What Is Animal Reiki? Receiving Wisdom Through Gentle Presence

Learn what Animal Reiki is, how it differs from human Reiki, and why listening and animal choice are the foundation of ethical animal energy healing.

What if the most powerful way to support animals was not through effort, intention, or doing, but through listening? When people ask what is Animal Reiki, they are often searching for a technique or method of animal energy healing. 

Yet at its heart, the true Animal Reiki meaning is far more subtle and profound. Animal Reiki is a practice of presence, mindfulness, and deep listening, a way of quieting ourselves so we can receive wisdom directly from animals rather than imposing our ideas upon them. 

In this gentle guide, we will explore what Animal Reiki really is, how it differs from human Reiki, and why learning to listen, to ourselves, to animals, and to the subtle language of energy, is the foundation of all authentic Animal Reiki practice.

Reiki as a Concept

The word “Reiki” comes from two Japanese words: 

“Rei” meaning:

• spirit/higher consciousness

• wisdom of the soul or universe

  
  

and “Ki” meaning:

• energy or power 

• life force

• energy connecting mind, body and spirit

  
  

One of my favorite ways to translate it is “soul power.” For me, this really speaks to the essence of our being, and the healing power innate in it. It also implies responsibility, for with every action we choose, we create an energetic ripple effect into our world. When we wake up to the healing power of our soul’s presence, we realize that each and every moment we are influencing our world, and we must decide exactly what that influence will be.

Reiki as a Method

Animal Reiki is a gentle, meditative practice of animal energy healing that focuses on creating a calm, respectful presence where animals are free to choose how, when, and if they engage in the healing connection.

Reiki is not just a word about the essence of being, it is also a spiritual healing practice created by Mikao Usui in Japan 100 years ago. Although his original practice centered on creating a balanced life through the 5 Reiki Precepts: For today only, do not anger, do not worry, be grateful, work diligently and be kind to others – as well as hands-on healing sessions for the self and others, animal lovers have noticed that animals gravitate to the peaceful energy Reiki creates, and can benefit from Reiki in similar ways.

In fact, this is how I originally realized that animals liked Reiki: I was sitting on the couch in my home, doing a Reiki self-treatment, and my dog came in from the other room and sat directly on top of my feet. He had never done that before (he liked to sit nearby, but not on top of me), and so it was a very memorable response!

That simple but positive response led me on the path from human Reiki to Animal Reiki.

Did you know that your animals are deeply affected by your inner mental and emotional world? How does your animal respond when you are happy? Excited? Sad? Sick or in pain? Angry or anxious? Because animals are so sensitive to the energy of the people around them, it makes sense that when people are stressed or emotional, animals respond and often mirror these emotions. 

There have been several scientific studies done on what science calls “emotional contagion” between humans and animals: in dogs and in cats and in horses.

Now that you know how contagious your energy can be to your animal, wouldn’t you like to learn how to create a positive energetic field for your animal to live in? This is where Animal Reiki shines! 

Through the specific meditation techniques in Animal Reiki, we can learn to balance and harmonize our own minds, bodies and spirits, and this shift in energy creates a beautiful connection with animals, making them feel comfortable and safe. This approach to animal energy healing supports relaxation, balance, and the animal’s innate self-healing abilities.

In the Let Animals Lead® method of Animal Reiki, through my experience of thousands of hours in the field with many species of animals from a multitude of backgrounds and health conditions, I have created a “recipe of healing connection” that combines the fundamental techniques of Reiki with awareness practices to help us begin to notice and regulate our thoughts and emotions, all guided by the ethical imperative of animal agency/leadership in all sessions. 

To honor the sensitivities and preferences of animals, Animal Reiki is not touch-based unless animals initiate physical touch, and mental focus is never given to the ailment or issue. By allowing animals to guide the proximity of connections and learning to see deeper than what is wrong (I call this seeing with our “Reiki eyes”) we can learn to create an energy that feels like a healing sanctuary for the animals we love to connect to. 

What Animal Reiki is Not

Not forced touch

Not focusing on illness or “fixing”

Not overriding animal choice

The Three Levels of Listening

Listening is the foundation of all that we do as practitioners in the Let Animals Lead® method. First, we must learn to listen to ourselves through mindfulness. What are our own thoughts and what emotions are going on inside our inner landscape?

This can feel uncomfortable at first, as we train our minds to be present and notice, and we begin to realize how many thoughts and emotions are running rampant at any given moment! But by looking and noticing these million thoughts, we already create a little distance between us and those thoughts and emotions. In time and with practice, we can become the observer and loosen the powerful grip our thoughts/emotions have when we are just reacting to them, rather than watching and listening to them.

Second, we must learn to listen to the animals when we meditate in their presence. They will show us so much about connection through physical and emotional cues, yet most humans don’t pay much attention to these subtle signs. A horse might take a step closer to connect, or further away to weaken a connection. They may stiffen their body to resist connection or lower their head and relax their lip to accept connection. A dog might walk away or come closer, show discomfort or trust.

Once we begin to recognize the subtle physical/emotional clues animals are showing us, either connecting or disconnecting, we can begin to listen into the energetic cues they also share. 

An energetic connection is similar to a physical or emotional connection, except that the way you sense it may be more subtle. For example, listening to the physical cue, you use your eyes. I see that my horse is walking away from me. Listening to an emotional cue, you use your eyes, but also your empathy. I see that the dog is afraid of humans, so I’ll be patient and just let him relax at his own pace. To listen to an energetic cue, you use your inner stillness (and that’s why meditation is our foundation!).

The quieter I am in my thoughts and emotions, the more I may notice an energetic “wave” of connection with a dog I am sitting with. It might feel like a vibration or buzzing in my hands or head or a magnetic pull or deep peaceful feeling in my heart or mind. Some people may see colors or a hear a soft hum. Listen in and see how the energy of connection shows up for you. 

This energy connection is often mirrored in the physical/emotional cues they show, so we can practice listening at levels that run deeper and deeper over time and with more practice. For example, when I’m first meditating with my dog and I begin to “listen” for connection, I might notice, “Hey, he sat on my feet!” as I did with my dog many years ago.

With more practice, we might begin to notice the emotions that accompany the physical behavior of connection and how my own patience and acceptance can deepen those positive emotional responses of relaxation, trust, calm and happiness in our animals.

And then with more practice, we may begin to also notice a deeper layer of connection happening at the same time: a stronger energy flow in times my dog relaxes more deeply, a weaker energy flow when my dog gets up or walks away from me. 

Is Animal Reiki Safe for All Animals?

Animal Reiki is a non-invasive, consent-based practice that honors each animal’s individuality, preferences, and boundaries. Because it is grounded in quiet meditation, listening, and allowing animals to choose how they engage, it is considered safe for animals of all ages, species, and health conditions.

In the Let Animals Lead® method, animals are never restrained, touched without invitation, or focused on as “problems” to be fixed. Instead, they are respected as conscious participants who guide the pace, proximity, and depth of every connection.

The great thing about sharing Reiki with animals, is that they already are so aware of the subtlety of energetic connections, that we can learn how to do it by just sitting with them and inviting them into our quiet space of presence and peacefulness.

How to Begin Reiki with Animals

Begin with quiet meditation and self-awareness.

Observe physical and emotional cues without judgment.

Allow animals to choose distance, duration, and connection.

When we truly understand what Animal Reiki is, we realize that it is not something we do to animals, but something we share with them. Through listening, first inwardly, then outwardly, and finally energetically, we create a space where animals feel safe, respected, and empowered to guide the connection.

This is the heart of animal energy healing in the Let Animals Lead® method, honoring animal agency, trusting their wisdom, and allowing healing to unfold naturally.

As you begin or deepen your Animal Reiki journey, remember that animals are already masters of subtle awareness. When we slow down, soften our expectations, and listen with patience and compassion, they become our greatest teachers, gently showing us how healing, connection, and peace arise through presence alone.