Ana Maria Vasquez: The Lost Episode, Creating Balance in our Lives

 

In this, a lost episode, with Animal and Nature Intuitive Ana Maria Vasquez, your Colorado Soul Stories Podcast host, Mama Jill sat down with her at a radio station in Salida, Colorado. Unfortunately the first half of this recording was lost to technical difficulties. We are resurrecting this second part, which survived, and dives deeper into Ana Maria’s methods for activating our relationships with nature to create balance in our lives.

At a time when so many of us are feeling disconnected, overwhelmed, or unsure how to stay grounded in a rapidly changing world, Ana Maria offers a path back to balance — through our connection with animals, trees, rivers, and the natural world around us.

Her work reminds us that nature is always communicating — not just through beauty and peace, but through energy, emotion, and reflection. By tuning in, we can learn to navigate our emotions, bring more compassion to our reactions, and rediscover the quiet magic that exists in everyday life.

Whether you’re an animal lover, a spiritual seeker, or simply someone looking for calm and clarity in these culturally challenging times, this conversation invites you to slow down, open up, and remember what it means to truly be connected — to yourself, to others, and to the world we share.

Episode Summary

Ana Maria begins by explaining that her deepest training didn’t come from a classroom — it came from nature itself. Guided by a tree, she learned to listen differently and to understand the world as energy in constant motion. As an Animal and Nature Intuitive, she helps people connect with the animals, trees, and landscapes around them — and in doing so, reconnect with their own inner wisdom.

A key theme in the conversation is “energetic responsibility.” She explains that responding to cruelty or injustice with anger only feeds the same harmful energy. Instead, she encourages sending love and compassion to the entire situation. By shifting our energetic response, we help to heal rather than amplify pain.

We dive deeper into a three-step process she created, accessible to anyone, helping us to transform angst-ridden and negative feelings into positive energy. Ana Maria calls this method a “pivot point” for shifting impulsive reactions into a more positive consciousness.

Ana Maria and the host discuss how reconnecting with nature restores perspective and calm. She stresses that nature reminds us who we truly are, helping us dissolve self-doubt and remember our innate magic.

Throughout the conversation, Ana Maria weaves in stories of people who, after reading her book or spending more time outdoors, have profound, even mystical experiences — hearing from trees, sensing water spirits, or reconnecting with beloved animals who have passed. She explains that these experiences aren’t rare or exclusive — they are available to everyone once we slow down and pay attention.

She also talks about grief and continuing connection with animals after they’ve crossed over, encouraging people to recognize subtle signs of their presence — the jingle of a collar, a dream, or a familiar sound — and to respond with gratitude rather than dismissal.

Finally, Ana Maria speaks about self-care and boundaries, acknowledging that while her work can be heavy, she stays grounded through time outdoors and movement. Her joy and playfulness — wrestling dogs, laughing in nature — are themselves acts of healing and peace.

The conversation closes with an affirmation that reconnecting with animals and nature isn’t escapism — it’s activism through presence, compassion, and example. Ana Maria’s message is clear: we all have access to the magic of the living world, and remembering that connection is one of the most powerful ways to bring healing — to ourselves, and to the planet.