Conversations With Deer Spirit, NDEs, The Afterlife, & The Kindness of Humans

Written By Caroline Peters

I want to share with you a recent profound conversation I had with my friend, Deer Spirit. Before I share, I'd like to first introduce you to Deer Spirit and tell you about how she first came into my life. 

[Warning: this story may be triggering for those of you who are sensitive to animal death. While this story has a beautiful ending, proceed only if it feels right for you.]

Deer Spirit and I met in July of this year. My co-workers and I were finishing up an 8-day shift out in the wilderness, and we were driving back to base. As we were driving along the small highway, we saw a beautiful dear skipping out of a field and crossing the street ahead of us. We slowed down to give her space and to marvel at her gracefulness. Up ahead in the opposite lane, a large black truck sped into view, and as we screamed in the car---desperately hoping he would see her or that she would run across quickly---we witnessed her being struck by the vehicle and she spiraled off the road. We gasped and held our breath in disbelief.

My co-worker, who was driving our truck, made a u-turn as soon as it was safe to do so. We returned to the spot where we believed the deer was hit, parked our truck, and got out, hoping to find her. We looked up and down the hillside along the road, which was mostly obscured by tall grasses and trees. We kept walking along the road, hoping we could spot her and that she’d still be alive. I looked to my left, and down the small hill, about 10 feet from the road, I saw her body wrapped around a tree; she was still breathing. My friends stayed at the top of the hill saying prayers as I slid down the steep hill to the tree where she was. The tree was surrounded by thorny bushes, so I had to gently ease my way through them. I reached her, and her breathing was extremely labored; it was clear she was afraid and in pain. I began to gently rub her neck, and told her that she was deeply loved, that she was safe, that Gaia was with her and she could let go now and allow her spirit to rejoin with her Creator. I kept whispering these words to her as I gazed into her large brown eyes, her eyelashes fluttering and her chest heaving more slowly with each breath. After a few minutes, her breathing stopped and she grew still.

I sat there in silence with her for a few moments, in awe of her beauty and heartbroken that this was her end. I slowly crawled back out of the thorn bushes to the top of the hill and told my friends she had passed. We were all in deep silence, heartbroken. As I turned around to gaze back down at her, I saw her spirit leap into the sky. Oh it was so magnificent! She pranced and danced in the air; she was jubilant and full of life. She was overjoyed from being liberated from her body and from the pain of living in day-to-day survival. She was now free! She came to me and said “Thank you, thank you, thank you! Thank you for sharing your love during my time of pain. I am so grateful. If any of you ever need help, reach out to me and I will be there for you.” I could feel her sense of joyful anticipation of what was to come---returning to the spirit world, continuing her soul's journey, and excitement for the next animal she might embody during her soul’s next return to Earth.

The symbolism of the fact that I crawled out of a bush covered in thorns shortly before witnessing the resurrection of this deer is not lost on me. God has a hand in everything.

As we returned to the truck and drove to base, the vehicle was silent with grief and shock. I could completely understand what my co-workers were feeling at that moment, having felt similarly many times myself. However, on this occasion, I could not share in their feelings. I was overjoyed, having witnessed the powerful celebration of this deer as she left the physical plane and returned to her beloved Creator. I felt deeply at peace and honored to have been present for her.

Since this day, Deer Spirit has visited me many times. One recent visitation, and the conversation we subsequently had, has really stuck with me though. That’s what I’d like to share next...

Utah Mountains. Photo by Saul Flores via Unsplash.

About two months ago, I was driving through the Wasatch Mountains, hoping to find a cool spot to do some day hiking. My car was coming around the bend of a mountain pass when up ahead of me I saw the body of a mother deer lying on the left side of the road. On the right side of the road lay the body of her baby. Witnessing this, I felt immediately struck with grief, and anger towards human beings. Oh, I felt so much anger and injustice at that moment! How is it that we can create a world that destroys innocent life in such a senseless way?

“It isn’t fair!” I screamed to myself as tears poured down my cheeks.

My friend, Deer Spirit, appeared in the passenger seat beside me---beautiful, gentle, and graceful as always.

“You are angry with your species? Why?” she asked with curiosity.

“Because we destroy life and we are cruel,” I choked out through my tears.

“A cheetah or a bear also destroys life.” She said calmly and matter-of-factly.

“Yes, but it’s not the same. They do it for survival, out of necessity. Humans just trample life carelessly, without thought to what we are doing.” I realized as I said these words that I was angry at more than just the death of the deer and her baby. I was angry at the world for the war in Gaza, for the deaths of innocent children, for all the evil and darkness we still have been unable to overcome. I was certainly feeling hopeless and bitter at that moment.

“You have no faith in humans?” Deer Spirit asked me.

“NO.” I said emphatically. “Maybe we don’t belong here; Earth is better without us.”
 
“Hmm. That sounds painful.” she replied, with genuine concern and empathy. After a long pause, she said:

“Why did you help me when I was dying?”

“Because I wanted you to feel peace and love in that moment.”

“I did feel it, and it meant a lot to me. There are many species who would not have done what you did. Human beings are teaching this to animals. You humans go to great lengths to show compassion and to alleviate the suffering of others, sometimes even risking your own lives and safety in the process. Perhaps that is worth believing in.”

“I guess you’re right.” I thought about this. I thought about the countless footage I’ve seen of humans rescuing animals in distress, and rescuing other humans in dire need. While the pain started to lift a little, my heart still hurt thinking of that mother deer and her child. There was no one there to save them, or to sit with them and share love as they crossed over.

Reading my thoughts, Deer Spirit said: “You can’t save them all. Only God can do that. And the good news is—God already has. God has saved all living beings, and they are in His care forever. That mother and her child were immediately surrounded by Light. They are celebrating in that Light with their Creator now.”

I could feel the truth of this. My soul knows this to be true, even when my mind struggles to believe. I began to feel at peace, for I could feel God's love in the words of my friend. Tears slowing to a stop, I was at ease and deeply grateful in that moment for God, and for Deer Spirit, who has quickly become part of my soul family.

This is a reminder that we live in a free will Universe, one that always presents us with the choice to choose Love or Fear, Hate or Kindness. I chose to focus on the darkness of humanity in my moment of grief, but Deer Spirit reminded me that there is so much love and kindness in this world, and it is worth believing in. We can choose to focus on the good, on the miracles, on the acts of service, generosity, and love that we witness everyday. When we focus on the Light, it grows stronger and stronger and can easily overcome the darkness. It’s such an easy choice to make, as long as we remember our true nature: we are beings of Light created by God, we are eternal, and we are made from Love.

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This past weekend I watched many videos online about people's near death experiences, and what they witnessed on the other side. I know everything they share is true, for I have experienced it myself through my own spiritual journeys. It's easy to get caught up in the wars and tragedies of this planet and to believe that's all there is. And yet, it's not all there is. This world of pain and suffering is a temporary illusion, one we can learn and grow from, but it is not the Ultimate Truth. What we do here, what we create on this plane of existence, and the love we share with others---it matters greatly. We create ripple effects with our words and our actions, and we get to decide what impact we want to have. That being said, our true home is the other side, where we remember who we are, what we were created for, and where everything is more vibrant, more alive, more connected to Source.

If you'd like to connect to these truths and to stories of the goodness of humanity, I've included some videos below...

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Reasons To Hope: Good Samaritans, Near Death Experiences & Stories Of The Afterlife

Recommended video and book content to explore…

Photo by Julia Kadel on Unsplash

Caroline Peters
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On Gaza, Grief, And Conversations With God