If you read my article about Reiki earlier this year, you may remember that this spiritual healing practice helps to bring the body and mind back into balance. It works on all levels – physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual – regardless of age or state of health. Reiki encourages self-healing, and a Reiki session typically creates a feeling of relaxation, relief from pain, a reduction of stress, anxiety, or expectations, and greater clarity. Reiki is a non-invasive, drug-free way to help all living beings heal, and that includes your pets!
Since August is “Dogust”, there’s no better time to discuss how Reiki can benefit your canine friends (or any other pets you may have for that matter).
Stress and anxiety can cause an imbalance in our pets just as it can in our own bodies. Although Reiki is not a substitute for veterinary care, it is an excellent complement to regular vet visits. A Reiki session for your pet will typically range between 45 minutes to one hour.
Why would you consider a Reiki session for your pet? Reiki accelerates healing after medical procedures or illness, provides relief from acute and chronic pain, anxiety & depression; it can help with behavioral issues by promoting stress reduction, and it boosts and strengthens the immune system. And in those toughest moments, Reiki helps bring peace and comfort to terminally ill animals.
In my 20+ years of working with animals (yes, mostly your typical pets, but not exclusively) I have observed the effects of Reiki on our furry (and not furry!) friends. For my dachshunds who each had back surgery for bulging discs, I incorporated Reiki in their recovery (it helped to get the anesthesia out of their bodies quicker and lessen the pain and swelling after surgery).
I’ve lost count of how many adopted dogs I’ve worked on who had been abused one way or another. In those cases, we tend to see a softening over multiple sessions as they begin to release their fears around their past encounter(s).
I also tend to work with dogs who are quite anxious. In these cases, I never know how their session will go. Some of the high anxiety clients will not choose to calm down during the session, but they will usually be sacked out in the car on the ride home (unlike their normal behavior of being wide awake during their car ride!). The other extreme is the anxious client who just LOVES how the energy healing feels, and wants to be IN my lap with my hands ON them and doesn’t want the session to ever end…yes, a lot of the time there is snoring!!
I have worked on dogs with cancer. Some were terminally ill and some were not. I have done Reiki sessions with geriatric pets who were nearing their transition.
Early on when I started to offer Reiki sessions to pets, I was asked to work with a Doberman pincher who was highly anxious and experiencing immune system and skin problems. During our first visit, she was VERY unsure of me, but her mom brought her back into the room on the futon where we did our session. Her mom had to be in the room with us since she was so nervous. This pup wasn’t quite sure about me or what I was doing.
The second time I showed up, this dog who last time was frightened of me, greeted me at the door with that happy-to-see-you vibe.
The third time I showed up, she greeted me at the door and then ran directly back to the room where we would work and was on the futon waiting for me when I made my way back.
I don’t know that I can properly put into words how rewarding it is to work with animals. The connection is different. I can verbalize to a human client what I’m going to be doing during a session and what sensations they may feel, and then we can have a conversation afterward and discuss any questions. With pets, where I don’t have the opportunity to convey information verbally, I can observe the client’s behavior for their response. And with those who choose to make eye contact (which is most clients, but not all), the information is mutually conveyed either during or after a session is beyond what any words could capture. These beings also need healing, are capable of healing, and appreciate the opportunity to be seen and given that safe space to heal.
It is a gift each and every time I am asked to work with someone’s pet (whatever type it may be).
Happy “Dogust” to all you dog owners and dog lovers out there!!