The following life beyond death extract from the surveys completed for my Higher Degree dissertation at Monash University in Australia.
After my grandfather died, he stayed around the house for a week to make sure were were doing all right. I saw him in the living room talking to his cat (who was talking back to him, this is what drew my attention), and I also heard him moving around in his bedroom late one night (I also heard his radion playing inside the room–we had, however, taken that radio, the only one in the house, into the kitchen a day or two before). I had the presence of mind to account for all the people who were known to be in the house at that time before I hightailed it back to bed and pulled the covers over my head.
Beginning This Conversation on Life Beyond Death
Do animals see the dead? Can they communicate with their owners who have passed over? According to this testimony some can.
Some research has been done by Rupert Sheldrake into human-animal communication. Dr Sheldrake originally trained as a biologist and is today regarded by some (many?) in academia as a highly provocative figure working in an already controversial field (paranormal research). I’m unclear whether Dr Sheldrake has addressed the possibility of animals seeing ghosts but for those interested in pursuing this further here are a couple of his books.
Both are based on his own research.
Dogs that Know When Their Owners are Coming Home
The Sense of being Stared At: and other Aspects of the Extended Mind
Both refer to the human-animal bond, and telepathy and premonitions in particular. Dogs are the obvious focus of the first book while all pets and undomesticated animals are covered in the second.
Please Join the Conversation
So, does the human-animal bond made in this life live on beyond the grave? I have no idea. Do you?
I have had several experiences of animals in spirit who have communicated with those that they had a strong bond with whilst alive.
A spiritual reading I did many years ago was for two girls whose Father was in spirit. He came through and then much to my suprise I saw a dog, a greyhound, who I knew was called Lady, I also knew that she had died of liver failure. I told the two girls this and they were stunned. Lady had indeed been their family pet and was especially close to their Father, and she had died of liver failure.
At a workshop for mediumship recently I did a reading for a woman and was suprised when I saw a bird, a cockatoo. I could ‘see’ the bird wrapped around the lady’s neck and all I could hear being repeated again and again was the name Carol. The woman told me she had a pet cockatoo when she was a teenager and it did used to snuggle up to her around her neck. She used to take it to work with her to a pet shop, where another sales assistant was called Carol.
I have no doubt at all that love transends death whether it is another human or a much loved animal.
This is so wonderful. I can feel the love and connection with these pets.
I know Ive said it before, but until truffles came into my life I had no idea about the strength of the human/animal connection.
Of course it opens my mind to 100 questions that cant easily be answered, like:
. do our pets choose us?
. do they opt for different skins from one lifetime to the next?
. why do they choose to be born as animals rather than humans?
Oh, so many questions Tisha. If only Truffles could words to his knowing and feeling.
Cheers
Rosemary
It would be wonderful to know all the answers Rosemary! I am sure though that there is far more going on with our pets that we ever realise. What type of animal is truffles?
I wrote a story about the wonderful relationship I had with my cat, Babs, both whilst she was alive and when she was in spirit. You can read it at my blog http://www.handinhandwithspirit.com I called the story Come and Get Me, which will make sense if you read it.
I have been reading about a woman, Jackie Weaver, who communicates with animals and it makes me realise just how little any of us know about what goes on inside their hearts or souls.
So much to learn! 🙂 Tisha
Which type of animal is Truffles, you ask Tisha?
He is a gorgeous – don’t get me started – a Border Collie.
Here is a picture of him. Even though the post is about death, Truffles is very much alive.
Thank you for posting a link to your site.
Ive just read your post on Babs (and others too) and I love your openness and the clarity with which you write.
I guess some of our pets do talk to us – we just don’t get it. Im not sure how I feel about our long lasting goldfish. Can he/she communicate and if so, at what level of evolution does this whole communication thing start and end?
I know Truffles listens to me – I can see him really concentrating and thinking. I guess, eventually our pets will evolve to be able to talk to us. The question will then be, will we listen?
Cheers Tisha
Rosemary
Trufffles is absolutely gorgeous! I am sure he understands you far more than you realise – lol.
Yes, it would be interesting if they could talk, just as we do, I’m sure it would be fascinating to see the world from a pets point of view.
Really enjoying your site!
Tisha
My husband, Craig says he has such a clean aura – which is amazing because Craig is generally not inclined to discuss the world in such terms.
Cheers
Rosemary
Whatever is alive or dead can be remembered and recreated through the mind in words or ‘forms’
I have had personal experience of animals communicating with the spirit world as well as having my own dear departed pet communicate with me.
At 19 I lived in a shared house with two other young women, one of whom brought a little ginger tom kitten. We were told by several local people that our house was haunted and indeed we did have poltergeist activity. Our little tom cat would NOT enter the bathroom – the hairs on his back would rise up when he walked past it and sometimes he would hiss at the bathroom if the door was open.
Our poltergeist was quite friendly to us, but he hated the cat. On one occasion, he lifted the cat’s bowl and threw it across the kitchen, shattering it against the wall!
We found out at some stage that the original owner of the house had committed suicide in the bathroom – hence the reason the kitten hated that room so much. There were other occasions when the little guy would face the corner of the dining room, and arch his back, hissing and spitting – then walk away twitching his tail, like he won the argument! Was very odd and cute at the same time.
More recently, I had a much beloved dog die. (I have told you about this before I think.) She had been a rescue and very much abused in her former life. She spent only 2.5 years with us, but was the single most loving soul I have ever known. I was devastated when she died – I felt like I had let her down somehow.
Her beautiful heart just wasn’t strong enough and she had a heart attack. (I am crying even as I type!)
Around a week later I was sitting alone in the lounge room feeling very sad and missing her immensely. I could suddenly smell her very clearly and distinctly and she gave my elbow a nudge – just as she had always done when she wanted a pat. At first I thought I was imagining it, but then she did it again – hard enough to knock my elbow from the arm of the chair!
It was a beautiful, wonderful and loving experience. I know that my little Tessie Bear will love me forever. 🙂
Oh – in response to one of your questions… Yes, I have always believed that animals pick us. I know for sure that she picked me and my current dog picked my partner Noel.
Jen
You cannot leave us in suspense by ending your post with ‘my current dog picked my partner Noel’ 🙂 Do please explain more.
Today is my Truffles birthday. He is 8 and brings us sooo much joy and happiness. We are blessed to have in.
So, Jen how did your current dog choose your partner for you?
Ciao
Rosemary
Sorry – I hadn’t meant to leave you in suspense! 🙂
After Tessie died, we went without a dog for a couple of months and our house just felt empty. Noel wasn’t ready for another dog though – losing Tessie tore him apart. I had talked to a local Sheltie breeder about their health, etc when we first brought Tessie home and she had kept in touch. She told me that she had a couple of male pups that were available to buy if I was interested. Noel said no – he didn’t want a new dog, but the girls and I convinced him that we should at least go and look.
Usually wherever we go, if there is a dog, they come to me – they all seem to think I am their best friend 🙂 and Noel just expects that to happen. Their second choice is usually the younger daughter, then the older daughter and Noel is kind of an also ran! When we went to the breeder’s house, the four of us sat on the floor and she let the two pups in. They were very young and playful – very excited and initially sniffed us all over. When the excitement had worn out, one pup went to the breeder and fell asleep in her lap, the other went to Noel and timidly climbed onto his lap to sleep. Noel was completely entranced and didn’t move for over half an hour. I’m sure you can guess which pup now lives with us! Johnny still thinks the sun rises and sets in Noel – it’s very sweet! 🙂
Oh that is sooo sweet Jen. Ive heard that is the best way to choose a pet – is to wait for them to come to you. And, in your case that worked so well.
Truffles is recuperating from his birthday celebrations.
Cheers
Rosemary
OH… PS… Happy birthday Truffles 🙂
I have four rescue cats who have been with us since they were kittens. They came to us because they are all special needs animals and didn’t stand a chance getting adopted, but my story isn’t about these wonderful spirits, but another special needs cat who came to us late in life. Her name was Chili and she had the most beautiful gold eyes and a satiny blue-gray coat. She was 18 years old and was in the early stages of renal failure and her blind owner couldn’t care for her anymore.
Two years later, she was still with us and had won a place in our heart, so when she finally passed this past winter, we grieved as we would have if she’d been with us for 20 years. I suffer from insomnia and will often still be awake, yearning for sleep when the sun is peeking through the darkness. As a result, I tend to wear a sleep mask to bed, so as not to let the light disturb slumber when it does finally arrive.
That night I was laying there tossing and turning, when I heard a noise from across the room, like a cat leaping atop the dresser beneath the window. I pushed the mask up and off my face to see which of the remaining 4 cats it was who was up there and much to my surprise I saw Chili sitting there preening in the pre-dawn light. I just smiled and pulled the mask back down and drifted off to sleep. That was the first time I saw her and have seen her a number of time since. I don’t believe she is here all the time, but checks in periodically just to say hello.