Ann Hoff is a regular contributor to our FB Group “I Am not Crazy Because I Talk to Animals” and leads a monthly Zoom call with members wishing to chat with a pet, or simply ask Ann a question.
I believe we need to grieve to process our grief, which is why the ritual of the funeral and body viewing came into being with humans. Does it make sense to you to also have a ceremony or ritual for the passing of your beloved pet?
Do you want to have a memorial service for your pet? What about a celebration of their life? I know every pet I talk to in heaven is deliriously happy, feeling healthy and young again. It always strikes me as amazing the differences in vibration between those that have moved on to heaven and those missing them here on the earthly plane. Pets in heaven tell me that they want their owners to feel the bliss of heaven. They love knowing that their humans are okay and missing them but moving through the sadness.
As a human medium, when people on the other side come through to talk to loved ones, they don’t say what job they had or what they did for a living. They mention those great stories of the love that was shared, the laughter that happened, the odd habits that were theirs alone. They state the fact that they love(d) you, or even more common, that they were proud of you. That is what they remember and how they want to be remembered.
When pets come through from the other side, it is usually with pure love. They also say the crazy things they loved to do. That they are healthy and out of pain. That you shouldn’t feel guilty for the choices you made about their health care. After all, they are in heaven, sheer bliss, so what is there that you are feeling guilty about?
Celebrate the joy that your pet brought into your life. The oddities that they shared, the factors that allowed them to weave your life into a deeper tapestry of meaning. That is the gift they want to leave you with. That they loved you no matter what and shared your life at the deepest level. That love never dies and deserves to be celebrated.
A ceremony is a time to respect and honor your pet. To share the memories that all family members had of the pet, and to see them the multidimensional being they were. It is a time to share grief. It is well known that if you share grief, it can dissipate, and bring all of you closer, while if you lock yourself up alone with your grief, it isolates you even further.
Another reason for holding a ceremony is to help all present to process their grief and loss. Some of us complete grief better when surrounded by friends. We can let down our guard and “fall apart” knowing there are people present who understand and can support us. This is especially important with pets, because there is still a stigma with some that losing a pet “shouldn’t be that big a deal”.
Doing a ceremony lets everyone know that your pet WAS a big deal to you, and to the many lives your pet touched. It can be a touching tribute to someone who brought love into the lives of so many. I can assure you that your pet will be watching you from heaven, beaming down love and joy. The relationship was/is the treasure. That love doesn’t die. For that reason alone, it is great to have a ceremony that celebrates it with everyone who was blessed by the life of your pet.
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