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. 

Being an empath

Yesterday en route to the shopping mall for the weekly shopping spree, I was angered by two things I saw.  I’m not sure which one upset me more, as I felt the one was as bad as the other.

The first was a heavily laden truck transporting chickens. I felt so sorry for these poor birds, they were packed into the tiny compartments worse than sardines in a tin. The luckier fowl were the ones that obviously had been loaded first, and were privileged to have a view of the outside world, instead having their faces pressed into the backside of the bird in front of them.

Some of them had their necks extended through the wires, perhaps visualising the small hole would suddenly enlarge offering them a means of escape. Others in similar pose presented a more forlorn picture with their eyes closed and their necks limply moving as the truck trundled along. These I felt were the fortunate ones, as they’d chosen to exit this Earth in this manner, rather than in the gory chicken slaughter house. Some others seemed to be mesmerised, aware of their impending doom.

It’s not always easy being an animal empath, as we tend to pick up the feelings and emotions of those around us. I felt awful for these poor chicken.  I picked up their pain, their misery, my heart was pounding in my chest, and my mouth was dry. I felt dizzy and a knot of nausea welled up in my solar plexus.  

I was close to tears as we managed to overtake their vehicle, and I mentally sent Reiki to them, asking for love and Light to be sent to them, for whatever they needed for their highest good at this time and for whatever fate awaited them.  

I wonder if the people eating their flesh ever give a thought to their pain and suffering.

The second incident I encountered in the shopping centre, as we walked past the pet shop on our way to the parking area. There were two snakes, they could have been pythons, I’m not really sure, who were enclosed in the usual glass box. The one was lying with its eyes closed, while the other lifted its head and gazed at us through the glass. 

I had no intention of communicating with this snake, and I thought of Harry Potter when he spoke to the snake in “parseltongue” and helped it to escape, in one JK Rowling’s novels.

Immediately I heard a sort of woshing sound in my ears, and I felt indeed that the snake was communicating with me. I picked up a sense of tiredness, a feeling of being trapped, and then the most awful feeling of claustrophobia settled over me. I got the sense that if the snake could smash the glass tank and escape it would have. I experienced the most tremendous pressure in my head, it felt as if my head had expanded and was pressing on the sides of the glass. All this poor creature wanted was to be free.

As I walked away I asked myself, what on Earth gives humans the right to capture these and other noble creatures, and so cruelly keep them confined to such small enclosures, when it should be roaming free in its natural habitat. 

No wonder the World is in the state it’s in. It’s all about money, greed and the exploitation of innocent animals.  Animals are sentient beings, who have souls, feelings and emotions, and should be allowed to live and enjoy life freely as God intended they should.

When the swallows leave

Easter moon rise and orbs over the herb garden

It’s been said: “that if you have swallows living on your property, you will also have bats.” Whoever penned this saying is absolutely correct, as for the past thirty-three years we’ve lived in the country, we’ve had both.

Currently we have a pair of swallows living in their mud house in our garage. I’ve had to Reiki a couple fledgelings when they’ve fallen from their nest in the past. I’m so accustomed to their presence that I feel an absolute sense of devastation when they leave.

I love watching my feathered friends swoop and dive in the air, catching insects while I have my breakfast on the veranda every morning. I particularly enjoy watching them at dusk, when the whole atmosphere takes on an almost surreal feeling when I sense something vibrant in the air. It’s absolutely weird, how one minute I know I’m watching swallows but when I look closely they’ve shape-shifted into bats, almost right before my eyes. The exact time is never evident when the swallows swoop off to their nest and their wheeling flight overhead is replaced by the bats.

My fascination with swallows goes back to my childhood. Growing up in suburban Bez Valley, my brother used to watch these migrating birds, during our Easter school break, as they congregated on the overhead wires, with much flapping of wings and twittering to each other. We used to pretend that we could interpret what they were saying. Stuff like: “Hi Joe, did you pack your toothbrush?” as each bird arrived and took their place at the end of the line, or “why are you so late?” as the stragglers fought for a perch on the wire. This went on for a while, and there seemed to be some of the birds who were in charge of the whole operation as they kept up a tirade of twittering, perhaps they were giving flight instructions for the long journey ahead.

Eventually they rose in unison, a gigantic swirling mass ascending higher and higher heavenwards.  We would watch them until they became a tiny black dot in the sky, leaving me with a deep sense of sadness. 

Some years later when I began studying French at school, I was amused with a story in my French Manual called “Le depart des Hirondelles” – (the swallow’s departure).

The author gave a vivid description of how the swallows congregated on the overhead wires, telling how some birds got a scolding for being late and how they fought for a place on the wire causing others to loose their place. It was quite funny and certainly left me with a feeling of déjà vu.

Winter is not my favourite season. And the sadness I feel when the swallows leave, heralds the end of wonderful long sunny days and warm nights, and the looming approach of cold, bleak winter days. 

But in April last year the swallow’s leave took on an even deeper meaning of devastation for me. I knew their departure was imminent as they began perching along the power lines, which they usually do a few days before they migrate. 

I’d been nursing my ailing 93 year old mother for the past couple of months and she passed away on the 4^th of April. We knew her time to leave was close, but one is never really prepared for the actual parting and the grief that accompanies it. So it was with what felt like a heavy lump of lead in my chest, that I suddenly remembered the swallows. As soon as I entered the garage, there was no sense of their presence, and I knew they too, had gone. The synchronicity these two occurrences left me wondering if they were linked in any way with the Soul’s departure, as birds are considered messengers of the Spirit World.

Just after dusk an evening or two later  I was outside, obviously having no swallows to watch, so  I watched instead the brilliant Easter moon rise and felt compelled to take  photos. I was so surprised to see a number of orbs in the photos. Considered to be spirit manifestation captured on camera – I knew they’re were messages from Spirit.

A golden orb over the garden path...
a sign from my departed mother

I’m certain the big one in the pathway is from my Mom, I felt it was her way of saying “don’t worry about me, I’m fine.”

Of course the swallows returned once more to their little mud home the following October. The seasonal wheel continues to turn and soon it will time for them to follow the sun once more.

Interesting article on orbs here.

My cat is a healer too

A portrait of my cat Inca, drawn by my daughter Colleen, animal artist at PetPawtraits

Many years ago I was intrigued to read in one of Dianne Stein’s books on Animal Reiki, that cats consider themselves to be Reiki Masters. With their disdainful air of superiority they actually feel they “own” the energy and would like to keep it for themselves.

I believe that all animals are healers, but it’s a well known fact that cats have the innate ability of sussing out the only non-animal/cat lover in a room full of people. They will make a bee line for them and rub their bodies against their legs, or heaven forbid, even jump up onto their lap. To me this is an indication that the person is in need of serious healing, probably for some imbalance in their life.

One of my elderly clients, who has her own cat family, told me that her husband had not been feeling well from the time he got up that morning. He started getting a pain in his chest, so he went and sat down in a comfortable armchair. Immediately their cat Snowy jumped onto his lap, and rested his head against her husband’s chest. He stayed like that for an hour or so and then jumped down. Harry was amazed when he realised that the pain had gone and he actually felt much better. He is absolutely certain that Snowy was responsible for healing him that day, as he has never sat on his lap before nor has he ever done so again.

Another story I read in a book on animal healing is about the cat lover who developed a passionate love affair with a bottle of red wine after a break up of a relationship or marriage, not sure now exactly which it was now. After a while she managed to pull herself together and decided to go back to her former life of healing and helping people. She had to go for a check up to her doctor, who was aware of her addictive red wine habit, so he advised a liver check. They were both amazed and relieved that the test indicated that her liver was in a healthy state.

But sadly a short time later her cat became ill, and the vet diagnosed an incurable liver dis-ease. Needless to say she was devastated when he passed away. But she felt absolutely crushed when she realised that her cat always slept on her bed at night, curled into a ball against her stomach. She knew without a doubt that her cat had taken on the liver problem, her liver problem, and died instead of her.

My cat Inca has displayed her healing abilities to us on several occasions. One night we arrived home from supper and I started feeling rather uncomfortable in my tummy area. Being a vegetarian, I was forced to eat the limited vegetarian food on the menu, but which I’m not accustomed to eating. One of the items was bean soup, and I’m sure you know what beans can do to your stomach. I took some Tissue Salts and went to bed with my tummy making the weirdest noises. I put my hands on my stomach and started doing Reiki when Inca jumped up on the bed and settled herself on top of my hands. I didn't give it much thought at first, but then I noticed her eyes took on this look of wisdom, a sort of knowing look and I realized that she was doing her special brand of feline Reiki on me.  

Since then she’s helped my husband to heal the stress he was suffering from while working in a pressurised job by sleeping stretched out along his body at every opportunity she got. She’s also helped us to heal when we’ve had flu or a bad cold, and one night she came to sit on my tummy before my stomach even began to ache.

To me this was proof once again that animals are psychic. 

So I consider my cat Inca to be a very wise and ancient being, a healer of note. I also pick up that she was a healer in a past life, when she lived in human form... but animal reincarnation is the subject of a blog post for another time.

Bees get a buzz from Reiki too

Did you know that Reiki can help you to get uninvited garden pests and insects to vacate your home and garden?  Over the years I’ve used Reiki to get the destructive moles to leave our garden, relocate bats and ants and some other creepy crawlies.

A while ago the gardening gods blessed us with a plethora of peppadews (the brand name of the small sweet piquanté red peppers) and I decided to try my hand at pickling a batch.

I followed the recipe and soon had all the ingredients simmering in my huge stewing pot.  The pleasant aroma of the pickling spice filled the kitchen and wafted through into the rest of the house.  A bee flew through the kitchen window and made a bee line for the pot, it buzzed and hovered above and seemed quite mesmerised. Then it was joined by several more bees, all acting as if they were getting a “high” from the cooking peppers.

I wasn’t really worried by the bees as living on plot in the country we’re accustomed to their frequent visits, they don’t harm us and we don’t harm them. But I must admit that I was actually quite horrified when it felt as if the whole house was vibrating with their buzzing and I found so many more of them clinging to the dining room windows.

There were now hundreds buzzing over the pot and walking up the kitchen windows and curtains.  I was unable to stir the mixture as they were sitting on the handle of my wooden spoon, and several had committed suicide by jumping into the hot bubbling peppers.

“Ok, this is it, I’ve had enough!” I said to them, I’m going to send Reiki, I want you all to leave NOW, when I come back in here I want you all gone.”  I stood in the middle of the kitchen and drew the Reiki symbols on both the palms of my hands, and in the air above me. I then stood with my hands in the beaming position, and beamed Reiki to them. I asked the Reiki Guides and Angels to ask the bees to please leave my kitchen now. I also told the bees telepathically that I liked them and honoured them and the wonderful work they did, and the honey they produced.  I told them that I send them love and Light, and I would be very grateful if they would please leave my house now and go back to where they came from. I showed them with my mind, that I wanted them to fly back out the windows now and go back to their work in the garden.  I then went into the dining room and repeated the process.  

After about ten minutes I went back into the kitchen and thankfully the majority of them, apart from a few stragglers, had all buzzed off.

I sent Reiki in thanks and also expressed my gratitude to the Reiki Guides and Angels for their help. I don’t know what I would have done to get the bees to go, if I did not have Reiki and the power of telepathic communication to assist me.