I was engaged in doing my morning exercise routine, and my cat Manitou was loudly complaining about wanting his breakfast (you would think that I never fed him, lol). I told him that he would have to wait. I’ve learned the hard way that if I don’t do my self-care first, it often doesn’t get done.

Manitou felt that I was not listening to him, and decided to get in my face about it by standing on my stomach. At the time I was doing a set of bent knee stomach crunches.

I kept going, and each time I raised my torso toward my knees, Manitou’s whole body would move forward. This brought us literally face to face, so I would tip my face down slightly and Manitou (who was purring loudly) would close his eyes and tilt his face so that we would meet forehead-to-forehead. It was a full-on, affectionate head butt with each stomach crunch. I ended up counting out loud on each rise: “Head butt 11…head butt 12…head butt 13…and Manitou loved it. I wish I had been able to take a photo of his expression—he was smiling whisker to whisker. And it sure made exercise way more fun. It would be great to make it a tradition. He could be my coach!

Looking at the neighbor

Manitou wants my attention…

…right now!

These three photos were taken after breakfast, while Manitou and I were outside. My neighbor and her family love Manitou (he stops by their house for visits since they also fed him when he showed up as a starving stray), and I told her the story about our morning exercise, which made her laugh. Manitou was feeling the love from the storytelling, and wanted me to pay attention to him. He’s so bossy…

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A WILD WAY TO HEAL
Rose De Dan, Wild Reiki and Shamanic Healing LLC, is an animal communicator, Reiki Master Teacher, shamanic energy healer, and author. Her classes, sessions and ceremonial work are inspired by wild and domestic animals who have issued a call to action for personal and global healing.

Her book Tails of a Healer: Animals, Reiki and Shamanism features heartwarming stories about animals and their role in her evolution as an energy worker and shamanic healer.