I am writing this on what, according to the ASPCA, is National Horse Protection Day. Which is somewhat ironic, because I woke up this morning to read yet another story about more of wild horses being rounded up and removed from their homes. The pictures were heartbreaking. The eyewitness accounts even more so.
It seems like almost every day I am getting these emails from people I know who are working tirelessly to stop the massive removal of these magnificent animals from their homelands. Wild horses have roamed our countryside for hundreds of year. Yet now, under the direction of the government, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is staging nationwide roundups of wild horses so they can turn over the land to cattle ranchers. While I have never witnessed a roundup live, friends of mine have. I have seen harrowing pictures and video and heard tragic stories. Once they are captured, the lucky horses are saved by rescue groups and sent to sanctuaries. They will never again roam free, but they are safe. The unlucky ones are sent to feedlots where they are held in small pens indefinitely or possibly shipped to slaughter.
In my opinion, this is unacceptable and must be stopped. And as Reiki practitioners, I believe we can do something about it.
After I read the most recent roundup story this morning, I sat down to do my morning Reiki session and decided to send Reiki to the horses who had been captured and their family members who were left behind. As I started to connect to them, I felt their pain. I felt their terror and fear. It broke my heart. I started to cry and tears continued to run down my face as I continued to send them love and what comfort I could. I could not tell them “You are loved, you are safe…” because I don’t know if they are safe. I could only tell them that I sent them love, I saw them, I recognized them, I wanted to help them, and I appreciated them for the magnificent beings that they are. As I did this, I felt their energy shift. I felt the love being returned to me. After all they had been through, THEY were sending love and comfort to me. It was wonderful and beautiful and heartbreaking all at the same time.
And it made me more determined than ever to do all I can to help them.
I have been thinking for some time about starting healing circles, where Reiki practitioners and other energy workers can get together to work as a group on particular animal issues – one issue at a time. I’m putting this in motion now, and I intend to start with the wild horses.
I know many SARA members volunteer at horse sanctuaries. I know whenever I do Reiki with any horse, it is a healing experience for me. They heal me as well as teach me. They help open and heal my heart. They are incredibly loving, healing and giving. And they need our help.
Kathleen and Leah always tell us that when you work on one animal, you can have an impact on all animals and how they are treated. Imagine the impact we could have if we all focused a little bit of our time and energy to help the horses.
I think it would be wonderful if SARA members could include the wild horses in our Reiki sessions. I am going to do this as often as I can. We can include those horses who have been captured, those who were left behind, and those who remain at risk of being captured. We can send Reiki to the entire situation and hold the vision of a day when our horses are left alone and allowed to run free, as they should be.
(A friend of mine, another SARA member, is working on getting a list of dates of future scheduled roundups. We could send Reiki at that particular time and place also. If anyone is interested in that information, or any other information about what is happening with the wild horses, please feel free to contact me directly at [email protected].)
I hope we can all consider joining forces and sending some of our Reiki love and energy to the wild horses. I know it will help. I know we can make a difference. And I know, regardless of what happens, the horses will feel it and it will help them. And, as never fails when working with animals, we ourselves will get healing in the process.
Cathy O’Brien
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