Reiki for Pets
Discover the Benefits of Reiki for Pets: Healing Treatments for Your Furry Friends
By Dennis Bluthardt, Namaste Studios
Reiki has become an increasingly popular practice within the pet-owning community. Those making the profound switch to this delicate art of healing are doing so because they want to effect significant changes in their animals’ health, changes that neither traditional nor alternative medicine seems able to accomplish. Unlike conventional Japanese Reiki (which is primarily practiced in Japan), Western-style Reiki (which has spread chiefly to the West from Japan) is taught in a way that can be easily used by those who are not necessarily trained in the kind of remarkable healing that Japanese practitioners are trained to offer. This ancient practice allows the practitioner to send vital energy to the animal, and that energy induces a state of deep relaxation. Most animals seem to move toward healthier states from that place of total calm.
Reiki is based on the premise that all living things are infused with energy. When this energy is hindered or imbalanced, it can lead to physical and emotional difficulties. Reiki practitioners aim to replenish and restore that energy and, in doing so, bring balance and harmony back to all living beings, pets included. Practicing Reiki more mindfully and intentionally can yield many benefits, whether using it to deepen your meditation practice, help heal your physical body or support your emotional well-being.
A pet is completely attired or comfortably reclined for a Reiki session while the practitioner lightly places their hands on or near the animal’s body. The gentle touch and focused energy work create a calming environment that allows the pet to be relaxed and attentive as it receives the energy work. There have been many positive and excellent reports following the use of Reiki with pets. The first report I had prominently featured a severe problem with an ailing cat. After Reiki sessions, this cat became more able to relax, incredibly agile, and appeared more vibrant.
Reiki has been used on dogs, iguanas, and other pets to assist them with various problems.
Complementary therapy refers to the many treatments available that help animals regain their health. Reiki is one treatment of many. It stands apart from traditional veterinary medicine. Yet, many see it as a valuable complement to conventional veterinary medicine. If you’re a pet owner seeking something unusual yet ancient, holistic treatment forms like Reiki are not off the beaten path. They are part of a growing wave of well-rounded health care that makes your companion feel better in ways both you and he can understand. It’s great for all sorts of emotional and physical problems that may be suffered and is becoming popular with most people willing to try it. The primary benefits are peace, a sensation of calmness, and a reduction of feelings of stress.
Even so, users also claim that they experience a decrease in long-term pain and see an improvement in their mental health. When you’ve got no plans for a weekend, this is another way to fill the time!
Finding a Qualified Reiki Practitioner for Pets
Selecting a Reiki practitioner for your pet is no trifling matter: the right practitioner can significantly impact your pet’s well-being. Not every Reiki practitioner is equally qualified to work with animals. Your instinct and intuition are excellent guides when selecting a practitioner.
One of the things to look out for is whether the practitioner has specific certifications in animal Reiki. Any certification like that would be a valid sign of having gone through some training. Still, with more qualifications, you can be sure that the practitioner has undertaken different courses that take them deeper into animals’ unique needs and energy systems.
Different practitioners specify in different pets (you could, for example, find that a practitioner who started as a horse whisperer now does general animal energy alignment work). Or you might find a practitioner who is just a cat or a dog whisperer. The choice is yours and that of your pet, ultimately.
It’s also fair to research where the course was taught. Many classes are run on Reiki, most of which are fine, but some might seem dubious. I recommend that you look for courses run under the umbrella of reputable organizations that focus simply on the healing of pets. Doing so will help reassure you that the teachers who run courses that offer certification are taking their responsibilities seriously.
People tend to choose practitioners based on their level of experience. Experience at least teaches practitioners what they are good at and the areas they can best help. So, knowledge is unnecessary, and one cannot judge a book by its cover.
DIY Reiki Techniques for Pet Owners
Reiki is a subtle healing technique that could also do a pet a world of good. It is the perfect tool to help your pet chill and balance emotions. Here are some basic reiki techniques you can do at home, broken down into simple terms.
Firstly, set the scene. Find the right place in your home where your pet feels most comfortable. Make it quiet. Maybe you prefer gentle music? You may be the lights-down-low type of person. Whatever it is, you be you! Go and sit or kneel. You will sit or kneel beside your pet and make it known that you are the “relaxed type.” Until you are entirely relaxed, hold off from starting Reiki on your pet.
Here is where we are going to begin. For a good reiki session, lightly place your hands on or near “Rufus” (your pet!). Keep your hands there. Where do you ask? Well, anywhere. Your “whole goal” here is to visualize. You are going to visualize yourself breathing in and then breathing out. After about a minute, continue with that breathing in and out theme. In between, you need to do one thing. Just think to yourself that “with every out-breath that I exhale, healing energy flows from me and into Rufus.”
Your main concern? As mentioned, you must focus on your breathing and “Rufus” throughout the reiki session. You will maintain a constant and even flow of energy with this. Always go from the head and finish at about a foot below the base of the tail. It seems straightforward.
Remember, clean hands, clean thoughts, and nobody gets hurt! The pet and your hands must be clean, and the pet must permit you to touch it! My only ask is that you do this responsibly, guys!
What is Reiki?
Reiki is a kind of energy healing. It started in Japan in the early 20th century and was founded by Mikao Usui. The Japanese term “Reiki” translates to “universal life energy.” This healing science is founded on the belief that all living beings contain vital life energy that pulses through them. Practitioners say they can channel this life force into another person, mainly with their hands and in motions, which a practitioner might use for Tai Chi (as Usui instructed his students to do). It functions based on the premise that a person’s “vital energy” being out of whack can manifest as any number of physical and/or emotional complaints, which is where this restorative and frankly miraculous form of hands-on healing comes into play.
This foundation of energy, upon which the principles of so many types of energy healing (Reiki included) are based, dictates that everything in the universe is interconnected. This does not just apply to humans; we are not so different from most animals. In the same way, we can feel overwhelmed, stressed out, or unhappy; your living environment (both past and present) determines your current state of wellbeing.
Animals also have “vital life force energy” flowing through their bodies. So, depending on their living environment (both past and present), they can feel overwhelmed, stressed out, or unhappy.
This “channeling of the life-force energy” for animals will put them into a state of balance and « complement » the animal Reiki practitioner.
An animal Reiki practitioner will provide Reiki with both hands lightly touching or hovering over the animal. They continually do this in a sequence of hand positions following the path of the traditional Jikiden Reiki or Usui Reiki hand placements. This “recharging” with Reiki has a proven track record of benefitting pets in recovery (such as injuries, surgery, etc.) or having severe pain/health issues.
How Reiki Works on Pets
Reiki is a type of holistic healing that can also be done with pets, promoting emotional and physical wellbeing. You channel universal life force energy from your hands to the animal, often without touching it. Some people do light hand placements, while others prefer hovering above the body, allowing the energy to know where it needs to go.
Reiki can be given to an animal either by light, touch hand placements, or by placing your hands a few inches, or even further, away from the animal’s body. The hands should be cupped with the palms down, the fingers and thumbs together. You should not jab or prod the animal with your fingertips or use your palms or fingers to press hard against the animal’s body. If you require guidance on touching or non-touching Reiki, rely on your intuition or consult your veterinarian.
They can help you determine what is best for your animal’s health. If you are new to giving Reiki to animals or are otherwise uncertain, then non-touching Reiki is the best first method.
Benefits of Reiki for Pets
Here are some examples of how Reiki can be beneficial to your pet.
Stress Relief: It is common for your pet to experience stress when there is a change in their environment. This may include relocating to an entirely different abode, introducing a different human to the household (like a new baby), or including an altogether different pet (like a ferret). These changes can be highly stressful for pets, and Reiki therapy can provide the energetic “boost” your pet needs to calm her nerves. It provides stress relief, and therefore relaxation, for your pet. You will start to see changes in your pet’s behavior: some may become less “bitey” or stop the destruction of household items or furniture.
Pain management: Besides other therapies already prescribed by their vet, dogs and cats usually need a little extra energy to kickstart their body’s natural ability to heal themselves since pain is also very physically taxing. In our practice, we have seen much improvement with dogs and cats with walking issues due to age or other illnesses, and the increased mobility after a session with one of our therapists was usually very noticeable.
With regular healing, these dogs and cats also experienced steady improvements in their mobility, allowing them to live with an increased quality of life.
Emotional support: Dogs and cats also have feelings and can feel grief like humans. Our center once worked with a pet owner who had two cats; one had just died, and the other cat seemed to “lose the will to live” because her friend was no longer there. Emotional support energy was provided to this poor kitty to help her “get over the hump” because the loss of a friend was too much for her to handle. Her owner was shocked several weeks later when the cat started playing again.
Reiki on Dogs and Cats
Reiki, a form of energy healing, may help your dog or cat feel more relaxed and emotionally balanced. Like people, animals can live with stress, anxiety, or physical discomfort. Having a day where they can be more at ease may help put their bodies in a healing state. This could benefit an animal with a longer (chronic) healing journey ahead of them and a pup or kitten dealing with the acute stress of a new home.
This concept may sound different, but after explaining what a Reiki session feels like, you’ll understand how helpful this practice could be.
Anatomy of a Session: I always recommend beginning to connect with the idea of Reiki before receiving a hands-on treatment or being invited into a distance healing experience (especially an animal’s first session) by being fully present for the experience.
It always amazes me, but I’ve worked so frequently with animals who are naturally very “receptive” to Reiki that I hardly need to work with the same level of “routine.”
NOTE TO READERS: As mentioned, the session description often depends on the client and what I feel is necessary. I have Reiki available to add to the first sitting for new clients.
Sometimes, it’s a nice way to communicate future visits that may happen more frequently, such as visits to medicate cats or visits with elderly pups who have a more complex food-medicine routine.
“Reiki, a type of “energy healing,” is becoming increasingly well-known – for people and pets. Here are the basics of what you should know about using Reiki for your pet:
Like knowing a good secret, sharing Reiki with your pet can deepen the bonds of most animal relationships.
It’s as easy to give your cats and dogs as it is to give it to yourself.
If you have a sick fish or a dying bird, there’s no way to help – apart from Reiki.
You can do it “on” any pet without them touching you. Try that with a hot-tempered horse!
You don’t “have” them to do it with you. I’ve done it on snakes in Singapore from the Colorado Rockies, so you KNOW it “works.”
Reiki can help with many “problems” and more incidental, accidental “ailments,” such as cuts, scrapes, colds, and the flu.
When we can all travel again, it’ll help your no-to-humans pet family guard against parasites, bugs, and diseases.
Most people don’t have to break a sweat to do Reiki, including people in contests or running away from bulls! For example.
Seriously, you can give it to your pet.
In any position in the future, you won’t have to worry about missing the “right pet diseases” because of the “wrong time.” if you send until next June (for instance) to June 30th NEXT Summer, you’ll start giving it to them on, say, June 4th
To learn more, visit Reiki at Namaste Studios to book a Reiki session. Additionally, you can find more of our Reiki Blogs here.
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