By Jamie Obakponovwe, Minnesota
While settling into the rhythm of a new job and home, my husband and I adopted two kittens who were sisters, Wilma and Luisa. Instantly they brightened our lives and gave us constant, unconditional love—each in her own special way.
While Wilma lived in motion, Luisa was the quiet, gentle observer. She sat straight and tall—often under a lampshade—and embodied stillness and contentment.
Luisa unexpectedly passed away. We were heartbroken. She was there one day and gone the next. In the weeks that followed I felt a blanket of sadness I could not shake. I thought of her constantly and wanted one more chance to tell her how much I loved her and how grateful I was that she’d come into our lives.
I began asking the Mahanta, my spiritual guide, for help with this. I wasn’t sure how the connection would be made, but I kept surrendering it.
Baby-Bird Surprise
One Saturday morning a few months after Luisa passed, my husband left the house to go for a run. About a minute later, the doorbell rang. When I opened the door, he was standing there, pointing at the ground. He said, “I think this little bird needs some help.”
Under the tree I saw a tiny baby bird sitting very still and perfectly upright. Since it had all its feathers, we thought it must have just fallen out of the tree but might not have been hurt.
I walked closer and began inspecting it from different angles. It even let me get right up to its face and seemed fine with the closeness. Everything looked healthy. Still wondering if it might be injured, I went inside to get some towels and find a box.
When I came back, the little bird was still sitting under the tree. Very carefully I scooped it up and lifted it to my shoulder, trying not to put any pressure on it. It seemed content with me holding it and sort of leaned into my shoulder
At this point, I decided to sit down with the bird and contemplate on what to do next. Silently I sang HU to feel peace. I asked the Mahanta for guidance on what to do next to help this little bird.
After a bit, I put the bird in the box and went inside to look online for help. Soon I learned that I should put the bird back in the tree and let its mom take it from there!
Where Did You Go?
By the time I came back outside, the box was empty. I started looking under the patio furniture and in all the shrubs. I looked under the tree where we’d first seen the bird, then walked further out in the yard. I could not find it anywhere!
As I turned around and starting walking back toward the patio, I looked up and was surprised to see the little bird sitting quietly in the tree. I wondered how it got up there and realized it must not be hurt after all.
I walked closer to the tree, and it started hopping down the branch until we were almost at eye level and a few inches from each other. It then slightly turned its head to the side, so we were eye to eye.
While the bird looked at me, I started to feel a wave of love come into my heart. For me, this is always a sign of the Mahanta’s presence. Suddenly, I said, “Luisa?”
The little bird stretched its neck tall, as if to confirm this, and then dropped its head back down.
I could barely believe it and asked, “Luisa, is that really you?!”
Again, it stretched its little neck really tall and then relaxed again, looking at me. My heart filled with so much love. I realized Luisa was right here in front of me—still sitting straight and tall, as she had always sat under the lamp in our living room.
Time stood still. Here we were, Soul to Soul, with this wave of love flowing back and forth between us. I finally could share with her all that was in my heart. I told her how much I love her, how grateful I was for all she’d taught me about divine love, and how happy I was to see her experience a new freedom in this little bird body.
My Proof
It then occurred to me how much Luisa had loved having her belly rubbed when she was a cat. I wondered if she would still like this and decided to carefully try it out. As you can see, she still enjoys this very much!
After a few moments of petting her belly, I took a few steps back from the tree. The mother flew down to her. They followed each other from limb to limb to the top of the tree and then flew away.
After this experience, the sorrow I’d carried around for weeks lifted. I realized all was in its rightful place.
I still miss Luisa very much, but now it’s the happy memories that come back when I think of her and gratitude for this moment shared. I know the love between us, as Soul, is eternal.
—Photos and video by Jamie and Akpovi Obakponovwe
Thanks for your beautiful story. My cat Wookie was ill with large cell lymphoma. We had to euthanize her yesterday. She looks just like Luisa – black with the little diamond of white.
I felt very grateful to have her in my life for a brief time and to be a part of this Soul’s life. I know our love goes far beyond these bodies. What a rich life we have when we’re not limited to the physical body.
I will miss her.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful story. The love is palpable. Knowing that Life continues on for our pets is such a blessing to know. Thank you for illustrating this. I loved the video!
Thank you for your beautiful account. My beloved cat Chedder translated in January at the age of 16. I am hoping that he gets to be a bird for his next incarnation, as he would really enjoy that I think. I miss him so much every day, but am so glad that he isn’t suffering anymore.
My 16 year old furbaby Benji crossed the rainbow bridge yesterday. He was my soul mate and you story gives me hope that I might once again see him in another body here on earth or that he will contact me through spirit. Thank you for your story, it’s really heartwarming.
Dear Barbara,
My dog of 18 years died a month after you placed this comment. I am in a wheelchair also. Sasha brought a huge amount of love and softness into my life. She was pretty spunky and funny too. I hope you and your animal found each other.
Thank you for your beautiful story! When I have lost pets, I have often seen them numerous times in dreams, where we romp and play and love again. I know this is real and opens my heart so much!
Such a beautiful story. Thank you.
Thank you so much for this reel story of reincarnation. Take care.
Lovely
Love this story so much! Love and souls are eternal! Thank you for sharing
How grateful I am for each moment to give and receive God’s love, and yet to read such words written from the heart and so filled with love reminds me that I exist because God loves me, and every moment that holds such a story as this awakens the Ocean within myself the drop and deepens my contentment and joy in the omnipresence of God’s love.
Wonderful, thank you so much for this wonderful story! ❤️
Love never dies no matter what form it takes in the physical world! Thank you for sharing that beautiful story! The video and this written story are a wonderful addition to hearing you talk about it on the Eckankar Soul Adventure podcast! Thoroughly enjoyed both!
Thank you for this beautiful story. It reminded me of my Dog that passed on years ago and I still think of the love bond between us. And in one of my dream experiences, I was coming back from my day’s work and upon opening the gate to my premises, to my shock was this snake that was ready to strike at me. I was alarmed and from no where came my Dog who had passed on. He fought this snake to a standstill and ensured my protection. My Dog, as Soul, became an agent of the God. Every time I remember this, smile is brought to my face. Animals are indeed Souls. Thanks again.
Thank you so much for your story. I thought I was the only one. My cat returned to me as a seagull.
Thank you for this inspiring story! I had a black lab in college. Decades later this beloved soul returned to me as a chocolate lab.
Love bonds among all species are forever. Sometimes we are lucky enough to recognize each other in a new life. What a gift!
That’s a beautiful story. Thank you for sharing. I lost my beloved Russian Blue and held him in my arms and chest till he passed. It’s been sense 2018 sense he left this earth. It crushed me and many ppl tell me I’ve not been the same sense. Not one day goes by that he’s not in my thoughts. I know I need help with this. Reading your story is a start. Thank you and God bless
I’ve been yearning for the company of something living that I can communicate with and your story really touched me. I live alone and am in a wheelchair all day so I was concerned about having an animal nearby. Now I think that little soul may be waiting for me to give it love and a home. Thank you for sharing this beautiful story.
Thank you for your heart warming story. Very very warm Love.
What a wonderful story, filled with God’s love. I have a kitty that loves to have her tummy rubbed and looked exactly like Luisa. Made my tears flow. So much love. Animals truly are Soul. Nettie
oh thank you for that. so heartwarming!
This is such a beautiful story. It goes to show, Soul lives on!
This brought tears to my eyes, beautiful uplifting story.
Lovely story ,thanks.
Thank you for telling this wonderful story of reinkarnation, love and spiritual fridom
Wonderful story; so much love. Thank you for submitting this including all the visuals.
so beautiful, thank you from the bottom of my heart
Thank you thank you thank u
What a wonderful story-I laughed, I cried (tears of joy). Thank you for sharing.
Very beautiful story that highlights the principle of outflow and inflow of divine love between two souls in different embodiments. This further demonstrates how boundless Divine love is. We just need to know how to get connected to each other.
In ECKANKAR the HU Song does it easily, especially with an open hearted person. It’s easy to recognize and feel the love flow between us.
Reincarnation is fact. For you to have recognized Luisa in bird body instead of the cat also shows how much love you shared with each other. It was really an opportunity for you both to recognize that fact and to let go of the attachment and set in freedom.
Thanks for sharing lovely soul.
La seule chose dont nous possédons en vrai, c’est l’amour à travers le chant du Hu. Merci pour le partage.
Très belle image de chat en contemplation Baraka Bashad.
Thank you so much❤️❤️❤️❤️