By Irene Brock

For one of my homework assignments for Kathleen's Animal Reiki
Workshop, I decided I would like to work with a wild animal. Since I
live in a well populated area, I headed for the zoo. I arrived shortly
after they opened and the weather was windy and cold so I knew there would not be many people around yesterday. Even though I had visions of working with a big animal like an elephant, lion or giraffe, I tried to keep my mind open to working with any animal that would like Reiki. I decided I would walk most of the zoo and then return to the animal hat I felt was most open to me. 
 
I never really considered myself a “bird person” and if I’m short on
time I normally walk right past the aviary at the zoo.  But in trying
to be open to all the animals and also do to the cold wind, the aviary
was the first building I headed for. I enjoyed viewing the locals
through the one way glass as they helped themselves to the large bird feeder outside and I considered returning to the bird rescue area that held injured birds that can not be returned to the wild. I continued wandering from room to room and I entered a room that contained about 3 dozen small exotic birds with many patterns and colors that were free to fly around the room as they wished. It was not the happy, chirping birds or the brightly colored birds that caught my eye. Sitting, almost hidden by plants, along the walkway was a small, brown and white bird that sat quietly with her (for some reason I felt it was female) feathers all ruffled and breathing heavily and looking quite distressed. I watched for a few minutes as her mate repeatedly approached her and tried to encourage her to feel better.  Realizing that I had just gotten to the zoo and had many more animals to visit I left the aviary and continued on.
 
After an hour or so and visiting many other animals, I could not stop
thinking about the little brown and white bird that was so distressed
and clearly not doing well. So I returned to the aviary and found her
about a foot from where I had left her before.  Her mate continued
trying to encourage her to feel better. It was such a tender, loving
gesture to watch it made my heart hurt for them. I knelt down (I felt
I needed to get as close to her level as possible) and began offering
Reiki.  The room was really soaking up the Reiki energy and she turned to face me. After a short time she hopped on a branch right in front of me and it seemed like we were old friends. She began closing her eyes for longer and longer periods of time. As I sat there, with her at eye level, I saw something that I could not see with her on the ground. There wrapped around her legs was a clear, thin nylon strand that she could not free herself from. At this point I didn’t know if I should go for help or continue the Reiki that she was enjoying so
much. I also noticed that many of the other birds were moving closer
and closer to me and becoming quieter and quieter. It was such a
beautiful moment I just had to continue the Reiki for a while longer. 
 
Finally, I couldn’t stand knowing what her problem was and not helping her so I went for help. After making another pass through the aviary and not finding a staff person, I left the building and headed for the nearest concession stand. I explained what I had found and asked the worker to call a zoo keeper.  The teenager went to his manger and asked him to call a zoo keeper and the manager nodded in agreement.  I returned to my little bird who had now taken shelter in the corner of the room as far away from the increasing foot traffic as she could get. Her mate was still by her side. After waiting another 20 minutes I grew impatient and returned to the non-emotional teenager who again turned to his manager and ask about the zoo keeper. The manager said he had forgotten to call and acted like I was bothering him but reluctantly pulled out his radio when he realized I was not just going to go away again like I had the first time. After watching him until he made the call, I then returned to my little bird. Within 5 minutes a zoo keeper was there looking for her and I pointed out the distressed Owl Finch in the corner.The zoo keeper agreed she was not doing well. 

She went for a net and entered the exhibit through a back door which
was right next to my little bird. The bird was startled and flew
(which surprised us). The zoo keeper called for help and within a
couple minutes someone else appeared.  With all of us looking, we
discovered my little bird and her mate sitting side by side in the
shelter of the bushes at our eye level and there shining in the
sunlight was the nylon string that bound her legs.
 
Since well over an hour had passed I left my little bird in the hands
of the skilled zoo keepers who promised they would take care of her. 
Of all my lessons I felt this was the most surprising, powerful and
rewarding of all.

About the Author: Irene Brock is a Level III Reiki practitioner
residing in southeastern Michigan.  She also holds certificates as a
Spiritual Healer, Lightworker and Feng Shui consultant. Irene is an
independent distributor and educator for Nature’s Sunshine vitamins and herbs. She may be reached at healingforce@yahoo.com.