and white cat, with the sun coming through my curly blond hair. With the words: Animal communication gives you a direct connection to your animals innermost voice.

On the other hand…

Animal communication is about interaction.

Animal communication is all about having a direct conversation with an animal - just like you and I might chat 1:1 over a cup of chai tea.

In an animal communication session, practitioners will tune-in with your animal (often using just a photo), and have an intuitive soul-to-soul conversation.

Animal communication gives you a direct connection to your animal’s innermost voice. It gives you the chance to hear it all directly from them-what they feel, their perspective on life, and what they feel they need so you can make informed decisions with your animal friend.

Following the same example about the visit to a bookstore, animal communication is like an intimate 1:1 visit with the author of the book, in their writing studio, and having the chance to ask them direct questions and listen to them talk about it all, first-hand. In your conversation, you can hear their words and sense the feeling within their inflection, tone and warmth. When they share a story you might even be drawn in so intimately to their sharing, it can feel like you are right there with them, feeling all the things they are relaying in their sharing.

Animal communication is all about connection, integration and communication with your animal companion.

Why I prefer animal communication

I’m a fan of grounded, loving, directness. If I’m feeling like something is off in a friendship, I’ll directly and lovingly ask my friend directly what’s been going on for them and how we can make things better between us.

And I’m the same way when it comes to my animal friends. If I’m noticing something is off with them, I don’t want to have to fill in the blanks based on what’s happening in their chakras, or what I’m picking up with my intuitive antenna. I want to be able to talk directly with them about it.

I want to hear about what’s going on from their perspective so I can show up for them in new ways.

Once we’ve had a conversation, if chakra clearing or tending their energy or aura is warranted, we can do that, of course. But first I want to check in with them and hear what’s happening in their world from their perspective. Animal communication is the clearest way I’ve found to do this. I love the grounded clarity animal communication offers humans and animals to hear and understand one another.

Which is right for you?

I’d love to encourage you to tune inward and ask yourself the following three questions….

What results do you want from your session?
- If you’re looking for help to visualize what’s happening in your animal’s energy and see the situation in a new way then intuitive reading may be the right choice for you.
- If you’re looking for help to have a loving and direct conversation with your animal and to hear it all directly from them-what they feel, their perspective on life, and what they feel they need so you can make informed decisions with your animal friend, then animal communication may be the right choice for you.
Where are you in your intuitive journey?
- If you’re in a giant 3rd eye grand opening stage of your intuitive path, intuitive reading may be a better match for you because it’s all about helping you understand and make senses of the energy you’re picking up and sensing from the world around you.
- If you’ve been on this intuitive path for a while now and you’re wanting to talk with your animals so you can know what they feel they need so you can make informed decisions with them and co-create a life together with your animal friend, then animal communication may be the best choice for you.

3. What does your body tell you? Lastly, I invite you to check in with your body. Listen to your breath, what if anything, feels tight or tense when you feel into booking an intuitive reading or an animal communication session.

I invite you to give yourself a little time to sense into your body's own intuitive knowing as to which feels the better fit for you and your animal friends at this time. Chances are the knowing of what’s best for you and your animal are nestled into your own body’s wisdom.