Beautiful MeganI think  that when you speak to any Reiki Practitioner who has worked with animals, they can always tell you about an animal who has helped them on their Reiki path. I feel blessed to write this months blog  as it’s about my beloved dog Megan.  She was my Reiki teacher and taught me so  many things. Sadly I had to have  Megan put  to sleep three weeks ago, it was such a shock as she had been just diagnosed with a tumour which was inoperable.

Megan came to my home at an early age, from someone who did not want her. At that time I was not into Reiki so unfortunately she could not benefit from the wonderful energy. It was when she was around five years of age that I found Reiki and was attuned to level I.  As clear as if it was yesterday I remember her showing me how much Reiki she would like. I remember returning from my level I Reiki and how she would not leave my side, I knew she could sense this new energy and was keen to be part of it. I offered her healing and she loved it, but when I offered her healing the day after she refused it and did so until my Reiki Level II. Again she followed me around the house waiting and looking for healing which again I was delighted to offer. Over the years Megan always refused Reiki except when ever I had been attuned to a new Reiki level. I always respected her wishes even though I would get disheartened by her refusals. (I was so keen at that time, finding it hard to understand why an animal would refuse this wonderful energy but she taught me so much about how important it is for an  animal to choose and wish to be part of a Reiki healing. Forcing Reiki because you think it is for the animals good is not the right way to approach Reiki)

I wrote in my last blog about how whilst doing attunements Megan refused to leave the room and just seemed to soak up all of the beautiful energy. Looking back, I feel perhaps I should have taken more note of this, as it was a rare thing for Megan to do. She was always so definite about what or what she did not want. I have to say that I do feel guilty as I did not see the signs and notice a change in her behaviour. When I look back now and think about it I can see a definite change in her demeanour. She would not leave my side, which I thought at the time was because she enjoyed having me at home. Her last nine weeks were spent with me as I had just had an operation. She loved having me at home and was the happiest I had seen her. I saw no signs of her tumour, my sister who had come over from Ireland in fact to help me convalesce had said how well she looked and it was the best she had seen her looking in a long time. A week before she had to be put to sleep  she started to go off her food and seemed unstable on her feet. I took her to the vet and the feedback from the vet’s still remains a shock to me, my beautiful dog was very ill and would need to be put to sleep. From that diagnosis she went down hill almost immediately, it’s almost as if she hung on until the last day of my sick leave. Being a Holistic Animal Practitioner I felt so guilty and lavished her with Reiki, Bach Flowers and Aromatherapy oils, hoping against all odds that there would be a miracle.  How could I have missed the signs of her tumour? I spend so much of my time offering Reiki to other animals  going the extra mile to help them, not being there for my own dog has been tough to come to terms with.

Megan was put to sleep on the 21st of  June, I stayed with her and gave her Reiki for 30 minutes, being there for her was so important. She trusted me so much and lay quietly as the vet had instructed. It was so emotional but I tried to remain strong as not wanting to worry her. As she breathed I watched each breath, each one more laboured. The Reiki was really helping her as I felt the energy was very strong, I believe I helped her to come to terms with her death, as she took her last breath I felt her spirit leave her body. That was such an amazing feeling as I knew her soul was somewhere beautiful.

My family were devastated, especially my younger son, he refused to believe that she was dead. I phoned the vet to see if I could take him to see her body. They were lovely about it and let him spend some time with her, it is so important to have closure for both humans and animals. I also brought Tara my other dog to see her, she sniffed her a few times and I knew in that moment that she had acknowledged the death of Megan. Dogs grieve and certainly Tara has been, she has been open to Reiki every day and it is only now that she seems ready to move on.

Megan taught me so much about Reiki, she taught me to respect each animal and to treat each one as an individual. Reiki is a gift and animals are  here to teach us. If only we can listen, we will be amazed by what we will learn.