A Samhain ritual for pets who have passed
How to send your pets a love note across the rainbow bridge
A blessing ceremony for animals who have passed to help with grief from the loss of a pet
If you’d rather listen…
Hello Dear Intuitive One,
Offering animal communication as long as I have, I have the chance to witness the full, long-life cycles of many animal clients. From welcoming tiny pups and kittens to their new homes with conversations about mindful training and their life purpose with their new humans, to translating their feelings in midlife about food, home changes, kids leaving for university, adding new pets to the family. And, I get to translate so they have a say in their medical care, end of life care, and when they’re ready to go.
And… at times, I’m lucky enough to be able to translate for animals after they have crossed, giving both them and their humans a safe and sacred way to say goodbye.
My Pet loss altar in the healing studio
Image: Candles burning brightly on my altar in my studio to honor the beloved animal friends and familiars I’ve worked with who’ve made the big transition from this world to the next.
Over the years, I’ve adopted a candle lighting ritual I do when a longtime animal client is about to, or has, crossed over that blesses them and thanks them for their life. It’s a powerful ritual for me to mark the sacredness of this animals’ life and the impact they have had in the world. It also gives me a sacred moment to name within my heart how this animal has impacted me during our conversations, and to say thank you to them.
This month, I’ve lit more candles than I can count. A few evenings, there have been two or three candles for two long-time animal clients burning at once on my altar. Animals who have both touched my heart greatly in our conversations and connections.
With so many candles burning bright on my altar this month, I’ve been deeply reflecting on the need we intuitive animal lovers have for sacred space to grieve and to honor the special place in our hearts for our animal friends. Whether an animal friend you have loved has recently crossed, or your heart still tightens a little when you think about a beloved animal who passed away years ago, I invite you to take some cues from the Pagan holiday of Samhain and honor the animals who have blessed your life.
A Samhain blessing ritual for animals who have passed
I’d love to share a simple tuning-inwards blessing ceremony to honor the animals who have touched your heart. Animals you’ve loved and lost and who’ve changed you for the better, for the ways they loved, taught and befriended you.
To listen to this ritual and follow along, click play on the audio button at the top of this post
I invite you to tune in with me now with the intent to honor, thank and bless the animals you have known in your life who have passed.
To start, place a hand on your heart and a hand on your belly, to mark this moment as sacred.
Breathe to be in your body, and in the here and now.
Feel your feet on the earth and the support under your body.
Let your breath fill your lungs naturally, let the movement of your breath draw you closer to your own heart-center.
Envision your inhales moving through your lungs and heart-center like a graceful wind, softly opening the chambers, cavities and doors within your your heart that have been closed tightly as a result of the grief and loss you have experienced in the past. Envision your inhales bringing in fresh, clean and clear air in…
With your exhales, give yourself permission to free the energy that has been trapped behind these doors. Free this energy to move in this moment, in this supported and sacred way. As you do this, give yourself permission to be gentle with yourself. There’s no need to push energy out. Simply give yourself permission to free it, to transform it.
When you are ready, think of a beloved animal who have touched your heart in this life. Picture them, imagine them at their best.
And as you breathe in, let your inhale stretch into the physicality of your heart-center to open the area, the chakra, the energy center of your heart and tap into the gratitude you feel for these animals.
As you exhale, let your breath carry the limitless energy of deep gratitude you feel for these beloveds out of your lungs to fill the freshly reclaimed space in your heart-center. From there, let your gratitude laced exhale fill your whole being, body and spirit..
There’s no need to send this energy to your animal animal friend. Simply let yourself be a beacon of gratitude.
Give yourself permission to breathe like this for a few breaths. Breathing in, tapping your gratitude, breathing out, extending your gratitude throughout your body and Soul.
If you are moved, say a blessing within your heart or with your voice to thank this animal friend you are envisioning that is no longer here with you in the land of the living.
Thank them for their loving, their teaching and their being.
There is no need to send these words out. Simply let the energy of your words emanate throughout your whole being knowing while you are thinking about your animal friends. Your words will be received.
As we come to the close of this ritual, release any images that have come to mind of your animal friend and heart with love, knowing your connection is eternal. Your love is forever.
To close this ritual, feel your hands holding your heart and belly in kindness and say a simple blessing for the animals in your life that are alive and well, be it your current pets or the wild birds and animals in the forest, deserts and prairies. Thank these living animals and acknowledge the sacredness of sharing your life with them here in the profoundly rich land of the living.
Thanks for tuning in with me today. I appreciate you and I appreciate our connection,
XO
Joanna
P.S. If you and your best animal friend need to have a heart-to-heart, schedule an animal communication session with me. I would love the chance to support you both better understand each other and get the most from your precious time together.
Join me on Insight Timer
for guided meditations on Intuition, energetic boundaries, animism, and animal communication
I’m adding new meditations every month
If you don’t know about Insight Timer, it’s a free app with meditations and talks from all kinds of practices, and I am one of the teachers now featured on the platform. Insight timer is free to sign up and free to access the meditations and guided intuitive journeys I offer there. If you haven't checked out the app before, I have a feeling you are really going to love it. You can get the free app in your app store or find them online, once you’re there look me up using the little yellow button bellow.
