Hello! Welcome to the May edition of Dr. Pet Mom’s Delightful Pet Menagerie (DPM) Newsletter. This month is all about Animal Reiki, a non-invasive and complementary healing practice to promote well-being and good health for your pets.
You’ve probably heard of Reiki, it’s been around since the last century. Reiki is the combination of two Japanese words: rei “spirit” and ki, ” life energy.”
I’m always interested in different ways to help animals. And I’m excited to learn more about animal Reiki.
And since I wore my “I’m-still-a-researcher-at-heart” hat for this edition, you’ll find more useful links about Reiki.
To help us understand, I interviewed Dr. Patricia Lynn Mason, a wonderful teacher and practitioner of Reiki. Patti shared her 18-year journey practicing the art of well-being.
Enjoy!
A Short History of Reiki
In 1922, Mikao Usui founded Reiki, a Japanese system of energy healing. As a non-invasive healing practice, Reiki helps animals and people cerea their own healing response. Usui realized that anyone can learn Reiki, since we are born with this innate ability.
Reiki is a form of “energy healing” also known as the universal life force energy. In Hawaiian culture it’s called “mana,” in Tibetan Buddhism it is called “lüng,” in Indian tradition it is called “prana,” and the Chinese tradition it is called “Qi (Chi).”
Research shows that Reiki can reduce pain, reduce anxiety, and improves the well-being of the patient and the practitioner. More than 800 hospitals around the U.S. offer Reiki and applications for Reiki in veterinary medicine are numerous.
Reiki can relieve chronic pain in our animal companions. More and more pet parents are exploring animal Reiki to help their pets.
And more good news for homeless shelter animals!
Life in a shelter is scary and stressful. The Shelter Animal Reiki Association (SARA) is a community of practitioners and volunteers that guide shelter animals using Animal Reiki and meditation to promote all aspects of healing.
SARA’s Let Animals Lead® Animal Reiki program helps “shelter teams reduce the stress animals experience while in the shelter environment. Peaceful animals are calmer, and calmer animals are more adoptable.”
Interview with Reiki practitioner, Dr. Patricia Lynn Mason
Tell us about Reiki. How would you describe it?
Reiki is a type of energy healing. Energy healing targets the energy fields around the body.
Energy can stagnate in the body where there has been physical injury or possibly emotional pain. In time, these energy blocks can cause illness.
How does does Reiki work?
During a Reiki session, the practitioner places their hands either directly on you or just above you to bring about healing.
The practitioner is able to stimulate your body’s natural healing abilities.
How do you describe yourself? Are you a practitioner of Animal Reiki?
I am a nature lover, people, and animal lover.
I love helping people, Mother Earth, and animals. Love has helped me to expand my practice and knowledge of Reiki to help any thing or anyone I can.
Tell us about your journey to practice Animal Reiki. How did you get involved in Animal Reiki?
Well I live on old McDonald’s farm lol! I figured that I could help animals as well as people, to heal.
My Reiki journey started 18 years ago. I was researching natural healing and found Reiki. I was interested in studying Reiki, so I found a teacher.
My teacher was 98 miles away. Over the course of 18 years, I also became a Reiki teacher.
What kind of training do you need to practice Reiki? How long does it take to learn and practice Reiki?
There are three levels of basic training in Reiki. You only need to be certified in the first level of training to offer Reiki treatments to clients.
You will need to be certified in all levels in order to teach classes and give Reiki attunements (or the ability to give Reiki treatments) to students.
Reiki Level 1 is an all day class. You learn book material in the morning then hands on and attunement in the afternoon.
Level 1 is about opening the energy channels on a physical level. The person learns to connect with the universal life energy force which flows from the cosmos, through the crown of the head, down to the heart and hands.
Self-Reiki is the goal of Level 1 to encourage students to focus on practicing Reiki on themselves. Level 1 helps them work through their own obstacles.
After you practice for three months then you can take Reiki Level 2.
Reiki Level 2 is also an all day class with the same structure, but you learn more in-depth about the practice of Reiki.
Level 2 helps students practice Reiki on others, and opens deeper energy channels.
Students also receive their symbols. There are five symbols in Reiki, each one corresponds to a specific energy:
- Power (cho-ku-rei)
- Harmony (Sei he ki)
- Distance (Hon sha ze sho nen)
- Mastery (Dai ko myo)
- Completion (Raku)
Students learn practical ways to use these symbols to bring the universal energy of Reiki into their everyday lives.
These powerful symbols can also help people provide Reiki over long distances or send healing energy wherever it’s needed in the world.
The Level 2 attunement is typically given in one single attunement. The focus is to open up the heart chakra, the midpoint between the physical and spiritual chakras.
You have to be at Reiki Level 2 for six months then you can take Reiki Level 3, the Master class.
Reiki Level 3 is basically the same. It’s a whole day class with additional knowledge provided.
The Reiki Master Level is considered the teacher’s level. Masters are able to walk away and attune new Reiki practitioners.
A Reiki Master represents a deep commitment to the Reiki practice.
The teacher class is three days. It’s learning and teaching with your teacher observing you doing the classes.
You have to practice as a Reiki Master for two years before you can become a teacher.
The Reiki levels provide a general organization of the progression of Reiki mastership.
Is it true that anyone learn Reiki?
Yes. Anyone who is open to learning Reiki.
What is Animal Reiki?
Animal Reiki is basically the same concept but it’s applied to animals. Animals love Reiki. You also would learn Chakra centers for animals as you do for people.
Chakras refers to the energy centers in your body. These wheels or disks of spinning energy each correspond to certain nerve bundles and major organs.
To function at their best, your Chakras need to stay open, or balanced. If they get blocked, you may experience physical or emotional symptoms related to a particular Chakra.
There are seven main Chakras that run along your spine. They start at the root, or base, of your spine and extend to the crown of your head.
The chakras are root, sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat, third-eye, and crown.
How does Reiki help animals?
Animals like us, get sick and stressed. They also need someone to stimulate their body’s natural healing abilities.
Reiki can reduce pain and anxiety by removing energy blocks that cause illness. It’s a natural process of self-healing for animals.
How often do you practice Animal Reiki?
I use my Reiki daily on myself, others, and animals.
How do you help animals if they are resistant to Animal Reiki?
Patience is the best policy to earning trust of animals. I’ve really not found too much resistance. Animals really love Reiki!
Please share a story about a memorable experience when you applied Reiki to help an animal.
My granddaughter had some baby chickens and the heat lamp got turned off somehow. It was a cold February morning. Two of them were stiff from freezing. They were not even breathing.
We got the heat lamp back on and started working on them. I taught my granddaughter how to do Reiki as well. We actually brought those two chickens back from the dead by rubbing them and applying my Reiki training.
I love that story! What do you enjoy most about Animal Reiki?
After the animals figure out about Reiki, they love it. It nice to be able to help ease their stress and anxiety.
Is there anything you don’t like about Reiki?
No, not really. Only that there wasn’t anyone close in my area so I had to travel 98 miles to class.
What else should we know about Animal Reiki?
We could make the world a better place by offering services to pets that are less fortunate and sad.
Many animals don’t have a family. They have souls and needs too.
Animals need people to love, protect and support them.
Thanks for sharing, Dr. Mason!
“He who feeds a hungry animal feeds his own soul.”
–Charlie Chaplin
Book Update for May 2023
Hope you’re enjoying the spring season!
This month’s update is that I editing the draft of my short ebook based on Dr. Pet Mom’s Delightful Pet Menagerie (DPM) Newsletter.
My latest book will include new info. I’m excited to share these updates with you!
Thanks for stopping by!
Dr. Pet Mom
“Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog it’s too dark to read.”
–Groucho Marx
Thanks, Dr. Pet Mom! This is a very interesting and informative edition. Thanks for sharing!