Article by Amy Brandon
Animals respond and experience energy differently to humans, this has created a very different treatment sequence to their human counterparts. It is common for our at-home animals to gatecrash human treatments, take what they need and then move away. Or to get on top of their humans to bask in the energy with their humans!
My Reiki sessions are almost always carried out in their home, house, stable or farm, as this is the place they are most familiar with and/or comfortable in. Each session has pretty much begun as I enter the property. I can sense if they mirror the energies around them and how they respond to my energy in their space.
We make our domesticated animals very much part of the family and they too hold their family in very high regard. Internally, they may “take-on” their owner’s energies in a way, to alleviate them or bring your awareness to them. When we notice strange behaviour in our animals, it’s a good idea to check in with ourselves, what are we unconsciously ignoring, what are our blind spots at the moment? They clearly respond to the energy in their surroundings, you would notice them skulking away during a human argument or becoming hyper during a gathering. It is one of their more obvious communication methods and it serves us both to tune in.
Once I have acknowledged information from the subtle senses, I will turn my attention to the active Reiki part of the treatment. I run through a number of basic steps:
- Release Resistance – this has already begun with my own Reiki practice, it’s taking that quiet, calm, healing space with us wherever we are, and being self-aware in our changes of state. Regular practiced techniques help to find this space and release resistance quickly.
- Engage Reiki – the more we practice Reiki, the more we become the energy, so when the need to ‘invoke’ Reiki dissipates, this is more about setting our intention with the Reiki treatment. This is also predominantly a hands off practice when treating animals, our own lap pets, super cuddlers and emergency cases tend to be exceptions
- Expand the energy – allowing the Reiki offering to travel as far as it needs to, this can be in relation to an animal’s location (dog/cat bed, stable or herd in a paddock), it may need to travel to a specific parts of the body and mind or an event, memory or trauma in the past, present or future.
- Acknowledge shifts – energetic shifts can be displayed in a number of ways, the obvious ones are yawning, stretching and shaking. Less obvious signs are licking and chewing, blinking and fussing and then there are subtle signs that include a sense or a feeling of the energy shift and change in the animal’s presence. Acknowledging shifts in yourself, and other people or animals in the room may also result from the session, this is always a bonus and often helps in the original reason for the session.
It may seem like little is happening, and sometimes, but rest assured, there is plenty going on! As mentioned above, it is often the actions and behaviour of the animal that offers indication of things processing and releasing. These movements can be generalised into things that they ‘just do’, but when you experience these treatments, it is obvious that fleas aren’t the reason. It is common to see confusion or fussiness being displayed by them in the first few minutes, they are use to us treating them as humans, not connecting with their energetic world and hearing their language, offering them space to heal. If a particular pooch is sensitive to the energy, or has had bad experiences, we may spend much of the session in this meditative state, if they are happy and comfortable, we may close the space between us, or introduce a new intention and see how they respond. They may quickly understand what’s going on and ask for hands-on Reiki, placing their body where they would like it and move when ready. So many variables come into play, there is no set treatment plan from here.
What is always present, however, is the owner’s surprise of how tangible the energy becomes. This is one of the reasons I encourage the owner to take part and enter this state with me, you do not need to be initiated in Reiki to feel the difference when you do the practice above.
In fact, any Reiki or meditation practice can incorporate your animals, expand your calm, peaceful state and envelope your animal in it and see what happens. It’s wonderfully simple and has so many benefits for both of you.
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Amy Brandon
Originally from the UK, Amy Brandon learned Reiki in Perth, Western Australia, where she was initiated into Reiki 1, 2 and Master levels of the Usui Shiki Ryoho system. After a few years of treating and teaching Reiki in Houston, TX, Amy has returned to Perth and continues in the position of Vice Chairperson and Volunteer Coordinator for the Reiki Association of Western Australia, she enjoys teaching the Usui system of Reiki and her own course for Animal Reiki.
Links:
https://sharesomereiki.com
https://www.facebook.com/sharesomereiki/
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