Penelope Smith - Animals in Spirit: Our faithful companions transition to the afterlife

First of all, Id like to thank the following authors for allowing me to use passages from their books:

Anderson, Karen. Hear All Creatures! (Woonsocket, RI: New River Press) Copyright 2007 by Karen Anderson. Reprinted by permission of Karen Anderson. www.karenanderson.net.

Brunke, Dawn Baumann. Awakening to Animal Voices (Rochester, VT: Bindu Books, a division of Inner Traditions International.) Copyright 2004 by Dawn Baumann Brunke. Reprinted by permission of Dawn Baumann Brunke. www.animalvoices.net.

Severino, Elizabeth. The Animals Viewpoint on Dying, Death, and Euthanasia (Turnersville, NJ: The Healing Connection) Copyright 2002 by Elizabeth Severino, D.D., D.R.S. Reprinted by permission of Elizabeth Severino. www.elizabethseverino.com.

Smith, Jacquelin. Animal Communication (Lakeville, MN: Galde Press, Inc.) Copyright 2005 by Jacquelin Smith. Reprinted by permission of Jacquelin Smith. www.jacquelinsmith.com.

Sondel, Nancy R. Of Wind and Wings (book in progress). Copyright 2007 by Nancy R. Sondel. Reprinted by permission of Nancy Sondel.

A huge thank-you to my fellow animal communicators for sharing their life work with me and animal communication clients and students, and for allowing me to tell their tales to the world:

Anita Curtis (www.anitacurtis.com)

Annette Betcher
(www.annettebetcher.com)

Barbara Janelle (www.barbarajanelle.com)

Barbara Molloy

Betty Lewis
(http://home.earthlink.net/~pawsreflect)

Catherine Ferguson
(www.cfergusonconsult.com)

Cathy Malkin-Currea
(www.animalmuse.com)

Cindy Wenger
(www.PeaceableKingdomAC.com)

Dawn Baumann Brunke
(www.animalvoices.net)

Diane Samsel (www.powerpaws.com)

Dixie Golins

Dr. Laurie Moore, LMFT
(www.AnimalIntuitiveReadings.com)

Elizabeth Severino
(www.elizabethseverino.com)

Gayle P. Nastasi (www.gazehound.com/pets)

Georgina Cyr
(www.animal-communicator.com)

Gina Palmer (www.pawsandclaws.net)

Jacquelin Smith (www.jacquelinsmith.com)

Joan Fox (www.animaltalkonline.com)

Joanna Seere (www.spirit-to-spirit.net)

Karen E. Craft (www.AnimalShaman.com)

Karen Taylor (www.SpotSaid.com)

Karina Heuzeroth (www.tiergefuehle.de)

Karla McCoy (www.AnimalTell.com)

Kat Berard (www.katberard.com)

Kazuko Tao, RVT

Marta M. Guzmn

Mary Stoffel (www.humanimal.com)

Michel Sherman

Morgine Jurdan
(www.communicationswithlove.com)

Nancy Sondel

Nedda Wittels
(www.raysofhealinglight.com)

Neil Jarrell

Pamela Au
(http://wingedwolf.citymax.com)

Patti Henningsen
(www.animaltranslator.com)

Sharon Callahan (www.anaflora.com)

Sondy Kaska

Starr Taovil

Sue Becker

Sue Hopple

Teresa Wagner
(www.animalsinourhearts.com)

Tricia Hart

Val Heart (www.ValHeart.com)

SPIRITUAL NATURE

I n my experience communicating with thousands of animals throughout my life, and since I began counseling work as an animal communication specialist in 1971, I find that animals of all kinds are like humansindividual, conscious, spiritual beings who animate physical form. They have intelligence, mental capacities, feelings, and sensitivityoften far exceeding human awareness or expectationsthat is well-suited for their purposes and functioning in the natural order of life on Earth. Communicating with animals who are in spirit is similar to communicating with animals who are in body because animals are aware of their continuous existence beyond death.

Unlike many humans in our western culture, most nonhuman animals have a sense of their spiritual nature and recognize that their physical bodies are but temporary homes. This awareness gives them an acceptance of life and death as a natural and ever-flowing cycle. While they may grieve the loss of a loved one as humans do and may not wish to leave their bodies at certain times or under certain conditions, they are not socially conditioned by members of their own species to think of physical death as a horrible end or something to dread. They know that death is a transition to another state of being, like a change of costume in a play or a different way of being alive. They generally grieve their loved ones and move with the flow of life as it presents itself in each moment.

The following is an illustration of how animals feel and demonstrate the loss of their loved ones (from spring 2005 Trunklines, a publication of The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee [www.elephants.com]).

Keeper records noted that on the night before [ailing Asian elephant] Lotas death, the elephants in the main barn, which is adjacent to the quarantined barn, engaged in a group ritual that had never before been documented. All of the elephants were inside the barn with outside access if they desired. Without any obvious provocation Jenny and Shirley began to roar. Simultaneously, all of the elephants lent their voices to the chorus, which built in volume and vibration until it became deafening. From one end of the barn to the other, the walls shook and the air quaked as the elephants bellows increased to a deafening level. This display lasted for six full minutes. Each time the volume began to wane, it would then suddenly begin to build again, resembling a mass wailing display of grief.

The elephants physical behavior throughout was curious. They all remained fairly still, standing in place yet exploding with the most profoundly emotional verbal display imaginable. As abruptly as the display began, it ended with only residual signs and guttural rumbles as the entire herd returned to its usual routine of napping, eating, and interacting.

DEATH AS PART OF LIFE

Humans in tribal societieswho live close to nature and revere the earth and its cyclesusually accept death, like birth, as part of the whole. They are aware that they continue as spirits and that there are spiritual realms or dimensions beyond the physical plane. Death is not dreaded but is often welcomed as a healthy change or even a joyous occasion to join their ancestors or dwell with the gods or spirits in other dimensions. Without this awareness and sense of the spiritual nature of animals, including ourselves, people can feel lost or experience their animal friends departures with devastating hopelessness. A more positive emotional experience is possible when we can relish a tender continuance of connection with our animal friends.

Animals who have had a full, rich life with humans appreciate being able to share the joys and trials of their lives with us, even when they know their body is failing. Animal communicator Joanna Seere tells how she assisted in the departure of Tuskers, a twenty-six-year-old quarter horse who came to the horse sanctuary where she was teaching:

Tuskers and his best friend, Jimmy, a big thoroughbred, shared a pasture together at a beautiful horse sanctuary that I used to visit. Tuskers had come to the sanctuary to retire. One day, Tuskers was struck suddenly by terrible pain. He asked me to get help for him from the vet. Tuskers communicated to me that he felt that he had a long, good life even though it was a hard one. He said that his body felt very weak and frail and the pain in his gut was taking his breath away. The vet tried everything he could, but Tuskers belly kept swelling and his pain kept increasing.