Halloween wasn’t always a time to give out treats to youngsters in cute costumes. Originally Halloween was known as Samhain, 
pronounced Sow-wen, and represented the end of summer on the Celtic calendar. Samhain also marked the transition between seasons as well as a “doorway between life and the season of death.” This doorway was interpreted as a thinning of the veil between worlds, which enabled people to more readily communicate with those that have passed away. The Celts would celebrate the day by adding a plate of food on the dinner table or by leaving food and drink on the doorstep outside for returning spirits.
Likewise, the people of Mexico celebrate Day of the Dead (Dia de Muertos) on October 31. It’s a way to honor and pray for family and friends who have passed away while supporting their spiritual journey.
Halloween is a Great Opportunity to Let Your Loved Ones Know You Miss Them
It really shouldn’t matter what day of the year you reach out to a loved one or a pet that has passed away. However, I tend to believe Halloween does offer a magical quality, making everyone more intuitive, so they can take the leap needed to make contact with a deceased loved one.
Oftentimes, we may find ourselves wishing for one last chat, or to see that special person or pet one more time. I believe our loved ones can hear us and are able to respond in different ways.
We may be visited in our dreams, see something that reminds us of them, hear someone utter a phrase the person said often in life, show us something unique that is symbolic of the lost loved one, find pennies or feathers in our path, hear our name called in a familiar way, or smell a scent that is reminiscent of a loved one.
Pets can also visit from the other side. We may see a depression on the couch or the bed where they once rested, come across a familiar toy in an unexpected place, see someone else’s pet that looks just like the one we lost, hear a bark or a meow that sounds uncannily like the pet that has died, or simply feel the pet’s presence around us.
Does Pretty Girl Live on the Moon?
I had a recent experience regarding my cat, Pretty Girl, who died in June. I was missing her terribly and expressed an interest in seeing her again. That night I had a dream about her. I was told to rent a four-wheel-drive jeep in order to navigate a steep, rocky mountain. It was a difficult drive over bumpy, boulder-strewn roads.
When I finally arrived at the top, I saw a little white house and entered it. Once inside, I noticed an old woman sweeping her floor. Her house was spotlessly clean. I asked the woman, who must have been an Oracle of sorts, if I could see my cat again. She gave me directions, and I drove away into pitch black darkness.
I stepped out of the jeep in a place that looked a lot like the surface of the moon. The stars were brilliant overhead. Everywhere I looked I saw contented cats lounging about, enjoying the night sky. I called Pretty Girl by name, and she came to me. I loaded her up into the jeep, petted her and told her I loved her. I woke up from the dream just as I began driving down the mountain again.
The next day, I had to go by a bank in another part of the city. There in the back of the parking lot was a black cat enjoying the afternoon sun. As the cat glanced at me, I realized she looked just like Pretty Girl, only bigger. Perhaps that was her way of letting me know she was still around?
But I Don’t Have a Dog …
Recently, I had the opportunity to offer psychic readings at a house party. As one lady sat before me, I noticed the presence of a large 
dog. I said, “What is your dog’s name?” She said, “I don’t have a dog.” I laughed and told her she could have fooled me, because there was clearly a dog sitting at her feet. She then admitted she had a dog, but he had died a couple of years ago. I told her, he was still around her, and described what I saw. She was happy to know that her dog loved her enough to stick around even after he passed away.
Honoring a Bond of Friendship and Love
As the nights get colder and the days become shorter, we may find ourselves missing the conversations and experiences we’ve had with our friends, family and pets that have passed away. The website whatsyourgrief.com suggests that moving on after a loss is not always easy. Instead, we should consider incorporating the continuing bond theory into our lives to make the loss easier to handle. Consider taking the following steps:
- Talk to them
- Write letters to them
- Include your loved one into events and special days
- Imagine the advice they would give you
- Talk about them to someone who doesn’t know them
- Live your life in a way that they would be proud of you
- Finish a project
- Take a trip they always wanted to take