Reiki for animals - part 2

Animals can be a hugely positive influence in our life. Open-hearted and joyous, animals help us to remember our open-hearted and joyous self making the world a little brighter.

However, just like us animals can experience trauma and stress resulting in stress-behaviours and health issues. Whilst veterinary medicine is always a first port of call, there is much as humans we can do to support our beloved pets that doesn't cost the earth and will deepen the bond between us all.

One such approach is the practice of energy healing. Energy healing is working with the energy everything is made from and intentionally creating a space for it to shift, move, change and if necessary release. Trauma, physical and emotional, can get stuck in the body creating issues like aggression, separation anxiety, chewing, digestive upsets, skin conditions, injury and poor wound healing. Animals can't verbalise these issues, making it all the more important we observe our pets behaviour and put in place proactive support.

Calm creates calm

Just as emotional contagion can put an animal into a heightened state of anxiety or induce depression, it can also be used to co-regulate and support animals to return to a healthy state of wellbeing and calm.

Energy healing practices such as Reiki utilise this wisdom to create a calm space to allow energy to shift and move. The principles are wholly the same as energy healing for humans, taking into account the safety aspect of being around animals.

Below is a brief outline of how to offer energetic support to an animal:

1) Centre and calm yourself first. You want your energy field to be a place of safety and serenity that the animal can benefit from. Take a few deep breaths to the bottom of your belly. Having a regular meditation practice will speed up and improve your ability to do this and stay calm and centred.

2) Ideally, you would let the animal come to you. This is why pets often join their owners when they are doing their meditation practice, they want to be close to the source of stillness. If the animals comes in close enough, you can gently lay your hands on or close to them or simply imagine your calmness emanating from you like sunbeams.

3) Let the animal take from you what they need. There's no transfer of energy per se, more an awakening of their own energy back to a state of harmony.

4) Keep breathing in a relaxed and calm way from your belly. This will keep you grounded as you may become aware of areas of tension or pain in the animal. This is all perfectly normal and you'll find it will likely soften as time goes on.

5) Keep your mind light and open - avoid thinking or being distracted.

6) You may notice after a while the animal sighs, stretches, yawns or shakes. This is them resetting their energy.

7) The treatment is finished when you feel it is time or the animal moves away.

8) Swipe your body down with your hands afterwards from shoulders to hips and down your arms to ground yourself, and have a refreshing drink of water.

9) Take a moment to yourself before you go about your day.

Offering energetic support to people and animals is highly addictive! You will likely find that you enjoy the experience yourself and that is has dramatically improved the bond between the animal and you. Intention is the most important part, as energy flows to where attention goes.

There is no limit to how many times you can do this practice, so long as it remains natural and easy. It is also, in no way, a replacement to veterinary care which should be your first port of call in a health emergency or for the treatment of long-term issues. That said, the ability to give energetic support is a great tool to have in your tool box whether you are a pet owner, therapist, provider of services to the animal sector or simply love animals. You will find animals to be responsive and clear on their feedback, I always tell my students, animals are great teachers to improve your healing skills!

If you would like to learn how to treat yourself, others and animals with Reiki, I run training courses. I would be delighted to share my knowledge with you!

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