pets
The Importance Of Self-Investment
When I was younger, I thought of self-investment as ‘self-indulgence.’ However, as I grew spiritually, my guides made me aware that this was far from the case. In fact, I have learned that self-investment is a necessity – particularly in today’s world!
What can self-investment do for you? Well, it helps to calm your emotions and ground your energy. You feel more in control of your overall situation – whatever that may be.
It can also help prevent burnout by reducing stress, inducing a sense of calm, and minimizing anger, frustration, and depression, while boosting self-esteem! It may further help increase your sense of focus, aid concentration and thus help you deal with any current tasks.
Self-investment also helps you feel much more optimistic and increases your sense of happiness, thus attracting more of the good that the abundant universe has to offer you. It aids you in tapping into your higher self, connecting with the Divine, and utilizing your fullest potential in life.
Sounds great, right? But how does one go about implementing self-investment in a modern, busy life? Consider the following strategies:
Manage Your Time
Most people feel that they cannot self-invest as they never have the time to do so. However, why not draw up a timetable for your week and schedule some me-time? Taking time to do so will pay many dividends for your overall well-being, and what is more important than that?
Drawing up such a schedule will allow you to incorporate healthy habits, and it is the correct kind of habits when it comes to self-nurture that have the most impact. Schedule it: whether you like singing in the bath, cooking delicious healthy food, taking a brisk walk before bedtime, or planning for an early night!
And They Call It Puppy Love
Many supernatural events occur at my home. When you actively work with the Divine on a daily basis, you can’t help but be plugged into energy that is wondrous at times. Also, my intentions are always set for positive, high vibrational energy to come in, so I don’t worry about the other kind.
When my daughter visits, the wattage is amped up to even higher levels, as she is quite a spiritually gifted creature herself! Recently, before she came home she experienced a vivid dream involving our new puppy – an adorable black, white, and brown King Charles Cavalier. He was due to arrive in a few days.
In the dream, the new puppy was happy to meet her, affectionately licking her face. She then named him ‘Admiral Halsey,’ after the delightful song Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey by Paul and Linda McCartney. What a perfect name for a pet, I thought.
But I had not mentioned any of this to my husband, as he was away at the time, visiting his mom. We lost our beloved family dog, Oliver, nearly a year ago from cancer, and my husband made it clear he didn’t want to go through anymore dog tragedies. He was adamant about not getting another dog, and there was no changing his mind on the matter.
The grief I felt for Oliver was immense; the tears I cried could have easily flooded the Nile! I will never stop missing him and I longed for a dog in our home. The desire kept on growing, until the burning need became so great, it compelled me to cast a horary astrology question to find out if I would ever be getting another dog, or not. Horary astrology is an ancient divination technique in which one casts a horoscope to answer a current question or address a burning issue in the here and now.
I was not expecting a positive outcome for the horary chart, and so you can only imagine my great surprise and utter euphoria when it very definitively showed that not only would I be getting another dog, but he was going to be arriving very soon!
Take Some Time Out To Embrace The Silence
I see now, more than ever before, parents busying their children with this and that sport, and this and that activity. I sometimes wonder if they ever have time to just be children.
I see how fast time flies these days and I think we actually make it go by even faster by overloading our lives with so much activity. We over commit ourselves way too much. I have been carefully watching my world lately, and I have seen the busy lifestyles of my friends and family. I see how frantic everyone has become. Such a commotion!
I find it disturbing how we over-busy ourselves and our children, and our lives. We really miss out on what I deem as the ‘finer things’. We need to get that connection back. It’s never too late.
We need to take it down a notch. I understand there are things we have to do – go to work, pay the bills, chores to do, people to see. Sure, I get it! But there are those additional things that we sign on to do when we really shouldn’t, or don’t have the time for, and when we do it has a domino effect. Chaos. Anxiety. Stress.
We need time to unwind more, and not just when we give ourselves six or less hours of sleep. We carve time out for our kids and for our friends and family, and often there is really no time left for a few blissful moments of silence. It’s in the silence that we can know ourselves and truly learn to live with a glass half full mentality.
We are filling our days with so much unnecessary activity these days just to keep up with the Joneses. What is wrong with staying home once in a while? I think staying at home is underrated. I don’t know about you, but home is where my yoga mat has its place and I don’t have to pay a gym membership to be active in my own home. It’s also where my library is, and my family, and most of the things I love and enjoy.
The Heavenly Love Of Our Fur Angels
Connecting with my spirit guide this morning , I asked what I can share in my blog today that needs to be shared with the world and spirit says the following:
One of the closest things to God’s love in this world, is the sincere love we receive from our ‘furry friends.’ And when we lose one of our fur friends or family members, it can be devastating.
When our pets pass away it is important to remember a few things, says spirit. They are very much at peace and not suffering. They remember, just like you remember them, the kindness you afforded them and how you treated them.
They are still a part of you. Love is the strongest bond. They can hear your voice even in the afterlife. So, when you speak their name with the intention to call them to you, they hear it. They are your angel, guide, protector.
If you were not able to be there for your fur friend, be it a cat, dog or any other animal member of the family you loved, know that it is okay. Do not over think it.
You do have to get to a place where you can let go of the guilt. You know that you had the best of intentions to be there and sometimes we just cannot. Sometimes we are just in a place in our lives that makes it literally impossible to be there.
I can tell you from experience that when they pass, they are comforted by those who are there for them on the other side. So, they had a smooth transition. There was no pain. Our animals do not suffer in the end. God takes care of them.
The Gift Of Kindness
I was thinking today of the many beautiful acts of kindness people have shown me since my husband passed away last year. And then, some song lyrics from the movie, The Sound of Music, came to mind:
Nothing comes from nothing
Nothing ever could
So somewhere in my youth or childhood
I must have done something good.
Yes, perhaps I did some good somewhere in my life, and now I am getting some of it back, tenfold, or more!
There was a period of time, after his sudden death, when it felt as if I was carried by the locals here in Spain. I was pretty much told what to do and not just offered help. For example, when I got the news of his passing from the policeman who answered his phone at the car crash scene, I immediately went on ‘autopilot’ and attempted to cancel a coffee date I had with one of my best friends. But she simply said, “I am coming, you aren’t going alone to the scene. I am going with you!” And then she saw to everything. I was unable to speak in any language at that point, and fortunately she took over.
Christmas and New Year followed, and again my friend told me, in no uncertain terms: you are going to be with me and my family during this period. I began finding reasons and excuses as to why I might not be able to get to their home, including a possibility of snow, which had us housebound for a few days a couple of years prior. But, they were having none of that. My friend’s husband said, “My tractor will reach you whatever the weather!”
Post-death paperwork is messy in a foreign country. Red tape and bureaucracy can be a nightmare in Spain, if there is no last will and testament! Once again, I was given months of unconditional help by friends and neighbors, as we went from one government department to another to sort out complications. Even the lawyers assisting with the car insurance policy, which went above and beyond their pro bono role in the arrangements. They would accept no further payment, but were delighted when I gifted them each some Doreen Virtue angel cards in Spanish.
Clouds Of Love Over The Rainbow Bridge
Yesterday, at sunrise, I was driving my cat to the veterinarian’s consulting room. Approximately fifteen minutes into our journey, there was a beautiful rainbow ahead. With little traffic on the road at that early hour, I could ponder its splendor. Then, my thoughts drifted to the Rainbow Bridge and all my beloved pets that have crossed that bridge to the Other Side.
I thought of each one of the special furry souls that have graced my life with their presence over the years. I felt such a strong telepathic communication with each one of them in that moment. Finally, I thought of the little one who most recently passed, and the love and lessons we shared.
Then I ‘heard’…and what about me? At that very moment, I noticed two large cloud formations had formed in the sky that resembled the front and the back view of my little dog, Nel. The shape and detail of the clouds were exactly like her!
Nel was a special part of my life and her passing very traumatic, especially since she died so young. Was I meant to miss her in my thoughts so she could come through as such a beautiful vision? I may never know the answer to that, but I do know what I witnessed was profound and very real.
So much has been written about the Rainbow Bridge. Yesterday, it all seemed highly relevant, because the day before setting out to the vet, I had been arranging some memorabilia on new shelves in my home that showcase pictures of all my pets who crossed over rainbow bridge. It is on display with some trinkets that remind me of them, like name tags and pretty boxes with their ashes I had not yet sprinkled.
The Spiritual Calling Of Animal Rescue
I have always felt that I have two life callings: my work and taking care of rescue animals. And I aim to do both to the best of my ability.
A neighbor stopped me today as I was walking my dogs. This often happens when I am out with them. He asked me why I chose to walk the dogs, while I have a large plot of land for them to freely roam.
Well, they do run around on the property, at least the two younger ones do, but the pleasure of walking them is immeasurable. It is a true joy to see them relishing in the unfamiliar smells and the intriguing creatures they encounter in the countryside. They even made friends with a nearby farm’s goats and another neighbor’s cat.
I also enjoy the lovely countryside around me, which I will be less likely to experience on my own had it not been for the reminding me every day that it is time to go ‘walkies.’ Apart from the obvious exercise being advantageous for my health and well-being, it is also a sort of a meditative process and spiritual practice, because I am required to be very present in the moment.
One of my dogs is a warren hound, known in Spanish as a podenco. They are a Mediterranean rabbit-hunting dog breed. So, she’s a hunting dog and if she suddenly makes a dash to chase something, she could easily catch me off guard and pull me over. I can therefore no afford to be distracted or preoccupied. Instead, I must mindful and aware, which is very beneficial for my inner peace and spiritual alignment.
My dogs and cats are all rescues, some from unthinkably harsh backgrounds. Looking after them has involved a lot of care and veterinary visits, including many specialist observations and surgeries. When you take rescues into your home, they tend to come with much fear and many insecurities, which takes patience and unconditional love.
Two large rescue dogs, that have since departed this life to cross over the rainbow-bridge, wouldn’t allow me to touch them and refused to come inside the house. I provided them adequate shelter outside, but it still bothered me, because the winters can be harsh here in Spain.