Losing an animal, and our grief

Some time back, I wrote about receiving a ... you know, our language is so poor in this area because no one ever talks about these things. I will call it a "spirit communication" from a tiger who had been put down. She and I had been friends, even though she was afraid of most people. Because of what I wrote, I've been asked to say some more on the subject of our beloved animals passing, and the grief we feel.

I am not an expert animal communicator. In fact, such incidents happen to me only when I least expect them, taking me totally by surprise. So I'm going to quote some from the book Animals In Spirit, by professional animal communicator Penelope Smith. These excerpts have been edited by me for brevity and clarity, and I sincerely tried to not change the meaning of what was said.

This first is from animal communicator Kat Berard, after 'seeing' her horse after he died:

No matter where you are, they are with you. They will let you know this in some way until you get the message. Love doesn't die. The connection isn't broken just because our beloved companions shed their physical form.

From a cat who had been killed by a dog:

Know that I am at peace. I am in a beautiful space of oneness. In this realm, the birds sing cheerfully, the sky is blue, the sun is warm, the air is fresh and full of good smells, and everything is so peaceful. There are other spirits here, cats, and dogs, and other large and small animals, and plenty of humans. We are all transparent to each other. That is, we can see through and be with each other in any way we wish. There is no danger, pain, frustration, or misunderstanding. It is indeed heaven--what Earth would be like at its best, in pure harmony with all beings.

I'm sorry you suffered and blamed yourself for my death, but I was meant to leave. I wish you acceptance that brings peace, instead of misunderstanding that brings suffering. I love you and appreciate the great life we had together on Earth. It all seems so perfect to me now. I see exactly how and why I lived, and the perfection of returning to my spirit home. All is well. Let it be so with you. I wish you the peace that I feel now.

From another cat:

Remember my bright eyes, for this will help us connect. If you think a thought to me, I will hear it. Listen for my thoughts. I may come to you through images and feelings, so relax and trust them. I whisper thoughts into your ears at night and at dawn.

Animal communicator Jacqueline Smith says: Animals usually communicate comforting, loving messages after they pass on. From a dog who had to be put down:

We are together as one energy is with another energy, and therefore we are oneness. The actions of the past do not affect us here. No forgiveness is required because there is nothing to be forgiven. You did exactly what needed to be done at that moment in time. It was perfection. Do not hold onto those moments any longer. They do not serve you. Move away from that kind of thinking. It's done. Be here now and forever in the present. Enjoy today and tomorrow. Enjoy it again, for it will be another today. The past is no matter because it is always now.

And from another dog who also was put down:

The end of my body-life moved me into this experience which is where we all are in between our physical experiences for as long as we choose. Your helping me get here is of no consequence because I would have found my way here eventually, as all beings do. It brought me great peace to be released from a body that no longer functioned properly. I am grateful for your assistance.

And this is from a snake, appropriately named Wise One:

Death is no more than an exhale. There is a rhythm and a cycle to all life: spirit becomes form becomes spirit. And so it goes. To grieve for the passing of the form is to miss the magnificence of the spirit. There is eternity in all of us. We have no beginning and no end. We are so much bigger and more beautiful than any of us could ever imagine. When someone who is dear to us dies, there is a particle of light that leaves our heart and a particle of light that also returns. We are part of each other. This exchange is our gift of love to each other.

There are many aspects to death. Humans focus only on the death of the body. There is much more to death than this. Death is a passage from one realm of being to another. The transition is fluid, gentle, and easy. The shifting of form comes naturally to all life. Only humans resist it because they fear the unknown. Death comes to all of us. It's the gentle one who awaits us at the end of our journey. We release ourselves into its loving presence and awaken to the magnificence of our expansive selves.

Kat Berard said, In general, when you ask a departed animal 'what can I do to honor your life?', the answer is 'Live life fully, love yourself more, find bliss, and help others.'

I recommend the book Animals in Spirit: Our faithful companions' transition to the afterlife to anyone who needs some comfort after losing a beloved animal.