Birth and Death

waves at sunset

Life is full of change, similar to the changes that occur each time a new set of waves flow on and off the sandy shore.

Today my friend’s father died at 5:45 AM. Today also happens to be my birthday. This is the day I was born, oh so many years ago. My friend and I will always remember the date, February 26, but for different reasons.

Birth and death are both transitional experiences. With birth, the soul transitions into the body and the earth plane. In death, the soul permanently leaves its particular body and transitions back into the spiritual realm.

dog with chin on stuffed animal

While we can look at physical, scientific and medical reasons why a body lives or dies, it is actually the soul that determines this difference. It is the soul and its energetic presence that gives the body life. It is the departure of this same being that creates the experience of death.

Adjusting to a new life, whether our own or an addition to our own, as with the birth of a child, takes time. Processing the occurance of death also takes time. It is important to allow our body the time to process, reflect and grieve. There are a number of emotions one might experience related to a death; grief, sadness, depression, anger, guilt.

Bodies feel. They experience pain, sadness, grief, as well as lighter emotions, such as joy.

Bodies feel. They experience pain, sadness, grief, as well as lighter emotions, such as joy.

Our reaction to each death experience may have similarities, but also differences. Depending on our relationship with the soul that has passed, the intensity of our emotional response may differ. If you are a close relative, friend or caregiver, for example. These particular roles may evoke different feelings than those of a casual acquaintance, Facebook friend or stranger. If you are both a family member and the caregiver, there will be a unique intensity all its own.

Caring for a loved one at the end of their life can be emotional, exhausting and overwhelming. Watching someone die or approach death can be stressful and painful, especially if suffering is involved. Because of these intense feelings their may be a sense of relief after they pass. This may be followed by guilt, due to judgment.

If we can allow our body its complete range of emotions without judgment, we can more easily move through the grieving process. Or any experience, for that matter. When we judge, fight, resist or deny our emotions, we can get stuck. This can interfere with us reaching a place of acceptance. It can take us longer to reach a place of peace with a death.

Saying goodbye to Ginger was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. Dealing with death can be a challenge for those left living.

Saying goodbye to beautiful, loving Ginger was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. Dealing with death can be a challenge for those left living. But we can do it! Allow the time and space for your healing. Be gentle and kind to yourself.

Because of my personal experiences with death and the benefit others can be to us during a time of loss, I offer help in this area. I work with both animals and people providing one on one and group grief counseling, energy healing, psychic reading and telepathic communication with the soul that has passed. Individual and group pet loss support and assistance with end of life decisions may also include guided meditation and other services.

If you or someone you know are struggling with loss, grief, pain, depression, stress, fear or anxiety related to death or any aspect of life’s many experiences, I can help! Through energy healing, psychic reading, talking and meditating, you can regain a more neutral, non-judgmental perspective of yourself, your emotions and others.

I can be reached at 619-797-0905. Peace.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day and Happy Birthday, Grandma!

Grandma Sally

Happy Birthday to my beautiful Grandma Sally. She would have been 94 years old today.

Today would have been my Grandma Sally’s 94th birthday. She passed away in 2012. We had a unique Grandma/Granddaughter relationship. She was not only my Grandma, but also one of my best friends. I loved hearing her laugh, so I would often crack jokes. I performed stand up comedy for her in her living room for over two years before I ever stepped on a San Diego stage. She was the best audience ever! She had quite a sense of humor too and would sometimes shock me with what came out of her mouth! She was still my Grandma after all! But after the shock left my laugh would linger and every time I thought and think of what she said, it made and makes me laugh.

Grandma Sally cried tears of joy and happiness when President Obama was elected. Being born in 1920, I imagine she may have thought such a day would never happen when the United States would elect an African American president. Her favorite movie was, “Brokeback Mountain.” She said to me once, if anyone sees that movie and still has a problem with gay people, well… there’s just no hope for them!” Her favorite TV show was “The Sopranos.” She would proudly tell her friends it was, “the unedited version.” She was naturally compassionate and accepting of others. She truly liked people and sincerely appreciated differences. She had two “boyfriends,” both named Tony. I called them her “Two Tonys.” Celebrity Chef, Anthony Bourdain and the character, Tony Soprano. She liked the bad boys!

Grandma kissing favorite bear.

My Grandma loved bears. Here is one of her favorites that I gave her.

Like me, my grandma loved animals. Her absolute favorite being bears. After moving down here in 2007, each year on Christmas I would get her a new bear. I am blessed to have the teddy bear collection that we created together. I associate warm memories with it.

More than any person I have ever met, she appreciated the beauty of the moment. In a short walk from her front door to her car, she would notice how blue the sky looked, how pretty the flowers were and would stop to listen to the birds sing. Happy Birthday, sweet Grandma and Happy St. Patrick’s Day! She loved being born on St. Patrick’s Day. She would say, “everybody celebrates my birthday!” So today, whether or not you will be formally celebrating, I encourage you to stop and experience and appreciate the moment. I hope it puts a smile on your face the way it did for my Grandma Sally. I love you so, so much Grandma. Thank you for all you taught me and continue to teach me. I miss having you here with me physically, but am so glad I know that you, the soul, will always exist.

I haven’t updated my comedy website since before she passed away. I still have our true story that became one of my jokes on the front page, if you would like to read it.

http://igotlied.com/