Blog

Hospice For My Horse

September 18, 2016

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

Shelter Reiki – “Never Give Up”

July 21, 2016

I have had the most amazing, beautiful experiences with the dogs at my local shelter where I volunteer Animal Reiki. Those little Buddhas with fur have opened my heart, brought in the “light” and have shown me the way to compassion, love, peace and joy on deep levels. The whole idea of sharing Reiki with animals at shelters was a very scary one for me at my first Animal Reiki class with Kathleen Prasad, and at the time, I thought to myself, “I never could do that”! The animals had other plans. Once I began devoting to my Daily Meditation practice as instructed by Kathleen, I felt a pull in that direction and have never looked back.

In the beginning months of sharing a Reiki space with the dogs at the shelter, it was pretty awesome to watch them welcome me and the Reiki meditation that I was offering. I would also see them change before my eyes and then get adopted. I never discussed it with the Animal Control staff and I wasn’t even sure they knew or understood what I was doing quietly on the floor with my eyes closed! I would quietly walk into the shelter, do my thing and walk out sometimes giggling to myself at the dog’s silly antics. I was just thankful the shelter staff let me come in and do what I love.

After a few months went by, I began to feel a sense of dread when I would drive up to the shelter. This bothered me because if I was feeling this uncomfortable how can I help the animals? The dread wasn’t from the animals but it was an unspoken feeling I was getting from someone, something! I became fearful and knew I had to take a step back from the shelter and look at the whole picture from a different perspective. I realized I have to stay strong in my daily meditation practice, go deeper, heal myself of all those fears lingering. Does the shelter staff think I am nuts, am I helping, do they care, should I keep doing this? I didn’t know what was next, but I knew I could not give up on myself or the animals that need a sacred space to heal and feel safe, either at the shelter or somewhere else. During my daily meditation, I kept asking for a sign if I was meant to go back to the shelter.

My sign came in on my first day of volunteering at a local cat rescue where I help clean the cat condos as well as feed them. An Animal Control officer from the shelter was there and when I saw her, the fear crept in and I cringed for a minute and thought to myself, “she thinks I am nuts”! In the next moment, I let it go of that fear and we talked and she said I should come back to the shelter.

I am excited to be back at the shelter and I am happy to report that the Grass Valley Animal Control Officer that told me to come back has supported me and my Animal Reiki journey at the shelter and I am forever grateful to her for believing in me and what I do. The Animal Control Supervisor, who was an admitted skeptic of Animal Reiki, recently had an experience that is giggle worthy. He came into the Animal Control lobby and thought for a moment a little doggy was “dead”. The little doggy had just had a Reiki session with me and was sleeping very soundly in his crate. I think at that moment the Animal Control Supervisor had become an advocate for Animal Reiki and a supporter of mine. My take from all of this is to never give up on yourself and your passion and for all of us Animal Reiki Practitioners and Teachers, never forget your Daily Meditation practice.

Happy Tails!

Maureen Petras
SARA Practitioner

White Tiger Reiki

July 15, 2016

Some years ago, we visited Houston, Texas. I went to the Downtown Aquarium, which housed animals as well. I wanted to offer Reiki to whomever wanted it.

To my horror, I came upon a large room with a floor-to-ceiling window behind which was an enormous white, blue-eyed tiger, pacing. He was at least ten feet long. The floor of the tiger’s room was marble, and in the center was a large stone tub filled with water. Crowds of people took photos, posed in front of him, and teased him. He seemed very distressed, and roared and lunged at the people who came near the glass. They laughed at him.

I sat down on a bench and silently offered the tiger Reiki, saying, “Hi, I’m Ellen. Would you like Reiki? Please feel free to take as much or as little as you want. It’s up to you.”

The tiger stopped pacing, lay down, and turned his face to look straight into my eyes. I almost fell off the bench! I’ve been practicing animal Reiki for many years and this was the most amazing “Yes” I’d ever seen.

The energy began to flow. My hands and feet tingled. I sat there for a long time. Finally, the flow stopped. The tiger didn’t move.

A family approached the glass. The mom wanted to take a photo of her two little girls in front of the tiger. The tiger remained still and seemed content as the two children sat down, one on either side of his head. The mom took several photos. I think they must have been a highlight of the family’s trip.

When it was time to go, I was sad to leave the tiger in his marble and glass cage.

Ellen Nemoyten
SARA Practitioner

Association for the Protection of Abandoned Dogs

July 10, 2016

I have been an Animal Reiki Volunteer in a Dog Shelter in Portugal, APCA-Association for the Protection of Abandoned Dogs, for two and a half years, on a weekly base

During this time, I had many fantastic experiences which allowed me to conclude that these animals are very gentle and they love Reiki.

Some of these dogs live in the same space, therefore, when I am giving Reiki to a dog, immediately the rest of them join us, lying down and absorbing that harmonious energy.

In this place, it would be rather difficult to take the dogs out of their “homes” to give them Reiki, so the session is made with our knees on the ground or on the place they sleep. Sometimes, with another animal hanged in our back.

However, despite these conditions, it is the most beautiful experience, where the hearts of two different species are connected with a very intense feeling.

I believe this is unconditional love.

fatima1

The interest in Animal Reiki is growing in our country, also due to the work of Portuguese Reiki Association and its Volunteer Group.

We celebrated the World Animal Reiki Day, with a Dog Walk with the animals of APCA Shelter where we joined 55 people, many of them were teenagers and children, who were very happy to participate in this event.

fatima2

Located in the beautiful Sintra, with its fantastic landscapes, it is very easy to find great paths, which remind us an Enchanted Forest.

The contact with Nature and the birds singing, provides us an intense sensation of peace.

fatima3

Since the begining of March, another volunteer joined me, to give Reiki to these wonderful dogs- Patricia.

We created a page called Reinimal, on which we publish some articles related to Animal Reiki.

We also want people to know our activities at APCA, and the stories we live with their animals, so, we write regularly the Kennel Chronicles, which are published by the Portuguese Reiki Association and by Reinimal.

We were invited to organize a Dog Walk with a teenager class of Reiki 1 students, with ages between 11 and 16 years old. This Walk took place on the 18th June, and all the people involved loved not only the dogs and the place, but specially the small Reiki Session given to all of them.

fatima4

To conclude, I would like to congratulate APCA- Association for the Protection of Abandoned Dogs for its work in protecting this dogs, giving them shelter, food, vaccines, electronic identification, finding them a home where they can be finally loved.

This Association, as many others throughout Portugal and the world is an example of dedication and makes an incredible work with the resources they have.

They make a difference in the life of all the dogs that have already been adopted.

Fátima Velho
SARA Friend

Reiki for a Newly Hatched Hawk

May 16, 2016

I went to the vet for the periodical vaccination for Kira. I could see that my vet was particularly tired, so I asked him if he was having a bad day and if there were any urgent cases he had to deal with. He said no, that he had a sleepless night as one of the hawks had just hatched and had no life signs.

My vet adores hawks and was very preoccupied as he didn’t know what to do. The hawk wasn’t eating nor drinking. So I asked him to send me the photo and said that I would work with Reiki for him.

My vet is still skeptical about Reiki, but the great thing about him is that he sent me the photo. I said I would start at 8pm, and I would contact him once I had finished. I connected with my guides, with the Light, and we worked. The wonderful thing about this work was that as I had no idea what was wrong I just abandoned myself to the One. The energy was flowing like a river stream and there was love everywhere.

After I was finished, I wrote to vet and he said that around 8:30 the hawk gave his first life signs and drank a little bit. Next morning the message from my vet was: “I am not saying anything, but….”

Hawk 4 days old — Hawk after 4 days (2nd from left)

The wonderful lesson I learned was that the more I abandon myself to the One, the more I act, always for the maximum best. It’s not always that easy, but you know this better than I do.

Joanna Pieczurkin
SARA Practitioner in Italy

Cleo’s Mutley Crew

May 12, 2016

Cleo’s Mutley Crew in Scotland is the latest member organisation of the Shelter Animal Reiki Association. Founder Lynsey Murray, a Reiki practitioner and behaviourist, has been taking animal Reiki classes with me to learn some of the methods we use to offer Reiki to shelter animals and give much needed support to volunteers. In my role as a SARA Reiki teacher I offer charities and their staff free training in Reiki and meditation techniques to help support them in the amazing and selfless work that they do.

Cleo’s charity rescues, rehabilitates and re-homes dogs from across the UK, literally taking dogs from death row, a problem that is spiraling out of control with 3000 per month sentenced to death through no fault of their own. These intelligent beautiful animals are being euthanized simply for being born in the wrong circumstances – knowledge that Lynsey and her team (and of course many other organisations) have to face daily.

I met Lynsey when she came along to a Christmas event, at The Pet Empawrium the pet and veterinary centre where I practice Reiki, to represent her charity. I had heard of her work and her reputation as someone who never gives up on a dog, no matter what their reputation. That afternoon she had to go off and collect a puppy (rescued at 2 weeks old, now 10 weeks) who was with one of her network of trusted foster carers and about to go to his new home that night, she asked if I would look after her collection can while she was away. She duly returned with the most adorable, big lump of a puppy! An American Bulldog mix, he was just the friendliest contented puppy attracting lots of attention, and, as his story unfolded, you could see the shock and tears reflected in the eyes of the crowd gathered around him. illegal dog fighting is a sickening reality in our world today and it takes people like Lynsey to deal with just some of the casualties, these are the lucky ones.

Lynsey set up the organisation, named after her own rescue dog Cleo, to take ‘death row dog’s’ from across the UK and re-home them in Scotland where they receive veterinary care and behavioral rehabilitation if necessary. She uses a range of holistic therapies, Reiki and natural feeding to give these dogs the best possible start in their new life.

The charity has many success stories with dogs being re-homed to loving families including the pup and his litter mates, his name is Lucas and he is growing into a handsome chap ! Lynsey’s own dog Walter is another credit to the charity – he attends classes with Lynsey and is the perfect gentleman, Walter now helps to calm and reassure some of newer rescues and has a natural talent for healing.

As SARA’s philosophy is to take Reiki to where it is needed most and not only to support the beautiful animal souls but the humans who do this incredibly difficult, often thankless and always heart wrenching work – I am delighted to welcome Cleo’s Mutley Crew to the SARA family.

Alison McKinnon
SARA Teacher

Demystifying Reiki at Animal Shelters – Why You Should Volunteer Today!

October 29, 2015

One of the most common responses I receive when mentioning I volunteer Animal Reiki at shelters is “I could never volunteer at a shelter, I would just feel too sad for all the animals.” Can you relate?

I hope to shift this perspective by providing a new one for you to consider. A viewpoint infused with gratitude and compassion for all those who make shelter operation possible, and of course for the precious animals who find themselves in a shelter through no fault of their own.

After 18 months of volunteering Reiki weekly at Cat Haven (in Perth, Western Australia) I now view shelters as beautiful havens for the rejuvenation and recovery of animals.

Just like you and I animals are all different. Where we find ourselves at this point in our life is unique to us, just like it is for each animal in a shelter.

Yet as I’m sure you’ll agree, no matter their history, it is wonderful that shelters exist to provide these animals with an opportunity to find a new home which, optimally, is more suited to nourishing and nurturing the potential of their gorgeous little hearts than where they may have come from. Animal Reiki is the perfect adjunct to support them on their way.

To dispel the myth that we need to feel sad for these animals, we need to explore why we might feel this way. Largely this is based around what we perceive to be their previous experiences, especially where these were negative. We may have even been through similar disheartening experiences ourselves and as such our own unresolved or conflicted emotions about this may start to rise up.

If you have ever visited a shelter you will have noticed that some animals do not seem fazed by the ‘shelter experience’ and appear ready to find their new home straight away. Meanwhile it is clear that many others have indeed had a rough time before their arrival and as such they need a chance to recuperate before going back out into the world- our human world- again. It is these animals especially which Reiki can benefit.

For example prior to arriving at the shelter they may have been:

A feral animal with only negative experiences of human interaction (or even no experience of us at all);
From the home of an animal hoarder;
A friendly stray, who has been confident enough to approach people for food but who has no permanent home;
A lost animal without any means of identification (i.e. a collar or micro chip) and who may have consequently had to survive for some time on the streets before finding their way to the shelter;
An animal who previously had a home but their ‘people’ were no longer able to care for them, including cost of care;
Just not wanted anymore, often due to a change in circumstances, including separation/ divorce; or
A wild animal (in the case of native wildlife: where they are given a chance to heal before being returned to their home in nature).

While the reason they came to the shelter might be sad, as soon as they arrive the animals could truly not be in better hands. For in many ways they are lucky to be there at all and it is a blessing that they are greeted with such love, care and compassion when they need it most. For some of these animals it might even be the first time they have been approached by humans in this way and because they are in such a state of stress it is difficult for them to realise that help is being offered.

Veterinarians, who have studied for years to help these animals now in front of them, use their depth of knowledge and experience along with diagnostic tools such as blood and urine testing to determine if the animal requires any particular medical support and provide it where necessary. (Including flea treatments, vaccination, other medications, and surgery).

The animals are neutered, to prevent one animal without a loving home turning into many more experiencing those same circumstances. The animals are micro chipped, so should they be lost after adoption it will be that much easier to reunite them with their human custodians.

This is all completed to get the animal into the best place possible health wise and to prepare them for their new home. However sometimes they are not quite ready to move forward just yet. Shelters therefore provide sanctuary for these animals gifting them with time, safety and ongoing care, supporting the animal to recuperate and prepare for its onward journey.

Whatever these animals have been through we must gently acknowledge (sometimes over and over again) that the reasons they might be skeptical of us are valid. Their unwillingness to let us see who they really are is in fact the same protective mechanism we may come to realise we are also utilising, implemented after experiencing mistreatment in our own lives.

So, as these animals find themselves in their new and temporary home at the shelter with food, a comfortable safe place to sleep and relieve themselves, but surrounded by many other animals in similar and differing circumstances it is understandable and likely that they are feeling wary of the future ahead of them.

Sometimes I imagine what their stories might have looked like.

The animal may have helped a couple learn what it is like to care for a dependent being, to love someone different than themselves, yet when the stress and challenges of a new baby comes along they are sent off to a shelter. Disregarded for the knowledge and wisdom they have shared.

The animal may have helped a person through a number of life experiences, providing love and companionship for many years. Then the person has an individual call to move on to other things and in doing so (and for one reason or another) they leave the animal behind. Not recognising how much harder it would have been to overcome those difficulties/ embrace their current path without the animal by their side.

The animal may have been a valued family member for many years yet their owner has become to old to care for them. Although other family members are unwilling to take them on, they are still being provided with a new opportunity to bring joy and happiness to someone else. In recognition of the love, lessons and companionship shared over the years.

They might be a feral animal that needs time to adjust to even being in the vicinity of humans, let alone learning to trust us and realize that we are not ‘all bad.’ Depending on their past experiences it will likely take them some time to reach this conclusion. Then more time to understand how the complicated domesticated animal-human relationship works.

No matter the circumstances or the story we can ascribe to the animal, isn’t the best way to look at it possibly that while their previous circumstances weren’t ideal for them they now have the opportunity to find those that are?

Circumstances where people will have time for them, where they will be cherished for what they bring to the home. Where they are able to live out the rest of their life being cared for and appreciated, no matter how many years they have left, the cost of any care they might need, or the time it may take them to recover and embrace the safety and love of their new home.

Yes, the wonderful people who come to shelters to adopt their new animal friend have just these things in mind. They wish to help the animals to embrace their future, regardless of their past, and these positive thoughts and emotions further encourage the animal’s level of trust.

This is why tapping into the hope, respect and compassion we have for all animals facing such a delicate point in their lives is much more beneficial to them – and to us – than other emotions such as sadness, pity or anger.

Before they can get to these homes however they must wait it out in the shelter. Being highly sensitive creatures, the shelter environment itself can be quite stressful for the animals. They find themselves with limited space, surrounded by numerous other animals in varying states of distress, fear, pain, anger etc. I can only begin to imagine the sensory, auditory and intuitive overload they must be experiencing within the shelters walls.

This is where Reiki is so useful as a complementary tool to provide further support, both emotionally and physically. The peacefulness created and radiated out by our meditation helps the animals to understand they are in a safe place where genuine concern exists for their wellbeing.

They might have been so stressed that they hadn’t realized, until that moment of peace pervaded them, that so many wonderful caring and compassionate human beings surround them who are dedicated to ensuring their immediate needs and more are met every single day. Reiki helps the animals to let go and move towards acceptance, just as our own personal meditation and contemplation practice provides for us.

For the animals, this could look like them falling into a deep restful sleep for the first time, giving their body a chance to re-energize and their nervous system a chance to restore. Sometimes they haven’t been eating well (or at all) and as they start to embrace the relaxation facilitated by Reiki they suddenly realise just how hungry/ thirsty they are, or even that it is safe to eat, and they move over to their food bowls and start gobbling down their food or lapping up water.

Sometimes relief is experienced by way of a bowel movement, which they could have been holding on to for some time. Other times a sense of play might be re-ignited and they will start jumping around in their condo in happiness. Or they might even just start to look around and get their bearings, understanding they are safe for the first time since their arrival. Other times they start the process of cleaning themselves, perhaps a sign not only of their pride in keeping themselves clean but to ensure they look their best for the people visiting the shelter that day.

The open gentle space of hope and compassion we are able to hold for the animals during meditation, along with that held by those working at the shelter (and expanding out: all the people who demonstrate care and kindness towards animals) really is beneficial and helps the animals to feel comfortable in letting their true personality shine through, maybe for the first time in years.

Isn’t that beautiful? The only tears we should really shed for these animals are tears of joy in recognition of their strength and also as a sign of deep gratitude for our own unique ability to assist the animals in such a gentle, loving and kind way via the offering of Reiki.

I really hope this article has helped you to appreciate how beneficial Reiki, or indeed unconditional love and compassion can be for shelter animals. I encourage you from the bottom of my heart to please consider volunteering Reiki at a shelter today!

You might enter a shelter thinking you are going there to support the animals yet you may leave finding that the animals have actually helped you. That is how radiant and beautiful they are. Even in their time of need they share with us such profound lessons about life, forgiveness and the power of compassion and love. Animals are here to teach and support us in opening our hearts to the beauty that exists not just within them, but also within each one of us.

Carolyn Trethewey
SARA Practitioner

All You Need Is Reiki … and A Little Dog Food

August 12, 2015

Two Chesapeake Bay Retrievers were wandering (scared and unapproachable) in my friend’s (Lynne’s) neighborhood for over ten days. She had been trying to befriend and catch them. Someone had obviously dumped them. One was dragging a leash and the other was dragging a short chain. Lynne had been leaving them food & water. They were pretty much staying in an elderly lady’s yard at the end of her dead end road and would run if you approached them.

Lynne called me Saturday, wanting to know if a stray-dog Reiki session would help catch them. I went over there Saturday evening and was sitting in the road “Being Reiki”. The one dog (later named Opal) started to act like she wanted to get closer to me. When I saw that Opal was responding to me, I also used some dog food to coax her. She didn’t get close enough that night.

Opal Opal Sunday morning I went back and Opal got closer. I was finally able to grab her leash. I led her to a fenced yard next door to Lynne’s house and the other dog (Ruby) followed us. After Ruby followed Opal and I into the yard, Lynne closed the gate. Opal laid next to me and after a while, Ruby settled down and got closer. Lynne sat by me and when Ruby was finally Reiki napping, Lynne was able to grab her chain.

Monday morning we took the dogs to the humane society where I volunteer. They were immediately given vaccinations, bordatella nose spray, heartworm/worm meds, and given a big room to stay in. They are about three years old and most likely sisters. They are scheduled to get spayed/microchipped next week. Ruby has a mammary tumor, and that will be removed when she gets spayed & sent for a biopsy.

Both will also get heartworm tested. Once all the vet services are completed, they will be put up for adoption. Now that they’re not scared anymore, the humane society director says they will go fast. Lynne is pretty sure it was the Reiki that got Opal & Ruby finally captured. I’ll be working with them when I go there. Hopefully they’ll be adopted soon.

Sue Lovell

Quick Update on Ruby & Opal: Both are doing fine and acting like normal “pets” again. They are scheduled for spay surgery and Ruby’s tumor will be removed and sent in for a biopsy analysis. Neither of the dogs have heartworm. Yay! They should be out on the adoption floor soon!

The Presence of Life: Lessons from Magnificent Moses

July 13, 2015

Moses the mule, 39 years old, was strong and determined to carry on no matter what. But on June 30 Moses surrendered –it was time. His body was weak and tired, and ready to let go.

Moses was rescued four years ago by Suzi Cloutier, director of Zeb’s Wish Equine Sanctuary in Sandy, Oregon and brought to live at the sanctuary. There was much evidence that his life before the sanctuary had been really hard, and that he had suffered from years of abuse and neglect. His terror of being touched was enough to make him fall over shaking if there was no escape. During the past few months, as his body declined, his heart grew in strength, and this boy that lived so many years on sheer force of will, finally began to trust the people that loved him so much.

His transition was gentle and beautiful and he had us with him through the entire process reminding him how deeply loved he was. With a body so thin, frail, and failing, we helped Moses finish this life here and release this body and its story. On that day he trusted. We held him in love, together as a family. As he let go, our touch was the last thing he felt before being taken up into the arms of All That Is.

Moses touched so many people’s hearts and he shone as a teacher and healer to many.

Moses

“What existed on the outside of Moses – scars, impaired vision, horrible teeth, untrimmed feet because of his fear of the farrier, bad hips – we could work with, using special feeds and medications, deeper bedding, and special fencing. But what lived inside his heart was the deepest kind of wound that only Moses could heal. We focused only on our relationship with him. What a tremendous learning to let go of our ‘ideas’ of what he should look like, act like, be like, and let him simply be – Moses. He taught us patience, compassion, trust, and acceptance.”
~Suzi Cloutier~

“While I’ve seen ‘lovable’ aspects of myself in horses along the way, Mo the mule was the first within whom I saw the darker, ‘unwanted’ parts. His PTSD made it difficult to accept touch. When we finally connected without touch, it was like a train of love had run me over. I could feel the immense beauty and wisdom of this boy in every fiber of my being. It was like bathing in glorious, knowing sunlight.

While I thought I already understood this, Mo made it 10,000 times more clear to me that the ‘unwanted’ parts of us are catalysts for wisdom and compassion. His ‘issues’ were difficult to deal with from day to day, but they taught everyone around him so much and it deepened his own experience. I am grateful for the trust he placed in us all to take care of him. In the end, we all learned so, so much from him. What a teacher you are, Mo.”
Lindsay Jones, Zeb’s Wish Volunteer, Hand to Heart Equine Massage

As for me, I see myself like Moses; stoic, carrying on, determined, independent – in the sense that I had to learn at an early age to take care of my emotional and mental needs – to depend and rely on myself for strength, courage, and support. And like Moses, I keep carrying on even when I really need to be true to myself and make changes to ease my way and be more caring and loving with myself. He reminded me that it is important to take care of myself, to ask myself every day, “How can I ease my way today? How can I be compassionate and loving with myself?” But more importantly, he taught me that I too can accept support and love without feeling afraid and distrustful. He helped me to stand tall and not be afraid to show who I am, even when it means I may be judged or belittled.

On the day Moses crossed over, we honored and acknowledged each other as we shared a beautiful Reiki session for about 90 minutes before the vet arrived. For the first time, he wanted me to stand close to him and put my hands on him. He was so quiet, relaxed, and peaceful during the session. His sweet face and innocent eyes have always touched my heart and that day he looked at me with wisdom and understanding – offering comfort when he sensed my sadness.

We stood together in silence listening to the sounds of the wind and birds, watching the trees dance, taking in the beauty and magic of life. If my awareness drifted, he reminded me with a glance to BE in each moment, to let myself see, sense, and take in and experience the Presence of Life. The moments when I was in the Presence were the moments when the connection and my sense of oneness were strong and clear. I felt an intimacy with existence and an intimacy of connection with Moses and what he was showing me. There is deep beauty in this place; it’s vivid, alive, and full of vitality and peace. There is no fear of death and no fear of life. These moments and the Presence remain with me because Moses continues to remind me to be in the Presence of Life day-to-day and especially during Reiki sessions so that I am more open to heart connection and expansiveness, compassion, wisdom, healing, beauty and joy, and the magic of our world and of my life.

We buried him on the property with his favorite hay, flowers, and other favorite things to eat, including blackberry leaves which he really loved to munch. Of course, he will always be with us in spirit and I can see him munching away, able to eat as much as he wants, the blindness gone, his coat shiny and beautiful again, and a big smile on his face. Thank you, Moses. I love you with every part of my being.

Victoria Kress
SARA Teacher/Practitioner
www.reiki-wisdom.com

A Beautiful Reiki Teacher

April 10, 2015

Daphne Several years ago I was blessed to find two adorable beagles at a local animal shelter. At the time I had no idea what incredible teachers they were. Recently Daphne took me on a journey that would deepen my spiritual practice and expand my understanding of the power of Reiki to bring healing on all levels.

One evening Daphne began showing signs of what appeared to be digestive issues. The situation escalated overnight. I contacted our vet and was advised to bring Daphne to the local animal hospital. Fear filled my mind. What if something was seriously wrong? What if I lost her? What if there was nothing I could do to help her? What if I couldn’t afford whatever treatment she needed?

On top of these concerns I realized that I would have to leave my other dog, Dylan, at home alone while I took Daphne to the hospital. My dogs are together most of the time and I had deep concerns about how Dylan would react to being left alone, especially since I was sure he knew that Daphne wasn’t well. Bringing Dylan along for the ride unfortunately wasn’t an option.

Time was of the essence and I had no choice but to go. I called someone to come over and be with Dylan while I was gone and I left for the hospital. Dylan’s howling as I walked out the door was heart breaking. I had to trust that he would be fine. I knew that someone was only a few minutes away to give him some support.

As we drove to the hospital the fear increased but I knew that what Daphne needed the most was for me to get steady. And then I remembered that this was the perfect time for Reiki. One of my favorite ways to get out of my head and really connect with the Reiki energy is to work with the Reiki symbols in the form of a chant. As I chanted I quickly found myself releasing the fear. A feeling of peace washed over me and I knew that no matter what happened we would all be okay. I continued offering Reiki on the 30 minute drive for Daphne, for myself to help me get more grounded and calm, and for calm and comfort for Dylan at home.

Within a few minutes I felt myself level off emotionally. My breathing steadied. The panic was gone. It was a huge blessing to be able to be more present and supportive for Daphne. The more I felt these shifts the more I wanted to chant. I continued as we drove feeling confident that it was helping all of us.

In the middle of the chanting something grabbed my attention. I felt a physical sensation just below my rib cage on the left side of my body. In my mind I saw an image of a thin tube in that area of my body and what looked like molasses going through it. I also heard “gall bladder” in my head. I wasn’t sure what to make of this but I was pretty sure that the gall bladder was on the right side of the human body, not the left. And frankly, I wasn’t even sure if dogs had gall bladders! I dismissed the info and kept on chanting.

We arrived at the hospital and Daphne was admitted for testing. An ultrasound revealed a gall bladder mucocele as the cause of her distress and surgery was needed. Thankfully there was a surgeon available and she was prepped. I went home to check on Dylan and to try to keep worry from taking hold again.

When I arrived home I was pleasantly surprised to hear that Dylan wasn’t making any noise or showing any signs of stress when help arrived to sit with him earlier in the day. Score another point for that Reiki chant on the way to the hospital! It is so wonderful that distance Reiki is possible and that we can offer our support to anyone at any time without having to be physically with them.

Daphne came through surgery just fine a few hours later and when I went to visit her the next day she was looking great considering what she’d been through. I offered Reiki as we visited. Her ER doctor was wonderful and as an added bonus was a Reiki practitioner. As we spoke I became comfortable enough with her to share the vision that I had seen on the way to the hospital.

The doctor told me that the image I described sounded a lot like the common bile duct. The mucocele was described to me as a gooey ball that was clogging the gall bladder and not allowing passage into this duct. The molasses image Daphne sent me didn’t seem too far off. Other than this image showing up on the wrong side of the body for me, it seemed far more accurate a description of her situation than anything I could have come up with on my own…especially since I couldn’t have told you what the gall bladder looks like prior to her surgery.

Daphne was able to come home early the next day. She recovered very quickly. So quickly, in fact, that I had a very hard time keeping her quiet. She was not supposed to walk off leash, no stairs, no jumping, etc. She was not happy with this. She was back to her strong self. In fact, she seemed stronger than ever before.

Blood tests were needed to be sure she was healing properly. This would be a challenge. Vet visits have always required at least two if not three people to get things done with my dogs. My sweet little Daphne turns into a bucking bronco no matter what they try to do with her. We have been blessed with a wonderful vet who seems to be an expert at handling “beagle drama” but even so, I know that my dogs don’t make it easy for her.

During the recheck I left the room so they could draw blood without my stress adding to Daphne’s. I could hear them trying to coax her and having to struggle to convince her to settle. And then she let out a shriek that almost brought me to tears. I know that this was just her way of expressing her displeasure and that it was disproportionate to what was being done to her…another example of classic beagle drama, but it was still awful to hear. I wished that there was something I could do to help her. I just didn’t know what that would be. She needed the blood work done. End of story. We all got through it. Kudos to our vet for her endless patience and for getting the job done!

Daphne was healing well and I was able to travel to a Reiki class at The C.A.R.E Foundation in Florida. At C.A.R.E I had the privilege of meditating (sharing Reiki) with tigers, Asian black leopards, a crocodile, venomous snakes and many other animals. It was an incredible trip. I felt as though my connection to Reiki had gone to a deeper level as a result of my time at C.A.R.E and I hoped that I would be able to continue at this level when I got home and back to “real life.”

Daphne was due for another recheck when I got home. With the C.A.R.E experience fresh in my mind, I decided that while the vet was taking blood from Daphne this time I would go sit in the other room and offer Reiki in hopes that it would somehow make it less traumatic for all of us. I set an intention to offer Reiki for whatever Daphne (and our vet!) would need and I began to meditate.

I’ve been a Reiki practitioner since the mid-1990’s so I am familiar with the fact that it works. But I couldn’t help but feel a little amazed when after just a couple minutes of relative silence I heard the vet from the other room using words like “incredible” and “flawless.” I stayed where I was because I’d not heard any crazy noises or struggling. I assumed they hadn’t started. She must have been talking about something else. When the vet said “all done” I was amazed. Daphne had settled down and although she wasn’t thrilled, she let them take the blood without much protest. This was a first with Daphne and I was very grateful that the process had been relatively easy for all involved.

A month passed and Daphne was due for another recheck. As I left the room the vet asked if I’d done Reiki with her before the visit. I had intended to but I hadn’t been able to fit a session in that morning so I told her no, but I was going to go into the next room to do some right then. I could hear Daphne whining through the door. The drama was starting. I was concerned that the previous recheck ease had been a fluke. I dug deep to ground myself and then offered Reiki for whatever everyone needed. I was filled with happiness a couple minutes later when I heard “that was excellent” through the door. Reiki had done it again!

My preference would certainly have been that Daphne not have to go through any of this, but looking back I have such gratitude for her willingness to teach me, and all who were involved with her care, how helpful Reiki can be when we are in our spiritual practice and when we are striving to “Be Reiki” at all times.

Daphne’s healing journey reinforced for me that Reiki can be used to calm and ground no matter what the situation. It showed how well Reiki can support our healing so that we can bounce back quickly and easily from illness. It showed how effective distance Reiki can be. And it even revealed itself as a way to possibly provide clues to the question “where does it hurt” so we can share that information with the medical professionals who are working with our animals.

It also made me conscious of the fact that until I got serious about Reiki as a daily spiritual practice, I had never seen it work as quickly or as powerfully as it did to calm Daphne during her two rechecks. I never would have thought results like this possible with her, maybe not even with consistent sessions! I truly believe that traditional Japanese Reiki (meditation) can help us in extraordinary ways.

I am filled with gratitude for my beautiful Reiki teacher, Daphne, and for all of the talented medical professionals who treated us so well through the entire process. These people were filled with compassion and whether they would label it this way or not, they were beautiful examples of “being Reiki”. They went to that space of compassion and gave care from the heart. What a gift!

It is my hope that Daphne’s story will inspire others to commit to their daily Reiki practice and make it a central part of their life, helping Reiki meditation and compassion spread throughout the world, and healing our planet one beautiful spirit at a time.

Shine your light. Be Reiki!

Stacey Wall
SARA Teacher/Practitioner

Lacey One Month On

March 31, 2015

I give weekly Reiki sessions to dogs in care at the London centre of The Dogs Trust, the UK’s leading animal rescue charity, whose ethos is never to destroy a healthy dog.

The photos are of Lacey lurcher aged 8 at her first Reiki session and after one month. Her emotional journey and the improvement in her physical condition whilst in care, are clearly visible. Because we keep a photographic record of the dogs over the course of their sessions for a variety of reasons, we are able to review progress in this way. She sought out human contact from the beginning as you can see from those big pleading eyes.

What a difference four weeks have made to Lacey, who is classified as nervous around people and with high anxiety levels. We focus on empowerment as the sessions progress. The dog is free to come and go from the mat and we try to make it fun as well as relaxing, so have toys on the mat.

**February 17, 2015**

**March 17, 2015**

I think the pictures show quite clearly her improved ability to respond to care givers, her alertness, relaxation and her head carriage show confidence and trust in us. The eye contact picture, far from being aggressive, was making a connection with us and moments before a big licky kiss. This is a dog who has really benefited from volunteer Reiki in the centre and will make a lovely companion.

Lucy Lofting Reiki Master

Compassion, Reiki, and Animals’ Perspectives

March 10, 2015

Just for today, I will be compassionate to myself and others. The fifth Reiki precept asks us to “remember the connection among all things within the universe.” [1]

Cow A soft, gentle presence and the scent of hay drew close with Cow. I immediately felt comfort in Cow’s presence. She said, I am familiar with your project. I am pleased to contribute. It is all for the greater good.

“Thank you, Cow. Would you share your thoughts on compassion, for self and others?”

Of course. She paused. You understand that there cannot be compassion for others without compassion for self. All are connected. When you offer compassion for others without being compassionate toward yourself, what you offer others is diminished. Each is part of the whole. To value some and not others diminishes the whole.

“Cow, what is compassion?”

A good question. Kindness, perhaps. Loving kindness. Respect. You do not need to agree with each part (or person), but refrain from judgment. Each part of the whole has its role. Some are easier than others, but all have their challenges.

Compassion is also acceptance of one’s own failings and shortcomings as well as those of others. Hold a standard, yes. Teach and encourage, yes. Love and accept, yes. But do not judge, for one never knows the full story of another.

Offering compassion to one’s self is often more challenging than offering it to another, for you may be more critical of yourself than of others. If all were perfect, there would be no need to live a life. I would not like that, for there would be no grasses to chew, calves to bear, gathering of kindred. Be kind to yourself. Extend to yourself the same kindness—compassion, understanding—that you do to others. The whole will benefit.

“Thank you, Cow. I appreciate your wisdom.” Cow breathed her hay-scented breath on me and withdrew.

Dolphin Then bubbles surrounded me. I heard the clicking of dolphin voices. “Greetings, Dolphin, welcome to our discussion of compassion.”

Dolphin answered, It is interesting to speak of something that is part of life as we live it—to separate a concept from a way of life. We do not regard what you call compassion as a separate energy. It is part of the flow. For us, the good of the pod is most important. The safety, feeding, nurturing of the whole. Within the whole are the many parts. Each part has a role. When one is ill or damaged, we all swim in support. None can be greater or lesser and maintain the strength and wellness of the pod.

When you speak of compassion toward self and others, you create a separation between self and others. This works against the wellbeing of the whole. We know that humans can be very hard of yourselves, as if you have forgotten how to play. Some humans give all to others in the name of service, and withhold from self. This would bring weakness to the pod. The pod has health and strength when each member both gives and receives. Each gives in the same measure that each receives. If you do not receive this gift of compassion given to yourself, then you do not have much to share with others.

The way humans would best benefit from this precept is to remember that the inflow and outflow of these energies must be kept in balance for it to flow fully.

As Dolphin continued, I was aware of the depths of ocean, and sparkling water.

Cow has said that compassion is both loving kindness and respect. She has put human terms to something greater so that you may understand. What you call compassion is the flow of love, of oneness, that originates with the Source of Life. It is love of the inner being. It is forgiveness and understanding, to use other human terms. To have compassion is to greet each being—including oneself—as a being.

When you allow—invite—this energy to flow through you, it flows best through a clear channel. There is no self and other. There is only the invitation to enter the space of love. You have but a glimpse of the vastness of the resource upon which you call. To offer yourself as a portal, a conduit, and feel yourself unworthy, or not be willing to receive as well, is to diminish what can be shared.

These are concepts that flow together as one wave upon another. To summarize, you must be willing to give and receive, for then there is balance. To give less, or receive less, diminishes the whole. Is that clear?

I thanked Dolphin and Cow. Cow had reminded me that each is part of the whole of life, all have value, and we never know the full story of another. Dolphin said that to think of ourselves as self and other creates a separation. For there to be balance, we can give to the extent we are willing to receive. Both had reminded me of Buddhist nun Pema Chodron’s words, “Without loving-kindness for ourselves it is difficult, if not impossible, to genuinely feel it for others.” [2]

Just for today, I will be compassionate to all beings—myself and others.

Sources:

[1] Shoden and Animal Reiki Training: The Basics, manual, Animal Reiki Source, 2010, p. 9.

2 Eden Steinberg, editor, The Pocket Pema Chodron, Shambala Pocket Classics, 2008,p. 41.

Note: This is the fifth of five articles about animal perspectives on the Reiki precepts.

Rev. Nancy Schluntz is a SARA practitioner member and offers Reiki for animals (and their people) who are approaching the end of life. Nancy also offers Reiki to animals at the wildlife rehabilitation center where she volunteers.

Angel Whispers – Angel Dreams – Holding the Light

December 31, 2014

Last night I had a dream. I was dreaming in my dream. I was peaceful and oblivious to the happenings in the world. The Angels were protecting and teaching me.

I had fallen asleep in class with students all around me. I was learning from the Angels while the other students were learning in class. As I slept the power went out and light was needed to fix the fuse panel but there were no lights to be found.

The teacher decided to do an experiment to keep everyone calm. She walked around the room with two balloons with a small spark in each one touching each student with the balloon one by one as she walked the aisles. If the spark inside went out, she went on to the next student. The desire was to have the spark stay on and grow to radiate light to fill the room. As she went from student to student, the balloon went “pop”, over and over again. When she came to me I was still asleep in this world and when the balloon touched me, it stayed lit.

As I woke during the experiment, the teacher asked me to hold a balloon and stand up.The balloon stayed lit and grew in size and brightness. There was silence in the room. I was in awe of the precious light inside the fragile balloon. In fact, I loved it. It drew me closer and I stared into it with love, compassion, innocence and it stirred delightful energy inside of me.

When I looked around the room at the faces of my fellow students, I saw the innocence in their faces too. Then I saw the face of one that bullies me. As I saw her face, my feelings went from love to fear, from compassion to resentment, from innocence to impurity. As my feelings changed the balloon at first dimmed and then went “pop”. As I looked around the room feeling disappointed the students were still in awe. I knew my feelings had changed but they did not.

The teacher took another balloon and we did the whole experiment again. I was eager to love the precious light again. I stayed this time with the light, I concentrated on love, forgiveness, compassion, I cleared my thoughts of negativity; I was once again in awe of this light. I had learned to take my feelings and turn them around to help me once again find the Light for it is never lost, we are. Unknown to me I was smiling; glowing from ear to ear, humbled by this remarkable light.

As I stood there fixed on the light, the teacher was able to fix the fuse panel. It was then that the class told me that others were not able to hold the light and questioned how I could. I was amazed and then humbled and taught all the students how to hold the light, how to grow the light, how to become one with the light. For we are all one and we can all help each other.We turned off the power in the room and as the students were able to achieve holding the light, the light in the room grew brighter and brighter until all of our lights became one light of love glowing beyond measure.

I use this lesson in my Reiki sessions for Reiki is finding the light and love inside of you and sharing it with others. We have all been created with the magic of love although we may look different on the outside, inside we are all the same. We can all hold the light.

For me Reiki is love. I do animal Reiki because animals are love and love to channel love. The more animals you find populating in an area, the more their message of love is needed in that area. Welcome them into your heart and they will teach you great things.

We can all be part of the Light that lights up this world. From East to West and North to South, let your Light shine in this World; let it circumvent this globe. Love really is all there is in the beginning, during and in the end. And so it is and always will be. Love will endure without end.

Maria Lisa Polegatto
SARA Practitioner

Zeb’s Wish Equine Sanctuary

December 29, 2014

Humans, Healing Horses, Healing Humans

Zeb’s Wish Equine Sanctuary, located in Sandy, Oregon, has been rescuing and providing sanctuary to some of the Pacific Northwest’s most fragile equines for 13 years and became a 501(c)3 non-profit in 2013.

Our Mission: Zeb’s Wish is a sanctuary for special needs and elder, abandoned or neglected horses, donkeys, and mules. We rehabilitate and provide lifelong sanctuary for many of them and help humans find healing though the path of the horse.

Spring Reiki Class at Zeb’s Wish Equine Sanctuary

Zeb’s Wish has grown quickly since we became a non-profit and is now at capacity at the sanctuary property. As a sanctuary, we are careful to not take on more than what we can effectively accommodate, either financially, or time and space wise. We work hard to not stretch our resources to the point where others in our care could suffer in the interest of piling ‘just one more on’. We do however; try to find other good options for the owner and animal and assist with making it happen where we can.

We currently have two approved foster homes. There are regular site visits to fosters by staff. Training and support is provided to fosters on the care and groundwork needs of their residents. If needed, feed, feet and vet care are provided. We are always seeking more qualified foster homes on the east side of Portland. Zeb’s is a tiny place and the only time a spot opens up is when one of our herd members leaves this world.

At Zeb’s Wish we believe that if we care for and respect our animals, then we will care for and respect fellow humans and this planet, thus creating a culture of stewardship and not consumption and waste. We believe that through a few, we can create a trajectory of positive change with many by giving people the opportunity to connect to nature and its creatures, in particular, equines.

Zeb’s Wish Equine Sanctuary
Sandy, Oregon
Visit our website at https://sites.google.com/site/zebssanctuary

Animal Dreams: “We Came For You”

December 4, 2014

Working with animal teachers is very rewarding. One of the places I offer Reiki is to the animal teachers at my local Wildlife Park. Maybe you’ve been there before, Two Rivers Wildlife Park, near Marion Bridge, Nova Scotia, Canada, or heard the famous folk song Allister McGillivray wrote, “Song for the Mira”, about this beautiful community nestled along both sides of the Mira River. The Park actually touches on two rivers, the Mira River and Salmon River, that surround most of the 500 acre Park. They have a very open and loving atmosphere at the Park. I do Reiki with the over 12 varieties of animals in their petting barn areas and the over 40 varieties of animals along the walking trail that stretches out and loops around for a leisurely walk in the beautiful natural surroundings. I always leave the Park feeling refreshed and longing for more time with the animals. They are all my favorite friends and offer me great healing power as I offer them Reiki.

Sometimes the animals talk to me, sometimes they accept from me and sometimes I dream about them. Last night I asked the Angels to send me messages in my dreams to help me with my animal journey and to let me know if I am on the right path with them. Sometimes we don’t remember our whole dream upon waking but this morning was different.

Horse I was with a school of friends traveling and learning about animals, love and compassion. We had animals with us too, wild animals; tigers and leopards; our teachers. Along the way I got separated from the school with my mighty loving white tiger. As our journey unfolded I was stranded at the sea with my tiger friend hanging along a cliff overlooking the sea. Somehow magically I was able to get myself to safety and as I looked back over the cliff I saw my tiger and many other tigers. I didn’t realize we weren’t alone. They were all gripping onto large stone shards that gutted up toward the sky and were becoming weary of their plight. “Hang on, I’m coming”, I called to them all. As I desperately searched the sea for signs of help, I saw a ship come into port. The ship was severely weathered from a storm but was gliding in to shore. The tarps were wavering in the sea winds exposing several rows of crates the ship was carrying. It was an older “Tall Ship” style. Something about it seemed familiar to me as it drew my attention. Then I saw a man living on an island not far from the shore, a small bare island of dirt only with his animals, cooking a meal for them all to share.

I heard a sigh from one tiger who could hold no more and fell to the shores below. Then the sea caught my eyes again. As I looked into the sky a Phoenix rose from the sea in the distance straight up into the blue sky. “Moksha!” I called out to the Phoenix. As I looked below to the shore the tiger had disappeared into the ethers with the Phoenix; the tiger is free from this world, as I shed tears of compassion for his mighty walk on this earth.

Goose As I reassured the tigers again, searching for signs of help, along came the man with a boy. As they got closer the man was a white leopard with black spots. The boy was a baby black leopard eager to help. I asked the man if he needed help, even though I was the one in desperate need of his. As the man spoke he changed from being an animal into a man and said to me, “We came for you”. I stopped and looked at him inquisitively. He asked which tiger I wanted to save and I replied, “The one that touches the earth, that lives and breathes here before us, even if to the last of their breath and then some, the one that touches the earth that touches us, the earth that spreads along the ground from speck of dust to speck of dust to every rock, tree and mountain and sea, touching each and every person, animal, mammal and living creature, plants and beings”. “That is all of them”, he replied of which I said, “Yes, we are all one and all touch the earth together at the same time.” He looked pleased with me and we both welled up and out came our tears of compassion. “That is why we came for you”, he said.

I sent the boy for bottles of fresh water and a long ball of string which he seemed to magically have in his pockets. Quickly we tied the string around the bottle cap area and then at the bottom of the bottles, I wrapped my hand around each bottle and prayed over them for the water to contain great strength and lowered them to each of the tigers to drink from, using the strings to tip and maneuver the bottle for water flow. “This will hydrate them and give them courage and strength when we need them to have it most as we rescue them,” I explained.

Bear The man told me that my school of friends were looking for me. “That is good”, I said, “as I will need them all to help rescue these friend of ours”, having faith they would find us in time. “First we will help my tiger that walks with me everyday for I know she will help me and the others to safety and teach the others how it is done, then we will all be one again”. As I looked down at my tiger she appeared lighter than usual but with no time to spare we carried on in rescue mode.

As I searched the sea for rescue answers, a large floating pink device looking like a half deflated blow up boat bobbed up and down through the waves. I motioned for the man to see it as the waves crashed over parts of it making it disappear and reappear in the waves. “There is no boat,” he said, “that is the heart of the sea you see, beating for us all.” He looked around and eagerly asked, “How do you want to rescue them, the sea is rising fast and will sweep them and us all away before we can get to them all?” Being determined to succeed I explained, “We will have faith”, as I knelt and prayed for the answer which came to me. “Our tears of love for them will fill a pool around the tigers to allow them to swim up to us to save them before the great sea rushes in to sweep us all away. Allow the tears you flow to come from love, compassion and acceptance that all will be well.”

Just then the ship that sailed into port earlier unfolded my school mates who came like mighty dwarfs carrying ropes and tools to save the tigers. As the sea rose, the pink heart floated near enough that I was able to lower myself with rope to the sea and catch onto it. We wrapped it like a hammock and one by one we lifted it under each tiger and rose them up onto the safety of the flat of the land. Each one at that time was strong enough from the drinking of the water to help rescue the others as well.

As I turned to the tigers we had rescued, they had all became one. My tiger explained that he knew it was easier to rescue more of him than the weight of him all as one. I hugged him dearly and was sad that he lost a part of himself when the phoenix rose. He explained that part of him was ready for rebirth and that was the part of him that helped rescue me so I could in turn rescue him. I hugged him even more deeply. I thanked my school of friends who said they followed their feelings of Light and Love to find us. When I turned to thank the man and the boy, they had turned back into leopards and walked with us forever more. “You came for me but it is I who thank you my forever friends” as I humbly lowered to kneel to hug them too as we all watched the sea take back its pink heart and beat for us all.

I was so humbled upon waking up to have had such a wonderful dream. I quickly wrote the story down and thanked my Angel beings of Light for bringing it to me. I love dreams because they comes to us in ways to tell us what we need to know and focus on. I call upon what the animals taught me during this dream in my Reiki sessions now. Throughout our lives we learn new things and shed parts of ourselves that we no longer need. When we openly give of ourselves with love and compassion, we receive back true love; do not anger. There is no love greater on this earth than the love of animals. Allow yourself to be silent as your heart opens with each beat and accepts the love the animals have to offer you; do not worry. When your intentions are pure, the animals will come to you; be humble. Stay true to yourself as there are no substitutions with the animals. Animals see within you for the true you; be honest. Have courage and confidence and be loving on your journey. Although you won’t see tigers and leopards at Two Rivers Wildlife Park, you will see others animals of different colors, shapes and sizes. Inside each animal, as in humans, is a unique being with their own special gifts; be compassionate. Hold the space for animals and they will hold you in their forever heart.

Maria Lisa Polegatto
SARA Practitioner

Animal Reiki Program Report

November 22, 2014

Animals and staff at the Nanaimo shelter have embraced their Reiki program. Healing sessions have been offered by Animal Reiki practitioners Ann Marie and Lori several times each week for the past two years. Our SPCA is one of two Canadian shelters that hold membership in the Shelter Animal Reiki Association. “SARA” ⁽¹⁾ is a non-profit, international organization that offers education, promotes ethical approaches to use when working with Reiki and animals and provides a standardized approach to implementing Reiki programs in shelters.

Reiki is an ancient form of energy healing that originated in Japan and is passed on from master to student – it is often translated as “universal life energy”. As a holistic healing system, it can help heal physical, emotional, mental and spiritual challenges. Traditionally, Reiki practice has focused on people, however the field of animal Reiki has grown significantly over the past ten years. Animal Reiki practitioners now volunteer in shelters in every Canadian province and in many countries around the world. An experienced Reiki practitioner who wants to work with animals can complete additional training with a local teacher or on-line with a teacher such as Kathleen Prasad of “Animal Reiki Source” in California. ⁽²⁾

Reiki is helpful for animals that are stressed, traumatized, ill or dying. It also promotes relaxation, physical health and emotional wellbeing in healthy animals. Reiki is gentle, non-invasive and respectful of the animal’s right to choose its level of participation. To offer an animal Reiki, the practitioner does not need to touch or confine it. The animal determines how close to the person they want to sit or lie. Some jump into your lap or push a body part into your hands, actively seeking healing. Others choose to lie five or ten feet away and receive the energy from that distance. And sometimes, an animal clearly indicates it does not want to participate by moving to the far side of the kennel or running off to play.

Reiki sessions at our shelter last anywhere from twenty minutes to an hour. Sometimes it is best for us to treat an animal one-on-one in a quiet room but most times, we sit in the kennel corridor or in the big cat room and offer Reiki to all the animals in the space. In good weather, we offer Reiki outdoors and animals that want to participate gather around.

Staff members often tell us they know when we are in the building because the kennel area is quiet. From our perspective, we always enjoy observing how quickly the barking stops when the dogs that recognize us start to settle, in anticipation of their Reiki session. We greet each dog and let them know they can choose to accept as much or little Reiki as they want. One by one, these beautiful creatures begin to sit or lie down on their beds. As the session proceeds, some start to yawn. Soon, it’s all quiet and within a few minutes most dogs are enjoying a “Reiki doze”.

The Nanaimo staff is an amazing team. As they saw the benefits of Reiki, especially for animals with challenges that hinder adoption, they began directing us to dogs and cats in special need. Our work is rewarding and exciting and we’d like to share a few stories about animals that have been our “Reiki teachers”. Yes, we learn much from the animals we come to help and heal.

Patches was a beautiful, young border collie cross that was extremely hyperactive and very anxious. He had been in the shelter for a number of months and we knew he would be difficult to place for adoption. We decided to offer Reiki to Patches four days in a row. Four consecutive sessions is a special way of treating animals that are stressed and traumatized. During the first session, Patches chewed his squeaky toy continually and raced around his kennel for the hour. The next afternoon he was quieter but still highly distractible. At the third session, he lay down as soon as we entered the kennel and watched us calmly as we called Reiki into the space. On the fourth day, he was quiet and relaxed and enjoyed a long Reiki doze. Imagine our delight when we learned that Patches was adopted on Friday, the following day!

Grayson also has a special place in our hearts. One of the staff members asked us to see this beautiful cat because he was unwell and seemed depressed. Grayson had suddenly become ill while at a satellite adoption centre. He saw the vet and returned to our shelter without a clear diagnosis. When Lori welcomed Reiki into the medical room, Grayson was lying at the back of kennel. Within a couple of minutes, he sat up, slowly came forward in the kennel and pressed himself against the door. Lori recognized that he wanted closer contact and moved towards the kennel. At that point, Grayson pulled himself up to a tall sitting position and made strong eye contact. Suddenly Lori experienced an overwhelming sense of sadness being released by the cat. This was an example of how Reiki can help an animal resolve pent-up emotions such as grief and depression. Within a few days Grayson recovered his health and was adopted.

Perhaps the most interesting story we can share is that of little Lucy, a tiny abandoned kitten that was the only one in her litter to be rescued. Staff hand fed her, and from the beginning, Lucy was feisty and spirited, to say the least. She would bite, scratch, hiss and spit at anyone who touched her. No one could imagine that Lucy would be adoptable and staff asked if Reiki might help her. Lucy participated in seven Reiki sessions and for the first six times, she would sit facing away from the practitioner, taking every opportunity to bite and scratch. Part way into the seventh Reiki session, we realized that Lucy had not tried to bite or scratch once. After a few minutes, Lucy turned to face the practitioner, making eye contact for the first time. Then she stretched out and relaxed. Lucy seemed ready to let Reiki help her find her centre. For the two days following, staff noted that Lucy was no longer biting or scratching. The following weekend she was adopted by a family who fell in love with her on first meeting. That was several months ago, and Lucy’s forever home reports that she is a gentle, playful and happy cat.

Sometimes the ending for which we are hoping does not happen. Two of our beloved dogs that had major anxiety issues and received many Reiki treatments were never able to be adopted out. The emotion around some of these situations is challenging for us all but it reminds us that we don’t control outcomes – that Reiki works for the highest good of the animal. We cannot impose our goals on Reiki – we can only welcome it in.

Another way we are reminded that we do not control the healing energy is that we see animals choosing where they will sit or lie to receive Reiki. In the yard, Ann Marie often offered Reiki to three of our favourite dogs, Tanner, Willa and Trinity. All three enjoyed Reiki and they quickly settle into their favourite places – close, closer and a little farther away.

Reiki is not a substitute for professional veterinary treatment. It is a non-medical therapy that compliments and supports all other healing therapies.⁽³⁾ We feel honoured to be able to offer Reiki to animals that have suffered abuse and trauma. We thank you, the staff and the volunteers for your support which helps makes our program what it is.

Resources and Reading

Shelter Animal Reiki Association (SARA). shelteranimalreikiassociation.org
Animal Reiki Source. animalreikisource.com
Fulton, E. and Prasad, K. (2006). Animal Reiki. Using Energy to Heal the Animals in Your Life. Berkeley, CA: Ulysses Press.
Prasad, K. (2012). Reiki for Dogs. Using Spiritual Energy to Heal and Vitalize Man’s Best Friend. Berkeley, CA: Ulysses Press.

Honesty, Reiki, and Animals’ Perspectives

November 20, 2014

Just for today, I will be honest in my work. The fourth Reiki precept asks us to be “truthfully dedicated to spiritual progress and everything you do.”[1] Like the earlier precepts, this one encourages us to be fully present as a clear conduit for the flow of healing Reiki energy.

What, exactly, does it mean to be fully present?

I asked three animals—Great Horned Owl, Jaguar, and Lynx—for their perspectives on the question of honesty in work. Their answers gave me a new perspective on the challenge we as people have with this concept.

With an echo of its call, Great Horned Owl said, This is a good time, while I am resting. At night I hunt.

I am the silent hunter. My feathers are silent in flight, so my prey is not forewarned. The kill is swift. There is no suffering, only exchange of energies. I take only what I need to survive and to nurture young. My body, my eyes, my feathers are all in accordance with my role. That is part of the answer to your question.

It is all about focus, and bringing your whole self to your work. Be who and what you are. The sparrows fly an undulating pattern. The vultures soar on thermals and updrafts. Neither attempts to fly as the other. I fly silent and swift among trees, a narrow course full of obstacles, to follow and catch my prey. Vultures could not do this, nor could sparrows. Each has our unique patterns of flight. That is the lesson to apply to your work. Bring your whole self and your unique talents to it, and to the healing and growth that it provides.

Great Horned Owl stretched his wings and talons, and settled on the tree branch before continuing: A container does not hold water if it is full of holes. Showing up is only part of the process. Bringing your full self means being a conduit that is free of leaks. Energy leaks, attention leaks. Any distraction is a leak. As one appears, acknowledge it and plug the hole, so to speak. Flying through dense trees requires my full attention. If my attention wanders, I may crash into a branch or miss my prey. It is like that in your work. Focus and be there fully, so that the other may gain the benefit of the healing. That is your concept of honesty in work. Do you understand?

“I do, Great Horned Owl, and thank you for your wisdom.”

Jaguar Next I asked to speak with Jaguar. A raspy cough announced her arrival. I asked the same questions.

Honesty, Jaguar said, is being fully yourself, in each moment. There is no place for giving only part of yourself. There is no place for “almost” or “not quite.” If I did not bring my full attention, all my senses, my whole body, to my work, I would not eat. I would not survive.

This concept of honesty in work—others call it integrity. The word does not matter. The fullness of your attention, your engagement, does matter. On work such as yours, there is temptation to let the mind wander, to let your focus become blurred. People tell half-truths, shaded truths. We know that humans like to take shortcuts. That is not honesty. To work with energy as you do and be less than a clear channel is not honesty.

The efficient use of power is full engagement in the process. Imagine stalking and getting distracted by butterflies! That would mean no meal today. It is not just about the hunt—when I rest, I rest. I play. I love. I bring my full self to whatever I am doing. That is honesty. When I cease to bring my full self to what I do, I will cease to be. That is the rule. Walk in my paws and feel the power of full presence.

Jaguar stretched at the side of the clearing in my meditation, to make room for Lynx.

Lynx Lynx emerged from the brush and said, I have been listening. You are trying to understand honesty from the point of view of the animal kingdom. These are artificial concepts to us. We are who and what we are. We bring our full selves.

Owl and Jaguar have stated it well. Another word for it is commitment. You can sample without commitment. That does not lead to healing, growth, or a full belly. It is an internal standard. Stating the precept, asking the question, showing up, are all good beginnings. It is what happens next that gives it meaning.

It is people who need to be reminded of these things. When we hunt, we cannot be distracted by thoughts of how hungry we are. It is like that with your work. For people it is not, in most cases, a matter of survival. It is a matter of stretching yourself, of discipline and dedication. Yours is a journey of the mind and what you call spirit. Yet you fill your minds with clutter that is, to us, irrelevant and a distraction. When your mind wanders, your full self is not present. You can ask yourself in each moment, “Am I fully present?” You will know. When you are fully present in any aspect of your life, it will move more smoothly. You learn and grow. If you are not fully present, you can wander from the path, and even become lost.

For us, there is no half way. ‘Almost’ would mean death. For people, it is possible to live halfway, not present. That is the source of your questions. To live and work fully, dedicated to your pursuits, honestly bringing your full self, is the path to growth. Why would you do otherwise?

I thanked Great Horned Owl, Jaguar, and Lynx for sharing their wisdom and perspectives. Great Horned Owl had reminded me about focus, and that each being has unique talents to develop fully. Jaguar stressed that honesty is bringing your full self to whatever you do. Lynx shared those thoughts, and reminded us that we can check in with ourselves at any moment to see if we’re fully present, for that is the path to growth.

It is a matter of integrity and commitment—other words for honesty—and of bringing our full selves with dedication to this work.

Just for today, I will be honest in my work, and in all my endeavors.

__________

[1] Shoden and Animal Reiki Training: The Basics, manual, Animal Reiki Source, 2010, p. 9.

Note: This is the fourth of five articles about animal perspectives on the Reiki precepts.

Rev. Nancy Schluntz is a SARA practitioner member and offers for Reiki for animals (and their people) who are approaching the end of life. Nancy also offers Reiki to animals at the wildlife rehabilitation center where she volunteers.

The SARA Philosophy: Support Your Local Shelter, Sanctuary or Rescue

May 28, 2014

By: Char Jensen

Why giving back now is the key to your Reiki business’s future success.

Every entrepreneur knows that the early days of building a new business from the ground up are challenging, exhausting and even exhilarating. But in the wild rush to find new customers, get the word out and turn a profit, it’s easy for business owners to neglect one of the most critical strategies for success: giving back the community. Although doing so may seem to go against the conventional wisdom on your road to making sales (“How can I make money when I give things away for free?”), the reality is, it’s just smart business.

It’s a secret long known by uber-successful corporations—from American Express to Zappos.com. Companies such as these make corporate social responsibility a priority, lending a hand to the communities where their employees live and work. The move strengthens communities, sure, but also boosts their brand in the process.

You may be thinking that it’s easy for multimillion-dollar companies to give back, and that might be true. They’re not stuck in the trenches like you are, working 12-hour days just to secure the next paying client. But the reality is, giving back is not just for big companies. Small ones—especially those in the startup stage—that donate their time and services to a cause aligned with their business’s goals find it’s an invaluable way to broaden their network, raise their business’s profile and, yes, even make sales.

“Giving back is an essential part of establishing your startup’s brand,” says Rieva Lesonsky, CEO of GrowBiz Media in Costa Mesa, California, and a nationally recognized expert and speaker on entrepreneurship and small business. “Everyone prefers to do business with people they know. Showing up and taking part in local activities allows you to meet face to face, and establish actual relationships with potential and current customers. You can spend a lot of money and time on marketing and social media campaigns (and I’m not suggesting you shouldn’t invest in those), but nothing works better—or faster—than showing up and letting your community know you’re there and you care.”

Building Relationships, Building Trust

Support is at the heart of the Shelter Animal Reiki Association’s nonprofit business model: support for SARA teachers to pursue their work with their animal member organizations, and support for the animal shelters, sanctuaries and rescues dedicated to helping homeless animals. SARA is a pioneer in the field of holistic animal therapy and on the forefront of forward-thinking shelter/sanctuary/rescue wellness programs. A 501(c)3 corporation with members across the U.S. and in England, SARA has created a standardized program of animal Reiki (a Japanese system of energy healing) training and treatment programs to support the health and wellness of animals in shelters, sanctuaries and rescues as well as the caregivers at each animal organization. Through SARA’s ongoing professional development, training and evaluation program for members, SARA seeks also to promote the highest standards in animal Reiki practitioner and teacher excellence.

When you are first starting out, making yourself known at a particular shelter—that you are a trustworthy and professional business owner—is critically important. Kathleen Prasad, cofounder and president of SARA, found this to be true in the early days of her business, Animal Reiki Source, especially as she started volunteering at BrightHaven, a sanctuary for senior, disabled and special needs animals in Sonoma County, California.

“It’s really true that it’s all about relationships,” Prasad says. “When I first began, my business was struggling financially, and it was quite a risk to give so much freely. But I felt in my heart—seeing the amazing work that they do, knowing the caliber of people that Gail and Richard [owners of BrightHaven] are—that this was the right thing to do. The only way that I wanted build my business was through the integrity of a strong core of service. And so I stepped forward, not knowing how this would play out, and having no other person in whose footsteps to follow.” Today, she is able to support a viable animal Reiki business full time, and also give back to BrightHaven on a regular basis, both energetically (through Reiki) and financially.

When Joyce Leonard began Santa Cruz Reiki Works in Ben Lomond, California, she ran into a common obstacle many new Reiki businesses face. “A year ago, before SARA, I approached an organization about animal Reiki training. They turned me down,” she says. “They didn’t know me from Adam. So I became a good, reliable, consistent volunteer—and I only volunteer for a few hours a month, so it doesn’t take a lot of time. Now they are interested, and I’ve even received a referral from one of them, and the director hired me for a treatment.”

Building your Reiki business will take time, but as Kelly McDermott-Burns, founder of HeartSong Reiki and HeartSong for Animals in Stockbridge, Vermont, has found, giving back to animal organizations is time well spent. She works with the Rutland County Humane Society, the Central Vermont Humane Society and The Hooved Animal Sanctuary. “I have found service work—free clinics, speaking on Reiki—to be extremely rewarding and a great way to get your name out there. Any free services or discounts will give you exposure and give returns in the future.”

“The SARA suggestions to teach the staff for no charge and the volunteers for half price is a great idea,” says Jodie Brenner, who, as founder of Equushearts~Reiki for Animals and Humans in Bend, Oregon, works with a local animal hospice. “I have not had a problem doing this and find that everyone has been especially grateful. One of the volunteers insisted on paying the full price, as she felt she got so much from the workshop. Donating a portion to the nonprofit is well worth that to me. I have a place to teach, I am supported, and it is my offering to the community.”

Building positive relationships with local shelters and rescues has helped Janet Dobbs, founder of Animal Paradise Communication & Healing in Oak Hill, Virginia, build her business. “You can make wonderful contacts at a rescue or shelter,” she says. “Some of these people could become your best clients or students. They may refer their friends to you and spread the word about you and your work. Networking is one of the best ways to grow your business. Once the word is out, you are golden! You will have more than enough work and business and will be able to continue to give back to the animals.”

Animal Reiki is still just gaining traction in the United States and internationally. And unfortunately, it’s more difficult to grow a business when your customers don’t yet understand what you sell. But that’s why SARA’s philosophy of giving back is so empowering to the Reiki entrepreneur. Volunteering is your key to building a profitable business doing what you love: helping animals.

“For over a year, I ‘stuck to my guns’ and was reluctant to lower my prices or give away treatments or training. I felt that my prices were fair and that people needed to pay–it was a fair exchange,” says Leonard. “One day I had a huge insight. I realized that I wasn’t giving hardly any Reiki treatments and that I hadn’t taught any classes (I couldn’t fill them). It was difficult to even justify calling myself a Reiki teacher or practitioner since I was not engaged in doing either. I asked myself, ‘Do you want to do Reiki or do you want to hold out until people come and start paying?’” She wanted to do Reiki—so she reevaluated her payment structure. She started to offer some complimentary treatments, some on a sliding scale, donation-only Reiki Shares and free drop-in clinics. “Now I am giving it away, and suddenly, my phone is ringing with paying clients!” Leonard is happy to report she just taught her first class.

Evolving—As an Entrepreneur and Reiki Practitioner

Establishing alliances with local shelters, sanctuaries and rescues will benefit you in another very important way, one that you may not have considered. The volunteer experiences you have with animals and staff will teach you important Reiki lessons and help you grow as a practitioner.

“On a professional level, I have had the opportunity to work on many different animals: dogs, cats, goats, sheep, pigs, bunnies, birds, chickens, horses and hamsters,” says McDermott-Burns. “I have gained quite a bit of experience from the wonderful variety of creatures available at my shelters. Personally, I must say the most profound lesson I have learned is that the kindness of the human spirit far outweighs cruelty. On the days when I feel the burden of what some of these animals have endured, someone will come in and adopt an animal with health issues, or a crusty old dog near the end of his time on this plane–animals that seem to be unadoptable because of the special care they need. It lifts my heart to know these animals will finally have a loving home. It gives me the courage to stick it out when I just want to go home and cry.”

“My relationship with Animals In Distress has given me a great deal of experience in offering Reiki to animals and to their caretakers,” says John Sawyer of CritterReiki.com in Topton, Pennsylvania. “That experience has been valuable in working with animals and their people outside of AID. Volunteering there has shown me the power of a clear vision and purpose. I have also been blessed to learn from many animals in the time I’ve been involved there. Animals are such amazing teachers!” AID has yet to sign on as a SARA member organization, but Sawyer is working toward that goal.

Promoting Your Business Through Service

When you build relationships with local animal organizations, you gain access to valuable opportunities for promoting your business to the community at large. Your professional network will begin to widen, and you’ll get the chance to volunteer your time and expertise in numerous ways: speaking opportunities, fundraising events, trade shows, auctions and more. “Taking part in community events instantly telegraphs that you care about what’s going on in your neighborhood, and not just about making money,” says Lesonsky, who is also the bestselling author of Start Your Own Business.

As an entrepreneur, it’s vital you stay current on what’s happening and get involved every chance you get. “The most important lesson I have learned is that you have to get yourself out there in the community before you try to sell them on something,” says Leonard. “This means to volunteer in the organization. Help them out and get known. Join their online groups and forums. Participate, write in their newsletters, do high–profile volunteer work that will get you noticed by the right people. Help them out when they’re in a pinch.”

That’s what McDermott-Burns does. “When I participate in shelter fundraisers, I often get free advertising aimed at the people most likely to use my services,” she says. “I also enjoy educating people on the benefits of Reiki for themselves and their animal companions. In addition, I meet many people at shelter events who are interested in classes or sessions.”

The animal Reiki practitioners we spoke to for this article are SARA members. They follow SARA’s policy on donations and fees: free Reiki treatments at shelters, sanctuaries and rescues; free training for the staff of these organizations; teaching volunteers at these shelters for half price; and donating 20-50 percent of proceeds back to the shelter when animal Reiki classes for the general public are taught there.

Add it all up, and you are getting the word out, expanding your professional network, interacting with potential clients, honing your skills as an animal Reiki practitioner, boosting your brand and building a reputation—all for the price of time and a small portion of proceeds, both of which directly support the causes you care deeply about. As Prasad says, “When you are giving back to the animals, to people, to organizations who are lights in this world—it’s time well spent, and you are making the world a better place!”

By: Char Jensen, SARA Publicist

Someone Has to Do It By: Kelly McDermott-Burns

May 28, 2014

With every Animal Reiki class I teach there is invariably a student who wants to go into their local shelter and offer Reiki. It’s a rare and happy occurrence when they do.

Shelter work wasn’t the reason I first began on the animal Reiki path. After teacher training at Brighthaven I remember talking to Kathleen Prasad about her plans to start SARA. The idea really appealed to me and I wanted to be part of it, but I was fearful. How could I go in there and see all those animals waiting for a home? I wasn’t sure how I would handle it. Could I do it emotionally? Was it going to eat me up inside? I was especially afraid to see the results of abuse. Would I start to hate people? I have been asked these questions many times by others and I tell them the same thing Kathleen told me, “If we don’t do it, who will?” I’m a practical person, and those words clicked with me. ‘Oh, right. Someone has to do it.’ It was enough for me to put aside my fears and give it a go.

I have been volunteering Reiki at the Rutland County Humane Society, a SARA shelter, for five years now. I am fortunate to be working in a wonderful shelter with caring staff and a clean environment. The experience has been so incredibly enriching for me personally and for my work with animals in my private practice. Being able to look my fears of encountering anger, sadness and loss right in the face and to be of service to the animals regardless has taught me patience and compassion. I have learned how to find the good in many situations that seemed beyond redemption. I have grown in my understanding that I still need to grow.

My personal practice has been the most important element in this work. Without Reiki supporting me it would be incredibly difficult to walk into RCHS and not absorb some of the pain and sadness I encounter there. Reiki keeps me grounded and opens my heart to have a deeper understanding of compassion. Not just for the animals but for the people that have left them there. I am learning all the time about non-judgement, one of the hardest lessons for me in this work.

I didn’t find all this out right away, of course. I struggled in the beginning with anger and sadness. I wanted to save everyone! I was fearful that some would never make it to a good home. I checked the logs every week to see who went home and had mixed feelings when my favorites left. I wanted them to go home but I also wanted them for me. My own fear of abandonment came up over and over again. Whew!! So much to learn!

Staying diligent with my practice helped me to move through all that. I focused on being grounded through my work with Joshin Kokyu Ho and the first symbol. I maintained emotional balance through my work with the second symbol and the third symbol helped me to open my heart.

Today, there are other meditations I use to go deeper into my true nature. I continue to use the precepts to work through each difficult situation I encounter. And I always keep the basics at hand for days when I have trouble getting into the space.

This isn’t to say that some days I don’t cry over an animal’s fate. It only means that I can see a bigger picture, that I can gain some insight into living a fully compassionate life without falling apart.

Kelly McDermott-Burns
Founding SARA Teacher

Creating a Reiki Space By: Jackie Eichelberger

May 26, 2014

Recently one of our SARA members, Gay Fowler, was the subject of an article by Jackie Eichelberger, a local columnist who lives close to Gay in Texas. Jackie had visited Gay’s ranch and found the harmony between the domestic and wild animals was so unique it was worth sharing with her readers. Although the article below does not mention Reiki, when we spoke to Gail she said she uses the Hatsurei Ho meditation every morning to create the Reiki space. The story below is a beautiful testament to the power of her personal practice.

I spent the weekend down in the country at a friend’s ranch recently. My friend is one of those people that animals are drawn to. Besides having dozens of donkeys, scores of goats, fifteen horses, two dogs and one cat, there’s a mother raccoon with four babies and four possums that visit her twice a day on her upstairs balcony. Add to that the scores of hummingbirds who visit her feeders and local birds who assemble on her balcony rail for snacks during the day. She says she feels as if she’s running a restaurant whose menu consists of hay, alfalfa, cat food, dog food, sugar water and birdseed.

I was fascinated by the gentleness of this assorted menagerie. All of the donkeys, goats and horses wander up to you for a pat on the head or a scratch on the snout. I like the donkeys best because of their soulful eyes and gentle insistence on being as close to you as possible for an ear rub or a hug.

Goats, as my friend says, are Nature’s party animals. The young ones love climbing onto anything with a relatively flat surface no matter how precarious it may be. They bounce around stiff legged with playful abandon or jump from a perch with a fancy body twist in mid air…such fun to watch. They love to climb into wheelbarrows or empty feed pans for a quick nap. (Here is a cute video of the goats and donkey IMG_1371.)

The possums and raccoons come for a meal twice a day and have a dining order. Mom raccoon, Rosalita, comes first and daintily dips each morsel of cat food into the water dish as she eats. Cat food is her preferred dish. When she’s full, she rests in the corner while all four babes known as “the Rowdies” dig in with gusto, cat food pellets flying everywhere. Do you know why raccoons “wash” their food by dipping it in water? It’s because they have no salivary glands. Moisture aids their ability to eat and digest food.

If my friend is late in putting out the morning meal, Rosalita is often seen standing on two feet against the sliding glass door peering in searching for my friend as if to say“where’s our breakfast…you’re late.” When all her family is fed, Rosalita sometimes puts a paw against the glass door where my friend’s hand rests on the other side. That’s raccoon for “thank you” I think.

Next in the food line come the four possums…Baldy, Not-Baldy, Patches and Crash. They come one at a time and finish off the cat food in no time at all. My friend thinks that the critters are spreading the word to their friends and she will soon be overrun.

Her hummingbird feeders have turned into a regular rest haven for hummers as they make their journey from their winter grounds in Mexico and on their return trip in the fall. As many as twenty or more can be counted flying in and around the feeders several times a day jockeying for their turn to take a drink. A lot of territorial posturing goes on and skirmishes often break out among the swirling crowd of birds.

An incredible connection between the human species and the animal world goes on daily at this ranch and it’s a rare experience to be a part of it. My friend has favorites among the hoofed residents and has names for all the horses, a large number of the donkeys and many, many goats. It’s so relaxing to sit and watch all these critters going about doing the things critters do. It’s a lesson on how to coexist with Nature’s fauna and be rewarded with their gentle, trusting company.

What the What??? Taking the Mystery Out of Animal Reiki. (How I became an Animal Reiki Practitioner) by Sally Williams

May 2, 2014

Reiki. Just the word seems to conjure up confusing, mysterious and skeptical thoughts. I have seen the faces that people can make when I say “I am an Animal Reiki Practitioner”. That look of “you must be one of those weird airy fairy new agey people”…..ugh. Those who know me, if asked, wouldn’t use any of those words to describe me. The truth is I love animals and I am crazy about cats! What can I say, except they are my passion. They have brought both fulfillment and a wonderful career into my life. Ok, so back to the Reiki subject. It’s because of my love for animals that Reiki is now a part of my life. I am a volunteer at a local animal shelter and have been a cat sitter on and off for many years. I have seen young cats, old cats, healthy cats, sick cats and love them all, but what I really want is to have them all be as happy and healthy as possible. I wish this for this for the ones lucky enough to be in happy homes and for the ones waiting in shelters too. So, how could I help? I could tell them I love them, comfort them, play with and feed them, but that just wasn’t enough for me. Could I got back to school and become a vet or vet tech? Nope…..that whole blood thing is just too much for me. No, thank you. So how could I make the lives of these animals better and mine too? Now here is that mysterious word again, Reiki.

First I found an amazing teacher (Tanya, Unity Healing House) for my Reiki Level I and Level II training which got the journey started. Then I took the Animal Reiki for Reiki Practitioners class, met my SARA (Shelter Animal Reiki Association) teacher Leah and everything just clicked!! Whoosh…..a shift in my life happened. The “A-ha” moment. That time when doors start opening and your path becomes very clear. This mysterious Reiki had started a change that I had never expected. You know when they talk about “finding your bliss” or “if you do what you love you will never work a day in your life”? I never understood that. I guess 25 years of retail will do that to a person. So here I am now. I am an Animal Reiki Practitioner. So, what does that mean? To simplify it…. I meditate with animals. Meditation is wonderful, right? It’s so peaceful, relaxing and restorative. It’s also very healing. So now imagine an animal that is dealing with stress, illness or the difficulties that occur with aging. What if you could create this beautiful space that would allow that animal to find their way back to their true nature? That perfect state of balance. That is what Reiki can do and as a Practitioner what I can facilitate. It’s not magic and I am not a healer, but the cats that I am currently working with seem very happy to have Reiki in their life.

So if things like happiness, peacefulness, contentedness or fearlessness seem like things you would want in your life and in the lives of the animals you love, then Reiki is for you. I hope that this takes a little of the mystery out of what I do and starts a new way of looking at Reiki. There are many wonderful resources available to find out more about Reiki for animals (I have listed one below) and I encourage you to read them, reach out to me with questions or to book a session for your furry family member.

“In the energetic space of healing all possibilities exist.” – Kathleen Prasad Co-Founder SARA

Author: Sally Williams, SARA Practitioner

Humility, Reiki, and Animals’ Perspectives by Nancy Schluntz

April 9, 2014

Just for today, I will be humble. The third Reiki precept. Humility is perhaps best defined by what it is not, rather than what it is.

My dictionary defines Humility as the state or quality of being humble, conscious of one’s defects or shortcomings; not proud or self-assertive; modest, unpretentious. Humble comes from Latin humilis—low, small, slight, akin to humus, soil, earth. Humus, from the Latin for earth, ground, or soil, is the brown or black organic substance resulting from partial decay of plant or animal matter. Humus provides fertilizer for new growth. In my dictionary, humble is listed just above humble-bee, another term for bumblebee. Humility comes right above hummer, the affectionate term for hummingbirds. It’s interesting that the quality of being humble, grounded to the earth, is so closely placed to creatures that fly.

I asked to speak with Bee, to gain greater insight into humility. I heard buzzing, and thought to ask if it mattered which kind of bee I spoke with?

The answer came:

No, we are all connected. Bee continued. Are we humble? We do our jobs, we move through the world showing how to live cooperatively. We are what we are—no more, no less. Our lives may appear simple to you, yet they are intricate, like our dances. We have disagreements, as does your kind. That happens when some lose sight of what is best for the hive. We do not ask for recognition for our work. Nor do we diminish its value. Our place in the scheme of things is greater than our size.

Humility is like that. Value the service you do, as part of the greater hive, but do not lose perspective. You have asked me to speak about something that is both very great and very small. Each is an important part of the whole. The whole is diminished when a part is missing, or when a part inflates its own importance. It is delicate, the balance between valuing one’s self and seeking accolades for one’s growth. When you seek that, it shows that you have not advanced as far as you think you have. This does not only apply to humans, but to all life forms. Balance, and being, secure in one’s self. It is enough.

“Thank you bee. It is complex, isn’t it?”

Bee: Yes, and no.

The song of sparrows, who had returned with warmer weather, called my attention outside. Black-crowned and gold-crowned sparrows visit our backyard, with their songs that sound lonely and joyous at the same time. I asked to speak with Sparrow.

A soft voice answered, I am here. It is almost time for nesting. The energies are rising.

“Thank you for your presence,” I said. “Would you share your thoughts about humility?”

Sometimes, Sparrow said, to be small is to be great, being large and small at the same time. Each being has its place in the scheme of things. Each is important. No more, no less. Some, like the hawks, are larger and have a greater visible impact. Others, like us, weave the pieces together. Small as we are, we sparrows are an essential part of the web of life. We feed, and help spread the seeds that bring new life. We are prey and help sustain life for those who are larger. We sing, and our song brings joy.

Humility is being who you are. Do not measure yourself against others, to make yourself greater or smaller. We do not measure ourselves against the hawks, for theirs is a different journey. Even our flight, undulating up and down, serves to teach that there are higher and lower times. Honor your gifts and use them well. Honor what you receive and be grateful. Each being has its role. To deny it, or to claim more, damages the whole. We are. That is enough.

Myself, I’m glad to be a sparrow. I love the joy of flight and another season of healthy nesting, the search for food. Think of that joy when you hear our song.

With that, sparrow flew off to a low branch, and serenaded all who could hear with his beautiful three-note descending call.

I thanked Bee and Sparrow, mindful of their gifts. Bees are significant to our health and wellbeing: 80 percent of flowering plants rely on bees (which aerodynamically are not supposed to be able to fly), and other pollinators, to reproduce. Sparrow reminds us to see nobility in the most common things, and that through humility we can express unconditional love. Both spoke of being great and small at the same time.

Their message of humility in service is guidance for all of us as we grow to trust our inner selves, and open to the flow of healing energy that is Reiki. We are in service. That is enough. Just for today, I will be humble.

Note: This is the third of five articles about animal perspectives on the Reiki precepts.

Photo Credit: Photos of sparrows courtesy of Heidi Piccerelli. Heidi’s work can be viewed and purchased at http://heidi-piccerelli.artistwebsites.com and www.hfphotos.com.

Reiki Helps Tropical Fish Adapt to Their New Environment by Ann Noyce

January 14, 2014

We recently added a fish tank and tropical fish to our household. If you think about it, changing the environment for fish is really no different than introducing a new dog or a cat into the household. Just like dogs and cats, it can take fish some time to adapt to their new environment. Their world is disrupted; the water is different, the lighting may be different, their food may be different, and there are different fish that they are now living with. They will go through a period of adjustment as they settle in to their new home, and each fish will respond differently.

Our fish seemed to adapt fairly quickly; but one, a bottom-feeding albino corydora, was very stressed and did not adapt as easily as the others. “Squiggly”, as we affectionately call her, would swim (the cory swim looks like a wiggle) erratically around the edge of the tank; around and around and around, day after day. We also noticed that she didn’t seem to be eating like the others. After about a week, the erratic swimming stopped; she just rested on the bottom (corys also rest on the bottom) and didn’t swim much at all. Something just didn’t seem right with little Squiggly.

One evening, I decided to offer Reiki to Squiggly, actually to all of the fish in the tank. Two of the fish came forward right away and stayed right in front of me for the entire treatment. Others continued swimming around the tank, taking turns coming forward to connect with me. They would stop right in front of me and look intently at me for a couple of minutes. Similar to other animals, the fish were truly open to the energy.

Squiggly was resting quietly on the bottom toward the back of the tank for most of the treatment. As I was about to finish the treatment, Squigglybegan swimming around the tank; she was now swimming steadily and interacting with the other fish; this continued for the rest of the evening. And, the next morning Squiggly ate along with the other fish; she was right in there with the other bottom feeding fish making sure she got her share of the food! After a scare the next day when we could not find her in the tank, Squiggly continues to swim normally and eat regularly; she has adapted to her new home.

Tropical fish are really no different than other animals in their openness to receiving Reiki. Reiki helped Squiggly overcome the stress of being in a new environment. Just as Reiki can help reduce stress in the fish tank, Reiki also can help dogs, cats and other animals cope with any type of stress they may experience, including adapting to a new home or situation.

-Ann Noyce, SARA Teacher

Animal Reiki in India!

November 30, 2013

As a Reiki practitioner I just never stop learning, as an Animal Reiki practitioner the animals never stop teaching me and as a Reiki Teacher this can only be a good thing!

I was reminded of this during my recent visit to The Tree of Life for Animals (TOLFA) in Rajasthan India. TOLFA is a shelter on the front line of animal welfare and some of the animals coming in are in a very poor physical condition and it is fair to say staff see a lot of extreme cases that we just don’t have experience of in the west. So for me it would be a test of my belief in Reiki, to work with the animals and teach Reiki to members of the shelter staff – while trying not to feel overwhelmed – so some gentle reminders about the fundamentals of Reiki from the animals, were most welcome.

The Tree of Life for Animals was founded by Rachel Wright in 2005. Rachel is a British vet nurse who is dedicated to animal welfare, she was awarded the CEVA Welfare Vet Nurse of the year in 2012 is highly regarded for her work in the community where she now lives in India. Rachel and I met in 2002 while studying Essential Oil Therapy for animals and both living in London. Rachel gave me my first experience of offering Reiki to animals by inviting me to the veterinary surgery where she worked and had recently set up a programme of complementary therapies for animals, with a lovely room dedicated to this purpose within the surgery.

TOLFA – The hospital sits in a beautiful valley in the Aravalli Mountain range, between Pushkar and Ajmer in rural Rajasthan. The hospital is surrounded by beautiful countryside, still green after the monsoon, perfect for dog walking. Pushkar is one of the oldest towns in India known for the famous Bahma Temple built in the 14th century, According to legend, the origin of Pushkar dates back to the time when lord Brahma was on his way in search of a tranquil land, lotus fell from the hands of the lord into this valley and a lake sprang up on this spot which was dedicated to him. The Brahma temple located here is a popular place of pilgrimage the area has a wonderful energy attracting many tourists and travellers visiting the holy lake and taking part yoga, meditation and ayurvedic health retreats. Pushkar is also famous for its Camel Fair which TOLFA attends every year to educate the public on animal welfare.

The majority of animals coming through Tolfa’s gates are street or community dogs. Life on the street is hard and when they become ill or injured their local caregiver will contact Tolfa or ambulance staff will pick up sick and injured animals on their rounds. After treatment the animal is always returned to it’s own neighbourhood, if possible.

Tolfa runs a volunteer programme welcoming anyone with animal experience and time, willing to give a bit TLC to the animals in their care. In fact, Rachel sees what she calls Nurturing Volunteers as an essential part of care and rehabilitation that animals receive not only veterinary treatment but also love and attention, so welcomes volunteers especially those with therapies such as Reiki.

So it was as a ‘Nurturing Volunteer’ that I spent 6 weeks there in 2010 putting into practice my skills as a holistic therapist including aromatherapy, massage zoopharmacognosy and Reiki. This year 2013 sees TOLFA become a SARA shelter and I was honoured to attune some wonderful practitioners to Animal Reiki.

My First Day

Accompanying Rachel on her morning tour I soon had a list of animals that she wanted me to do some work with: some had wounds that were taking a long time to heal – perfect candidates for essential oils and nutritional supplements. Many were undergoing treatment that would mean long-term care and, as well as the stress of being confined in a kennel, the veterinary treatment although essential can be a frightening encounter and painful for dogs. Some, suffering from Mange, had already been subjected to emotional trauma while other animals were ready to pass over – TOLFA never turns an away an animal in need and many spend their last days being cared for and loved in safety.

Rachel already had in mind that Reiki could be an important part of end of life care at the shelter and that was certainly to be the theme of this visit, something I needed to work through also, having had a very difficult experience with one of my own precious dogs a number of years ago. Funny how Reiki works, isn’t it!

Remember To Listen

A little black and white dog who had been in a road traffic accident and left with paralysis of her hind legs.

Many of the permanent residents are dogs with paralysis or amputees and I would ask anyone questioning the quality of life for these dogs to just spend some time watching them play and interact with the people and other dogs at the shelter. Of course there are some health issues connected with their conditions but veterinary care is on hand 24/7 and their health is carefully monitored. I watched one little dog speed across the compound on balancing her weight on her front legs to meet her friend, who also only had two good legs, the pure joy as they played was a pleasure to watch.

Back to the little black and white dog. She was very unhappy and although receiving the medical care she needed, didn’t seem to be improving and would warn people off when approached and avoided human contact at all costs. Rachel explained she had the same type of injury as some of the other shelter dogs who coped well and felt there was no physical reason for her to be so depressed. She lived in the puppy yard a secure walled space with sheltering tree where the puppies and younger dogs can move around freely.

As soon as I went into meditation and offered her Reiki she began to move towards me, over to where I sat on a concrete platform passing by my feet then settled directly in front of me a little way off where she made direct eye contact and accepted Reiki for a while (I took the photo when I felt she had enough) but then she came towards me again and tried to climb up on to the concrete platform – at this point one of the staff members reminded me not to touch this dog as she was ‘dangerous’, kind of breaking our connection!

I felt we had made progress so that evening back at the hotel I offered Reiki again distantly and felt an instant connection. I picked up a strong feeling of ‘regret’ and she showed me how her life had changed in an instant, and she just didn’t see the point without her legs. This was really hard to hear and I was determined to help her see that she was now in a safe place where she would be taken care of and loved. We continued with a very strong connection for some time.

Next morning I started my day in the office making up remedies and essential oil blends while Rachel and the veterinary staff made their rounds, then I thought I could go and spend some extra time with the little black and white dog. But it was not to be, she had passed away while I had been in the office, my first thought was why didn’t I go straight to her?, why couldn’t I help her?

Had I really listened to what she was saying I would have realised this was her choice, we have no influence on the outcome and by holding the Reiki space help them to pass in peace and move on if that is their choice. So we sat together in a Reiki space for a while.

Remember – No Expectations, Detach From The Outcome

H9 or Harry is a beautiful soul. He has mange and infected wounds when he was brought in to TOLFA. The mange dogs have suffered twofold, the condition itself is debilitating and leaves them open to secondary disease and complications and emotionally they can be very depressed. As a result of their appearance they are unwanted by the community and often chased away from their homes. It is a common sight to see people throwing stones at such unfortunates, they become pariahs.

Harry is a severe case possessing only a few tufts of hair on his head, the colour reminding me of Prince Harry’s hence his name, I’m sure he’ll be very handsome when it all grows back!

Harry was on my Reiki list and we soon became friends, he is a lovely gentle boy always ready with a wag of his tail. Towards the end of October the weather turned unexpectedly cold at night, earlier than usual, catching everyone off guard (normally shutters are drawn and blankets dispensed to help the more vulnerable dogs cope with the cold. Rajasthan is a desert state and temperatures can drop to minus 0 in the winter months. On checking Harry one morning found him cold to the touch, we moved him out in to the sun and he was given emergency fluids and treatment. He didn’t seem to be responding and other signs meant that things weren’t looking so good for him, my heart sank as I prepared myself for the worst. As I sat with him I felt drawn to chant the mantra for the master symbol, the power of the vibration merging with the sounds of the dogs around us, I would be with him holding the Reiki space while he passed – Harry had other ideas, imagine my delight when he sat up looked up into my face and wagged his tail! Reiki can provide that spark that a soul needs to heal when they are just not ready to go – it is their choice we just consciously bring the energy within their reach.

He continues to improve and before I left found a lovely thick fleecy blanket in the market for his bed. He is still receiving Reiki and his Spirulina milk shakes, which from the photo you can tell he loves.

UPDATE FROM RACHEL AT TOLFA: “Today was funny…I was doing Reiki with another little mange guy in H7 but kneeling in the gallery and your man, promptly got out of his bed (which he hardly ever wants to leave) and pressed himself against the kennel gate trying to get in on the action…he was lapping it up!!”

Remember To See With Your Heart

Mouse my Little Reiki Helper!

I would feel a constant presence at my side while working – even when I was sure I had closed gates – I would turn and this little dog would be standing at my leg. I gave up trying to contain him, he could squeeze through any hole, gap, drain and he was just there – while I walked the other dogs, gave treatments, and offered Reiki. Mouse was a new addition the group of Shelter dogs who live permanently at Tolfa and Rachel explained he had come in as a suspected rabies case and had been rescued from a not so nice area of a nearby town, with an unusual canine tooth/jaw arrangement going on, he looks as though he is about to bite and this had led to him being neglected and abused.

I started to look forward to his quiet calm deep thinking presence during my day, I’m sure he was joining in with my Reiki sessions. So with a little patience and the kindness shown to him by people who could see beyond his appearance, he is settling in well at Tolfa.

UPDATE FROM JEMMA AT TOLFA: “I came in the other morning and was trying to work out who he lively, happy little dog was instigating play with Ginger and Honey… really, it took me a while to realise it was Mouse! He was jumping and leaping about without a care in the world!”

The Class

Our class was held in a lovely room in the education centre overlooking part of the shelter compound on one side and fields on the other, a beautiful healing space. We were joined in the morning by seven orphans – five newborn puppies whose mother had just been brought in to Tolfa, but had passed away while giving birth during the night, another poorly 2 week old puppy and a feisty newborn kitten.

Hard Lessons

By the end of our day all of the puppies had passed away to join their mum, a big lesson for any practitioner is that healing doesn’t always mean the restoration of physical health and can be purely spiritual, and I am so proud of my students, although sad, we all recognised what had taken place, we had helped them on their journey in peace and with love. The kitten continues to thrive.

This reminds me of another essential part of our practice, self healing, the work we do is so emotional and can be draining, we really need to include ourselves in the healing process so that we can continue to give our best. Please read Kathleen’s brilliant workshop/article on Self-Healing for Animal Caregivers.

I thank all of the wonderful people doing this difficult but rewarding job at TOLFA and all of the animals I met they made my visit very special.

Now that TOLFA is a SARA Shelter all animals passing through its gates will be offered Reiki and will be available to support the staff and caregivers.

Left to Right: Jemma Sadler, Cristal, Maria Jose Sanchez, Rachel Wright.

Written by: SARA Teacher Alison McKinnon

He Walked The Earth

November 24, 2013

I was on the phone when he wandered into the yard. I saw him cross the street and head towards the cranberry bushes by the goats. The goats in unison watched him pluck the berries. I saw P, our horse, turn her head in more than mild curiosity. I thought to myself, “Oh, look at the lone Canada Goose” and continued my conversation. It took me a few moments to register how highly unusual it is to see a lone Canada Goose on foot during hunting season.

I cut the conversation short when I saw him walk up the middle of our road. As I prayed that he would be kept safe from hunters and cars, he turned eastward and walked up towards our coyote den and the hunter-filled woods and fields beyond. He disappeared from sight. P started to graze again.

The next day, P was consumed with terror and concern about something in the east towards the coyote den. I could not see what worried her so and assumed it was the coyotes. Running into her stall, she slipped. For hours, she would not eat. I brought her in early, but she continued to watch eastward through her stall window. Finally, towards dusk, she settled down.

The next morning she was again worried. She snorted and blew as if to shoo something out of her pasture. It seemed unlikely anything would be inside the fence as we had fortified the wooden fence against coyotes. I went to the second floor of our home and gazed, through binoculars, into the field. At the far end, inside the fence, was the goose.

My reassurances to P were of no avail. I decided to walk up to see if the goose could fly. P watched me with great concern. As I got to the far end of the field, the goose seemed to disappear. Suddenly I almost stumbled upon him. He had pulled himself into a tiny ball. The goose rose to his full height, spread his wings and took a few steps away from me. He turned to look at me and seemed to beckon to me to walk with him. I did. Side by side, we walked down the hill towards P’s paddock, the goose carrying on a conversation the entire way.

With great concern, P watched us approach. Suddenly, the goose stopped and looked at me. I knew he wanted to go further but was cautious of going into P’s paddock. I assured him I also was wary of entering her paddock when she was frightened. He turned and walked back up the hill. I continued on out the gate. I thought if I could entice P into her stall, the goose might make his way to freedom.

Again, once inside her stall, P watched the goose through her window. I went back into the house and soon after, I looked out my kitchen window. The goose was in her paddock.

When I went out the next morning, I found the goose asleep in her paddock near her stall. He rose and disappeared into the grass in the larger field. Once out of her stall, P was wary but not panicked. All that morning I watched as the goose would approach P. When she showed signs of fear, he would retreat. With great patience and persistence, he gained her trust.

Towards late afternoon, I saw him come around the corner of her barn and stand in her little paddock, ten feet from her. He bowed his head, his beak touching the ground. P lowered her head, nose touching the ground. Again, the goose bowed. P bowed. They repeated this several times. Then, the goose turned his head to the left. P did the same. The goose repeated the gesture as did P. After several minutes of this, the two of them relaxed and stood in quiet comradeship. I left P out a little later that afternoon. When I brought her in, the goose again explored her paddock and then settled down in some deep grass near her stall. P moved her hay under her window so she could watch the goose.

Again, the next morning, the goose was resting in a pile of hay near her stall. P was quiet, calm, and content. I asked her what the goose’s name was and imagined she answered “Jeff”. I imagined the goose preferred “Geoffrey” and so he was named.

Geoffrey moved a short distance into the larger field to graze when I opened the door for P. She moved her hay out of her stall so she could watch him. The two were never far apart that morning.

In the early afternoon, I heard P blowing and snorting. I looked out of my kitchen window to see P in a frenzy. Geoffrey had wandered eastward into the large pasture, towards the fields and woods beyond where there were now many hunters. I knew immediately P’s concern for his safety.

I walked up the field to where Geoffrey had wandered, P watching. He looked at me with curiosity and I told him he was unsafe and needed to come back to the barn. Incredibly, he walked back with me and went to stand a short distance from P. I returned to the house. The two of them stood side by side for some time listening to the gunshots in the fields above.

When Geoffrey started to wander into the field again, I saw P gently herd him under the fence into the yard next to the house. He looked around and settled in a corner on the grass. The shots increased. P went in to her stall later than usual that afternoon, keeping an eye on her new friend.

Again that night, Geoffrey slept by her stall.

The next morning, he went north into her smaller pasture while she ate her breakfast. I walked the dogs at the usual time. As I was standing in front of the house, I could hear a chevron of geese approaching from the south. It was unusual to hear geese flying in the early morning during hunting season. I looked up, and could see 5 or 6 small chevrons flying towards me. They travelled over my head, north to the pasture where Geoffrey stood. Chevron by chevron, they flew over the lone, earthbound goose. They called to him. I could hear him respond. The geese then changed direction and flew south. Geoffrey was quiet. I so hoped he would follow his flock.

He seemed so very little after that.

For the rest of the day, he and P were inseparable. In the late afternoon, Geoffrey, on his own, came into the yard while the gunshots flew in the fields above.

I became very conscious of how I carried myself. When I went out of the door, I gently closed it behind me. I was ever so conscious of what I was thinking and feeling. Like Geoffrey, I stepped slowly and gently upon the earth. I bowed whenever I met him and lowered my gaze. He responded likewise and did not flee.

That night it rained. When I went out to the barn to feed P her evening meal, Geoffrey was lying down, head outstretched, in the spot where P usually stands during the day. I paused, not sure he was if he was all right Gently I called to him. He did not move. I held my breath and watched. Finally he rose wearily and went to the tall grass near the barn.

The morning after he had bade farewell to his flock, I saw him lying in the smaller field, north of the house. He had chosen a spot I could see from my kitchen window. I watched with concern as I did my dishes. A raven flew over the house, down past my window and towards Geoffrey, claws outstretched. At the last minute, the raven flew upwards and away. Geoffrey laid there for a long time.

He came back to P’s paddock and stood with her, both gazing eastward. It was Saturday, and the woods were filled with hunters. I placed some cracked corn out for him which he readily accepted. I left to do some errands. When I returned, I slowly drove into the driveway and saw Geoffrey standing at the gate waiting for me.

That evening, he stayed close to the house, near his food, water, and a little shelter we had bought for him. I marveled at how how the dogs had accepted him in their yard, never barking or approaching him, never glancing his way. I felt a peace that he was staying closer to the house. My husband and I spoke of ways to help him through the long winter.

The next morning, he was again in the long grass by P’s stall. My husband went to feed P. I walked the dogs. I heard my husband call me. Something was wrong. He had seen Geoffrey get up, move a few feet, then lie down. When my husband got to him, Geoffrey was limp

We brought him into the barn and wrapped him in warm towels, placing him on a bed of hay. We moved a little heater near him. It was of no use. P and the goats ate their hay somberly.

Seven days with Geoffrey. A lifetime in seven days.

Our own life has to be our message.
-Thich Nhat Hanh

He Walked the Earth: Postscript

You must always look with both of your eyes and listen with both of your ears. He says this is a very big world and there are many many things you could miss if you are not careful. There are remarkable things all the time, right in front of us, but our eyes have like the clouds over the sun and our lives are paler and poorer if we do not see them for what they are. If nobody speaks of remarkable things, how can they be called remarkable?
― Jon McGregor, If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things

It has been a week since Geoffrey passed away. The animals have been somber. For several days, P stood in those places in her paddock that Geoffrey had stood. Only yesterday, she began to show some sparkle in her eyes. When I went to give her the evening meal, she chuckled and pointed to her bag of favorite hay.

As for me, I also have been somber, reflecting on the lessons of this gentle, wise bird who walked with such dignity. I, like P, find comfort in standing in those spots where he rested. I find myself thinking a great deal about how I touch the earth.

This morning, when I went outside with my youngest dog, Maria, the skies were quiet, beyond quiet. It was early Saturday morning, in hunting season. As I walked through the yard, a chickadee flew across my path and into a lilac tree at eye level, chirping at me vigorously. I wondered what he was trying to say. I opened the gate and P looked with concern towards the East and then caught my gaze. Maria and I went through the gate and as we did, a squirrel chattered in a nearby tree, then ran down the trunk, still chattering, towards us. He stopped about 20 feet from us then ran back into his hiding place. I wondered if he was one of the squirrels we had wintered over last year when he was a baby.

I could hear the ravens calling loudly from their own hiding places in the nearby pines. They often tell us when coyotes or bear are near by, alerting both sides to avoid a chance encounter and conflict. This was different. P began to become more worried and started bucking and racing in her paddock. I realized the ravens were warning us of danger. I was sure at that point, it was a hunter.

My husband walked up the slight hill to the East. Sure enough, a blue van was parked on the hunters’ road. As he went to check, P stepped up her vigilance until he returned. Maria and I went back to the house. We were being warned against our own species.

My husband said that as he had walked up the hill, a swarm of chickadees had appeared, chattering mightily at him.
Nothing goes unnoticed here. We are really part of a much larger community than we know. That we are accepted is a gift. The legacy of Geoffrey continues.

If we listen, they will speak.

Namaste. I am Here for You.

Where was the Reiki? I think about this constantly since Geoffrey’s passing. It was a magical week with him. Compassion, love, peace, and calm were pervasive.

Several times, I thought to offer Reiki to Geoffrey and P, but every time, I sheepishly stopped. It seemed presumptuous and foolish on my part. I was in the presence of masters. This was their dance, not mine. My role was as student, as facilitator, as recipient of the love and compassion that passed between them and spread over the land.

They were Reiki. There was no chanting, no hand gestures, no symbols – the tools we humans need to shed our humanness. They simply were Reiki. Geoffrey and P breathed love and compassion.

What is my role now? To learn from them; to become compassion and love for all that I touch; to simply become Reiki.

For sentient beings, poor and destitute,
May I become a treasure ever-plentiful,
And lie before them closely in their reach,
A varied source of all that they might need.
-The Way of the Bodhisattva – Shantideva

By: SARA Practitioner Emma Duvefelt

Blog

Humans, Healing Horses, Healing Humans

Footer