The velvet box

We’re so blessed to have an Earth Angel, in the form of Louré van Schalkwyk, the animal undertaker from Paw Print Pet Cremation Services, who assisted us with Inca’s cremation.

He placed a beautiful message on their website in memory of Inca. I was also invited to write my own farewell message for their Remembrance Wall and it gave me a great sense of peace in doing so.

Louré told me the time of the cremation so I was able to go into my Reiki room and light some candles and beam Reiki to Inca in spirit, while her mortal remains were being transformed and transmuted into Earthly dust. I connected with her in the Spirit World and I clearly saw her beautiful face surrounded by a golden halo of God’s Heavenly Light. I saw another picture of her bathed in golden Light, with huge sunflowers behind her. To the right of her, I saw the most magnificent sight – an entire field of sun flowers, filled with the same brilliant golden Light.

I’ve always loved sun flowers, but now they have an extra special meaning for me. Each time I see them now, I will think of my beautiful Kitzi, and know that she’s sending me love from the Summerlands, where she’s chasing butterflies, happy and carefree.  

Several days later, I received Inca’s ashes in a stunning cerise velvet box, embossed with the gold Paw Print logo. The box was enclosed in delicate white tissue paper decorated with gold paw prints. Also included in the presentation bag was a little Ceremony Book, containing information celebrating Inca’s life and a blank page for her photo, a colourful Teardrop Healing Mandala Meditation and words of wisdom on grief. 

Another surprise awaited me when I opened the velvet box. There was the little bag containing the ashes and on top of that was a beautiful rose quarts bracelet, with these words at the back of the bag “This bracelet was made with love, it will protect all your precious memories and heal your broken heart.”  

I wear the bracelet every day and I feel the beautiful uplifting energy of the stones, reminding me of the deep bond of love we share with our animal companions which continues to exist beyond time and space.

Farewell, dearest Inca

Pastel portrait of Inca by Colleen Mulrooney of PetPawtraits

“Farewell dearest Inca, may your soul fly on wings of love to the Light. 

We love and miss you Kitzi and we thank you for being a part of our lives all these years. 

Thank you for your healing paws and all the healing you gave us. You taught me so much. 

I especially valued your lessons in telepathic communication, where, amongst other, you taught me that animals do have a concept of time as we know it.”

INCA – 28 April 2001 – 5 February 2014

On the night of Inca’s passing, I felt I had to contact her in the Spirit World, just to make sure she was ok. I drew the Reiki symbols and soon my hands heated up, as I connected with her. She said she was ok, and I got a sense of her being completely at peace and safe in the Light.

But I didn’t see her as her feline self, instead I got an impression of a priestess, and I was even more amazed to discover that she and I were both priestesses in a past life in Egypt. I learnt that we were from the same soul group, so she really was my soul-mate. I knew that she’d lived a past life with our family in this present life time, as Mazzy-Starr – my daughter's cat, before coming back to us in the form of Inca. I knew that in one of my previous lives I was a witch and a healer, and I now saw that Inca was my companion in her feline form in that life time.

I’d asked my parents and our dogs in spirit, Mac-Tavish, Nikki and Maxi to meet Inca at the Rainbow Bridge, and they did. I saw them all clearly greeting her, and I was surprised to find my brother, who is also in sprit, standing in the front of all of them.

When Inca left, I felt that she’d taken a chunk of my soul with her, and I miss her so much, as she was my constant companion, especially at night, when she slept on or bed. But I know that the souls of our animal companions – and ours – are inexorably linked for all eternity. I know that they will continue to reincarnate with us, to share our lives and assist us on our spiritual path, sharing their soulful knowledge and wisdom with us, through many, many lives.

If you know of anyone who would be comforted by an Animal Crossing Over Reading – where I connect to the spirit of your animal friend and convey any messages you'd like 

to share or receive from your animal friend; please get in touch with me. 

I also have Gift Vouchers available for your loved one who may be struggling 

to deal with the loss of their animal friend. 

Please email me for prices and full info: carol@reikilight.co.za or reikilight@wol.co.za

I'm so grateful for Reiki

 

Inca in the herb garden with the catnip

My feline companion Inca, had been suffering bouts of ill health for a while and with a sinking heart I knew that the heart-wrenching day no animal lover ever wants to think of – was soon approaching.

As the days rolled by, I became increasingly grateful that I had been attuned to Reiki. Not only did it help Inca to cope with her illness, but it was also a time of special togetherness, of reflection and introspection. She would lie on my lap while I channelled the energy – purring happily. Occasionally I would move my hands to the areas of her body she specifically wanted treated. Sometimes she would lie fully stretched out on the bed, for over an hour, just absorbing the energy.

The day before her passing I put her in the herb garden, her favourite spot, where she loved to sit amongst the catnip plants. When I went to check on her later, I was surprised to find that she was not there. The gardener said he saw walking at the bottom of the garden, and I got the feeling that she was saying goodbye to all her favourite haunts.

She returned later and I began to feel hopeful as she seemed much better. But my joy was short lived as during the early hours of the morning she called loudly to us from her bed. She seemed to be having seizures. It was terrible to watch, her eyes were huge, and she was breathing heavily; her body was stiff and shaking.

I wrapped her in a towel, gave her some Rescue Remedy and I sat with her in the reclining armchair giving her Reiki. She eventually calmed down and dozed off to sleep. I kept channelling Reiki and asked my Divine Helpers to help her, with whatever she needed at this time for her highest good. I asked Archangel Raphael for his help, and to fill her aura with his green healing light. As the eastern sky ushered in the dawn, I knew this would be Inca’s last hours with me, in her physical form. Tearfully I thanked her for everything, telling her that I loved her and that I released her in Love and Light. I told her we would have to take her to the vet to help her to cross over, and was she ok with that, she said she was. I asked for Reiki to keep flowing to her every minute from then and especially during her transition.

The vet tried her best to comfort us, but it was very difficult, as our tears continued to fall as we said goodbye to her again. I told her that as soon as the vet starts the procedure, she must go quickly to the Light. And she did. She just slipped peacefully away into Spirit. 

Goodbye Beloved Maxi

Maxi 27/11/1994 – 27/12/2010
Good bye dearest Maxi, may your soul fly on wings of love to the Light. We love and miss you. We know you’re at peace now in that beautiful place where love and Light reign supreme. Your spirit lives on and so do all our happy memories of you. Nikki and Mac-Tavish are waiting at the Rainbow Bridge for you. We’ll catch up with the lot of you there one day too.

Maxi’s health had been on a steady decline for a while and after Nikki’s death we noticed a rapid deterioration. When he refused to eat we knew he was also on his way out. Maxi had always loved his food, in fact he’d earned the name of Hoover, as he would go around and check all the other dog’s dishes and hoover up any left-overs. If there weren’t any visible signs of food, he’d still give the dish a couple of licks, with a   just-in-case-I-missed-something, sort of tongue action.

Sending Reiki to my animals had been part of my evening routine for many, years. I’d always asked for healing for their highest good and I knew that the healing energy had supported and helped them to cope with their ageing problems.

I connected with Maxi and sent the usual Reiki and also asked him if he was preparing to cross over. He confirmed that he was getting ready to go, “but just not yet” was the response, I heard in my mind. I asked him if he wanted to go on his own, or would he prefer the help of a vet. I got a sense that he wanted to go on his own, but also if things got too bad then it was ok for the vet to help. I told him that I loved him and that I released him in love and light and that he must go when he was ready. I asked Nikki and Mac-Tavish to meet him when he crossed and they assured me that they would.

He was battling with his legs, but he seemed to be hanging onto life,  reluctant to let go. After all he’d defied death twice in his life before. Maxi was actually my husband Owen’s dog. Owen rescued him from being sent to the SPCA as his previous family were unable to take him with them when they relocated to a “no animals allowed” housing complex. And of course he’d literally stared death in the face when he was bitten by the puff adder.

On the night of December 26, his hind legs collapsed. I did some hands on Reiki and TTouch, which I felt helped to ease the pain that I picked up in my hands. I saw his body visibly relax as the pain seemed to ease. I told him again, that I loved him and  that I released him in love and light.

He was still with us in the morning and we knew it was time to release him. Once again pet angel, Loure, from Paw Print Pet Cremation Services took care of the cremation and return of Maxi’s ashes.

Our grief was overwhelming having lost the last of our golden oldies. Owen in particular was devastated, as he’d formed a strong bond with Maxi during the many hours they’d spent playing ball on the lawn together. I sent Reiki to Owen that night as he slept, as I was worried what the stress could do to his heart and blood pressure.

Reiki is just one of those wonderful healing modalities which can be used to send love and comfort to somebody who needs it at that time.

The Christmas Pawtrait

On Christmas day we always tend to miss our recently departed family and friends more than other times, and Christmas 2010 was no exception for me.

Although it was a bright, sunny day, it wasn'

t how I felt inside. The day before had been the one year anniversary of Mac’s passing. I really missed both the Setters that day, as they’d  been such busy, inquisitive dogs and they’d always participated in everything we did.

I was grateful for the company of our other animals, Inca the cat and Border Collies, Maxi and Tess, who dozed in the dappled sunlight while I set and decorated the tables beneath a green canopy of trees at the bottom of our garden.

We were having Christmas lunch with our family and I felt certain that Nikki and Mac would be visiting us in their spirit form as our outdoor celebrations had been a favourite. They loved mingling with the visitors, always on the look out for a titbit or two. Mac always tried his luck. He went from person to person, sitting in front of them, mesmerizing them with his huge brown eyes, waiting for a morsel to fly from their plate straight into his mouth. It never happened, but that didn’t stop him from trying.

The family arrived and we set about opening our Christmas presents without delay, as my Grandson Cayden was anxious to see what the fat man in the red suit had brought for him. There was much ooohing and aaahing as each gift was unwrapped.

My daughter Colleen handed me a biggish package. I eagerly unwrapped it, wondering what it could be. I was absolutely stunned when I opened it, so stunned in fact, that I burst into tears. Colleen had surprised me with one of her beautiful PetPawtraits. It’s the most amazing likeness of Nikki and Mac-Tavish, they look so alive and vibrant, with their big shining eyes.

Colleen has been blessed with the fantastic gift of not only being able to capture a life-like impression of the animals she draws, but she also manages to create the divine light in their eyes, like she’s looking into their souls, bringing them back to life on the canvas.
 

I love the pawtrait. Each time I walk past and see their happy smiling faces and the light shining in their eyes, I feel comforted, knowing they’re together and happy, doing all the things they loved to do... on the “other side.”

Fields of gold

After Mac-Tavish’s death it was comforting to know that his sister was still with us as her presence was the last remaining physical link to him. But now the absence of both these black Setters left a deep sadness in our hearts and a vacant space in our home.

I didn’t get a sense of Nikki still hanging around on that first night. She just seemed to be gone. I got a sense that she was at peace and had been very ready to go the Light on the other side. Each time I thought about her, a wonderful warm feeling of peace and contentment came over me. It would be there for just for a little while, then the sadness would blast through me again.

Often newly departed people and animals require healing before they can advance on their journey. Lighting a candle, saying prayers for them and sending distant Reiki can greatly assist them

The sacred Reiki symbols which a Reiki Master teaches students in the 2nd degree level enables the energy to be sent over vast distances, including time and space. I use these symbols to connect and communicate with animals who’ve crossed over to the spirit world.

The following day I lit a candle in my healing room and sent Reiki to Nikki. I immediately had a psychic vision of her smiling face. She looked young and beautiful. Her head was surrounded by an aura of gold light, which is the band of light I usually see when I communicate with animals on the other side.

Then Mac-Tavish’s face popped into the picture, also looking young, with his usual lopsided grin. They looked at each and suddenly took off, running wildly, with their heads up and tails stretched out behind them, just like they used to do when they were young.  What a beautiful scene, the whole area was filled with gold light and the dogs were running through a field of golden wheat. There was a beautiful rainbow in the background.
I was so grateful for the knowledge that they were both together and happy. Also for the confirmation that they were enjoying life on the other side, still doing what they loved best……..running wildly…… just as they did during their younger days here on Earth.

Farewell beloved Nikki girl

 

Nikki (Nikkita) 16 August 1994 – 13 December 2010
Farewell dearest Nikki girl , may your soul fly on wings of love to the light. We love and miss you. Thank you for 16 wonderful years of love and loyalty. You’re at peace now, in a beautiful place where angels sing and flowers never fade. Your happy memories will live forever in our hearts. Your brother Mac-Tavish is waiting at the Rainbow Bridge for you, see you both there one day too.

Unfortunately ageing is part of this physical life we live and our animal companions are not exempt from it. It starts with the greying of the fur around the mouth, like a fine sprinkling of icing sugar. Suddenly the grey spreads, covering their face and head. Next thing you notice your dog is finding it a bit harder to stand up each morning. It slowly dawns on you that the day you’ve been dreading is approaching.

Nikki had been deaf for a while when she also started going senile. She’d walk around and around the house for hours on end, or tread a path through the front door and out the back door, just walking in and out, that it almost made us dizzy. What was truly amazing, was that she still knew instinctively when it was meal times, as she would wander into the kitchen and wait expectantly for her dish to be put down in front of her.

She started getting lost when she went out at night. We had to go out and look for her in the bushes at the bottom of the garden. One evening we heard a strange cry coming from the rockery behind the house. Noticing that she was not in her bed, we dashed outside and found her wedged between some huge rocks and spiky plants. My husband, Owen had to crawl over rocks to reach her, while I held the torch so that he could see. She was a black dog, who was difficult to see in the dark. We managed to extricate her and thankfully she seemed unhurt. I gave her Rescue Remedy for calming and Reiki for further healing.

Towards the end of November 2010, her appetite dwindled and she slept most of the time. Only venturing outside briefly for short walks around the house. As the days progressed into December, we knew her time was getting close and we hoped that she would cross over on her own. I continued to give her short Reiki treatments which she then preferred and sent her distant healing at night. I told her I loved her, I thanked her for being part of our lives for so long, I told her I released her in love and Light, and assured her that it was ok for her to cross over when she was ready to do so.

When the 13 December dawned, we knew it was time for us to release her. I told her this and from the look in her eyes, I knew she understood. I said goodbye before we left for the vet, my tears ran down my face and dripped onto her beloved soft furry black head.

The vet said that 16 was a very good age for a big dog and wondered how she’d managed to live so long. I’m certain that the regular Reiki treatments helped her to cope with old age’s infirmities.

Once again we left Nikki’s cremation in the expert hands of Lourė from PawPrint Pet Funeral & Cremation Services and arranged for the return of her ashes.

When we returned home, I lit a candle for her and sent her Distant Reiki. I visualised a beautiful pink light flowing from my heart to hers as I sent her love and Light to help her on her journey to the Sprit World.


Mac’s visits from the Other Side

When I was growing up I always knew that animals went to Dog Heaven when they passed and that they, like humans have an immortal soul and continue to live after their life on Earth. I refused to believe that their death was simply the end of their existence.

I really can’t say how I came to this conclusion, but now I know it was something that I intuitively knew, it had always formed part of my psych, lodged somewhere on a sub-conscious level. You probably know the feeling, you know but you don’t know how you know.

I was overjoyed when I discovered that my deceased animal companions came back to visit me, making their visits apparent with a sound or with the enactment of a familiar action, immediately recognizable as their own.

In the months after his passing, Mac-Tavish continued to visit his human and animal family. He announced his arrival in quite an unique manner. There was definitely a deep connection between him and the dove as it would call loudly from the tree outside our bedroom window and then the most beautiful fragrance would fill the air. It appeared to be a mixture of lavender, rosemary and rose geranium. It didn’t matter whether I was in the house or garden, or if it was day or night, when he chose to visit, always accompanied by the herby smell.

I would often sense him at the front gate, a favourite place where he used to lie and wait our return home. I could see his laughing eyes, his smiling mouth, tongue lolling to the side, as he “smiled” a happy-to-see-you-back- home-smile, with his tail wagging furiously. It was amazing, the fragrance was so strong and the vision very vivid, clear confirmation that he was really there.

His other favourite time for coming through was of course when I was cooking. I would hear his claws clicking on the ceramic tiles behind me, just as he used to do. The fragrance would waft through each time and I could still hear his voice in my head, ‘so what’ve got cooking', or 'I want some of that.’

The smell of the herbs continued to waft through the house during the night and in the early hours of the morning as he kept up is visits, often with the dove’s call. Sometimes I’d just be sitting, not doing anything special and he would tickle my nose with his special smell, I’d get a ‘hi, just popping in’ sort of impression.

I realised that Mac felt the need to visit and comfort us with his presence as our hearts were still on the long journey to healing. As time progressed the pain lessened and so did his visits along with his special fragrance, except for an occasional whiff wafting through, just a gently reminder that he was still looking out for us.