We're joined by Brigitte Baker, a professional Animal Communicator. Brigitte shares how she uses her intuitive abilities to strengthen the bond between humans and their companion animals. Her journey to embracing her gift was not without its challenges, as being around animals and their pain was initially too much for her to handle. After years of societal pressure and feeling like she didn't fit in, Brigitte had a turning point and found the courage to own her unique qualities. Join us as Brigitte inspires us to embrace our individuality and live authentically.

Guest’s hype song is Brick House by The Commodores

Website: reiki317.com

Today’s episode is sponsored by Zen Rabbit. If you’d like to find peace of mind amidst the chaos and no matter what’s going on around you, you’ll find a whole bunch of free resources, like meditations and articles at ZenRabbit.com. And while you’re there, if you’re curious about how you might stop working so hard and achieve more success at the same time - get a copy of The Five Easy Ways to Start Living a Sabbatical Life. It’s a short guide to working less and living better. Find it all at ZenRabbit.com.

Lori Saitz:

Hey, my friend. Welcome to Fine is a 4-Letter Word. My name is Lori Saitz. I'm an entrepreneur, mentor, founder of Zen Rabbit, and your instigator in saying fuck being fine. This show is for those of you who are done living with the dumpster fire and are ready to find the tools and courage to transform to step into more success and fulfillment in both your personal and business life. You're in the right place for stories of self discovery, gratitude and connection, and to help you strengthen that connection to your own inner guidance, you'll find each episode has an accompanying meditation. Now let's get into it. Hey there. I have someone super special with me today. Brigitte is a professional animal communicator who has the amazing ability to connect with our furry friends and understand what they're trying to tell us. And trust me, this woman knows her stuff. She helped ease my kitties, panther and karma as they crossed over. And it was just so incredible to see how she could understand them and make their transition easier. But Brigitte's journey to getting here wasn't always easy. She knew she had this special connection with animals from a young age, but society wasn't always supportive. She let the world push her in different directions, and it wasn't until she had a wake up call that she realized she needed to embrace her gifts, even though it was a difficult and painful process.

Lori Saitz:

Brigitte is so grateful to have figured it out in her 57th year. Living authentically has brought her a sense of peace and purpose, and I know you'll be inspired by her story. So let's dive in and learn from the amazing Brigitte Baker. Today's episode is sponsored by Zen Rabbit. If you'd like to find peace of mind amidst the chaos, and no matter what's going on around you, you'll find a whole bunch of free resources like meditations and articles at Zen Rabbit dot com. And while you're there, if you're curious about how you might stop working so hard and achieve more success at the same time, get a copy of the five Easy ways to Start Living a Sabbatical life. It's a short guide to working less and living better. Find it all at Zen Rabbit Dot. Welcome to Fine is a four letter word. My guest today is Brigitte Baker. I'm so excited to have this conversation with you, Brigitte, because you have just been such a godsend to me and to Panther and Karma. My my kitties who have crossed to the new The Next Dimension. So welcome to the show.

Brigitte Baker:

Thank you. It's this is really bizarre. I feel I feel very special like a celebrity.

Lori Saitz:

You are.

Brigitte Baker:

But but I'm so very grateful that I was able to help both you and Karma and Panther.

Lori Saitz:

Yeah, we'll get more into that. First, I want to start out with asking you the question of what were the values and beliefs that you were raised with that contributed to you becoming who you are.

Brigitte Baker:

That's big, huge work ethic. You know, this is this was really who both my parents were. You know, the old joke. You don't half ass anything. It's full ass all the way. Well, that's well, that's what that's what we learned. Very textbook Protestant work ethic. And you live a good life and don't lie, cheat, steal. You know, my parents were very much involved in the church. We didn't have a choice. Not, you know, not like that was a horrible thing. Later on in life, it was not. Good. Very good for me. But typical. I was born in 1965. So really, really kind of classic definition, middle class, You know, whatever you're doing, be your best.

Lori Saitz:

Mm hmm. Mm hmm. And so how did you carry that through? Like, as you were starting out as an adult, what choices did you make based on those how you were raised? Because I ask because you you as I know you now. And obviously I didn't know you then, but you're very much a free spirit.

Brigitte Baker:

And that's frowned upon. Not in today, not in not in today's world. It's not at all. In fact, I'm not I'm not that weird in today's world. But, you know, 1965 to shit, 2000. I did not fit at all.

Lori Saitz:

But did you try to make yourself fit? And. Yes. What did you do to do that?

Brigitte Baker:

I would tell the truth, you know. So I'm an intuitive. We all are. I don't have anything unique that nobody else does. Nothing, you know, no special gene code or bump in my brain that that you don't have that everybody else doesn't have. Everybody can absolutely 100% do what I do and learn it. Okay. So step back from that. I cannot sing. I mean, I can. It's awful. It's horrifying.

Lori Saitz:

I'm with you there.

Brigitte Baker:

I scare myself. Sometimes I still sing. Same. It doesn't slow me down. But you know.

Lori Saitz:

Right, I. Nobody else wants to listen.

Brigitte Baker:

I'm not selling out of concert hall now. Could I learn to improve that? Could I engage? You know, the best voice teacher ever? Could I have songs written specifically for my voice range? Yes. Yes. Would I be better? Absolutely. Would I be amazing? What I. What? I have a voice like Celine Dion. No, no. So same thing. Everybody can do what I'm doing. Will they naturally be able to gravitate to that? Not necessarily, but. You get what I'm saying? Yeah, absolutely. So ever since I was a kid, like a kid. Kid like, five years old, I knew what the Chipmunks in our window. Well, which was under our kitchen table. I knew they were there before anybody else knew they were there. And, you know. Oh, Brigitte must have looked out and seen them. Like, I couldn't. I couldn't see in the window. Well, from our window. Oh, she must have gone out and seen them. But anyway, they were fascinated with what I was eating. So I explained to them that it was pancakes, and they were like, We would love pancakes. So I told my mom, I the Chipmunks in the window, Well, want to have some of my pancakes? And, you know, that's so cute, right? We're just so she's so until they. There are two chipmunks in the window. Well, you know, so they let me put some of my pancakes out there and, you know, stuff like that.

Lori Saitz:

Right? Right. But they just kind of like, Oh, she's so cute. But they didn't realize this gift that you had.

Brigitte Baker:

Brigitte loves all animals. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Well, so then eventually it was like, you know, I didn't know nobody else could do this or or acknowledge this or, you know. Yeah. Again, it's cute for a little while. Then by about the time I was. Maybe six seven. First, second grade. I knew what somebody was feeling. Before I even walked into a room, like I knew there was somebody extremely angry, there was somebody extremely happy, and there was somebody scared. Mm hmm. And sure enough, there would be three people there. And you could look at body language and anybody could tell you that that's what was going on. We're kids. We don't know. And what they say out of the mouth. Out of the mouths of babes.

Lori Saitz:

Right.

Brigitte Baker:

So I would just ask people. Why? What are you so scared of? You know, or or you know, you went you went to the doctor and that didn't go well. This is not what people want to hear. Or God forbid that I wasn't reading their mind. I was simply reading their energy. So it it it didn't it didn't go. It didn't go well.

Lori Saitz:

Well, because. Right. Because people thought that was weird because not what everybody else was able to do or.

Brigitte Baker:

Right.

Lori Saitz:

Recognize it. Like they weren't using that part of their.

Brigitte Baker:

Exactly.

Lori Saitz:

Their their.

Brigitte Baker:

You know, I was a target of bullying a lot of lot of really, you know, the the really shitty side of human beings.

Lori Saitz:

Because. Right. Especially because kids don't like Well, kids and adults.

Brigitte Baker:

And kids.

Lori Saitz:

Can be really mean about it. And now that we have social media, adults can be really mean about it too, because we're not.

Brigitte Baker:

Honestly, kids are the lowest form of humanity. I mean, they really are. I just, you know, sorry, know, I'm sure I'm sure everybody out there is like, but my child is different. I hope.

Lori Saitz:

So. Right.

Brigitte Baker:

I really I really do. But, you know.

Lori Saitz:

But teachers, people who are different is not something that we traditionally do.

Brigitte Baker:

We outcast and we still don't. Right? We still don't. But yeah, so so as a kid, you know, it was cute until it wasn't cute as a teenager. It was devastating. And I just shut everything down, literally shut it down. I shut myself down because I got tired of being the weirdo, the freak, the target, you know? Yeah. So, you know, you name it, I probably lived through that. What are all the things that happen when you refuse to acknowledge who you are or find an appropriate outlet or be able to talk to somebody and write? Well, you know, in the seventies, you know, go talk to somebody. I mean, so, so I was just overly dramatic, a pathological liar or just too sensitive. That's me. So that's what every teacher had. That's what every you know, that's what followed me for the rest of my life.

Lori Saitz:

Did you consider becoming somebody who works with animals like like a veterinarian or a vet tech or. I don't know, maybe you did that.

Brigitte Baker:

But I so so I did, because I always wanted to be near animals. But I came to a very quick conclusion. I there was no way I was going to I was I could not live through pain and suffering or watching. You know, I have the utmost respect for anybody in the veterinary field as well as medical period. You know, I'm going to tell you what to do. And what do we do? Well, that sounds too difficult. That sounds. That sounds awful. I don't. I guess I'll just be happy weighing £400 and thinking my life is great. You know, dieting, exercise. This doesn't sound fun, right? So. So here's what you need to do to. To help buddy not have hip problems, you know, and. Nine times out of ten people just don't want to be bothered. So so at least that was my experience. So it was like, I can't I don't I can't do that.

Lori Saitz:

Yeah. You didn't want to work in that field?

Brigitte Baker:

No. And it's probably a really good thing that I didn't do that. I actually when I, when I finally went to when I went to college, I shouldn't say when I finally went to college. I mean, I went right after high school, but I did not want to. I kind of didn't have a choice.

Lori Saitz:

Yeah, that's what everybody's doing.

Brigitte Baker:

Well, and my parents and my parents were like, Well, you're not living here if.

Lori Saitz:

You go.

Brigitte Baker:

To college. Oh, yeah. Well, that puts a damper on things. Yeah. So and yeah, I, they said, and we want you to go to this school. Which was a Dutch reformed religious college and seminary.

Lori Saitz:

Wow. That seems like such a mismatch for you.

Brigitte Baker:

So we're not we're neither I mean, we're not Dutch reformed. I mean, we. So this was Calvin Calvin College. Oh, yeah. But the sort of the caveat, the carrot, the carrot was you can go anywhere you want. You can go to University of Wisconsin. I was born and raised in Milwaukee. You can go to UW anywhere in the UW system. You can apply to any school you want. And you can pay for it. Or you can go to Calvin College.

Lori Saitz:

And what did you what did you do immediately after you graduated? What was the field you went into? And psychology. Och, all right. Yeah. Did you practice? And then. Because I want to get to the part where you. Because before we started recording, you said you were on like Virgin seven.

Brigitte Baker:

Oh, yeah. I mean, so. So I that was my, my undergrad. I went for two years and then I was just like, I cannot. This is worse than being a kid again. It was way worse. So my folks were like, Well, okay, you know, you know, do what you got to do. So I just floundered. You know, I, I was a bartender. I was really good. But but, you know, it wasn't really my my life's plan and. I realized that just an undergrad in psychology, I wasn't going to do anything. I was not going to do anything. I mean, there's just not there's nowhere to go with it. So I floundered a little more. And, you know, I worked a vocational rehab for quite a long time, which was rewarding. But, you know, when you can't pay the rent, it doesn't matter how rewarding what you're doing is. So back to college again, because society said, well, this is how you're going to make a buck education.

Lori Saitz:

So just keep educating yourself formally with degrees.

Brigitte Baker:

Don't don't make it something that you really want to do. Fast track it. So I.

Lori Saitz:

Do something.

Brigitte Baker:

That will business school as.

Lori Saitz:

Opposed to something that brings you joy. And joy fulfills your your life. Like your real.

Brigitte Baker:

Exactly. Exactly. So I got a graduate degree and, you know, entered business. And I mean, was I good at it? Yes. Yes. Did I enjoy it? No. It ate me up every single day.

Lori Saitz:

And that is so common. Yeah. That people go and do what they think they're supposed to do to make money and they're good at it. So that makes it harder even to walk away because you're exactly good at it. So I might as well just keep doing it. But in the meantime, your soul is dying.

Brigitte Baker:

Literally. Yes. Literally.

Lori Saitz:

Yeah. So what was your wake up call? Because I know you had one at least one.

Brigitte Baker:

I did. So I was I was actually making six figures. And and for the first time in my life that did not include the comma. So, you know, I've made it. I'm I'm wearing fancy business suits, you know, every day. And I'm making really big decisions and I'm making really big money. I'm making a man's money. And it it was the weirdest environment I've ever been in, in my life. And I don't think I'll ever encounter anything weirder. So, you know, the movie The Devil Wears Prada?

Lori Saitz:

Yes.

Brigitte Baker:

Okay. So no joke. I mean, and not in a funny way, though, but that is exactly the environment that I was in.

Lori Saitz:

Well, that movie was based on reality, so.

Brigitte Baker:

But it was they were things that ridiculous and that petty. And we all knew how we were being manipulated. But yet the money keeps you there. The money keeps you there. What if I don't have that money? Who cares? I mean, yes, I get we need money, but.

Lori Saitz:

Surely I can. You can take that view now. But at the time, not then. I didn't see how so. Yeah.

Brigitte Baker:

Talk to me.

Lori Saitz:

About what? How you got kicked in the face by life or the universe.

Brigitte Baker:

Yeah, So? So I. I was walking past. So this is our old house in Indy, and I'm walking through our bar area, the breakfast bar, you know, solid tile floor and, and I, and I was like. I have to. Whatever. Like I need to. My errand lists are up there, my grocery list. And I'm like, I got to see what I got to do today. I don't I don't know why I wasn't. Had to have been a weekend or something and Brian wasn't around. Yeah. So. So I'm walking past and I. I looked up. And I mean my whole I mean, my body almost went rigid. I looked up and I. I saw on the whiteboard I had spelled something wrong like, like a common grocery item, like potato. I had spelled potato wrong. Yeah. And, I mean, I went into this complete and total. Almost like a meltdown. What happened was I had the mother of all panic attacks. I went down cold on the floor. And by the time I got up, I just wasn't even I wasn't even sure what had happened. I thought I had died. Wow. Legitimately thought I had died because if you'd understood the environment I was in, one misspelling, quite literally. Could have been your job.

Lori Saitz:

Wow.

Brigitte Baker:

Yeah, it was.

Lori Saitz:

It was trauma.

Brigitte Baker:

It was that random and ridiculous. And I mean, I one more week at work, and I was just like, I can't do this. I just can't do this. I can't. I can't walk in every Monday morning and sit around with the other veeps and listen to people actually talking about what antidepressant was working for them now and if they added this to it. It was even better because then you just were numb, you know? Yeah, but, you know, it sounds like a joke. It sounds funny, but.

Lori Saitz:

Yeah, right. But when you're living it, it is. It was our.

Brigitte Baker:

Life. Yeah. And it was like. I was like, I can't do this. I can't do. I can't do this. I mean, it was I was already on Prozac and I was like, Yeah, I don't want to. I don't want to know what it feels like to take effects or yeah, the eight other things that people were talking about. I was like, This is bad enough. This is already bad enough.

Lori Saitz:

So did you go in and quit and move?

Brigitte Baker:

Well, Brian was just like, You can't do this. You can't do this.

Lori Saitz:

For for listeners who don't know, Brian is Brigitte's husband. And fun fact, Brian and I went to high school together.

Brigitte Baker:

Yeah.

Lori Saitz:

So Brigitte and I know each other just throwing that in.

Brigitte Baker:

Yeah. So? So, yeah. No, I mean, we had talked about it, and I mean, I, I went to my doctor and was like, you know, I'm, I, this was pre Google, you know, but I was like, I don't know what happened, but, but I'm sure it was brought on by anxiety. She was like. Brigitte Yeah. You know, first of all, first of all, I'm glad you're here. Okay? No, you didn't. You didn't clinically die and come back. But that's a pretty that's a pretty severe panic attack is what happened. And I'm also happy I didn't knock myself into a concussion landing. Right? Yeah, you know, whatever. But that was it. That was the wake up call. I was just like, This is fucking nonsense and I can't do this anymore. I'm ruined, you know? Yeah. So? So I completely. I just. I just went in and I. And I. And I quit, and I was like, Look, I'm giving you whatever notice you need. I will put everything in order. So you let me know what your what are your goals for? For me to tie up put together what, what, whatever you want. Just let me know and I will make that happen. And I'll make that happen in the 30 days that I am obligated to give you. And so and, you know, two days after I dropped that edict, I, I just wrote a business plan and I did a page by page for a web designer to put together a website. And I opened a doggie day care. So it was just a complete departure.

Lori Saitz:

Yeah. And that was I'm sure, like now you're back to working with animals in a different capacity, not vet, vet, tac, whatever. Right, right. Like. How fun was.

Brigitte Baker:

That? It was. I loved it. You know, but it's not. You don't get to take vacation. Yeah, You know, you just. You're there. You're there all the time trying to get things up and running. And, I mean, it was successful and I didn't close because I didn't want to do it anymore. I closed because I was bullied, quite literally by the the building owner because when I opened. I was extremely desirable because nobody was renting. I mean, they had this empty strip sitting there and I paid my rent on time every single month. They were still trying to get people out in the strip behind me that had been had almost been squatting for a year and not I mean, so, you know, I was a dream. Yeah. Until. I wasn't anymore because it was noisy. So they they suddenly came to me and said, You've got to do all this sound installation. I was like, That's not that's not in my lease. You are welcome to do it. And I will I will assist in any way that I possibly can, but I cannot monetarily do this. It will break me. So they threatened with lawyers, I threatened back with lawyers, and all was fine. They knew they couldn't force me to do it. The problem was my I had signed and I had signed a five year lease when I had signed first of two year lease and then a five. So my lease was coming up for renewal. What do you think was going to be in it?

Lori Saitz:

Right, right, right. And so how long did you run that business total? Seven years. Seven years.

Brigitte Baker:

Yeah.

Lori Saitz:

And so that forced you out of that. Now we're at like, yeah, another version. And so how did you get into doing Reiki?

Brigitte Baker:

Oh yeah, that was another weird, really, really weird.

Lori Saitz:

And from there, how did that transfer into the animal communicating?

Brigitte Baker:

So the, the Reiki, it was okay, let me think so.

Lori Saitz:

Because when you start doing Reiki, you're working with humans even though.

Brigitte Baker:

Yeah.

Lori Saitz:

And it's really an animals. Oh, so you were always working with animals.

Brigitte Baker:

So both both people and people in animals. I had actually I had gone for a Reiki treatment. That's what I was going to say. What, what was the, the button that flipped. Yeah. So I had gone for a Reiki treatment and. I was like, This is really amazing and relaxing. And the the woman was like. So I'm just I'm just going to tell you this flat out, but I, like, cannot you have, like, the most amazing barrier that I can't even I can't do anything? And I was like, really? Because I feel really relaxed. She's like, okay, that's because you're laying on this comfortable table and it's candlelight and dim lighting and, you know, Yeah, yeah, you're comfortable, but I can't. I can't help you, I can't do anything. And I was like, Can I just lay here for another 20 minutes? Then I'll still pay you. And it was like she was like, No, absolutely. And so but I mean, the more we talked, I was just like, I don't understand what you're talking about. She said, There is like this wall around you and your energy that I cannot chisel through. I'm not saying that you can't. There's something wrong. She's saying I'm saying this is really amazing. And I don't know how you're you're still functioning. So because she said, I just can't. I just can't I can't do anything. I can't manipulate anything. I can't do anything. And it got me started thinking about. You know, nobody nobody ever referred to me as the ice princess or a cold fish or, you know, I was always very expressive. I just, you know, and then I thought, okay, well, that's probably good, but maybe it's not. I mean, she wasn't saying it like it was a good thing. She was saying it like, Honey, this is bad, you know? But she did say that.

Lori Saitz:

And so did you start studying Reiki to understand your.

Brigitte Baker:

Own? Yes. Yes. To understand what? What did she mean and what you know. Okay. I mean, I had a very limited grasp on what Reiki was before I went, which is okay. I mean, I'm not going to know everything about anatomy before.

Lori Saitz:

I go really quickly. For people who are listening, describing like one or two sentences, what Reiki is.

Brigitte Baker:

The quick and dirty. I call this my bar speech. It is it is sort of like getting a massage for your energy. It helps remove blocks. It helps to identify where the blocks are. We're not we're not reading your mind or anything like that. Nothing. No parlor tricks or anything like that. It's sort of like acupuncture without needles.

Lori Saitz:

Got it. Because we are energetic beings. And so it's like you said, a massage of your energy.

Brigitte Baker:

Yeah, exactly. Exactly. It's finding it's finding a block or an area that that is causing pain, whether you feel like physically or not.

Lori Saitz:

Yeah. Yeah. And energetically adjusting it.

Brigitte Baker:

Absolutely. Absolutely.

Lori Saitz:

Yeah. So that's. That's how you got into doing Reiki. And then then you made that your profession. But what I'm curious, So go ahead.

Brigitte Baker:

Well, what I was gonna say was when? When that started. Chiselling away at the fortress that that that is Brigitte's energy. I started to, like, hear things again. Not, you know, my husband and I joke. Oh, oh. And did the voices tell you? Yeah. So, you know, because it's always the voices in my head.

Lori Saitz:

So you had shut that down completely and you weren't hearing it at all anymore? No, no. Wow.

Brigitte Baker:

Och, no, not since. Not since I was a kid. Yeah, I just because it.

Lori Saitz:

It was easier to live that way. It was easier as yourself. Correct. Bullied and. Yeah. And taunted. Yeah.

Brigitte Baker:

And and I am, I am what is called clear sentient so so we know a lot of the Claire's like clairvoyant translates to clear seeing Yeah. So a clairvoyant sees like you're watching a movie on TV. Claire Audience hears. Yeah. So it is like, clear hearing. So it is like having a conversation just like you and I.

Lori Saitz:

Are.

Brigitte Baker:

Right? I am clear, sentient. Now, we can all. We all have all those. All the. Claire's right. There's like seven Claire senses we have them all. But generally one is like it's like having a dominant hand. You can use the other one, but one is your really strong one. Right? So, Claire. Claire. Sentience is mine, which is feeling sentient. So. So when I'm communicating with animal, I feel what they are conveying. In other words, it's sort of like just something hurt. Oh, now do I? If they have a tumor or an extreme pain point or, you know, terrible arthritis pain. Oh, I might. No, no. But, but I know, I know where it is because I'm feeling where it is also also like them conveying sadness, happiness, joy, anger, fear, whatever it is, and at whatever level, I will feel that. And then, you know, the magic happens. Yeah. And my brain somehow translates that and it begins to show me a story. It begins to show me pictures. I can't tell you how it happens or how it works because I don't know. I'm not a neurologist, you know?

Lori Saitz:

Right, Right. It just happens. And you.

Brigitte Baker:

But that's how it happens. And that's that's the connection point. So that started happening, you know, all of a sudden, you know, it's sort of like, Brigitte, you remember you used to do this, you.

Lori Saitz:

Know, so you opened the floodgates again.

Brigitte Baker:

Exactly.

Lori Saitz:

And by chiseling down that thing that was around you, that energy block, Right. Wow. Och, I'm getting the whole picture here now.

Brigitte Baker:

Now, being clear, Sentient has its own issues. Remember I said I could walk into a room as a kid and I knew who was scared. I knew who was angry. I knew who was happy. I knew who was completely clueless, you know? So when I started shutting everything down, it was to where I couldn't tell what you were feeling. Were they your feelings or were they mine? I couldn't tell. As a as a as an adult. Being in chaotic environments or emotionally charged groups was hideous. So. So yeah, I couldn't I mean, I. I could never tell. Was it you? Was it me? Was it everybody around me? What am I feeling? I mean, I just couldn't. I couldn't tell what was mine and what wasn't. Again, Reiki helped me to determine. Is that your feeling? Is that my feeling?

Lori Saitz:

Okay, so.

Brigitte Baker:

Reiki could.

Lori Saitz:

Help others, but it also helped you manage your own energy.

Brigitte Baker:

Exactly. Which I had never cared for in my entire life. I'd never taken care of me in any of those aspects. And suddenly here I am giving a shit about, you know, other people. And it was like, Wow, what about me? You know? Yeah, how about. And I and I remember my my Reiki teacher was always like, You first. How many times have you heard You can't help anybody else if you don't help yourself first? Well, you know, that was usually my response to it. Thanks, Mom. But. But she was absolutely right. And so. So I did. I did in my entire my first two years of of training was devoted really to me, to me and just family members or close, close friends. Yeah. So that was that was pretty huge.

Lori Saitz:

And then how did you get into like, because it's only recently that you started really sharing with the world that you have this ability to help animals. And it was because you had been talking about it on Facebook in some capacity, I don't even remember. But when Karma got was in when she started. Well, actually, I was going to reach out to you a week before because I knew something was wrong with her. Right. But I didn't. And then it was like an emergency situation she was having not cardiac arrest. What's it called? She was in extreme distress when I first reached out to you, but we were on our way to the emergency vet where she spent overnight. But I didn't know what was what was wrong with her. She was panting and having trouble breathing and that. So I reached out to Brigitte and said, Something's wrong with karma. Help me know what it is. And you had a conversation with her.

Brigitte Baker:

Yeah.

Lori Saitz:

Kitty, I know, I know. She's. She comes to me. They both still come to me in dreams, so. Yeah. So that is how really Brigitte and I started really connecting was because I called on her to. Help translate between karma and me and what was happening. And then so now we're both going to be crying. If you're not listening, you're not watching the video. Yeah, we're both.

Brigitte Baker:

Like.

Lori Saitz:

Oh, yes. But I'm so grateful that Brigitte was able to have these conversations with both of my girls and to share with me what they what was best for them, what they were saying they needed so that I could give it to them. So a lot of you have heard, if you've listened to some of these episodes this season, about the month long sabbatical road trip that I took with 19 year old Panther.

Brigitte Baker:

And she was so happy.

Lori Saitz:

She was right. So the whole reason why I took her with me was because Brigitte said she would rather be with you than anywhere else. That was what Panther was telling her. And I said, okay, so, so that is why Panther got to come on this month long road trip. And have the time of her life and both of us. I mean, that trip was amazing for both of us.

Brigitte Baker:

That was her sabbatical, too.

Lori Saitz:

Yes. Yes.

Brigitte Baker:

That was a trip of a lifetime.

Lori Saitz:

And that trip. So this is falls into the idea of finding gratitude everywhere and not necessarily looking at things through rose colored glasses and saying that's not that those feelings don't exist or that that viewpoint isn't valid. It's it's more a matter of like seeing the good in even the sad or frustrating or disappointing situations because that trip could never have happened if we if karma was still with us. Karma wasn't a traveler or not a good traveler. But yes. And so that helping us through those transitions. How did you come to accept that this is now what you're supposed to be doing?

Brigitte Baker:

So. So I feel like I always knew that it was.

Lori Saitz:

And finally allowed it to be your truth.

Brigitte Baker:

Because. Right. You know, my entire life from the age of four. I didn't want to get beat up anymore. I didn't want to be poked fun at. I didn't want to be Brigitte the Freak. Brigitte the witch, Brigitte the weirdo, Brigitte, the pathological liar. You know, all of the things that formed my entire life. And now I'm kind of like. Fuck all y'all know.

Lori Saitz:

Right? I'm going to be who I am.

Brigitte Baker:

And and.

Lori Saitz:

Because I can't not.

Brigitte Baker:

Be. And at 57, I mean, I just don't I to say, I just don't care anymore isn't true. I mean, we all say that we do. We do kind of care. But now I really. I really don't care what you think about what I do.

Lori Saitz:

Right. Right.

Brigitte Baker:

You you're allowed to have your own opinion. Yeah, but you're not allowed to have it influence me. So again, if so, then I'll. You let me know which bills you'd like to pay, and I will pass them on you. And then you can certainly have as many opinions on my life as you want.

Lori Saitz:

Yeah.

Brigitte Baker:

Yeah. So it was easier for people to call it Reiki. Than to, you know what I mean, right.

Lori Saitz:

Then animal like, Well, it was easier for people to understand it.

Brigitte Baker:

Maybe for some odd reason. But here's the weirdest part of it is that. So so like, if I if I say okay and they're like, well, do I need to bring my cat, rabbit, dog, llama snake? No. Can you send me a picture? Sure. Okay. That's all I need. Yeah, they can. They can grasp that. Yeah, but when I, when I say, you know, people will be like, well can you, can you do a Reiki treatment for me? Absolutely. Okay, well, where do you live? I'm like, Oh, Central Texas. And they're like, What? You know, I'm in Indiana and I'm like, Yeah, that's okay. I've done as much distance Reiki as, you know, hands on.

Lori Saitz:

Yeah, yeah. It doesn't require they can't.

Brigitte Baker:

They just what I mean.

Lori Saitz:

Well that's the beauty of energy healing.

Brigitte Baker:

Yeah. That's a bunch of hocus pocus. I just. You just paid me to talk to Brutus, your Great Dane, and we had all these landmark breakthroughs, and you were happy, and you totally get it. What was so what? You know what I mean? So it's just. I don't know what it is. It's the human condition, so, you know. Yeah. And I laugh about it all the time. I'm like, people can grasp that. I can talk to their animal in the UK, but.

Lori Saitz:

I have to be physically present for you to forbid. Right.

Brigitte Baker:

Yeah.

Lori Saitz:

That is so interesting.

Brigitte Baker:

Well, there are two totally different things, but. But in a way they're really not.

Lori Saitz:

Yeah, it's all energy. It's all energy work.

Brigitte Baker:

Exactly. Yeah.

Lori Saitz:

So you're ready to step full into I communicate with animals and help translate their needs to their humans so they can.

Brigitte Baker:

I've been doing it. I mean, for pay. It was what I did, but. But it was, you know, it's not even on my website. How sad is that? You know?

Lori Saitz:

Well, that that will be coming soon, correct?

Brigitte Baker:

Correct. I already I already wrote to my my first pass at it. Awesome.

Lori Saitz:

So, yeah, I have so enjoyed this conversation and I am so grateful that for all the work that you've done for me and Karma and Panther and for accepting. The invitation to come on Vine is the four letter word before we run off. What is your hype song? Listen to when you need a boost of energy.

Brigitte Baker:

My hype song is Brickhouse by The Commodores.

Lori Saitz:

Okay.

Brigitte Baker:

I have to tell you why? Because it ties into our conversation.

Lori Saitz:

Yes.

Brigitte Baker:

When I woke so as I was going down like a sack of potatoes with my mack daddy. Panic attack. Yeah. That song was playing. Not in my heart, not in mine.

Lori Saitz:

So, like, for real?

Brigitte Baker:

What's this in my head? And then I know it wasn't. I wasn't down too long, because when I woke up, it was I was hearing the end of the song. And it was a week before I found out what really happened. Uh huh. I thought the universe just wanted me to hear that song. And they were like, God damn it, girl, get up, get up. You know, you're a brick house. You're mighty, mighty, You know, let it all hang out. Not about. Oh, I'm sad. I got this great figure. It's like, you know, you better bring something big, like a sledgehammer because you ain't taking me down.

Lori Saitz:

Wow.

Brigitte Baker:

I thought that was the universe communicating with me. No, it.

Lori Saitz:

Was.

Brigitte Baker:

Well, my neighbor next door was. Was having this, like, massive pool party, and so they were all playing disco. So he was really playing that song. That's why I heard it. But, you know, I.

Lori Saitz:

Was like, for all those reasons.

Brigitte Baker:

Right? So it's kind of funny, but yeah, so. Brickhouse. So every time, every time I feel, every time I just feel like shit or I'm angry or I feel like somebody, you know, I need to push back. Yeah. Play Brickhouse.

Lori Saitz:

That is awesome. Now, for people who are listening and who want to get in touch with you and continue the conversation or have you help their animals, what's the best place to reach you?

Brigitte Baker:

It's super easy to go to my website, which is w w w dot reiki 317. com.

Lori Saitz:

So how do you spell reiki?

Brigitte Baker:

Our e. Iki3 17. com okay. One seven was my area code in Indianapolis. Yeah.

Brigitte Baker:

Lori Saitz: So I will put a link to that in the show notes. So we'll make it really easy for people and thank you absolutely for joining me on Fine is a four letter word thank you. I am so grateful to know Brigittete and to have been able to call on her when we needed her services. I just want to make clear that your animals don't need to be facing the end of their lives for you to call on her. My friend Debbie reached out for help understanding and accommodating her dog, Cooper's anxiety around storms. And he's much better now. Now, here are today's key takeaways. Number one, we are all intuitive, but some of us are born more in touch with that sense than others. We can all learn it. But just like with singing, not everyone can be Celine Dion, no matter how much they practice. Number two, people can be incredibly ugly about things they don't understand because intuition is so closed off. To many, those who openly share it can be the target of harsh bullying. But you can't let this dictate the direction you take in life, or you will never be happy. Number three, don't let other people choose what you do with your life. You'll end up doing what you think you're supposed to. You might even get good at it, which only makes it harder to walk away. Number four, at some point, not being who you are meant to be is going to become more painful than any amount of judgment, bullying, or hurt feelings. And number five, it takes courage to step into who you are meant to be, and it is totally worth it.