Episode 48: What animals want us to know about death and grief, with Dr. Linda Bender

The heartbreak of having an animal companion is knowing that one day you'll have to say goodbye. Join the Human-Animal Spiritual Network for a discussion of the many lessons animals have taught us about death & dying. Speakers in this conversation are:Dr. LaShelle Easton - Veterinarian and Intuitive Interspecies Communicator Dr. Jeff Feinman - Veterinarian, Homeopath, and host of Holistic Action Elena Mannes - filmmakerDr. Angela Gutzer - Veterinarian and Intuitive Interspecies CommunicatorDonna Lozito - Intuitive Interspecies Communicator and HomeopathDr. Barbara Shor - Veterinarian and Intuitive Interspecies CommunicatorPresented by the Human-Animal Spiritual NetworkWebsite: https://hasnetwork.org/-----The Human-Animal Spiritual Network grew out of the Multispecies Intuitive Interspecies Symposium, hosted by the University of Saskatchewan in 2023. Following the symposium, a group of veterinarians and animal communicators met regularly over the next two years to explore the deeper spiritual dimensions of our relationships with animals.Our vision was to create a safe, supportive community where animal professionals could deepen their understanding of animal consciousness and spirituality while finding encouragement for the emotional, physical, and spiritual challenges that often accompany a life devoted to animal care.During our time together, we recorded many thoughtful conversations on topics including animal consciousness, sentience, interspecies connection, and the joys and challenges of being both an animal caregiver and a spiritual seeker.Although the Human-Animal Spiritual Network has since come to an end, the wisdom and insights that emerged from these discussions remain relevant. Our website - which you can still visit - contains a wealth of valuable resources, including all of these recorded conversations.Through this podcast series, we will feature one conversation each month, making these meaningful discussions easy to access. Each episode is approximately 15–20 minutes long, offering thoughtful reflections that we hope will deepen your understanding, nurture your spirit, and inspire a deeper understanding and appreciation for your relationship with animals of all kinds.

Bonus Guided Meditation: As a companion to this episode, Linda has generously created a guided meditation for our listeners. Whether you're navigating the loss of an animal companion, seeking comfort, or simply wishing to deepen your connection with the animals in your life, we hope this meditation offers a gentle space for reflection, healing, and peace.

In this episode, we're joined once again by Dr. Linda Bender - veterinarian, author of Animal Wisdom: Learning from the Spiritual Lives of Animals, and longtime advocate for animals around the world.Together, we explore some of life's biggest questions through the lens of our relationships with animals. Linda shares her perspective on the spiritual nature of death and dying, what animals have taught her about letting go, and how they may continue to guide and support us even after they've passed.In this conversation, we explore:What "spirituality" means in the context of our relationships with animalsHow animals experience the dying processGuilt, grief, and making end-of-life decisionsProcessing suffering, loss, and uncertaintyWhether communication with animals can continue after deathReincarnation, souls, and the enduring bonds we share with animalsWe welcome you to this gentle conversation about death, love, grief, and the lifelong connection between humans and animals.

In this episode, we’re joined by Viktoria Hinz (soon to be Dr. Viktoria Hinz!), a researcher whose work explores the lived experiences of intuitive interspecies communication (IIC) and what it might teach us about our relationships with animals.Originally from Germany with a background in conservation and environmental studies, Viktoria recently completed her PhD at the University of Saskatchewan, where she examined how animal communicators experience and make sense of intuitive communication with animals. Her research offers an important contribution to an emerging field, bridging academic inquiry with experiences that have often been overlooked or misunderstood.Together, we explore:What intuitive interspecies communication (IIC) isWhat inspired Viktoria to pursue this researchThe stories and insights shared by animal communicatorsThe challenges of studying a controversial topic within academiaHow this work has shaped Viktoria personallyWhat her findings could mean for conservation, ethics, and human–animal relationshipsWhere she hopes the field of IIC is headed nextTo learn more about Viktoria's work, see:Link to the dissertation: https://hdl.handle.net/10388/18368Link to the journal article (based on dissertation chapter 3; library access or payment necessary to read full article): https://doi.org/10.1108/JOE-05-2024-0021Link to the full pre-print version of the journal article (free access): https://hdl.handle.net/10388/18305Here is also the link to Dušan Janak's study on the social validity of animal communicators' reports (open access): https://brill.com/view/journals/soan/aop/article-10.1163-15685306-bja10260/article-10.1163-15685306-bja10260.xml

In this episode, we’re joined by Manjiri Latey — outdoor educator, wildlife enthusiast, and animal communicator based in India.Together, we explore the evolving field of animal communication in India, the role of intuition and embodiment in connecting with animals, and the importance of caring for the “instrument” through which communication happens. Manjiri shares reflections from her years of experience facilitating telepathic animal communication workshops, along with insights on grounding practices, trust, validation, detachment, and empathy.We also discuss:Animals as teachers and guidesReconnecting with nature in modern lifeDoubt and skepticism around animal communicationHindu and Buddhist teachings and practicesConsciousness, compassion, and inner awarenessLearning to trust one’s own intuitive experienceTo learn more about Manjiri's work, visit:https://www.instagram.com/manjirilatey/https://earthwise.co.in/https://www.instagram.com/earthwisepune/-NOTE: Avantika's PhD research is funded by the European Union (ERC Consolidator, ANICOM, 101124189). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Council. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.ANICOM - Animal Communicators: Intuitive interspecies communication as a key to dialogic multispecies methodshttps://anicom.uliege.be/

NOTE: Avantika's PhD research is funded by the European Union (ERC Consolidator, ANICOM, 101124189). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Council. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.ANICOM - Animal Communicators: Intuitive interspecies communication as a key to dialogic multispecies methodshttps://anicom.uliege.be/

NOTE: Avantika's PhD research is funded by the European Union (ERC Consolidator, ANICOM, 101124189). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Council. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.ANICOM - Animal Communicators: Intuitive interspecies communication as a key to dialogic multispecies methodshttps://anicom.uliege.be/

What if your companion didn’t just arrive by chance, but by choice? We sit down with Abhigna Vaidya - a business analyst whose lifelong curiosity about astronomy, birding, and kriya yoga opened into animal communication - to explore a world where animals, plants, and even places speak with purpose. Abhigna shares the important night a Himalayan mountain dog appeared on a dark trail and led him home, and how that wonder grew into a practice grounded in attention, humility, and surprising validation. We dive into soul contracts - the unseen agreements through which animals offer care, receive healing, or even carry our burdens. Abhigna explains why some animals go “lost” versus “missing,” how cats often wait for calmer energy before returning, and why a dog might choose a new home if his or her needs aren’t being met. The stories are specific and human: open a balcony door at 2 a.m., adjust a sleeping spot, resolve household tension, and watch how the relationship shifts. He explains how intuitive communication can be a mindful way of noticing, asking, and acting. We also explore the science of plant communication and forest intelligence - plants signalling wasps for defence, mother trees feeding and instructing saplings through mycorrhizal networks. -NOTE: Avantika's PhD research is funded by the European Union (ERC Consolidator, ANICOM, 101124189). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Council. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.ANICOM - Animal Communicators: Intuitive interspecies communication as a key to dialogic multispecies methodshttps://anicom.uliege.be/

In this deeply personal and inspiring episode, we sit down with Dr. Michael W. Fox, a pioneering veterinarian, ethologist, and longtime advocate for the welfare and dignity of animals. With a career spanning more than six decades, Dr. Fox’s work has profoundly influenced how we understand and relate to animals - ethically, emotionally, and spiritually.Dr. Fox shares what inspired him to become a veterinarian, reflecting on his lifelong commitment to healing the fractured relationship between humans and the natural world. Together, we explore what humanity must do to restore balance, compassion, and kinship with the beings we share this planet with - and how doing so will also help us heal ourselves.Drawing on his friendships with visionaries like Thomas Berry and Paul Winter, and his experiences learning from Indigenous elders, Dr. Fox brings a rare depth of wisdom to this conversation. His insights remind us that caring for animals is not only an act of service but also a path to spiritual renewal and reconnection with the Earth.

In this episode, Nita Daryanani interviews Barbara about her work and herbooks. Barbara talks about her journey from ethologist (studying animalbehavior) to dog trainer to veterinarian, and finally to animal communicator.She talks about her experiences of communicating initially with dolphins,and then in Africa with the elephants and lions, and swimming withhumpback whales in Tonga.They discuss how animal communication works and how everyone cancommunicate with animals in their own ways. And the importance of doingpersonal inner work to release old beliefs and patterns, allowing for a deeperconnection with animals, nature, and our own higher selves, or souls. As wellas seeing the world from a higher perspective.Barbara talks about the similarities between elephants and whales, and howthey serve a similar function on Earth. And she also discusses how they aredifferent from one another. The conversation ends with a guided meditationthat Barbara leads to help people connect energetically, spiritually, with thewhales.This interview can be viewed as a video with lots of photos on Nita's website,www.nurtureyourpet.com. Click on community, then interviews.Nita Daryanani is the founder of NurtureYourPet.com, a platform born fromher own journey of healing through the love of animals. Originally fromIndia, Nita has spent the past 30 years in Hong Kong. When she experienceda period of deep personal loss and change, she found solace and joy throughher two Yorkies, Nico and Luca. Their unconditional love rekindled her senseof purpose and inspired her to create a space where others could experiencethe same nurturing bond with their pets. Through NurtureYourPet.com, Nitaoffers resources for pet wellness, including TeleVet services, support for griefand loss, and PEMF therapy, as well as conversations with holistic animalpractitioners. Through her work, Nita shares the message that our petsnurture us just as much as we nurture them—and that love, when sharedwith animals, can truly heal and transform our lives.