I just finished Francis Weller’s book “The Wild Edge of Sorrow” I was buoyed to find that he lists several ways of coping with grief. He has a series of rituals and practices that help build the muscle of knowing how to deal with our grief. Through history, there have been many rituals to deal with losing those we love. Now it seems we are more removed from these rituals than at any time in our history. The good news is that many people have come to acknowledge the sacred space that our pets have in our lives, and the fact that we need to have rituals for their crossings also.
I am going to share with you Dr. Weller’s stone ritual. In this ritual, a shrine is created that has a large bowl of water at its center. Choose a spot outside that feels totally safe. Surrounding the bowl is a collection of small stones, each small enough to fit easily in the palm of your hand. After an invocation is made, participants approach the shrine, one at a time.
A participant can pick up a stone then speak the grief from their heart aloud. With a ceremony for a pet, they can say something they love or remember about the pet, what they want the pet to know. Then the participant places the stone into the bowl of water.
All grief and remembrance are invited to the bowl. This is repeated until everyone has approached the shrine. Make sure you decide ahead of time whether you want to allow multiple trips to the bowl in case someone has something else come up during the ceremony. I recommend letting people go up as often as needed and leaving it all at the ceremony. This fills the bowl with the collective grief of the people there. All the sorrows of the world can go to the shrine.
Have a short pause to bless the transition and the sacredness of the ritual. Then someone picks up the bowl, everyone proceeds outside, and the water is poured onto a plant, taking the grief and turning it into nourishment for the green world. Afterwards take the stones to a body of water, where the water’s movement will scrub the stones clean once again.
“This is a simple yet powerful ritual. This ritual has been used in many settings. Community, dealing with the suicide of one of its youths. A group of activists, protesting a logging action along the Canadian border. And as a process for a monthly grief circle. Speaking to the earth, this ritual is common among many cultures. and we have adapted it for our use.” Frances Weller
You can do this ritual by yourself, or you can have people with you in a ceremony like a “funeral.” You can use this when you are alone and need to move grief out of your body. With pet funerals/ceremonies, you never know who will support you and who won’t understand the love you shared with your pet. This ceremony is for you and those that loved your pet, so you can invite who you think would be appropriate. A deep truth that emerges from this ritual is that you are never fully alone. Make sure you call in your angels and spirit guides, and fairies that have supported your pet in this particular ritual.
Pet Perennials has the perfect items to commemorate the sacred space you created where you have released your grief. Once created, you can come back to the space any time you want to feel the loving pulse of the earth surrounding you.
Ann Hoff is a well-known Animal Communicator, Intuitive Medium, and 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. This month's content addresses the earthly lessons we learn through loss.
Pet Perennials Gift Perks Service becomes a compassionate ally for pet-centric businesses, offering a seamless and affordable solution for expressing condolences. Through unique products like the Healing Hearts Candle, the Crystal Rainbow Suncatcher, and the Pet Perennials Garden Kit, and more, businesses can build lasting emotional connections with clients, reaping the benefits of goodwill and loyalty in the process. There are gifts specific to the loss of a horse, and sympathy cards for horses also available.
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