Animals are our companions on this wonderful planet we call Earth. While religions don’t generally put much emphasis on animals and their importance, they are an integral aspect of many ancient traditions. This article will discuss a variety of topics in regards to animals and spirituality.
Ancient Traditions
According to many ancient traditions from around the world, all animals carry within them inherent qualities to be respected. The animals are always communicating this wisdom to us, simply by being who we are. It is rare that people in the modern world pay attention to these animals and their messages.
If you see an animal cross your path, or a bird sitting outside your window, take a moment to contemplate what this creature might be trying to tell you. A black cat might be encouraging you to step more fully into your power, while a squirrel could be reminding you of the need for preparation and hard work. And when you are struggling with a very difficult moment in your life, a butterfly is there to show you the beauty that comes from personal transformation. There are many resources online that will help you determine the spiritual symbolism of various animals.
Animals and Reincarnation
Some people believe that if a person is bad, they will reincarnate as an animal in the next life. And conversely, if an animal is “good,” it will reincarnate as a human in the next life. But the reality is a little more complicated.
Most creatures of the animal kingdom do not have individualized souls; they are instead part of one group soul. As such, each animal species is evolving at the group level. Once an animal species reaches a certain level of evolution, it may look for more advanced opportunities on another planet. In this case, the species will die out on Earth and become extinct.
Additionally, once the animal kingdom as a whole reaches a certain level of evolution, these souls may then replace the entire group of souls that is currently incarnating in human beings. Overall, the plant kingdom, mineral kingdom, animal kingdom, and human kingdom all evolve and trade places over a period of millions of years.
Pets and Reincarnation
Sometimes pet owners want to know if their pet will join them in the afterlife. To an extent, this is possible. Even though pets are part of a group soul, the individual consciousness that was their pet does still exist and can thus join their owners in an afterlife setting.
Another consideration with pets is that these creatures have the way to experience love that other animals do not. These experiences of being loved by humans are very helpful to the evolution process. If a particular pet is dearly loved, it is possible that the love will spark an individualization in the animal that will allow for it to be reincarnated in a human body in the next life. Should this happen, the owner of that pet often becomes a spirit guide for the pet in its first human incarnation.
Pets: Service Humanity
Humans generally tend to believe that animals, plants, and minerals are beneath them in terms of spiritual superiority. This is not really true. What is true is that humans have a very wide array of experiences due to their capacity to think and feel a large range of emotions. But this does not make humans superior to other forms of life. Everything in creation is alive and should be recognized as deserving respect.
Pets in particular are on Earth as an act of service to humans. This does not make them better or worse than humans. But humans at least should be aware that their pets willingly chose to come to Earth to be of assistance to humanity.
One of the services that pets provide is to act as a catalyst for learning to love again. Sometimes, a human can feel so betrayed by others that they are temporarily incapable of loving another human. But this person may decide to bring a pet into their life, which offers an outlet for expressing love. In this case, the person healing from betrayal is not without somebody in their life that will love them and be loved by them.
Pets as Healers
Another service that pets perform is to act as healers for their owners. Pets are capable of taking some of the energy related to the illness from their owners onto themselves as an act of love. Thankfully, the healings can work both ways. If an owner holds out their hands towards an ill or injured pet, the pet is able to welcome this healing energy into their bodies.
In addition, it is worth mentioning a special property about cats. The pets have the ability to see much more than humans can see. Since cats can see the astral plane, you could say that they have “psychic vision.” Therefore, a cat will sometimes hiss at what appears to be nothing at all. In this case, the cat may be attempting to ward off a dangerous-looking spirit.
Extinction
The general consensus in society is that extinction of species is a bad thing that needs to be stopped. But from a spiritual perspective, this isn’t always the case. For example, some of the larger animal species on this planet are dying out. Although humans are a main factor for this, the timing for their departure from this planet is correct. These animal species are in the process of transferring to another world, and should be let go without attachment (as opposed to trying to keep them on Earth).
In the meantime, new species on Earth are constantly being discovered. Although scientists generally infer that we simply haven’t noticed these species before, this isn’t necessarily the case. Instead, many new species are entering our planet just as others are leaving it.
Special case: dolphins and whales
Many cultures worldwide have recognized the need to protect dolphins and whales. From a spiritual perspective, dolphins and whales are sacred creatures. They provide a special service to this planet by “holding” a copy of the records of Earth. Therefore, their extinction would be detrimental to the planet as a whole.
Unlike other creatures of the animal kingdom, dolphins and whales have individual souls. Spiritual folklore suggests that they were brought here (or came here) from another planet. Dolphins in particular have unique healing properties and are able to communicate inter-dimensionally.
Image by Karen Warfel