Sharing distant Reiki sessions with animals is a beautiful way to support them in their healing journey, and it doesn't matter where you are, physically, when you invite them to connect with you.
Top Tips for Sharing Distant Reiki Sessions with Animals
Before we get into my top tips for sharing distant Reiki sessions with animals, let's first talk about "distance".
First, let’s talk about what it means to “do” distant Reiki with animals. If we look at the traditional Japanese teachings, Reiki teaches Oneness, and so this isn’t really about distance at all, it’s about remembering our connectedness.
In the essence of my being, I am the universe; the universe is me.
Distance is a surface perception because, as human beings, we live in the practical, physical world unless we're deep in our spiritual meditation. This spiritual “space” is the place we nurture when we share our Animal Reiki practice. We call it “distant” because the animal isn’t in our physical presence.
We say we are “doing” the session, when in fact we are learning how to remember our original state of being.
If we can look deeper than the language we are using to describe distant sessions, we can let go of our physical limitations and connect from an expansive space of spiritual peace and compassion when we are sharing distant Reiki sessions with animals.
Animals are naturally drawn to the energy of peace, love and compassion, and they will sense the space we are creating and come forward to connect, no matter where we are physically. Deep in our meditation, we remember that there is no distance between us and the animal we're focusing on because we're all One in this space.
Our “distant” sessions are all about remembering our true self and connecting with that essence of our soul power, or “Reiki,” rather than “sending” energy here or there.
If we don't really understand this, then our intention is going through a lot of useless effort. If we're pushing hard to “send” our energy here or there, across the miles, we can get very exhausted and feel drained.
For example, "Oh, I'm so tired. I just sent all my energy all the way to England today. Whew, that was exhausting." Right? But if, instead, we realize, “If I go inward through my meditation, I remember my true essence and the connectedness,” now it becomes very easy to do a "distant" treatment.
If our intention is simply to “be” there with an open heart for the animal (which is, in fact, the same intention we use when sharing Reiki with animals in person), it becomes very easy to share this space for the good of the animals we want to support.
Now that we have a better idea about what we’re actually “doing” during a session, here are some of my top tips for success during Reiki sessions with animals at a distance.
Use a surrogate or an image to help you focus.
Help yourself feel connected using a surrogate or an image. As an option, you may like to use a little stuffed animal to help you focus by holding it in your lap during the session. A friend of mine uses a little elephant that's made from stone and holds it in her hand while meditating to help focus her heart.
Others like to have a photo of the animal in front of them during the session. Remember to not only see their physical nature, but also see deeper to their pure essence and spirit, that is always perfect. Remind yourself that, “All is well” in this moment.
Keep your invite to the animal short and sweet.
Keep your intention to invite the animal into the session short and sweet. Some people feel they must keep repeating, “I’m sharing with the dog” or “this session is for the cat” throughout the entire session. I think this can be really distracting when we’re trying to clear our minds and drop into our hearts during meditation. Plus, animals are so sensitive, imagine how annoying it might feel if they are hearing our repetitive thoughts over and over again!
My advice is to take time to get connected and set a heartfelt intention to invite the animal into the space at the very beginning. Then let go and focus completely on the meditation. At the end of your session, take time to thank the animal for however they chose to connect in this moment.
Create a Reiki "box" for sharing with multiple animals at once.
The Reiki space is infinite, expansive and full of peaceful compassion: you can share with many animals at one time! To help set your intention for a group of animals, write their names and a little about them with loving intention and put the papers into a small box. Keep this box somewhere special, on your altar or in your special meditation space in your home.
When you offer your distant group session, hold the box on your lap, or just set your intention to invite all the animals in the Reiki box into the space. Perhaps your “Reiki box” is simply a space in your mind and heart that you hold all of these animals. You don’t need a physical box if you feel connected to the space in your heart ☺ Find the way that resonates with you!
What Meditation Technique Should You Use For Sharing Distant Animal Reiki Sessions?
In the beginning, it’s good to focus on the formal techniques you learn in Level 2 Let Animals Lead® training using the symbols and mantras. These techniques help us to transcend the barriers of space and time so that we can step into Oneness. They help us realize that we can support our animals energetically, even if we aren’t physically present with them.
It may take some time for us to feel trust and confidence that our distant sessions are making connections. But once you have practiced distant sessions for some time, your sense of connection to animals goes deeper. At that time you can choose any of the meditations you have learned in your Reiki training each time you share a distant session with an animal.
It doesn’t really matter which meditation you choose, only that you focus completely on it, with your whole mind and heart, as much as you can.
Stay Humble; Hold Space; See The Light
Even when we're not present with animals when we’re sharing Reiki with them, we want to be very humble and respectful, allowing them to lead the process and not pushing our ideas, our agenda, our ego and our “healing powers” by trying to fix this or that or “beam” energy here or there. All the ethics we use for in-person sessions apply distantly. We want to be in that open, gentle, respectful state of mind and then just focus inward on the practice, inviting them to share the space if they wish.
Remember, our purpose is always just holding space for the animal’s own self-healing process. By seeing the light within them, we can help them remember their inner strength.