Interconnection applies to everything and teaches us about life in ways we may not have previously considered. I received these teachings in 2003.

My large, black lab, Amigo, was overly interested in Misty, our fluffy, gray, kitten. One evening, I heard a commotion in the bathroom and ran in to see what was happening. I was just in time. Amigo was holding Misty in his large jaw by the scruff of her neck. One jerk would have meant instant death. When he saw me he froze and stared directly into my eyes. I yelled, “Amigo! No!” He immediately dropped her (good dog) and ran outside.

I picked up limp Misty, wrapped her in a warm blanket and embraced her in my arms. Then I went into the living room and sat on the couch. There was no blood, but she was barely alive and desperately needed a soul retrieval. I closed my eyes and called to my Teacher and power animal.

They took me somewhere in the upper worlds to what looked like an endless, rapidly spinning, horizontal vortex. The energy was intense, and Misty was caught its currents and being swept away. I could barely see her. Panicked, I looked at my Teacher and began to say, “I can’t go in there,” but before I completed my sentence, Horse pranced right in and disappeared. After what felt like a long while, he emerged with Misty in his mouth, grasping her as lovingly as her mama must have done when she was newly born. He gently dropped her into my waiting energy hands.

We brought Misty to my healing waters in the lower world. Once she was fully revived—cute and playful as always—I opened my eyes and blew healed Misty from the spirit world into her physical body on my lap. My Teacher said she would be fine within twenty-four hours.

This was true. She was back to her kitten-like self in that exact amount of time, behaving as if nothing had ever happened.

Five days later, I heard a cacophony of dog and cat sounds outside. Amigo was chasing both cats (I had two) and had caught—and this time killed—Misty. After severely reprimanding him, (I was so angry), I dug a hole and buried Misty in the garden underneath the rosebush. Heartbroken and confused, I went back to the couch and asked my Teacher what the overview of the week’s drama had been all about.

I learned that Misty and Amigo had once been human beings who had known one another in a former life. (Something I didn’t realize was possible until then.) During that time, Amigo had been drawn to her, but Misty had shunned him. This created an unresolved energetic dynamic, and both chose to be with me as teachers to play out their karma. They wanted me to learn that while it was possible for soul retrieval to restore a being from near death, it would not remain alive unless that was its karmic destiny.

It wasn’t Misty’s. 

My wise friend, Joy summed it up well:

“Animals don’t agonize over death the way we do. They live in the moment. And if Unity is the ultimate truth, then their transformation is no different than ours. The Universe is constantly growing, transforming, and renewing. Even cells are born and die all day long. There’s a bigger picture here. One that knows the right timing of everything. Where I can embrace the cycles of life and feel and remember my part in them.”

Misty completed her purpose and returned to the Spirit Realm. And Amigo, his cat karma complete, developed a harmonious friendship with my other cat, Zeke.

I can’t show you pictures of Amigo or Zeke because they were lost in the Camp Fire. Instead, here’s Apu with his little elephant.

Animals are blessings.