Silver Birch on when animals die and their evolution

[Spiritmessenger]

Silver Birch on when animals die and their evolution

Question
Do some animals spend their whole time with their human friends on the other side or is their real home on the animal sphere?

Answer
It depends, because love is the index. You know that love determines the survival of animals. It is the love that exists between the animal and the person that enables the animal to obtain the temporary consciousness that exist beyond the grave of matter. If an animal and I do not like the word "owner" because no one owns another soul, the one whom it has served are in the world of spirit together, then the home of the animal is the home of the individual who has always loved it. It stays where love is, for love is the link that binds it to the one who loves it. It has no necessity go to the animal plane, because it has its home. Those who dwell in the animals sphere are the ones who come to the world of spirit before the masters, or owners, as you call them, arrive in our world, because it is necessary that someone shall take care of them. Otherwise they would be distracted, being cut off from the love, which not only warmed their hearts but breathed the temporary immortality into them. Where the animal comes to our world preceding the one who loved it, who gave it shelter and taught it all the habits of memory, of reason, of judgment and affection, it goes to the animal world to await the time when it can greet the one it has missed. There it is put in charge of those specially trained to look after animals, just as you have trainers in your world to care for animals when their masters and mistresses are away.

Question
Will you describe what it is an animal obtains from human contact that makes it survive?

Answer
In the long line in evolution, at some stage that Great Spirit or the law, breathed into the animal and it became a living soul, conscious, aware of its own existence. Then came the dawn of reason; intelligence bloom; there was judgment, the ability to reflect, to decide, to weigh and to consider. But, potentially, all that existed no matter how far back in the line of evolution you go. It requires the breath of the Great Spirit to awaken it. Just as the Great Spirit enabled a divine spark to become a flame, so you, by love, transfer that process to the animal who lives within the shelter of your affection. You are part of the Great Spirit, having the power within you to transfer the tribute of spirit to the next in line of evolution, so that by your association, by radiating love, you awake that consciousness which, in time, through the process of evolution, would reach its own apex. Love is the keynote in all life. Death cannot still the voice of love in humans or in animals. Love is the driving force throughout the whole universe; love controls and governs all life; and love seeks to work through man towards all other creatures, whether they be his equal or his inferiors. The love that emanates from man to the lesser beings he embraces in his heart, the dog, the cat and the pets- cannot be ended by "death." It is love that determines that life must go on because love goes on.

Question
How long does the survival of an animal last? Is it as long as that of a human being?

Answer
No, there is this difference. At some stage the animal and human evolution inevitably part company. It may take, as you measure time, hundreds or thousands of years, but their rates of spiritual evolution are unequal. The animal has to be left behind because it cannot keep pace with the growing soul that restlessly struggles towards the greater light. Watch you have passed from the Vale of matter and accustomed yourself to conditions of the spiritual life, once you have realised that the ties which bind you to earth are severed, the desire to progress, the desire to unfold the surging divinity within becomes quickened. You seek to unfold all the qualities, which, by their practice, will enable you to be a greater service wherever you are. The higher you climb in the realm of spiritual unfoldment, the more difficult it is for the animal to keep pace with you. And so the love which kindled for a while a flame that burned beyond "death" gradually becomes attenuated. The flame flickers and it merges in the end with the group soul of that species.

Question
Does that mean that the animal loses its personality and individuality?

Answer
Yes. That is the clear distinction between the two evolutions, because the animal, as a group, has not yet reached the stage of evolution when the whole group is individualised. Otherwise it would cease to be animal; it would have then reached the stage of the human being. But because you enable it to jump the scale of evolution, because you enable it to advance by love, it means that it must return to the group out of which it is formed.

Question
It sounds rather unfair that, because the animal has earned individuality for itself, it must return and lose what it has gained.

Answer
No, because it has contributed to the group spirit and has enabled the process evolution to be advanced by its fraction of evolution. It contributes to the common stock. It adds a quota to the pool that before did not exist. In order to help the whole. The more such sacrifices are made, the quicker the group's soul advances towards the stage where it leaves the animal behind and earns the evolution which makes it now ready for individuals souls in human form.

Question
Is that when they definitely become incarnated?

Answer
There are two kinds of incarnation. There is the old soul re-embodied in the world of matter and there is what you call the, "new soul," starting its first phase in the world of matter as an individual.

Question
Do you mean as a human individual?

Answer
Yes. They are both spirit, they are both conscious spirit, they are both individuals spirit. But one is an old soul, returning to complete or help complete a cycle; the other is a new soul on the first rung of the ladder. The new one comes from the group, the groups that once was animal, pool of spirit which has been through all the evolutionary stages and animal, of bird, of fish, of reptile, right back to the lowest slime on earth.

That is Theosophical teaching.

I do not care whose belief in his. You should not tell me about labels. I am not interested. All these facetious critics who do not desire knowledge, who only seek to exhibit their vaunted intelligence, do not realise the simple truth. You do not bring a spider into your home and give it love, do you? You do not bring a beetled into your home and give it love and try to serve it. You do not give it companionship and the warmth of your heart, do you? No, because you recognise the gulf that is fixed between you, because you know instinctively that it is far away from you in the scale of evolution. You bring those whom you call the domestic animals- the dog, the cat, sometimes the monkey- because you feel a kinship with them. They are just below you in the line of evolution. They are ready for your love or affection because they are awaiting the next stage in their evolution, which is incarnation as humans.

Love light and blessings to all
Spiritmessenger

[Spiritmessenger]

Question
Where lower animals are brought into the home, does it mean they are ready for it?

Answer
There are off-shoots, the advance guard of evolution, and there are throw-backs, the rearguard evolution. Always there are examples of what goes before and what comes behind. There are always exceptions. You may find the unintelligent animal which is a retrograde; you may find the intelligent bird which is in advance of the dog. Do not seek to confuse the general principle with exceptional cases.

Question
Do parts of the pool go through the same animal incarnation only once, or several times?

Answer
Once. The pool is added to by the increasing endeavours of those who contribute to it. There is no necessity for the pool to return; otherwise it cannot be progressing.

Question
Would it be desirable to extend to all living creatures the love we give to dogs and cats?

Answer
Yes, but do not expect the same response from those who are lower in the scale of evolution. Love will kindle love, hatred it will beget hatred. But remember that the lower in the scale you go the less response can you expect. If there is anger in your heart, it is only a criticism of your own self, your own lack of development, your own imperfection, for when you have got rid of anger, of malice, of hatred, of rage, of envy, of greed, then you're on the higher road to spiritual attainment.

Question
If part of a group incarnated as humans and was a dismal failure, would it return to the animal pool?

Answer
No, because once in his individual consciousness as a human being it can never be extinguished. It is your bond with the Great Spirit that can never be severed.

Question
How does the law of compensation work in the case of slaughter and ill-treated animals?

Answer
There is compensation, but it is a compensation that affects the group's spirit and not the animal that has been slaughtered. The law of compensation and retribution applies in different forms to un-evolved animals and humans. The animal, having to go into the group spirit, cannot be subjected in our world to will which can compensate it when it no longer exists as an individual. This is compensation within the group, but I regret I have no means of describing it. There is nothing similar in your earthly life with which to compare it.

Question
Some people say that verminous pests, such as lice and bugs, are the result of man's evil thoughts. Is that true, or are they the result of natural causes, such as dirt and disease?

Answer
But what caused dirt and disease? Are they not, at some stage or other, attributable to man's selfishness, which could be called his evil thoughts? The actual physical cause is to be found in bad sanitation, in foul breeding grounds, in needless dirt and disease, in wrongful conditions, lack of sunshine and clean the air. It calls for these things is to be found in man's selfishness to man, man's inhumanity to man, which you might describe as his evil thoughts or, as I would say, his lack of development. But get rid of the selfishness, get rid of the idea of exploitation, get rid of the system breeds avarice, and you will get rid of what you call your pests or vermin.

That cannot be applicable in the case of vermin, mosquitoes.

You must remember that the whole of the world of nature is still subject to the law of evolution, then nature's balance is constantly altering in accordance with the people who dwell in this world, and that the more humanity evolves the last of nature's darkness will be found in the world. There is a relationship between the growth of man spirit and the natural phenomena of the countries in which man dwells. You cannot dismiss man from his environment and you cannot dismiss man's growth from the phenomena of nature, which surrounds his environment. The development is almost on parallel lines. Man, being part of creation, being part of the great spirit, being a co-sharer with the great spirit in the work of the universe, also contributes to the natural laws which control his own life, even his national life. There is a gap- I said almost on parallel lines- because the influence of older generations has to be out worked in time.

Question
Do your comments also refers to ferociously and wild beasts?

Answer
Partly, but remember that evolution is not static. It is a continuous and eternal progress. There is always a growth from the rudimentary forms through the lower to the higher. The lower of yesterday becomes the higher of today, and the higher of today becomes the lower of tomorrow.

Question
Is there, then, retrogression in evolution?

Answer
Yes, if you term it retrogression, because the evolution is accomplished in cycles, or, as your modern philosophers now think, in spirals. It does not matter how you express it as long as you realise it is not a straight line all the time. There is an advance, a falling back; a great advance, a falling back, continuously.

Question
As animals kill each other, why should not we kill them in such experiments as vivisection?

Answer
Because that is the expression of human evolution. As human evolution advances so ferocity and brutishness dies out and becomes extinct. When mankind has reached the stage when love and kindness and tolerance are accepted by all there will be no ferocity among the animals. Indeed, the lion will lie down with the lamb.

Question
Isn't cruelty part of the law of development in animals?

Answer
Do you not see that once you were animal, and that is the expression of the evolution that was you? That is why there is less and less ferocity, less cruelty amongst the animals of nature. Where are the saurians of yesterday? Why are they extinct? Because there has been evolution of man.

Question
A lot of the non-ferocious animals have become extinct too?

Answer
I mean that the true level was ferocity. There were the offshoots even in those times. They were the precursors of the evolutionary line. Evolution is not static at any stage. You have the precursors and the renegades, those who are advanced and those who are behind. The "none ferocious" ones were the precursors that had outgrown the "breathing fire" ones.

Question
Do the verminous pests joined the same group as a higher animals?

Answer
No
There is not only one group soul, than?
No. There is a group for every species.
Are not these groups subdivided?

Yes. There is a group for every sub-division of the species. The new spirit, if there is the incarnation of one who has never re-embodied- comes from the highest of the animal group.

That again is in a kind of a cycle?
Yes, it is all in cycles.

Which is the highest of the animal group?
The dog.

Does the pest group soul have a harmful effect?
No, because compared with the balance it is infinitesimal. You must remember you are now asking deeper questions that are not usually touched upon.

Love light and blessings to all
Spiritmessenger

[Spiritmessenger]

Question
Is the group's soul situated on the animal planes?

Answer
I have one great advantage over you. I do not have to learn lessons in geography. We have no situations. Space is boundless and spiritual conditions do not occupy space. Were thinking in terms of physical location and spirit does not require habitation, unless it is too as assume form. But a group soul requires no form. When it does, then it has to have a mode of manifestation and a place where that mode is manifested.

Question
Do pet animals visit the spirit world in sleep?

Answer
No.

Are they not familiar with it when they pass?

Answer
No. When in your sleep state you come to our world you do so because you have your guides to take you by the hand. But none can do that for the animal except the one it knows, and that one is still in the world of matter.

Question
Suppose that one had passed on?

Answer
That is a little different, but I speak generally.

Question
Why are animals, particularly cats and dogs, often more psychic than human beings?

Answer
Because all though they have not as yet, as far as evolution goes, reached the stage where they become humans, they have not had to face "civilised" life that human beings do. If the human had not had the benefits of what you call "civilisation" then before now he would have reached the stage where the exercise of psychic qualities was part of his normal life. He has sacrificed that for his civilisation. The animal, not faced with the economic problems, with the sociological problems that affect human beings, has continued in the evolutionary line to the stage that humans should have reached, but have not, and therefore is in possession of those psychic qualities which humans have, but often repress, because of the material life they have to lead. Then again, those whom you call mediums are the precursors of the evolutionary line. They are exhibiting to day what will be natural tomorrow.

Question
Animals have what is called a sixth sense... they have premonitions and the ability to find their way over unknown territory. Is that a psychic quality?

Answer
Yes, that is what mediums can do. But sometimes it is a quality of the species because; there again, you get a precursor of evolution manifest in one quality, like the pigeon, which has developed the one quality of finding its way home. It is called instinct, but it is really a form of lucidity. They are qualities, which are precursors to the line of evolution.

Question
Sometimes when a medium describes a "dead" animal, it is accompanied by another one. Does one animal help the other to return?

Answer
No, unless there was an association between the two animals already in your earthly world.

Is it always a human spirit who helps them?
Yes, because the higher helps the lower always. In is the law.

Question
What sort of animals are on the animal plane?

Answer
All those animals which were your pets, which you thought to be almost your equals, which you endowed with affection, with love, and stimulated their reason and the ability to think. Rather than that they should be lonely, disconsolate, lost without the one to whom they were attached, they come to this plane where they mingle with other animals and receive the special care of those who, have devoted their lives to the study of animals, are able to minister to them and to give them the kindness which is their natural expression. In this world they find all the things that will delight animals, all the pursuits of enjoyment that prevent them from fretting. And occasionally they are brought within the radius of the home, so that they can still feel the affection of the ones from whom they are part for a while. That is why so many sometimes see or hear the dog or the cat, even though they do not possess knowledge of spiritualism. They only know that there is a sense, or feeling, that the dog is there. And other animals always see them because of their higher psychic qualities.

Question
Do the people who work on the animal plane bring them back?

Answer
It is the ones who minister to them on the animal plane who bring them back because they would not come back with any body else. And do you know who are the ones who minister to them? Those who were passionately devoted to animals and never had the opportunity of befriending them, just is in our world the children who pass before their parents are cared for by those who had strong maternal instincts, which were never satisfied. Dogs and the cats and all the pets are cared for by those who were devoted to them and did not have the means of lavishing their devotion upon them. Of course, they are aided by those who have specialised knowledge of animals, which is always used in our world. Knowledge is never wasted.

Question
If an animal is ill when it passes over, does it get nursed, as human beings do?

Answer
Yes, because there are many in our world who are glad to have the opportunity.

Are there different sections, or do the animals mingle?
No, the boundaries are fixed.
Though it is one animal plain, has it different boundaries?
Yes. It is very natural. It is not like a huge pen.
Are cat separated from the dogs?
Yes, they are.
Except the friendly ones, and I suppose they are near the boundaries?
Yes, it is all very natural.
Which is next in the line of animal evolution after the dog - the cat or the monkey?
The cat.
Why not the monkey, considering he is so much like us?
Evolution, as I have tried to explain, is not in a straight line. There are always pre-cursors and retrograde. Whilst man has developed in his line of evolution from the monkey, that pace has not been maintained and the dog has passed the monkey stage, largely because man has conferred friendship on the dog.

Did the monkey break the law?
They did not break the law, but they fail to live up to what they could have done.

Is it possible that in the future the dog will slip backwards?
No, I do not think so, because now, after all these millions of years, the species have become defined. The pattern has become almost standardised and the chances of physical evolution are diminishing. You must remember that there is a limit to physical evolution, in the sense that there can be changes in form, but not in the essential pattern there can be various but not complete changes. For example, take your physical body. You will not outgrow, for generations, this form, this shape- the two arms, two eyes, one nose, two legs. That pattern has now becomes fairly standardised. There will be variations according to race and country, but not changes in the pattern. This is more so in regard to the animals, so that there will be an emergence of the group spirit in the animal world but not so much in the physical world.

Would the slipping back of the monkey be the result of free will?
No, because it is a condition that affects the whole group.

How could the group will decide if it had no individual consciousness?
There is a difference between the behavior of animals according to their instincts and also lack of instincts. Even in animals, where there is no individual reasoning ability, there is a power either for Labour or for our idleness. It can respond, or failed to respond. It can sharpen up or awaken the instincts of the group. And, though it has no individual judgment, there can be, in the line of evolution, epochs where the whole species is failing to respond to what it is capable of doing.

Question
How do you view the ever-increasing practice of experiments on living animals, often causing terrible painter helpless creatures? Many people on this side are striving to get this unholy thing stopped. Is there any help in any way from the spirit world?

Answer
All those who desire to serve at once bring to their aid those in my world who were inspired and sustain and bring them the power of the spirit to aid the work that they seek to do. It is wrong to administer pain to any of the creatures of the great spirit, but you must remember that there are many who do it in ignorance, not realising the pain that they inflict, only possessed with motives to help their fellow men. But they are still breaking the law.

Question
But if, as we are often told, only the motive counts, will these people who inflict pain in what they conceived to be service to their fellow men have to pay the penalty for breaking the law?

Answer
The motives may be good, but the principle is unaltered. If one deliberately inflicts pain, knowing it will hurt, that means that the one who does it is conscious of his responsibility. His motives, of course, are good, but he has inflicted pain. All these factors are taken into account, I cannot agree with the practice of inflicting pain.

Are animals sent to earth to help mankind?
Yes. And mankind is sent to help them.
But the sole purpose of the animal creation is not to be of use to man.
No, that is only part of the work.

Do you believe that vivisection can be right when it is undertaken with a good motive?
No. How can that which is cruel be right? How can that which causes pain, which inflicts torture, be right? It is contrary to all we teach. It is wrong to experiment on those who are not capable of resisting.

Do you agree that no cure for cancer will ever be found by that method?
Your world cannot produce remedies for the diseases, which it has created by living contrary to the laws of the Great Spirit. There will be found remedies for all your diseases, but they will not be found by experiments on animals.

Why does not the spirit world interfere when it sees so many appalling atrocities committed on animals?
Because the Universe is ruled by natural laws.

At the end of these questions the guide made this comment:
"Just as animals strive to serve us with devotion, let us always tried to serve others with equal devotion, with equal faithfulness, for it is all part of the divine love restlessly stirring which seeks to find expression everywhere. In a world that is so full of hatred and anger and jealousy, rage and fierce passion, it is increasingly necessary for divine love to be made manifest."

Love light and blessings to all
Spiritmessenger

Originally Posted by Spiritmessenger

Question
Where lower animals are brought into the home, does it mean they are ready for it?

Answer
There are off-shoots, the advance guard of evolution, and there are throw-backs, the rearguard evolution. Always there are examples of what goes before and what comes behind. There are always exceptions. You may find the unintelligent animal which is a retrograde; you may find the intelligent bird which is in advance of the dog. Do not seek to confuse the general principle with exceptional cases.

I do not know about all of this that Silver Birch writes.

I will just take this one thing here --even though a lot of this doesn't feel right. I've had a dog and been around dogs, cats, and birds. I currently have cats and birds. It is always hard to quantify intelligence. Mostly because we view intelligence through what we value as humans. For example, we value speech and animals don't speak the same as us so some people think they are stupid. But there a lot of things like that.

My feeling is that spirit is concerned only with love, not intelligence anyways. Here on Earth we place one species or another above or below in intelligence. I truly do not feel that is done in spirit.

Even if it is done.. there have been studies to show that parrots already are more intelligent than dogs. The little birds I have have been said to have the intelligence of a child of two to three years old. A bird needs much human interaction because they are so intelligent and do require more than dogs and cats. That is pretty well known which is the reason the bond between a human and a bird that is truly cared for is incredibly strong. Birds need considerable mental stimulation and caring owners will provide it.

But once again, I do not feel that the spirit world puts such a emphasis as Silver Birch would have it seem on intelligence. If any quality would count in the spirit world, it would seem to be love. But I am human and love is one quality (like intelligence) that is valued among humans.

I also would like to say that the teachings of Silver Birch seem to suggest that the body (whether human or animal) determines everything. The body does not. The indwelling spirit is not higher or lower depending on the body it wears.

I just don't know that I believe all this I'm reading.

I have a deep respect for Silver Birch, and that's the reason why I dare disagree with this quote (if I didn't care, I wouldn't take the time to reply)

You bring those whom you call the domestic animals- the dog, the cat, sometimes the monkey- because you feel a kinship with them. They are just below you in the line of evolution. They are ready for your love or affection because they are awaiting the next stage in their evolution, which is incarnation as humans.

I always loved dogs, and even more ever since I read the quote "dogs don't have a judgemental bone in their bodies". Contrary to humans, always judging and comparing. THey don't just walk their path, they have to look at others' and judge everything they see, from the pace others walk to whether they stop from time to time.
Having said this, I wonder if we really are at a higher stage in this so-called evolution process.

Thank you so much for sharing, Spiritmessenger

No disrespect intended. I truly appreciate the messages from Silver Birch but much of this he has to say about animals doesn't resonate with me either. I am still grieving the loss a pet 2 days ago, so perhaps my emotion is involved. However, it seems to me that the pets I have been really close to over the years seem to be more spiritually advanced than me, at least in some perceivable ways. Qualities like unconditional love & forgiveness seem much more natural to them, especially dogs. Whereas I have to consistently work at these things and still seem to fall significantly short in comparison.

I am fairly new to this community but I am beginning to see that those who have access to the spirit world either directly or indirectly seem to have varying perceptions of reality (of physical plane and spirit plane), although there are certainly many more correlations that do resonate.

I am in deep gratitude and appreciation for having found this community.

Cal

[quote=Summerkat]I do not know about all of this that Silver Birch writes.

I will just take this one thing here --even though a lot of this doesn't feel right. I've had a dog and been around dogs, cats, and birds. I currently have cats and birds. It is always hard to quantify intelligence. Mostly because we view intelligence through what we value as humans. For example, we value speech and animals don't speak the same as us so some people think they are stupid. But there a lot of things like that.

My feeling is that spirit is concerned only with love, not intelligence anyways. Here on Earth we place one species or another above or below in intelligence. I truly do not feel that is done in spirit.

Even if it is done.. there have been studies to show that parrots already are more intelligent than dogs. The little birds I have have been said to have the intelligence of a child of two to three years old. A bird needs much human interaction because they are so intelligent and do require more than dogs and cats. That is pretty well known which is the reason the bond between a human and a bird that is truly cared for is incredibly strong. Birds need considerable mental stimulation and caring owners will provide it.

But once again, I do not feel that the spirit world puts such a emphasis as Silver Birch would have it seem on intelligence. If any quality would count in the spirit world, it would seem to be love. But I am human and love is one quality (like intelligence) that is valued among humans.

I also would like to say that the teachings of Silver Birch seem to suggest that the body (whether human or animal) determines everything. The body does not. The indwelling spirit is not higher or lower depending on the body it wears.

I just don't know that I believe all this I'm reading.

Edited to say the above is Summerkats reply. Sorry if any confusion caused.


Hi Summerkat

It's ok to question what you read, Silver Birch would want people to do this. I have found though that when I have read books that haven't resonated with me for whatever reason when I re- read them a number of years later it all makes much more sense. This doesn't necessarily apply to my experience of Silver Birch books, it's just that the thread mentions it. Perhaps it wasn't the right time for me to accept what was written, so if the opportunity ever comes up where you can read a book again please don't let todays influences put you off.

Originally Posted by celery

I have a deep respect for Silver Birch, and that's the reason why I dare disagree with this quote (if I didn't care, I wouldn't take the time to reply)



I always loved dogs, and even more ever since I read the quote "dogs don't have a judgemental bone in their bodies". Contrary to humans, always judging and comparing. THey don't just walk their path, they have to look at others' and judge everything they see, from the pace others walk to whether they stop from time to time.
Having said this, I wonder if we really are at a higher stage in this so-called evolution process.

Thank you so much for sharing, Spiritmessenger

I am utterly convinced we are NOT! I consider all life forms to be part of Divine Oneness, and as such equally important to Creation. I love and honor animals, and domestic "pets" I consider to be high spiritual teaching masters, masquerading in humble fursuits. They teach by example, and they teach by growing traits and qualities in us required to act in the role of their keepers/protectors. I have learned countless lessons from my animal companions over the years, and they have grown my soul as nothing else can. It has been shown to me that they take their role or "assignment" very seriously, as anyone who has done something stupid or of low consciousness and seen that quiet and non-judgemental look of disappointment in the eyes of their companion animal can attest...! God bless these beautiful teaching souls... WE are blessed and honored to have them in our lives! (IMO )

Originally Posted by Cal

No disrespect intended. I truly appreciate the messages from Silver Birch but much of this he has to say about animals doesn't resonate with me either. I am still grieving the loss a pet 2 days ago, so perhaps my emotion is involved. However, it seems to me that the pets I have been really close to over the years seem to be more spiritually advanced than me, at least in some perceivable ways. Qualities like unconditional love & forgiveness seem much more natural to them, especially dogs. Whereas I have to consistently work at these things and still seem to fall significantly short in comparison.

I am fairly new to this community but I am beginning to see that those who have access to the spirit world either directly or indirectly seem to have varying perceptions of reality (of physical plane and spirit plane), although there are certainly many more correlations that do resonate.

I am in deep gratitude and appreciation for having found this community.

Cal

Cal,

First of all, a big comforting hug to you and my deepest condolances on the recent lost of your beloved animal companion. Having gone through it myself numerous times, I know the depths of anguish you are suffering at that loss.

Secondly, I firmly agree with the point you are making about their being MORE advanced spiritually than we, not less so!

And thirdly, I also agree that we all tap into spirit in our own way and recieve the knowing that resonates as truth for us, which may not be identical to what another receives. That is why I try to couch all my statements in the caveate "in my opinion", because though it is my truth, it may not be the truth of another.

And again, warm hugs to you. If it's any comfort, my friend Dannion says animals go to the same spirit realms we do when they pass, and there they await our return where we are greeted with joyous abandon such as we have never witnessed before or since!

Originally Posted by Skye

I also would like to say that the teachings of Silver Birch seem to suggest that the body (whether human or animal) determines everything. The body does not. The indwelling spirit is not higher or lower depending on the body it wears.

Skye, I agree! And I also believe that spirit can indwell any flesh is wishes to occupy, meaning a dog may have been a human in a previous (or future!) life, and a human may have been an animal, a rock, a tree, or even a worm! It depends on what an individual soul is wishing to experience during the span of a given incarnation...that determines what form of matter it chooses to occupy. In my understanding, everything we see in the material world of this 3-D reality exists for the same basic reason... so that Creation/God/Divine Oneness/All That Is ... whatever terminology one is most comfortable with!... can know itself in matter. Its a case of Creator diving into Creation (IMO )