Your Pet

Until one has loved an animal a part of one's soul remains unawakened. - Anatole France

For those of you who follow along on Autumn & Fig's Instagram account (now @drhotmer), you will often see pictures and/or videos of my pets, both my domesticated ones and my crew of feral cats as well. Many of you also know that Autumn & Fig is named in honor of two of my fur babies who have passed. So you can see a pattern here, animals have always been something I hold dear to my heart. 

Whether domesticated or wild I have been drawn to the wisdom of animals since early childhood. From volunteering at a wildlife rehabilitation center to donating and adopting from the local animal shelters, to studying shamanistic animal wisdom teachings, animals have held high regard in my life, as well as a special place on this planet. A pet is a powerful self care tool. The gifts an animal brings to one's life are immeasurable. Many of these gifts parallel the self care tools that I have spoken of thus far on Autumn & Fig:

• The energy of an animal is pure compassion and acceptance.
• They practice mindfulness second by second and only live in the present moment.
• Their love is unconditional and will oftentimes remind one to be gentle with oneself.

Whether or not you have a pet, even sitting with a friend or family member's animal can bring about the same gifts. Animals are incredibly powerful in regard to self care, for they can shift one's energy to peace and calm in even the most stressful of moments. I encourage you to be in the presence of an animal, soak up their wisdom, and see what beauty unfolds. Much love friends.xo