Divine Doggie Grace

by Guru Rattana, Ph.D. - Issue #53, November 4, 2002

The Sun entered Scorpio October 23, and will stay there through November 21. This is a time of death, rebirth, regeneration and deep soul connection. The Sun had just entered Scorpio when I realized that our short-haired Border Collie (11 years old) was about to make her transition to the other side. November 1 we parted physical company with our beloved friend.

Adopting Geisha

Actually Geisha, with her black coat and white heart vest and socks, was my brother George's dog. He got her when she was four, from a co-worker who couldn't keep her anymore. She bit their other dog, both of which lived in a pen for 4 years. No wonder! A Border Collie in a pen? He warned George that she had never been trained and did not come when called. Geisha was so happy to leave the scene she jumped into the car without hesitation, and then all 50 pounds of her jumped into the front seat and sat on George's girl friend's lap the hour trip home.

Geisha had a Cancer Sun and lots of Leo. She loved her home and was always happy. George knew a sheep-herding dog needed lots of outdoor activity. He found her a home about 2 miles away with a big fenced in yard and a family who promised to take her on lots of walks. Two days after delivering her to her new home, he returned from work to find Geisha peacefully sitting on the porch wagging her tail. She had jumped the tall fence and found her way HOME. She communicated, "There has been a mistake. THIS is my home".

From the beginning Geisha was very obedient. She came immediately when called. She is one of the most obedient and intelligent dogs I have ever met. When I moved in with my brother in Coronado four years ago, she minded me from the beginning. When I first arrived I noticed that she would pick up nuggets of dog food and bring them in the dining room so she could eat with us. I told her to pick them up and put them back in her bowl. She actually did! Both George and I were astounded. George came to her defense and explained that she was a social eater, and this was part of her ritual.

The Dog without a Leash

When I took her for walks I loved calling her back to me, because she had a circus act to add to her routine. She always ran to us, and then jumped around so that she was heading forward right by our side. It was so cute how she actually flipped directions in mid air, landing at attention ready to proceed. I learned from Geisha that if we were clear in our intention and pure in our love, she would respond. One time we had left for a walk and I realized I needed to go back for a jacket. When I turned around, Geisha had already gotten the message, turned around and was heading home.

We rarely took Geisha on a leash. She loved to run ahead and take her time sniffing the flowers. When I arrived I taught her to stop and wait at corners until I caught up with her. People would stop and marvel at what a well-trained dog she was. Actually, it is just the way she was. Geisha was the only dog in Coronado that walked without a leash (except for busy intersections and when there were a lot of other people and dogs around). The policemen never stopped us to enforce the leash law. One day I saw a police car and put her leash on. The officer slowed down and thanked me for putting her on a leash! One night when we were coming up the steps from the beach, which is off limits to dogs, we encountered a policeman, who smiled and asked us if we had had a good walk. I smiled and said "yes." We had three good walks a day. Last week when I was walking without her, a police car slowed down in front of me. I swear he was checking out the whereabouts of Geisha.

Divine Doggie Grace

Several months ago, my brother moved to a condo in San Diego. Since I work at home and am the main one who walks and takes care of Geisha during the day, she stayed with me. George returned to walk her and took Geisha to visit his new home, but she wanted to stay in her home in Coronado. Now I realize this is partly because she was already going blind and felt safer in familiar territory. Two weeks ago, while I was away teaching in Palo Alto, Geisha had a series of seizures, which left her blind, mentally absent and barely able to walk. We had our last walk the Monday after my return, from then on she rested peacefully on the porch.

It was so strange to see Geisha resting so peacefully and not jumping up for walks. This is a dog who absolutely lived for her walks. She could be sleeping in the other room, and if she heard the word "walk" she would wake-up immediately and run to the door. When she got up in the morning she would be so happy and full of life, greeting every day with abundant enthusiasm and vitality. During our walks, people actually commented, "That dog is smiling!"

Whenever Geisha rested or slept, a beautiful calm pervaded her. I loved having her with me. During her last two weeks her calm was her continuous state. She seemed to be in Divine Doggie Grace. I still marvel at how accepting she was of her new condition. Most of us humans are so impatient, and so prone to evaluate everything in terms of whether we like what is going on or not. She had no judgment about her new status. As usual, she just radiated love. As one friend remarked, Geisha had taken on another role as spiritual catalyst. As I watched her I kept thinking, she was trying to show me that I too could be at peace with things exactly the way they are.

Let Go and Be Free

The night Geisha left us, she came to me several times while I was sleeping. I had gone to bed very late. We had a celebration of her life as Geisha had requested. The vet did not arrive until after 9:30 PM. We thought he was coming in the morning, so we actually had two parties. I went to bed with the thought that it was late, I would not get enough sleep and be tired the next day. Geisha responded to this thought. She kept telling me to "Let go. Let go and you will have more energy. You will feel good tomorrow. Let go and we will both be free". I lay very still and felt how tight I hold on. I consciously tried to let go and I felt how true her words were. When I let go, the bound up energy is available as life force. The next day I actually did not feel tired. What a lesson! With Geisha's help, I choose to drop that programming!

I really understand now, how animals are our teachers. During her last two weeks, she told me "Be in the place where we are One". I could feel it, but I couldn't maintain it. The main problem is that we don't really integrate at a deep level the lessons our pets are trying to teach us. If I really incorporated her Divine Doggie Grace into my consciousness, I would be at peace all the time. If I really let go, I would feel totally vital. If I really accepted her love, I wouldn't miss her so much. I would experience her as right here with me. I would tune into how thin the veil is between physical and non-physical reality. The actual transparency would allow me to feel my heart still filled with her love.

Welcome to a New Home

Talking to an animal psychic, and a couple of other intuitive professionals during this two-week process, was very comforting. I suggest this for everyone losing a pet. Through the animal psychic, Geisha told us she was ready to leave her body and wanted to go right away. She realized her genetic time clock was up after eleven years, and that her body was just going to continue to fail her. She loved George and I very much, and thanked us for rescuing her and taking such good care of her. She also said that Geisha was spiritually clean. She had no baggage, no karma and was leaving on the Light.

For four years Geisha laid on her blanket while I was doing yoga and meditation. She loved the vibe, and I loved her presence. We loved each other's love. She was still timid when I arrived and sometimes would cower under the table. I just loved her unconditionally, and treated this highly sensitive being with gentle kindness. She got really bold in her last years. She would make noises when she was tired of waiting for me, and would even bark to get our attention. We joked that she had taken assertiveness training.

The night of her passing, Kirin Khalsa, a clairvoyant who is able to look into the astral plane and read the Akashic Records, was present. She said she had never seen so many dogs in the astral in one place. My apartment was packed with doggie souls! My prayer to have her welcomed to the other side had been more than answered. She said it was like a 1001 Dalmatian party. Actually a few of the dogs were doggie greeters to help Geisha to the other side. Most however were pulled in by the spiritual energy and came to be liberated themselves. We chanted the mantra for liberation akaaaaaaal many times to take care of them. This mantra moves transitioning souls through the astral plane into the Light.

Be Open to Receive Love

Most people feel so traumatized when they lose a beloved pet. I have no simple answers on how to deal with it. I certainly wish I did! Writing his story has helped me and so have the connections with Geisha during the days following her passing. It helps to be open to receive their love. Whether a pet or a human passing on, the transitioning soul enters the realm of infinite love. I think the difference between animals and humans is that animals live in the reality of infinite love while in their bodies. They radiate this love to us all the time. Although, like humans, being in the physical form limits their freedom, animals do not have a mind to block their connection. At a certain level we feel their heart space. This is why we love our pets so much. But we are too asleep, blocked and uptight to realize that the dimension of infinite love exists everywhere all the time.

Generally we only reconnect with this reality after our soul leaves the physical plane. When we leave our physical bodies, we are eager to share this discovered love with our loved ones back on Earth. When a loved one passes, we can certainly ease our pain and their concern for us, by accepting the love that they are trying to send us. I remember this happened when my father died 14 years ago. He sent us so much love, the happy vibe filled us during those days, and actually still does.

Those who share the heart space are never really separated. We just change form. The more we can experience this reality, the less our pain and the greater our peace. When we really get it, i.e. experience connection with the Divine in our mental, emotional and physical bodies, we are liberated while still alive. Yogi Bhajan teaches us this - we don't have to wait until we die, we can live in the ecstasy of God-consciousness while embodied in physical form.

It takes the soul about up to 72 hours to go through the astral plane and merge with the Light. During is time we may feel disconnected or distraught at our loss. I felt this until late afternoon the day after Geisha's passing. Then I started to feel more at peace. Kirin said she experienced the love in my home starting to increase. She saw in the ethers, that once Geisha had let go of her form, had gotten through the astral and became pure spirit, there was no separation between us, and our hearts merged as one big heart in the cosmos. Kirin could feel how much Geisha loved me, and how much I loved her, and that this mutual love created our merger. What is even more fascinating is that Kirin could see a space of love open up in the Universe that wasn't there before. Another love space for everyone to play in! This is how we create more love in the Universe. In much of the Universe there is a void and nothing is happening. When we put out love, we expand the universal love space. I think Geisha and I had a date with the Universe.

On a New Mission

I asked Geisha before she left to help me open my heart. I laid down beside her and put my heart next to her snow white chest. I said that when she came back to me I would like to feel it in my heart. Then I asked her to arrange a few things once she got settled in her new home. Two days later (yesterday afternoon) after I chanted 3 long Sat Nam's before a meal, I went into peaceful meditation. I became aware of the breath in my chest and noticed that this was not my breath. It was Geisha's breath! I could feel her heart-centered chest in mine. I could feel her running to her heart's content, totally at peace and free. She was so happy and wanted me to know it. She communicated to me that she was also on a mission to arrange my requests. I could feel her trying to find the openings in the Light. Geisha was always on a mission when she walked. The difference now is that her playing field is infinite. She let me know how happy she is to be on a mission for me. She expressed her gratitude for all the walks we had together.

I get now what the animal psychic meant when she said Geisha wanted us to know "I am not going anywhere". She is indeed with us. She also wanted George to know, that when he was ready for another dog he should contact her, and she would at that time incarnate to be his friend again.

Two nights after her passing, Geisha came to my brother in a vivid dream, and made him laugh by playing some jokes on him. She is so sensitive. She tunes into what everyone needs. I also dreamt about her that night. I was involved in some activities that were frustrating, and was entering into the mindset of wishing things were different. Then I saw Geisha behind some bushes. On our walks, she would sometimes hide behind bushes, and then jump over them much to my delight. This time she could not jump. She was so happy that I had found her and could take her home. In the dream, if I hadn't had all the previous adventures, I would have never found her. I got it - everything is set up so we are in the right place at the right time. Relax and proceed with your life! Another reminder to live in the flow, as life mysteriously and elegantly unfolds.

Altar of Love

Kirin told me that her previous dog was afraid she could not come back home after she left her body. So she built her a small shrine with her photo and a couple of her familiar objects, so that she would always feel welcome to return. I am going to make a shine for Geisha with the purchase I made on our last walk together - a small blond wooden box with a bow and ribbon carved in a darker wood. The day before she left I found, at our favorite local store, a wooden eagle and frame that match the dark wood of the bow. I will put Geisha's picture in the frame with the eagle and the words, "In love with the freedom of the souring spirit".

So thank you Geisha and all you furry creatures, for teaching us how to open our hearts and keep them open. Keep teaching us humans how you do it. We really do want to learn. Someday I want to be as instinctually smart and as heart-centered as my dog.

Celebrate Life

Physical death teaches us that we have to be present in a more subtle way, to tune into the love of our loved ones. The first days of Scorpio I was counting the days until the Sun goes into Sagittarius. Now I am relaxing into the deep soul love available at this time. Endings, completions and death create openings for new beginnings, new life and new love. We just have to be patient enough to surrender to the process, and wise enough to turn our senses inward to our common Source.

Scorpio also teaches us that physical life on planet Earth is precious and short. Yes, we do have the time to exchange a smile, offer a kind word, warm a heart with our smile, and show another human being that we care. This is how we maintain and build our heart space. This is how we accomplish our mission to give and receive love. This is how we create love in the Universe. This is how we celebrate life.

Many blessings to all,

Guru Rattana

P.S. I did the Meditation with Rare, Secret Cremation Mantra this morning while Geisha's body was being cremated. I did it during my father's cremation as well. Both times the experience was very deep. You can find this meditation on page 174 of my Kundalini Yoga manual Sexuality and Spirituality, 2nd Edition.

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