Friday, June 10, 2011

Rituals when mourning loss of a pet

When we experience loss, rituals and routines we’ve enjoyed with an animal companion are also lost. It can be easy to feel lonely and isolated. One of the ways we begin to heal is by creating new habits and patterns to integrate into a new way of being. This mental shift of releasing the old makes way for new beginnings. This does not mean the memories are forgotten. Merely, we are letting go of what is no longer in the physical realm. We are freeing ourselves from the attachment to the memories. We are choosing to not stay rooted in the past. The memories will forever be in our hearts. We can honor those memories in the stories we share with others, and the touchstones we create through rituals like lighting a pet memorial candle. This affirms our beloved pet will always be with us on our journeys.

Suggestions for times to light the candle:
-After waking up
-What would have been feeding time
-What would have been walking time
-After returning home from work
-Snuggle time at night
-When you are missing your beloved pet
-When you are reminded by a story or a memory


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