The Shelter Animal Reiki Association all began with a passion to help rescued animals!
Kathleen Prasad, the founder of Animal Reiki, has always had a passion for helping rescued animals and that passion turned into co-creating a Non-Profit Organization called the Shelter Animal Reiki Association (SARA).
How did SARA get started?
25 years ago, when Kathleen first began extending her Reiki sessions to animals, she also began volunteering Reiki in local shelters. While volunteering, Kathleen realized very early that animals often showed wonderful responses and amazing healing when Reiki sessions were happening.
In fact, the extremely positive reactions she witnessed from abused and traumatized animals in shelters inspired her to devote her life to creating a mindful way to help animals through her Animal Reiki practice while also teaching others to help animals in the same way!
Near her home in northern California, Kathleen has been teaching in-person classes at local shelters, sanctuaries, and rescues (such as Lily's Legacy Senior Dog Sanctuary in Petaluma and Square Peg Foundation at Cadence Farm in Sonoma) for over 20 years. Her travels have also taken her to places such as Catskill Animal Sanctuary in New York, Best Friends Animal Society in Utah, the CARE Foundation in Florida, Animal Haven in New York, Chenoa Manor in Pennsylvania, Talking Horse Ranch in Arizona, The Devoted Barn in Michigan, Remus Memorial Horse Sanctuary in England and Cat Protection Society in Australia.
It was through teaching her very special energy connection method to others and seeing firsthand how thousands of animals were positively impacted, that she was inspired to help her students reach more rescue organizations.
While working on a method to help her students reach out in a professional way to volunteer Reiki for rescued animals, as well as educate and support the staff of shelters and sanctuaries with Animal Reiki, she decided to co-found the Shelter Animal Reiki Association (SARA).
Kathleen wanted to empower her students to be able to create a successful partnership of Animal Reiki volunteering and teaching—exactly the type of environment she had created at her beloved BrightHaven Ranch (a senior special needs sanctuary and hospice in northern California where she taught Animal Reiki for 13 years). In order to do so, she co-founded The Shelter Animal Reiki Association (a 501(c)3 nonprofit) in 2008 with Leah D'Ambrosio.
Why does the world need a Non-profit organization to help shelter animals?
SARA is a worldwide grassroots organization dedicated to improving the lives of rescued animals and their caregivers. Rescued animals come from all sorts of backgrounds and shelter environments can be immensely hard on their psyches and physical health. That's why the Let Animals Lead® method is SO needed for animals in rescue situations worldwide.
At the heart of our work is the proprietary Let Animals Lead® method of meditation that relieves stress in rescued animals and allows them to fully relax in challenging environments. Our method teaches people a mindful way to help animals by holding space for animals in an open, compassionate way that inspires peace and trust.
SARA has come so far since it began and is helping so many shelter animals and rescues around the world.
Since our inception in 2008, our highly trained members have brought peace and calm to thousands of animals in hundreds of shelters, sanctuaries and rescues around the world. We have thousands of testimonials and many hours of video footage showing how effective our methods are and how much we are all helping animals. It is so inspiring and gives all the members of SARA and people who have adopted these rescues so much hope for making the world a better place for animals!
It is our vision that peace is possible in every moment, and we bring this peace into being through our unique and specialized meditation practice, tailored to be gentle enough for every animal, no matter their species, background or sensitivity.
The SARA Way
SARA currently has over 200 members around the world. SARA supports its members with a variety of professional and educational materials as well as monthly meetings by webinar. All members follow "The SARA Way," a commitment to daily spiritual practice that incorporates compassion, humility and respect for animals and follows the Let Animals Lead® method of Reiki practice. To protect the professionalism and integrity of the organization, in order to be invited to join SARA, students must get certified with Kathleen Prasad, Leah D'Ambrosio or any SARA Teacher. If you'd like to join SARA and be a part of a community with a passion for sharing Reiki with rescued animals, check out Kathleen's upcoming classes page. Join the movement and become an Animal Reiki Ambassador for rescued animals today!
Interested in learning the Let Animals Lead® Method of Animal Reiki?
To spread the peace and light of Animal Reiki around the world, Kathleen travels a few times a year to teach Level 3 Animal Reiki at other sanctuaries and shelters.
However, she also offers one-on-one mentorships (in person and online), online certification classes in all three levels of her very special method of Animal Reiki—the Let Animals Lead® Method—and travels the world teaching her LAL® method to animal shelter, rescue and sanctuary workers and volunteers.
If you would like to learn a better way to connect to your animals and help them live a better, more peaceful life, join us for a class and learn now to build lasting trust bonds with animals.