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The Mantra of the Rescuer

February 5, 2010

One of the things that we as animal Reiki practitioners sometimes forget is that the people who care for the animals in the shelters in which we practice sometimes need Reiki as much or more than the animals do. Having been in animal rescue in one form or another for about 15 years now, I’ve seen many rescue people burn out from the overwhelming nature of the task. The same syndrome occurs in shelter staff and volunteers.

This was brought home to me recently when one of the people I’d trained in Reiki at AID had a very difficult time with the passing of one of her charges. The dog crashed suddenly and was rushed to the vet, where she went into cardiac arrest and was unable to be revived. A necropsy showed massive internal problems so she would not have lived long even if she had been revived.

One thing that made her transition so difficult for my student was that no one had seen it coming despite the dog’s age and a recent trip to the vet for another incident. More importantly for her, my student told me that during the 36 hours or so that she cared for the dog during this crisis, she “forgot Reiki.” It dawned on her after the dog made her transition that she’d simply forgotten to offer her Reiki. This combined with the shock of the dog’s unexpected passing really knocked her for a loop.

We had a conversation about the incident and her distress over it during which I silently offered her Reiki. I asked her why she thought it had upset her to that degree and she replied “Maybe I could have done more.”

I knew the answer before she spoke, but wanted her to come to that realization on her own. I told her that she didn’t need to worry about turning Reiki on and off, that she being Level 2 now is Reiki and flowing Reiki all the time. Had the dog wanted more Reiki, it would have been drawn from her to the degree where she would have noticed it.

I explained that we have all been through that sort of “maybe I could have done more” or “I could have done it better or differently” remorse. It’s the nature of healers to want to see those with whom they share their healing to heal on a physical level. What we need to remember is that we can only offer healing. It’s up to the recipient to do with it what is for their highest good.

One of the many beautiful things about Reiki is that it heals on levels other than the physical. Most of us don’t have the ability to see the healing take place on those non-physical levels, so we simply have to trust Reiki and know that what we have offered has been used for the highest good. In the same way, we honor the recipient’s free will to remain physically focused or not.

I think all of us when we first began learning and practicing Reiki wanted to be able to cause healing to happen. Especially those of us raised in Western culture where medicine is believed to cause healing. It’s a major paradigm shift to go from the notion of “zapping” beings with Reiki to make them better to offering Reiki and allowing them to do with it what they wish.

It’s especially difficult for practitioners like my student who had a good deal of success early on with their Reiki, “success” being defined as having outcomes that matched her expectations. To paraphrase an old adage, one doesn’t learn from success, it’s failure that carries the real lessons. This outcome (the dog made her transition) was perceived as a failure by my student, even though it was not by any means a failure on her part.

It’s easy to see how she could fall into a negative spiral from thinking this way. I simply reminded her of what we’d discussed in her Reiki 2 class about how the animals are sentient beings in control of their own lives and we don’t get a vote as to whether they choose to heal on a physical level or not.

I also gave her what I call the “Mantra of the Rescuer”:

All you can do is all you can do, and all you can do is enough.

I don’t know who first said that. I read it long ago and it has been a touchstone in my life when I’ve felt overwhelmed by seemingly insurmountable obstacles in my path. It fits well with the Reiki philosophy, in my view, and is completely appropriate for shelter or rescue personnel as they deal with the never-ending stream of animals needing their help.

By SARA Director John Sawyer

Reiki for Roxanne

January 11, 2010

In December I went to visit my good friend in Montana that recently moved her horse sanctuary to a 1,200 acre ranch. I was excited for our visit and especially excited to meet Roxanne. Roxanne, a four month old filly arrived a week before my visit. She came to the sanctuary from a neglectful situation and her mother had already weaned her, as she was not able to feed and care for her.

During my stay the temperatures dropped to 25-40 below zero for 5 days. A small corral was constructed inside one of the barns for Roxanne. Her adopted Aunt Madison, a retired broodmare that found a home at the sanctuary last year was in the corral outside the barn. They could still be close to each other and nuzzle through the panel that replaced the door.

One of the many things I wanted to do during my visit was to offer Reiki to Roxanne. Roxanne was very shy and stayed her distance when I was in the corral helping with the chores. She would look at me out of the corner of one eye. We felt Roxanne would benefit from a Reiki session. I did not have all of my “winter gear”, but I was determined to sit with Roxanne. My friend gave me a horse blanket to wrap myself in stating it would be warmer than any human blanket she could give me.

It was a cloudless blue sky, beautiful, sunny and 25 below zero day. It was my last day at the ranch. I walked out to the barn, turned a bucket upside down, wrapped myself in the horse blanket and sat about six inches from the corral panel. The sun warmed my back as it shone in the opening of the barn. Roxanne stayed in the far corner quietly looking at me and most likely wondering what the heck I was doing. A human in a horse blanket sitting on a bucket outside of her new home.

I created my Reiki space and set my intentions to offer her Reiki and for her to take the amount of Reiki that was appropriate for her. As with the SARA technique, I allowed Roxanne to participate in her own healing and I remained outside of her corral. Allowing her the freedom to move around and feel safe in her space. I began to feel the Reiki flowing through my hands, I could hear Roxanne moving around. I opened my eyes to see her place her tiny hips and tail a few inches from the panel in front of me. As she swayed in a gentle motion back and forth. She let out a baby sigh and began to eat the hay in front of me. I felt a wave of happiness and excitement that she was willing to come to my side of the corral and showed signs of receiving the Reiki.

The time with her was very magical and peaceful. She ate for about 20 minutes and then stood in the middle of the corral doing the “involuntary head bob” and letting out deep sighs. A couple of times she came over and placed her head in front of me and our faces almost touched. I could feel her warm breath on my face. As I gazed into those soulful eyes I resisted the urge to reach out and touch the baby soft tiny nuzzle. I really wanted to climb in there and just hug her, but I did not. This was about her needs and not my desires. She had to learn how to trust humans and in the process trust life. In her four short months on this planet she had already experienced much saddness, betrayal and loss. I was offering her healing and allowing her to take the Reiki energy to heal herself.

I looked at my cell phone to check the time and realized almost an hour had gone past. I quietly told Roxanne I was preparing to end the Reiki. I heard a soft, quiet voice say “not yet”, I could feel my eyes full of tears and a wave of tingles through my body. I stayed. I could no longer feel my toes, but surprisingly enough they were the only body part that was cold. I continued to offer her Reiki and hoped some of the heat I was generating would travel to my toes.

Shortly after the hour I could feel the Reiki flow subside and I knew Roxanne had received all she needed for now. She looked at me and began to yawn many times and then she stuck out her cute pink tongue and was stretching it in all directions. I laughed at the antics and the faces she was making. I knew she was releasing so much. I asked her what she was releasing and heard “pent up emotions”. I was happy to see her finally relax enough to release all she was holding in her little body.

I looked up to see Madison standing in the sun with her head against the barn sleeping next to the opening. It was such a peaceful moment. I did not want to leave. I thanked Roxanne, Aunt Madison and Reiki for allowing us to unite in this incredible space.

I shared the information about Roxanne sticking out her tongue with my friend. She felt this information made sense with what she had noticed of Roxanne in the few days she had been there. Before we left the ranch we stopped by to check on the horses. Roxanne and Madison were standing in the sun half asleep. We could see the soft nature in their eyes and bodies in total relaxation. They were enjoying the warmth from the sun, the bond they created with each other and a knowing they are in a safe, nuturing space.

Reiki At AID – Hellos and Goodbyes

January 1, 2010

It’s been quite a year for me at AID. I’ve met and worked with many animals and learned from all of them. Animals are such wonderful teachers!

Allie

I wrote about Allie previously. Unfortunately, Allie made her transition several weeks ago. Her condition had worsened to the point where she was harming herself despite the best efforts to keep her safe. There was no joy in Allie’s life aside from the time she spent sleeping in the arms of myself or another volunteer. During our last session together I got the strong sense that she had had enough of the struggles and was ready to return her focus to the non-physical.

Allie’s transition was more difficult for me than usual. We as practitioners know that Reiki heals on all levels and always hope for a physical healing as well. At least in my case, I think the more “hopeless” the case is, the more hope I have that a “miracle” will result. Sometimes we get those miracles, and often we don’t. In all cases, though, there are lessons to be learned.

In Allie’s case, the most obvious lesson was to release my emotional attachment to her healing. I looked forward to spending an hour or so carrying a slumbering Allie around the shelter. I felt, or at least hoped, that our Reiki sessions were helping her to maintain status quo, if not make visible progress, but that was not the case, at least not on a physical level. I’ve come to the realization that the contrast between her Reiki naps and the rest of her life became so great that she could no longer abide the latter.

When we sleep, we are connected to our Source. I’ve noticed that older animals sleep a lot more and a lot more heavily which indicates that they are preparing to make the transition to non-physical. While they are sleeping, they are exploring the non-physical and coming to terms with their transition. I’m sure this same process took place with Allie and that she finally decided she had fulfilled the purpose of this chapter in her eternal life.

Honey

Honey was another Pomeranian I met briefly. I had seen her while working with Allie in the kennel wing one day. She was a beautiful buff color with bright eyes and a lovely energy about her. During one of my recent visits to AID, I heard that they had found Honey unconscious and rushed her to the vet.

Two days later I was visiting AID again and learned that Honey’s blood sugar had dropped too low as a result of her diabetes, but that she recovered quickly at the vet and was back at the shelter. They suggested I offer her Reiki and I spent about 20 minutes carrying her around the shelter while she soaked up Reiki. She appeared bright and perky and none the worse for her earlier ordeal.

As it turned out, that was the only session I was to have with Honey. She had a setback shortly thereafter and was taken back to the vet where she went into cardiac arrest. The vet staff was unable to revive her. A necropsy revealed a number of problems with her internal organs.

The fact that she was able to function so well given the internal mess she was is yet another testament to the ability of our animals to focus on the moment. Someone once said to me that animals compensate until they can’t any more which explains why they often seem fine, then crash suddenly. Basically, animals “press on regardless” as long as they are able, a lesson many humans should take to heart!

Button and Larry

There were many bright spots this year, as well. I’ve written about Button, the little Jack Russell terrier pup who recovered from her broken back. I recently met Larry, a “senior” boxer and a delightful gentleman who was rescued off the street a few months ago. Larry and I have only had one short session thus far, but I’m sure there will be more.

Molly

Molly is a charming lady Lab who is doing her thing oblivious to the firestorm of events going on around her. Molly had been adopted and was recently returned to AID after an incident at a family gathering that has sparked a flurry of lawsuits and legal maneuverings. It’s a sharp contrast between her attitude and the consternation of the humans involved many of whom could learn a great deal from Molly’s straightforward mindset.

Cats

Finally, to show that I haven’t neglected the feline contingent at AID, I spent time this year with many in the cat wing including Spook and Eli, the two paralyzed cats who occupy adjoining playpens and keep watch over the comings and goings in the cat wing. Their current project is the supervising of two guinea pigs across the hall from them.

Bogie, Silky, Jet, Robert, Chloe, Geraldo and several other cats live together in a room just off the infirmary. Bogie took about 6 months to decide I was a friend. He now accepts Reiki and petting for short periods of time when I come to visit. His favorite activity is laying in his basket by the window soaking up the sun.

GT

The Cat of the Year is GT, a grey tabby kitten I found near a farm while on my way to the vet with two of my dogs one evening not long ago. I saw her cross the road in front of my car and it was apparent that she was having difficulty. She lay down on the grass off the side of the road and was still there when we returned from the vet an hour or more later. I took the dogs home, got the smallest carrier we had, and went back to see if she was still there. She was, so I picked her up and put her in the carrier. I called the vet and took her there.

Ten days later, she was declared healthy although she has some neurological problems probably a result of panleukopenia, a condition not unusual in feral cats. Her eyes had been pasted shut when I found her, but had cleared up as a result of medication. The vet believed her to be blind, but we have since determined that she can see, at least to some degree.

GT appeared to be about four months old, but had her adult teeth so was at least 6-7 months old. No doubt the lack of regular meals contributed to her tiny size.

AID agreed to take her in and she has been there several weeks now. She’s grown noticeably, plays energetically with her toys and has endeared herself to everyone. She has at least two people interested in adopting her so she will find a forever home soon.

Reiki has played a great part in all of the above stories and many more. Many more stories end happily than otherwise, in physical terms, because Reiki is an integral part of AID and the care of their animals. A number of the staff and volunteers have at least Reiki 1 and we will certainly add to that contingent in the coming year.

By SARA Director John Sawyer

Gratitude for All in 2009

December 31, 2009

2009 was a busy year for SARA. As Kathleen said in her blog, it was a year of change, new projects, new members and much growth!

SARA started off the year on wobbly legs and spent most of the year like all new businesses – trying to reach goals, find balance and maintain quality. As the year ends, I feel I can safely say we have achieved all three. And when I say “we ” I mean we as in me, Kathleen and each of you. We would not be where we are today without the hard work and devotion each one of you has given to SARA.

As 2009 closes today, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for all the help, guidance and encouragement we received from our members, friends, experts, animal lovers and of course, the animals themselves. So many of you willing gave your time and expertise to help SARA not only become a professional non-profit but to be one of the first (if not the first!) organizations to create structured Reiki programs for shelters, rescues and sanctuaries here in the U.S. and abroad. A big thank you to all who have helped us end 2009 on a successful note.

A word of gratitude and special thank yous are sent to our SARA shelter organizations and all other shelters and rescues who have opened their doors to the healing power of Reiki. With your help, more and more animals are receiving the benefits of Reiki daily.

Each of you has shined your inner light on SARA and as we connect with others, our light grows brighter. Thanks to you, SARA is starting 2010 with a very bright future!

With love and gratitude,

Leah D’Ambrosio
SARA Vice President

Shelter Reiki Reflections of 2009

December 29, 2009

Dear SARA Members and Friends,

Thank you for a wonderful year of 2009, offering Reiki to shelter and sanctuary animals around the world! This has been a year of growth, change, new projects, new animal organization members, and the sharing of many wonderful shelter and sanctuary Reiki stories! Some dear friends gave me the wonderful book, Animal Blessings, by June Cotner, for Christmas. I’d like to share with all of you a quote from this book that I feel echoes the heart experiences we often encounter in our Reiki offerings for homeless animals:

I Will Always Remember

I will always remember the olive-eyed tabby who taught me that not all relationships are meant to last a lifetime. Sometimes just an hour is enough to touch your heart. –Barbara L. Diamond

May the memories of the Reiki relationships that you create with the many amazing animals you meet uphold your heart and spirit as you forge ahead in this courageous work. And a Happy New Year to everyone!

With Animal Reiki Blessings,

Kathleen Prasad
SARA President

Reiki For Cats

December 10, 2009

By Kathleen Prasad
Feline Wellness Magazine, December 2009

If you are looking for a gentle and noninvasive technique for supporting feline wellness, look no further than Reiki. Reiki can create relaxation and peace in even the most stressed-out cases-thus it is ideal for cats living in loving homes, as well as shelter and rescued cats. Reiki can help to speed healing after surgery or illness, reduce side-effects of medicine and other treatments, relieve pain, improve behavior problems, heal anxiety-related problems and, when physical healing isn’t possible, ease the transition to death.

The system of Reiki is Japanese in origin. “Rei” means “spirit,” and “Ki” means “energy,” so the word “Reiki” literally translates to “spiritual energy.” Reiki is also a spiritual practice, albeit one without dogma and beliefs, so it is compatible with any religious philosophy. Your intention and commitment to the “doing” of Reiki (meditation and opening to the flow of energy) is important to your own development and healing, as well as your ability to connect with animals successfully. On a personal level, practicing Reiki can deepen your intuition and cause tremendous internal healing on all levels.

Since the way and flow of Reiki is toward perfect energetic balance, it always finds the origin of the problem (since all health problems are “dis-ease” or imbalance) and supports energetic harmony (rebalancing and clearing the energy “flow”). Its harmonic nature also makes Reiki completely safe and ideal for use with other modalities, both conventional and holistic.

Cats are especially sensitive to Reiki energy and will benefit greatly from the approach of treating from a distance, meditatively and respectfully “offering” rather than physically and actively “giving” Reiki with physical contact (as is often done in human Reiki treatments). Incorporating this philosophy with all cats, even those comfortable and familiar with humans, results in a greater openness from the animals and thus greater successes in their treatments. Recently, I experienced this firsthand when working with some feral kittens.

I placed the chair about 10 feet from their cage. Inside, the two feral kittens, one gray and one black, stared at me, terrified. The black one stood in front of the gray, clearly protecting her little brother. They had been rescued the previous day from a hillside just off the freeway. My friend Janet, who feeds several feral colonies throughout San Francisco and also frequently rescues and gives aid to these kitties, had taken the two kittens into her home until the SPCA could evaluate their adoption potential. Thus far, Janet had been scratched and bitten, and had to wear gloves when reaching into the cage to feed or clean.

The other members of her cat family were also very interested in the new arrivals, sitting near the window where the cage was located. One of these cats, Honeydew, had been previously rescued and adopted by Janet from the same colony. Still quite feral, she had hidden herself in another room when I arrived.

Before I began the Reiki treatment, I set my intention to offer them some healing, but let go of my expectations about what might happen, understanding that they need only take what they were comfortable with-which may be nothing at all. I visualized myself several feet away from them and not breaching this space. In addition, I avoided eye contact so as not to push any kind of physical connection with them. I closed my eyes, rested my hands on my lap and began to offer Reiki.

As I began the treatment, which involves simply connecting with the energy and then “holding a healing space” for the cats, I focused on a feeling of peace and tranquility inside myself. It was obvious that the cats were tremendously fearful and stressed, and I knew Reiki would help them relax. I also visualized Janet and what a safe, good person she was. They were in a good place where they would have food and shelter.

Although I didn’t open my eyes for nearly a half an hour, I felt the energy flow strongly through me as sensations of heat and buzzing through my hands, arms and body. The best description of what it feels like to offer Reiki is what it feels like to be in a deep and peaceful meditation. I knew, because of the strong flow and relaxation I felt, that the kittens were accepting the treatment.

At the end of the treatment, when I began to feel the energy dissipate and my mind return from the deep meditation I had entered, I opened my eyes. The two kittens had moved to the front of the cage, closest to me, and fallen fast asleep. In addition, Janet’s timid cat Honeydew came out of her place of hiding and was curiously watching me from just a few feet away. As I met eyes with her, she held my gaze quizzically for a long moment, then looked at the kittens, and then back to me. Then she disappeared as silently as she had come. It was as if she was telling me, “I felt the energy, too. Thank you for helping them.” Janet had been quietly watching Honeydew’s visit from the next room. She smiled wide-eyed at me, amazed at her cat’s uncharacteristic behavior, as well as the kittens’ relaxed demeanors.

In just one treatment, the kittens showed good improvement. As early as the next day, Janet was able to reach into the cage and hold and pet the gray kitten. The black, although still fearful, refrained from attacking her hands.

Soon, with continued Reiki, combined with patient work and lots of love from cat socializers, the kittens learned to trust people. Within a few months, “Cody” and “Millie” were adopted into good homes.

As this story illustrates, Reiki is safe, gentle and noninvasive. For those of you unfamiliar with energetic therapies, let your cats be your guides: Our feline friends are so much more aware of this subtle energetic communication. See what they think of Reiki, and you never know-you just might find yourself trying a treatment, too!

Reiki at AID: Button

December 1, 2009

I met Button a few days after she arrived at Animals in Distress. Button is a Jack Russell Terrier who at the age of 8 weeks suffered a broken back when she was dropped. Knowing Button as I do now, I’m sure she surprised the person holding her by wriggling, thereby causing her own injury.

Button was taken to the family’s vet who diagnosed her broken back and recommended that Button be put down. The family was in the middle of their own personal difficulties, but was not ready to give up on Button. They contacted AID.

AID often works with special needs animals, many considered “hopeless”. Button certainly fit that description! She was relinquished to AID and crated temporarily in the cat wing under the watchful eye of Spook, another of AID’s “hopeless” residents. Spook, too, has a broken back and has no use of his hindquarters.

I first saw Button during my usual weekly visit. She was huddled in the back of her crate. After a few minutes, she was able to get up and hobble to her food dish. Her rear legs held her upright, but were otherwise nearly useless. I offered her Reiki for a few minutes then continued to see my other “regulars”.

Button was seen by a veterinary neurologist and got some good news. The doctor said she would likely recover at least limited use of her legs! She was to have cage rest for two months to be sure she didn’t re-injure herself. Aside from that, we were advised to hope for the best.

Button became one of my regulars. I saw her every week for the next several months. At first, I held her throughout our sessions. She readily accepted Reiki and always seemed happy to see me.

She steadily improved to where she was allowed to walk on lead for brief periods. She was unsteady, as you’d expect, but became more active and more agile each week. She progressed from being held to spending our sessions on lead in the courtyard investigating the grass, leaves, sticks, insects and whatever else she could find within the limited area she was allowed to roam.

By the time her cage rest prescription was finished, Button was more than ready to be turned loose! For several weeks she’d been making it very clear that she was ready to boogie and we were putting a major damper on her enthusiasm! I told her to be patient, that I knew she was ready, but she had to humor the humans who were concerned about her.

The neurologist saw Button again and verified her considerable progress, but advised further caution just to be sure. Button begged to differ and looked for every opportunity to show us she was just fine, thank you very much! As you can see from the video below, she had gone from the sad little puppy I’d first met to the happy, energetic little ball of fire that typifies her breed. She had places to go, people to see and things to do!

I continued to see Button for several weeks after she had clearly recovered from her injury. She was much less interested in Reiki, being busy catching up on the time she’d lost, so I told Lori, the kennel manager, that it was time for me to focus on other animals in greater need. As much as I loved seeing Button, she no longer needed me.

I’m happy to report that Button was eventually adopted by an AID volunteer who was chosen from several applications. I’ll always remember Button, the “miracle” puppy, with appreciation and a smile!

By SARA Director John Sawyer

Reiki for Tigers and an Ocelot

November 23, 2009

I received the most wonderful story from a Reiki colleague Martha Wewer, who volunteers regularly at Carolina Tiger Rescue in North Carolina. I am so pleased to present this story to all of you. It is an amazing lesson in animal awareness of the energy, and the connections and trust that can be created, even with wild animals. A big key to Martha’s success here, is her respectful approach, which all animals appreciate. Working with these incredible animals, Martha is also learning the important lesson in letting go of our expectations and learning to trust in the energy. Enjoy reading this heartwarming story!

With Animal Reiki Blessings,

Kathleen Prasad, SARA President

You Do Reiki on WHAT?!?
By Martha K. Wewer

I started volunteering at Carolina Tiger Rescue in Pittsboro, NC because my husband, Tim, took a position as an intern animal keeper at the facility. This wonderful non-profit sanctuary is dedicated to saving big and small cats while educating the public of the natural history and plight of these amazing animals. During his orientation the animal curator, Kathryn, had mentioned to my husband that there was a volunteer who did Reiki on the some of the cats. Tim was thrilled and told Kathryn, “my wife does Reiki and loves animals! Maybe she could help!” Of course I was beyond thrilled, I mean, who wouldn’t be? I would be spending time with tigers! Then nervousness, anxiousness and doubt set in. How would I approach this situation? (Carolina Tiger Rescue has a strict “hands-off” policy with the animals; even the ones who have been reared at the facility are not to be touched out of respect for the animal and the safety of the volunteer). What if I wasn’t good enough? What if I didn’t help the animals enough? What if it had been too long? What if I was too emotionally drained to be of any use?

About a year and a half ago, a personal tragedy in mine and my husband’s lives caused me to be angry, sad, anxious, and depressed. I lost faith in myself and the universe around me. I had even walked away from Reiki. Every new opportunity in my life now was colored by my intense grief. But I was so excited to spend even a minute at the Rescue that I swallowed my fears and trusted in myself and the Reiki.

Tim decided that the two animals who would benefit most from twice weekly Reiki sessions were Nitro Tiger and Reagandale Ocelot. Nitro Tiger (and his enclosure mate, Apache Tiger) came to the Rescue in April of this year from a junkyard in Kansas. Upon arriving at the Rescue, it became obvious to the keepers that Nitro was blind. Despite his rough start in life and his disability, he would “chuffle” (a tigers way of saying “hello” – sort of a low, quick purring noise) at the keepers. Nitro seemed to know he was safe but he was still fearful and anxious at times, particularly when the pickup trucks used to deliver the food would drive past his enclosure. He would begin to pace frantically and turn in circles, clearly in distress. The goal was to provide healing to Nitro in hopes that he would become more and more comfortable in his surroundings.

My second “client” was Reagandale Ocelot, who was born at the Rescue. She suffered an injury as a kitten that damaged her left front leg, causing her to limp and stumble while running, climbing and jumping – all things that ocelots do a lot of. The goal with Reagandale was to provide some relief to her arthritic leg and increase her quality of life.

I had read through The Animal Reiki Handbook and practiced on myself, Tim and our dogs but let me tell you, when the day came to head out to the Rescue, I was still nervous. As we approached Reagandale’s enclosure, I took a deep breath, placed my towel on the ground in front of her, sat down, and asked her permission to begin. I recited the 5 Reiki principles, placed my hands palms up on my knees and began the session. In a matter of a minute or so, my hands got so warm! I was tempted to open my eyes and see how Reagandale was reacting but I resisted. One of the most wonderful things about Reagandale is she purrs…loudly…and intensely. I could practically track her by the noise she was making and boy, she was active! She would sit in front of me at the fence, run up her ramp to her perch, climb onto her den box…

After 15 minutes or so, I didn’t hear her purring anymore so I opened my eyes. She had retreated to the back of the enclosure so I took that as a sign from her that she was done with her Reiki treatment. I thanked her and got up. Tim had been observing us and he was amazed. He had never seen Reagandale so active! In subsequent sessions, keepers and staff would observe my Reiki treatments with Reagandale and they would say the same thing, she was definitely livelier and more energetic then they had ever seen her.

Regandale Relaxing — Reagandale Relaxing

We headed over to Nitro’s enclosure. I sat cross-legged on my towel in front of the enclosure and asked his permission begin. I could hear Nitro pacing back and forth in front of me. Like with Reagandale, I could track him with my ears. I was concentrating on his fear and anxiety and hoping that by sending him waves of love, he would settle down. I heard Nitro continue to pace and then he stopped. Nothing. No noise. I opened one eye and there he was, all 400 pounds, right in front of me, pawing at the ground. There was no aggression, just curiousness…I knew he couldn’t see me but he knew I was there (for the record, tigers don’t rely heavily on their sense of smell and I had been instructed not to wear anything scented so he wasn’t just smelling me). We continued that way for the rest of the session – Nitro would move in and out of my direct line of “sight,” stopping to paw at me occasionally. Finally, after about 20 minutes, he moved to the back of the enclosure and lay down. I took that as a sign that he was done and thanked him and got up. Tim looked at me in wonder and said he had never seen Nitro paw at the fence like that. I left the Rescue that day, just ecstatic.

Over the course of the past 3 months, I have been volunteering with Nitro and Reagandale twice a week. I would love to say that Nitro is no longer fearful of the trucks or that he has stopped pacing but that is not the case. There are days when Nitro wants nothing to do with me and the sessions are short. Other days, he will lie down in front of me during the session and it will last 25-30 minutes. I can report that an unexpected benefit of my sessions with Nitro is that shy and protective Apache, Nitro’s enclosure mate, has become more and more present in our sessions. He had been rarely seen outside of his den box with the exception of meal time, but during my sessions with Nitro he will often lie down several feet from us and watch me. Only 2 weeks ago, I sat down to begin work with Nitro and Apache stood up in his den box, looked directly at me and walked straight to where I sat, put his face right in front of mine, and began to “chuffle.” It was the most unbelievable experience to have a 400 pound tiger walk directly at you, staring you in the eyes.

My experiences have been the same with Reagandale as with Nitro. Some days my hands are so warm from the energy she is taking and other days, while she’s friendly and purring, she doesn’t seem to need the energy as much. My ego wants to “cure” them, to “fix” them both and I get frustrated that there is not some more obvious break though that I can point to and say, “I did that!” However, I’m trusting in myself again and trusting in the Reiki. I know both animals are taking from our sessions what they need, when they need it and using in whatever way they need to. While I struggle with my desire to make everything “perfect” for these cats, I remain unbelievably grateful to have the opportunity to try.

Another Lesson in “Trust” from Reiki

November 10, 2009

I recently had the opportunity to give a SARA presentation to a local humane society animal shelter. We tried for several weeks to coordinate my schedule with the schedules of the Executive Director and her right hand person. I met both of them a couple of months prior to our meeting and I also attended their volunteer orientation. We were happy to finally set a date to discuss Reiki and the SARA program.

The presentation lasted about an hour and they both were very excited about Reiki and the benefits it could bring to the animals and the shelter. Since neither of them had experienced Reiki for themselves I offered to give them each a mini Reiki session. It lasted about 10 minutes each and both commented on how relaxed and peaceful they felt. I could feel the positive flow of our meeting.

Prior to the meeting we talked about offering Reiki to some of the dogs. They decided it would be best to bring one of the dogs into the very big conference/training room that we were in. The wanted to try it with the dog out of his element. The assistant went to get the “dog that had some issues” and the ED was called out by one of the staff momentarily.

This is when my mind started on a wild race with all of the “what ifs”- the control- the preconceived ideas of what it should look like-I thought we would be in the kennel with the dog- I feel pressure to perform-and on and on. WHOA–slow down cowgirl as I pull myself back in. It is amazing to me, given the opportunity how many scenarios my mind can create in a matter of seconds! As I sat in this big conference room alone, I gave myself Reiki, I sent Reiki into the room-which already felt wonderful from the Reiki I gave the humans just minutes ago.

The assistant brought in a male Pit Bull mix breed that destroys everything and anything he finds. He is anxious, a bit nervous and not quite ready for adoption. The ED is sitting at the table across from me and the assistant is on the floor at one end of the room. I have already explained to them the way we offer Reiki with SARA. The dog is free to roam in the room and I allow him to come in and out of the Reiki space I am creating and take the amount of Reiki he needs.

I make my self comfortable in the chair as I close my eyes and began to offer him Reiki. I can feel immediately the Reiki flowing from my hands and know he is accepting it. However, he is pacing around the room, sniffing every chair (about 20 of them), every corner and nook. He is breathing heavy. He comes over to me for about 30 seconds and places his head on my lap and paces off. Eventually, he makes his way over to the assistant and plops beside her.

Again, my mind wants to go on it’s tangent of how this should look and what he should be doing. What are the humans thinking? Do they think I am crazy sitting here with my eyes closed and my open hands resting on my lap, appearing to be doing nothing. I come back to focus on the Reiki, by silently saying the dog’s name or chanting a Reiki symbol. I trust the Reiki is happening (I can feel it, so I know that it is) and allow it. He continues to lay, roll and play beside the assistant. There is a sense of peacefulness in the room.

Just as the animals take the Reiki in the ebb and flow, so does my mind. In the 15 minutes I was with the dog I would “worry” and then come back and allow. In the end I received much validation from the humans on the incredible difference they saw in the dog. As they put it, “they never saw him so relaxed and at peace”. They thought it was amazing. I too found it to be amazing, because I was concerned of how he appeared to be anxious. I had never seen the dog before to know his typical behavior that was now apparently transformed.

We plan to introduce Reiki in the shelter in the near future, as they have made many changes and want to slowly introduce another change. My lesson from the dog is to just “TRUST”the Reiki. I am grateful for all the animals that continue to guide me and help me to just allow rather than do!

Reiki At AID: Allie

November 1, 2009

I volunteer weekly at Animals In Distress in Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, offering Reiki to the animals and teaching Reiki to the staff and volunteers who wish to become Reiki practitioners. I have been involved with AID since late 2004 when my wife and I adopted from them a beautiful Great Pyrenees. At the time I was quite impressed with the facility and the philosophy with which it is run.

Some time after we brought Sugar Bear home, I spoke with the director and offered to bring Reiki to the shelter. She agreed and I have been doing so on a weekly basis since then.

Typically, I have worked regularly with two or three animals chosen by the shelter staff. Some have been long term cases and others have only had a session or two. AID houses both dogs and cats as well as the occasional goat, duck or other critter that has found its way there. At the moment, there are two guinea pigs residing in the cat wing!

My current focus is a beautiful little Pomeranian named Allie. Allie is approximately 1 to 2 years of age. She has some neurological issues due apparently to brain trauma. No one really knows what happened to her, but the neurologist who examined her said that it could have been encephalitis or some similar swelling of the brain that has caused her to lose her sight and her hearing as well as a good deal of motor control.

Allie has a difficult time walking and eating and needs help with both. It is difficult to tell how she is dealing with her loss of vision and hearing impairment because her reactions to things are not typical and may very well be random movements not connected with visual or auditory stimuli at all.

When I first began working with Allie a few months ago, I followed the protocol that we use as SARA practitioners: allowing Allie to roam freely in the room while offering Reiki and letting her make physical contact if she chose to. She would generally walk around a bit, then eventually lay down with her head up.

She would begin to nod off to sleep, rolling very slowly toward one side or the other. She would get perhaps one-third of the way down, then jerk back upright as though startled by something. This would repeat over and over with her getting further toward the floor each time, but each time coming back up with a start.

It was apparent to me that she wanted to relax and go to sleep, but she seemed to be afraid to go to sleep. The more I worked with her, the more I got the strong feeling she needed to sleep as much as she could, but for whatever reason, was unable to get into a good sound sleep.

At about the fourth or fifth session, Allie actually lay all the way down and slept for perhaps 30 seconds before starting awake again. The next session, she slept for a few minutes. It seemed we were making progress!

The next session, she would not even lay down. After 15 minutes or so, she was still standing and seemed agitated. I had the impulse to pick her up in my arms despite knowing that she had historically struggled and protested when picked up and held, especially since her trip to the neurologist.

Much to my surprise, within a minute or two, Allie fell asleep in my arms! She slept that way for about 30 minutes until I had to get back to work.

Since then, the kennel staff has reported that Allie is much more willing to be held and now falls asleep almost immediately whenever someone picks her up. Our weekly sessions now consist of me holding her in my arms for an hour while she sleeps and draws Reiki energy. By the time we’re done each week, she is positively glowing with energy and the staff person who takes her from me always remarks on how warm she feels.

This is a wonderful example of an animal communicating her needs and the way she wishes to receive Reiki. The neurologist has said that he believes Allie’s condition will not worsen, but will likely stay as it is for the balance of her life. Reiki may very well have something to say about that! So far, there have not been any major neurological changes, but her acceptance of being held and of Reiki is a positive change.

By SARA Director John Sawyer

Welcome to the Shelter Animal Reiki Association Community Blog

October 5, 2009

About the Shelter Animal Reiki Association

Reiki is a holistic Japanese energy healing modality that promotes stress reduction and relaxation. SARA was founded in May 2008 to support the growing number of Reiki practitioners who wish to establish programs in their local shelters. SARA’s goals are to: Teach and foster an understanding of energy healing; provide a standardized approach to implementing professional animal Reiki programs for shelters, sanctuaries and other facilities that assist animals in need; document the effects of animal Reiki on individual animals and the possible effects on shelter and rescue statistics as a whole; serve as a worldwide information and referral resource for Reiki practitioners, shelters, sanctuaries and other facilities that assist animals in need that wish to incorporate an animal Reiki program; and educate the public, shelters, sanctuaries and other facilities that assist animals in need on the benefits animal Reiki can provide to animals in need and their human caretakers.

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