I find working with animals in a shelter environment to be extremely rewarding, as do many others. Those of us in SARA have made it our mission to bring Reiki to as many animal shelters as possible. Of course, there are more shelters than there are SARA members, so it’s very important for us to find other Reiki practitioners willing to share Reiki with shelter animals.

This is not as easy as it might seem. It’s not difficult to find a Reiki practitioner who will offer Reiki over distance to a shelter or a particular animal if requested. The difficulty arises in finding those Reiki practitioners who are willing to visit shelters and work with the animals and staff directly.

I’m sure you have encountered people who say things like “Oh, I can’t go to the animal shelter. It just breaks my heart to see those poor animals!” Many can’t bear the thought of animals in some shelters being euthanized. Still others find themselves frustrated because they “can’t take them all home.” At the heart of all the reasons people give is the fear of their own emotions.

Reiki practitioners are not immune to these fears. We as healers have as our first duty to heal ourselves. We can’t create a healing space for others if we do not have the ability to create that inner space for ourselves first. That does not mean we have to be completely healed in order to offer Reiki to others. If that were the case, virtually no one would be offering Reiki! What it does mean is that we must be able to recognize when we are out of balance and practice bringing ourselves back to a more grounded place.

The more we practice offering ourselves Reiki, the better we’re able to achieve the balance we desire. The more confidence we gain in being able to balance ourselves, the less fearful we are of our emotions running out of control. The key is to practice before putting ourselves into potentially stressful situations.

If you are considering offering Reiki to shelter animals, but have had difficulty in the past coping with the shelter environment, you will need to research the shelters in your area to find one that is a good fit for you. Not everyone can work in a euthanizing shelter. For them, a no-kill shelter is obviously a better choice. Fortunately, there are more no-kill shelters today than ever before so the chances of finding one nearby are much greater.

Once you have found a shelter that seems to be a good fit, start slowly. Visit the shelter occasionally and get to know the environment before making a commitment. Observe your reactions to different situations and evaluate them as objectively as you can to see if you’re simply reacting or if there’s something deeper going on. Often we react to things based on past history instead of seeing each experience as new and different.

Don’t expect to be devoid of emotion. We humans are emotional creatures. If something upsets you, acknowledge it and remove yourself from the situation as much as possible. Try looking at it another way. For example, many people say they feel great sadness about all the animals in the shelter. Rather than being sad for the animals in the shelter, be grateful that they are safe and cared for and have a place to sleep. Appreciating the shelter’s service toward its residents will help turn the negative view into a positive one.

If you or someone you know would like to help shelter animals, but are hesitant, I hope the above will help convince you to give it a try. The animals and shelter staff can use all the help they can get!

…posted by John Sawyer

Last month, I introduced Larry, a senior boxer dog with advanced cancer. Not unexpectedly, Larry has since made his transition leaving behind more lessons for those of us privileged to offer him Reiki.

A week or so after my previous post, I was visiting AID as usual. I noticed Larry going outside with another volunteer. Larry loved to go outside in the courtyard between the dog and cat wings. He would “investigate” the area, soak up the sun, and of course, make sure that those coming after him were aware that they were on his territory!

The volunteer took a blanket with her for Larry to lay on. I tended to my “regulars” while she and Larry were outside. After a half hour or so, they came back into the building. I was holding little Lucy, the long-haired Chihuahua, at the time, so couldn’t go over and greet Larry, but he looked directly at me and I got the sense he wanted to spend some time together with me. I resolved to do so on my next visit.

The following week, I asked to see Larry. We had a nice walk around the courtyard after which we sat in the hospitality area and “helped” Lori go through old medications to discard those that were out of date or for animals that were no longer at AID. Larry watched Lori intently while occasionally backing into my hands and soaking up Reiki. His curiosity about Lori’s activities was typical Larry while his acceptance of and even request for Reiki was not. I wasn’t surprised given his “message” to me the previous week. It was interesting how much energy he drew during our session, especially compared to our previous meetings.

Lori and I both knew Larry’s time was coming sooner rather than later and Larry was evidently preparing himself for his transition. As always, he was accepting Reiki on his terms and in his own way. The decision was made to call the vet and have her come out the following week to assist Larry’s journey home.

When I arrived that Thursday afternoon, Lori told me Larry had gone home that morning. It was a beautiful day so they were able to take him out to the courtyard he loved so much and free him from his broken down physical body.

Lori and another staff person reported that Larry was very peaceful and obviously ready to go, demonstrating his awareness of his eternal nature. He knows he will have many more rides on this merry-go-round so he easily accepted the end of this journey.

…posted by John Sawyer

Larry is a brindle boxer of indeterminate, but apparently advanced age. He came to Animals In Distress several months ago riding in the bed of a pickup truck along with another dog with whom he’d been wandering in a rural area nearby. An elderly woman saw them and ordered her sons to go get them before they were hit by cars or otherwise harmed.

Larry and his traveling companion had obviously been dumped out in the country and had no idea where to go or what to do. It’s fortunate for them that they were seen and brought to AID. Both were emaciated and full of sores. They were taken for veterinary care and afterward, with the love and support of the AID staff and volunteers, began their healing process.

Larry did well, putting on weight and gaining a healthy shine to his beautiful coat. Then, after a time, Larry began to limp on is right foreleg. X-rays and other tests determined that he has bone cancer which has spread to his lungs and elsewhere. He now has a pronounced bulge in his right shoulder that continues to grow. The cancer is aggressive and resistant to known treatment methods. The vets gave him a very poor prognosis and estimated he would live another three months.

I began working with Larry shortly after his diagnosis. After being introduced, we went into the introduction room to get better acquainted. Larry was interested in me for a few minutes, but then was distracted by conversations and laughter going on out in the reception area. I quickly learned that Larry is a very curious fellow and likes to know what’s going on at all times!

It’s not unusual in the beginning of my relationship with animals at the shelter for them to be interested in Reiki for a very short time. Many of them grow to enjoy it more as time goes on. Others love it from the first moment and soak it up. Still others are receptive at first, but then make it clear that they have better things to do that receive Reiki.

My first session with Larry was perhaps 5 minutes. He was becoming more agitated and clearly wanted out of the room to go see what was going on out in the reception area. So, out we went and Larry thoroughly investigated the situation.

After several sessions that played out essentially the same way, I came to the conclusion that Larry simply wasn’t receptive to Reiki. I stopped seeing him on my weekly visits and focused on other dogs and cats that were referred to me by the shelter staff. I always ask about Larry and the report iss always the same: he’s doing fine with regular pain management and is as curious as ever.

One day one of the shelter staff, a Reiki student of mine, pulled me aside and told me of an experience another of my students on the staff had had with Larry recently. She had been sitting with Larry in his run petting him and had gone into a sort of meditative state. She felt Reiki begin to flow through her and realized that Larry was drawing Reiki energy! She said she felt a wave of sadness pass over her and had the feeling that it came from Larry. He continued to draw Reiki for a few minutes, then it stopped.

Clearly, Larry had set his own criteria for his Reiki session. It was completely in his control, as it should be. My student had created a healing space and Larry chose to enter it, albeit for a brief time.

I was reminded when hearing this story of how we as practitioners must remember to simply create the healing space and let the animals choose to enter it or not. I had to admit that I had not done as good a job of that as I could have when working with Larry. I had let my expectations that he would gradually accept Reiki more readily take precedence over my primary task. Larry had been trying to tell me not that he wasn’t interested in Reiki, but that he wanted it on his own terms in his own time.

All the animals, our own and those we work with, are our teachers. It is our obligation to honor their wisdom and acknowledge their spiritual being. If we may offer them Reiki, so much the better, but that is for them to decide.

..posted by John Sawyer

One of the many wonderful things about Reiki is its ability to heal the healer, so to speak. As we offer Reiki to others, the energy flowing through us benefits us, as well. This is one aspect of Reiki that makes it ideal for shelters and rescue organizations.

As I mentioned in my last post, when we offer Reiki to the animals in the shelters in which we volunteer, it is equally important to be mindful of the staff and volunteers who care for the animals. As anyone who has worked with animal rescues knows, it is a never-ending task. There are always more animals in need than resources available. As a result, overwhelm and burnout are very common among rescue workers. This is one reason SARA is dedicated to teaching Reiki to shelter workers.

Reiki is as much a way of living as a healing technique. The Reiki Precepts guide us to balance in our lives on many levels while the Reiki energy we offer to other beings helps to balance our physical bodies. Balance is very important for rescue workers as it is easy to lose perspective when faced with the grim circumstances that are all too common in shelter and rescue work.

SARA’s mission is to bring Reiki to animals in shelters and rescues for their highest good. An important part of that is helping the caregivers do the best job they can as they care for the animals on a daily basis. Ultimately, supporting the caregivers supports the animals, which is what SARA is all about.

As SARA defines its teaching curriculum, emphasis is placed upon techniques that shelter workers may use to help themselves stay grounded and to maintain a healthy balance physically and emotionally. Traditional Reiki teachings are the basis of this curriculum with additional resources added specifically for that purpose.

For example, meditation is a wonderful way to quiet the mind and bring it back into balance. Teaching shelter workers specific grounding meditations gives them an important and powerful tool for maintaining their equilibrium.

Teaching shelter workers to recognize signs of burnout in themselves and their co-workers is important, as well. It is easy to get so caught up in the daily details that we don’t notice the imbalance until it becomes a real problem. Even something as simple as taking 5 minutes prior to each shift to get grounded can make a huge difference!

Expectations and intentions play major roles in our daily lives. Taking a few minutes at the beginning of the day to set our intentions can make all the difference between a “good” day and a “bad” day. In the case of shelter staff, simply setting the intention to do the best they can be of significant benefit.

Finally, following up with students after their intial Reiki training is vital. It’s not enough to hold classes and leave students on their own afterward. Many will have questions and encounter situations they don’t know how to handle. Making a point of asking how they are doing with their Reiki practice and being open and available for questions and just listening to their experiences will help them become better practitioners more quickly.

..posted by John Sawyer

One of the things that we as animal Reiki practitioners sometimes forget is that the people who care for the animals in the shelters in which we practice sometimes need Reiki as much or more than the animals do. Having been in animal rescue in one form or another for about 15 years now, I’ve seen many rescue people burn out from the overwhelming nature of the task. The same syndrome occurs in shelter staff and volunteers.

This was brought home to me recently when one of the people I’d trained in Reiki at AID had a very difficult time with the passing of one of her charges. The dog crashed suddenly and was rushed to the vet, where she went into cardiac arrest and was unable to be revived. A necropsy showed massive internal problems so she would not have lived long even if she had been revived.

One thing that made her transition so difficult for my student was that no one had seen it coming despite the dog’s age and a recent trip to the vet for another incident. More importantly for her, my student told me that during the 36 hours or so that she cared for the dog during this crisis, she “forgot Reiki.” It dawned on her after the dog made her transition that she’d simply forgotten to offer her Reiki. This combined with the shock of the dog’s unexpected passing really knocked her for a loop.

We had a conversation about the incident and her distress over it during which I silently offered her Reiki. I asked her why she thought it had upset her to that degree and she replied “Maybe I could have done more.”

I knew the answer before she spoke, but wanted her to come to that realization on her own. I told her that she didn’t need to worry about turning Reiki on and off, that she being Level 2 now is Reiki and flowing Reiki all the time. Had the dog wanted more Reiki, it would have been drawn from her to the degree where she would have noticed it.

I explained that we have all been through that sort of “maybe I could have done more” or “I could have done it better or differently” remorse. It’s the nature of healers to want to see those with whom they share their healing to heal on a physical level. What we need to remember is that we can only offer healing. It’s up to the recipient to do with it what is for their highest good.

One of the many beautiful things about Reiki is that it heals on levels other than the physical. Most of us don’t have the ability to see the healing take place on those non-physical levels, so we simply have to trust Reiki and know that what we have offered has been used for the highest good. In the same way, we honor the recipient’s free will to remain physically focused or not.

I think all of us when we first began learning and practicing Reiki wanted to be able to cause healing to happen. Especially those of us raised in Western culture where medicine is believed to cause healing. It’s a major paradigm shift to go from the notion of “zapping” beings with Reiki to make them better to offering Reiki and allowing them to do with it what they wish.

It’s especially difficult for practitioners like my student who had a good deal of success early on with their Reiki, “success” being defined as having outcomes that matched her expectations. To paraphrase an old adage, one doesn’t learn from success, it’s failure that carries the real lessons. This outcome (the dog made her transition) was perceived as a failure by my student, even though it was not by any means a failure on her part.

It’s easy to see how she could fall into a negative spiral from thinking this way. I simply reminded her of what we’d discussed in her Reiki 2 class about how the animals are sentient beings in control of their own lives and we don’t get a vote as to whether they choose to heal on a physical level or not.

I also gave her what I call the “Mantra of the Rescuer”:

All you can do is all you can do, and all you can do is enough.

I don’t know who first said that. I read it long ago and it has been a touchstone in my life when I’ve felt overwhelmed by seemingly insurmountable obstacles in my path. It fits well with the Reiki philosophy, in my view, and is completely appropriate for shelter or rescue personnel as they deal with the never-ending stream of animals needing their help.

In December I  went to visit my good friend in Montana that recently moved her horse sanctuary to a 1,200 acre ranch.  I was excited for our visit and especially excited to meet Roxanne.  Roxanne,  a four month old filly arrived a week before my visit.  She came to the sanctuary from a neglectful situation and her mother had already weaned her, as she was not able to feed and care for her.

During my stay the temperatures dropped to 25-40 below zero for 5 days.  A small corral was constructed inside one of the barns for Roxanne.  Her adopted Aunt Madison, a retired broodmare that found a home at the sanctuary last year was in the corral outside the barn.  They could still be close to each other and nuzzle through the panel that replaced the door.

One of the many things I wanted to do during my visit was to offer Reiki to Roxanne.  Roxanne was very shy and stayed her distance when I was in the corral helping with the chores.  She would look at me out of the corner of one eye.  We felt Roxanne would benefit from a Reiki session.  I did not have all of my “winter gear”, but I was determined to sit with Roxanne.  My friend gave me a horse blanket to wrap myself in stating it would be warmer than any human blanket she could give me.

It was a cloudless blue sky, beautiful, sunny and 25 below zero day.  It was my last day at the ranch.  I walked out to the barn, turned a bucket upside down, wrapped myself in the horse blanket and sat about six inches from the corral panel.  The sun warmed my back as it shone in the opening of the barn.  Roxanne stayed in the far corner quietly looking at me and most likely wondering what the heck I was doing.  A human in a horse blanket sitting on a bucket outside of her new home.

I created my Reiki space and set my intentions to offer her Reiki and for her to take the amount of Reiki that was appropriate for her.  As with the SARA technique, I allowed Roxanne to participate in her own healing and I remained outside of her corral.  Allowing her the freedom to move around and feel safe in her space.  I began to feel the Reiki flowing through my hands, I could hear Roxanne moving around.  I opened my eyes to see her place her tiny hips and tail a few inches from the panel in front of me.  As she swayed in a gentle motion back and forth.  She let out a baby sigh and began to eat the hay in front of me.  I felt a wave of happiness and excitement that she was willing to come to my side of the corral and showed signs of receiving the Reiki.

The time with her was very magical and peaceful.  She ate for about 20 minutes and then stood in the middle of the corral doing the “involuntary head bob” and letting out deep sighs.  A couple of times she came over and placed her head in front of me and our faces almost touched.  I could feel her warm breath on my face.  As I gazed into those soulful eyes I resisted the urge to reach out and touch the baby soft tiny nuzzle.  I really wanted to climb in there and just hug her, but I did not.  This was about her needs and not my desires.  She had to learn how to trust humans and in the process trust life.  In her four short months on this planet she had already experienced much saddness, betrayal and loss.  I was offering her healing and allowing her to take the Reiki energy to heal herself.

I looked at my cell phone to check the time and realized almost an hour had gone past.  I quietly told Roxanne I was preparing to end the Reiki.  I heard a soft, quiet voice say “not yet”, I could feel my eyes full of tears and a wave of tingles through my body.  I stayed.    I could no longer feel my toes, but surprisingly enough they were the only body part that was cold.  I continued to offer her Reiki and hoped some of the heat I was generating would travel to my toes.

Shortly after the hour I could feel the Reiki flow subside and I knew Roxanne had received all she needed for now.  She looked at me and began to yawn many times and then she stuck out her cute pink tongue and was stretching it in all directions.  I laughed at the antics and the faces she was making.  I knew she was releasing so much.  I asked her what she was releasing and heard “pent up emotions”.  I was happy to see her finally relax enough to release all she was holding in her little body.

I looked up to see Madison standing in the sun with her head against the barn sleeping  next to the opening.  It was such a peaceful moment.  I did not want to leave.  I thanked Roxanne, Aunt Madison and Reiki for allowing us to unite in this incredible space.

I shared the information about Roxanne sticking out her tongue with my friend.  She felt this information made sense with what she had noticed of Roxanne in the few days she had been there.  Before we left the ranch we stopped by to check on the horses.  Roxanne and Madison were standing in the sun half asleep.  We could see the soft nature in their eyes and bodies in total relaxation.  They were enjoying the warmth from the sun, the bond they created with each other and a knowing they are in a safe, nuturing space.

Dear SARA Members and Friends,

Thank you for a wonderful year of 2009, offering Reiki to shelter and sanctuary animals around the world! This has been a year of growth, change, new projects, new animal organization members, and the sharing of many wonderful shelter and sanctuary Reiki stories! Some dear friends gave me the wonderful book, Animal Blessings, by June Cotner, for Christmas. I’d like to share with all of you a quote from this book that I feel echoes the heart experiences we often encounter in our Reiki offerings for homeless animals:

I Will Always Remember

I will always remember the olive-eyed tabby who taught me that not all relationships are meant to last a lifetime. Sometimes just an hour is enough to touch your heart.  –Barbara L. Diamond

May the memories of the Reiki relationships that you create with the many amazing animals you meet uphold your heart and spirit as you forge ahead in this courageous work. And a Happy New Year to everyone!

With Animal Reiki Blessings,

Kathleen Prasad

SARA President

Offering Reiki to a sheep.

……….. By Caroline Thomas

I woke up to rain falling against my window, the wind was blowing and it was a very cold day. Wrapping up warm I drove to Remus. It is so important to wear warm clothes when treating animals outside. It is easy to become cold very quickly focusing on how you feel rather than the Reiki. The road on my approach was flooded where the river had burst its banks. As I drove I couldn’t help wondering which animals I was going to be lucky enough to work with. There are so many wonderful animals at Remus including horses, goats, sheep, cats and pigs.

As I walked with Sue, she pointed out the new stableing that had been built and the new fencing that had been put up, benefiting the animals at the Sanctuary. Remus had started to look amazing in every way. Holistic therapies are welcomed, especially Reiki.  I have been able to offer Reiki to the animals at the Sanctuary or Sue will send me a text asking me to send Reiki to an animal or situation. This means Reiki can help even when I am not there.

As I chatted to Sue about the week just gone, I asked if any animals were in need of Reiki, it became clear that three of the sheep were feeling quite poorly, suffering from chronic arthritris. Their names were Guinness, Mum Sheep and Peep, all three of them were quite old and frail. As sheep are deemed to be farm animals and part of the food chain, they don’t often reach old age as they are not financially viable. Remus had given a home to these sheep, thereby helping them to arrive at old age with dignity. People think sheep are all the same and cannot think for themselves. I can assure you that they are all individuals with big or small characters. It is such a misconception that a herd of sheep are all the same.

I have offered Reiki to the sheep many times before, they are very clear about accepting it or not.  Entering the sheeps shed, I was met by gazing eyes. Around twenty sheep watched as I walked through the middle of them. The sheep I would be working with today lay in a circle in the middle of the sheep shed. I am not sure if they knew I was going to be offering Reiki, or whether this was sheep behaviour to huddle together when not well. Sheep are prey animals, so laying down is quite a vulnerable position to be in. Closing my eyes I quietly asked for their permission to offer Reiki. My intuition came back with a resounding yes, these three sheep were definately in need of Reiki.  I centered myself and offered healing support to the animals, allowing them to take what ever energy they needed. It was amazing to see how many other sheep entered this healing circle, only choosing to stay for a short time or for longer depending on their needs. Guinness, Peep and Mum Sheep, lay peacefully in the energy whilst it ebbed and flowed. At one point Mum Sheep lay her head gently on the floor sighing as she lay. The Reiki session went on for about 40 minutes. Naturally each sheep got up one by one and moved away from the energy. It is important to remember that it is the animal who is in charge of their healing and not to force the Reiki onto the animal even though you have best intentions. Observing the animals body language and behaviour are also a key part of having a successful Reiki session.

Each time I have attended Remus, I have continued to offer Reiki to the above sheep. Hopefully the Reiki will support the individual healing of each sheep. I have observed that whilst offering Reiki the other sheep have become more inquisitive of the energy and are quite happy to bask in the Reiki. They seem less fearful of my presence in their company and more accepting of the lovely Reiki energy.

Hello everyone:  As part of the SARA blog, Kathleen and I will bringing you stories written by Animal Reiki practitioners and teachers from all over the world.  These stories will be posted the fourth week of every month with a small introduction by me and Kathleen.

This week I am honored to introduce a story written by SARA member Caroline Thomas. Caroline resides in the UK and brought on the first international SARA shelter, Remus Horse Sanctuary.  She has written a touching story about two of the residents at Remus, Lucky and Bonnie, and the amazing bond they shared.  Not only is this a beautiful story of the friendship between two elderly horses but it is also an example of how powerful Reiki can be when it is offered with consistency and without ego.  Caroline’s story is a wonderful example of “letting go and letting Reiki”. 

With Animal Reiki blessings,

Leah D’Ambrosio, SARA Vice-President

The Incredible Bond of Bonnie and Lucky
I remember as if it was yesterday, my first encounter with two horses at Remus Horse Sanctuary named Bonnie and Lucky. Bonnie was a 32 year old, New Forest pony who had been rescued by Remus a number of years before.  She suffered from arthritis and laminitis. Bonnie was in a field with Lucky who was also a 32 year old mare who as well as having similar health problems to Bonnie had also lost an eye in a tragic accident. As this was my first Reiki encounter at Remus, I was very nervous and eager to impress the Founder of Remus, Sue Burton, with the beautiful healing energy of Reiki.

I remember clearly that it was a lovely spring day. As I approached the field, I felt an amazing sense of the wonderful life all the animals had at Remus.  I watched Bonnie and Lucky for a while and couldn’t help but notice their incredible bond. It was clear to see that Bonnie had become Lucky’s eyes. They were never more than a few feet away from each other, always aware of each others movements and if either should move further apart they would be quick to call out for the other. Lucky always felt secure in the presence of Bonnie, but if Bonnie should move away Lucky looked lost and fearful.  As I moved closer to them it was plain to see that Lucky was very scared of people. I decided to move to a distant corner of the field and offer Reiki to them. They both relaxed and loved Reiki, but always there was a distance between us. I offered Reiki to them over a number of weeks, always from the same corner. Then one day the most amazing thing happened. As I started to offer Reiki, they both raced up from the bottom of the field to just in front of where my hands were, and stood while I offered Reiki. (For two horses with laminitis this is a startling thing to happen!) After that day, both Bonnie and Lucky were so much more confident and happier with people and the world around them. They were especially blissful in each others company which was beautiful to see.

A few months ago Lucky was diagnosed with a tumour. I began offering Reiki to her again and each time she would push her rear into my hands, indicating where the tumour was. She would also go into the deepest Reiki “sleep” trusting me completely. Bonnie would always watch on from the next stable. Even though Lucky was so ill, she would constantly be looking out for Bonnie.  It was so sad when one day she suddenly died of a heart attack. It is difficult to imagine how Bonnie must have felt at this time, to lose this most special bond. After Lucky passed, Bonnie’ health began to deteriorate. She developed severe laminitis and her skin flared up with lesions due to the stress and grief of losing Lucky. I felt her sense of purpose had been taken away from her. She had always been Lucky’s eyes to see. With the help of other Reiki Practitioners, I continued to offer Reiki to her and for a while I did see the sparkle in her eyes return, her skin had improved and she could walk more freely. This, however, did not last long. The loss of Lucky always seemed too much for her to bear.

Eventually Bonnie had to be put to sleep even though the Sanctuary had tried everything to help her.  It was just by chance that a colleague and I were there to offer her Reiki in the last few moments before she died. I felt it was no coincidence that we should be there on the day that Bonnie most needed us. The only consolation I get is from knowing that Bonnie and Lucky are now reunited as souls as they were always meant to be.

…….. By Caroline Thomas

This is my first ever ‘blog’, first ever Workshop.Being part of SARA has truly changed my life! As I write this blog, I am still on a high from the wonderful day and adventure we all had.

It was the 31st of October, on a cool Autum day, that I arrived at Remus Horse Sanctuary full of excitement and fear. Today was the day, that I was going to run a SARA level 1 Workshop with, my lovely friend Brenda Oakley-Carter. Both of us being SARA teachers, we are very lucky to live quite close to each other.  I often feel that the ‘Universe’ brought us together!

The SARA experience started a few weeks before, when I was busy printing out the Manual, reading and absorbing all of the wonderful teachings that it held. Some of the information it contained was completely new to me and it required me to think about my own Reiki journey and path. As I read the Manual, everything made complete sense. I was amazed to see techniques I had never seen before. To be honest, it felt completly right, everything just fell into place.  I knew we would have no problems teaching the SARA way.

The students arrived at the beautiful Remus Horse Sanctuary, ready to begin on their own Reiki journeys. ( In a future blog, I will write more about the wonderful Sanctuary called Remus, I feel  so blessed to be able to offer Reiki there and to be a part of their team). Six students attended this Workshop, One being the founder of Remus, three volunteers and two people from the public. All with different back grounds.  We spent the morning learning about Reiki, coupled with attunements and techniques.  It was amazing to see how everyone embraced the new energy and were so keen to learn more. The energy at the workshop was beautiful.  In the afternoon we spent time working with the animals. As a group we left the class and went to offer Reiki to the donkeys. We set our intentions for the animals highest good and allowed the energy to flow. The donkeys moved around in between us before settling. Marigold who is a very old donkey and suffers with laminitis, finds it very difficult to walk. She found a space amongst us and lay down in the middle of the group.  It was easy to see that she was taking in the energy, at one point, she gently laid her head on the floor and gave out one large sigh. The students were amazed to see the effects that Reiki had on the animals. We moved on to a group of four stables, containing three horses on their own and a stable which contained two very young donkeys and a miniture horse, it had only been a couple of months before that they had been rescued from terrible cirumstances.  At this point we broke off into smaller groups  and offerred Reiki as before. What was so amazing was that each stable containing an animal had a different reaction to the energy. One horse carried on eating, showing no interest.  The miniture horse called Stix stood quietly as one of the students offered Reiki, and another horse called  Malibu just couldn’t get enough Reiki and stood with his eyes half closed competely in a Reiki trance. Each reaction helped the students to see that it truly was the choice of the animal to accept Reiki or to decide not to.

My biggest lesson from this Workshop was that it taught me to believe in myself and to have faith. The animals were the teachers, showing each student the true meaning of Reiki.