Interview with a Reiki master

Well not quite an interview, more of session with Yoda!

I have a friend who could use some Reiki, so I offered and she accepted. I expected her kitty (no, Cat, I was corrected) to attend the session, but he didn't show up until we were through. I jokingly said "So you're here to check my work" - I immediately got something like "No, I'm here to finish up where you left off". He settled down next to a spot on his mistress where I experienced some discomfort - and so did she - and he promptly dozed off.

That's this Cat all over.

He's elderly (25 at least), personable (even committed cat-haters have declared him a "cool" cat), and he's in charge (he controls a young dog 6 or 7 times his own size with relative ease). I believe he is also a Reiki master, as his human pointed out, he's been giving her energy treatments for years.

I didn't get the sense he was being unkind, just chiding me, in a kind but tired way. He gave me some additional pieces of advice which made me rethink my approach to Reiki and to animal welfare too.

1) "You aren't the stream, you're merely the channel."

2) "Don't assume you can "fix" everything."

3) "There's a difference between curing and healing."

4) "Humans are so arrogant - just because you want to talk to us doesn't mean we want to talk to you."

And he is right.

I told my friend Reiki had changed my life - I think I need to modify that slightly: Reiki is changing my life...

I'm BACK!

Despite the fact that I've written articles on the need to publish regular blog posts, I have failed miserably with this blog over the last year. I promise to do better... really I do. I could make excuses, but won't, it seems a waste of words...

I've recently received my Reiki Level 1 certificate, and will be going to the Level 2 session in about two weeks. It's something I wanted to do ever since I read Animal Reiki by Kathleen Pasard. It's something I've believed in for over 25 years, when an "animal psychic came to the stables and told me things only my horse and I knew.

I've been faithful in doing my "homework", but hesitant about the next step - animal communication.


So, for the first time today I tried "talking" with my beloved Mac.




The messages I got, over the course of the day were:

• She was sorry she never had babies - or maybe she was pregnant when she was spayed, which was just before I got her, I wasn't quite sure. She didn't want to say too much because she didn't want to make me sad.

• When I "asked" why she didn't respond when I tried to ask her with pictures about going for a walk, but did respond when I got the leash, she said "Humans talk too much, dogs just get up and do it", as if to say this type of communication was too important for things we should just be doing. 

• The first time I asked her to to help me work with Autumn, my partner's elderly curmudgeon, Mac just looked away. Later, when I thought something like "I wish I could get through to you" towards Autumn (who was staring/glaring at me), Mac turned, gave me a long, meaningful look, then turned away. I got something like "You don't really want to know what she's thinking", and suddenly realized that's a part of why Mac usually wants nothing to do with Autumn. I looked back to Autumn who was still staring at me, then heard the word "hypocrite".

• When we got back from our walk, Autumn wanted out and Mac asked to go too (by sitting politely facing the door, no pictures, nothing just popping in my head). I pointed out (verbally) that she'd just been out, and she pointed out (it popped in my head) that the smells in the front yard were still interesting - even if she didn't need to "do business", there were other dog things to do.

I should mention that these aren't the sort of thoughts I normally have popping in my head (at least not since I gave up pot back in the late 1970s!), although I do admit to thinking some strange stuff sometimes!

Either what I've been reading about animal communication really does work, or my subconscious is working overtime, or I'm loosing what's left of my mind.

More to the point of this blog, what does this have to do with saving critters? I don't honestly know yet, but it's making me do a lot of rethinking about my relationship with animals, and with the human-animal connection in general. 

This should be interesting... I would love to hear about anyone else's experiences along these lines...