Many people have asked me about my experience with Reiki for shelter animals and how I got started.
About a year ago I began to feel the need to do more for animals less fortunate than mine. I looked at my pack of well-fed and pampered pooches and thought about the dogs that did not have homes and laps to sit in. I knew I had to do something. I began to work more closely with one of the local shelters called Peaceable Kingdom Animal Shelter.
We adopted a senior dog, she had been deemed “unadoptable.” All she needed was love.
Terra became one of the better behaved dogs under my roof. She fit right in and is doing very well as we speak.
My goal was to become a volunteer but I admit I was scared of becoming too depressed when I entered the shelter. So I made myself feel better by bringing in weekly donations of whatever they needed. But still I felt it was not enough. I told myself to get over it. I had to do more.
One day I was on a bus to NYC and I was drawn to an article in an holistic magazine I had picked up at the station. The article was about a group of students of animal Reiki. For their certification they met at a zoo to give Reiki to the animals there.
That was it! I knew that would be my goal. I would learn this healing technique and share it with my animals and the animals in the shelter.
And so my journey began.
In order to become certified in animal Reiki it is necessary to learn the first two levels of human Reiki.
“The word Reiki is made of two Japanese words – Rei which means “God’s Wisdom or the Higher Power” and Ki which is “life force energy”. So Reiki is actually “spiritually guided life force energy.”
Reiki is administered by “laying on hands,” it promotes stress relief and healing for both humans and animals.
In order to become a practitioner, one must learn from a master teacher. Giving and receiving Reiki is a special gift. Meditation is very important in putting oneself in the right state of mind. It takes daily practice to achieve this.
I completed my first two levels and was ready to move on to working with animals.
The third phase was mastering techniques especially for animals. Then we finally got to practice what we learned on the zoo animals.
The weather that day was perfect. We readied ourselves with meditation and breathing exercises.
The major difference between Reiki for people and animals is that people can choose to have Reiki. An animal must be asked. We do this through creating a healing space and offering it to the animal. There are several different methods but after awhile you learn what works for you. When you open yourself up to the animal you can tell whether or not they are willing to receive the healing. Animal Reiki can be given from a distance and you do not have to make physical contact at all.
I did feel that some animals immediately connected with me and some simply were not interested. There were some that were quite depressed and some that were content. As a group we met periodically to discuss what we had experienced.
I made a strong connection with an elderly white tiger who had trouble getting around. After sending him Reiki for quite awhile he got up and moved more easily as if to say “I’m not that old.”
All and all it was an amazing experience.
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Since then I have become a regular volunteer at my local shelter and I am the one responsible for the smaller and more withdrawn dogs. I don’t go into the shelter announcing that I am doing Reiki. My job is to walk the dogs and love them for the time I am there. But for each dog that allows me to connect with them I give them as much healing as I can. These dogs generally want very much to be held and cuddled. Sometimes we just sit outside in the sun, I know they appreciate the positive energy. Needless to say it is a very rewarding thing to do.
I have worked with dogs who came in as biters and now have become much better adjusted to life in the shelter. It is such a stressful situation for any animal. The good news is these dogs are generally adopted quite quickly.
Recently I completed my final phase of Reiki training and now can truly call myself a master. Working with animals is truly a gift. If in anyway I can make them feel a little better than it is all worth it.
The Reiki ideals are a wonderful philosophy for all of us:
The secret art of inviting happiness
The miraculous medicine of all diseases
Just for today, do not anger
Do not worry and be filled with gratitude
Devote yourself to your work. Be kind to people.
Every morning and evening, join your hands in prayer.
Pray these words to your heart
and chant these words with your mouth
Usui Reiki Treatment for the improvement of body and mind
The founder
Usui Mikao
Please feel free to ask me questions about my Reiki experiences!
Sources:
dogshowconfidential.com/healing-practice-of-reiki-for-dogs/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reiki
reiki.org/reikinews/reikin3.html
reiki.org/faq/questions&answers.html