WOW! It has been 10 years since Leah and Kathleen sat in the kitchen at Brighthaven and talked about starting SARA. It was May of 2008 and Leah was taking a Level 2 class from Kathleen. At lunch they started talking about Kathleen’s dreams for the future. She shared how she would love to have a community that was bringing Animal Reiki to shelters and rescues all around the world. At the time Leah was a legal assistant and said, “I can help you with that!” So they pulled together some of Kathleen’s students to help create the foundation for this amazing organization! Some of the very first SARA members, Bill Stevens, Kelly McDermott-Burns and Sheryl Schlameuss are still with us today helping to grow SARA.
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Class Always Tells
Class always tells. Class is the impression I had when I first heard about SARA and Kathleen Prasad. I knew right away that I wanted to work with her, and affiliate myself with an organization that has such high values and ethics.
Reiki and the Big Herd
Duchess Sanctuary is located on 1120 acres in Oakland, OR and provides a forever home to 191 horses and 5 donkeys; all formerly abused, abandoned, neglected or homeless. The majority of the horses are mares and their offspring who were rescued from the Premarin industry (to learn more about this appalling practice please visit www.fundforanimals.org/duchess). Other residents include orphaned mustangs, as well as horses rescued from auctions and feedlots. Duchess is operated by the Fund for Animals, in partnership with the Humane Society of the United States.
Clarity of Practice with SARA
One thing that I think about a lot since I really got into Reiki years ago is that there are so many schools of Reiki out there, and there’s no regulation. I belong to another association where there are many practitioners from many lineages and nobody is practicing the same way, which makes things very unclear.
Reiki & the Red Mare: Reiki Finds Us When We Need It Most
Some years ago, my young, chestnut, off the track Thoroughbred mare (you horse people get it), was just home from colic surgery. It was day one of 30 days stall rest, with five-minute grazing sessions throughout the day. She had many complications and was not out of the woods. I was an emotional wreck.
Growing as Ethical Animal Reiki Practitioners and Teachers
After my beloved cat, Chloe, transitioned in 2014, I became a self-taught animal energy worker by reading books and watching videos. Then, a friend told me about human Reiki shares, so after going to those shares for a little while I started my own Reiki training. I don’t remember how or when I discovered Animal Reiki and SARA, but it was a life changer.
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The Power of Reiki Chanting with a Herd
Duchess Sanctuary is located on 1120 acres in Oakland, OR and provides a forever home to 191 horses and 5 donkeys; all formerly abused, abandoned, neglected or homeless. The majority of the horses are mares and their offspring who were rescued from the Premarin industry (to learn more about this appalling practice please visit www.fundforanimals.org/duchess). Other residents include orphaned mustangs, as well as horses rescued from auctions and feedlots. Duchess is operated by the Fund for Animals, in partnership with the Humane Society of the United States.
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SARA Changed the Way I Approached and Taught Reiki
I was a Reiki practitioner for over 15 years before I heard about Kathleen and her work with animals. It was in Virgina for a level three training that I heard about Kathleen. I followed up by contacting Kathleen and doing two conference call courses with her, and then completed a level three training in Brighthaven, which was a great experience. Kathleen really transformed my life, and the way I approached and taught Reiki. It was a really beautiful gift for me and re-energized my whole practice of Reiki.
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Getting the Resources to Start Teaching
I first started with human Reiki a while back, and after reading Kathleen’s first book, I immediately fell in love. I finally found a path that I could take to pursue deeper connections with animals, and that was because of Kathleen’s book. One thing led to another, and when I discovered the SARA book, I found a way to connect with a rescue that was close by. I was just amazed at how well written everything was. My first experience with Kathleen and Leah was the written word.
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Reflection on the Animal Reiki Code of Ethics
The Animal Reiki Code of Ethics was written in 2008 by Animal Reiki Source founder and Shelter Animal Reiki Association president Kathleen Prasad. I was introduced to the Code of Ethics in Shinpiden class with Kathleen after studying Animal Reiki with another teacher. I did my best to follow the Code of Ethics as far as my understanding allowed. Years later and after taking deeper look at the Code of Ethics through a teleclass offered by Kathleen in May 2017, I have a lot of hindsight to reflect on the tremendous value of the Code as guidance for Animal Reiki practitioners as well as instructions for living a spiritual and compassionate life. I have chosen to reflect on five points from the Code of Ethics that really stand out to me at this point of my journey along the Reiki path.
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We Can Be the Beams of Hope that Shelters Need
It’s really coming from a place of privilege and honor that I’m a part of the SARA organization. I remember back in 2013 when I became a SARA teacher after going to many retreats, meeting Kathleen in 2009, and then Leah. We as SARA practitioners and members and teachers are shining stars of love and compassion, courage and boldness. It is our privilege to be able to do what we do in our communities; to serve, do good, to be examples, and to have the amazing resources, high ethics and professionalism that can demonstrate to others the value of our organization.
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With SARA, Everybody Wins
I am so incredibly grateful to be a member of SARA and to have met Kathleen and Leah. I would probably not be doing Reiki at all if I had not met Kathleen in ’07. I first learned the Western approach to Reiki and to be honest, I didn’t really get it. I had absolutely zero confidence, and I just didn’t do anything, because it just wasn’t resonating with me. But my teacher kept telling me, “You should work with animals, you should work with animals.”
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Fulfilling My Own Soul Path
From day one, I loved the Code of Ethics. I happened to teach basic animal Reiki class, not a SARA class, and some of my students were just demanding and demanding to work with the animals. I always discussed SARA and what a light that has been for me personally, not to mention all the animals that I have worked with over the years. I would say now probably for the better part of the last 10 years, I have been volunteering on variety of different rescues.
Reiki for a Calmer Ride
It was a cool, breezy spring morning on two fresh, bouncy Thoroughbreds. Instead of settling as we went along, my friend’s gelding became agitated – prancing, bucking and spooking. My friend’s attempts to settle him weren’t working. My mare was feeding off the other horse, becoming nervous and tense. I was beginning to worry the ride would not go well.
Through SARA, We Can Make a Difference!
SARA truly has changed my life. I am so deeply grateful to Kathleen and Leah for all they have taught me. I could go on for hours about the amazing experiences I have had sharing Reiki with animals, how much I have grown, how much the animals have taught me, and how they have healed me. I owe all this to Reiki, to Kathleen, and Leah, and to SARA. Kathleen and Leah are incredibly generous with their time and materials. Their support of all of us individually and as a group is endless. Everything they do and how they do it is based on what is best for the animals and the people who care for the animals, and is based on years of experience. One of the things I appreciate the most about SARA is its high ethical standards.
Riley and Reiki
Riley was a ten- pound King Charles Cavalier with big soft eyes. Chasing summer toads around the driveway in summer and falling leaves in autumn, his heart soared.
CJ, An Equine Teacher
As part of the Animal Reiki for Reiki Practitioners course, I chose to meditate with my 26-year old mare, CJ. CJ and I have been together for 24 years. We met at a sketchy boarding stable. CJ was a 2-year old filly living with the field horses. This group of horses was provided pasture and brought up to the barn twice a day for grain, but otherwise left alone. None of the horses were ridden and their owners rarely, if ever, paid them visits. I discovered that CJ had been brought to this stable as a baby, perhaps 6 months old, newly weaned. She was placed out with the field horses and left alone to grow up.
Leaving Our Comfort Zone
I’ve been walking outside those days, thinking and meditating about changes each of us has to face during this life. I wasn’t thinking if they are good or bad for us, if we must learn from them something or not, but about our approach to them.
Animal Reiki in Aruba
A recent trip to Aruba was full of unexpected opportunities to offer Reiki. There were two sanctuaries on island. I was hesitant at the first as we came upon the site while exploring. Two young men took our $10 donation and gave us bags of pellets and cut carrots.
You Never Know
I guess we never know what is the best thing we may do in the precise moment of our life. But the Universe does. And if we just accept the things that don’t unfold the way we wish they did and remain grateful and trustful, just letting the Universe act – wonderful things may happen.
A “Chants” for Zahra
Like most rescues, Zahra’s story is not fully known. A gentle, sweet mutt with upright pointy ears and a noble square muzzle, she appears to be part Great Dane, part Australian Cattle Dog. Zahra was adopted from a shelter in New Mexico. Her new family, Kirby, and her partner Alex (musician and teacher) were thrilled when their application to adopt Zahra was approved. This approval came just as they were heading to South Carolina for a family vacation. The shelter was unable to hold Zahra until their return and so they packed dog food, water bowl, toys, etc. and took Zahra along to the beach. Zahra proved to be a good traveler. No nausea or drooling, she enjoyed riding in the car and was well-behaved on leash. So far, so good!
My First Animal Reiki Teacher Training Class
“Basking in the Radiant Light of Two Hearts Connected.” ~ Rachel Gene
The practice of reiki has been my spiritual foundation since the year 2001 when I met a Japanese teacher who literally changed my life path when he placed his hands around my hands and I felt an energetic shift happen throughout my body. This was not part of a reiki class, nor was he a reiki teacher, but a Japanese college teacher who chaperoned Japanese students during summer English classes at the university where I used to teach English as a Second Language. We became good friends and every summer I learned more from him about energy, meditation, and healing.
Animal Reiki the SARA Way
What reaction do you get from people when you mention Animal Reiki? Do people assume that you were born with a gift to heal and communicate with animals? Do people immediately think woo-woo, angels, or crystals? Many people believe that Reiki is a mystical, whacky thing that hippies or witches practice, and it shouldn’t be messed with. Other people may tell you must receive the ability to practice Reiki from a Master – it is something that is given to you.
SARA Rocks the Grand Canyon State
The Director of Lost Our Home Pet Foundation, Jodi Polanski, wanted to bring Reiki to her organization, but she didn’t know who to call to make that happen. Then someone told her about SARA. After several emails and a few phone calls, I found myself on a plane bound for Tempe, Arizona, to teach Level I Animal Reiki.
Pearls of Wisdom
Pearl was her name, and she certainly shared her wisdom with us that day. She was a little Chihuahua that was volunteered to work with me and my students during the “Self-Healing for Animal Caregivers” class that I taught at the local shelter where I volunteered.