Healing from pet loss grief with Athena the angel dog

[Healing from pet loss grief with Athena the angel dog] I did this Sacred Spirit Journey (or Healing Pet Loss Journey) for Amy and angel dog Athena on Saturday, December 23, 2023.


During my preparations for connecting with Amy’s angel dog Athena, I look at the photo of Athena for a while. When I zoom in and look at it close up, I see behind and with Athena a huge bear. A powerful, but compassionate healer and guide. Very interesting and significant.

I continue my preparations and center in my heart center where our beloved angel cat Freedom suddenly shows up in his usual place in my heart. ‘Freedom’s place’ looks like a spirit version of my garden, and I usually see him lying on the chair he often spent time on when he was alive. Freedom jumps down from his chair, comes to me, looks at me with love, and says, “I think I can help too.” Freedom’s gentleness is something I have rarely experienced anywhere, and he has a special place in my heart.

Having Freedom join me in one of my journeys for a client is very rare. In fact, it has never happened before, as far as I remember.

I say to Freedom, “Thank you, Freedom. I am honored you have joined us today.”

Freedom walks ahead, and we follow. He walks with confidence.

As he walks, a landscape becomes clear around us. We are in a forest, and now walking on a path in an old forest.

We see a big paw print. It looks like a bear paw print. Freedom is fearless, so we are too. We are by a bear cave.

To our right, I suddenly see Amy come walking with Athena.

Amy smiles and says, “Yes, we are here too. Athena came to pick me up.”

As we stand there, we see a magnificent big brown bear come closer. She is not fearful or threatening. In fact, she seems to know Athena, because she says:

“I see you have brought some friends today who need my help. Let’s see what we can do.”

Bear then leads the way through the forest and out into an open area with grass and some trees. We can see far. It seems to be a more or less flat area, with rolling grassy hills half way up a mountain.

Everyone sits down in a circle, except Athena who is standing up, looking around. Then she barks, calling out.

A voice responds, “I’m coming.”

We suddenly see Amy’s husband come walking towards us. He is focused especially on Athena. He goes straight to her, squats down and embraces her. He whispers to Athena, and she responds by licking his face until he laughs.

“I’m so glad you came,” Athena says.

“Me too,” he says, “Suddenly my courage and determination to see you was stronger than the pain of my grief. I am aware that a spirit meeting is not the same as a physical one, but it sure heals and comforts my heart to connect with you.”

He looks up and sees Bear and exclaims, “Oh, I hadn’t seen you. You must be a friend of Athena’s.”

Bear says:

“You’re right, I am. I am also the one who helped you gain the strength to open up to meeting Athena, allowing the love and gratitude to weigh heavier than the pain of the loss.

You and I have much outer strength. What I can especially teach you is finding – or rather ‘rediscovering’ – your inner strength.

We all need a friend. I’m here for you, if you want me to. You can just call on me when you need me.

Study the life and behavior of bears to connect and learn more. Our connection is not new. We are just reconnecting, rediscovering what was lost.

I am here for you.”

Amy’s husband is surprised and in awe, and says, “Thank you very much.”

Bear walks close to him, so close that he can touch her. She nods, and he cautiously reaches out a hand, feeling the strength, and the fur. Bear smiles with her eyes, and calmly walks away.

Amy’s husband lies down in the grass close to Athena, so he can have an arm around her. He closes his eyes and falls asleep instantly. Like when you have been exhausted for a long time and have not been able to sleep properly. Athena’s presence has made restful sleep possible again.

While they rest, the remainder of us sit, taking in the beauty of the landscape. It is not just a forest, but a wilderness area, far from humans and buildings or houses. There is peace and stillness here, and a deep connection to nature is easily made, healing body, mind, emotions, and soul.

I see a hawk flying above, circling around right above us. Screeching.

As hawk screeches, Amy’s husband wakes up and looks up at the hawk. He smiles and seems to recognize it. He already has a connection with hawk.

Athena comes, stands in front of him, and tells Amy to come too, so they all sit together. Athena says, as she looks at them both with much love, and says:

“I think we are ready now.”

Athena then looks at their other two dogs that have been exploring, and they come too.

Amy says, “Thank you, my sweet Athena, for seeing us. We love you so, and we miss you so very much.”

Athena looks around at them all, and says:

“Here we are, almost all. Take this ball with you to those at home who couldn’t be here.”

And then she gives them a little red worn out ball. Amy takes it and says, “Thank you.”

Athena says:

“Now a proper greeting to you all and a blessing as well. I am so grateful you have reached out to me.

I know the depth of the love you all have for me, how much I meant to you, and how deep the pain of the loss of what we had is.

While my physical presence is gone, my spirit is close, as is my love and my light.

The love. You will find it right behind the pain when you look inside your heart. That is also where you will find the light I left behind. Look to that light when darkness comes. Let that light, which is my never-ending love for you, guide you through the darkness and out into the light.


Trust that there is light on the other side of this darkness which seems to fill so much in your lives.

As we sit here together, allow yourself to see beyond the emptiness, the pain, and see instead (or also!) the love which we share, all the fond memories, the connectedness, our heart’s true bond.

Let the grief and the love go hand in hand. The grief and the love are simply two sides of the same coin.

When you grieve deeply, that means that you are also loving deeply. That is a very special – and honorable quality to treasure and to cherish. As you allow yourself to grieve, introduce gratitude – and let gratitude ease you into peace, into the present moment, into the experience of my presence in your life.

The connection we had has changed its form, but it is still here. Our heart and soul bond cannot be broken.

Center in your heart, call my name, and open up – and there I am.

Always close, always there for you when you need me. My spirit today reaches out to you across time and space, just as our love transcends time and space.

Find your own way to grieve, your own ways to celebrate our love and the life we shared.

I will always cherish the life we shared and our love; and what we had will live forever in your heart. It is not just about memories. It is an undefinable presence – or light – in the center of your being.

One way you can feel me close is to find a quality I have that especially meant a lot to you.

Take that quality and determine how you can introduce it more in your own life now.

What was the core essence of my lessons for you?

What was my main quality that blessed your life – or helped you grow?

What was the feeling that was dominant when we spent time together?

How can you bring those feelings and qualities more into your life now?

This practice is a powerful way to heal the grief, to honor me and our love, and to help you maintain the connection with me as you move forward.

I will be beside you as you walk forth, guiding and inspiring you with my light and my love.

Acknowledge where you are right now, but in time, let joy find its way back into your life again. Your two dog companions are excellent teachers of joy. Give them special attention. That will help them heal, and they will help you return to joy.

You will be well. We will all be well.

I will love you forever. Go home in peace now, and bring my blessings with you.

Call on me anytime you need me. I am here for you as I always was.

I was always a loyal friend. That hasn’t changed.”

As Athena stops speaking, they all embrace, give thanks and say a warm farewell. It is time to head home.

The Hawk is back, and with its flight, guides them home.

Back home, Hawk flies down and sits in a tree close to their home. It feels like Hawk is an important part of their lives, especially Amy’s husband’s.

I ask my spirit guide if there is anything else we need to do.

He says, “No, that is it for now. They need time to heal and to digest the journey. They will be fine. Give it time.”

I give thanks and end the journey.

❤️ Receive a personal message from your pet

I have found from my own experience with losing animals that were close to my heart, that the best advice for healing your heart after the loss of your beloved pet will most often come from your own angel animal. From your animal friend who knows you better than anyone, and whom you have a heart and soul connection with. Learn more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sITK2-gAzno

When it’s too painful to look at your pet’s photo after pet loss