By Kathleen Prasad
Reiki Magazine International, Feb/March 2004

When I learned Level 1 Reiki, I was drawn to its self-healing aspects. I had a lot of sadness and anxiety in my past which I had been unable to acknowledge and heal. With Reiki, I was able to uncover these old wounds and release them. Along the way, I began to use Reiki to heal others: humans, plants, animals and so on. I was amazed at the things Reiki could do. I still am.

It is over the past year or so of practice that Reiki has begun to reveal to me my biggest lesson yet. Each day it evolves more and more. The lesson involves the complexity of the human/animal connection and bond, and how Reiki can bring healing not only to the animals I treat, but also to the connection itself. I believe the key to this healing is in animal communication, which Reiki can enhance.

Having volunteered my Reiki treatments in shelters over the years, I have seen the horrendous acts of abuse and neglect that humans can wreak upon animals. I have also seen the angelic kindness and selflessness of humans who come to the aid of these same animals. And I have witnessed the seemingly limitless potential of animals to forgive humankind their transgressions and trust and love again. It has given me a new respect for and an understanding of the depth and complexity of animal emotions. Sometimes, during my Reiki treatments of these animals, I will actually feel their pain, fear, or anxiety. The feelings are just as powerful and pure as my own. And just as I was able to self-heal through Reiki, they also can acknowledge and release these feelings with the help of Reiki so they can heal.

The more I received these emotions during the treatments, the more I began to wonder about what was really going on in the minds and hearts of my animal clients. If they could feel so deeply and forgive so completely, might they also have a deeper understanding of life than humans usually give them credit for? I started to open myself up to whatever they might want to share with me during treatments. I asked Reiki to help me to know whatever might aid in their healing. Immediately, I began to "know" things about the animals. The information I received was always directly related to their state of healing, and it was many times unexpected and surprising. I also began to communicate back to the animals in response to what they shared with me during treatments. At first, I was skeptical that they actually understood what I mentally told them, but over and over their body language and facial expressions clearly expressed their understanding, and my faith in animal communication grew.

One Reiki treatment that made me rethink my preconceptions about animal communication and intelligence was my treatment of a chicken who had been given to the shelter because he grew up to be a rooster instead of a hen. He was huddled in the corner of his cage when I began the treatment. As I started Reiki, I mentally opened myself to anything the chicken might want to say. In other words, basically told him, "I'm listening." I wasn't expecting much besides, "Seeds, seeds, seeds." That was my own human prejudice about the single-mindedness of chickens. Almost immediately after I began the treatment, I knew exactly the state of mind of the chicken. He was very confused about why he was given to the shelter because he believed he was a very good chicken in every way. He couldn't figure out what he had done wrong and was very sad about it. I told him he was a very good chicken indeed, and that he hadn't done anything wrong. That just wasn't the right home for him. I told him he was very beautiful, in fact. At that point, he stood up and began clucking and prancing back and forth in front of me in the cage. He was very relieved and comforted that he was a good chicken.

This is only one example of the unexpected conversations I've had with so many animals during the course of Reiki treatments. Each time I give a treatment, I receive so much in return! As I sit here writing this article, I am only beginning to realize the capacity of humans and animals to understand each other and communicate effectively. What does this mean for the future of healing the human/animal bond? I believe that Reiki is a way for people to better understand their fellow animal beings in a more respectful and compassionate way. I know that the treatment of animals and their place in society can only improve as people open themselves up to the possibility of this communication and understanding. In the context of Reiki, this communication will be used for the highest good and healing of all.