World Animal Reiki Day was on February 5th. Some of you may be asking, what is reiki and what does it have to do with cats?
The word reiki means life energy and it is a holistic healing system used in the healing of humans and animals. It can also be used in helping situations and also with plants. Reiki uses the universal energy that is all around us to help us. Reiki can help with problems and healing on all levels, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.
Reiki will transmit the healing energy of the universe through a reiki practitioners hands to the client. Reiki is usually hands on with a human client and often hands off with an animal (unless an animal appears to want to be touched). Sometimes a human prefers hands off healing also.
Over 10 years ago I had reiki given to me after a car accident as I was very shaken up and had trouble sleeping; it helped me immensely so when my older cat became ill, it seemed natural to see a vet but also to ask the same reiki practitioner to help again. The vets had been wonderful with my cat Gizmo, but to be honest she was 18 and I feared the worst. After one session of reiki, she slept for hours and the next day she was running around like a kitten and lived to 23!
When my other cat passed away I always regretted not having reiki offered to her, although it was her time, it would have been nice to have offered her reiki too.
Of course I would never just give reiki instead of using a vet for any cat for illnesses, a vet should always be seen first, but reiki is amazing in helping alongside traditional medicine. You should also inform your vet that reiki is being given to your cat, its good ethics and also most vets nowadays are very open minded and interested.
It is nearly two years now since I was attuned to reiki and I’m now a level 2 practitioner, this means I can give reiki to myself, people and animals. In my work as a cat sitter I’m happy to give reiki to cats when needed, with the owner’s permission as long as the cat’s vet is informed.
I have given reiki to cats, dogs, horses, rabbits and a parrot! To be honest I really enjoy giving reiki to animals more than people, animals just seem to know reiki is good and accept it, whereas people question it more…..
Reiki will always do good, never any harm and it goes where it’s needed. Apart from offering reiki to my cat sitting clients I also offer it to any foster/rescue animals that I think would benefit from some healing.
In my next blog, I will tell you about my visit to a local foster home for cats in Portsmouth.