I love this photo of Vincent all curled up for a long Winter’s nap. I think it’s a great metaphor for how many of us feel about the long-lasting effects of the pandemic: maybe we can just go to sleep and wake up when it’s over?? 🙂
Last week was the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, and Christmas! But this year, I do feel the long nights more acutely than usual.
Normally, I would be wishing all of you a fun and wondrous holiday with your loved ones, but this year is quite different isn’t it! I know so many of you who have lost loved ones to Covid, or gotten very sick yourself. Others of you are going through a very scary time economically due to the shut downs. Unlike other holidays where we have wonderful gatherings, this year we’re encouraged to stay away from loved ones to keep them safe. Indeed, Christmas week felt like no other that I have lived through.
“Faith is the bird that feels the light when the dawn is still dark.” – Rabindranath Tagore
I love this quote because it reminds us to keep faith in the light, even when we feel darkness all around us. I feel so grateful for my Animal Reiki practice, that allows me to hold this light and radiate it, even through the darkest of times. My dog and horse have been such comforts to me during these long months, and even now, when I see Vincent happily curled up on a dark, chilly night, I remember the healing power of going inward. Our Animal Reiki practice can give us the tools we need to explore the vast inner spaces of our mind and heart, even when we cannot take adventures in our outer world right now, as we often do.
And with that in mind, I am wishing each of you a peaceful holiday, filled with the infinite love and light that exists within the vast space of your heart and mind. Remember your Animal Reiki practice each and every day to help remind you of your connectedness to each other, your boundless compassion and your inner power to bring good to the world just by “being” love and light. Take time doing something that brings you a feeling of peace and healing: take a walk in nature, cuddle with your fur babies, cook some comfort food, or curl up with a hot cup of tea. Each of us, if we nurture ourselves in small ways, can then be the light for others as we walk through these unprecedented times.
My Christmas wish is that each of you, wherever you are and whatever you are going through, may feel blessings embracing you and feel your light within, shining bright!
Stay safe, be well, and may the animals light your way,
