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.
Blog
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.
Sunday with Kaja
It was one of those easy Sundays, when you wake up slowly, with no need to finish any remaining tasks and just being grateful for everything, spending simply your time with your family, doing this and that and relaxing.
Bebe and Not Wanting
I recently worked with a shelter cat named “Bebe”. Bebe was rescued from a situation where he was living mostly outside of a basement apartment, entering through a well-window for food on occasion. It was unclear if the apartment tenant felt connected to Bebe but did seem to be feeding him. At some point the tenancy fell apart and Bebe encountered some sort of violent exchange while outside. He was chewed up and terrified when trapped and brought to our shelter.
This particular shelter is a No-kill, cat only shelter. It serves as a sort of cat hospice for elderly cats and is a place where cats are processed to barns, homes, and other situations as appropriate. I had worked with several cats that arrived untouchable and arguably unadoptable who, through Reiki and patience, began to unwind from traumas and found welcoming and sensitive humans to share their lives. With Bebe, I was not sure it was better for him to be alive and in our care. I know this is a radical statement but it speaks only of the severity of the distress this cat was experiencing and my estimation of the quality of his life. He was withdrawn in the extreme, crouched (not curled) in a corner of a crate in a room by himself where he could have wandered and explored but chose not to. He emitted something worse than a growl, a low, pitiful moan whenever I sat with him and I did for hours and hours over more than two months. My desire for release for him became seriously disruptive to my reiki offering.
While I knew, intellectually, that I could not bring my hopes for specific positive outcomes into the intentions of the reiki practice, it was easier “known” than lived. I found that I felt an increasingly desperate plea in my meditation and I could see it as not right. But, I found it hard to resist the overlay of such intentions given the profound suffering I saw. Isn’t it natural to hope for “release” from suffering? Isn’t that consistent with wanting to create space for healing? In the midst of this crisis I wrote this note to Leah.
“There is a cat, picked up wandering and wailing, badly beaten and inconsolable. This is an orange cat, a male with ears that are badly maimed and a gash on his face healing very slowly. This cat is in the worst condition I have seen in all my time in this shelter, not physically, but spiritually. For several weeks I have been sitting in his room, always at least a yard away, and meditating. I use the precepts and the Choku Rei and Sei Heki. I draw the symbols in my hand and meditate on the meanings. I chant and I use Dai Ko Myo. I focus wholly on my own peace and calmness. It is truly all I can offer this creature who emanates fear and despair. Occasionally as I draw the symbols in the air or in my hand, the cat growls, a low guttural noise that is the most agonizing I have ever heard from a cat. Nothing changes for this cat. In my three weeks now of sitting with him several times a week, I observe no change. This week I had the strong, strong sense that he wanted to leave, to die, to be freed. I wondered if I may have received the message because I created a space where it could be heard. I have not shared this with others at the shelter or in classes and am anxious to hear what you might feel in my telling this story. He is in an agony of spirit I have not sat with before. He is not going to die physically. He is lonely and unapproachable. Certainly this could change, I believe in the power of energetic healing but what is humane if he remains so disturbed? He is not hurting people and is being kept isolated from other cats. I can only continue to sit with him and focus inward but the message was clear and in its way, desperate. Hard to not want things to be better, healed, light filled for him. But, this is not about wanting….”
In response Leah (Leah DiAmbrosio, VP SARA) wrote to me: “When we are offering Reiki, it’s important to be open and remember there is no giving and receiving there is just a beautiful connection of your light to the other person’s or animal’s. If you become attached to the idea you are giving a gift with your Reiki then you are disappointed when the gift is rejected. In this beautiful space we are creating of connection, there is no giving and receiving – just oneness. When we attach ourselves to an outcome that creates a wanting and a wanting creates a need to hang onto an outcome and in that space of hanging on, nothing can move. Letting go is freedom and in that space of openness, anything can happen.”
“When we attach ourselves to an outcome that creates a wanting and a wanting creates a need to hang onto an outcome…”
As so happens with our Reiki teachers, human and animal, we receive what we need when we can use it. Leah’s caution to me about “wanting”, fit perfectly with my sense that my desire for Bebe was interfering with my creation of the space. After all, many of us are drawn to this work with animals by a strong and sincere ethic about animal welfare, freedom from suffering and freedom from cruelty. It is not surprising that I would get distracted by extreme suffering of Bebe’s sort.
Two weeks ago, two and a half months after I met Bebe and began regular reiki offerings, Bebe came out of his crate to eat tuna from my hand, roll on his back and present his belly in a demonstration of trust! I was shocked and moved to tears. Secretly I had given up on Bebe and become a silent advocate for his “release”! Gratefully, I do not control the energy! Bebe was healing, in his own way, in his own time. Hard to describe how dramatic this was. He didn’t inch his way over to me, he didn’t allow me closer or stop growling. There was a hard change and he simply moved from despair to hope with an invisible process. He was loving and engaged and catlike! He was no longer afflicted by fear. So very beautiful, such a teacher.
The next week Bebe “adopted” another very frightened kitten who he curled with and protected. Who he taught to eat tuna and tolerate people and the next week the two were adopted together by a person who appreciated their history and had patience for their future.
I think I am finally over the habit of limiting the power of reiki by imposing my own desires and decisions about needed outcomes! If I forget, I have Bebe’s teaching and Leah’s careful reminder to pull me back.
Melanie Powers
Oliver’s Passing
One of the things I feel called to do with my Reiki practice is to help animals and their families with loss and saying good-bye. To serve in this way I have cultivated relationships with local veterinarians who offer at-home euthanasia services. On our peninsula there are four such Vets, all acting upon callings of their own. It is both an opportunity and a blessing to offer Reiki and massage (I am an animal massage therapist as well) to dying animals, their other human and animal family members and to the very environment they are leaving. Being invited to help create a peaceful space for this part of life is a great application for humility and gratitude and can be very meaningful for all. Doing this for Oliver simply was not simple.
The situation was that my 78 year old sister-in-law, beginning to be frail and reclusive, was not able to adequately care for her 15 year old Westie and ultimately had to surrender him on Condo association and Court order. Very complicated situation but I was certain that the dog could not be rehomed and was suffering in subtle but clear ways. I was asked to facilitate a home euthanasia and support Oliver and the Vet with Reiki and massage. Oliver was not my favorite dog! Over the years he had vomited, pee’d and poop’d in my home, accosted my dogs and been genuinely unfriendly. He was, however, a noble and trusted companion to my SIL through many difficult times of her life and for this I loved him.
The hardest part in agreeing to do this was disconnecting from the complicated, emotional and personal baggage in order to be a supportive vessel for whatever Oliver needed to pass peacefully. I was also working with a Vet I had wanted to meet but had not yet met and who I would like to work with in the future. In a practical way, Oliver offered me the portal to help others through the relationship with these special Vets. My main learning was how to create a healing Reiki space when the path is personally, logistically and emotionally complicated. Gratefully, my experiences with SARA and in practice helped me to understand where I had to be and how I had to be in order to offer Reiki in these circumstances.
I made the arrangements with the Vet who was extremely open and welcoming to my wanting to create a Reiki space for Oliver’s passing. The arrangements were difficult both in terms of the personal turmoil of the owner, my SIL, and of the logistics and constraints of my life. I began the Reiki space meditation the day before, offering distance Reiki and getting to a point of presence myself. The morning of, I was at the shelter for two hours just before, and it was such a blessing to have that time and environment to prepare myself. Oliver was brought to my house, arriving about 20 minutes before the Vet. My son took my animals to another part of the house and my husband was there to support his sister. Oliver was able to explore the yard, something he was never allowed to do, and seemed greatly moved by the smells and sounds of nature. He had sadly not been outside for some time and though stressed, was so happy to be “free” and connected in that way. After the 20 minutes where we let him wander he came to his favorite bed and stopped for treats. The Vet arrived and supported my SIL and did the necessary paperwork while I sat with Oliver who was already making the transition. In the many times I have seen animals at this point in their lives, in the shelter and elsewhere, there is often a sort of life surge that looks like health and optimism in the minutes before injection and peace. It is alarming to some because it mimics good health energy when really I believe it is preparatory phase, a knowing perhaps of the release and peace of what comes next.
In any case, this was how Oliver went. With emotional lightness and comfort in spite of physical discomfort, he settled down on his bed for the sedative before the lethal injection. The Vet was so full of connection and grace, so comforting and caring, so generous with the time and process. Her grace allowed me the time to create a space for all of us to support Oliver’s passing. I experienced an unexpected calm and peace myself and was conscious of the incongruity with the outward condition of anxiety and sadness and even the symbolism of this woman losing her companion because of decreasing ability herself. It was simply, or not so simply, a sacred experience. Thank you Oliver.
Reflections on My BrightHaven Animal Reiki Training
I recently had the privilege of reveling in the presence of animals and healing at Brighthaven Sanctuary, studying Animal Reiki with Kathleen Prasad of Animal Reiki Source! What got me there was a series of “coincidences” and life experiences that all merged to remind me that this lifetime animal enthusiasm has much more to teach me yet.
Loving and being loved by animals is one beautiful benefit of nurturing relationships with them but now I see there’s a whole next-level benefit involving the ways they teach and heal us. Whether it’s my sweet Bianca getting attacked and needing me to provide round-the-clock care to save her life or whether it’s a hawk “randomly” showing up in some unexpected place to remind me of the mystery of the universe, they guide me back to myself when I get in my own way.
I learned of the work of Kathleen Prasad in early 2016 and became very intrigued. Kathleen is the world leader in the field of Animal Reiki. With so much gratitude, I received the Buster Scholarship to participate in a weekend workshop to study beginner Animal Reiki with her. This opportunity came from a generous student of Kathleen’s, Gerianne Hummel, who was touched deeply by her first Animal Reiki teacher, Buster, her cat who lived over 23 years. In his honor, she offered this scholarship and I was the lucky recipient!
I felt like I came home that weekend. From the moment I walked into Brighthaven Sanctuary — where animals are treated homeopathically, with Reiki, and shown love and care after often experiencing a lifetime of neglect, suffering, and/or illness — I knew I was walking into something special. Kathleen’s Reiki offerings and teachings have been the cornerstone of their success. I sat with seven other animal lovers like myself, all happy to come home and all grateful to experience the healing that Reiki and animals offer us. I wasn’t weird for talking to animals here; I belonged.
As a massage therapist, I’ve understood energy and have experienced feeling the movement of energy between myself and a client. As a mindfulness practitioner, I’ve understood the benefits of presence. As an animal lover, I’ve understood the benefits of loving and being loved unconditionally. BUT, Animal Reiki brings all of these tools together to show me a framework for promoting interspecies healing in my life and in my work and to incorporate the healing of presence, energy, and love to transcend our suffering.
We live in a world where it’s “normal” to torture, kill, eat and wear animals. We have an opportunity right now, though, to stop eating and wearing them and start listening to and learning from them. They are showing us the impact of our misunderstanding of their role in the survival of the planet. Animal Reiki and the work so many are doing to promote interspecies connection and conversation has the potential to change the world we live in. I know, because I’ve seen it in my own life, that if we shift from dominating animals to befriending them, we will invite the possibility for a peace we haven’t yet known.
There are countless stories of the ways Kathleen’s work has had miraculous outcomes for thousands of animals and people all around the world. Animal miracles are no stranger to me but I’m looking forward to the multitude of miracles to come as I incorporate Animal Reiki practices into my daily life and continue to look to the critters to show me how to live a more aligned, sustainable, and meaningful life.
To learn more about Kathleen’s transformative work, click here.
Cara Carrillo
Lesson of the Blue Heron: Animal Reiki Ethics and Photography
I’ve been taking pictures for as long as I can remember. At some point during my childhood, I assumed the role of family photographer — beginning with Brownie Instamatic and Polaroid cameras. I mainly took pictures of my family growing up, but in adulthood I branched out to street life, landscape, wildlife, and other subjects.
My typical routine is to back up the photos from the camera’s sd (memory) card onto an external hard drive, then delete the photos from the sd card while it’s in the computer. With the Sony, I noticed that when I put the card back in the camera I received a weird error message about some images not being able to be displayed. I thought the only way to delete that error message was to reformat the card while it was in the camera. While I was working on this project, I also was backing up photos from other sources. In other words, I was doing too many things at the same time rather than fully focusing on this project. It was also late at night and I was getting tired. Consequently, thinking I had backed up these images onto the external hard drive since that was my typical routine, I deleted the photos from the sd card and reformatted the card in the camera.
The next day when I went to email my favorite heron image to my sister, I discovered it wasn’t there. I searched on my computer’s C: drive, on the sd card, and on the external hard drive and, much to my dismay, I could not find any of those photos. I spent hours searching the Internet and downloading programs so I could recover the photos, to no avail. Why I didn’t double check to see that the photos were backed up before I deleted the images from the card (again, something I would normally do), I’ll never know. I also learned later that I could have recovered the photos had I not reformatted the card. To top it off, I’m leery about using cloud-based applications, which is unfortunate as I would have been able to recover the photos this way. Note – if you do a quick reformat with the card in the computer, you might still be able to recover the photos, but definitely not if you reformat the card while it’s in the camera. But this is still not the Lesson of the Heron.
I usually don’t become emotional about anything in life, but I was actually emotional when I finally resigned myself to the fact that I had deleted those images for good. After trying to calm myself with Reiki and meditation, I realized that I had been too attached to those photos (ego) – and this was The Lesson.
Ever since this experience, I have become much more humble when I take photographs. Rather than trying to ‘capture’ or ‘captivate’ nature with my camera, I approach my photography the same way approach the animals when I offer Animal Reiki: I am open and have no expectations about which animals or other nature subjects will present themselves to me. When a bird, insect, flower, animal, etc. appears, I ask permission to photograph them (if they remain in one place long enough for me to photograph them, I feel they are allowing me to photograph them, which is a way of allowing the animals to take charge). If I’m hoping for a certain subject to appear, rather than being disappointed because I did not encounter this animal, I am really grateful for any creature who presented him/herself to me and for all that I experienced that day, and I express my gratitude to the animal, bird, insect, flower….
Reiki has become a way of life in many aspects, and now the Animal Reiki ethics have merged into my photography. Letting go of the ego is never easy, but it’s part of the path to reconnecting with the Great Bright Light that is within us and surrounds us all. In an effort to enhance the connection with the Oneness of all and create a ‘Reiki space’, I now softly chant some of the Reiki mantras when I am out in nature. I am so grateful that I encountered The Heron that day and for all that he has taught me. Thankfully, I went back to the preserve a couple of days later and – lo and behold – The Heron was there to connect with me.
Deanna Iris Sava
SARA Teacher
Meditating with Animals
I love meditating with animals! I say this with great joy and enthusiasm because in the past, I had a teacher who told her students that animals will draw energy away from you and disrupt your mediation if they are in the same room. Well, this teacher also says that we should take what resonates and leave the rest behind. I choose to leave far behind her limiting belief about meditating with animals!
I have practiced meditation my entire life. As a child, I didn’t know that I was meditating. I was simply going to a quiet place to withdraw deep inside myself to avoid a crowded and chaotic household. We weren’t permitted pets, except for fish and the occasional hamster so my favorite place to retreat in mind and body was the small greenhouse that my father had built to grow orchids. In this beautiful space, the only animals were insects. Oh and Charlie, a clam my mother had brought back from Lake Erie and kept in a bucket. It was never clear what Charlie ate, but he grew bigger over time. I felt bad for Charlie, stuck in that small home that wasn’t home. But I was a kid and I didn’t pay much attention to Charlie or the insects. They weren’t warm and fuzzy and I couldn’t hold one close at night to help me sleep.
Fast forward a few decades. I now live on a small piece of property with four horses, six dogs, and ten cats. All of the dogs and cats were strays or rescues who chose to share their lives with my husband and me. We are fortunate to back up to a national park and over 100 acres of conserved woods, with a running stream and a pond that serves as a watering hole for wildlife and a swimming pool for the horses and Kensi, a border collie.
I love to sit by the pond for meditation, and am usually accompanied by Kensi. She will take a dip, shower me with pond water, and settle down in the grass. Kensi’s presence is comforting and relaxing and it is easier to fall deeper into meditation feeling her energy merging with mine. On a recent afternoon, practicing a homework assignment for Leah’s Animal Reiki for Reiki Practitioner’s class, I began a meditation by the pond, starting with the Joshin Kokyu and adding the Three Diamonds meditation. The Three Diamonds meditation brings so much peace. It becomes a beautiful moving meditation in which I easily lose myself.
Prior to beginning the meditation session, I spent time observing the surroundings. A large turtle lounged sunbathing on a log that extends out into, but above, the water. I set an intention to invite Turtle to join me. I began with Gassho, giving thanks for the day, the spring that feeds the pond, the dragonflies and other wildlife that share this space with me. I then practiced Joshin Kokyu Ho for some time, noticing that our barn cat, Lady, and Kensi had chosen to join me, lying a few yards away in the grass within the space created by my practice. Floating on Lady’s rythmic purr it was easy to fall deeper into meditation and gently transitioned to Three Diamonds. I felt the world dropping away, and yet was more acutely aware of the subtle sounds of dragonfly wings, a breeze blowing through the trees, the splash of a fish jumping. I found my breath syncing to the movements of my hands and felt myself moving even deeper inward.
I became aware of a gentle, patient and wise presence. Turtle had joined me with a message. He said, I am one with the earth. I am one with the water. I am one with the air. I am in these elements and these elements are in me. I am in balance.
I felt another presence, light and fluttering. Dragonfly said, I am one with the sky, I am one with the air, I am one with the water reeds. I am in balance.
Stillness overcame my mind and body and I sat, absorbing the messages and feeling so grateful for Turtle and Dragonfly. Slowly I returned to present, feeling the sentience of the beings around me. I don’t know how long I sat, deep inside myself but at the same time open and part of the world around me. Returning gently to awareness, filled with peace, I gave thanks to Turtle, Dragonfly, Kensi and Lady.
I was in balance.
Beth Cavalier
SARA Practitioner
Reiki for Joyce
When I arrived at the shelter I immediately went to the kennel side and one of the caretakers asked me to help Joyce “who is very nervous.” She was in the visiting room which is away from the other dogs. As I entered, Joyce was very excited and alert. Her senses were heightened from all of the noise in and around the kennel, so it felt felt right to go into a chant (in Japanese) meditation of the 5 Reiki Precept.
Today Only ~
Do not anger
Do not worry
Be grateful
Practice diligently
Show compassion to yourself and others
Joyce acknowledged that she wanted to receive the Reiki healing. She had moments of relaxation as well as moments of movement around the room. These are common signs that the animal is receiving the healing energy which will go where it needs to go. My responsibility was to be present holding that healing space for her with no expectations, and trust the Reiki energy! I had to remind myself of that frequently due to the heavy traffic of people passing the room. Joyce could look out the window to see the people and other animals walking by. Once I relaxed and just held the Reiki space for whatever Joyce needed (and stopped worrying about trying to hold the camera! ), Joyce started to relax.
I am so grateful to have the opportunity to be there for the animals and to always be reminded by them what it means to be present and just be Reiki. This particular session, I felt my higher self also reminding me, which is one of the signals that led me to chant for her (and for myself!). What a wonderful time with her and for her! Oh, also this has led me to connect with a friend of mine that hopefully can join me next time and do the filming! Stay tuned 🙂
Dulsanea Naedek
SARA Practitioner
Experiences at the Local Animal Shelter
I want to share an experience I had at my local animal shelter. I always arrive early so I have time to ground myself, set my intention, invite the animals and people into the Reiki space and meditate before I go in.
I went in, signed in and started my shift of doing laundry. While I’m doing laundry I always chant out loud or to myself the Cho Ku Rei mantra. Once I got the laundry going, I decided to go pay a visit to the animals in the adoption area.
There weren’t many dogs in the dog area because the volunteers take them to PetsMart on Saturdays but there was a dog whining and barking so I went in to see her. She was a pitbull mix white and tan. I started talking to her telling her everything was going to be ok and then I started chanting.
After a few minutes she stopped crying and sat down. We did this for a few minutes and then a couple came in to look at her. I moved away so they could spend time with her.
The woman says to the man she looks like (I forget the dogs name she said) I said hi I’m a volunteer are you interested in her? They said yes she looks just like our dog we used to have. The man put his hand up to the fence and she sniffed his hand. They said they wanted to fill out an application and go to one of the rooms where they could spend time with her! I told them they just made me so happy! I almost started crying!
I told them to go up to the front to get an application and that someone up there would put the dog in a room for them to spend time with her. I went back to doing laundry and came back through later to see them in a room with her. They all looked very happy! I hope it worked out for them to adopt her!
I also went to the cat adoption area and there was a black cat up on the shelf of her kennel. She came down to the front of the kennel. I said hi and started chanting and talking to her.
She started rubbing on the wire of the kennel and then I noticed on the top of her back she had a 2 inch bald area in the middle of her spine that had a big sore. She was showing me where it hurt!
I continued chanting and she went over to her food dish and started eating. After a few minutes I had to go back to check the laundry. I told her I would be back. I came back through later and she did the same thing as before; came down to the front of the kennel, rubbed on the wire of the kennel and then started eating. I spent a few more minutes with her and then went back to doing laundry.
Cindy Buck
SARA Practitioner
Eating with Reiki
It all started in grade school when I adopted Coco. From the moment he got home until this very day (29 years later), he has been the sweetest, feistiest, and most independent cockatiel. Through the years, Coco taught me unconditional love and companionship. He also immediately paved the way for my eating habits.
I have always loved animals, but it was Coco that converted me into a vegetarian. At a young age, I began simply by removing meat from my diet and just eating the side dishes. I just couldn’t fathom eating anything with eyes. Growing up, this was baffling to my family because I was the only one in the entire family that ate this way. After years of this, my family finally realized that this full-blown vegetarian wasn’t changing. Throughout much of my life, I ate sides and processed food, lots of processed food. I can’t say that I felt bad, but didn’t really know any better. However, six years ago, my life began to change for the better.
In 2011, Reiki beckoned me. I began taking each level of Reiki, and continued to feel deeply connected with all living things. A couple of years later, more welcomed changes in my mind, body, and spirit awakened when I took Kathleen Prasad’s Animal Reiki courses. My love for the animal kingdom strengthened beyond measure. Out of complete respect for all animals, the quest continues to overflow into my diet, slowly unfolding into veganism. My life has never been the same since. (Thank you, Kathleen!)
With this lifestyle shift, five pillars remain a constant:
- Before/after food is chopped and blended, a sign of ‘thanks’ with gassho unites the mind and heart for deep gratitude (Hand position).
- Repeating the Reiki mantras/chants (silent or aloud) is a wonderful way to include all of the senses while the food is being prepared, as if to connect to ancestors from long ago (Symbols & mantras).
- Picturing all living souls happy and healthy, while bonding with the breath, brings cooking into more of a meditative mindset (Visualizations).
- Offering a blessing to the prepared meal supports all time and space; building a clearer connection to Reiki and all beings (Reiju).
- The act of sharing a nourishing meal with others (humans and animals) fills the heart with such peace and joy (Precepts).
With these pillars at the core, my hope is that Coco knows how much he’s loved and valued. I’m incredibly thankful for this tiny, feathered creature who kick started healthy eating in our home. ️ I’m also forever grateful for the Reiki lessons Kathleen has taught me. One thing is for certain, once Reiki unfolds before you, the adventure begins!
Written by Amber Shaner
Animal Reiki Teacher & Practitioner
www.amberreiki.com
I See You
Sometimes the universe surprises. Out of the blue. No warning.
I was attending a yoga class the night before Thanksgiving when my teacher offered a deck of cards to me and told me to “pick one.” The card I chose evoked a little gasp of surprise.
“I see you.”
I was immediately transported back to the puppy house at Tree of Life for Animals (TOLFA) in India.
My first few days in India were spent at TOLFA with my colleague, Alison McKinnon. We were offering Reiki to the animals there. The animals are in various states of wellness, with the puppy house being the place where many animals were quite ill. Several were actively dying. So many, in fact, that I started referring to myself as a death doula.
Watching the obvious decline of some of the animals was daunting, and I began to wonder how much my presence there was really helping. How many times could I sit with a dying animal before I reached the point of no return?
This was the challenge, I knew–to hold the space with love and compassion, without judgment or expectation, and to remain grounded so as not to lose myself in my emotions. Releasing any hope for a specific outcome was critical. I confess, I didn’t get there on the first try.
I have been working with animals in shelters in the U.S. for many years. I was not inexperienced. I had also had several animal clients who were preparing to pass, as well as my own kitty companions. And I’m a hospice volunteer! So, sitting with a being who is transitioning is not a new experience for me. What was new was the manner in which I was witnessing these passings. These were not the rather quick and peaceful transitions of euthanasia. Euthanasia cannot be done at TOLFA. These animals might hold on for several days taking limited sustenance and being kept as comfortable as possible. Therefore, there was more time to connect with these beautiful souls on a deeper level. To see them as glowing light beings. To see them as whole and to bear witness to their last days on the earthly plane. To connect completely through the heart.
“I see you.”
This came to my mind as I worked with one of the sickest little pups. This sweetie would make little yipping sounds when we were near in order to get attention. I would open the door of his kennel and gently pet him as he lay there. “I see you,” I would tell him. “I see you.”
Isn’t this what we all want really–a chance to be seen on the deepest level–connected heart to heart? To be present on this level is so incredibly beautiful, so healing.
When I returned from India, I resumed my visits to Rutland County Humane Society. Shortly thereafter, I was asked by staff to offer Reiki to a cat who was brought in and was actively dying.
My puppy friends had prepared me for this moment. I stood by her kennel offering Reiki as she moved through the business of dying. Tears in my eyes, I felt our connection on a soul level. “I see you,” I whispered.
Make no mistake, my heart broke a little more every time I witnessed the death of a shelter animal. It gave me some comfort knowing they passed in the loving and compassionate embrace of Reiki. These words from the book “Animal Wisdom” by Linda Bender, DVM, also give me peace:
“What I saw, reflected back to me in the eyes of the dying squirrel was the power of my own presence in that moment. It was immensely more powerful than I had ever imagined. The reason for my presence was simply that–to be there at the moment of another’s death, to witness it and to care.”
Kelly McDermott-Burns
SARA Teacher
Reiki With the Elephants
Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation and Care Centre was established in 2010 in collaboration with Uttar Pradesh Forest Department and actively seeks out elephants in distress, the charity often having to fight through the courts to secure their release subsequent appeals by the ‘owners’, before ultimately bringing them to the centre where they will spend their retirement in natural surroundings, making friends, a simple pleasure that will have been denied most of their lives while receiving much needed medical care and individual attention. Common medical conditions caused by their captivity include malnutrition not only lack of food but many are fed junk food on the streets, arthritis and foot problems from injuries not allowed to heal and walking on burning tarmac, many have been blinded.
I had arranged for myself and Kelly to spend time at Wildlife SOS as general volunteers, happy for the chance just to be around elephants and to find out more about the work that the charity does. However, we were thrilled to be asked to meditate and offer reiki with both the elephants and sloth bears during our time there. The volunteer programme is well organised and involves helping with day to day care, preparing food and helping with bath time, the highlight of the day for me being the morning walk through the beautiful countryside around the centre, accompanied by one of the resident dogs.
Wildlife SOS attracts volunteers from around the world and during our visit we meet Sarah and Andy who have been travelling in India, at home in Australia they are both active animal welfare campaigners. Also volunteering was Trish London a vet from the States who is spending several months at various centres across Asia studying elephant medicine. Trish testifies to the intelligence of elephants in general, she said at a recent conference she attended it was fascinating to listen, over a period of hours, to various elephant experts come up with solutions to specific issues of human/elephant conflict only to hear someone else say ‘nope tried that’! Unfortunately this is an ongoing problem as their habitat is replaced with agricultural land.
In the wild elephants will walk for many miles in family groups, they are very social, another basic right that has been denied them in captivity but they are more than making up for that under the care of the charity, firm friendships are being made such as between our walking companions Maya 42 yrs ( in Hindi her name means ‘illusion’ ) an ex circus elephant and Poolkali 60 yrs (‘blooming flower’ in Hindi) a rescued begging elephant, whose sensitive feet were too painful to stand on from years of walking on hot tarmac but now after living on natural ground her feet have healed and now she loves to create foot print impressions on canvas!
The morning walk. Well what can I say walking with elephants, what an experience!! We accompany Maya and Poolkali out into the countryside, they are gently coaxed along the route with bananas, I take advantage of the other volunteers on banana duty to really tune in and join with the ladies energy as we walk along, the gentle strength and grounding energy planted with every silent footstep is breathtaking – truly a walking meditation.
We walk towards the river overlooking beautiful countryside listening to peacocks calling.
A memorable moment for me is when we have stopped at the riverside to let the ladies graze I find myself standing level with Maya’s head just marvelling at the power, strength and peace emanating from her and don’t hear Poolkali move in beside me. As I stand between these two majestic heads, I have to admit to a moment of nervousness as everyone else is at the other side of Maya, but as they quietly consider me I get the definite sense that they are speaking to each other I just enjoy the moment in their presence.
Not expecting our day to get better than that, we are thrilled when the staff set up some chairs for us to meditate with a group known as the nut group in a quiet area next to the enclosure. Peanut is described as the naughty youngster The group surround Coconut on the ground in a tight circle to allow her to rest and protect her.
The inquisitive youngster Peanut comes over to investigate first and we can see where the naughty reputation comes from but almost immediately Suzy, an ex circus elephant and at 65 is the oldest resident at the centre (middle photo) moves him away as she comes close to see what is going on, it seems as if to check that it’s safe for the others.
She stands in front of us and goes into a deep trance state, totally accepting and becomes one with the reiki and us. I get quite emotional when I break to take the photo as I sense she is weary and sad for humans but has the emotional intelligence to forgive and trust individuals on their own merit, in an ideal world elephants like Suzy would never be captive but we cannot change the past and hopefully she will be a teacher for future generations.
Suzy moves back to the group and almost immediately they part from their tight knit circle opening up so that we can clearly see Coconut on the ground facing us, they all started to relax into the session. I feel so honoured to have shared a reiki space them.
We break for lunch and back at the volunteer cabin we give the other volunteers and staff members a reiki session, the group energy created when like minds come together is very special it reminds me of the positive energy of our SARA community. Together we can make a difference.
An unforgettable experience … that I can’t wait to do again!
Alison McKinnon
SARA Teacher
SARA India Trip 2016
2016 was a great year for my Animal Reiki practice. As well as a growing client list at home I was, with the support of SARA, able to plan a trip to my beloved Tree of Life for Animals (TOLFA) in Rajasthan, India with friend and fellow SARA colleague, Kelly McDermott.
Kelly and I had met at the SARA conference in California at Ratna Ling Buddhist retreat centre in 2015. As SARA teachers we had been invited to speak about our work with shelter animals and give a presentation on an aspect of our teachings. Each day of the conference was to have a theme based on the 3 key concepts of traditional Japanese reiki – grounding, expansion and connection and the importance of these concepts when working with animals. I kicked off the conference with grounding, Kelly followed with expansion and the wonderful Gail Pope of Brighthaven (my roomie for the conference) put it all together and concluded with connection.
Grounding and Earth Ki
My presentation revolved around my work at TOLFA in Rajasthan India. My first visit in 2010 I spent 6 weeks purely working with the animals from morning till evening – bliss – but although I had been well informed of what to expect, nothing prepared me for the reality of some of the sights that I faced. India is often described as an assault on the senses and I truly can’t think of a better way of describing it: overcrowded, noisy, hot, chaotic, fragrant (in a good and not so good way) and stunningly beautiful and animals everywhere! Summed up perfectly by Erika Abrams of Animal Aid Unlimited ‘if you love the bizarre you will love India’! Grounding is definitely the order of the day.
So in 2010, wildly excited about being in India, a country I had been desperate to visit since working and studying with an Ayurveda teacher, learning about the herbal heritage and therapies of India and almost taking part (poor timing) in a skills exchange to the famous Ananda in the Himalayas. I combined my trip with my other passion, animals, and that’s how I find myself in the kennel block F at TOLFA being introduced to my dogs. Holding my breath at times such were the severity of some of the injuries and conditions that are just not seen thankfully at home in the UK. As I stand there with my toolkit of essential oils, herbs and reiki in a deafening sea of sound as stressed dogs and those coming out of anaesthetic bark and howl, I was instantly reminded of the comedian Billy Connolly on aromatherapists (please do not look it up if you are offended by bad language !) and thinking to myself – Really, what on earth did I think I was going to achieve here – I was slightly daunted to say the least!
That was a big lesson in self-care for me, I wanted to do all I could to help these beautiful souls without being distracted by their condition. Once you met their eyes it was easy to visualise them as healthy and whole. Another lesson from the animals was that they so do not want our pity. Human emotions can literally be tasted by dogs and not something they want to be around. So it became part of my morning routine to work with my own energy connecting with earth ki and grounding to allow me to be the best possible channel of energy for these beautiful dogs.
Thanks to my animal reiki training and practice I feel I can walk into any situation no matter how daunting and be the best channel/reiki practitioner that I can. At the end of the 6 weeks working side by side with veterinary professionals I was able to show them the value of complementary therapies by letting the results speak for themselves, and at least be accepted as a safe practitioner that would do no harm even if complementary therapies are not their cup of tea. I know of several that now have a more open mind after seeing reiki in action. Over the years I have been asked to hold a reiki space during operations, amputations and post op recovery where it has been touch and go. As well as receiving top medical care the animals at TOLFA are being treated by very open minded vets, after all meditation and spirituality are a fact of life here. TOLFA became a SARA shelter in 2013.
We Arrive at TOLFA
I knew Kelly would be okay. She is a highly experienced and gifted reiki teacher/practitioner and I was confident that although it was her first visit (she had so far survived the chaos that is India followed by a long and seat gripping car journey to Pushkar with good humour) and I knew that although I can’t fully prepare anyone for what they might see from our conversations at Ratna Ling and in the planning of this trip she knew that lots of grounding and working with earth ki was in order.
As the auto rickshaw pulled up outside the gates of TOLFA I saw a little brown dog standing in the road. It’s my friend, Mouse. We haven’t seen each other for 2 years. He does a double take and starts running up the road towards us. He plops his head in my hands and softly whines. I have tears in my eyes at such a welcome. Mouse is a bit of a law unto himself and isn’t much fussed about human contact so I am deeply honoured. Mouse is one of my reiki dogs, we share regular distance reiki space.
I also manage to fit in Reiju with Rachel, Val and Sue who are all at various stages of their reiki journey. I love teaching in the space of TOLFA I can feel the love and acknowledgement of every life that comes through those gates. The land is special full of light, the ground is littered with mica that sparkles and shines, the presence of the mountains add to the cosmic energy – I easily lose myself in the earth sky practice in this special place.
During one of my sessions I had an interesting experience with a puppy I had been sharing reiki with daily. He was one of four orphaned brothers in poor condition, and being the smallest there was worry that he was failing to thrive, but as the days went on he would meet me at the kennel gate tiny tail wagging. As I held him to my heart during a deep earth sky meditation as I became one with the elements and tiny scrap of a puppy, he started to become huge, heavy and I had a sense of being unable to hold on to him – simply becoming his true energy self in the meditation!
The next stop on our trip was a visit to Animal Aid Unlimited in Udaipur, the city of lakes. If you use the internet and are an animal lover you won’t have failed to miss Animal Aid Unlimited’s dramatic rescue videos.
After meeting Erika for a chat about SARA and our work she kindly allows us to visit with the animals for the day starting in the yard for blind dogs. I notice ladies sitting in each yard, on hand to help the dogs if needed and gently diffuse any disputes when someone misjudges personal space. The animals here are clearly so well looked after.
In a country where animals live side by side with people both in the cities and rural areas these charities do so much to promote the human/animal bond, encouraging respect for all species. They have had a huge impact on animal welfare in their respective areas bringing much needed care for both street animals and support to owned animals in the community while addressing issues such as population control and eradication of diseases such as rabies.
It was an honour to visit and share Reiki with them. As always the animals were amazing, wise old friends and new teachers.
Alison Mckinnon
SARA Teacher
Chanting at the Animal Shelter
I have been a volunteer at The Buddy Foundation in Arlington Heights, IL since April 24, 2016. By this time, I completed 3 levels of human Reiki classes from January to March 2016. I had not yet taken the Level IV human Reiki class, Kathleen Prasad’s Animal Reiki Workshop Core Curriculum Correspondence class, or the three levels of Kathleen Prasad’s Animal Reiki classes (I – Shoden, II – Okuden, and III – Shinpiden). In other words, I was a fairly new Reiki practitioner but I felt a special affinity toward animals.
I am the first Reiki practitioner at The Buddy Foundation. With my volunteer experience and continued training in animal Reiki classes, I feel a strong connection with Kathleen’s traditional Japanese Reiki meditation techniques, including chanting. Not only does chanting help me become and remain centered, calm and focused, but the animals seem to really respond to the vibrations of the tones. Here are some stories related to my chanting with the cats and dogs at The Buddy Foundation:
I began my meditation with Gassho to center my mind and set my intention to offer Reiki to Ranger, a young dog at The Buddy Foundation who had surgery on his left front and right rear legs. At the time of this story, his front leg was still bandaged; he wore a collar around his neck; and still goes to follow-up doctor and physical therapy sessions a few times a week. Ranger was on his pillow and I sat a few feet away from him on his blanket. After Gassho, I practiced Joshin Kokyu Ho (Hara Breathing). However, I chanted on the outbreaths. Ranger was in his own room but it was next to the dog run, where the dogs’ barking was very loud. Initially, Ranger reacted when the dogs barked. He seemed to respond to the chanting and appeared more relaxed on his pillow. Besides being soothing, I think the chanting may have also served as a point to focus on (focal point) to help block out the barking dogs. After practicing Joshin Kokyu Ho until I felt grounded, focused and connected, then breathed normally for a short time, I sat in the energetic space for a while. I then set my intention to facilitate whatever healing Ranger was open to receiving and invited him into the ‘Reiki space’ I had created and remained on the blanket (later moving near him on his pillow) while I continued chanting softly. Afterwards, I went into Gassho and thanked Ranger for his participation and openness to healing, then set my intention to finish.
The above paragraph described the logistics of my meditation, and now I want to focus more on Ranger’s behavior during the session. When I invited him to share the Reiki space with me, I had the feeling that if he were a cat, he would have purred. After a few minutes into the session, Ranger sighed very deeply. He sighed about 2-3 more times during the session. The dog run is right outside of his room. A couple of times he reacted to the dogs barking in the run by sitting up on his pillow and barking at the door to his room. Once he stood up on both of his hind legs and barked, and once he drank water from his bowl. For the majority of the time, he rested on his pillow, even though the other dogs continued to bark, while I continued to chant. A couple of times he paced around the room, then came right over to me on the blanket – one time sitting right next to me while I petted him, and another time standing next to me but pushing his body right up against mine, while I petted him – softly speaking to him but still holding the Reiki space. At one point he lay on his pillow but turned to face me, indicating that he wanted me to pet him. I went to his pillow and petted his head and body. He then lied down and stretched out on his pillow while I petted him. While I petted his body and laid my hands on his back and sides, his legs jerked intermittently for a few minutes – especially his left front leg that was bandaged. It was as if blocked energy was being released and working itself out of his body. After about 30-40 minutes, Ranger needed to be walked and I ended the session, thanking Ranger for his participation and openness to healing.
The second time I worked with Ranger in his room, he was still set off whenever the dogs barked in the run, so I chanted more loudly. This caused him to focus on my chanting rather than on the dogs’ barking. He was very wild that night. He ripped apart a blanket that a volunteer brought in the room for me to sit on, and when the dogs first started barking he tried to nip at me (he is still wearing a cone on his head to prevent him from biting his surgery wounds). I just told him “No” a couple of times and he stopped trying to nip me. Anyway, I lowered my voice with the chants when the dogs in the run settled down, and chanted louder when they started barking. Toward the end, I placed my hands on my hara (don’t know why I hadn’t thought of that earlier in the session) and chanted for a while, and then I opened my arms out. About 30 seconds after I did that, the dog run went completely silent. By the end of the session, Ranger had totally settled down and was napping on his pillow.
Another more significant story involves a cat named Dancer who is in a cage. He’s a gorgeous gray and white cat. He’s still feral and has hurt a number of volunteers. He loves to play so I usually play with him with a toy on a string. Whenever anyone opens his cage, he dashes through an opening to his other cage. When I play with the toy, I’m at one cage with the door open and I throw the toy through the opening so he can play with the toy from his other cage. One Thursday I opened the cage and, as usual, he dashed to the other cage. Then I started chanting, and he came to the cage that I was standing in front of, but the door was closed. I kept chanting and opened the door a crack. He remained on his cat tracker toy where I was, even with the door cracked open. I kept chanting and very slowly opened the door wider and wider, and he remained on his cat tracker. At one point, he looked alert when the door was open and I thought he might have tried to go out of his cage, but I closed it a bit (unfortunately, they don’t let him out as he would attack the volunteers if they tried to get him back into his cage). Anyway, I kept chanting and opening the door slowly until it was fully open, and he remained on his cat tracker with his eyes closed. At the very end, he walked slowly into the other cage and crawled into his bed, where he took a ‘Reiki nap.’
I thank Ranger, Dancer, and all the animals at The Buddy Foundation who let down their guard and open themselves up to Reiki, which facilitates their own healing process. I’m blessed to be part of this process.
Deanna Sava
SARA Teacher
Reiki Meditation for Mussel and Oyster, 2 Sheltered Animals
Every week I am honored to be able to offer reiki meditation to the animals at Baltimore Humane Society and the past several weeks are no exception. Several of my sessions are spent with 2 adorable kittens that have Cerebellar Hypoplasia – they shake and wobble a lot due to under developed muscle coordination. Mussle and Oyster will live a healthy life, but the goal is of course for them to be adopted sooner than later especially since they have been in the shelter for over 5 months and they are almost a year old…
My first session with them (they are together in a well padded floor, lots of cubbies and toys to play with!), they were very reserved and did not come over to me, but after 15 minutes they did take a nap which lasted for 30 minutes or so. I thanked them both for sharing such a wonderful healing space and they continued to nap as I quietly left their area.
The 2nd session was amazing! Once inside their room (which is yellow-perfect for healing and soothing), I brought a cushion to sit/kneel on during my sessions and immediately as I situated my self, Mussel, the grey and white kitten came over to me and made himself comfortable in my lap! (did the best with videoing while still keeping the healing space)
His purring was so loud that it assisted me to go even deeper in my meditation!
Offering Reiki Meditation to a kitten with Cerebellar Hypoplasia
His brother Oyster was napping when I came in their room. Sharing this beautiful energy I noticed Mussel’s shaking of his head was much less and when he did decide to move around the room to get something to eat he was slightly more stable in his walk. He welcomed the camera as you can see below!
A little later Oyster woke up and also came over to me, though he was more interested in my seat cushion and the ties which became a play toy!
After a couple of minutes, Oyster went over and ate and drank some water and went right back to napping. Trusting the reiki energy to go where it needed to go, I am blessed to witness a calmness in them both. For the 45 minutes, the shaking and wobbleness was decreased especially while sitting and eating!
Mussel playing with seat cushion
The video below was recorded 11-19-16 which was the following week from the visit recorded above ….and….guess what?
Wonderful news for them… They were both adopted together that week to a loving and compassionate family! It is such an honor and blessing to be part of animals life being Reiki for them.
Oyster the kitten, receiving Reiki energy!
Dulsanea Naedek
SARA Practitioner
Cleo’s Reiki Transformation
Cleo, the Rottweiler female was rescued 6 months ago from a situation full of abuse and aggression. Since the day she was rescued, she has been running around, barking furiously and losing weight.
When I met her, I sat in front of her kennel, and told her she was beautiful. I expanded. I was the Earth, and I was the grass, the air and I was all love. At the beginning she was running like crazy all around and barking. I just mediated, without judgment. All is love, and she was beautiful.
I imagined creating love all around her, instead of offering it directly to her. There was no contact at the beginning. After some time, I started imagining I could “touch” her with this love, with the light. After 10 minutes of this, she came to the fence, barked just one and went away.
Over time she was getting calmer. We stayed together for about 40 minutes. She didn’t lay down, as she was really too excited to rest, but she came to the fence many times, always watching me and then walking away. A staff person watched everything from nearby and she said Cleo had never behaved this way before. I learned so much from Cleo that day: no judgments, and gratitude for sharing Reiki with love, love, love.
At the end of the treatment that first day, she was sitting calmly and watching me. I was looking forward, avoiding her eyes, in order not to make her agitated again. When she finally walked away, I thanked her and left.
I am also taking the Leah’s course “Animal Reiki for Reiki Practitioners” these days and I shared this experience with her. Leah recommended that I to continue offer Reiki to Cleo, so I went to visit her for a second time.
The second meeting was filled with love, I guess we were both sending it to each other. There were few moments Cleo sat in parallel to me and we were looking in the same direction, just sharing the Reiki space. In that moment it was as if we were just One, we were both above all thoughts and feelings, just present with each other.
When I went to visit her for the third time, her transformation was incredible, and I experienced such joy and gratitude. Gratitude for everything, for Leah’s support, for Cleo’s being so open, for Universal Reiki.
Cleo has taught me that when we are honest and humble with what we do, and when we manage to put our ego aside entrusting Reiki – amazing healing can happen.
Soon Cleo will take her first walk outside. Thank you Reiki! Just simply – thank you!!!
Joanna Pieczurkin
Ready, Set, GLOW – Preparing for our Reiki Share with Glow Work
I pondered. What type of “homework” can I give my new Level I Animal Reiki students to keep them keeping on? You know what I mean. We’ve all been there. Take an invigorating class with a group of people all fired up to practice your newly learned skills…then poof!
You go home, practice for a few days and sometimes the excitement fades. Something else in life can distract you… a shiny new carrot is dangled in front of your eyes!
As a SARA teacher, I too am challenged with my own meditation practice. No, it is not always easy. Yet, I have come to learn over and over again, how important meditating with animals has clearly enhanced my own well-being and the well-being of others.
Clarity came to me one morning after meditating. Ta Da! “Glow Work” was born (instead of that sometimes dreaded word “homework”) 🙂
For a couple of weeks before our Reiki Share, I emailed my students with a daily dose of “Glow Work”. I had also taught these students from “The 5 Powerful Meditations to Help Heal Your Animals” class. Therefore, Kathleen Prasad’s gem of a book, inspired many of the assignments I gave them too. In addition, I directed them to their Animal Reiki Source Manual for specific exercises to practice. To spice things up, I gave them a variety of fun, innovative things to do and some freedom to pick their own glow work.
I found that my own creativity as a teacher was fed by me pulling from all the resources, teachings and experiences I had encountered over the years, with offering Reiki to so many animals and their people in shelters and homes. How grateful I am to educate others about the integrative practice of Reiki and continue waving the SARA flag high!
Ultimately, my students and I stayed connected as we practiced the “Glow Work” together and our Reiki Share was much more meaningful as a result. Oklahoma SARA Team here we come…this is our goal, one glow step at a time!
Karren O’Sullivan
SARA Teacher
The Powerful Gift of Shelter Reiki: Helping Asia
UPDATE from Carol: Asia has been adopted to his forever family! The legacy of Reiki healing is like the vibration of a butterfly’s wings – infinite.
We don’t often share the private letters that SARA President Kathleen Prasad receives on a daily basis from so many animal lovers around the world who have been helped by her teachings. This one, however, touched our hearts so much with the good healing news that it brought, that we wanted to share it with our readers, in hopes that it will support, inspire and ground you in your important work for the animals who need you most! No matter what situation an animal has come from, Reiki can bridge the gap, no matter how wide, creating a bridge of healing. Never give up! With love, the SARA Team
Remembering How to Be Reiki
When I walked in to the room to feed the cats, my heart sank when I realized that only Abe’s twin brother, Rudy, met me. Both Rudy and his mother, Zelda, had been quite ill for the past week with a stomach upset. Both had recovered and I had hoped that Abe would escape the illness.
Hospice For My Horse
She was 21 when I adopted her from the rescue. I found her online, a Google search. I typed in white Arabian mare and she was the first to appear. I knew immediately she was the one.
She was angry when she arrived to her new home. And wary and untrusting….locked in a world of grief and fear. We gave her space and consistency and most of all love.
We spent our evenings sitting in the barn with her. Sipping tea. Just being together. Slowly, she started to warm up to us. Ever so slowly.
Over the next six years, we grew very close. I could see the barn from my kitchen window and it seemed that we were always together. Always chatting.
Then, one day, from the kitchen window, I saw her eating dirt. Mouthfuls. I went out to distract her and she started to graze. But over the coming months, her dirt eating progressed to the point that we could only hand graze her. The vets scratched their heads. They could find no cause and no solution.
In the late fall, her appetite began to wane and then one morning I noticed a small swelling on her underside. Things changed slowly but steadily from there. Her appetite continued to diminish and she grew weaker. But her will to live and her desire to get better remained strong. Her world was small but she loved it.
We fed her mashes every hour. As the winter progressed, we kept her in blankets with a small space heater near her.
I spent long hours standing with her, both of us in the silence of Reiki. Once again, I was the young girl, standing with my magical, mythical white mare of my dreams, gazing at the Sun, and Moon and the Stars. Reading the Wind. The little goats would join us. Often, when I entered the barn, I would find one of the goats standing near her, the two breathing as one.
She taught me how to find the space of Oneness, love and compassion instantly…..without symbols or mantras. ….to just be, to just go there. Sometimes, as I stood next to her, she would touch my arm with her muzzle as if to say, “no, just do it like this” and we would go deeper into our meditation than I could ever have imagined.
Often, when I meditated in bed, she would “appear” and the meditation quickly entered a dimension I could not find on my own.
As the winter wore on, she started having spells of abdominal pain. I found that if I stood with her, she would guide me where to place my hands and the spells would pass.
My husband began to sleep in the little room next to her stall so he could watch and go to her if she was uncomfortable. We took turns getting up to check on her and to offer her food. She continued to love her life and we returned that love.
As she grew more feeble, my husband placed a cot in her stall. She slept standing over him, her muzzle resting on his chest. When he went out to the barn in the evening, she would be standing by his cot waiting for him.
The winter passed and as the grass began to show, I would pick it for her and bring it to her. She nickered loudly with joy as I approached. The times we spent in meditation together increased and she continued to teach me. Truly, her heart was as vast as the Universe and as clear as the Sky.
She continued to sleep with her muzzle resting on my husband’s chest as he slept on the cot in her stall. One morning he came in to tell me she had not left his side all night. He glowed that morning and I thought to myself that she had suffused her spirit into him. When I went through the barn with my dog later that morning, they touched noses and I thought how well she looked. My husband left for work and I went out, as usual, with her mash. She was standing with her head over his cot. I spoke to her, showing her the bowl and she turned eagerly, but paused.
Angels gently lowered her to the ground. It was a miracle she did not fall on me. I knelt down, she was gone.
Her two younger half sisters are with us now, adopted from the same rescue. When I sit with them in meditation, she is right with us. And when I have trouble letting go of my thoughts and emotions, I feel her muzzle on my arm and hear her saying, “no….just do it like this….”
Emma Duvefelt
Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing,
there is a field. I’ll meet you there.When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about.
Ideas, language, even the phrase “each other” doesn’t make any sense.-mevlana jelaluddin rumi – 13th century