I‘d like to take a moment to honor a very special teacher of mine who recently passed away: a black leopard named Makoto, who lived at the CARE Foundation in Florida. He lived to be 20 years old, which is very old for his species, and pretty amazing, considering the neglectful and abusive circumstances he …
Crowds, long lines, delays, lost luggage: Navigating a busy airport can be stressful in the best of circumstances—and it’s even worse during the busy holiday season. Luckily, at a number of airports nationwide, you can now find various animals on hand to reduce stress and anxiety, boost happiness—and, in some cases, even keep us safer …
Have you finished your holiday shopping yet? Me either! In case you’re still searching for that perfect gift for the cat or dog lover in your life, check out my 2016 holiday gift guide …
Animals make the best meditation partners. It’s true! Their natural, calming presence helps to anchor us “in the now,” and they approach life with unconditional love, a real challenge for us humans. Next time your cat rests with its eyes closed, or your dog takes a snooze on your lap, don’t just think about how cute they are (because, of course, they are), but think, too, about what we can learn from them to improve our own meditation practice. Animals are natural meditators, with peaceful, nonjudgmental minds and open hearts. They remind us what we should all strive for whenever we meditate …
The Louisiana flood of 2016—the most catastrophic natural disaster in the U.S. since Hurricane Sandy—displaced thousands of people from their homes. But people weren’t the only ones affected—animals were, too: More than 3,300 were rescued from the rising waters.
Thankfully, we have countless heroes risking their lives to save the animals stranded by the flood waters …
One of the best things about Reiki is how deeply it relaxes animals, even those that are incredibly anxious, depressed or sick. Witnessing firsthand so many happy, calm and blissed-out animals following my Reiki sessions keeps me motivated every single day.
Below are a few of my favorite photos and videos of animals loving Reiki. Most of these were taken at BrightHaven, a holistic hospice for animals in Santa Rosa, California, where I’ve had the honor to teach monthly Reiki courses for more than 12 years …
What is your perfect number of cats? As a child growing up, I never had less than two, but sometimes we had up to four (a real clowder—that is your new word for the day 😉 ). Of course, my parents realized early on that having three daughters meant three was the absolute minimum. That way, we each had one to call our own: Cassy (mine); Cassy’s daughter, Pinky (born in our garage in the days before we knew about spay/neuter and kept by my sister Charlotte); and Tux, a cute stray we rescued from being tormented by neighborhood boys whom Maureen persuaded my parents to keep. These special kitties all lived until our college days.
Today I don’t have a cat (we have allergies in the family), but both of my sisters have one. And they sometimes think about adopting another one, but it can be hard to know the right time, don’t you think? Life feels perfect as is, but sometimes it can feel as if something is “missing.”
It’s a big decision a lot of us think about—especially when we encounter a really cute one as a stray, at a local shelter or while “just browsing” Petfinder.com (everyone does this, right?).
But when is a good time to introduce a brand-new feline into your household? Here are some signs you’re finally ready to bring another cat into the fold …
I’m just wondering: Why hasn’t the U.S. banned declawing cats? The inhumane practice was once common and even accepted, but times are starting to change. There’s been a national debate on the subject, and most of us now understand what declawing really means—and how traumatic and barbaric it is for the cat. Thankfully, the once-popular practice is now on the decline. Many vets now even refuse to perform the unethical procedure.
But we need to do better …
Here are some sobering statistics for you: In companion animals, about 50 percent of all disease-related deaths are attributed to cancer. One in four dogs will develop cancer. And cancer strikes about 30 to 40 percent of all cats.
Some of you may be struggling with this issue right now. Know that you are not alone. In fact, May is Pet Cancer Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness and funds in hopes of one day curing this terrible disease.
My dog Dakota suffered from cancer in the last months of his life. Though it was a painful time for our family, I learned something invaluable: that my daily Reiki meditations gave me the strength to cope even when I started believing I had no strength left. (My meditation practice also helped me on my personal cancer journey, which I’ve written about here.) Now that I’ve had time to reflect, I’ve realized that it’s because …
Loving our animals just comes naturally. No matter what kind of day we’ve had, they always lift our spirits and help us to forget our cares. In this way, they are also our best role models for how to love and be loved by our partners. Yes, human relationships are much more complex, but animals (especially dogs and cats) remind us every day that …
