copyright Teresa Wagner
www.animalsinourhearts.com

Gracie the Coyote Dog

Although more than one billion people are members of religions that include the belief of reincarnation, ¹ not all humans embrace the idea of reincarnation in general, let alone dog reincarnation. When I began my animal communication practice in 1991, I did not have any belief one way or the other about whether people or animals reincarnate. However, when animals began to talk about past lives during consultations–completely spontaneously, without their person or me asking about it–my own belief in past lives and animal reincarnation developed.

In my practice, it’s been my experience that when animals tell us about a past life they don’t do so just to tell a story or to simply satisfy our curiosity. It is almost always because they want to explain something to their person about a connection from their past to their current life issues. I’ve heard hundreds of stories about behaviors, health issues, personality issues and relationship issues that in some way have not been fully resolved in a past life. The soul then often chooses as part of her or his purpose during their next life on earth to attempt to complete this lesson from the past and to grow further in that area. The soul often also chooses to do this as a particular species, with particular people or animals, and sometimes in a particular place. And not surprisingly, many of the animals I talk with speak of consciously choosing to come back again to live with the people they’ve known from the past and love. Animals seem to have effortless recall of their past lives –certainly more so than we humans. When they describe their past lives, it is usually done is a very matter of fact way, as you’ll see with Gracie’s comments below. It seems as easy for animals to remember and talk about past lives as it is for us to talk about our childhoods.

The story I share here is about an extraordinary dog named Gracie with whom I fell in love the first time I was privileged to talk with her. When I first heard form Gracie’s person, Kath Quinn, she was puzzled and worried. Gracie had begun a repetitive pattern of faking illnesses. She would sometimes limp so much she could barely walk. Yet when vets performed all sorts of exams and tests there was nothing wrong. When I asked Gracie what this was about she told me the following:

When I told Gracie’s person the story Gracie conveyed to me about having been a coyote, she was nonplussed at the idea of dog reincarnation. She said, “I am not surprised. Now everything makes sense.” She told me that once when at their country home when she went outside to call Gracie back into the house one evening, she saw her with a pack of coyotes. Their eyes were all lit up and glowed in the dark. Gracie looked at Kath and seemed completely undisturbed and comfortable with the coyotes. Though she did come when called, during those moments with the coyotes she seemed to be–uncannily so–just part of the group.

Now that we knew the root cause of Gracie’s feigning illness, to try to remedy the situation I asked Kath how she would feel about regularly holding one of Gracie’s paws and gently “examining” it the way Gracie seemed to love so much from her coyote days at the wildlife center. Kath immediately agreed. For the rest of Gracie’s like, Kath frequently lifted up Gracie’s paws and softly said, “Let me look, let me see how your paw is. I’ll take care of it, it’s ok,” while gently touching her paw. Gracie stopped faking illnesses. And in a later conversation she told me she loved when Kath “babied” her paws.

In a different conversation Gracie told me this:

Sadly, another problem that developed with Gracie was that she began to fight with the other dogs in her family shortly after puppyhood. We had many conversations about this, but one that began to shed some light on the problem was one in which Gracie told me about another difficulty she had during her coyote life:

I never felt like I fit in with the other coyotes. When we had our play fights I never won. I always thought I wasn’t as smart or strong as the others because I always lost the play fights. I always felt like something was wrong with me because I never won. When I was a little older, it was also my job to guard the pups but I never felt like I did it well enough. Now, sometimes I pick fights with my dog sisters because I’m trying really hard to show I can win. But all it does is make everybody upset. It makes me miss being the “only” coyote like I was after I was hurt and lived with the other people.

The fighting, of course, was a very serious problem for Gracie’s family. It wasn’t acceptable for anyone to be hurt. Though Kath engaged trainers to help with the situation and we had many conversations and healing sessions with Gracie about this issue,  the problem was never fully resolved. But this wonderful dog loving family adapted to what seemingly was not going to change. The dogs were segregated with baby gates inside the house to prevent fighting and  took turns running and playing in their huge, one acre fenced back yard. They all adjusted to this quite easily and there was peace.

So how did learning about this dog’s previous life help Gracie and her family? For one, it allowed for problem solving at the root cause issue around the feigning illness issue which was worrisome and expensive. Kath said that learning about Gracie’s coyote life significantly helped her understand and be more tolerant of her “undog like” behavior over the years. Though the fighting issue was such a serious one, Kath was incredibly patient and unconditionally accepting of Gracie, loving her exactly as she was while taking daily precautionary measures to keep everyone safe.

An important lesson I learned from Gracie is that sometimes, all the insights, talking and energy healing efforts in the world will not always completely resolve an issue in one lifetime (for animals or humans). Sometimes we learn in bits and pieces, in stages or layers; and if it’s not all done by the end of one life, that’s ok. There is no prize to be won for who learns the fastest or the most. And we can’t possibly learn everything available to learn in one lifetime. But I also learned from Gracie to keep trying. In the privileged role of animal communicator for this family, I never stopped trying to understand Gracie more deeply, to ask more questions, to build more trust so she could tell me and show me more. My great reward was getting to see and feel the tremendous love between this dog and her person, and to receive some of Gracie’s love myself. What a grand gift that has been.

Gracie had many colorful chapters and adventures in her life before her death in January 2011. A huge void was felt by everyone whose life she touched when she left the earth–mostly, her beloved and ever devoted person Kath, who grieves her still.

We know you shine with the stars Gracie!

LINKS

Books: You may want to read some of our carefully chosen books on animal communication, grief healing and animal afterlife.

Movies: Two highly recommended, enjoyable movies with reincarnation themes are Fluke with Nancy Travis which is about dog reincarnation,  and Yesterday’s Children with Jane Seymour which is about human reincarnation.

Article: You might also enjoy an article I wrote on  Reincarnation Reunions.

The Magnificent Gracie

There are days when I hear your voice, but today I hear your soul.
~ Darlene Terry, author Daughter of Equus

Zoey's Portrait and Ashes

Recently, I received the following question from a special client named Robin: “I have heard that according to Feng Shui the ashes of deceased loved ones represent “dead” energy and that we should not have them in our homes. What is your opinion about keeping ashes in the house? I have never thought that it was negative energy because of my love for them. Could you tell me your thoughts?”

I was happy to respond to this important question. What follows below incorporates my response to her as well as additional information.

I have a deep respect for the practice of Feng Shui and understand that followers of this belief system may perceive or label ashes as “dead” energy and may have concerns about their placement. In my opinion, what is far more important than any one tradition, however ancient or revered, is what any of us know in our hearts to be true for us, as well as any agreements we may have made with our animals regarding their wishes for their remains. The choices regarding burial, burial site, cremation, where to place and whether to keep or scatter the ashes of our loved ones are sacred and private decisions. Traditions and belief systems about these issues can sometimes be interpreted quite rigidly, the rules of which do not always apply to every individual and situation.

Emma's Portrait and Ashes

What I suggested to Robin was that I believe that both her heart and home would have the most peace if she did whatever felt right to her in her heart regarding their ashes. When we follow someone else’s dogma or theory while we may still be questioning it, or when it just doesn’t feel right to us, this is likely to bring us far more unrest than any peace or “rightness” the tradition tells us we will have if we just follow its every tenet and guideline to the tee. Robin decided to keep the ashes of her beloved dogs Emma and Zoey in her home, next to their portraits on her fireplace mantel.

An alternative view of loved ones ashes from them being “dead” energy is that they are a representation of the loving, living, continuing energy of our beloved animal (or person). If we hold this belief, then having the ashes in our home can be like having a beam of light and love keeping us connected. Many of my clients have sent me pictures of beautiful altars they’ve created which include their animals’ ashes, pictures, candles and other sacred items. Their stories are not at all about feeling “dead” energy from ashes. On the contrary, they seem to serve as a living and loving tribute and memorial.

Kath Quinn's altar celebrates the lives of all of her dogs with photographs, ashes, a memorial and dog art

I don’t mean to imply that we should all keep our animal loved one’s ashes in our homes.. The point is that what we personally believe and tell ourselves about the energy of anything–such as ashes of loved ones– is far more powerful than what anyone outside of ourselves tells us. I do not in any way mean to discount the value of Feng Shui. I’ve had consultants in my own home to advise me and found it very useful. What I do mean to say is that our own perception about the energy of our beloved pets’ ashes and the meaning we assign to it will always far outweigh anyone else’s opinion, theory or tradition.

The other issue is this: what do our animals want? Asking them is ideal, and yet if we did not think to do this before their death, or did not know how, my experience has been that when our treatment and placement of their remains is done with love and respect, our animals are pleased. I have been asked by clients many hundreds of times to ask their animals after death how they feel about the urn chosen, the grave site chosen, the garden planted, or where the ashes were scattered. Interestingly, I have never heard any of these animals say they were unhappy with their persons’ choices. When my clients have asked their animals before death about their wishes and desires for their physical remains, quite often they talk about being very unattached to what happens to their body after they leave. One story does stand out, however, about a dog who was very specific about what she wanted.

Ashes of beloved labs of Deb Mag are made into a heart and their names on a beach where they spent many happy years running with joy ~

A dear client and colleague, Patti Kimler, had me ask her beloved dog Anni, a rescued Yorkie, who had recently died, what she might want at her grave site. Anni, who had weighed maybe five pounds when on earth said very emphatically, “I want that HUGE angel statue on my grave, that really, really HUGE one.” Patti and I talked while she was at a local nursery looking at statues. Anni kept insisting that she have the four foot tall angel statue. Because of a very high price tag Patti said she would need to get a smaller one. Anni pushed and pushed, demanding the larger one. Her adorable, chatterbox pushiness from her earth life was still alive and well in the spirit world, making both Patti and I laugh. Finally, Patti found a lovely small Yorkie statue and placed it on a pedestal at Annie’s grave site. In the end, Annie was quite pleased with this choice for her grave site. She actually told Patti that the whole episode of being so demanding–and charmingly so–at the nursery was to distract Patti from her then still raw and painful grief. According to Patti this distraction worked beautifully.

Gravesite and memorial garden of Sunshine, beloved dog of Carie Broecker, founder of peaceofminddogrescue.org

I have heard many animals say that what they like the most about their human’s choice about the grave site, urn, altar, placement of scattered ashes, etc. is that it seems to bring their people comfort, and how much this pleases them to see. Every animal I’ve spoken with on the other side has indicated that they very much want their person to find peace beyond the pain of their grief. The memorials we make for our animal loved ones create an energy of sacredness, grace and connection–be they gardens, grave markers, altars, portraits, jewelry, or sacred spots for ashes indoors or out. No one choice is the best choice, and no one can effectively dictate what our choice should be. Memorials of any kind can provide a focus for our grief and healing, an opportunity to continually honor our animals and our relationship, and can serve as a symbol of our continued spiritual connection which has no end.

May your own choices and memorials bring you all of this. May all of you who are grieving the loss of your animal loved ones be blessed with tender peace in your hearts.

*****

You are welcome to tell us about your own special memorials and stories in the Comments area below.

Left to right top: Cindy and Hunter releasing Sabrina’s ashes; Dana’s heart shaped garden to honor Shana Maidel. Top to right bottom:; Misty’s grave site in a pet cemetery; Sign honoring Misty‘ memorial garden; created by her human mom Judy; Dana’s cat Tiger Lily sitting in her dog sister’s memorial garden.

You are also invited you to share photos and stories on the Pet Loss and Animal Communication Facebook Page. Visit and click “Like” to be able to share text and images.

Look for an article coming soon about a very special cat named Nandi, whose ashes were scattered in Africa, near the African lions..

Resources for Memorializing Your Animal Loved One

Pet Prayer Flags

Pet Loss Memorial Candles Urns, Ash Memorials, Caskets, Grave Markers Pet Portraits, Memorial Jewelry and Memorial Tree Planting Darlene Terry Blog, author of Daughter of Equus