Animal Reiki Training & Certification | Shelter Animal Reiki Association (SARA)

Healing Animals with Meditation

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It is possible that the next Buddha will not take the form of an individual. The next Buddha may take the form of a community - a community practicing understanding and loving kindness, a community practicing mindful living.

— Thich Nhat Hanh  

Every animal deserves a loving, forever home

We help shelter teams reduce the stress animals experience while in the shelter environment. Peaceful animals are calmer, and calmer animals are more adoptable.

The Shelter Animal Reiki Association (SARA) is a worldwide grassroots organization dedicated to improving the lives of shelter animals and their caregivers through the Let Animals Lead® method of Animal Reiki meditation techniques. These techniques create a happy, more relaxed experience in the shelter for animals and their caregivers.

Join us today

THERAPY:

Our field-tested techniques have consistently supported stress management in the shelter environment and thus increase the chances for adoption. Our meditation-based techniques create peace and calm for animals who may be stressed and/or have difficulty acclimating.

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT:

The unique work of shelter staff and volunteers can take its toll, and shelters sometimes find they lose the best people all too frequently. Our members train staff and volunteers in easy-to-use, powerful techniques that combat compassion fatigue. The best part is that training only takes a couple of hours but the effects are transformative.

TEAM TRAINING:

Our teachers, who are experienced in shelter environments and are certified in the proprietary Let Animals Lead® method of meditation, provide team-building workshops. We give staff and volunteers an extra tool in their toolbox to help animals as well as a way to support each other!

SARA's Impact:

VOLUNTEERING:

SARA consistently donates over 3,500 hours per year in volunteer time and classes.

WORLDWIDE REACH:

SARA has a worldwide network of hundreds of shelter organizations and practitioner/teachers who are effectively using our methods for the comfort of animals in shelters, sanctuaries and rescue centers. Check out our praise from shelters.

The importance of an animal’s sense of well-being cannot be understated. Animals can have food, water, shelter, and exercise but still be depressed. They can be surrounded by other animals and people and still feel sad and alone.

SARA’s proprietary meditation techniques transform:

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Sadness to Happiness

Overwhelm to Confidence

Suspicion to Trust

Our techniques differ from any other modality because we allow the animal to guide the process. We don’t control or dictate what’s happening thereby empowering the animal, sometimes for the first time in their lives, which creates the foundation for a happier, more confident future.

SARA members diligently follow the Animal Reiki Practitioners Code of Ethics, created by Kathleen Prasad, that ensures all members are treating animals, human caregivers, veterinarians and the public with respect and dignity in all interactions. We never interfere with the advice and guidance of veterinarians and other animal care professionals.

Animal Reiki Resources

Be sure to check out SARA’s free resources to help you support animals today! 

On the first Tuesday of every month, SARA President Kathleen Prasad hosts the Animal Reiki Talk Podcast, Learn Grow and Heal with Animals . The Animal Reiki Talk is a place for Animal Reiki practitioners and anyone interested in Animal Reiki to join together as a community for the good of animals. Each month Kathleen features a specific topic in a short informational talk, with Q and A, discussion, and a guided animal healing circle meditation.

Every Wednesday at 12:00PM PT, SARA VP Leah D’Ambrosio hosts a FREE Animal Reiki/Animal Meditation Zoom support session where attendees can share experiences, receive support and ask questions. These sessions are open to Animal Reiki Practitioners and anyone who loves and wants to support animals. Join here for Wednesday at 12: PM PT sessions!

Replay of the Letting Animals Lead Us to a Better Future Conference

In February 2023, the Shelter Animal Reiki Association (SARA) held a groundbreaking online conference where we brought together wisdom teachers, authors, professors, animal advocates, and veterinarians who shared their wisdom and compassion to empower you to light the way to a brighter future.

If you missed the conference, don't worry! You can still purchase the recordings and learn from this diverse group of experts. 

IMPORTANT RESOURCES FOR SHELTER ANIMAL ADOPTIONS

SARA x Sama Circle - Supporting Dogs Beyond Adoption

We believe adoption is just the beginning. Supporting dogs throughout their lives (and the humans who open their homes to them) is at the heart of what we do. We’re proud to share a trusted partner with our community who uniquely supports this intention through education and ongoing guidance. 

Amanda Ree of Sama Dog Wellbeing offers Sama Circle, a monthly membership providing holistic guidance for dogs and their humans. Amanda is a seasoned educator of Vedic studies, Canine Wellness Practitioner and Animal Chaplain. Her work weaves together natural wellness, mindfulness, the human/canine bond, and compassionate care. 

Inside Sama Circle, members receive:

  • Holistic education across every life stage
  • Natural support including herbs and supplements

→ Explore Sama Circle Membership Community

SARA x BrightHaven - Supporting Aging, Chronically Ill, Special Needs and Transitioning Animals

Brighthaven is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people help animals. They provide education, resources, and compassionate guidance to support pet parents and animal care professionals in caring for aging, chronically ill, and special needs animals — with particular emphasis on holistic care, quality of life, and the option of a natural, supported death.

Their mission is rooted in more than 35 years of hands-on sanctuary experience and the belief that every stage of life — including the dying process — has meaning, dignity, and value.

Whether you are a loving pet parent facing difficult decisions, or a practitioner seeking new skills, BrightHaven is here to help you navigate this journey with compassion, courage, and care.

Brighthaven: Animal Rescue, Hospice and Holistic Education

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8 Top Tips for Gaining Confidence as a Let Animals Lead® Animal Reiki Practitioner

It’s not always easy to feel confident as an Animal Reiki practitioner. The best way to gain confidence is to go back to our fundamentals: daily meditation and remember the Reiki precepts. And as one diligently practices consistently, one gains …
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HEART – A SPECIAL, BEAUTIFUL GIRL WHO TAUGHT ME SO MUCH!

Two  months ago a six year old dog named Heart came to our shelter. She had been saved from a pigsty where she probably lived her whole life. After the shabby life she had, coming to the shelter wasn’t good …
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Just for Today

In the Let Animals Lead® Method of Animal Reiki, the precepts are a cornerstone of the teaching. Jemmy Siefert, a recent graduate from SARA’s Animal Reiki for Animal Reiki Practitioners class, found profound inspiration in this practice and the precepts …
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Watch this video to see how effective our techniques are for bringing peace to a stressful kennel environment:

You can see from this video how gentle yet powerful the Let Animals Lead® method is in calming shelter animals and creating a more peaceful environment. Animals do not need to be touched to respond positively to this method. More relaxed animals are more easily adopted.

Unveiling Excellence: SARA - The Leading Animal Reiki School
with Dual Certification from CPD Standards

We're thrilled to announce our dual accreditation by CPD Standards! As an accredited Continuing Professional Development (CPD) provider and a distinguished
Trainer of Excellence, SARA offers you the ultimate competitive edge. This prestigious recognition makes SARA an elite educator, ensuring you receive the highest-quality Animal Reiki and meditation training available.

Maximize your impact and career with CPD-approved courses designed to elevate your skills and enhance your career prospects. Stand out from the crowd - enroll today! (U.S. note: CPD = CEUs)