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Reiki
Reiki is a Japanese energy healing technique for stress-reduction and relaxation that promotes improved health and wellbeing.
What is Reiki?
Reiki is a Japanese energy healing technique for stress-reduction and relaxation that promotes improved health and wellbeing. It combines elements of ancient hand-on-healing techniques, Traditional Chinese Medicine and mindfulness meditation, to create a gentle system for improving wellbeing and facilitating healing of mind, body and spirit.
Reiki works on the premise that all living beings have an innate ability to heal themselves and that disease, pain and emotional distress are all the results of imbalances -- physiological, emotional or spiritual. By reducing stress and tension in the body, improving the flow of energy within the biofield, and calming the anxious mind, balance can be restored and healing can begin to take place.
Because Reiki is an energy based healing technique that works on the principles of Quantum Physics, it can be done either hands-on or remotely (Distance Reiki). Animals, being such open spirits, are generally very receptive to receiving Reiki and it is particularly useful for animals who have anxiety or trust issues or those who are dealing with stress from chronic pain or illness.
How Can Reiki Help?
Reduce anxiety & stress
Manage chronic pain
Promote healing
Improve sleep
Strengthen the immune system
Create an overall feeling of wellness
Balance emotions and built trust
What Does a Reiki Treatment Look Like?
Reiki is a very subtle energy healing practice that shares much more in common with meditation than with massage, even though it is often described as a hands-on-healing technique. It is equally effective when done hands-on, from a short distance (hands removed from the body) or even from a long distance due to the nature of energy and quantum physics. Even when done hands-on, the Reiki practiioner is not manipulating any tissue or applying any pressure, which makes it an ideal modality for pets who have trust issues or severe anxiety, are sensitive to pain or touch, or who are healing from an injury or surgery where an area of the body cannot be worked on directly with other forms of bodywork.
A typical Reiki session will last anywhere from 20-60 minutes depending on the issues being addressed and the animal's response.
If you are skeptical about Reiki or not sure of how it feels/works, I encourage you to schedule your own Reiki session with a practioner or to ask your Animal Reiki practioner if they are willing to offer a short session of Reiki to you before working with your animal so you can feel first-hand how it helps to turn on the Relaxation Response so the body is better able to heal and balance itself.
Is Reiki Safe to Use with Other Treatments?
Reiki is extremely safe and gentle. There are no adverse effects from Reiki and it will not interfere with any other conventional or holistic treatments. In fact, to be effective, Reiki requires the full permission and cooperation of the animal (or person). It cannot be "DONE" to another being --- Reiki is done "WITH" the recipient as an equal partner in the healing process.
How Easy is it to Learn?
To practice Reiki, students must take a class and receive an "attunement" from a Reiki Master to learn the basic techniques and princples of this modality. There are multiple levels of Reiki that can be learned to deepen practice and enhance techniques. While some Reiki teachers will offer online classes, I highly recommend an in-person class, especially for Reiki Level 1 so you can have hands-on practice and interaction with other students. Most Reiki Level 1 classes are $100 - $200.
Additional Resources:
International Association of Reiki Practitioners