Reiki for Animals
You may be surprised, but Reiki for animals is becoming popular. Reiki is a Japanese system of energy, meditation, mindfulness and compassion. It is about creating a peaceful space where you are present.
Animals will choose if they come into this powerful positive space and where they will settle in this space. Some will want to sit or lie down right beside you, some will maybe not come near you, and settle away from you.
Reiki is a Complementary Treatment Modality
The great thing about animals is they “speak” already this kind of energy. They live in this powerful space.
Reiki for animals is more and more offered as a holistic support in veterinary clinics, animal shelters, sanctuaries, doggie day cares and even dog-friendly hotels around the world.
Reiki is a complementary treatment modality, that helps animals to get into deep relaxation.
Just for today, I will be kind to every living thing.
One of the Reiki Precepts
It is more and more drawing the attention of veterinarians to it. It restores energy balance, de-stresses and helps this way with healing.
Before a surgery Reiki can help to relax and de-stress the patient, post surgery it will help with coming round from anaesthetics smoother and with less side effects. This way it can help with the actual healing process.
Reiki does help with your own energy balance, everyone can practice it, you only need the intent to be open and compassionate, be present and mindful. You invite the animal into this positive spcae and it will make the choice to enter or not, to be very near you or a bit in a distance. Physical contact is not needed, which is a difference to Reiki used on human patients.
Animal Reiki is kind of a meditative relaxation for the animals, balancing them for wellness overall.
Questions/ Answers
Can Reiki be applied to all animals, also wildlife?
Yes it can, but on wildlife or wild animals the “hands-on” approach is usually not practiced. Just being in a room or larger space, or where a zoo animal is separated in its confined space, is already enough. Your presence is important, hands on is not necessary.
- Is there a need to ask the animal’s permission before starting a Reiki session?
The practitioner should just BE Reiki, and if the animals chose to then receive it, they could, but to clearly let them know they are NOT obligated.
- How does it actually work?
“The key to get positive responses from animals is to get away from the idea that we’re giving […] to the animal to fix a certain problem. That will cause a lot of resistance with the animals, the same as if I were too pushy in my physical approach. Because animals are so sensitive to our thoughts and emotional being, when we have that active state of mind of “doing” and “fixing” (which often is also accompanied by an emotional state of worry) many animals get very disturbed and uncomfortable.” (Kathleen Prasad)
