Animal Reiki Horses

Letting Animals Choose Lets Them Be Their Best

June 7, 2022

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Nancy Crowe

Major Takes Charge

April 8, 2022

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

5 Distinct Traits of Animal Reiki

January 24, 2022

Have you wondered what the distinct traits of Animal Reiki are and what exactly is the need for specialization? Is Animal Reiki different from traditional Reiki? The elementary answer is that Animal Reiki is also Reiki. The universal energy is the same – there is simply one universal energy. And at the same time, Animal Reiki is about the animals and is practiced honouring the unique sensitivities of the animal kingdom.

Reiki Meditation While Horse Riding

September 7, 2020

Sharing Reiki with an animal doesn’t have to mean sitting in mediation with them. Experience the wonder of moving meditation with your animals. Here I am in the Lolo Forest in Montana with peaceful horses and dogs. A true Zen moment!

Whipper: A Horse That Learned to Trust Through Animal Reiki

September 7, 2020

The most special moment, of the special moments I experienced, was with a horse named Whipper. He was a very unsettled, almost neurotic horse. He would pace restlessly, rub himself raw and chew on his tongue as he shuffled from side to side.

Animal Reiki with the Teacher’s Pet

September 11, 2019

From the time I was a toddler, I’ve been horse-crazy. I started riding when I was six and was blessed to have a pony in my backyard when I was nine-years-old. Being around horses, especially sharing Reiki with them, opens my heart and heals my soul.

A Precept Lesson from Butte

May 27, 2019

A friend of mine owns a small guest ranch here in Montana and, in the spring when their horses are brought in from winter pasture, she has asked me to help evaluate them prior to the season beginning. A couple of years ago she had a new horse that she named Butte (after her hometown here in Montana). She asked me to work with him as he had a habit of tossing his head and not being attentive. So I undertook the task.

The Let Animals Lead® Method & Equine Massage Therapy

May 15, 2019

How can equine massage therapists benefit from and incorporate the Let Animals Lead® method of Animal Reiki (developed by Kathleen Prasad) into their practices?

3 Days at Remus, UK

October 26, 2018

I had the great pleasure this year of attending a Reiki III and Animal Reiki Teacher Training course set within Remus Memorial Horse Sanctuary in Essex. Remus isn’t just for horses, the residents are also rescued Shetland Ponies, Donkeys, Sheep and Goats. And not forgetting the cats whom roam the land and kept us company during our 3 days at Remus, together with Ollie the dog.

Reiki and the Big Herd

May 16, 2018

Duchess Sanctuary is located on 1120 acres in Oakland, OR and provides a forever home to 191 horses and 5 donkeys; all formerly abused, abandoned, neglected or homeless. The majority of the horses are mares and their offspring who were rescued from the Premarin industry (to learn more about this appalling practice please visit www.fundforanimals.org/duchess). Other residents include orphaned mustangs, as well as horses rescued from auctions and feedlots. Duchess is operated by the Fund for Animals, in partnership with the Humane Society of the United States.

Reiki & the Red Mare: Reiki Finds Us When We Need It Most

May 11, 2018

Some years ago, my young, chestnut, off the track Thoroughbred mare (you horse people get it), was just home from colic surgery. It was day one of 30 days stall rest, with five-minute grazing sessions throughout the day. She had many complications and was not out of the woods. I was an emotional wreck.

The Power of Reiki Chanting with a Herd

May 3, 2018

Reiki for a Calmer Ride

April 2, 2018

It was a cool, breezy spring morning on two fresh, bouncy Thoroughbreds. Instead of settling as we went along, my friend’s gelding became agitated – prancing, bucking and spooking. My friend’s attempts to settle him weren’t working. My mare was feeding off the other horse, becoming nervous and tense. I was beginning to worry the ride would not go well.

CJ, An Equine Teacher

January 20, 2018

As part of the Animal Reiki for Reiki Practitioners course, I chose to meditate with my 26-year old mare, CJ. CJ and I have been together for 24 years. We met at a sketchy boarding stable. CJ was a 2-year old filly living with the field horses. This group of horses was provided pasture and brought up to the barn twice a day for grain, but otherwise left alone. None of the horses were ridden and their owners rarely, if ever, paid them visits. I discovered that CJ had been brought to this stable as a baby, perhaps 6 months old, newly weaned. She was placed out with the field horses and left alone to grow up.

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

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.

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

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.

A Reiki Share with the Horses

June 21, 2013

Sharing will enrich everyone with more knowledge. ~Ana Monnar

This quote highlights the purpose of a Reiki Share. It is a time to get together with like-minded people to share our experiences, to learn from each other and to practice and share Reiki with each other and with the animals. We support each other and grow together in Reiki.

I host a regular Reiki Share for my Animal Reiki students. We get together every six weeks or so; sometimes we offer Reiki to each other, and other times we take a field trip to offer Reiki to the animals. On June 9, 2013, we met at Ivelolharele Retirement Sanctuary in Chilton, Wisconsin, to share an afternoon of Reiki with the horses and donkeys. Everyone had many wonderful Reiki experiences; and I have two that I would like to share.

Smokey and Buddy

Two of my newer students asked for some guidance as we began the afternoon. So, we went together to offer Reiki to Smokey and Buddy who were sharing a small pasture near the house. These two sweet horses along with some other sweet spirits taught my students about just “Being Reiki” and letting go of what might happen. We sat outside the fence overlooking the countryside. After I guided us in creating a Reiki space and inviting Smokey and Buddy to join us, we sat in the beautiful healing energy. Smokey and Buddy moved around a bit as they grazed, but stayed a few feet away sharing the energy with us.

I think my students were hoping the horses would move closer and stand more directly in front of us, but Smokey and Buddy wanted us to have a different experience. As we sat there in this quiet space, some birds in the evergreen tree next to us moved closer and began chirping very loudly; they were making sure that we knew they had joined us in the energy. Some insects also joined us, flying in and crawling on our notepads.

And at one point, I happened to look over to my right where Sadie, a very sweet donkey, had been grazing nearby; she was looking at us very intently and quietly connecting with us. After we finished, the owner of the sanctuary, Jody, shared that as she was taking pictures, she noticed that the cats in the house had all congregated at the window just behind us; they too were connecting with us. Wow, what a great learning experience for all of us. If we create a Reiki space and invite all of the animals to connect with us, we are able to assist not only those that we intend to work with, but also any others who may choose to join us.

Cziello

For our second practice session, I was inspired to spend time with the horses in the barn. Yoda and Mikey were in their stalls next to each other, and Cziello was across the aisle. I had worked with Yoda in the past, so I stood in the middle of the aisle facing Yoda and invited all three horses to join me in the Reiki space. Yoda knew why I was there and stayed at the front of his stall often reaching his head out toward me; he was very sweet and open to the energy. Just as I was about to move closer to Yoda, he moved back in his stall, and I immediately felt something warm over my left shoulder. I looked back, and there was Cziello extending his head as far as he could toward me, almost brushing his muzzle against me. I turned around to face Cziello and moved right in front of him placing my hands under his muzzle. He continued looking directly at me; he would push his muzzle into my hands; he would lift his head and smile; and he would cock his head to one side. I just stood there mirroring his movements and sharing the moment with him. Thank you to Cziello for this wonderful experience and for sharing such a beautiful and peaceful connection with me.

I am grateful for all of the wonderful people I have met who share my passion for supporting the well-being of animals through Reiki. I look forward to our Reiki Shares when we have the opportunity to get together, to experience Reiki and to share and learn and grow together. And I thank the animals for connecting with us, teaching us and guiding us on our Reiki journeys.

Thank you everyone who joined us at Ivelolharele Retirement Sanctuary – it was an amazing afternoon sharing Reiki with the horses!

Ann Noyce

A Plea to Help Our Wild Horses

March 8, 2013

I am writing this on what, according to the ASPCA, is National Horse Protection Day. Which is somewhat ironic, because I woke up this morning to read yet another story about more of wild horses being rounded up and removed from their homes. The pictures were heartbreaking. The eyewitness accounts even more so.

It seems like almost every day I am getting these emails from people I know who are working tirelessly to stop the massive removal of these magnificent animals from their homelands. Wild horses have roamed our countryside for hundreds of year. Yet now, under the direction of the government, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is staging nationwide roundups of wild horses so they can turn over the land to cattle ranchers. While I have never witnessed a roundup live, friends of mine have. I have seen harrowing pictures and video and heard tragic stories. Once they are captured, the lucky horses are saved by rescue groups and sent to sanctuaries. They will never again roam free, but they are safe. The unlucky ones are sent to feedlots where they are held in small pens indefinitely or possibly shipped to slaughter.

In my opinion, this is unacceptable and must be stopped. And as Reiki practitioners, I believe we can do something about it.

After I read the most recent roundup story this morning, I sat down to do my morning Reiki session and decided to send Reiki to the horses who had been captured and their family members who were left behind. As I started to connect to them, I felt their pain. I felt their terror and fear. It broke my heart. I started to cry and tears continued to run down my face as I continued to send them love and what comfort I could. I could not tell them “You are loved, you are safe…” because I don’t know if they are safe. I could only tell them that I sent them love, I saw them, I recognized them, I wanted to help them, and I appreciated them for the magnificent beings that they are. As I did this, I felt their energy shift. I felt the love being returned to me. After all they had been through, THEY were sending love and comfort to me. It was wonderful and beautiful and heartbreaking all at the same time.

And it made me more determined than ever to do all I can to help them.

I have been thinking for some time about starting healing circles, where Reiki practitioners and other energy workers can get together to work as a group on particular animal issues – one issue at a time. I’m putting this in motion now, and I intend to start with the wild horses.

I know many SARA members volunteer at horse sanctuaries. I know whenever I do Reiki with any horse, it is a healing experience for me. They heal me as well as teach me. They help open and heal my heart. They are incredibly loving, healing and giving. And they need our help.

Kathleen and Leah always tell us that when you work on one animal, you can have an impact on all animals and how they are treated. Imagine the impact we could have if we all focused a little bit of our time and energy to help the horses.

I think it would be wonderful if SARA members could include the wild horses in our Reiki sessions. I am going to do this as often as I can. We can include those horses who have been captured, those who were left behind, and those who remain at risk of being captured. We can send Reiki to the entire situation and hold the vision of a day when our horses are left alone and allowed to run free, as they should be.

(A friend of mine, another SARA member, is working on getting a list of dates of future scheduled roundups. We could send Reiki at that particular time and place also. If anyone is interested in that information, or any other information about what is happening with the wild horses, please feel free to contact me directly at info@heartsandpawsanimalhealing.com.)

I hope we can all consider joining forces and sending some of our Reiki love and energy to the wild horses. I know it will help. I know we can make a difference. And I know, regardless of what happens, the horses will feel it and it will help them. And, as never fails when working with animals, we ourselves will get healing in the process.

Cathy O’Brien

A Gift from Pete: Experiencing the Circle of Healing

January 13, 2013

In 2012, I twice had the honor of sharing Reiki with a sweet 10 year old Shetland pony named Pete. Through a beautiful two-way connection each time, Pete gave me a gift; he taught me the power of the “circle of healing” through Reiki.

Pete lives at a barn near Green Bay, WI, with a wonderful family, about 10 horses and a couple of mini horses, a place where he receives a lot of love and attention. Pete’s life has not always been so idyllic. Pete came to live with Diane from a place where he was most likely abused and not well-cared for. It seems that Pete received little attention; he was kept in his stall most of the time; and his stall was rarely cleaned. These people really did not want Pete, and luckily for him, Diane was willing to give him a loving home. As a result of his past, Pete had lost trust in humans and responded very cautiously and fearfully when people came near him or tried to ride or interact with him.

I offered Reiki to Pete in the pasture he shares with the two mini horses. At first, Pete was very shy and guarded around me. As I created the Reiki space and invited him to join me, he moved away from me towards the edge of the bubble, his tail swishing. But, Pete stayed; as we shared this beautiful space of Reiki energy, I could feel Pete become more and more relaxed and mellow. At one point he did move away for a minute, but he soon came back and stood next to me. His head dropped, he began chewing and his eyes closed. Then, he gently leaned his body against mine. Pete was totally relaxed and part of the energy; he was no longer concerned about what was happening around him. There was just a beautiful energetic connection between us, which we shared for a few minutes.

As I was talking with Diane after the treatment, Pete came over to stand by me and to nuzzle his face against me. Diane commented, “He really likes you!” A couple days later, Diane reported that she was playing with Pete in the arena with all of the horse toys. For the first time, Pete was not scared and thoroughly enjoyed himself. I was honored to have this opportunity to connect with Pete and assist him on his journey to overcome the fears of his past.

But the story does not end here……

About six months later, Alan and I were asked by a friend to come to the same barn to offer her horse a Raindrop treatment. On that particular day, I was not in a good state of mind; I was stressed and overwhelmed; I was definitely not following the five precepts. I even forgot to bring my barn boots and didn’t have shoes appropriate for the barn. I told myself that I should have stayed home. Our friend suggested that she would bring her horse outside for the treatment since it was a nice day; I asked Alan to apply the Raindrop treatment since I was not prepared. We happened to be right next to the pasture that Pete shares with the mini horses.

When Pete saw me, he quickly came over to the fence, looking very intently at me. I didn’t go over to him right away, but he stayed there grazing. After a few minutes, I realized that Pete was calling me to come over to him, so I approached the fence to say “hi”. As I stood there with him rubbing his nose and muzzle, I felt this warm energy surrounding me; I felt my demeanor shift; I felt the stress melt away; I felt calmer; and I felt this strong connection with Pete. We stood there sharing the Reiki space for about 10-15 minutes. It was so peaceful!

Pete gave me a beautiful gift that sunny fall day, a gift that definitely was not expected. Pete created a Reiki connection with me, he offered me that space of balance and harmony that I so needed. He helped me to feel better and happy that I did not stay at home (and happy that I forgot my boots!).

Reiki really is a gift, a two-way gift. When we truly connect with animals and open our hearts, we have the opportunity to experience the “circle of healing”, either in the same treatment or over multiple treatments. We not only help the animals through Reiki, but they in turn help us. I want to thank Pete for trusting me, for connecting with me and for giving me this beautiful gift.

Ann Noyce, Animal Reiki Teacher

BrightHaven: Home for Special Animals, Invaluable Resource for the Rest of Us

August 31, 2012

I recently had the pleasure of spending a weekend doing Reiki with rescued horses at BrightHaven Animal Rescue. Located in the Northern California town of Santa Rosa, BrightHaven is an amazing place, and I find myself wanting to tell everyone about it. First and foremost, it is a home for senior, disabled and terminally ill animals. All the animals there are at least 16 years old; the horses are all over the age of 26. Founded by Gail and Richard Pope in 1990, BrightHaven is their home also. Indoors you will see many senior cats and dogs – some partially paralyzed. Some of the dogs can be seen tearing around the back yard on their “wheels,” almost as fast as any dog you’ve ever seen.

There are over 25 horses at BrightHaven. Some are direct BrightHaven rescues. Others were rescued by Sadie’s Haven, a nonprofit horse rescue and sanctuary. All would have ended up sold for slaughter if it weren’t for Sadie’s Haven and BrightHaven. Instead, they will live out their natural lives in this wonderful haven, surrounded with peace and love.

A goat also makes her home at BrightHaven, as well as some ducks, geese, and I just don’t even know who else. It is truly a safe haven for all.

All animals at BrightHaven are provided with a natural diet and holistic health care…including Reiki! As a result, animals tend to have unusually long life spans – up to 30 years for cats and 23 years for dogs.

In addition to a home for the animals, BrightHaven is also a healing arts center and is an amazing resource for those of us interested in holistic and natural animal care. They offer seminars, consulting services and educational events on the subject of holistic and natural care for animals. Their website includes an extensive library of articles on an amazing variety of subjects around holistic healthcare, alternative healing therapies, and hospice care for animals. They even have holistic healthcare products for sale.

As someone who has been struggling with health issues of my aging cats for the last several years, I am amazed and humbled by the efforts of Gail and Richard. I know first hand how difficult it is when your animals get older and have special needs. I’m sure many of you do, too. How they care for so many “special needs” animals through the end of life transition is beyond my capacity to imagine. And the care and love that the animals at BrightHaven receive is beyond description.

I encourage you all to visit the BrightHaven website for more information on their sanctuary, their educational programs, and the vast array of information available there. (Website information given below.) If you are interested in visiting, they are having an Open House on Sunday, September 23 from 1-4 p.m. I also encourage you, if you are so inclined, to make a donation to BrightHaven and/or Sadie’s Haven. They are doing amazing work that is only possible through the generosity of people like you and me.

By the way, if you are interested in learning Reiki for Animals, my teacher, Kathleen Prasad, teaches classes at BrightHaven. I guarantee you this will be an experience you will not forget.

For more information:

BrightHaven: www.brighthaven.org
Sadie’s Haven: www.sadieshaven.com

Cathy O’Brien
SARA Reiki Practitioner

Being Reiki

November 21, 2011

From my first visit to Horse Rescue Australia I really got to understand what it means to just ‘be’ Reiki rather than ‘do’ or ‘send’ Reiki, thanks to some expert guidance from my four legged teachers.

A lot of the horses at HRA have been rescued from years of abandonment, others from abusive situations, while others are young and perfectly healthy but there because of unfortunate circumstances and waiting on a new forever home.

But no matter what their reason is for being there, all the horses provide instant feedback when it comes to Reiki and each has their own way of letting me know what they want – or don’t want, as well as where, when, how and if, and for how long! With so many variables it’s been a very effective way of learning to ‘just be’ and ‘to allow’ and ‘not to expect’.

Its been several weeks since my first visit and I have come to know that each visit will be completely different from the last with no guarantee that whoever was open to receiving Reiki last week will want it this week. Except Sandy…

Sandy is a pretty little buckskin mare approximately 24 years old who came to Horse Rescue in 2000 when she was rescued with some of her friends from a herd of 22 ponies running wild in a 10-acre paddock. At the time Sandy had a very young foal at foot and another still suckling from her. She had probably spent her life before HRA having babies. Sandy was so scared of people HRA carers couldn’t go near her without her trembling like a mouse. She is very smart, and very good at not being caught!

Sandy is still very scared of people, so much so that her first encounter with Reiki was experienced from behind the safety of the herd while I sat on a tree stump at a respectable distance, during which time the rest of the herd relaxed and went through the usual range of peaceful activities horses go through when they’re enjoying Reiki. Every now and then I’d open my eyes and take a peek at the resting horses, a yawn here, a stretch there, the occasional position change somewhere else – and there would be Honey and Sandy; on full alert positioned safely behind the others, their necks stretched tall like a pair of giraffes and keeping a close eye on me, just waiting for me to move an eyelid, which of course would have been their cue to high tail it to the other end of the property!

But I didn’t, and they didn’t, and when the rest of the herd gently broke off and started to graze some 40 minutes later, Honey and Sandy simply moved off with the herd without the calamity I’m sure they expected.

Over the weeks I’ve been visiting the horses I‘m getting to know all their little quirks and personality traits, and how they like or don’t like to receive Reiki, how sometimes they’ll stand for 30 minutes, other times not at all, sometimes they like hands on and sometimes they prefer Reiki from a distance. But the one who has been the biggest surprise has been Sandy. Of all the horses, she will always accept some Reiki during my visits, preferring to receive her treatments from a distance when we are out in the main paddock.

There is a large flat rock under a shady gumtree, which is perfect for me to sit on while I offer Reiki so that has become my regular spot in the main paddock. Usually when I begin, the Shetlands immediately make their way over for some hands on treatments, or to rest their noses on me while I offer Reiki, sometimes they lay down close by and move off when they are done. Mostly the horses will take turns to receive the energy, some from a distance, some hands on, and other times I’ll have a flock of pigeons resting in the grass all around me, but no matter who else may or may not come for treatments, Sandy never misses. She has her favourite spot where she stands a little way off in her own space to enjoy anywhere from 30 – 60 minutes of energy at a time and when she is finished, she will give me a little look of thanks and break off to graze.

Last week I went into the main paddock and found the herd a little distance away from my rock, but before I could make my way over the Shetlands had spotted me and mobbed me for some hands on treatments, which appeared to annoy Sandy. I could tell she was really keen for some energy but the close proximity of the other horses really seemed to have her rattled that day. However, after the ponies had received their treatments and moseyed off and the others had also received varying amounts of Reiki, I caught Sandy’s attention and moved away from the herd so she could follow me if she chose. She did so I sat cross-legged in the grass about 10 feet away from her with my eyes closed, hands resting on my knees with palms upturned, and began to offer some Reiki. I knew that she really wanted to connect, and that if I gave her a chance she just might.

After several minutes I opened my eyes just a tiny bit and could see her creeping over to me as quiet as a church mouse. A few minutes later I opened my eyes again just a tiny bit and could see that she’d crept a little bit closer, her neck was stretched as far as she could possibly stretch it in my direction, and her eyes were as wide as saucers. I could see she was terrified so I closed my eyes again and just allowed the Reiki to flow. Then ever so lightly I felt her soft warm muzzle gently touch my right palm, then a few moments later the same warm sensation on my left palm as she investigated my other hand. It was an emotional moment. I remained still and allowed her to retreat at her own pace, as I knew she would. After a few moments I peeked again to see her standing several feet away, just enjoying the energy. We stayed like this for perhaps 30 minutes without the interference from the rest of the herd, and when she was finished, Sandy gave me that little look of gratitude, and moved off to graze and I left the herd in peace.

Julie Abrahams

Who Helped Whom?

October 23, 2011

Imagine standing next to a horse, and immediately being led to place your body into a Mountain Pose. Meeting Joe Black for the first time, this is what I did with my right hand placed on my heart and my left hand placed above his shoulder. During this Mountain Pose, the word “Yogi” came to mind.

Joe Black is a beautiful nine year old black Percheron who was rescued by Changing Leads Equine Rescue, just days before I came to offer him Animal Reiki. His presence commands respect, even though he’s 600 pounds underweight.

After I had introduced myself, I sat a short distance from him because he was still eating his alfalfa cubes; I wanted to give him space. After thirty minutes of offering Animal Reiki, my heart did a little leap when this gentle giant walked over to sniff my hands. Afterwards he slowly pivoted and walked a couple of slow laps around his hard turnout.

Soon I heard telepathically “Do yoga” from him. Aside from being surprised, I thought to myself that would be really weird to be doing yoga in a horse’s turnout, as well as there were several people around the place that could possibly be watching. I telepathically told him, “uh…no….not going there.” He replied gently, “Ok. That’s fine.”

I caught myself thinking curiously ….what does this being know about yoga? Forgetting about my surroundings, I jumped up asking telepathically “Ok, I’m game! What pose?”. He flashed me pictures of one doing the Sun Salutation. I telepathically said, “uh…we’re on gravel…can we compromise?” He then flashed the beginning sequence of a Sun Salutation: Mountain Pose, Upward Salute, Standing Forward Bend, Standing Half Forward Bend, and back to Mountain Pose. I happily replied “I can do that!”

As I was doing the poses, he came and stood near me, breathing in the Reiki. I literally felt his breath on me throughout the first round.

(During this Upward Salute, Joe was licking his lips which is a sign of him accepting Reiki.)After the first round, he wanted Reiki focused on his heart space with my left hand for several minutes. Again, I followed his request.

When he had enough, he slowly walked off into a corner and went into a “Reiki nap”. His body completely relaxed by lowering his head, closing his eyes, licking his lips, and snoring from time to time.

Anytime that I took a rest, he would wake up, turn his head to me while licking his lips all the while saying “Continue.”

(Look at all of the amazing orbs!)After about thirty minutes from doing these poses, I heard him say “Now twist”. Again, he flashed me a picture of what the pose was and I obliged.

He continued to lick his lips as he stood with his eyes closed. After two minutes of twisting, he said “Warrior”. When I stepped into the Warrior pose, he opened his eyes and turned his head to look at me. As we stood looking into each other’s eyes for several minutes, time stood still as we experienced a transcendent release from our lives. He thanked me and told me he was finished. After I had thanked him and Reiki, I wondered to myself….who helped whom?

On further note, I discussed with my yoga teacher later that evening to find the deeper meanings behind the poses. Mountain Pose is bringing awareness of one’s aliveness. The beginning of a Sun Salutation which leads to the Upward Salute is opening oneself to the divine energy to flow within. Standing Forward Bend is bowing down to Mother Earth’s energy, and then Standing Half Forward Bend is to open one’s heart space to receive this energy. The twisting pose further opens up the heart space (heart chakra). Warrior represents strength, which leads back to my question….who helped whom?

Camille Pukay
Animal Reiki Divine, LLC
SARA Teacher

Animal Reiki Horses

Humans, Healing Horses, Healing Humans

Smokey and Buddy

Cziello

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