Offering Reiki to Tatiana at Buddy Dog

Pets are most comfortable in familiar surroundings, so Reiki sessions are offered in the pet’s home, or at a mutually agreed upon location.

Animals are generally drawn to the feeling of energy offered in a Reiki session and exhibit a variety of behaviors, first as they recognize the energy and later indicating they are accepting the Reiki. How animals react often depends on their temperament and previous experience with people.

Observation is key when offering Reiki to animals.  Animals generally will indicate whether they prefer to receive Reiki hands-on or from a short distance, or a combination of both.  Reiki is equally effective both hands-on or from a distance.

When animals sense the Reiki energy they will often sniff, lick, stare at or press up against the practitioner’s hands, sometimes indicating the preferred placement of hands.  As the Reiki session progresses, animals may sigh, yawn, flutter their eyes, or doze, indicating they are accepting the Reiki.  It is not uncommon for animals to wander off during a Reiki session and then return for more; this can happen several times during a session.

When animals have taken in as much Reiki as they desire, generally they will walk away, often finding a place to lie down, either in a state of deep relaxation or falling asleep.  Cats often engage in another activity, indicating the Reiki session has concluded.

Reiki does not change the course of nature, but it can offer benefits to maintain and improve quality of life.

For people receiving Reiki, they may experience tingling, a feeling of warmth or cool, generally at the site of the hand placement, a sense of relaxation and peace, or they may doze or fall asleep.

“Healing Reaction”:
As with many energy healing systems such as Reiki, homeopathy, and accupuncture, the process of healing can involve a temporary “healing reaction.”  According to Elizabeth Fulton and Kathleen Prasad in Animal Reiki, animals are much less prone to healing reactions than people are, and they occur rarely. A healing reaction is described as when a client’s body temporarily exhibits new symptoms or old ones are intensified as “injurious influences” are cleared away. These intensified symptoms are brief and temporary, and are generally followed by noticeable improvements in overall health.  Healing reactions can occur on the physical or emotional level.  Fulton and Prasad remind us that a healing reaction can be a welcome development because it is a sign that healing is taking place.

Number of Reiki Sessions:
Every animal, and situation, is unique, but often you will observe the benefits of Reiki after just one session.  Depending on the issues your pet may be dealing with, you may find additional Reiki sessions beneficial for your pet.  I will be happy to discuss the benefits of additional Reiki sessions after we observe your pet’s response to the initial session.

Important note: Reiki is not a substitute for veterinary or behavioral care but rather is complementary to it.  Always consult your veterinarian and/or behaviorist for any concerns about the health and/or behavior of your animal companion.

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Note:Thanks to Buddy Dog and Erin Stelmach for the great pictures of the wonderful dogs and cats at Buddy Dog!