lundi 11 février 2013

How animals guide us in a healing way....



Story, from Tao to Gaia

  TAO


Ten days ago, one of my cats Tao died during a surgery. His passing away leaves a huge void and heavy sorrows. However, I tend to believe, animals like humans have a destiny and when « the time of their death is meant to strike, it does , for reasons beyond our common understanding. Sometimes they seem more obvious. Often a beloved one passing away opens new doors for those he leaves behind, as long as we manage to keep an open heart, beyod the sadness the mourning causes. This is what the following story tends to prove.

                Tao was a true life companion….As an animal, he was the kindest and most affectionate cat. His black and white fur had the softness of a rabbit’s. He had a soothign presence and I woudl even say he played the part of a « guide ». I liked to call him “my little assistant”- as when I wrote, he liked to come and sit by the computer, sometimes in my arms, which made the typing somehow difficult ;)When he wanted to be cuddled, he would roll on my feet and rubbed his chin against my ankles until I pick him up in my arms. Beyond his cat’s role and his language – often he seems to talk and answer our questions or interrogations. He had a kind of spiritual presence which I think beyond our material world goes on and guides us. 

                Tao was suffering from tooth abcesses on all the upper jaw molar teeth , which caused him digestive problems and diffictulty chewing. The veterinarian who followed him, chose to treat him with antibiotics while suggesting to extract the teeth, which seemed inevitable at some point. But considering his age, I hesitated a lot to have him operated on. We asked the advice of another vet, who out of care and worry for the cat’s comfort, and avoid too big a deterioration of the digestive system, suggested to operate him. Once all the preliminary tests and precautions were taken – blood tests etc…- everything seemed normal, and the green light was up.

Sadly, Tao never woke up from the surgery. For a whole week, I was loaded in a huge sorrow. The feeling to be victim of a huge unfairness and powerlessness , and the guilt to have abandoned him haunted me…understanding, In spite of the support from genuine animal lovers as I am, to start with a vet, who has been able to show more compassion and a rare understanding, I was unable to calm my anger and pain to have lost Tao.

A friend animal communicator told me he had probably passed away to help another cat in distress find a good home. Another friend suggested to stay alert : that his soul was probably still close and would always help me from up above.
If I were cautious and open enough, I could receive signs – through events, or through other animals. A friend had told me, after her mare died of a drastic colic, that she could feel her energy in the arms’ of her boyfriend. Indeed, this sort of experience would have been nice and soothing…

I think I have perceived puzzling facts – the reactions between two female cats at home, who seemed to look for Tao at times, and mewed in a specific way like he used to….Dragonflies which flew in a kind of ballet dancing in the garden and above the roof, as if to convey the message, if the cat was gone, a new chapter was opening in our life under the sign of renewal – the symbol of the dragonfly….Then the behavior of other animals I was working on in reiki sessions, who were behaving very affectionate and present, without knowing me at all before.

           
Anyway, I wanted to find Tao in another cat….to find the special bond these animals with such a particular profile bring us both in presence and affective dimension….

My horse, with whom I have a very privileged bond, was able to show the greatest support, but his energy is completely different from a cat’s .

                Last Saturday, on a hunch, I decided to take a completely different road to come back home and find some peace, and spend some time in a retreated nature bower. I got off the car, in front of a field, where I was admiring the sunset.

On  the other side, of the road, I heard a muffled sound of an animal, who was moaning. Intrigued, I stepped closer and as I was trying to figure out where the sound, increasing , was coming from, it clearly sounded like a cat’s mewing. The more he got closer, I managed to see black and white spots!

I had a distinct feeling of joy, Tao  « was coming back »….At the same time, I felt a kind of hunch I needed to help the little female cat which ran up to me. She must have been about 6  months old and almost jumped into my hands, curiously behaved the same way he used to – the same purring….I hesitated a little, not knowing how I could carry her in the car, without a proper box or cage….She didn’t hesitate or let me the time to think any longer : in a few seconds, she crawled up into the car and sat on the rear seat of the car, of her own initiative.

During the trip, I was surprised she stayed perched up the rear seat, and was waiting wisely that I picked her up into my arms to put her in a quiet room at home, away from the other animals.

                Throughout the week-end, I was unsettled, hesitating to keep her, or place her , not convinced take a new cat so alike Tao would be the best way to grieve him. I did some researched to make sure she had not escaped from another household from the neighborhood where I had found her. I finally figured she had come from that old farm where the owners mistreat their animals, badly fed, kick them or chase them with broom sticks or let their non neutered female cats give birth completely abandoned in the skirting woods,…

This is actually where all the cats I’ve ownerd Tao, and the little female I had found by the road side at 4 months old, when she had followed me like a dog and she had have kept 15 years, Shannon, had all come from and came to our house for shelter..

Meanwhile throughout the Sunday, I felt very weird, as feeling pains in my lower stomach, such as cramps….
A friend offered me to keep the little black and white cat, time for me to place her . But on Monday, I didn’t have the feeling it was the right thing to do for the cat.
I decided to book an appointment at my vet for Tuesday mornign . The afternoon went by and I didn’t understand why I still felt cramps in my stomach which were becoming almost unbearable.
 Tuesday when I arrived at the vet’s office, the visit revealed she was suffering from a womb infection – obviously pregnant, but her embryos were dead…If she wasn’t operated on immediately, she was going to die!
The vet who is familiar with Reiki, confirmed not only my hunch and intuition had been right. The pains were the cat’s and I also saved her life bringing her the cat so fast. She added she was stunned by my abilities to perceive the feeling of the animal in distress to that extent.

I have the feeling Tao guided me towards that place , towards that female cat and saved her life in placing me on her path !

Another coincidence, when I was thinking of what name to give her, Gaia came spontaneously to me and calling her out that way, she was reacting to the name. When on Tuesday the secretary said the year letter was in G, and was talking about a little dog named Gaia, I decided to name the cat like that!

As I write this story, Gaïa is buried against me, exactly as Tao used to. She is quietly recovering from her surgery and has already got used to her surroundings. She spends her night muffled on the bed comforter , huddled against my pillow, and rubs her nuzzle against my cheek now and then in the morning. She speaks like him, and seems to understand everything I tell her and radiates a kind of aura similar to Tao’s.  

It feels as if Tao sent her, or had guided me to save her life. This morning again, the vet was consolidating the bandages on her belly to avoid the stitches to be torn off. And was saying “ this little cat is adorable and extraordinary”, while Gaïa was stroking her fingers with her little paws , without clawing her. She approved she was consoling us of Tao’s passing away and at the same time was saying “ it seems she says thank you for saving my life!”

My turn, I thank Tao, Gaïa and all our companion animals, life partners, for all they bring us, while being alive on this earth and then from the beyond and to our dear vets, who devote their lives to their well-being and their owners’.

  GAIA