Leo, King of the Tiny Kingdom
by Glenda Warren, Charlotte, NC
Leo came to us as a kitten on a mission- to become the only King of our Tiny Kingdom. A fascinating being, extremely handsome, smart and loving, the kind of guy who enjoys going for a ride in his stroller to peruse his outer Kingdom and spending time in his spacious outdoor kitty condo. He loves connecting with my students who come to the home and is always part of the teaching.
What our family noticed early on about Leo was that he had incredible sensitivity, strong emotions, and impulsive reactions that were hard for him to manage. He became frustrated and upset when family members would leave home and he was left alone, when others did something that he didn't like, with changes in the weather, and more. He had difficulty controlling his reactions to these changes and situations and would "attack" with teeth and nails and even draw blood. Once or twice he even went after a student. We were worried. It was very upsetting for us as a family, we adore our King Leo, and we were at a loss as to how to help him.
Enter Circles! Once Leo was involved with Circles on a regular basis (from the beginning of Circles- for years now!), Leo became a changed creature. Leo learned how to communicate better, not only with Joanna and all his Circle buddies, but also with us. He forged special relationships in Circle and was supported in learning how to be more aware of his reactions. He learned that he did not have to follow those strong impulses that made him want to use teeth and nails. That he could pause and consider before reacting. In fact, with Circle healings and with our vocal prompts, Leo learned how to calm himself down almost immediately with simply a word on our part.
With Circle healings, Leo has grown into a mature and regal companion who deeply loves his family and who adores children! The changes we've seen that come from Leo's involvement in Circles have been astounding in so many ways- he views the world in a wider and wiser way. Even though very occasionally Leo has a small episode of reactive behavior, he rebalances very quickly. He is a wonderful companion, loved a great deal not only by us but by the neighborhood children who write letters to Leo- and of course, he writes back!