Dear Spirit to Spirit friend,
One morning last week, as I passed by this charming photo of my beloved Shanti on the bureau, I felt overwhelmed with love remembering the story of how Shanti came to me.
(This photo was taken when Shanti was 18, our having moved with Shiva from the City to Warwick three years earlier. He immediately took to a harness and outside we went together. Here he is relishing a bit of sun on a cool, very early spring day, dog coat on!)
Something of Shanti's story wants to be told. Here is how it began.
Going back in time. I was living in Manhattan with Samantha and Max, my deep soul beloveds. When I would travel, my neighbor Sylvia would take care of them. In return,
I would care for her feline family when she traveled. Besides her two cats, a cat named Shadow lived with her. He had been found by her sister in upstate New York but could
not live with her so he came to the City and moved into Sylvia's small apartment.
Shadow was treated by Sylvia's two cats like an unwanted relative who never leaves. He
was chased everywhere- away from his food dish, away from Sylvia, away me- away from everything. And yet, he retained the sweetest- really the sweetest- nature and always looked at me with the kindest, most loving eyes. Although he was named Shadow because of his gray color, truly he was living as a shadow in this home. I felt a lovely connection with him and my heart ached for him in his circumstances. I always looked forward to seeing him and giving him the love and affection he deserved.
When Samantha and Max passed, they did so within eight weeks of each other. The grief was enormous. One day, when the grief was beginning to lighten, I was caretaking Sylvia's felines and standing next to Shadow. He was rubbing around my legs in the dearest way. Without thinking, this popped out of my mouth: "Would you like to come live with me?" As soon as
I said it, I felt Samantha's and Max's energies light up in support. It felt so right. Shadow looked up at me, purring, and rubbed even harder against me.
When I asked Sylvia, she was happy to let him come live in my home. We planned the
special day and Sylvia brought four year old Shadow into my apartment and placed him
on the kitchen floor. He walked into the living room, eyes wide as saucers and stepped
into the center of the rug. Then he threw himself down- belly up, legs splayed open in
all directions. Eyes at slits, lips curled up in the sweetest smile- he sighed and then
purred the most glorious purr imaginable.
Peace. Peace at last.
This was the beginning of Shadow's full transformation into Shanti- which, in Sanskrit, means peace.
Shanti emanated peace, kindnesss, and love in every moment of his life no matter what his circumstances. Friends and family noticed it. Clients felt strongly yet gently held by Shanti
in peace and unconditional love during their healings.
The Shanti that he always had been blossomed and grew even deeper and grander over his lifetime as he fulfilled his True Nature in a way that everyone could see and feel. Peace, love, and pure radiant Light, those are Shanti's true qualities.
Om Shanti Om. Magnificent Shanti. Always and forever.
In Gratitude & Love, Joanna