When giving a Reiki treatment in person, I generally begin the treatment at a short distance from an animal, rather than with my hands directly on him, to give him a chance to experience the energy and evaluate it in his own way and in his own time. Animals are more sensitive to energy than people and quickly understand what Reiki is and its healing potential. During a treatment animals may come close to my hands and move away several times and often end up lying close by or under my hands, showing me which areas are most in need of healing.
After an animal becomes acquainted with the feeling of Reiki, he usually becomes very relaxed and often falls asleep for some period of the treatment. Animals frequently show their gratitude for a Reiki treatment by licking my face or hands, nuzzling me, or making happy, satisfied sounds after the treatment is finished.
People often ask me what Reiki feels like for an animal. With people Reiki is most often associated with feelings of peace and deep relaxation, and this is true for animals as well. Reiki can also be experienced as a sensation of mild heat, vibration, or pulsing, especially when a treatment is given with the healer’s hands directly on the animal.
The results of a treatment are usually noticed soon after a treatment or over the following several days to a week. It may become clear that a physical injury or illness has healed more rapidly than expected or that an emotional or behavioral challenge has shifted or released. Deeper or longer-standing challenges may take several treatments to begin to shift and regular treatments for a period of time to facilitate the process of working through and letting go of the issues that need healing.
Reiki finds the matters that are most in need of healing, and these matters may not be what is expected. Physical issues can have emotional root causes, and, when it is in the best interest of the animal, Reiki can help him to resolve and release these matters and return to more robust emotional and physical health.
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