What is Animal Reiki?
Animal Reiki uses different techniques and skills, to understand what the animal's wishes and needs are for their treatment. Sessions last between 20 minutes up to 1 hour, depending upon the animal recipient's wishes, at the time of treatment - I always respect the choice of the animal recipient as to whether or not they wish to receive Reiki. Some of the benefits Reiki can bring to animals include: relaxation, a deep sense of calm and wellbeing, the release of any issues and/or traumas, as well as healing on all levels. I have found that after only 1 or 2 treatments, some animals with a long history of trauma or difficult backgrounds can start to turn the corner towards trust (in themselves and their humans). Habitual behaviours can subside, as the animal becomes more present and mindful, and less locked into reactive cycles of behaviour.
As our animals are so in tune with their humans' wellbeing, it may benefit your companion animal for you to receive some Reiki as well - if this is the case, I will offer this as part of the overall therapy time, or as a combined package at a reduced overall amount.
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I am a qualified, insured and UK Reiki Federation-accredited Animal Reiki Professional Practitioner. My background in Animal Reiki began when I fostered a rescue cat from my local RSPCA centre. Very jumpy and nervous at first, he wouldn't accept Reiki when I tried to offer it to him. However, after a time, he started to approach and sit by me when I was giving Reiki to myself. Soon he loved Reiki so much he was jumping onto my treatment table whenever I got it out to give a treatment.
His anxiety and jumpiness quickly became less of an ongoing issue, and he began to decompress, and heal. From that point, I was asked to offer Reiki to one of the cats at the centre, and before long I was giving Reiki sessions to most of the residents, and volunteering there two days per week during the pandemic. As soon as lockdown restrictions were lifted, I took Animal Reiki training, so I could offer Animal Reiki professionally, and went on to gain Animal Reiki accreditation from the UK Federation, shortly after they began to offer it.
How does an Animal Reiki session work?
I offer sessions of up to 1 hour of Reiki for Animals (depending on how much Reiki the animal would like), primarily to cats, dogs, ferrets and equines. I am always open to working with other species!
In-person sessions take place at the client’s home or the usual location of the animal (i.e. stables etc). Distance sessions, include a pre-Reiki call, and post-treatment feedback.
Distance sessions are highly effective, and can be especially beneficial for nervous or excitable animals.
The number of sessions required varies on a case-by-case basis.
Reiki for animals is, by its nature, more dynamic than most human sessions.
Ethically, it's key that Animals receiving Reiki must be able to decide whether they receive Reiki, how much, whereabouts we work and how the Reiki is offered to them. Reiki is never about "doing Reiki to" or "performing Reiki on" anyone - no matter what their species!
I will never put my hands on an animal to give them Reiki initially. By default a session will begin as a hands-off treatment, unless they approach me immediately and push themselves against my hands.
Reiki is extremely versatile, so I work intuitively using one or more of several techniques, sometimes from across the room. But generally speaking, I begin an Animal Reiki session by "showing" them what Reiki is (connecting to Reiki in the same room as they're in, without directing it at them). They can get a feel for what it is I'm offering them when I do this; and believe it or not, most animals understand what Reiki is, as soon as you connect to it (if not, before!). As a trained, qualified Animal Reiki practitioner, I understand the different behavioural cues and animal body language, to know what state they're in, whether Reiki is appropriate/whether they need a break, or how they're responding to the Reiki - as well as using somatic empathy to pick up on the animal's energetic patterns. By default, I go with their body language, first and foremost, and err on the side of caution, so that I'm not forcing the Reiki onto an animal. Reiki for animals needs consent to be given by the recipient, just as human Reiki does - and this is done by body language, behavioural cues and energy.
The session format is also more dynamic in that the animal recipient may be walking around, lying down, sitting, or it may be in several different phases. It can often be that an animal will need a break during a Reiki session - they often seem to experience Reiki very intensely, and so will sometimes "wake up" and go for a drink, or walk around the room for a while.
If the animal recipient approaches me and wants to sit on my lap, or pushes against my hands, then I offer them hands-on Reiki at that point.
The benefits of Animal Reiki
As the UK Reiki Federation puts it: "as with humans, Reiki may benefit animals with physical, mental or emotional issues and consequently this holistic complementary therapy may also be of help for animals with behavioural problems that have an emotional basis or influence." Reiki for Animals is also helpful for animals' wellbeing during illness (alongside/in tandem with veterinary treatment of course), recovery from injury. It is calming, gentle and non-invasive and loved by many animals and their humans. Treatment can be flexibly offered, wherever the animal recipient is (at home, at a vet's practice, at a stables or in a hospital) and don't require touch.
According to the UK Reiki Federation's website, "Accepted benefits for animals receiving Reiki [are]:
- Greater comfort
- Improved feeling of wellbeing
- Promotion of relaxation which sometimes can lead to sleep
- Greater sense of self
- Peaceful transition for animals’ ready to pass over.
Reiki therapy is a wonderful gift we can offer our animal companions, and can bring them enjoyment, improved wellbeing and comfort during times of stress or upheaval.