Animals in Spirit
Many of you share your lives with animals to the mutual benefit of all and are naturally concerned about those animals when their earthly lives come to an end.
Some of the most frequently asked questions relate to what becomes of a beloved pet when they have passed to spirit. There are a number of erroneous ideas about this very emotive subject and this article is intended to clarify this area.
What happens when an animal passes to Spirit?
When an animal passes to spirit, it is met and helped to make the transition in the same way that a spirit that has been in a human body is met. Every animal spirit will be met by a Spirit who has specialised in looking after animal spirits when they pass and if there is someone in spirit who the animal would recognise from their time on the earth plane they will be there to meet them too. They are given the same love and care as a spirit that has occupied a human body and in the same way, will become whole again as soon as they leave the animal's body.
Animals have a group spirit and the group represents one species. However, upon the initial return to spirit, the animal retains its earthly "identity". The humans that it left behind on the earth plane miss it in the same way as they miss people when they return to spirit and it is not unusual for people to be able to sense their former pet around them giving them comfort. The animal will usually retain its individual "identity" for as long as they feel that they are needed in this way.
Training
They also frequently assist in the spiritual training of their former owners. When people begin their spiritual development and become aware of spirit presence around them, it can be very difficult to learn to just allow it to happen and not try to grasp it to keep whatever they see or sense. This is particularly so if people are involved.
Everyone who trains with spirit will have loved ones in spirit from whom they hope to receive at least one visit. This can bring its own problems as the person is likely to become emotional during such a visit, particularly during the early days of development and this will lead to the connection breaking on that occasion. A visit from a pet does not seem to have quite such a dramatic effect and the person is usually able to maintain the connection for a longer period which gives them valuable training in getting used to spirit presence. Then when they do receive visits from family and friends it is less of a shock and usually more successful.
After a period of time the animal spirit will once again merge with its group spirit. It will always remain part of that particular group and will not return to the earth plane as a butterfly or tiger or human being or any other creature. There is no crossover of species with animal spirits and as they are different, animal spirits will not have an earthly life in a human body or vice versa. See also Reincarnation And Your Purpose For This Earthly Life.
Just as spirits who occupy human bodies continue to evolve and develop, so do animal spirits, albeit in a different way. They are not segregated and as on the earth plane, all forms of spirit co-exist within the spirit world with each receiving the respect that is their due.
