Snake Oil Don’t fear the reaper
Someone in the karaoke bar sang an old Blue Oyster Cult song, “Don’t Fear the Reaper,” two days before my sixteen year old cat died. I was impressed that someone tackled such a complicated song. It was fitting that I heard this, because for weeks I had been telling my cat it was okay to let go of his body and his time with me. I would miss him, but his time here had come to an end. He was almost 16 years old. As I left the bar, the song ran through my head. While driving the next day, I heard it on the radio. “Seasons don’t fear the reaper, nor do the wind, the sun, and the rain. We can be like they are. Come on baby...”
A lot of people struggle with the idea of death. I guess I am strange because I have no fear of it. I had remembered living other lifetimes when I was a child. It wasn’t until I got older that religion (Catholicism) and society’s beliefs had me questioning the validity of my memories. I had seen pets die when I was a child. While it made me sad to lose them, it was clear to me that the death of these pets marked a certain period of our lives. Important segments of life often came to an end around the same time as our pets did. From a purely practical point of view, dogs and cats live an average of only fifteen years. It was also obvious to me that the sadness people felt was more about us missing them than “poor fluffy is dead.” Their deaths are an unavoidable reality. They go back to the “Otherworld,” the place we, and our pets, live in before we become physical, and return to when we go. I believe that it is just as wonderful a place to be when we pass from this plane into the next.
The difficulties I experienced with my ailing cat were more about how I should handle the situation. My instinct told me to just let him die naturally. A year before he passed he began to vomit often. Many people suggested I take him to the doctor. I followed this advice, and four hundred dollars later I was told there was nothing wrong with him. He was, more or less, just an old cat. I was given medicine that would have to be shoved down his throat, literally! It was to be administered four times a day. This was more of a pain in the ass then cleaning up the vomit! In addition, I was told it would probably only work temporarily. This re-confirmed my decision in this life to avoid most practices of Western medicine. To me, more often than not, they are expensive and either don’t work, or just provide a temporary masking of the problems rather than solve them. It got difficult toward the end of Monte’s lifetime. The vomiting came more frequently and I had to be careful in the mornings because sometimes, as I was groggily waking up, or heading to the bathroom, I might step in a pile of cat puke. Eventually he began to eat less. On a number of occasions, he missed the litter box. He got weaker and lost weight. He also became very clingy, and would want to crawl in my lap every time I sat on the couch, or between my legs when I slept. I began to feel smothered. I have clients, friends, and family who took care of ailing husbands, wives or parents, or worked as nurses attending to the sick. I knew people who found fulfillment by helping out animals who were sick and disabled. I have respect for these brave, caring individuals who do what I am NOT cut out to do. I found myself torn between feeling honored to help my companion during his last few weeks here in this world, and getting annoyed at how long it was taking for him to pass. His illness and neediness were exhausting at times and to top it all off, he began to smell toward the end. He didn’t have the strength to clean himself.
The vet had suggestions about what “I should do.” many of my friends had suggestions about what “I should do,” “You should just put him down.” You should feed him with a baby bottle.” You should take him back to the doctor.” My ex (Monte’s original owner) wanted to take him home for his last few weeks. I began to get irritable. I knew they were simply verbalizing my own internal confusion about handling this matter. So I borrowed a shovel from my brother-in-law and prepared for the inevitable when Monte stopped eating. He crawled into small spaces and slept a lot more than usual. I knew the end was close, and I was more than ready for it.
A few weeks before his death, I had gone to bed and Monte and his sister (a three year old cat I took in a year and a half before this) were asleep on the bed with me. The younger girl cat jumped of the bed and I heard her moaning in the other room. I had left the front door open a crack so the cats could go out in the night if they wanted. A cat from the neighborhood had snuck in and was eating their food. I went into the living room to see what was going on. The cat saw me and ran out the back door in terror. My female cat (ChiChi) dove after it and dug her claws into the intruders back. The cat was so afraid, that it jumped off the balcony of my upstairs condominium! I saw it walking off, so thankfully it made the jump without major harm. ChiChi was proud of her accomplishment. Monte slept through the entire incident. He had always been the aggressor and protector; it was not her role. Now she had taken over. He had passed the torch and I knew this was another sign that he would soon pass. I lavished affection on both of them that night. Her for her bravery and Monte because I knew the opportunity to do so was coming to an end.
I had been out all day and returned home to find Monte crying in my home office. He was clearly in pain. He had lost control of his bowels and was having difficulty walking. He was almost ready to go. One of my closest friends came by and was a great help by being there for me. Monte struggled to get down the stairs of my apartment to go outside. It was almost sunset. He sat outside and watched the birds and sat in the cool grass for the very last time in his current body.
When I went outside to check on him, he let out another cry of pain. I finally decided to listen to some of my friends advice and made the phone call to the vet. They were kind enough to let me bring him in to be euthanized. It was not what I would ideally have chosen, yet I knew he was in pain. Even if he only lived for a few more hours, he was suffering. I couldn’t risk this going on for hours or days. It was clear to me why on farms, in movies and television, they shoot an animal who is fatally wounded irreversibly and going to die. It is an act of kindness. I prepared to take him to the vet. Without hesitation, Monte stepped into the cat carrier I placed in front of him, which was something he would never normally do.
The vet and his assistant were kind. I stayed with him as they put him down. I was strong during the process. They told me I could stay with him as long as needed to say my good-byes. As he slipped away, all my strength and detachment was gone and I sobbed uncontrollably. I loved this cat. I was not only letting him go, but a huge part of my life too. I knew one important chapter was ending and in time, another would begin. In that moment, I realized that everyone’s suggestions with how I handled this, or who didn’t share my perspective, were trying to help. There was no need for judgments about what was the “right or wrong” way to handle illness and death. The power of this inevitable major passage went far beyond such simple concepts. I silently thanked everyone for their assistance. I felt connected to humanity and every person who lost someone, human or animal, that they loved. I dreaded watching Monte die, yet while it was happening, I felt completely different. Watching my cat pass was both painful and beautiful. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.
Jim Ventura 12-2005
Editors Note:
I thought it was the right timing for running this piece again. It originally ran in early 2006 (wow that was 9 years ago already!) Intuitively and logically (powerful combination to work with in any area of life) it seemed like this needed to be shared again. I still fondly think of my deceased cat Monte from time to time. Every once in a while I even feel a well of emotion about all of my many childhood pets. I have been very fortunate in this life so far, to have lost very few people I was close to. When I feel the emotion connected with the losses it isn’t sadness as much as an appreciation for that time in my life and the gift of having had them share it with me. As I have stated many times before, when it comes to the animals and people we love and lose, it isn’t the length of time they were here that is most important. It is the impact of shared love and how it transformed us that stays with us.
We have definitely made it to summertime. Here in Phoenix we are beginning those 110 and higher degree days and nights in the nineties. Can’t say I like it, but I have gotten used to it. Our three month uncomfortable weather period (July, August, September) is the price we pay for really excellent weather the rest of the year. And we have only just begun...
If you lose access to my monthly email newsletter, because of an email address change or other complications, it’s is up to you to let me know if you want to continue receiving my monthly column. The amount of bounce-backs I get each month when I send out the column are increasing. Part of this is just the increasing mathematics of reaching a larger audience. Some of it is due to spam blockers and other problems from your email addresses. I highly recommend getting a yahoo or gmail address to use permanently. There seems to be far less problems with these addresses than I experience with cox, and other addresses. If I send my column and it comes back two months in a row, I have no choice but to permanently delete you.
I have decided to run the New Client discount special for one more month, through the end of July 2015. Pass the information on to friends and remember you can purchase a gift certificate for a new client and give them a gift at these rates. For returning clients, Snake oil email subscribers receive $5 off my listed rates and Facebook followers who also receive Snake oil monthly get an additional $5 off listed rates. Local, in office clients who pay by check or cash also receive another $5 off my listed rates! Regular quarterly and monthly clients (who have signed up for the program and are consistent with sessions) get bigger discounts. Email me for information about joining my Regular Client program.
Wishing everyone a happy July 2015. Cheers, Jim V
“Trying to change ‘what is’ usually doesn’t work. Trying to change how you feel about ‘what is’ usually does.” Dick Sutphen
“The soul always knows what to do to heal itself. The challenge is to silence the mind.” Caroline Myss
Channeled corner. I read many, many books from different trance channelers in the 80s and 90s. Unfortunately many of them are now out of print, but I still have a huge collection and will share some of the best material I have collected over the years.
Communicating from human to spirit from Dr. Pebbles
“When an individual comes to the point of the change called death and drops the physical body, it is for each and every one of you to celebrate. If you cannot burn a physical candle, visualize a candle burning for them. Feel your grief, but avoid using that grief to bind them to the Earth by crying, “Oh, I miss you. Oh, I wish you weren’t gone.’ Don’t ask them questions. Don’t ask them where they hid the money. That is only binding them to the Earth.
Just celebrate that they are still with you in memory and in spirit. This gives them the freedom to go into the greatest light possible and to be freed of the earth-binding webs of their past incarnation. So often when you feel their spirit, you want to know where they come from, why they’re here, what message they have. ‘Now, you know, Aunt Harriet, she was such a shrew. Would you go over and give her a good smack?’ (I’m just teasing!)
Please, dear friends, we need love just as much as you do. We don’t need you constantly asking, begging, or judging. We need your love, your light, your support, so that we may go into the highest level possible in our evolution. So to commune with us when we are no longer in physical form, please activate intuition, activate visualization, activate objectivity and detachment. Do ceremonies and celebrations, seeing us freed from human responsibility and embracing instead spiritual responsibility. And when you feel our presences, just acknowledge us.”
Spotlight on One of the many oracles I work with.
The Viking Rune Stones:
6-6-2015 (originally posted on FaceBook):
I have been using the Runes for Oracles guidance for over 25 years now. Clients and friends have gained tremendous insight into how to navigate through every experience when we use our inner guidance combined with the Viking Rune stones. Even after so many years I still pull a Rune for insight when I am questioning action I should take.
Business has been a little slower than usual for me in the last few weeks. I have no concern over financial stability. My bills are covered and I am reasonably comfortable. It is more that I get life force from my work. I do it because it is fulfilling to me at many levels. I have been logically wondering if I should be doing some extra promotional work and advertising to boost business at this time. I haven’t felt like doing it though. I have enjoyed the time to catch up on other things (editing work is always needed) and to rest a little extra before I get busy again, like I always inevitably do.
I also had a really good date and night out with someone this Monday night I had some definite mutual chemistry, and really good astrological compatibility. I know without getting into detail that even though there is strong mutual body type attraction, this is not a right fit for the long run. Too many reasons to share, but one is a 21 year age difference. It will be a a better fit as friends. Still, I had some thoughts about pursuing anyway, even though my instinct tells me not to do so. I know I am just getting closer to a right fit in this area of my life in the near future and this was just a preview. A really fun one. Definitely a step in right direction.
I meditated for a minute and pulled a Rune message for further guidance and possible confirmation:
Ehwaz: Movement Progress A Horse
Reversed:
"Movement that appears to block. Be certain the what you are doing-or not doing-is timely. There are no missed opportunities. You have simply to recognize that not all possibilities are open to you, that not all opportunities are appropriate. The opportunity at hand may be precisely to avoid action. If you are feeling at a loss, unclear about the need to act, consider what is timely to your nature and remember: What is yours will come to you.” Ralph Blum
When it comes to the Runes a reversed Rune and what may sound negative is often still valuable. I put away the idea that I needed to do extra marketing work the morning when I pulled the Rune. By evening when I checked emails and phone messages I had five appointment requests for this weekend. My urge to dive into a relationship because of being impatient with allowing a better fit is comfortably neutralized.
The Runes help us to tune into “Right Action” and the best way to navigate in any situation.
JimV
*June ended up being one of the busiest months for my business so far this year!
New Client Special June and July 2015:
June 1st 2015 thru July 31st 2015 Special: New Client introductory offer
$10-15 off listed rates for your first 45 minute session, 70, or 90 minute session! Ask for the special when you email Venturasag@yahoo.com to book. Debit and credit card payments get $10 off for 45-90 minute sessions. Local in-office clients can get an extra $5 off for cash or check payments for sessions. If you want to buy a new client a thoughtful gift of a session you can also take advantage of these rates!
$10-15 off listed rates for your first 45 minute session, 70, or 90 minute session! Ask for the special when you email Venturasag@yahoo.com to book. Debit and credit card payments get $10 off for 45-90 minute sessions. Local in-office clients can get an extra $5 off for cash or check payments for sessions. If you want to buy a new client a thoughtful gift of a session you can also take advantage of these rates!
My current rates (new clients can subtract the above discounts from these rates): 45 minute sessions $80. 70 minute sessions $110. 90 minute sessions $130.
“He who lives in harmony with himself lives in harmony with the world.” Marcus Aurelius
Snake Oil Radio
Thursdays at 3:30 pm (there will be two live broadcasts this month)
My next live broadcast of Snake Oil Radio will be Thursday, July 9th at 3:30 p.m. (AZ doesn’t use daylight savings time, so it’s the same as pacific time). Most Thursdays you can catch a new show. Each 45 minute show will expand on my current column’s subject matter. It will also offer an opportunity for you to call in live (or chat with other listeners in the chat room) with comments and your thoughts about the topic of discussion. If you miss the live show, you can catch any of my previously recorded shows on the web site’s archive. You can also catch Snake Oil Radio on I-tunes (download my pod-casts there).
To hear a live show, all you need to do is be at a computer and tuned into: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Jim-Ventura You may also access it by going to blogtalkradio.com. Type “Snake Oil” into the search option.
You can also go to the shows that are currently “On air” at that time and find me. The call in number is 646-200-3966 for questions and comments.
Here’s my contact information to make an appointment for a session, or information on current classes: Phone: (602)957-3035 text: (602)349-0746 Email: Venturasag@yahoo.com (best method for contact).
Information about the different sessions and types of readings and services, past Snake Oil columns, and how to order my books and audio CD’s can be found at my website: Http://JimVentura.com
“Friend” me on Facebook to get other extra offers and in between column extras! Signing up for my fan page will get you even more extras and first shot at reading specials. Simply click on “like” on the fan page and you will automatically get my weekly updates.
You also may want to check out my posts on Tumblr.com: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/snake-oil-blog
All sessions/readings for 2015 are: Full (70 minutes) $110.00; Shorter session (45 minutes) $80.00; Extended session (90 minutes) $130.00 (two people can split an extended session back to back for $65.00 each). Email me for information about my Regular Client Program for even bigger discounts on session prices with the added benefit of monthly or quarterly check-ins.
All Current Snake Oil subscribers get $5.00 off all listed prices for any 45-90 minute sessions (except when using a special discount promotion). Local in office visits receive another $5 off listed prices for cash or check payments.
