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I have always had an affinity with animals, intuitively I had always felt a calming and healing presence in the company of animals. Each animal that I encountered became a teacher to me, helping me to understand that all sentient beings are natural born healers, with a purpose in becoming a companion to their special person. In my experience all of my animal companions understood and accepted me unconditionally far more often than people ever did.
Since my late teens, I have been involved in animal rescue & rehabilitation, volunteering my spare time to advocate for those voiceless sentient beings, who for no fault of their own, were failed by their humans and sadly ended up in the animal rescue community. In the early 2000’s I attended an animal rescue healing workshop, where I learned about therapeutic touch and about meditating with energy healing for animals and experienced Reiki for the first time, and also saw first hand, how Reiki meditation helped to provide a calming nurturing effect on most rescued dogs, cats and horses.
This ignited my passion to learn more about energy healing and Animal Reiki.
Since 2020, I have been actively sharing my personal Usui Reiki practice with Animals.
Fast forward to June, 2024, this year when I decided to attend an Equine Reiki training day, with Laura Barbour, Reiki Master Teacher and the wild Spanish mustangs of the Medicine Pony Tribe, which is an Accredited Animal Reiki Training Centre by the UK Reiki Federation.
Let Animals Lead® is quite different from other Animal Reiki methods. It is a unique approach to sharing Reiki with animals which is a meditation based foundation. Animal led reiki sessions are quite different to a standard hands-on reiki session as with people. All sentient beings are inherently natural born healers, and when we embrace ‘Being Reiki’ we choose to hold sacred space without judgement. Our hands are in the Gassho position, or facing outwards, and touch is only used when the animal presents itself against our palms, indicating acceptance of hands on reiki.
As Animal Reiki practitioners, we are not only embodying the Reiki precepts, we also acknowledge the 6 Pillars of Animal Reiki through the release of our ego’s and choose to detach from the healing outcome, viewing all animals as perfectly imperfect in that moment. We are ‘Being Reiki’ by seeking consent and offering to share unconditional Love in a safe healing space, choosing “to let go of “doing” Reiki and instead learning the healing power of compassionate presence within an Animal Reiki Meditation.” -Kathleen Prassad. (reference https://www.animalreikisource.com)
Meditation with the Medicine pony tribe was a wonderful experience, in which I was able to return to the basics of Usui Shiki Ryoho Reiki and put those foundational Usui Reiki Japanese meditations into practice, while surrendering fully to the healing wisdom of the wild Spanish mustangs. Wild Mustangs are incredibly sensitive to energy, scents and emotions, so to prepare myself, I took the opportunity to ground centre and shield by using Kenyoko Ho, also known as dry bathing.
Kenyoko Ho or Dry Bathing is a quick routine that you can practice at the beginning of your Usui Reiki meditation or hands-on-healing practice. It is practiced to cleanse the body, mind and spirit. We practice Kenyoku Ho with the intention to clear anything that is preventing us from being an open and receptive channel for Reiki. It can also be used to ground and disconnect from people, and situations that are taking you out of the present moment.
While working with the mustangs I sat in meditation and set my intentions – to be a clear conduit for Reiki to flow for the highest good of all beings. Joshin Kokyu Ho is a foundational meditation practice in the tradition of Reiki. This practice builds the Hara, improves concentration and clears the energy field. Practise this meditation for approximately 15 minutes. This meditation can improve the flow of breath, and Reiki in the body and mind. It can lessen the effects of stress, and help you ground your energy field.
Once I was sufficiently prepared energetically, I was permitted to enter the corral area where the ponies were busy eating and relaxing, while enjoying their feed. The ponies are used to a specific routine and after raising my vibration and seeking their consent, I was very hopeful to be accepted by the tribe & be allowed to interact respectfully.
Standing quietly and as unobtrusive as possible, I continued in the Gassho position, while practising Reiki breathwork and paying attention to their body language. Expanding my aura and widening the healing space, suddenly several ponies approached me & granted permission by nuzzling my hands, and venturing closer to sniff.
One of the ponies, Mystery Illusion, had decided she wanted a personal hands-on Reiki session, which according to Laura, was quite unusual for this particular lady. She placed her head into my palms for a gentle scratch and then continued moving back and forth under my hands, as she indicated she wanted a whole-body reiki energy sweep from nose to tail. She then pressed her head against my forehead and held that position for several moments, while breathing deeply and sharing her energy, she then nuzzled my neck and continued to take deep breaths, while sighing deeply. At this moment, intuitively I received an energetic download of many images in quick succession, psychically. I began explaining to Laura what I had felt, sensed, and seen, a mountain of information, I tried to accept and decipher without placing my interpretation. Laura was able to verify and confirm 8/10 of the pieces of information that the lovely and most chatty Mystery Illusion had shared with me.
Over the next few hours, several other of the mustangs also approached me, eager to have my undivided attention, and take part in sharing Reiki space with me. It was such a wonderful experience. It truly was such a blessing & spiritual experience I can’t put into words. To let the ponies teach me, and surrendering to the Wisdom and healing with the Spanish Mustang Herd was an experience to behold & cherish.
Thank you Laura so much, I can’t wait to return again one day for Celtic Horse whispering & Meditation. That day can’t come soon enough.
By Elaine Bowler, Reiki Master, Animal Reiki Practitioner and Director on the Board of Reiki Australia.
