Dear Shiela: I don't know of a book specifically about dealing with the afterlife of critters, but the books I've read about AC and mentioned to you do touch on it, in different ways, and I know that it is possible to communicate with a kitty's spirit after it has crossed over. I will skim through the ones I have and see what I can find that may be more specific. I also may have some saved e-mail references in that regard from one of the AC'ers I've worked with.
I do remember how Raphaela Pope related in her book Wisdom of the Animals about a client who tragically had to leave a pet behind when her family was evacuated in the middle of the night from an overseas placement, in Iran I think. She had rescued this starving puppy she named Noor, but when they had to leave abruptly had not been able to take her with them. What may have happened to the little dog had greatly troubled the girl, now a woman, and she asked Raphaela if it would be possible to "talk" to Noor find out. It had been a number of years, and the little dog may have been through more than one reincarnation since then, but might still remember when she was Noor and reply. Raphaela was still able to reach Noor's spirit and tell her former benefactor what had happened. I'd have to re-read the chapter to remember the exact details, but it was very touching. The abandoned dog had been left to wander the streets again, searching dutifully for her missing guardian but never finding her, yet feeling her love and keeping her mind open to her thoughts until she had perished. When the woman asked if Noor was angry with her for leaving, she said no, how could she be? Because of her, she had learned what it was like to have a loving relationship between a dog and human and was very grateful for that. I guess to many people it seems impossible. We are so entrenched in the concept of being in a concrete place and in a physical body we really have no way to comprehend what it is like to exist only as a spirit. "Heaven" or whatever people want to call it is not a specific place and spirits don't inhabit physical bodies on that level. Spirits can and do come back in other bodies. Raphaela related how a dog she had and loved for many years, named Petey, who had done much to help her when she was first learning how to re-awaken her ability to communicate with animals, came back as a hawk and spoke with her. Perhaps if you "talk" to Tipper, he can let you know what happened to him so you can stop wondering and worrying and be at peace. And maybe if you tell him how much you miss him, he may decide to return to you one day in another body. When I had to say goodbye to my first FeLV+ kitty, Purrsia, she told me not to cry, that she would be waiting to be with me again one day. She said she realized how attached I was to her in her present form, but that was not so important and our spirits would be able to find one another. She was so brave and fearless and I know her spirit is soaring high wherever she may be. When her playmate here on earth crossed over 7 months later, I asked Angel if she would greet Purrsia for me, but Angel said she did not expect to find Purrsia waiting for her, that her spirit would not be able to keep up with Purrsia's, and that she had others waiting to welcome and love her. Even if we are not skilled enough to receive their thoughts, you can still send thoughts and loving energy to the other side and they will know it. If you are lucky you may be able to feel or sense a reply. A friend of mine who has done a bit of study and practice with animal communication said that after one of her kittys crossed over, she "saw" her again, only she was well and whole again with her tail that had been lost in an accident. I think if you could find and read one or more of the books I mentioned, it will help you understand more about the phenomon. I hope you are able to talk to Tipper and come to peace with his loss. If $ were no object, I would talk to my critters, both living and those who have become kitty angels, on a regular basis. One of my goals before my time to cross over arrives is to learn how to communicate telepathically with other species. I can recommend someone to you that has helped me a great deal. Before she made being an AC her full-time avocation, she was a counselor for humans and she is a very compassionate person. She is also skilled in the Yuen method of energetic healing and can help both pet and guardian deal with energetic imbalances that can affect one's well being. Her name is Jasmine Indra...she is a former protege of Raphaela Pope and is mentioned in Raphaela's book along with a black cat Jasmine had named Benoji, who was very wise soul. She has a website: [EMAIL PROTECTED] and her phone no. is: (207) 443-1125; her cell phone if you need to reach her ASAP is (510) 325-2062. Sally in San Jose
