Summary: The death of Jessie, my canine soul-mate, has had a profound effect on me. Saying goodbye is never easy, but losing someone we have a deep connection with affects the heart in indescribable ways.<br> <br> Soul-mates appear in various “body-suits” with various labels. They may wear the label of partner, mother, father, friend, dog, cat, budgie, guinea pig; it really makes no difference. When two souls connect, labels are meaningless.<br> <br> For 13 years, my life revolved around Jessie. This was a choice I made that enhanced my life beyond words. I’ve had many relationships with many different beings – non-human and human alike. Every relationship is different. When we say goodbye to a soul-mate relationship though, the impact is devastating. It hurts more. The grief is deeper – more intense, more debilitating.<br> <br> When Jessie left, I was demolished. I felt incomplete without her. My heart was halved. The pain was unbearable.<br> <br> Every death gives me a greater appreciation for the beauty and frailty of life – but only after the acute grieving ends. In the beginning phases of grief, there is so much confusion and pain. It was this confusion and pain that led me on a search for comfort.<br> <br> Kim Sheridan is the author of Animals and the Afterlife: True Stories of Our Best Friends’ Journey Beyond Death. Kim’s book was exactly the comfort I needed to not only ease my pain, but to also expand my worldview in significant ways.<br> <br> On her website it states:<br> <br> Kim Sheridan grew up with animals as her constant companions. Each time she faced the death of a beloved animal, along with the pain came the same questions, to which she could find no answers. Then, mysterious things began to happen which she could not explain.<br> <br> Unable to dismiss these mysterious events, Kim embarked upon what became an incredible journey to uncover the truth. Along with her own experiences, she compiled the extraordinary experiences of ordinary people from around the world. She discovered overwhelming evidence that forever erased her own doubts of an afterlife for animals.<br> <br> Kim’s journey is one from open-minded child to grieving skeptic, and ultimately, to comforted believer. It’s through the courage of her journey that we may all become comforted believers.<br> <br> This week’s Unplug podcast conversation dives into uncharted waters and crushes status quo in profound ways. This week, we expand the paradigm well beyond the limitations of our 5 physical senses.<br> <br> Our paradigm-altering conversation includes topics such as:<br> <br> • What is Earth, Health, Compassion?<br> • The power of grief to inspire a higher calling.<br> • How we are more open to afterlife experiences when our logical minds are quiet.<br> • How the logical mind blocks truth.<br> • The importance of supportive community during times of grief.<br> • The problems with unexpressed grief and how it manifests physically if continually suppressed.<br> • The importance of safe space to feel, heal, and be real.<br> • The illusory hierarchy of grief.<br> • How guilt complicates grief.<br> • What is the afterlife and how do we know we’re experiencing it?<br> • What are afterdeath visitations?<br> • How the intellect interferes with afterdeath visitations.<br> • Trusting that there is so much more beyond our perceptual senses.<br> • The necessity for acknowledging our emotions and how our emotions are intertwined with our intuition.<br> <br> Jessie’s departure opened up a new realm of possibility for me. It’s often in the depth of our deepest pain that we open to possibilities we may not normally consider.<br> <br> I invite you to open your mind and heart to animals and the afterlife – a moving testament to love – the powerful force that never dies.
