Shelter Animal Reiki Association

Healing Animals with Meditation

Blog

Reiki and religion don’t have to be at odds

Some people may reject Reiki, a Japanese stress relief modality, as incompatible with the teachings of their faith tradition. Reiki is not a religion in itself; people of any spiritual stripe practice, teach and experience the benefits of Reiki. But how does that all work together?

I can only tell you how it works for me, a Presbyterian seminary graduate who found a path as an animal communicator and practitioner of Kathleen Prasad’s Let Animals Lead® meditation method. This method is a specialized form of Animal Reiki.

In short: I say my prayers, show up, listen and get out of the way.

Any healing comes from God, whether that happens through me or in spite of me. My job is to create the conditions for healing by listening and holding a peaceful space for the animals and their people.

The Let Animals Lead® Animal Reiki method I practice is meditation-based. It’s hands-off unless the animal wishes contact, and there is no manipulation of energy. I allow it to work however it needs to for the animal’s highest good. God knows that better than I do.

Watch me at work and all you’ll see is a middle-aged woman sitting quietly with a dog or cat, or standing in a barn or pasture. I might have Gregorian chant or other meditation music playing softly on my phone. I’m meditating but not in a trance — gotta move quick if a Percheron is about to step on my foot or goats need to be herded back from the neighbor’s field. (Those are two of many possible interruptions; the idea is to take them in stride and carry on.)

My theological grounding is Protestant Christian, but anything I believe or experience is only a tiny part of God’s big picture. Respecting your beliefs and experience is a core value in my life and practice.

I also know animals are deeply connected to a higher wisdom that sustains all of us. Whether their humans call that higher wisdom God, the universe or nothing in particular, the animals are OK with that. So am I.

By SARA Practitioner Nancy Crowe

Check out Nancy’s website here: https://njcrowe.com/

Offering Loving-Kindness and Animal Reiki to Our Kin

We can understand What a Fish Knows using our Reiki eyes.

The Six Pillars of the Let Animals Lead® method is revolutionary in today’s modern world where beyond-human individuals are largely viewed as imperfect. This is contradictory to what we’re taught in the Let Animals Lead® method, knowing their perfection is inherent in every being, no matter their species. In my efforts as an animal activist, Animal Reiki practitioner, and Ordained Interspecies and Interfaith Animal Chaplain, I honor all beings as healers and teachers. I also seek out places where Animal Reiki is needed most.

For years, I’ve known of a grocery store in the Denver area that sells individuals who are crammed into tanks. Turbots, stone crabs, Dungeness crabs, lobsters, cherry stone clams, razor clams, periwinkle snails, tilapia, mussels, and eels are some of the individuals that I had the honor of seeing their perfection and wisdom.

As I was about to enter that same grocery store I usually avoid, I found myself singing a song I learned years ago when participating in vigils at a local slaughterhouse near downtown Denver. I sang the chorus out loud, not caring who heard me, as I walked through the parking lot and headed toward the entrance.

“We all want the same things

To be happy, to be safe, to be free

We all want the same things

To be happy, to be safe, to be free

Deep beneath the treacherous seas

Hooks’ and nets’ devastating reign will cease

Madam Safety finally sees their needs

A shining hope of sustainability”

I stopped singing, and as I walked through the doors of the store, I started to say a loving-kindness prayer out loud.

May all beings be happy

May all beings be safe

May all beings be free

I repeated these lines over and over as I sauntered past the cashier’s and check-out lines. The smell of the store was overwhelming, and in a short moment, I wanted to leave. Navigating past the tofu, bringing brief relief to my momentary discomfort, I kept repeating the loving-kindness prayer to myself in a soft yet audible voice to anyone who happened to get close enough.

Dungeness crabs are our teachers and rightful ocean dwellers.

Before I reached the back of the store, my discomfort dissipated. When I got closer to the tanks, I held my hand over my heart, closed my eyes, and breathed deeply. I fixated on their perfection as I opened my eyes and scanned across the glass and into the water.

After standing in front of their magnificence, I made my way back to the front of the store, chanting to myself as I walked, and I found a seat in a beaten-up, large red booth near the main entrance. Navigating through the crowd, I realized it was the busiest area I had ever offered Animal Reiki.

My intention to create a healing space surrounded me in the red booth. The overwhelming smell and desire to leave was long gone. You can do this, I told myself. You are Ahimsa (nonviolence), I told myself. As I sat in the red booth, a deep calmness, light, and love sank in and outwards. I envisioned the light reaching the far corners of the store and beyond. There were no boundaries as to who could join me in the light.

Lobsters, as our healers and teachers, belong beneath the ocean’s waves.

After some time, I ended with gratitude, closing the healing space, and followed with a loving-kindness prayer. I then began to slowly walk out of the entrance toward my car. As I got into the front seat, the floodgates opened. I cried long and hard. I needed that really good cry. When I hold onto my emotions and prevent them from coming out into the open, I’m not as effective of an activist, Animal Chaplain, or Animal Reiki practitioner. These wonderful gifts of emotions come from our animal ancestors, the beings who we once were and to whom we are now connected (and always will be.)

I’m reminded in Thich Nhat Hanh’s Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet “The desire to practice to transform our suffering and the suffering of the world is called bodhicitta. Sometimes the word is translated as… ‘the mind of love’”. Love propels me to offer a sacred sendoff to these beautiful beings and it keeps me rooted in my ever-present and lifelong desire to empty their tanks once and for all. The gift of freedom for ourselves and others is always within our grasp.

As an Animal Chaplain, I find myself in contemplation often. Below, I offer open sentences as contemplation exercises. If you wish, please use these as a meditation and perhaps as a journaling exercise:

May I offer kindness to all beings as all beings are my teachers. I can nurture this wisdom by…

May I offer peace to all beings. I can nurture this by… 

May I always see the perfection in all beings. I can nurture this by… 

May I walk a path of freedom for all beings. I can nurture this by… 

I am grateful for all you do. May your day be full of peace, joy, and love.

By SARA Practitioner Alaina Sigler

 

From Feuding Cats to Friendly Four

This heartwarming story shows how Animal Reiki helped four feuding cats overcome food insecurity, fear of strangers, and find peace together through the Let Animals Lead® Method of Animal Reiki!

In the beginning . . .

Once upon a time there were four cats Luna, Bailey, Sammie and Bug living in a nice big house together, each one having some kind of “issue”. They did not get along very well and did not like anyone outside of the cat mom and dad coming into the house. They had all come from a shelter (a very nice one, with lots of TLC, enrichment and beautiful accommodations).

Food Insecurity and Stranger Danger

Luna and Bailey were undernourished and weighed very little when they came to their new home. They have food insecurity and want to eat all the time. Sammi is a Siamese kitty and is very independent. Bug had lost a back leg and was very scared. He spent most of the time in the basement and his pet parents had very carefully gotten him to come out of his crate after several months of patient support.

Bringing Animal Reiki into the Home

I started sitting with them to share Reiki early last year. Because I practice the Let Animal Lead® method of Animal Reiki I did not focus on the “issues” of the cats, but rather on sharing love and light with the beautiful being they are.  We had a couple of meditation sessions, always starting with a chair treatment for the cat mom. Then mom had some medical issues to deal with and we had to stop the in-person visits.

In those initial first 2 visits Luna and Bailey had stayed around me, and Sammie came in and out and rubbed along my legs (similar to the way he rubbed the table leg next to me).  Bug was never up from the basement. I did some distance sessions over the next couple of months but was not in contact with the parents again until May.

Postive Changes Emerge!

I went twice in May and then health issues in the household caused another pause. The 2 visits in May were similar to the initial visits, but the cat mom reported that they had been getting along better and all except Bug, had been more likely to meet visitors. They were also generally friendlier.

From Feuding Cats to a Peaceful Family

I retired at the end of the year from 42 years as a fulltime physical therapist and as a result, finally had time to get back to the cats this January.  The first time I came back I was greeted by all the cats, except Bug, but Bug did come up and sat close by during that session.  The next visit all the cats came and sat around me and did not fight.

My last visit this past week, the cat dad, who had never come downstairs when I was there, came down very excitedly to tell me that they had people over on Valentine’s Day and not only did all the cats, including Bug greet them, but Bug got up on an ottoman and rolled over letting everyone scratch his belly! He also said Luna was getting better about her food insecurity. He could only account for the change to be from the Reiki sessions because it happened so quickly relative to the years they have had issues with fights and stranger danger.

The Future Looks Bright!

Now they all come around and come in and out of the space calmly and are usually all resting as I leave, except Sammie who always wants to say good-bye.  I plan to see them one more time as the parents feel things are really good now.  I will stand by if they need more support for in-person or distance work as they prefer.

By SARA Practitioner Judy Holmes

Visit our classes page to learn more about our offerings and embark on your own journey of transformative animal connection.

If you need extra support or have questions, consider joining Leah D’Ambrosio, Co-Founder of the Shelter Animal Reiki Association free Wednesday support calls where we talk about all things Animal Reiki including presenting, starting a business, and the ins and outs of sharing and offering this inc. To receive alerts about the Wednesday call, upcoming classes and Animal Reiki news, be sure to sign up for our newsletter.

Animal Reiki: How Agency Empowers Animal Healing

I’ll get right to the point. There are many aspects of The Let Animals Lead® (LAL) Method of Animal Reiki, but “agency” is a key factor in this unique method. In this article, I’m going to focus on agency as it relates to the 6 Pillars.

Applying Reiki to humans has been done for over a century. With the help of her dog, Dakota, Kathleen Prasad pioneered Animal Reiki in 1998, which uses a very different approach than the way Reiki is shared with humans. In Kathleen’s own words found on her website, The Let Animals Lead Method® is “a mindful way to help animals. Animal Reiki Source is about using meditative techniques to make the world a better place for you and your animals. We teach you to create an inviting, calm space for animals that is ideal for their healing.”

The Let Animals Lead Method® of Animal Reiki is built on the foundation of 6 Pillars. In this article, I will list these pillars and show how they relate to animal agency. Kathleen explains what agency means, “With the LAL® method, we create the healing space within ourselves and all around us and the animals choose to use that healing space to help themselves find peace, calm, and whatever kind of healing they need.” So, agency is all about giving animals choice.

Pillar 1 (This method is based on traditional Reiki meditation techniques and philosophy)

LAL® focuses on meditation and our own practice, which enables us to let go and BE Reiki. When we create the space and invite the animals in, this gives them agency to make this choice. We then hold the space and allow the animal to guide the session.

Pillar 2 (Touch is only used when animals seek it out, and then only as a compassionate support)

Animals are very sensitive to energy, so touch is not needed to facilitate healing. Agency is allowing the animals to choose and initiate if, when and where they want touch.

Pillar 3 (Mental focus techniques develop an “All is Well” state of mind for the practitioner, who sees the animal’s perfection in the present moment, rather than focusing on what’s wrong)

We don’t want to bring pity or other emotions into a session, so by focusing on the animal’s bright Light rather than on their issues we are supporting them and giving them agency to shine their inner Light.

Pillar 4 (Meditation is taught as a state of mind with flexible physical forms)

Through our regular practice of meditation, we develop a compassionate way of life. This affects how we view and interrelate with other sentient beings, including the animals we share Reiki with, and any other animals we encounter, such as in nature. This allows us to give the animals agency during our interactions with them. As an example, I ask permission before I take photos of any beings in nature (animals, birds, plants, trees, insects, etc.) and then I thank them.

Pillar 5 (Animal Reiki is mindfulness meditation practiced “with” our animals rather than an energy therapy done “to” them)

To me, this Pillar most directly speaks to an animal’s agency. I equate mindfulness with presence. The best way to give animals agency is to create the Reiki space and hold the space by remaining present in each moment. This allows us to let go of expectations and the need that we have to do something, etc. By focusing on the present moment, we are letting go and giving animals agency to guide the session in the way that meets their needs.

Pillar 6 (Let Animals Lead® Method practitioners acknowledge and honor each animal as a spiritual teacher and healer in their own right. Practitioners learn to listen and become receptive to their spiritual wisdom and healing gifts)

By opening up to animals as healers and teachers, we gain the perspective that they already embody the precepts. We also realize that they can teach us and heal us on many levels with their presence.

I hope this article has made the definition of “agency” clear as it applies to the Let Animals Lead® method. If you would like further information about this method of animal Reiki, visit Animal Reiki Source and the Shelter Animal Reiki Association*.

*SARA stands for Shelter Animal Reiki Association, founded by Kathleen Prasad and Leah D’Ambrosio. “The Shelter Animal Reiki Association (SARA) is a worldwide grassroots organization dedicated to improving the lives of shelter animals and their caregivers through the Let Animals Lead® method of Animal Reiki meditation techniques.” You can find information about SARA in this website.

By SARA Teacher Deanna Iris Sava

Visit our classes page to learn more about our offerings and embark on your own journey of transformative animal connection.

If you need extra support or have questions, consider joining Leah D’Ambrosio, Co-Founder of the Shelter Animal Reiki Association free Wednesday support calls where we talk about all things Animal Reiki including presenting, starting a business, and the ins and outs of sharing and offering this inc. To receive alerts about the Wednesday call, upcoming classes and Animal Reiki news, be sure to sign up for our newsletter.

Animal Reiki and Falconry: Building Trust with a Traumatized Harris’s Hawk

In the photo: Falconer kneeling in the forest with a Harris’s hawk, Bea, showing the bird’s relaxed demeanor post-hunt, illustrating a successful example of animal Reiki and trust-building in falconry.

Animals have always made more sense to me than humans, particularly birds, so it comes as no surprise to anyone in my life that I am a licensed falconer and certified in the Let Animals Lead® method of animal reiki. In May of 2023, I was given a Harris’s hawk, Bea, that was deemed “too difficult” for several other falconers to work with. The difficult behaviours that she came to me with included fearful reactions toward humans, self-harm, and hypervigilance. Fear and anxiety are the energy that Bea emanated when I got her. She had a tendency to pluck her feathers out, bate/jump away from my glove when I approached her with it, and would not stand on the glove if I was moving in any way, even if it was only to shift my weight.

The simple fact that she had been handed off by several falconers before she made it to me is enough to initiate anxiety in any creature that depends on social bonds. This is not to place blame on anyone because her behaviours were honestly quite challenging to manage. If I am being honest, Bea’s behaviours initially made me want to give up on her as well. However, Harris’s hawks are “most sociable than birds of prey…often seen in groups of three or more”. In the context of falconry, the falconer becomes the hawk’s hunting group. In his book “Understanding the Hand Me Down Harris’”, Eiser reiterates that “we must remind ourselves that the [hand me down Harris’] has dealt with at least 1 other trainer. If bating out of fear, earn her trust, be her partner, DNA dictates she needs this” (Eiser, 2019, p.30).  Bea was absolutely bating and plucking out of fear because this bird’s trust had been broken by all the humans that had handled her before me.  Therefore, I knew that my first step in working with this beautiful predator was to calm her fearful behaviours by establishing trust.

Animal Reiki and Falconry: Building Trust with a Traumatized Harris's Hawk
Smiling falconer in a winter setting, holding a content Harris’s hawk on a gloved hand, mantling over her food clearly not distressed representing the bond formed through the Let Animals Lead® method of animal Reiki.

Animal Reiki for Animal Wellness: A Journey of Healing and Transformation for Bea

If I am being honest, Bea’s behaviours initially made me want to give up on her.  She did not seem happy and I did not feel equipped to work with her particular quirks. It has been said that “everything the [hand me down Harris’” has experienced, good and bad, is a mystery to be solved” (Eiser, 2019, 16).  Once I was able to determine that trust was the missing piece of the puzzle, that became my focus. This is where reiki came into play.

At this time, I was on a leave from my work and focusing my energy on learning animal reiki, which “is an energetic way to connect with animals…that allows them to relax and feel safe enough for their bodies and minds to begin healing from within”. It is a hands-off, compassion-based meditative practice that is invitational and can “help domestic animals—pets, rescues, and shelter animals—but it can also help wild animals”. Bea is not technically wild, as she was captive-born but she is still a hawk…a raptor…a dinosaur.  One evening, after another frustrating training session, I decided to put Bea back into her house and offer some reiki to this dinosaur as I stood outside of her space.  To my surprise, she fell asleep while I was practicing!  From that moment on, I was committed to continuing my reiki practice with Bea.  Before starting the next session with Bea, I asked her if she was okay with my presence in her space.  Seemingly in response, she jumped from her low perch up to her sleeping spot so I conducted the session within her space and she fell asleep again!

From Bating to Free-Flying: Bea’s Remarkable Progress Through Trust and Animal Reiki

It was clear that something was happening in these sessions.  My practice with Bea continued with the 6 pillars of the Let Animals Lead® method of animal reiki guiding my way.  These pillars emphasize the autonomy and power of the animal.  As my practice with Bea progressed, I found that I was able to shift my weight with her on my glove without her bating out of fear.  Then I could take a step, then a few steps, then a few more.  Before I knew it, I had her flying on creance (long leash) to me from a distance of one meter, then 5 meters, and soon enough she was free-flying to me.  She was choosing me and it was becoming easier to choose her.  I am elated to say that she is now a fantastic falconry bird that flies along with me and is unbothered by dogs or humans that may also join us in the field.  Her progress over the last six months has been transformational.  The anxious presence that Bea once emanated is gone and, like the phoenix, a new bird has emerged from the ashes.

Conclusion: The Power of Animal Reiki and Trust

Part of her success is the establishment of trust through animal reiki.  I believe that another aspect contributing to her success has been the power of reiki itself.  Though not every aspect of reiki can be or has been explained cognitively, reiki has been noted to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which comes with many benefits, including decreased heart rate and cortisol levels, leading to a decrease in stress and anxiety.  Truth be told, I do not need reiki to make sense to me because I have experienced its power with Bea.

By Heather Antoni
Certified Let Animals Lead® Practitioner

References

Lay, Jacqui. 2010. “Bird Brained ‐ The Neurology and Neurophysiology of Anxiety in Birds.” AAVAC/UEPV Annual Conference.
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. n.d. “Trauma.” CAMH.
Government of Canada, Statistics Canada. 2022. “Survey on Mental Health and Stressful Events, August to December 2021.” The Daily. May 20, 2022.
“Harris’s Hawk.” n.d. Audubon.
McManus, David E. 2017. “Reiki Is Better than Placebo and Has Broad Potential as a Complementary Health Therapy.” Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine 22 (4): 1051–57.
Prasad, Kathleen. 2024. “Animal Reiki Information.” Animal Reiki Source. 2024.

Visit our classes page to learn more about our offerings and embark on your own journey of transformative animal connection.

If you need extra support or have questions, consider joining Leah D’Ambrosio, Co-Founder of the Shelter Animal Reiki Association free Wednesday support calls where we talk about all things Animal Reiki including presenting, starting a business, and the ins and outs of sharing and offering this inc. To receive alerts about the Wednesday call, upcoming classes and Animal Reiki news, be sure to sign up for our newsletter.

Miraculous Rescue: How Animal Reiki Freed a Trapped Coyote

Imagine a frantic mother coyote watching her cub desperately struggle in a soccer net. This harrowing scene unfolded for Moira Archer, a student trained in the unique Let Animals Lead® Method of Animal Reiki. Witness Moira’s incredible story, showcasing the transformative power of compassion and the gentle approach of this method of Animal Reiki.

From Fear to Freedom: A Breathtaking Encounter

Labor Day morning took a remarkable turn for Moira and her friend Jerry. While walking, they spotted a young coyote entangled in a net, its mother watching anxiously nearby. Time was of the essence, and Moira sprang into action, guided by her Animal Reiki training.

Instead of traditional “beaming Reiki” and focusing on what was wrong, Moira embraced the Let Animals Lead® principle, which is all about creating a safe and calm space. She envisioned “breathing love and light,” reassuring the frightened animal of its imminent rescue. Miraculously, the mother coyote remained remarkably still, trusting the unfolding events.

With patience and respect, Moira carefully cut the net, prioritizing the animal’s well-being. Throughout the 25-minute ordeal, the young coyote exhibited astonishing calmness, a stark contrast to potential stress from forceful methods. Finally free, the cub reunited with its mother, a heartwarming testament to the effectiveness of this unique approach.

Beyond Human Reiki: The Let Animals Lead® Difference

Moira’s experience highlights the distinction between traditional Reiki and the Let Animals Lead® Method. This innovative approach prioritizes animal autonomy, focusing on building trust and respecting their boundaries rather than imposing energy. Animals actively participate in their healing journey, leading to remarkable results even with sensitive creatures like wild coyotes.

Unleashing Compassion: Start Your Journey

Moira’s story serves as a beacon of hope, demonstrating the profound impact of compassionate, animal-centered practices. If you’re drawn to connect with animals on a deeper level and facilitate their well-being through gentle, respectful methods, explore the Let Animals Lead® Method.

Visit our classes page to learn more about our offerings and embark on your own journey of transformative animal connection.

If you need extra support or have questions, consider joining my free Wednesday support calls where we talk about all things Animal Reiki including presenting, starting a business, and the ins and outs of sharing and offering this inc. To receive alerts about the Wednesday call, upcoming classes and Animal Reiki news, be sure to sign up for our newsletter.

By Leah D’Ambrosio, Co-Founder of the Shelter Animal Reiki Association

8 Top Tips for Gaining Confidence as a Let Animals Lead® Animal Reiki Practitioner

It’s not always easy to feel confident as an Animal Reiki practitioner. The best way to gain confidence is to go back to our fundamentals: daily meditation and remember the Reiki precepts. And as one diligently practices consistently, one gains confidence in their ability to hold space for others.

Confidence can be achieved from practice, and this includes sharing with not just animals, but also their people. Here are some habits to put in place to keep your confidence bucket full:
1. Be prepared – practice daily meditations and truly reflect on Reiki Precepts.
2. Give yourself a positive affirmation, such as, “All is well.” Choose a positive mindset.
3. Log your achievements – keep a journal on experiences. Remember that every experience is not filled with “unicorns.” Sometimes your encounter is unimaginable! Those experiences are also useful lessons. Do not expect each session/encounter to be the same. Knowing and practicing the fundamentals allows one to adapt to any situation.
4. Self-care – This is fundamental to success: sleep, exercise, and diet. Make it a habit like your meditation practice.
5. Change the narrative when self-doubt tries to jeopardize your encounter. If one believes they will fail, ask what evidence supports this belief.
6. Practice “Hands-On Self Practice.”
7. Understand and acknowledge the Pillars, and above all Let Animals Lead®.
8. Be kind to all you encounter. It provides a positive environment. Feeling “good” helps gain confidence.

At the end of the day, if only one of these “tips” resonate, I hope it is Let Animals Lead®. One may fool a human, but one will not fool an animal. Animals know what is in one’s heart and the energy and potential one possesses. Breathe, pull back and respect their lead.

By SARA Practitioner Susan von Grimmenstein

 

HEART – A SPECIAL, BEAUTIFUL GIRL WHO TAUGHT ME SO MUCH!

Two  months ago a six year old dog named Heart came to our shelter. She had been saved from a pigsty where she probably lived her whole life. After the shabby life she had, coming to the shelter wasn’t good for her either. The barking and the crowded conditions were stressful. She was not adjusting well. She was out of herself all the time – restless and running around constantly. When we approached her cage she would run away and hide.

She left one type of prison and came to another and that realization was hard for me to take.

I wanted her to feel safe and cared for now. I wanted her to know she is important and loved.

I started to visit her almost every day even if I only had a minute to spare. I would stop and say, “Hi, I love you, You are safe. You are beautiful. All is well.” Sometimes I did the Joshin Kokuyo Ho (Breath of Light) meditation. SometimesI would just take a few deep breaths.

I also put her in my meditations at home and in my distance Reiki sessions. Even with this support, she was still very restless. Constantly pacing and walking in circles all the time and listening to every sound from outside. She rarely sat in her bed or behind the bed.

A few days ago I was sitting in her kennel and doing a meditation with my eyes closed. I felt her come up and sniff me. This was the first time she’d made physical contact! My eyes were immediately filled with tears and my heart full of gratitude! But I just stayed still.. She continued to walk around.

When I was finished, I slowly reached my hand to her, and she didn’t run away. I gently touched her, and she stayed! I thanked her from the bottom of my heart.

The next day I came to visit her and sat in the corner of her cage like I always do, without any expectations. I went into my meditation and she walking around restless but did stop to sniff me.

And then the most miraculous thing happened! She came around me and stood in the small space in the corner, between me and the fence! Stood there for a while, looking around, still very unsure. I said to her, “Oh my dear love. You came here? So nice, well done, you are a good girl.” Or something to that effect. She then slid down onto the floor put her paws on me, and just surrendered.

I gently started stroking her side and she stayed there. I started to move my hand all over her body and she just stayed there, trusting me. You can view a video of this session here.

At that moment, I realized what the Let Animals Lead® Method was all about. It was like she was telling me – “I’m still scared and don’t know how to do this, but I trust you and I surrender to you. It feels so good to feel loved and safe.”

Can you imagine how touched and emotional I was??

I am still very emotional with this experience and still think about it a lot. It means so much to me. And it means so much to have more and more proof of how powerful and deep all of the Let Animals Lead® method of Animal Reiki’s techniques are.

She is doing better and better every day! She trusts me completely and ven goes out of her cage with me now. I can pet her, brush her, and carry her! It’s such a huge transformation!

It is my hope she will continue to feel better and better with all of us at the shelter. I believe one day Heart will open her heart to the world also. But if she doesn’t, she will still be loved just the way she is. She is beautiful, amazing and perfect, just the way she is.

Just a special and wonderful soul.

By Monika Hudin – located in Croatia

SARA Animal Reiki Practitioner

 

Just for Today

In the Let Animals Lead® Method of Animal Reiki, the precepts are a cornerstone of the teaching. Jemmy Siefert, a recent graduate from SARA’s Animal Reiki for Animal Reiki Practitioners class, found profound inspiration in this practice and the precepts. She composed a beautiful, heartfelt poem embodying their essence, a gift she graciously is sharing with all of us.

Just for Today

Do not worry
You’re still worthy

You’re a spark of divinity
Wrapped in a human body
We’re all here to learn

Stay true to the way
and your own being

Just for today
Do not anger – Accept
Do not worry – Accept
Have gratitude for your blessings
Devote yourself to your practice
Be kind to all beings
including yourself

Hold space and remember

You are worthy of
The love of the Universe

Written by Jemmy Siefert
Let Animal Lead® method of Animal Reiki Practitioner

If you have a poem, a story or a vlog about how the Let Animals Lead® method has changed your life and/or the life of an animal, please submit it to us for review at [email protected].

The Many Ways Animals Show Us the Light

Some practices in the Let Animals Lead program connect us to the light of the sun and the moon. Meditating on these celestial bodies has inspired me to consider the ways nature shows us the light.

The sun generates light, so when we bring the sun into our meditation it reminds us that we, too, generate light. All of the Let Animals Lead meditations help us to nurture our inner light and keep it bright. When we are able to become a beacon of gentle light, animals will be drawn to us and to a healing space of compassion and love. Through all three levels of the Let Animals Lead program we learn how to keep ourselves centered and balanced so that our own light can shine.

In contrast to the sun, the moon reflects light. When we bring the moon into our meditation it reminds us to welcome in the light around us and reflect it far and wide. We learn how to radiate the light in the Let Animals Lead program through the precepts, the pillars, the symbols, the guidelines, and the meditations. For example, the Reiki Space Meditation (Joshin Kokyu Ho) teaches us how to breathe in the light and then expand it outward into the universe as we exhale.

As I thought about how the sun generates light and the moon reflects it, I invited in animal totems that embodied bioluminescence (firefly) and iridescence (dragonfly).

Iridescence refers to a “refraction of light waves” (Merriam-Webster). When we see iridescent feathers of a peacock or hummingbird, or the wings of a butterfly or dragonfly, we see how the light keeps changing the brightness of the reflected colors. I experienced this not long ago when I was asked to offer Animal Reiki to an elderly Brazilian Rainbow Boa named Pele who was having difficulty climbing in his enclosure. I was amazed to see how Pele’s iridescent scales glowed purple in the sunlight. The entire length of him was surrounded in purple light as he moved. It was absolutely mesmerizing. With iridescent animals, we are drawn not just to the beauty of the colors, but that glimpse of flashing light. It reminds us of the energy and intensity that exists in even the slightest light, like that from feathers or scales or the waning sliver of the moon.

Bioluminescence is the “emission of light from a living organism” (Merriam-Webster). It can occur in marine creatures, plants, fungi, worms, insects and even some bacteria. Some naturalists and researchers refer to bioluminescence as “living light.” (For example, David Attenborough refers to “living light” in his fascinating program about the extensive networks of glowing underground fungi.)

I love this term “living light” in the context of Animal Reiki. For those animals that are bioluminescent, living light is a state of being. But all the light animals show us, or that we see in nature, can be considered a state of being. It is a natural part of their existence. For humans, we have forgotten this innate light and our Animal Reiki meditations remind us to both welcome in the light and nurture our own light. For us, the term “living light” can be a description of our being and an action. In other words, it is what we are and what we strive to do:  be the light, live the light.

While animals can show us literal light, such as bioluminescence and iridescence, they also connect us to a deeper spiritual light. I vividly recall one day that I was completely distracted with to-do lists and preparing for my workday until I suddenly stopped and gasped. My beloved yellow rescue canary, Weeble, was sitting near a window and he was literally glowing in the sunlight. The sun wasn’t just making him bright, the light was enhancing his color and passing between the barbs of his feathers to create a halo around him. The effect was so powerful and beautiful that I was breathless for a moment and just stood watching him bask in the sun. He was completely present in the moment and experiencing the joy of the light. Weeble was a bright beacon for me in that moment, and seeing the peace that came with being present in the light was truly inspiring.

Animals remind us every day of the light. When we feel that beautiful moment of deep connection with an animal, we feel the light. We practice our meditations so that we can reflect and shine the light for them; in turn, we gratefully accept the light they offer to us. The more we open ourselves to seeing all the light around us, even the subtlest glow, the more we are able to welcome in and nurture the light within us.

Eventually we come to realize that there is no difference between generating and reflecting light, or inner and outer light. It is all one light. By simply remembering that we are all connected by one light, we can connect even deeper with animals. We can be luminous and bright for our animals, for wildlife, and for all of nature. All light connects us and leads us to oneness. Animals already know this, but they shine bright every day, in so many ways, to remind us.

By SARA Practitioner Lisa Pichnarcik

What Turtles Taught Me about Animal Reiki and Enrichment

This year I had the opportunity to offer the Let Animals Lead Method® of Animal Reiki to wildlife and non-releasable animals at a local nature center. The staff asked me to offer Reiki to two non-releasable Eastern Box Turtles; Zeus, an 80-year-old with arthritis, and Roger, a young turtle with a shell birth defect. It has been an honor to offer Animal Reiki to these turtles, and it has developed into an amazing learning experience for me. The turtles have truly been my teachers.

Turtles are very sensitive to our energy; however, their ability to show their preferences or willingness to accept Animal Reiki can be extremely subtle. Unlike a dog or a cat that can run out of the room if they choose to decline a session, land-based turtles are very slow moving. They may already be tucked into their shells or their burrows or hideaways before I’ve even approached their tanks. I’ve learned to watch for the subtlest movements of their bodies – a stretch of the neck or slight turn of the head, a small dig of the nails into the soil, a retracting or extending of a leg, or a very slow crawl toward or away from me. It is definitely a lesson in patience and observation!

With the Let Animals Lead® approach, I offer Animal Reiki with an open mind and heart. I invite the turtles to participate if they choose, and I do not pick them up or remove them from their enclosures. Instead, I observe their subtle responses, and I use my Reiki eyes and feel with my heart in order to gauge their comfort with how close I can approach their tanks. I also watch for subtle signs of comfort or discomfort if I hover my hands near the glass walls of their tanks.

In my practice with turtles, I keep myself open to whatever arises. Roger and Zeus are in separate tanks in different rooms at the nature center, with a variety of other turtles also in those rooms. What has been particularly interesting is that during each individual session with them I have become aware of another turtle watching me. In each instance, a turtle crawled, or in one case swam, across their tank to observe what I was doing. It reinforced for me that having an open mind and heart allows a variety of animals to step into the space, even when I think I am intending to share Animal Reiki with a specific animal.

As this pattern of being observed continued during my sessions with Zeus and Roger, I turned one day and looked into the eyes of an Ornate Box Turtle named Toby. He had moved across his tank and was observing me. In that moment I had a revelation. This wasn’t just Animal Reiki. This was also enrichment.

Enrichment is significant for animal welfare. It is a key aspect of mental, behavioral, and physical well-being for animals that are in human care, especially those in nature centers, rehabilitation clinics, sanctuaries, zoos, and other similar facilities. I spent over a decade as a wildlife rehabilitator and caregiver for non-releasable raptors. I know that enrichment is a vital part of creating a healthy environment for animals where they can explore natural behaviors, be comfortably curious about new stimuli, and most importantly, have choice as to what enrichment they engage with in their environment. Having choice, or agency, is a key aspect of both Animal Reiki and enrichment. When we go inward during our Animal Reiki practice, we enable animals to choose whether to step into a healing space of compassion and love.

As a theory and application, animal enrichment is often thought of as providing natural foraging or simulated hunting opportunities, access to materials that allow for natural movements such as climbing, placement of toys or objects for mental stimulation, and/or facilitating safe interactions with other animals. But Animal Reiki can also be a means of animal enrichment. It is an opportunity for connection, engagement, healing, mental stimulation, and emotional support, all through a natural energy that is already familiar to animals. I believe the Let Animals Lead® method easily fits into the theory of animal enrichment.

In the situation with Zeus and Roger, my practice also created a space where other turtles felt comfortable to investigate and observe. Even if the other turtles chose not to connect with Animal Reiki, they did choose to be curious and observe on their own terms my meditation practice. This experience of observing an Animal Reiki session could also be considered enrichment. They became aware that something was happening in their environment, they approached to investigate, and they had agency to make a decision on whether or not to connect.  This concept of Reiki as enrichment has the potential to broaden the scope of the impact of Animal Reiki on animals.

But enrichment is not just for animals, it’s also for us. The Let Animals Lead® Method of Animal Reiki enriches us physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It opens us to new and exciting connections with animals, with each other, and with all of the natural world. Our meditation facilitates these connections. Our curiosity causes our practice to grow as we explore new meditation techniques, as well as additional therapies and modalities to offer animals (e.g., herbals, crystals, nutrition, training, end of life care, etc.). Animal Reiki is truly the path to enrichment for both us and animals.

As I reflect on this connection between Animal Reiki and enrichment, several questions arise for me. How does the concept of Animal Reiki as enrichment enhance my practice? How does this concept expand my understanding and awareness of how animals engage with the Let Animals Lead® Method of Animal Reiki? How can the concept of enrichment become part of my dialogue when discussing the Let Animals Lead® Method of Animal Reiki with nature centers, sanctuaries, shelters or other animal care facilities? To help frame this concept in our Animal Reiki community, I invite practitioners to share their thoughts and experiences on Animal Reiki as enrichment.

By SARA Practitioner Lisa Pichnarcik

Explaining Animal Reiki with Confidence

When I was a child, we would leave our city home to drive several hours to visit family in the country on a monthly basis.  My aunt and uncle lived a fairly simple lifestyle and seemed to always be building their house.  My uncle was a very skilled person; he built the house they lived in; he had mechanical skills, he grew his own food and he designed a manmade lake in his backyard and stocked it with trout.

One time as my uncle was preparing for a barbecue, he realized he needed a few ingredients.  There was no corner store to go buy groceries, so he said to my brother; “want to come for a ride down to Jim’s place to borrow some of the ingredients I need for dinner?”  Off they went to Jim’s in my uncle’s junkyard car.  Jim lived a couple of miles down a very twisted and winding road.

After a few minutes of driving down the winding country road, my uncle turns to my brother and says “put on your seatbelt son and brace yourself for a hard stop.”  My brother says, “is there something wrong?” My uncle answers, “no there is nothing wrong, it’s just that the brakes on this car don’t work and I’m going to have to hit a tree to stop the car.”  Sure enough, they get to Jim’s house, and my uncle hits a tree to stop the car.

The two of them visited Jim for a bit, borrowed the ingredients my uncle needed and then they headed back to the car to drive home.  My brother mentioned to my uncle that he didn’t think it was a very good idea to drive home in that car as the brakes were not working.  My uncle looks at my brother with a rather perplexed expression on his face and says, “it will be fine son, there are plenty of trees for me to hit.”

The moral of the story is not everyone sees things in the same light.  The ending of this story reminds me of how I feel when I try to explain Reiki to people, especially Animal Reiki.  I often get that perplexed expression when I explain that I meditate with animals.  “You meditate with animals,” they say.  You can just hear the disbelief in the tone of their voice.  “Yes, to become one with the animals,” I say.   “To become one with the animals you say.”  Again, the tone, the look and the body language tell me they are not buying it.

Unfortunately, not everyone is going to have your perspective and not everyone feels the same way about animals that an Animal Reiki practitioner does. I have found explaining Animal Reiki to be my biggest obstacle.  I often feel awkward and seem to not have the right words to properly explain Animal Reiki.  I’ve come to realize that I have allowed others’ opinions on this subject to hinder me from doing my best work.  Through much meditation and self-talk, I’ve come to the conclusion that all I have to do is live my life authentically, continue to work with animals using Kathleen Prasad’s “Let Animals Lead®” Method and be the best person I can be.  If we live our purpose, then the right people and the right circumstances will fall into place.

Below I have written five practices that I personally follow to beat the awkwardness of explaining Animal Reiki:

  1. The Shelter Animal Reiki Association (SARA) has great resources for practitioners and teachers – go to the SARA website and print off the various documents that will aid you when speaking to someone or an organization about the “Let Animals Lead® Method of Animal Reiki”.
  2. Remember, not everyone will buy what you have to say and that is ok.  Reiki can be a hard sell and Animal Reiki can be an even harder sell. Be authentic and all will fall into place.
  3. The right people will come along.  Just like Kevin Costner’s Field of Dreams, “If you build it, they will come.”  My personal motto for Animal Reiki is, “if you live it, they will come.”
  4. Don’t take things personally, we are not responsible for everyone’s issues or misgivings, we are responsible to be our most authentic self, honest in our work and at peace with the animals.
  5. Practice what you preach.  Meditate daily, meditate with the precepts daily, practice self-Reiki and above all always preserve your wellbeing. Get your rest, proper nutrition and if you need to take a break from it all, walk in nature.  Nature has a way of bringing you home.

Simply put, Reiki brings people and community together.  Change starts with one person and that change starts with us.  Recently I was struck by a comment while listening to a podcast with Dr. Zach Bush; “Have you ever considered the profound connection between being human and how we interact with the natural world around us?  What if our true purpose is not just to exist as individuals but to embrace our role as part of the greater ecosystem.”  I feel as animal practitioners we have an important role in the partnership with the ecosystem and my belief is that the world is starting to open to the connection between animals, environment and our existence.  Perspectives are starting to shift along with our priorities and many of us are realizing where our heart belongs.

By SARA Teacher Johanne Fraser

 

A Dedication to Picasso

I want to share a story about my buddy, Picasso, a homeless dog who was placed at a dog shelter in Croatia where I work.

Picasso came to us in very bad condition. He was full of ticks and had a big wound on his back end. The wound turned out to be a tumor which wasn’t operabile. It had already spread to his pelvic and bones.

But despite his issues, that boy, that was a happy, smiling boy!  He was full of joy, full of life, full of kindness!

We decided we would give him everything he needed as long as he wanted to stay with us as long as he did not suffer. We would make sure he felt safe and loved and we would be his family. The family he never had before.

Dear Picasso was with us for 10 months. During that time he was an incredible teacher and a huge inspiration! To me, and to all of us at the shelter!

I tried to find time every day to spend with him, for a few minutes at least. He always enjoyed our time together, our cuddles, and snacks. 😉  I took him out on the grass on our playing field – it was something he enjoyed soooo much! (One of his videos  which I really like, was one of the first times he was out on the big field: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g49BJsbMU44)

Seeing him happy and running around meant so much to me! His joy and will for life was always contagious and you just had to smile with him..  He was a miracle dog! I always felt that.. satisfied with everything, peaceful, good with everyone, patient, clean. Such a wonderful dog soul.

A few months ago I started my Animal Reiki for Reiki Practitioners course with SARA Co-Founder, Leah. Even before that Picasso was one of my Reiki buddies 😉 I offered him Reiki and often sat with him in the space of love in his cage.

When I started the course, I did my Joshin Kokyu Ho Meditations with him almost every day and spent time with him even more, whenever I had the opportunity.  I just felt his light, his pure happiness, pure joy and pure love every time we were together.

I usually have problems with visualizing things. In meditation the light doesn’t come easy to my mind. And also with him, I didn’t “see” his light, but I sure felt it – all the time!  His warmth, his being in the present moment, his warm look in his eyes when I was telling him “I love you”, his joy and happiness when he was running  through the field on his 3 legs, smiling like everything is perfect – everything really was perfect in these moments! Totally “All is Well” moments! 😊 He taught me sooo much!

And what a master of precepts he was! It was just amazing! He was probably in pain, with the big wound he had, and all the disease inside his body. I can’t even imagine it. Even with painkillers, he was most likely in a lot of pain. But I was always amazed to see how he always kept his cage clean and how he was always satisfied with everything.

Also, he could have been so worried and angry when we cleaned his wound for example, but he just trusted us and was always so peaceful and patient. Always so perfectly present in every moment when we were together, when we cuddled, when we ran through the field in the sun. He was perfectly happy and grateful and humble and honest.  It was so touching for me to see him like that. So honestly happy and enjoying each moment.

But I also have to say,  everyone who saw him, even my colleagues, were like “Oh, poor Picasso, I feel so sorry for him”.  I had to tell them no, please, don’t feel sorry for him. Just look at his smile, look at his joy, look how wonderful and happy his soul is!
And I knew it to be true. I totally felt it and I feel it now, even though he is not with us anymore. He feels my love and I feel his.

When we were together in meditations, I somehow felt like our lights were merging as one, like our souls understood each other.

One time when I entered his cage, he was sleeping so deeply. I tried to be very quiet, sat down, started to meditate, and listened to his breathing. He woke up after a few minutes, realized I was there, came to me and put his head in my lap. I continued with the meditation and at the same time petting him through his soft fur. It was a very emotional and peaceful moment. I know he enjoyed it really deeply also.

A few days later he was happy and went out in the morning, but in the afternoon he couldn’t anymore. And I knew it was time. I saw it in his eyes. It was time for him to go.

I had an opportunity to talk to an animal communicator who contacted him before he left us.  He told her soooooooo many wonderful things about him and about his life with us and how satisfied and calm he was with everything. He told her how he loved me and loved to spend time with me.

And one of the most amazing things he told her as he said I shouldn’t be sad, and he showed her my stomach and told her i should continue to do breathing exercises! Can you imagine that? I was just blown away! It was something I had shared with him, and no one even knew about it. He saw how important it was for me! He is just a real angel.

I was with him the next morning when he was passing. I was holding him in my arms, repeating I loved him, repeating what a miracle dog he was. He was so calm and peaceful.

I was crying the entire time, but not so much of sadness but because of the love and gratitude I felt. And because I was so touched and privileged to know such a special soul, to be a part of his life. I was honored and blessed to be touched by his wisdom, and by his pure love and light.

I really never see things like that, but with his last breath I felt warmth inside me and i immediately saw him smiling and running, happy, healthy, without any pain..

I still often think of him, I often think of lessons he taught me, and he often comes to my mind in meditations. And I’m very thankful for that!

His beautiful light will always shine in my heart.

By SARA Practitioner Monika Hudin

Animal Reiki on a Fireworks Night

(transcribed with permission)

Hello, Beautiful humans! My name is Lancelot. I live near the Himalayas with my human, Idee, and her other cat, Frodo Bond (aka Bond). Idee says I am her handsome orange tabby. Me? I am more modest, though I don’t mind the attention. I’m a big fan of Animal Reiki. Idee has been trying to write about my experience with Reiki, and I decided to help her. This is our story about how Animal Reiki helped us all on a Diwali night.

The background

Have you heard of Diwali? It is an appalling time of the year, and I am certain that human logic takes a vacation then. Why else would humans gather together to make that horrific loud racket (they call it firecrackers)? It shakes me to my bones, and I feel the sky is about to fall.

It was October 2022, and we had just shifted to a new house. I knew that Idee was tense, and she was doing her internet thing, trying to figure out how to survive the night. She thinks I don’t know. But I do. And I saw the checklist she had. I know because I have sat on it.

How the night started

Just after I watched Grandfather Sun go down over the horizon, I heard this dreadful large sound. What on earth was that? I have never heard anything like that before. I flattened my ears, and my eyes widened. What on earth? Run! I ran inside my room. And then what do I see? Idee is pacing around, looking anxious.

That did not help. If Idee is worried, then there must be something off. I added her unease on top of mine. And little Bond was just about two months then. His eyes were the biggest I had ever seen. And just then, there was another burst of clamor. Bond whimpered.

Now, if Idee is worried and Bond is whimpering, what was I supposed to do? Soon there was more pandemonium outside. I was convinced by then that the world was coming to an end. I tried hiding inside my cave but still worried about Idee. What would Idee do if the world was ending?

Animal Reiki to our rescue

And then, just like that, I saw Idee smiling. She settled in between Bond and me. I could feel her relaxing. Now this was a very familiar feeling. We do this every evening. Idee calls it Animal Reiki. I call it that-yummy-thing. Idee gets so relaxed that I can sense that relaxation even if she were light-years away. Everything around Idee feels so silent and so still. And Bond and I, we join with her in that stillness. We hit a pause button, and the world stops spinning. I, too, hit a pause on my catnip toys, chasing Bond and wondering when the treat-time will come. That Diwali night, we hit the pause button on worrying. After having practiced with Idee, the pause came naturally that night. My oh-so-familiar that-yummy-thing. Why did Idee not think of this earlier?

The noise was disgusting and grew worse as the evening turned into night. But Idee was relaxed. That made me feel calm. Though I wish someone would do something about that din, and make it stop. I asked her, “Why don’t you do something, Idee? Make that racket go away.” She smiled and said, “How about we include all the street dogs and cats, too?” This, too, we have done before, and it feels like being a gigantic bubble. I reminded her, “The birds, too.” She said, “Of course, all animals in the neighborhood are welcome.”

That night, I understood that silence and stillness are much more powerful than all that spiky disturbing chaos and clamor. We sat in that bubble for a long time. Then I heard Bond snoring. That reminded me – why should Bond have all the fun? I am signing off too. I am pretty sure Idee joined us as well.

All was well that Diwali night. All was well.

indrani das picture By SARA Teacher Indrani Das

Animal communication and Reiki are different modalities

Animal Reiki and animal communication go well together, but they’re not the same … kind of like these two. (Photo by Nancy Crowe)

While animal Reiki and animal communication make a great pair, they are separate disciplines with unique benefits. The difference is essentially between meditation and conversation.

How they work

A Reiki session is a time of meditation, relaxation, and peace. Because I am certified in the Let Animals Lead® method, the animal is always in charge of whether and how he shares the energy.

During an in-person session, which I offer in the Fort Wayne, Indiana area, a cat or dog might curl up in my lap or settle across the room. A horse may stand on the other side of the pasture, hang out in a stall, or come to meet me at the fence. I’ve even had a donkey sidle up and nudge his head under my arm! Whatever the species or context might require, I go into a meditative state and let the energy do its work.

Distant sessions are much the same, except that the animal and I are not in the same physical space. She’s generally at home relaxing with her person, hanging out with the herd, or doing whatever, while I’m in my home office — again, in a meditative state, letting the energy do its work!

During an in-person or distant Reiki session, I may receive intuitive information — but that is not the objective of the session.

An animal communication session, on the other hand, is an exchange of information. I don’t need to be in the same physical space as the animal or on the phone with the animal’s person for this. I connect with the animal telepathically, focusing my attention on what he has to share. No appointment is necessary for this.

With the animal’s permission, I work to gain insights into behavior. Or I tell her about a change coming up and ask what would help her adjust. Or I ask him how he feels about anything from his food to his person’s new boyfriend. Once I’ve talked with the animal, I email the person a summary of what we discussed. The client is always encouraged to take only what resonates and is helpful, and leave the rest.

Together but distinct

In some settings, such as a farm with multiple animals, I may do Reiki and animal communication in the same visit, but not in the same moment.

How this works might be compared to a chaplain’s rounds. Time with each animal could be spent in conversation to begin. Then we might share Reiki. After the session, we might talk a little more before I thank the animal and move to another. We wouldn’t be meditating and talking at the same time!

There is a time and a purpose to everything (Eccl. 3:1). When we let Reiki and animal communication function on their own, our animal friends get the best each has to offer.

By SARA Practitioner Nancy Crowe

VLOG: Diane Donahue session with Gloria

SARA member Diane Donahue created a beautiful Vlog where she shows part of her session with her special needs friend, Gloria. Diane shares how the Let Animals Lead® method not only helps animals like Gloria but also the caregivers. When we offer Animal Reiki in the Let Animals Lead® way, we are not only supporting the animals but also ourselves! It’s a beautiful exchange of energy. Be sure to watch and see just how effective our method is. Thank you Diane!

 

 

Reiki: Full Circle Part 1

I’m sure you have heard the saying, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear”.

My Reiki journey started about 25 years ago when I was a therapeutic recreation director in a nursing home for clients with Alzheimer’s and dementia. I went to a workshop sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association, which presented a program on Reiki. To my surprise, Reiki was effective.

While working with patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia I found that the patients often responded especially when they were sundowning and had anxiety. Reiki offered a hands-off approach to clients who did not like to be touched. I found most clients responded positively to Reiki in the evening time when sundowning usually occurred. Reiki offered a safe space and an opportunity for clients to relax.

In 2006, I adopted my second rescue dog, who became a therapy dog. I brought him to work with me. I noticed he would often sit while Reiki was being offered and was very calm and seemed to enjoy the positive space. My dog came to work with me for over 8 years. I continued to share reiki with my clients. I made a lot of notes referencing the positive effects on my clients, and I went on to become a certified Reiki master teacher.

In 2016, my world fell apart. My brother tragically died, and my mother suffered a severe stroke. I had just had my second son when all of this occurred. I was depressed, angry, grieving and not doing Reiki.

But as the saying goes, when the student is ready, the teacher will appear.

My mom ended up in a Specialized Stroke Rehabilitation Center out on Long Island. I made the 4 hour commute every week to go spend the weekend with her. When I walked into her unit for the first time, across from the nurse’s station was a huge whiteboard with the weekly schedule. To my surprise, Reiki was listed.

It was like a light went back on in my brain. I ran to my mom’s room and was so excited to tell her. She knew I did Reiki, but it was something she was not fully sure of. I convinced her to let me bring her down to the activity room where the Reiki Practitioner was.

Together we sat and listened and participated in this Reiki session. To my surprise she tried to follow along through the meditation and the self-Reiki session.

I shared Reiki with my mom every day. When she was well enough to leave the center, I brought her home with me to continue her recovery under my care. I organized everything–a visiting nurse, speech therapist, OT/PT etc. I also had Reiki on her schedule every day!

I was also heavily involved in animal rescue, fostering numerous dogs with all different issues both behavioral and medical. While searching on the Internet I came across SARA (The Shelter Animal Reiki Association). As I began to explore SARA and all of the other courses that they offered I decided to take a course with Leah and was so excited to be part of the SARA community.

I was invited to present a Reiki class at a local therapeutic horse-riding center. The response was overwhelming. The class was completely sold out and all the funds were donated to the center.

I was on the board of directors at a local Humane Society where I brought Reiki to some of the animals there. I found an overwhelming positive effect on the shelter dogs. I then began volunteering at an animal sanctuary and found that Reiki was also helping the horses, goats, pigs, ducks, cats, and other numerous animals that they had at the sanctuary.

After taking Leah’s class I began fostering a special needs dog that was blind and paralyzed. He also had cerebral palsy and had little movement on his own. As if that wasn’t enough, he also had seizures and was on numerous medications and was totally reliant upon me for every aspect of his daily care. He was on a pureed diet because he could not drink regular water. He was in diapers and needed to be changed and cleaned numerous times a day. We used a wheelchair to help him get around. His name was Jack.

Although Jack was blind and paralyzed, Jack started to thrive. I had a ritual every night where I would meditate, and Jack was often present because he slept in my bed. Often after a seizure Jack was exhausted and I felt that Reiki was the perfect companion to the aftereffects of his seizures.  Reiki offered a safe space for Jack, and it also enhanced our bond.

Jack could not see or move much on his own, I was skeptical about his recovery and what life was going to look like for him in the days, months, and years to come. Jack taught me that I could not treat him like a dog with a disability. Jack certainly didn’t act like a dog with disability. I know it sounds crazy, but Jack really was your typical dog. He wanted to play, he wanted to socialize, and he wanted to be loved.

It wasn’t until I stopped looking at Jack as a victim and feeling so sorry for him and his condition, that he really started to thrive. It was then that I made the connection with Animal Reiki and everything that I learned from SARA.  I had to let go of my expectations for Jack and I had to let go of feeling sorry for him. I had to treat him just like my other dogs.

Jack began to learn how to play soccer with his nose. He now often moved his body and was able to play with my dogs on the floor where he flopped around and had a great time. I documented much of his progress in videos showing slight movements of his legs and him really trying to get around even though his limbs were of no use.  I worked day and night doing physical therapy exercises with him, soaking his legs, doing gentle movements and most importantly Animal Reiki.

Now if you’re familiar with SARA, you’ll know that the Let Animals Lead® Method is a hands-off approach. We are not actually touching the animal and we don’t need to. Often when I would sit in meditation, Jack would come closer and closer to me until he was practically on my lap. He moved himself so that he could be connected to me. I called Jack the dog who lived because despite everything that had happened to him and all the setbacks, he was living, thriving, and having a wonderful life.

My family and I fell in love with him and decided that we were going to adopt him, and he was going to be our forever dog. We took Jack with us on vacation. We rented Airbnb homes which allowed pets. Jack was part of our everyday activities. I took him everywhere I could, including my son’s baseball games. I took him to see Santa Claus and we often had him out and about in his wheelchair where he was treated like a local celebrity.

I’ve had many dogs in my life. I’ve owned and fostered many dogs, but I must tell you there was no dog like Jack. Because Jack could not see and could not move much, it opened some type of intuition with him and a real connection mentally between us. Jack had no care or concern that he was different, he just wanted to be a dog.  He just wanted to be treated like a dog.

Jack was incontinent and he had to wear a diaper and you also never quite knew when he was going to have a bowel movement which made lying with Jack kind of tricky.  I must tell you, not once in the entire year that I had Jack did he ever have an accident in bed. Jack slept by my side every single night along with my cats.

When I look back at my time with Jack, I also realized that it took me to the next level in my animal Reiki practice. I had to let go of any expectations and any feelings like feeling sorry for him. Jack was just a regular dog to me, just one of the gang, one of our pack members. Although he did require a lot of specialized care because of his disability, I never treated him differently. I never looked at him again as a dog that was special needs. I just looked at him as Jack.

When it was time for us to let Jack go, it was quite unexpected, but I instantly shifted gears into my Reiki mode. As Jack laid on the table inside the vet’s office and all the fuss that was going on around us, I immediately just dove into that sacred space. That place where Jack and I were so familiar with one another. I wanted Jack to go in peace and happiness and light knowing that he was loved and that there was no expectation for him to stay behind just for me. I wanted Jack to go peacefully. I wanted Jack to know that even though he couldn’t see me, I knew he saw my heart. I knew Jack’s life was transitioning to another phase, I could feel his soul everywhere. Of course, I grieved, and of course it was a time of great sadness for me and my family. I also knew that the quality of Jack’s life had been so deeply enhanced by Reiki that I really felt that I did everything humanly possible for Jack.

Although my time with Jack was short and not as long as I would have liked, every moment he was here on this earth I was so grateful.  I was so thankful for the opportunity to foster Jack and to adopt him. I was also so grateful that I got to share with Jack this deep connection that I’ve never had before with any animal. Jack taught me so much in my Reiki journey. At times I can be very quiet about my Reiki experience, I don’t fully think the world understands Reiki. When you try to explain it to some people, they think that you’re crazy or they give you a funny look or they just don’t get it, but Jack got it. The hundreds of animals that I’ve cared for and fostered have gotten it.

I’m now in a place where I am fostering another dog who is paralyzed. I was drawn to her case because of the absolute horror she had been through. I knew I was the right person to help her on her healing journey. I knew that although she had been through so much and her story is so sad, I would never look at her as that sad dog. I literally had Gloria for a week before she miraculously started healing. This was a dog who was on the verge of death. I’m not sure anybody expected Gloria to thrive the way that she did and continues to.

I knew from the moment I scooped her up in my arms from the vet’s office to take her home to foster, that she was going to be loved and Reiki was going to be part of our everyday routine. Gloria has some unique challenges. She is incontinent of both bowel and bladder.  She has had a myriad of medical issues, but I still treat her like one of the gang, and don’t look at her with pity and sadness. I really believe the reason that she is healing so wonderfully is that I’m not letting myself look at her any differently.

When I set my intention for Reiki, it’s just for positivity. I feel like I’m doing Reiki for me to keep myself grounded. It also keeps me balanced so that I can tackle all these medical obstacles that Gloria has. I often find that when I’m sharing Animal Reiki, I am also benefiting immensely from this practice.

I have no expectations and that’s the hardest part to explain to people.  I don’t offer this to heal her or to make her 100% better. Dogs have always taught me to live in the moment, to just be in the moment. When Gloria and I are in that sacred space of Reiki, we are just living in the moment, and we are just bathing ourselves in light and love.  I feel that is when and where the healing occurs. While I’m just doing self-Reiki or meditating, she’s benefiting just by being right alongside me. The thing about Reiki is you’re sharing space, and you’re sharing this intention of love and unconditional acceptance.

I feel that Reiki really brings out the best in me and the best in my animals. When you work in rescue and you see all these horrific cases of abuse and neglect, it can be very overwhelming. It could make you very depressed and fatigued. What I feel Reiki gives the practitioner as well as the receiver is a chance to just be. A chance to flourish in light and love and positive energy. A place where everyone feels safe.

I’ve always been drawn to energy work. I’ve always believed deeply that energy never dies, it just continues over and over again. I don’t have any psychic abilities. I don’t talk to animals in that way. I communicate with them through Reiki, meaning I’m telling them that they’re safe, and that they are exactly where they are supposed to be. I tell them that I’m sitting right here with them and accompanying them on their journey. I don’t look at myself as a healer, I look at myself as a partner.

When I walk into a room and an animal is there, it’s an instant attraction. For me, their energy is so balanced and so deep and connected. They are connected to the earth and everything around them. It’s impossible to feel bad when you’re with animals. I’m excited to see where my Reiki journey will lead me next, but I can tell you I will have some BIG news to share in the next few months. I practice Reiki every day. I encourage you to set the time aside to do your meditations, know the Precepts by heart, and don’t get discouraged. When you don’t see what your ego is expecting to see, that is when the Reiki magic happens. Don’t become frustrated with the things that you don’t see with your eyes. Feel Reiki with your heart.

By SARA Practitioner Diane Donahue 

I offered Reiki to an injured black Wasp

“I offered Reiki to an injured black Wasp…”

He was here in the auto shop, in the cold and I brought him back to my place. We worked together for a few days and it seemed he was getting his strength back. His wings started working again….. but then he was just too weak from being in the shop in the cold from the weekend before.

Once I had him in my warm house, he perked back up and his wings started to flutter. He was crawling around on me and he would come to me when he saw me, exploring the kitchen and plants. My cats were so gentle with him and just sat with him, didn’t touch him.

He drank water, ate some honey. I made a video – it was just amazing to connect with him like that. He would communicate with me through visuals; I would see him when I closed my eyes.

I kept telling him how proud I am of him and I said, let me see your wings and he would flutter them. I said, yes we’re going to get this! I encouraged him and it was great. I could see and feel his enthusiasm.

But unfortunately, although the Reiki really helped him (he sat on the top of my hand with his wings folded, just relaxing) and he became a little stronger, he struggled and it just wasn’t enough.

Sunday afternoon, I sat next to him with my hand on the floor. He slowly walked over to my hand. I told him that we really worked together and it was such an honor to be able to do that with him, and that I’m sorry that we could not get him back to be able to fly. They depend on their wings SO much to survive.

Then he rested one little antenna on my finger, saying it’s alright.

I didn’t want to see him suffer, so I asked for his permission to help him end his physical life – so he would not be in pain and be free to fly again with new wings. He rested his whole head against my finger. I took that as a yes. (See photo.)

I cried so much. He had become a little companion. He slept in the same spot every night and greeted me when he first saw me in the morning. Again, so amazing to be able to connect like that.

I buried his little body in the soil of one of my favorite plants and wished him a good journey. And before I went to bed I got one more visual of his body glowing and him soaring around, flying free. He got his wings back.

By SARA Teacher Mel Gazdik

Lessons From Skeeter

It was a cold day in December three years ago when I first met Skeeter.  I had just moved into my new home and he was the first neighbor I encountered.  That unconditional enthusiasm that only dogs have mastered was evident in his greeting.  He danced, wagged, woofed and jumped in circles in his joy at meeting someone new.

Skeeter had a tough beginning in life.  My neighbor rescued him from the middle of a road where he stood frozen in fear.  She called to him and he ran over to her and jumped into her arms.  She said his relief was palpable.

At the Vet, they learned that Skeeter had heartworm, was not neutered and was approximately 4 years old.  From clues in his condition, the Vet felt he had most likely been used at a puppy mill as a stud, then abandoned to his fate when his services were no longer wanted.

It had been six years since that day of rescue when we met and Skeeter was a happy, healthy, neutered little boy.  A Pomeranian mix, he had a soft, fluffy coat and big waterfall ears, bright eyes and the sweetest disposition.  I fell in love with him, as does every single person who meets him.  “There’s just something about Skeeter” is a frequently heard refrain.  I occasionally shared Reiki with Skeeter during that time, sometimes in person and other times, from a distance.

Then, about three months ago, Skeeter, now around 12-13 years old, developed SARDS (Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration Syndrome) which resulted in immediate blindness.  My neighbor worked hard with Skeeter, clapping her hands and buying a clicker so he could move around with some security.  He was making the transition fairly well when it became apparent that other medical issues were also causing problems for this loving boy.  Skeeter became lethargic, showed little interest in anything, although he was still eating and drinking.  It was at this  time that I began sharing regular Reiki sessions with him.

As with everyone, both people and animals, it is important to get their permission to share Reiki.  With Skeeter, I began our sessions by placing my hands near to the front of his face where he could smell me and feel the energy.  When he gave my hand a few tongue licks I took this as his saying he was good with the Reiki session! 

When I had shared Reiki with Skeeter before he lost his vision, he let me know that he preferred a “hands-off” approach but with the loss of his sight he “asked” for physical touch. He did this by raising his head or moving his body into my hands until they were touching him, then he would settle down with a sigh.  Our Reiki sessions last about 30 minutes until he lets me know, by moving away, when it is  enough. 

After each session, my neighbor says he walks around her home more, expresses interest in going outside and seems able to locate his food and water bowls with more ease. His facial expression is more alert and he is more curious about scents.  He loves his treats afterwards!  Instead of laying “like a limp rag” he rests peacefully and comfortably.

While no one knows when Skeeter will leave us or when my neighbor will have to make the incredibly difficult decision to let him go with her help, his life and this transitional place he finds himself in, are being eased with the help of Reiki.  It’s a blessing to Skeeter and to those of us who love him to be able to help him along the way.  

By SARA Practitioner Laura Copland

Whales Without Walls

Long before I heard of Reiki, or Animal Reiki, I had a unique experience with a magnificent animal and it wasn’t until I recently took a course with Leah D’ambrosio did I realize it was a genuine Reiki experience.

A good friend of mine came to visit me in Vancouver. One of my favorite places in the city was the Vancouver Aquarium. At that time the Aquarium still had Orcas. Visiting the orcas was always a bittersweet experience for me as I found it sad to see the whales in captivity. In my opinion, the aquariums could never build an area big enough to hold such a brilliant animal, yet to see the whales up close and personal was also an experience of a lifetime.

The Vancouver aquarium had a viewing gallery where you could experience the whales in close proximity as they swam in the giant concrete tank that was their home. I suggested to my friend, who had never been to the aquarium, that we visit the whales.

It was midweek so the aquarium was not crowded and as we walked down the ramp that takes you to the viewing area for the orcas, I was mixed with excitement and sadness as I knew, as always, I would feel sentimental as I left the aquarium that day. As my girlfriend and I watched the whales swimming in the viewing area, I noticed out of the corner of my eye an indigenuous woman holding a book on the glass of the viewing tank and in front of her was an orca close to the glass and it looked as if he had his eye on her book. The woman held the opened book up against the glass for several minutes and the whale would swim a few inches above her and she would turn the page and then again hold the book up against the glass. It looked like the whale then moved back down a few inches and was in a position to eye the book.

I watched the woman for quite a while and my curiosity got the better of me, so I walked up to her and asked what she was doing. She called the whale by name, and told me that she was sharing a picture book about whales in the wild and that the whale enjoyed looking at the pictures. I remember laughing and saying to her, “I don’t believe that he is looking at the pictures in the book.” The woman then said to me, “watch closely and then tell me if you don’t believe me.”

The woman then picked a page and placed the book against the glass. This time I was standing right next to the woman and I had an up close view of the whale. As he started to come down to the book, I was astounded when I realized that his eye was indeed scanning the book and not only did he scan the page once, he scanned the page several times. The woman then looked at me and said “he will tell me when he wants the page turned.” At this point, I was speechless and even if I wanted to say something, no words could be found because I could not believe what I was witnessing.

Sure enough, when the whale finished scanning the page, he then raised up above the book and the woman said, “he has finished scanning the page and wants me to turn to another page.” She then took the book off the glass, turned the page, placed the book back on the glass and the whale came back down and his giant eye scanned the next page for several minutes. I watched this whale for what seemed like ages, with tears in my eyes, as he scanned the book. When the whale swam away, the woman showed me the book.

The book was full of beautiful pictures depicting whales in their natural habitat all through the west coast. My girlfriend was also watching, and said “oh my God I can’t believe what we’ve witnessed.” The woman then told me that she came to the aquarium every day and tried to bring different books. She said she came to keep the whales company, to sit with them, meditate and hopefully give these beautiful beings peace and comfort.

In the Reiki practitioner course with Leah, we discussed being present with an animal no matter what the conditions the animal was in. I realized that this woman that I had witnessed with the whale all those years ago, had been just that, she was a presence and a comfort for that whale and I now thoroughly believe that she made a difference to that whale in his captive state and brought him a little peace every day.

In 2019 Canada’s parliament passed legislation that banned whales, dolphins and porpoises from being bred or held in captivity. The legislation had an exception and that was that marine animals already held in captivity would remain in captivity for the rest of their natural life. Today, MarineLand in Niagara Falls, Canada has one orca and 50 belugas in their facility.

Worldwide there are over 3000 marine animals held in captivity and 56 of them are orcas. The public is now knowledgeable of the conditions in the facilities in which these animals live. Consequently, there has been a push for whale and dolphin sanctuaries; “whales without walls.” Scientists have found that it is easy to capture whales and dolphins but it is almost impossible to successfully release them back to the wild. The first sanctuary in North America will be ready in 2023, and is located in Nova Scotia, Canada. A short video about this project here: Whales without walls

By SARA Practitioner Johanne Fraser

Letting Animals Choose Lets Them Be Their Best

The massive draft horse was one of the saddest, checked-out animals I have met. He’d spent years on at least one Amish farm, was isolated and probably abused, and had given up. His new owner, the director of a nonprofit equine therapy center, wanted to find out what he needed.

The first thing I did was ask if it was OK to communicate with him. Surprised but skeptical, he agreed. The notion that he could choose anything was foreign to him.

That is the core of the Let Animals Lead® method I practice. It’s all meditation and no hands unless the animal initiates contact, or the practitioner knows the animal well enough to gauge whether that would be welcome.

One day Duke decided he’d had enough Reiki and walked back into the barn. I thanked him and moved on to a pig a few feet away.

A few minutes later, Duke stuck his big head out the barn door and looked straight at me. “Got any more of that?” I heard.

I assured him I did, but he’d have to wait until the pig and I were done. When I returned, he was waiting at the fence. I met his eyes and saw hope.

His owner, veterinarians, equine bodyworkers, clients, and I all worked to help Duke heal from the effects of his past, giving him choices whenever possible. He still struggles mightily with triggers. But he has friends in the herd. He connects with veterans who also live with PTSD. He even let kids dress him up for the Fourth of July. Being a therapy horse would have been unthinkable for Duke not so long ago.

While we can’t let our animals choose to play in traffic or opt out of a vet visit, there are many other options we can offer. We can give them a choice of toys, blankets, or litter boxes. We can hold out two different treats and see which gets gobbled up first. We can let cats come to us rather than chasing or picking them up. We can suggest a walk or ride and pay attention to the dog’s body language for a “let’s go” or a “not today.”

Choice frees us all to engage honestly, be our best selves, and create our “better than before.”

 

By SARA Practitioner Nancy Crowe

The Let Animals Lead® Method of Animal Reiki Supports Zoo Animals

While many zoos do an exemplary job constructing habitats that closely mimic their animals’ natural environments, zoo animals basically live their lives in captivity to entertain and educate humans. Are these entertainment and educational benefits worth more than the animals’ stress from living in captivity and their constant exposure to humans?

Continue Reading

Major Takes Charge

Meet Major. He is one of the beautiful therapy equines in a herd of six that I have the honor to offer Reiki to each week. I have been offering Reiki to animals for two decades now and each and every time I am in awe when they are able to help themselves. When they are able to ask for help, to trust, to be still and quiet to connect with the Reiki energy and me, and to let go of whatever they need to.

Continue Reading

The 3 Reiki Rookie Mistakes

Aren’t there all those things we learn not to do in an Animal Reiki class? Been there, done all those things I was told not to do! And weirdly in some ways, these are memorable and often entertaining lessons that I will not be forgetting any time soon.

The cats have been my toughest disciplinarians when it came to practicing Animal Reiki. I could have sworn that they have a secret book – “How to teach Reiki to Humans”. And if I dare stray again, they are there to remind me what Animal Reiki truly is about.

And of all the wayward stuff I have done, these three remain on the top of my list:

Continue Reading

The Let Animals Lead® Method: The Shining Essence of Animal Reiki

The Let Animals Lead® method is a transformative way to offer Reiki to non-human animals while fully manifesting interspecies respect. Because this method refrains from using touch unless the non-human animal initiates, it assists in eliminating challenging aspects of the human ego—pressures, expectations, agendas—and recognizes the perfection of the empowered animal.

We are all animals, and non-human animals do not need human “help” in the realm of energy. They elevate our energy and we learn from them. This method always supports the animal to move freely about so their physicality is never restricted. They can communicate their preferences in any way, and these preferences are always honored. They can engage with the energy or reject it completely. We listen to the animal and ask for nothing in return—the Reiki is an offering, not a requirement. The animal is in charge. As such, the Let Animals Lead® method not only epitomizes Animal Reiki in and of itself, but also inherently advances human to non-human animal relationships.

Continue Reading