Motah Chronicles

“All dogs go to heaven.”

August 15, 2025. This afternoon just after two o’clock, my beloved dog Shasta was put to sleep, after bouts of illness over the past month. A Black Lab/Great Dane mix, she was eleven years old (she would have turned twelve on October 30th). She rebounded well initially in July, but recently fell ill again and stopped eating finally. Last April at her annual exam she weighed a normal 91 pounds. This week she was down to 75, skin and bones, and was losing also her mobility with her back legs.

During our last days together, we had many precious moments of loving exchange, as I knew her time was near and had begun spiritually to prepare myself and her for the inevitable. On our final drive to the veterinary clinic, I spoke to her gently to soothe her spirit and mine. I called especially upon Lord Uriel, Mother Mary (today is her Assumption Day), astral Indian chief Golden Eagle, and astral dog trainer Kaileah. (The latter two had helped also in the aftermath of my dog Cheyenne’s transition on August 9, 2013.)

Dr. Mike at the Williamsburg Vet Clinic in Kentucky performed the euthanasia. He had treated Shasta all her life. (He also had put Cheyenne to sleep twelve years ago, almost to the day.) As the procedure began, I held Shasta’s head in my hands, stroked her softly, and told her to go towards the light. I wept. Her transition was a sweet and loving sendoff, though it is so dreadfully difficult for me emotionally to lose her. The house is incredibly empty now without her loving presence.

I opted to have her remains buried on Dr. Mike’s beautiful farm, adjacent to the vet clinic.

Shasta has crossed the Rainbow Bridge, free to romp and develop a new life in the higher astral planes. Now I adjust to a new reality in my own life. God bless you, dear Shasta!

August 16, 2025. As the news of Shasta’s transition has gone out, friends and family have offered much loving support and encouragement. It has been a difficult day adjusting to my new reality without Shasta on the physical plane. But every time grief wells up within me, I turn it around and send out waves of love and light to Shasta, showering her with blessings for the great companionship we had together. I am so thankful that Spirit brought her into my life. I have been blessed immeasurably by this beautiful animal soul.

In God’s good time and way, I expect I’ll have dream or psychic contact with her, as our bond of love is deep and indelible. The same thing happened with Cheyenne after she passed away years ago.

I’ve never had children, but it truly does seem to me as if I’ve lost my daughter. She depended on me for everything, and yet gave back oceans of unconditional love each and every day. She was also an excellent guard dog, keeping me alert and protected on this plane. Our relationship has been close-knit and special in every respect. I will miss her beyond what my words can convey.

August 17, 2025. Each day I work a bit through my adjustment. It’s not easy, because Shasta was such an integral part of my daily life. Everywhere I go on the property, or in the house, I am constantly reminded of fond memories of experiences with her. When I turn around or enter another room, for an instant I automatically expect to see Shasta there! I have to catch myself. It’s uncanny, but it shows how indelible the memory engrams are implanted at every turn.

To transmute my grief whenever it arises, I transform the energy by projecting out waves of love and light to Shasta. I shower her with blessings of gratitude for our full life together. Spirit has blessed me greatly by bringing her into my life. Godspeed to my faithful, sweet doggy companion as she continues her journey in the spirit world.

So, my healing continues step by step each day.

A friend mentioned that Shasta was a “joyful spiritual companion amidst the sorrows.” How true! This morning, while lying awake in bed before dawn, I was thinking how much Shasta was my “therapy dog” or “support animal,” one could say, helping me with her unconditional love to maintain balance amid all the stresses and vicissitudes of life. She was a daily comfort to me. Our bond of love is eternal.

Also, she was a great guard dog, helping to keep me safe and protected, always alerting me whenever someone would drive up to the house. Typically, with her keen dog ears, if we were in the same room, she would hear the car a half second before me. Also, if she were inside, she would bark once or twice to announce someone’s arrival. Interestingly, she virtually never barked when she was outside.

A year and a half ago, she even alerted me one morning to the presence of a poisonous copperhead snake that somehow had gotten into the house during a heavy rainstorm and was hiding under my bed! I had just gotten out of the shower, was barefoot and wrapped in a towel, when I heard Shasta’s very distinctive warning bark; just one serious yip. I knew immediately something was wrong and walked into the bedroom to see Shasta pointing at the copperhead sticking its head out from under the bed, where I had just been a few minutes earlier, making the bed while walking around it in flip-flops! Good doggy, indeed!

I made some positive steps forward in my healing and transmutation today: washed all the doggy blankets, packed and put away the doggy bed, washed and stored all the food and water bowls, disposed of any prescription medications, etc.; plus, I gave all the extra dog food, biscuits and treats (a considerable amount!) to neighbors who have dogs who’ll enjoy them.

By these outer acts, I helped my healing process, and undoubtedly Shasta’s vibrational adjustment on the other side of the veil, too.

I continued periodically to turn around my grief by sending Shasta waves of love and light, showering her with blessings. I am so grateful to God for the years Shasta and I enjoyed on this plane. Our eternal bond of love now will be expressed interdimensionally. I trust in Spirit that all is well and is moving forward in the right order.

I had some moments of weeping, too.

So, it was a positive day.

[Note: The two photos, at right and below, are the last photographs of Shasta, taken just a few days before her death on August 15, 2025. These were her two favorite spots to rest or sleep: on my bed and in my reclining chair. The last night of her life, in spite of her debility, she managed to crawl into the chair, curl up and sleep peacefully. The image of her there will stay with me forever.]

August 18, 2025. The only way I know how to deal with grief is by projecting out love and light, in my case for example to Shasta on the other side, to assist also in her adjustment. It is a positive action of love energy going out, on the wings of light of God, rather than my aura being encased in the emotional hurt of loss pressing in on my heart chakra. It is thus a powerful healing action, channeled through me as an open vessel for Spirit.

Talking and sharing openly with friends and family, of course, also is essential. Everyone has been very compassionate and supportive.

Prayer for Shasta

Here is the prayer I often repeated for Shasta during her life here, and now also offer for her in the astral realms:

“Father-Mother God, thank You for keeping Shasta safe and protected, and for bringing her home safely. Shasta, I surround you with the white and gold light of the Christ spirit, and decree for you balance, harmony, protection, and the fulfillment of your potential within the dog species. Amen.”

Photos: (1) Shasta, 2014, Mark-Age Archives; collage © by Hartmut Jager. (2) Shasta, 2015, Mark-Age Archives. (3) Phillel and Shasta, 2015, Mark-Age Archives. (4) Shasta, 2025, Mark-Age Archives. (5) Shasta, 2025, Mark-Age Archives.