Where can your path with animal reiki lead you?

I invite you on a little walk with me to ponder animal reiki and all the places it can lead you.

First, the practice of mindfulness with animal reiki allows us to sit and just be. It helps us to slow down and forget our busy world for a bit and all the anxiety that can fill our days. Animals are extremely receptive to our emotions so when we want to help them, we simply practice a compassionate meditation with them that allows them to relax. When they feel our peace, they are restful and then the body naturally releases calming hormones that can heal physically and emotionally. By serving them, we heal ourselves.

Developing a daily meditation practice is a wonderful way to begin but then let's think about where else it can be put to use to spread peace and light in our community.

Animal sanctuaries and rescues are run by amazing people with big hearts and that means they also suffer compassion fatigue from seeing the bad that comes along with rescue. Staff and volunteers often want to give up and get over burdened emotionally, financially and spiritually. A reiki workshop is a perfect way to bring peace into facilities and help alleviate stress. Animal reiki practitioners can give short demonstrations on the healing power of mindfulness and offer free sessions to staff. We can explain how reiki helps to get animals adopted sooner and bring a calmer energy to the people and animals.

Petting zoos can bring cute animals out to events but most of us realize that the animals can be stressed and are often only wanted when they are babies or very young and then discarded and given up and replaced with new and younger ones. The lucky ones find homes in sanctuaries. Consider offering reiki when you notice a petting zoo. Find a quieter area if possible to sit and offer calm to any who may wander over to you to receive and share reiki.

Many country fairs show cows and livestock that are usually raised by 4H groups. They seek the blue ribbons after tending and caring for beautiful beings but then sadly, the animals are sold to become eaten. A week at a fair can be highly stressful for those animals with thousands of people walking by and wanting to touch them. They can only sleep well at night when the fair closes. Taking a few minutes to peacefully sit in a reiki healing space can bring so much love to those anxious animals and help them to feel safe.

Beautiful car rides in the country can take us past pastures of cows. We like to stop and take pictures but next time, stop and offer reiki. Beef and dairy cows don't always have an easy life and would surely appreciate someone stopping to show love. When you stop at the dairy farm for your ice cream and chocolate milk, please consider sharing reiki with the cows on the property too.

Zoos can be a great place to learn about different species of animals but living a life contained outside of their natural environment may stress them. Reiki can be shared with any species from a safe distance as touch is not needed. We touch with our hearts.

We all have seen those trucks on the way to slaughterhouses on the highways and we peek inside to see the cows or goats or chickens. Next time, offer them reiki as they travel their last trip.

Is your veterinary appointment stressful for you and your fur babies? Reiki can make a world of difference in your next appointment! Reiki can be shared before leaving your home, during the car ride by using reiki chants, in the waiting room and then in the exam room. Veterinary staff can also use reiki as their job is so demanding. Consider offering a workshop to them to teach them how reiki can benefit their staff and animals in their day.

Anytime or anyplace that you can use the word 'compassion', you can use reiki. Think about other places that reiki can make the difference and turn a difficult time into a calmer one.

Visit my website at MindOverMatterReiki.com to sign up for quarterly newsletters, take a class, or schedule a reiki session today!