So often when we're faced with the loss of a beloved pet, instead of dealing with it in an effective way, we just go numb.

This numbness -- which is quite a natural reaction -- comes from shutting ourselves off to painful feelings at a time when we feel overwhelmed. It may serve a purpose in the short term, but in the long run, unless we truly feel our feelings, we never fully recover from our loss.

The stages of grief must be experienced. These include such things as shock and denial, anger and blame, bargaining, guilt, anxiety and loneliness. So don't be surprised if you feel these things.

They don't necessarily occur in that order. And not everyone experiences all of the stages, but you can't really skip over them and immediately reach a better state, either.

It's necessary -- and healthy -- to go through a period of mourning before you can feel whole again.

Dealing with the death of a cherished pet presents an opportunity to learn one of life's great lessons --one that actually serves as a doorway to your healing. That is to learn to expand when you feel like contracting and to keep your heart open when it feels like closing down.

Not such an easy thing to do. Yes, it's challenging, but it's one of the keys to dealing with your grief and remaining open to loving again. Because if you're not careful, it can be tempting to build a wall around your heart to protect yourself from further pain. But this also shuts out the possibility of love.

One very simple practice that helps to keep the heart open and allows the feelings to flow is to simply make sure you breathe. When we're stressed we tend to take shallow breaths.

So, right now, take a few moments to take a few deep, life-giving breaths. Breathe into your abdomen first, then up into your chest and shoulders.

It will calm you down, bring a greater sense of inner peace, and help release tension.