by Dominique Koubovec

Tuesday 22nd September 2009 was International Elephant Appreciation Day. It is also the equinox in the Northern Hemisphere representing the first day of autumn and in the Southern Hemisphere depicting the first day of spring. As a tribute to elephants we decided to interview Anna Breytenbach, a professional interspecies communicator, about her experience with African elephants. Her goal, like ours, is to raise awareness and advance the relationship between humans and animals.

Dominique

Some regard elephants as violent and dangerous, whilst others as beautiful and serene…What has your experience been?

Anna

Elephants are connected to each other in an expanded family sense and are also very connected to the collective consciousness and to the earth energy. They also appear to have chosen a deliberate interface with humankind. They are an “indicator species” and are thought to be gauges of human consciousness. The way we handle elephant conservation can be interpreted as how far we have advanced as a species. Through conflict situations with humans they show us what we humans need to see. When they trample through villages they are showing us a very clear distress signal. They deliberately knock down fences that try to contain them in unnaturally small areas. This is not intended as a violent act. They simply want to be allowed to walk the ancient paths of their knowing. They want to follow instinctive migratory routes. They are also trying to teach us humans lessons about the appropriateness of moving with the seasons and in accordance with natural cycles so that we don’t overly deplete an area. In other words, they are trying to teach us how to live within our physical means. The times that there are altercations between humans and elephants that turn violent are an attempt on their behalf to signal their distress at what we are doing to our planet. It is almost inevitable that when we humans push around the largest animal on earth, it needs to be reflected to us that we can’t do that and get away with it. We need to learn to know our place in the natural order of things. Humans of course don’t like the push back…the reflection. Without exception, I find elephants very wise, even when they are acting out some of the shadow.

SNIP