Many people see Animal Reiki as a hands-on healing modality, but I see Reiki as a meditation practice we share with our animals, and more than that: as a way of seeing the world and living with more compassion in it. One of the things I like to say to students is, “Be Reiki with your animals, don’t do Reiki to them.”
What this “being Reiki” is really about is holding an openhearted, compassionate space for your animal in this moment.
But this isn’t so easy, especially when an animal is stressed or in pain. How can we learn to hold space in a deep and supportive way, even in the most difficult moments? I created The Let Animals Lead® method to show you the way!
In our Let Animals Lead® method meditations we can let go of the mind and expand our being into a deeper space of energy. In that beautiful, open space, the animal can choose to meet you. The heart to heart connection that is created is extremely transformative: all things are possible in that beautiful healing space of connection.
So if we want to help our animals, we may ask ourselves, how do we get into that meditative space where the animals can reach out and connect freely and on their own terms? In the Let Animals Lead® method, this can only happen when we quiet the mind, go inward and trust animals to take the lead, rather than taking charge ourselves and actively sending energy to this or that issue.
The Healing Space Meditation is the very first meditation practice I teach to help students begin holding an empowered space for animals. It combines the Japanese Reiki technique of Joshin Kokyu Ho with a deep honoring of animals as teachers and a specific mental intention and openness of heart to engender trust and comfort in the animals we share space with.
The Joshin Kokyu Ho is a special breathing method which helps you get in touch with your lower belly at the center of your physical being. In becoming aware and focused on this center, we cultivate grounding and stability in our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels of being.
This is very important for us as human beings because we often live our life overextended, stressed and multitasking, with our energy all over the place. Vibrationally speaking, we can feel very unstable to our sensitive animal friends, so focusing on centering and grounding is very important.
This special breathing practice also helps us to bring our focus inward which is important when we are connecting heart to heart with another being. Too often, we push our good intentions on the animals because we want so badly to help, but this only creates obstacles in connecting with them.
We also may find ourselves in emotional situations, such as:
personal, stressful issues in our own lives
supporting an animal who is very sick or recovering from surgery
sharing space with a stressed animal recovering from a traumatic past
or helping an animal in hospice or who may be dying.
If we are very empathetic or highly sensitive, it is easy to get knocked over by the emotions or trauma experienced by the animals or the people who love and care for them. So how do we learn how to hold a strong, solid, calm, peaceful energy, even in the midst of the storm of emotions around us?
We must practice meditation every day! Our meditation practice is foundational in helping us go deeper than the emotion of the moment, to find that strength and grounding within us. Our inner stability will help us get through whatever is going on around us. In every moment, peace is truly possible and meditation helps us remember this.
When we can hold a space of peace and calm, the animal can step into it for comfort in that difficult moment. If instead, we end up getting drawn into the chaos around us, ruminating on the sadness or suffering, our vibration changes. We end up in a place of pity, sadness or upset, and animals will feel uncomfortable with this vibration and not want to connect with us.
Holding a beautiful, peaceful space involves pure, openhearted presence. We must let go of the past. Whatever happened is done and over, so let go of it. Don’t breathe new life into the ashes of what has been. Instead, be present with the animal right here and right now. What is going to happen in the future for this animal? We cannot know and worrying about it doesn’t support the animal. In fact it takes us away from this moment. So we must let go of it.
Let’s just sit (or stand or walk with the animals) and be with them right now. This kind of presence, without worries or agenda, creates a beautiful openness, and animals will want to share space with you. They will feel better just stepping into the peace and calm you have created.
Ready to try this right now with your animal? CLICK HERE and practice the Healing Space Meditation with your animals!
Let me know your observations and insights after practicing this meditation by posting your comments! Want to learn more? Be sure to check out my latest book, The Let Animals Lead® Method Meditation Journal for a guided journey towards more peace and balance with the animals you love!
Stay safe, be well and may the animals light your way,
