This is Sunny, I often found him sleeping soundly on top of one of my crystal healing grids like he is here.
Sadly, he didn’t live with us very long. It is not fair is it? Unless your pet is a cockatiel or a tortoise, most pets do not live longer than humans. When they leave us before we are ready to let them go, we can struggle with the loss. Especially if we have others telling us to “get over it” or my favorite hold me back before I slap something “It was just a dog, why are you so upset?”
Humans like to compare and judge. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read stories of humans who lost their beloved pet and were told they were acting irrationally, silly even, since after all it was just a dog/cat/hamster/lizard/bird. They are often told, it’s not like you lost a child or something important like that.
Grieving over the loss of a pet is just as devastating to the pets human as it is when we lose any loved one.
Loss, to the energy of the heartbreak, is still loss. Where it comes from can not be compared to what another experiences.
Ignorance really can be blissful. There are countless experiences from people being chided for crying over a lost pet that it has created an entirely new form of grief therapy. Specifically for the loss of a pet.
Grief Cannot Be Measured
Grief, however, cannot be put into a box. In the wisdom of our Creator, when you can access the energy of any living thing, you can experience loss and grief at a level so deep it feels as if it scars the soul. This is one reason developing your Intuitive Insights can give you a powerful healing point.
How You Grieve Is Your Own Business
It is not up to any one of us to decide for another how they should grieve. The other side to that is by pushing beliefs upon another on what length of time is appropriate to grieve, healing can never be truly accomplished.
As with losing a beloved human, when we love an animal or a tree just as deeply, there will always be moments that can trigger tears, sadness and heartache after many years have passed.
As I shared in my previous post about being unable to hear the song I sang to my beloved Scottie as he died in my arms. Even after 21 years have passed, that grief comes flooding back to me. It doesn’t prevent me from living my life, and loving new pets, but there is a space in my heart that will always be there for the special bond the two of us shared.
Be Grateful For The Gift of Grief
When my grief gets re-triggered, I am thankful that I have not forgotten the gift he gave me. I am thankful that I was in a place where I could love someone outside of myself so much that it still hurts my heart.
I am thankful for the grief because I am able to feel it. If we are forced to bury it, or only express it into our pillow at night or while taking a shower so the tears aren’t obvious to anyone else, we are denying ourselves the right to feel our feelings.
When we bury those feelings we are failing to love ourselves enough to let the pain out and this transfers into our daily life and activities.
We are also giving a gift to our beloved pet on the other side, because they feel our sadness, they know our grief and they honor our love for them.
Animals are so unique in their ability to know truth and honesty automatically. How could you not grieve that loss?
Find Your Form Of Grief Therapy
It seems to be more ‘acceptable’ these days for openly grieving the loss of a pet. In larger cities, pet grief therapy groups have become mainstream. If you need group support, this may be a good answer for you.
For me, I need my time in nature. I need to reconnect to the realm of the invisible that has supported me. I need to ground myself back into the comfort of the earth. Feeling the strength from the trees, as they support me is powerful medicine for me.
Regardless what form of healing you seek from your grief, don’t let anyone else tell you what is correct.
This is where connecting with your intuitive insight will give you a hand up in finding the path for your healing.
As I was learning to find my way, I discovered the healing energy of the forest near my home was what could help me after a particularly difficult loss of my spirit cat, Sunny.
Sunny was a stray we found under our deck. He was sweet, lovable and so in tune with my work in energy healing. He would plop himself across my healing crystal grids and fall asleep or I would find him stretched out across the seat of my office chair, unwilling to move, even when I would pick him up or nudge him.
Sunny only stayed with us for less than fourteen months. He already had been growing a tumor in his kidneys that went undetected and eventually took him from us.
The gifts he left imprinted on me, however, will last a lifetime.
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Before I was guided to develop the Spirit Release Ceremony, I was given this poem while in meditation. I sat down and wrote it all out, tears flowing, knowing it was the final step in healing me from the grief I was overcome by.
It was published in an online woman’s journal and I am sharing it with you here now. May you find what your heart needs to heal. I know I promised to share the Spirit Release Ceremony steps and I will, but this needs to be shared first. I promise, it will come next week.
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Introduction
Magic is everywhere when we look for it with new eyes and an open heart. I had lost the magic in my life a long long time ago. I am in a 30 year marriage where I willingly gave up pieces of myself to create an “us” and those pieces of me were clamoring to be let out and set free.
My spirit would no longer allow itself to be denied. I love my husband and family but I knew I needed more than I had been giving myself. My spiritual balance needed to be placed front and center.
When I moved to my home in the country I had an undeniable knowing that I’ve lived on this land in a previous incarnation.
As Spirit began to make itself known more and more, I discovered a deep connection to the Angels and Faeries I never could have dreamed of or even suspected existed. Spirit was fully planted back into my heart and soul and I celebrate it daily.
Last summer we suffered two major forest fires just miles from my home. This caused me to worry for one particular forest trail which held magical faery communications.
I had not been back to see if it survived the fires, mostly out of fear the Fae did not return.
When our cat got sick suddenly and we had to say goodbye to him, my heart was broken.
I knew I had to return to the Forest Fae and see if I could reconnect and find healing.
Sunny, My Spirit Cat
Today I took a walk with the Fae
The trail had been blocked from forest fires from the past summer.
For a year I did not have the courage to see what damage had been done to my favorite walking trail.
Yes it was fear.
Fear of what I would or would not find.
Fear that my heart would break even more if I discovered the Fae had not returned and the trees had burned.
I didn’t know if I could take another loss but I was pulled to find out.
You see, yesterday I had to say goodbye to my Spirit Cat, Sunny.
A gorgeous Orange Tabby who chose us to live out his last days just over a year ago.
Sunny lived a good life with us, spoiled and loved, even with the other cat in the house unwilling to share.
Still, he was my Spirit Cat.
He loved laying across my crystal grids and Angel Cards
I’d find him fast asleep in the peaceful energy of love and healing they always bring to whomever I’m reading for.
He would doze all day long on my desk or on my office chair without ever caring about much else except for food, going outside to hunt or lay in the sunshine.
He was very much like me.
He needed to feel his feet in the cool grass, dig his toes into the damp dirt to get grounded, to feel whole and connected.
His need to be outside but stay close was a sweetness we could not deny.
So it was that I needed to reconnect with the Fae in the Forest nearby.
I felt the pull to put my feet on their sacred ground, to feel my roots blending with the majestic trees.
I felt the need to reach to the sky to feel the heavens and feel the embrace of the purest vibrations of love I can find while honoring the life and love he brought to us in such a short time.
I knew, if anyone would understand the healing my heart needed, it would be the trees, the rocks, the river and the Fae.
I walked with purpose to a special spot on this trail where magic happens.
A fallen tree, its roots gnarly but strong, with spirit all around him.
Would he be there?
Did he survive?
With trepidation I approached up a hill, around a bend, my heart pounding, my throat tight, would I ever reach him?
I was stopped in my tracks as I approached.
Guardians, Keepers of the Gateway to higher vibration stood sentry, one on each side of the trail.
To my left was a man, bearded, full bodied, with a ball of energy below his feet.
To my right, up the tree over my head stood a monk, his robes covering him head to toe, his silence speaking volumes to those who would listen.
“I request permission to pass into this higher plane” I say out loud.
The monk nods in approval.
“What is your name?” I ask, curious as he feels so familiar.
“I AM St Francis of Assisi, at your service.”
“Oh St Francis! You are my patron saint!
All of my life I have loved you!”
He smiles knowingly and sends me on my way.
I get myself grounded as I pull in my dogs energy too.
She is sensing the shift and is alert.
She will travel with me on this journey to higher vibrations.
We step through the portal which to anyone without eyes to see would only see the trail, but I saw much more.
I saw Spirit dancing above me, a mist of energy floating overhead.
I saw the magic of the trees transform themselves into Unicorns, Buffalo, Camels, Dragons of lore.
I felt the lifting of my vibration higher and higher.
Every cell in my body tingling and vibrating as I felt the embrace of the Fae.
Spirit was everywhere in this magical spot and I was there to be healed.
I kept walking this magical trail, up, down and around the bends…..
until I saw him.
Arthur.
He still stands.
His presence is magnificent.
His energy is palpable.
His love is overflowing.
I reach out to touch him.
Energy shoots into my hand, up my arm and out of my opposite leg.
I know he is helping me.
I simply allow while I sob in gratitude that he exists beyond the veil.
My walking companion touches him.
She sees freedom as eagles fly and
owls present their wisdom.
I brought an offering, a gift for the Fae and the Forest.
I kneel down and dig at a small hole at the base of one of the roots.
I pull out my sack and give my thanks for the healing of the forest.
I give my gratitude this part of the magical forest is safe, that fire did not harm it.
I offer a daisy from my yard to represent the love of life.
I give an orange petal from my favorite plant in my yard to represent the warmth of the sun.
Next I bury White Sage, so that all who touch this forest is purified and cleared of negativity.
I offer a slice of Larimar, representing water and the healing of emotions.
I finish with an offering of clear quartz crystals to strengthen the offering into infinity.
As I stand back, my dog, a spirit watcher, approaches Arthur and smells all around.
She recognizes the Fae who are there, and she greets them with her nose.
Satisfied, she steps back.
I give my thanks to Arthur for holding the sacred energy of this forest.
I give my thanks to the Fae for returning after the fires raged last summer.
I give my love to all who can hear me and thank them for their help.
The energy continues to flow, tingling through us, rippling love bubbles into our hearts.
As I walked with the Fae I felt lifted, healed
my heart not so broken anymore.
I walked out of the forest knowing that Sunny was safe
and that my heart was healing.
I entered the forest sad that I could not help Sunny heal.
I walked out of the forest grateful that I had what time I did have with him.
Magic is everywhere.
We just have to have eyes to see.
You have to believe it to see it.
If you don’t believe in magic, you will never know it.
But when you do believe, you will see it. You simply can’t not see.
This is the lesson of the Fae.
Start believing, they will help you along the way.
©2016 Suzan Tyler All Rights Reserved
A meeting of the minds, when a dog who sees spirit greets the devas that live in the forest tree trunk
