281. The Hidden Language of Animals: Communication Beyond Words - Rev Karen Cleveland

Kara Goodwin: [00:00:00] Hello and welcome to the Meditation Conversation, the podcast to support your spiritual revolution. I'm your host, Kara Goodwin, and today I'm joined by Karen Cleveland. Karen is a spiritual connection specialist, a new thought minister. Mindset, mentor and animal communicator. She helps mostly women who've lost touch with their center, feel lost, and are ready to feel whole again.

She hosts The Connectedness Podcast to help listeners begin their own journey back to their heart's dreams, as well as the importance of coincidences and synchronicities in life that bring us everyday miracles and magic. 

This is such a cool episode. I am a big animal lover. If you follow me on Instagram [00:01:00] at Cara underscore Goodwin, underscore meditation, you will have seen the, I spend a lot of time with my pets. And the bees that I keep as a treatment free beekeeper. I get so much out of the animal kingdom. And I love talking to Karen about the role that animal communication plays in her life. 

There's so many ways to experience the divine and the connection that we have to everything. And in this episode, we talk a lot about animal communication, but we also explore how that's just one aspect or facet. I have a bigger ability within each of us to experience ourselves as more than our separate human being. 

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It's time to share your story. And now enjoy this episode 

Kara Goodwin: So welcome, Reverend Karen. Such a blessing to be with you today.

Karen Cleveland: Yeah, I'm very excited to talk today. Thank you, Kara, for having me.

Kara Goodwin: 

So tell us, a little bit about your journey and how you realize these abilities as a spiritual connection specialist.

Karen Cleveland: Yeah, sure. I got started very late in life, [00:03:00] although, looking back, I can see there might have been signs in my younger life that. Maybe I was in touch with my deeper intuition, or maybe I knew a little bit more, but I really didn't start until my kids were grown. so definitely a late comer to the whole personal development and spiritual connection even.

even so as an animal communicator, you know, that's something that I had, I. Ability perhaps when I was younger. But it wasn't until my daughter, as a teenager, said to me something she, I kept telling my kids, of course, to, to, you know, put the dog out or Buddy wants you to do this, buddy wants you to do that.

And she stopped me and she said, mom, how do you know what Buddy wants? And I was just like, how do you not know what Buddy wants? So,

Kara Goodwin: it obvious? Can't you hear his thoughts in your head?

Karen Cleveland: Yeah, exactly. I thought it was obvious to everyone. So that [00:04:00] started me looking at what happened earlier in my life and my connection with people and animals as, as well I, as I started exploring and studying, from that point forward.

And so my spirit, I, I say my spiritual evolution and my animal communication evolution there were. Cata, is that the word? I don't think that's the word, but you know, they played off each other and I think they both expanded at the same time. Grew at the same time. So I was studying many books.

My brother was a,what do you call it? Let's just say he did the music for a church and he kept telling me books to read and I would go to a service now and then, that he did. and I really connected with what they were saying. It felt right to me. And so I started taking meditation classes and I started taking, spiritual practice classes, that kind of thing.

And just eventually used the techniques I was [00:05:00] learning. But it wasn't until I, I had hit rock bottom. I divorced my husband. I, we had filed bankruptcy. We, lost the house and life. I'll just say life really sucked at the time for me. And,I said, you know what? I can't do this anymore.

I can't just let life happen to me anymore. So then I really got serious about my practices, about meditation and about other forms of spiritual practice to, and then from there, you know, life did change it. I said, I'll do it for 30 days, see if anything happens. Things started shifting slowly and really though, I.

I think it wasn't that long. So I was able to buy a house nine months from the time I started. I went on my first safari, at the two weeks after I moved into my new house. And so things really started shifting. And from that point, now it's you know, I live [00:06:00] by it. And because I've experienced the transformation, I wanna help other people do the same thing.

You know, you don't have to be stuck, and feeling clueless and helpless.

Kara Goodwin: So do you, are you able to track back to that 30 day time and remember some of the sha, some of the ways, like some of those early shifts that you noticed from

Karen Cleveland: yeah, I would say so. There was one huge shift during that time and I got a new job, which almost doubled my income. And other than that, I wasn't really sure if things were happening. And I know. That seems significant by itself. But, I never attributed that to my practice, so I'm not sure why I didn't.

So that happened, but then I would say it wasn't for another probably 60, 90 days that I really started to see more change. I felt like things were changing, [00:07:00] I guess I felt more optimistic and hopeful. But, it wasn't until I started talking to other people about some of the specific goals that I had, like buying a house.

and actually it was less than 60 days later. So I was in my new job when a friend said to me, Hey, we're going on Safari. Come with us. And if she had said that three months before, you know, there would've been no way. So, That was also, I guess, a big change early on, but it was more just a feeling of connectedness and presence and optimism.

Kara Goodwin: Hmm.

Karen Cleveland: Yeah.

Kara Goodwin: That's amazing. And I. You know, I've had a similar type of, initiation by fire, let's say, you know, where it's like a lot of really hard things within life happening at the same time. And it's just this like [00:08:00] concentrated like suckiness the, and. And through that kinda changing my approach to life, adopting a meditation practice and eventually becoming more of a spiritual person.

and I noticed a lot of improvements within my life too. But it's interesting because there can be this expectation perhaps as we're like stepping onto a path and and stepping into transformation where maybe we're, you're listening to this and you're like, oh, if only I become more spiritual, or I adopt meditation, or I do some of these practices, then I'll have control over my life, and life will always be smooth and.

I know that from my own perspective, life exponentially got better, but it's not necessarily that I'm immune to life, you know, and the hard [00:09:00] times of life. So I don't know if you ha if that kind of triggers anything within you.

Karen Cleveland: Oh, totally. Yeah. I mean, things still happen. Yeah. For sure. Life still is life. But what I think is different is having a base to start from. So I don't know why in my mind I go to levels. So it's like I might have been, at one point when I felt like life was crappy and was happening to me. But I don't start from that bottom point anymore.

I start from. Things will happen and things will get better, I guess because I totally agree. I mean, we can't control anything in life. So I think it's being open to knowing things happen and knowing things can change. Knowing our perspective can change again 

yeah, if we could control life, that would be the magic button, wouldn't it?

Kara Goodwin: Yeah, and then it's from what I understand about this, Human experience is earth [00:10:00] experience that a lot of the growth, the spiritual growth, the soul growth comes through. Us going through those challenges and, you know, they're in a way that can be really hard to accept when we're deep in it in the Meyer and the difficulties of life.

But, with some time and perspective in hindsight, it can be easier to see that things were actually presenting opportunities within that, you know,

Karen Cleveland: Yeah, the hindsight is definitely helpful because you can lay out and see, you know, it all worked out for my good. I needed to have that experience

Kara Goodwin: Yeah. Right. And if I hadn't had it in just that way, it wouldn't, I wouldn't have learned it as quickly or as strongly or whatever. Yeah.

Karen Cleveland: right.

Kara Goodwin: Well, I would love to dive into this communication with animals. Can you, Can you explain a little bit what that's like for you and [00:11:00] how you honed those abilities deeper once you realized that it was something that was maybe already in there in some capacity?

Karen Cleveland: Sure. I, so, like I said, I didn't know that I had any ability different than anyone else. for all my life. always had an affinity for animals, but a lot of people like animals, love animals. So, so it was the combination of my daughter saying that to me. And then also at the time, and I don't know why, I was listening to this pet psychic on the radio at the time, and I, she would, someone would call in and she would give them an answer and I.

I would yell to the radio. It's that's not right. That's not what they need to hear. And I started saying to myself, why do I think I know what that person wants? You know, because i's I definitely had an opinion about h her answers, and I didn't care for her answers. but [00:12:00] somehow I thought that I knew better.

And so I really. Between the combination of those different events, I don't know. So I took a free class actually, a lot of animal communicators offer free classes just to get your un to help you understand how it works and see if it is helpful for you. I took a free class and I learned how it worked so, I don't know if I should go into the, you know, it's potentially a very long explanation, but we're all energy and I have an energy field.

The animals have an energy field and we can,we're always connected energetically with all life. the question is, are we paying attention to. The animals or other people in our house, it's totally normal. I think a lot of people would recognize they finish their spouse's sentences or they know what their children need before they say anything.

You know, that's [00:13:00] completely normal. And at the end of the day, we're animals and our pets are animals, and so we have the same lines of communication. We're just not used to recognizing it. So when we start to focus on it and be very intentional about it, that's when we start to receive information. the other thing is very much like meditation or like having a connection with your divine, depending on your purpose of your meditation.

But our mind is so busy all the time that we can't get information in. Whether it's, you know, God or the universe talking to us or whether it's our dog or cat. and I believe, and I've actually been reading a lot and listening to a lot of podcasts lately about coincidences and synchronicities and just the connectedness of all life and, I don't know if I knew exactly where I was going with [00:14:00] that, something about the thoughts, but, so the information that we are thinking, the picture that we are creating with our thoughts or our words is what,goes out to the universe, goes out to the animals.

That's how the animals understand are basically pictures and feelings. So we pick up that information, but we don't always know it's coming from outside of us. let me give you just one example. If you have a dog, and you're sitting on the couch, it's a lazy day. Maybe you're thumbing through a magazine, the radio's not on, TV's not on just a quiet, lazy day.

And you have this idea and it's I know it's a good time to take the dog for a walk. And so you look at the dog and you'll notice your dog perks up and looks at you. and it's, yes, it's entirely possible the dog picked up on that thought, but I believe it's probably the dog trying to tell you it's time to go for a walk. So, so I think we, we get this information and [00:15:00] we think it's coming from our mind. We think we're making it up.

Kara Goodwin: Hmm.

Karen Cleveland: so the whole process of being, confident in it and knowing that it's not being made up is. Working with other people. So in, in the example of animal communication, I end up taking classes with that, that had say, 10 other people in them.

and we could talk to each other's animals as we were practicing and learn if the information we're picking up was, accurate or not. And so it's really a matter of faith and beginning to trust that you're being fed by the universe and by the animals. I mean, and I use the two almost as synonyms because the way we talk with the universe, the way we talk with God is the same way I talk with the animals.

So,

Kara Goodwin: It's fascinating and I love that example of if you have a dog and you just get this idea about. Going for a walk. [00:16:00] And that happens to me. I have a dog and we take her on walks and, but I don't take her at the same time every day. Or there's not really a pattern. I mean, I guess maybe there is some, it's a loose pattern.

Like I don't tend to take her in the morning, for 

Karen Cleveland: Right, right. 

Kara Goodwin: But, there are times literally I'll be just working on my computer. I'll hit like the end of something and I'll think. I should take Josie for a walk now and. All I do is put down my computer, which I do several times a day, and she hops off the couch and she's attentive and she's like, something's happening.

And I literally just put down my computer or something so benign that I do all the time when it doesn't equal walk. So it really makes me laugh because I'm like, you really are tuned in. And I'm like, what? What signal are you getting from me? I hadn't necessarily. Considered that she planted the idea or that she had the [00:17:00] idea first.

So that's really, but of course, of course.

Yeah. 

Karen Cleveland: it could be it might have been your idea and just the idea that it's in your head. Oh, time for a walk. and they do pick up on our expectations, our anticipations. So,

Kara Goodwin: It's so funny. So do you have some examples of, Of where this animal communication has come into play

Karen Cleveland: well, you mean in, in general? So, I mean, I've 

Kara Goodwin: or with clients or, 

Karen Cleveland: Yeah. Yeah. so I use it for a number of things. You know, people might call me when they need a behavior changed. Maybe the dog or the cat is not going to the bathroom where they're supposed to, or maybe there's, they think they're not feeling good.

So one of the things I think that I am,especially attuned to, and just as a way I pick up information is physical feelings. And it was one of the first ways I finally believed, okay, I believe I am [00:18:00] connected with this animals is I get feelings in my body if I'm focusing on the animal.

Yeah. And so the first one, you know, ever was, something in the leg, something in. That the cat, it's been so long now, I don't remember exactly what it was, but I could definitely feel there was something going on with it and the person, you know, explained what was going on. So, anyways, 

Fast forward to now. I, it always amazes me, okay, first of all, it always amazes me, and actually I was just connecting with a horse the other day, and. And by the way, I always use the word connecting, but we're always connected. So I guess focusing or communicating, having intentional conversation.

But, but I was telling her it's I. There two things. There's something wrong with the left eye, you know, there's some kind of vision problem. And then on her other horse, just a really weird feeling, I couldn't explain it, but around my [00:19:00] ovaries and my perineal area and. She's like, yeah, I've had, you know, the first horse in to an eye doctor because I know there's something wrong.

They say nothing's wrong, but I know something is. And the other one, the horse was in heat, which was, really interesting because I'd never actually felt that before. And it's, you know, so I don't always know what I'm feeling. But when I explain it to the person, they usually know because you know, they're with their horse.

Just like we know our dogs and our kids and our people we live with, they usually know what I'm referring to, even though I have no idea, you know, I just have to, I feel like it's my responsibility if I'm getting information from the animal I need to give it. And then I don't always know why or what the reason is.

So.

Kara Goodwin: I love it. That's so fascinating. I mean, it makes me think too, like I have two cats also and I, it, I mean, as you're saying this, like just different things are falling [00:20:00] into place and memories are coming in because,and even going back to you saying well, buddy needs this. Don't, you know, buddy needs this, but, because one of my cats goes outside, the other one stays in, but the one that goes out, Can is a real, piece of work and super, super sweet, unless she's not.

And and she'll just get testy and out of the blue swat at you or something. And there are little ways that you can tell, like her, I call her little miss swish cuz her tail will start swishing in a specific way and it's like, oh, get back, you know, any minute now. But lately it's come to my attention.

I'm like, oh, she doesn't feel right because she's moody. It's like she's moody. But I'm like, there's something she doesn't feel right. But I don't know how, I don't have the sensations within my body, but because she goes outside, I'm like, I don't know if she literally has a thorn in her paw or you know something, or she like tried to eat a bee or what, you know, there's no like physical [00:21:00] things, but I'm like, something seems in my, you know, and.

Some of that's just analytical. well, she should be fine. There's nothing in here that's bothering her, but she's bothered. but just things like that. It is interesting and how, what a blessing to get that extra, felt sense to be able to zero in on what could be the problem.

Karen Cleveland: Yeah. Well, here's what I will say is usually it's the first thing that comes up. if you were to say, you know, what's wrong with you kitty? What's the first thing that comes up? Because we tend to dismiss it. We think we're making it up. It could be impossible. Whatever we, you know, why we think it's not right.

But, often the first thing that comes up, we need to go with that and explore that because, It usually is information we can trust. It's coming from somewhere.

Kara Goodwin: Yeah. That's so interesting. So you mentioned about Safari and that was a big part of your initial transformation, but we were talking before we started [00:22:00] recording that now you take people on safari and as an animal communicator. I would love to know what that experience is like. I was sharing with you before we started that I've been on safari in Kenya and in South Africa and I'm an animal lover and it was just off the charts.

Amazing. but I can imagine just being an animal communicator, that was a whole other level. So what would you like to share about that?

Karen Cleveland: Well, absolutely. So as an animal lover, you probably know that just getting out there in the planes or in the park, wherever you're going, is I. Kind of an overwhelming, amazing experience when I take people on safari. I like it to be, you know, more than just a drive to see animals. I, so I actually have a list of exercises that we do.

So I have, and it's up to the person. I mean, if they just wanna come on safari and just benefit [00:23:00] from the consciousness around them, that's fine too. But, I. So before we even go in the park, we, I talk about, you know, managing your energy and how to be open to, to the messages. Because I do believe 

If we're having an issue going on in our life, we can. The animals and the safari in general. Even the experience with the locals and in the villages and touching the land itself can help us prioritize what's important in life and can help us come up with answers. But one of the, exercises that if a person wants to do, I believe if we start the day with a question in our head or an intention or both, The intention might be, you know, I want to have a, closeup zebra experience.

Or the question might be, do I quit my job? So it can be [00:24:00] anything. I, but if we take that with us, I believe the animals are going to help us. Get an answer and certainly being in nature and being connected. So for the people drawn to Safari, and it doesn't, you know, not everyone is drawn to Safari, but for those that are, I think it's something about a combination of the land, of the expands of pure wild nature and.

Speaking to our divine origin and our divine natural state. so back to your question, being on safari and having animal communications exercises. so I walk people through like energy exercises and intention and that kind of thing, but then also give them ideas on how to connect because I know when I'm out there, it takes five seconds to be connected with.

All the life and talking to a lion or an antelope or a [00:25:00] giraffe is nothing like a cat or a dog. They have, no reference to, you know, what's for dinner? Let's go for a ride. time for bed. The, there's. No language references like we have. So it really is about the presence. It's about play, it's about, the basic emotions of, love and fear and joy and, hunger and even death, you know, and grieving death.

So it's a different experience, but it's, I find it, and I know some of my. Clients, some of the other safari goers find it's deeply transformational because it really helps to prioritize what's important for us. And if we're caught up in all these daily mundane things that have no importance, but we feel like we have to do them, maybe we don't feel like [00:26:00] we have to do them anymore when we come back home.

Kara Goodwin: Mm.

Karen Cleveland: Yeah. and it's not that way for everyone. I mean, I've had people. Come and go exactly the same way, or, you know, apparently the same way that aren't interested in, any transformational work, which is fine, but,

Kara Goodwin: But the opportunity is there

Karen Cleveland: absolutely.

Kara Goodwin: Yeah. What a special way to undergo it. That's incredible.

Karen Cleveland: Well, and that's the thing is for me, Being an animal person and perhaps before you ever started on your journey,and now I know we've talked about it before and I don't remember how you started, but let's just say you hadn't started being an animal person. I think a safari is a great way to tap into that place of presence.

That can then, help, spur further development, wherever you go from there. so definitely for me, being an animal lover and taking other animal people on [00:27:00] safari, I think that's a starting point.

Kara Goodwin: Beautiful. Well, let's shift to miracles. Can you share a little bit about the role that miracles play in your work? I.

Karen Cleveland: Yeah. Yeah. I love, well, I love miracles, but maybe I should. Define. I think miracles can be almost everyday little things that are unexpected. And as I'm doing more research into coincidences and synchronicities, they sound the same sometimes because to me a miracle is, it's unexpected, but it's desired and it's like the universe's way of letting us know.

That number one, we're here, we're important and that we're doing something, you know, right. Either we're on the right path or we're doing the right thing, that kind of thing. And so I think it's important to look for them and the more we look for them, the more they appear. it [00:28:00] like anything that we focus on, you know, like a gratitude practice.

So I, I encourage people every night, so. To look, were there little tiny miracles in the day? And a miracle can be as simple as hitting, all lights green on the way to work, right? So it's an unexpected blessing, I guess is how I define it. So little things like that, or, it could be as extreme as, someone dropping a hundred, a hundred dollars in your lap for some reason.

What. There's a huge range. And, so being open to them not trying to control things. When we try to control everything, it's hard to let unexpected good things happen, So that's really, that's really how I define it. And I, I. I want people to be open to how it happens and what it looks like, [00:29:00] and to not try to make it happen except to look for it, you know?

Yeah.

Kara Goodwin: Yeah, well, I think we're accepting more and more across humanity that what we focus on is what amplifies within our lives, right? So the more we are, you know, like you talk about looking for gratitude, that's a practice that a lot of people have where it's like, okay, if I. Train myself to be more grateful, and I'm looking for more things to be grateful about.

Then more things come in that I'm grateful for, and it is this like self-fulfilling prophecy. And so I love taking that and focusing on miracles too because, What I love too about, the concept of miracle is the mystery

too, because it, so often it does seem to be like you talk about it's outside of our control and sometimes it's even beyond the laws of nature that as we [00:30:00] understand it, you know, but if we are in this box that we've put ourselves in to say this is how the world works.

And if I. Experience something that is outside of the boundaries of how I understand the world to work, then I've misunderstood what has happened. There's an explanation that I yet don't know. I don't have all the information to be able to say that's how that happened, but if we're able to kind of release that and release that need for everything to fit in that box, I mean, imagine the life that we have.

If we're inviting in more mystery and more blessings and more of the universe providing and supporting us, I mean, that's like a divine way to live.

Karen Cleveland: Yeah, absolutely. Being open to, yeah, the mystery. I love the mystery. I, [00:31:00] and I think in my head, coincidences,play a little part in that too, because again, the more we pay attention to them, the more we have. And when I, so when I first started, when I was talking about like, I wanted to buy a house was part of my thing.

I was receiving guidance to call this one acquaintance of mine and I was like, well, that kind of makes sense. Her husband is a home inspector. I guess once I get to the point, it'll be helpful to have him on my side, but I didn't call her. Then on my way to work, I started seeing his trucks. So he had a, I started seeing his trucks on the freeway, and it's like, well, that's weird.

Why are his trucks showing up? And it's like, oh, maybe I need to call and find out why, because obviously I didn't listen. Someone's trying to tell me something. So I called her and she is like, oh yeah, actually he's a real estate agent now. and he was the perfect one for me because he knew [00:32:00] the houses cuz he owned this home inspection business.

So we would go see a house and he's like, yeah, no, not this one. He is like, yeah, this one could be okay. You know, so, so he was an ultimate blessing in my home buying process. And had I not, you know, looked at those coincidences of seeing his trucks on the road or. Or paid attention to my own divine guidance about, you know, calling her.

Then it, I would've had a very different experience. So,

Kara Goodwin: Yeah.

I love that.

Well, Karen, tell us how people can connect with you and, learn more about you and from you.

Karen Cleveland: Oh, absolutely. Thank you. So I am on. The internet and just about everywhere, but revkarencleveland.com, so r e v k a r e n c l e v e L A n d.com is my website. And then at Rev, Karen Cleveland on Instagram and YouTube. And Facebook is Rev, Karen [00:33:00] Cleveland. So, and then the Connectedness podcast is on all the podcast apps as well.

So I would love to, I have. A bunch of free resources on my website. There's, you know, go to rev karen cleveland.com and there's a tab that says free things. I think so. Go check that out.

Kara Goodwin: Wonderful. Well, thank you so much for being here today and for sharing all of this valuable insight. I could talk about animal communication all day long. It's so fascinating. What a blessing that you're in that field.

Karen Cleveland: Yeah. It's fun. Thank you so much for having me. it's been a real pleasure.

Kara Goodwin: Absolutely. Thanks so much.

Karen Cleveland: All right. Bye-bye.

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