Peaceful Moments with Deuce: Easing Arthritis through TTouch and Reiki

Deuce is a stunning senior cat who I have been working with for a couple of months.  His person, Alice, volunteers at BARC Shelter (where I volunteer) and she had told me he has arthritis. 

I have been working with him primarily with Reiki, but with TTouches mixed into our session.  Alice has told me that before we started working together, Deuce had stopped a lot of the activities that he generally enjoyed, but that now he is much more interested in being up and about, which is great!

Deuce is a friendly, affectionate cat, and was certainly game for giving TTouch and Reiki a try pretty much right off the bat.

Most often, we will start out by doing some TTouches, and as we do this, he gets comfortable and will decide where he wants to settle.  Then I transition into a Reiki session with him.  After the Reiki session, sometimes I will do some TTouches with him as well.  That is not to say that I would treat every animal with arthritis in this way, but this is the way of working that feels right for him at this time.  Each animal is different, and I feel that what will most benefit an animal as far as treatment can shift and change over time. 

Something so beautiful that can happen in the course of repeated Reiki sessions, that I am feeling with Deuce, is a deepening connection with him.  I nearly always feel this type of progression with repeated sessions of Reiki.  I feel that he absorbs the Reiki energy at a deeper level each time that I work with him.  It feels that the deepening level of trust allows the energy to permeate him at a deeper level each time. 

The other thing that I have been incorporating into our sessions at times is the concept of color therapy.  I have been studying this lately, and so sometimes I will send the energy of a color to an animal while I am working with them.

The first time I did this with Deuce was an especially interesting experience.  While on the subway on the way to an appointment, I always start sending Reiki to the animal I will be working with.  This time I also began to send the essence of the color turquoise.  This color is a mixture of green and blue, which are both very cool, healing colors, and turquoise has to do with restoration and dissipating pain, so it felt like a very appropriate color to ease his arthritis.

When I got to the appointment and began to work with Deuce, he began to get himself settled as usual, but the interesting thing was that he settled right on top of a turquoise blue bag!  For the rest of the session, I kept picturing that he was surrounded with turquoise light.  And for the rest of the session, he remained settled on the bag.  I also began to see turquoise highlights on his fur as I worked.

I always feel an intention to offer Reiki to an animal for the highest good, but sometimes on top of that I will have a more specific intention.  In Deuce's case, it is to help ease his arthritis.  Sometimes I will feel my hands guided to certain parts of his body, but most often with him, as with many animals, he will shift himself until my hands are where he wants them to be.  Sometimes the hand positions will shift several times during an appointment, other times I may stay just about all the time in one position.  Reiki energy will go where it is needed, regardless of hand position :)

A little side note, there is another kitty in the house, a shy, sweet boy named Gruff.  Quite often, he will come to me for a few TTouches, or settle somewhere near where I am working with Deuce to pick up some of the energy.  Below is Gruff, on one of his favorite chairs, in an inquisitive mood.

Below is Deuce in one of his favorite spots, where he settled for our most recent session.  I was feeling the pinkish-red of the chair enveloping him with such a warm, loving feeling during the session.  Like he was sinking into that very soft feeling.  He went completely into what we call a Reiki nap, which feels like a rather daydreamy type of state.  He is giving a rather funny expression here, though, as it was right after the session.  I had felt him really go down into a very deep place of relaxation, and I think he wanted to get back to napping!

Thank you Deuce! I look forward to seeing you soon! xo

Yankee, RIP

I am constantly reminded of how special BARC shelter in Brooklyn really is.  The people who run it have huge hearts and open their hearts and doors to so many animals who would not have a chance otherwise.

Yankee was a sweet dog who arrived at BARC Shelter around last July. He stayed up in the Cat Loft (the place where I volunteer at BARC) at BARC along with the cats, a few other smaller dogs, two pigeons and Marsha the chicken.  So I had the honor and pleasure of getting to know him.

He was unable to use his front legs, apparently because he had been left for a long time with the legs tied together.  He also had a problem with his heart. 
Yet, though he had been through so much, he had such an amazing and sweet spirit that he touched all who knew him.  The staff and volunteers at the shelter spent a lot of time with him and gave him so much love.  Donations made it possible to get him a special wheelchair so it was easier for him to get around.  He could really speed around on the wheelchair, and it took pressure off the rest of his body which was trying to compensate for the front legs not working.  He generally seemed very chipper when he was in the wheelchair.
Below: Yankee in his wheelchair

Several months after he arrived, a little white poodle named Rain arrived at the shelter.  Rain is unable to use her back legs, as she was bred too many times.  Yet Rain has a sweet and spunky spirit and manages to get around very well despite her condition. 
It didn't take too long before these two animals became inextricably connected with each other, and they were near each other all the time. 


Below: Rain with Yankee

Recently, Yankee's health began to decline.  He seemed to start having more stomach upsets, and not long after that, he got kennel cough, which was very hard for him on top of his other issues.
Rain was right at his side the whole time. And Marsha the chicken, who often hung out near Yankee and Rain, often also would sat next to them at this point too, as if she knew that Yankee was not well.

Below, Yankee in the middle, Rain upper right and Marsha lower left.

And of course, the BARC staff and volunteers, who always gave much love and care to Yankee, spent time with him. During most of Yankee's time there, Colin was the Cat Loft person and did so much to help Yankee feel comfortable and happy, as well as loved.  And when Jayne took over his position recently, she did all she could as well.  And of course BARC gave him the medical care he needed, but finally there was not much more that they could do. 
During Yankee's time at the shelter, I had done quite a few TTouch or Reiki sessions with Yankee, during which time I would usually have Rain on my lap.  And when his health began to take a nose dive, I did a couple of extra-long Reiki sessions with him at that time.  I could feel he was having a very rough time of it.  His breathing was getting labored and I could feel his life force was diminishing.  But I did feel that in the moment the Reiki energy relaxed his body so that I could feel him breathing more deeply than he had before, and I could feel him really absorbing the energy.  Last Friday, when I left, though I knew he was in rough condition, he did seem more peaceful to me.  Of course, my wishful thinking was hoping somehow he could get through this.....
Saturday when I arrived at the shelter, I heard that Tony and Vinny, the shelter owners, had taken Yankee and Rain to their apartment.  And at about 2:30, sadly we were informed that Yankee had passed on. 
Everyone was so so sad, this was a huge loss.This small dog was such a huge presence in the shelter and in everyone's hearts.  And of course for Rain and some of the other animals who were close to him, it will be a huge adjustment and certainly a grieving period. 
However, of course, there was relief as well, knowing that he was no longer in pain and discomfort.  I picture him running effortlessly, with all four legs going and his ears flying in the wind. 
Thank you Yankee, for teaching us all so much about love, forgiveness and strength of spirit.  You gave us all so much.  And thank you to all who did so much for this sweet creature.

TTouch and Reiki with Jinx: Relax and Energize

Above: Reiki with Jinx (photo is a bit hard to make out but I have one hand about six inches in front of his chest, near where his hind feet were, and the other a few inches away from his back.

I went to work with Jordyn's (http://dancingminddesign.com/) cat Jinx today, who has been losing mobility in his back legs, either due to an injury or a tumor. He has been continuing to lose mobility but TTouch and Reiki (combined with a lot of love and contact with Jordyn of course) have been helping him to keep in as optimum balance as he can, given his condition.

I had made a Bach Flower remedy for Jinx, and Jordyn gave it to him right before I came over, so he was in a relaxed mode when I got there. He was resting on his bed, so I sat down near him and started out by sending him Reiki energy from a short distance away. Many, actually probably most cats prefer to have Reiki energy offered a bit off their body as opposed to directly hands-on, as they are very sensitive and the energy can be too intense for them with direct contact. So after a few minutes I did move a bit closer, but remained about 3 to 6 inches away from his body during most of the session. I had one hand near his hind legs and feet, the other hand above the center of his back. As these are two areas which are compromised, I felt guided there and he responded, relaxing more and more, eventually taking a little nap. At one point I put my left hand very gently around one hind leg and then the other, offering warm energy there, as he appears to often have very little sensation. And with my other hand, as I felt guided, I moved my hand over the various chakras on the back, feeling the energy grow stronger as I worked.

When I felt he had enough, I quietly closed the Reiki session and spoke to Jordyn for a few minutes. She felt she had benefited from the session as well - she said initially she felt sleepy but by the end of the session she felt clear and energized, which is great. And as we spoke, we saw Jinx cleaning one of his hind legs and his hind paw, which was wonderful to see.

Then Jinx got up and started to move around a bit. His hind feet can flip over so he is dragging them, but if you help adjust him so they are on the ground, he can start to use them a bit. I also found that, as I have done several times, with my hand gently around his tail (I am not holding the tail at all, my hand is just in a cupped shape around the fur of his tail, barely touching the end of the fur), and moving the tail in gentle, slow circle and a quarter movements, he starts to get a better sense of balance. Connected clouded leopard TTouches going down either side of his spine seem to be helpful as well.

Love you and see you soon, Jinx!

TTouch and Reiki with Jinx: March 4, 2012

I've been working for a while with Jinx, one of my friend Jordyn Thiessen's (http://dancingminddesign.com/) animals. He has been losing mobility in his hind legs, either due to an injury or tumor. Through TTouch and Reiki I have been working to keep him in as optimum balance as is possible. Though he is continuing to gradually lose mobility and, it seems, sensation in his lower back and legs, these modalities can help him to at least be as comfortable as possible and to help keep as much connection as is possible. TTouch influences the nervous system, and Reiki can help to bring relaxation and optimize his potential for physical and emotional balance, at least to help maximize what is possible given his condition. Recently I made a bach flower remedy for Jinx too, which should help him to feel more comfortable.

When I began today, he was very cozy in one of his cat beds so I began with Reiki. As he usually does, he shifted his position so that my hands would be where he wanted the energy to go. Another thing he often does which he did today was to connect with me by touching my hand or my arm with one of his paws.

Today I spent a lot of time with my hand on the lower half of his body and at the base of his tail, but during the session I did have my hands over the chakras on the upper part of the back as well. He was very receptive to the energy and became very relaxed, stretching out and he had a dream at one point. At various points I did some TTouch as well, connected TTouches down either side of the back and some raccoon TTouches on his hind paws and his legs.

During the session, the other pets in the apartment became relaxed as well and took a nap. Petey, one of the two dogs, snuggled up right next to me.

After the Reiki session he was interested in moving around a bit. He is having increased trouble feeling his hind feet on the ground and will often knuckle over and be dragging one or both hind feet and legs. As he walked, I followed him, lifting him a bit to put him more on his feet, then doing some TTouches on his hind feet and strokes down his legs and some strokes and TTouches down his body as well, to help remind him of whatever connection he can feel. After a minute he did start to use his feet a bit more. Another thing I did that seemed to help keep him on track was to gently influence him by having a hand on either side of his hips about an inch or so away, kind of guiding him to stay in a narrower path so that he would be less wobbly. This seemed to be useful for him as well.

Jinx had worked up an appetite by this point, so he had some food and water, then laid down again. I did some Reiki with him about a foot or so away, directing the energy to the room as well to Jinx, and the energy in the room became very calm. Jinx began to close his eyes and look very cozy. I closed the session and very quietly got up, thanking them and saying goodbye.

Much love to you all and see you soon! Will be sending extra Reiki to Jinx distantly as well.....

TTouch and Reiki with Jinx (and Sammi)

Above: Offering Reiki to Jinx (grey and white cat) with one hand and Sammi (black cat) with the other

Today I went to work with my friend Jordyn's (http://dancingminddesign.com/) cat Jinx, who has been losing mobility in his back legs, due either to a disk problem or tumor. It's been a couple of weeks since I saw him, and he did seem weaker in his back end when we started out today. Sometimes he will walk on his feet knuckled-over, drag one or both back legs, or collapse. This has been ongoing to some degree but did seem to be worse initially today.

First I worked with him with a TTouch half-wrap on, which seemed to help his awareness right away. He began to use his back feet more and was falling less. As he moved, I was doing connected TTouches going down either side of his back, as well as some TTouches on his hind feet and legs. These also helped him to get some more connection. The above pic is from a previous session, but is to show you basically what the wrap looks like. Please visit this link at my youtube channel for a demo of the wrap, plus demos of many other TTouches: http://youtube.com/sarahsuricat.

When he was tired, he curled up on one of his cat beds and I began to offer Reiki energy to him, first from a short distance, and then hands-on. His eyes closed and he began to stretch out. I also did little raccoon TTouches on his hind feet, in between the toes, on the toes and feet and up and down the legs a bit. Sometimes I used my thumb to do the TTouches, stabilizing my hand with my index finger. Below, he nudged my hand with his paw, as though to connect further.

While I did this, Sammi, another of Jordyn's cats, was on the other side of where I was sitting, rubbing against me as she is in heat (she will be spayed soon!). She was craving the energy as well, and calmed as I put one hand on her back, and then her belly. Both of them calmed as I did this.

After a while, Jinx got up, walked around some more, then settled on a cat bed again. Again, Sammi settled on the other side of me, so I offered her Reiki as well part of the time (with one hand on Jinx and the other on her). I started out with one of my hands on either side of Jinx, close to where he was, and ended up with my hands around his shoulder area, or the brachial chakras. I felt a very strong connection and the energy being pulled into his body, and I visualized it traveling down his body to his hind legs. Later on, he shifted so that one of my hands was over his lower back around the base of his tail, and so I sent the energy to first his sacral chakra and then his base chakra, again feeling and visualizing the energy going into his body and down his legs. I literally felt it pulled there as well. We spent quite a good amount of time there. The energy in the whole apartment felt very peaceful.

When I felt he had enough, I ended the session. When he got up to walk again, Jordyn said that he was doing much better than he had been before.

Much love to you Jinx, Jordyn, Sammi and the rest of the Jordyn's furry ones. Look forward to seeing you all soon.

TTouch, Reiki and Wraps with Jinx: November 30

Yesterday I went to work with Jordyn Thiessen's (http://dancingminddesign.com/) kitty Jinx. Jinx has been having mobility issues, either due to a disk problem or tumor, and has been having trouble using his back legs. Over the past few sessions, I have been using a TTouch half wrap, full wrap, and a bit of a candy cane wrap with him. Though he still clearly has trouble, and tends to bring the middle part of his back up and sort of swivel his hips to make his legs move, I have noticed that he does seem to use his back feet more than I had seen before, and he seems to be retaining some of that feeling without the wrap.

When I arrived at Jordyn's apartment, Jinx was very cute, it seemed as though he was showing off for me, showing me what he could do without the wrap on. There are steps which lead up to the bed, and Jinx climbed up and down these, really using the pads of his hind feet, instead of dragging the hind legs along. He did this both going up and down the steps, and did it several times during the session. He also walked up and down the apartment, using his legs quite well for him. Sometimes he loses the feeling and will drag the right hind leg a bit, the top of the foot dragging on the ground a bit, but overall he seems to be using his legs more completely than I observed a couple of weeks ago before we started using the wrap.



We went out in the hallway, which has long been a place where Jinx likes to go, and he enjoys walking up and down the hall. The minute we got out there he started purring and rubbing his head against the wall, and rubbing his head against my hand when I got near him. We used the half wrap (above two pictures and the one below),



as well as the full wrap, which I made by adding on to the half wrap and wrapping around each hind leg (sorry, no pics of that this week). We also tried using the back half of the wrap to do a kind of candy cane wrap around the two hind legs. I looped the second wrap through the back part of the half wrap and then wound each side around each hind leg, tying around the bottom. Not quite sure if this is an official TTouch configuration, but it did seem to help remind him of the feeling in the legs. I didn't leave it on long, as it seemed to be a bit much for him, but it felt like it was a good idea to try for a short bit, just to bring his awareness to the legs.

I was also intermittently doing some TTouches on him - connected circular TTouches going down his back, some TTouches going down his hind legs, etc. After several forays up and down the hall, I took him back into the apartment space. We did some walking work there too, then gave him some treats and a rest on his bed. While he sat on his bed, I did some Reiki with him, as well as some TTouches on his hind legs and feet. I did clouded leopard TTouches going down his hind legs, then some raccoon TTouches on his hind feet. I did even teeny tiny circles on his toes, and then held each toe one by one, doing the smallest possible circle with the toe. Trust me when I say it these were small circles with the toes, barely a movement at all. This work is very careful and subtle, but these subtle movements have the very powerful effect of helping to bring awareness of what is at the root of these movements, and ideally to retrain the body how to move in the most efficient manner, or to be as balanced as possible in any given situation, even one that may continue to be compromised.

The Reiki helped Jinx to be very calm and relaxed and he started to groom himself, seeming to tell me he was done. Thanks Jinx, look forward to seeing you soon!! xo

Jinx and the TTouch Body Wrap

I have been working with my friend Jordyn Thiessen's (http://dancingminddesign.com/) cat Jinx, as he has been losing mobility in his hind legs, either due to a disk problem or a tumor. TTouch and Reiki have been helping him to feel more comfortable and bring some more connection, but last week I decided to try a wrap with him.
I am never sure how a cat will react to having a wrap put on them. For many cats, especially the cats who I work with in the shelters, who are often fearful, the stress of putting the wrap on is just too much for them, even when done gradually. However, some cats are completely accepting of the wrap and for them, the experience can be profound.



Jinx was completely fine with me putting the half wrap on him. I used a two-inch ace bandage cut in half so it was really a one-inch bandage. What was interesting was that immediately he began to walk and it was obvious that he felt much more connection to his hind feet and legs. Lately, his legs are generally quite wobbly, and can buckle altogether or sometimes his feet will flip over so he is dragging the front part of his feet.

We went into the hall with him, where he likes to walk, and I connected another wrap to the half-wrap so that he now had a full wrap on, which you will see in one of the videos. He is doing quite well, using his feet more completely and using his legs in a more integrated way. At the end of the first clip, he gets a bit tired and loses balance again, but altogether this is a big improvement for him.

Then we took off the wrap, and immediately his hind legs buckled again. However, once Jordyn put him into standing position, he started to use his legs more fully again, though could retain the balance for just a short time.

Then we put a half-wrap on him again, and again he was walking in a more integrated and full way. And when we took it off the second time, he seemed to retain the feeling of balance a bit longer than he had the previous time.
Our hope is that with some time and practice, his body will start to remember the feeling of connection without the wrap, or, at least, he will be able to be as balanced as is possible for him, given whatever his medical condition may be.
I have a demo of the half-wrap on my youtube channel http://youtube.com/sarahsuricat, and will try to get a demo of the full wrap up soon. There are different ways to do it, but for Jinx, I just added onto the half-wrap by looping another wrap through the back part of the half-wrap, then looping it around the hind legs.

At the end, I did some Reiki with Jinx to help him wind down again. Thanks Jinx! look forward to seeing you soon. xo

Peaceful Moments with Jinx: TTouch and Reiki, Nov 2

Today I went to work with my friend Jordyn Thiessen's (http://dancingminddesigncom) cat Jinx. He has been having trouble using his back legs, most likely due either to a disk problem or a tumor. He can get around, but the back legs are wobbly and sometimes collapse. I have been working with him with TTouch and Reiki to help him to feel comfortable, and in hopes of maximizing whatever connection is possible through the neural pathways, as TTouch communicates with the nervous system.
Today, as I usually do, I started out with Reiki from a short distance away, so as not to overwhelm him with too much energy. I first felt some heat around his heart and solar plexus chakras, so focused the energy there for a while, and then sent him energy around the area of his hips and legs.
After this, he went and ate for a little bit, then walked up and down hall. I took this opportunity to do some zigzag TTouches crossing over his back and down his legs, and then some connected TTouches working down either side of his back and down his legs. I also did a bit of energy work focusing the energy through my fingers just barely touching him, going down either side of his spine.


After this, Jinx relaxed again on on his bed. At this point I was able to do some energy work touching him very lightly. First I did energy work with my hands very slowly working down one of his back legs, followed by some TTouches on the and the paw. He was extremely relaxed at this point. He then, without any prompting from me, turned over so I could work on his other leg. It is so interesting how, most often, animals will shift their body until your hands are where they feel they need the work. After working on the other hind leg, I very slowly started doing energy work on either side of his spine (my fingers just barely touching him) and then down his tail, as the tail is really an extension of the cat's spine and has so much of a role in their balance. I then worked slowly down either side of his spine again. Keep in mind that the TTouches were done with extremely light pressure, and the energy work was all done with my fingers just barely touching his skin, so I was not pressing into his body. However I did feel as though the energy was pulling my hands into his body, even though my fingers were remaining barely resting on the skin. With energy work it most often really feels like I merge with the animal in the midst of the session, then at the session we become separate entities again.
Throughout this whole process he became more and more relaxed, stretching his back out as I went and becoming more and more peaceful. I could feel the energy in the room become more peaceful as well as I worked. Jordyn's other cat and dogs were also resting at this point, her dog Petey at my feet. Thanks so much all! and look forward to seeing you soon.

Reiki with Jinx: August 28

I went to do Reiki with my friend Jordyn Thiessen's (http://dancingminddesign.com) cat Jinx today - last night was when Hurricane Irene came through, definitely not with as much force as was expected, that's for sure! but storms can have an effect on the animals, big or small. Jinx has been having mobility problems - his back legs don't seem to have much sensation in them, so he can't use them quite properly (either a disk problem or tumor).

Jinx actually seemed to be in relaxed condition when I got there, he was resting in a crate that he enjoys. I sat outside the crate and began to offer him Reiki from a short distance away, maybe 6-8 inches. Initially, the front part of his body was nearest my hands, but he soon shifted his position so that my hands were sending the energy to his back legs and lower back, which is something he has done before. Sometimes animals prefer to have you send the energy to a part of the body other than the one having the most trouble, as it can be too sensitive there, but Jinx regularly has usually shown me by shifting his position that he wants me to send the energy right there. He really stretched out and relaxed, taking a little Reiki nap.

One of Jordyn's dogs, Petey, who can often be very active and "in your face" for attention, calmly fell asleep right behind me as I did this :)

After a time, he shifted again, so that one hand was sending energy towards his abdomen and the other, more towards his head and towards where the heart chakra is on the front part of the body. His eyes relaxed and he got very cozy there for a time.

He shifted position a couple of more times, and I had thought he was done but then for a few minutes I felt more energy coming out of my hands towards his heart chakra again, so I stayed there briefly and his eyes relaxed.

After we were done, he got up and walked slowly towards the apartment door. One of the activities he really enjoys is walking out in the hallway, and I was happy to see that he wanted to do this, - that even though he walks rather gingerly, he still is motivated to do the things he enjoys.

Reiki with Jinx: August 23

I have been doing ongoing Reiki treatments with my friend Jordyn Thiessen's (http://dancingminddesign.com/) cat Jinx, as he has been having trouble walking and using his hind legs, due to either a disc problem or tumor. In general, though of course it is apparent that this issue is troubling to him, he seems to generally be more alert and more engaged in the activities he enjoys, and can get around, though he is wobbly. I have showed Jordyn a number of the TTouches so that she is able to do them with him as well.

Today Jordyn took a number of photos (thanks Jordyn!) and so the photos pretty much show the story of what happened today during the Reiki session.

As I usually do with Jinx (and with most animals, unless it is clear that they are comfortable with hands-on Reiki), I started out a short distance away from him, offering gentle Reiki energy. He had his back end closest to me, which was interesting, as this is the area which is giving him trouble. As time passed, he eased more and more into the energy, so I got a bit closer, keeping one hand still facing his back end, and the other slightly over the area of his heart chakra.

Gradually he turned around and faced me, and I continued to move gradually closer, as he seemed more comfortable.

He has very big, soulful eyes, and it is very intense sometimes when our eyes connect with each other!

At one point, as he often does, he extended one of his front paws out to me, to make that connection for a while. And as we continued, he contined to relax and stretch out.

much love to you Jinx, look forward to seeing you soon!

Reiki with Jinx: August 19

I have been doing Reiki treatments with my friend Jordyn Thiessen's (http://dancingminddesign.com) cat Jinx for the past few weeks. He has been having trouble using his back legs, either due to a tumor or disc problem.
When I went today, I saw that he is still having trouble getting around and it is clear that something is not right with him but generally he does seem to be more engaged than he was a few weeks ago. He's managing to get around and to do some of his usual routines, which is good.
One thing that is really sweet is that he and one of Jordyn's dogs, Buddy, are hanging out together a lot. Today while I was doing Reiki with Jinx, Buddy was always nearby, as you see in the picture below.
Today Jinx mostly preferred the energy to come to him from a distance. I could feel him relax into it, particularly in one position when he was resting in a sun patch. I felt the energy coming out of my hands extremely strongly and it seemed to be going to his abdomen area. Often during this session, he positioned himself so that my hands were directing the energy to his lower back and legs, where he is having trouble feeling sensation.
Today after the session, Jordyn commented on how his coat even looked better, which is something I have noticed with Jinx and sometimes with other animals after a session. I am wondering if this is because the skin relaxes?? In any event, it is interesting! much love, Jinx, and see you soon!

Reiki with Jinx, August 16, Gentle Connection

Today I went again to work with my friend Jordyn Thiessen's (http://dancingminddesign.com/) cat. He has been losing mobility in his hind legs, and the vet thinks it is either a disk problem or a tumor. I have been doing Reiki treatments with him, which he has been very receptive to. I have showed Jordyn how to do some TTouches, and she is also doing some Reiki with him. She is also giving him a homeopathic remedy from the vet.


When I saw Jinx today, he came out into the hall when I first arrived, which is something he loves to do, so that is a good sign. It is not easy for him to get around but he is a trooper. It was good to see him engaged enough to want to try to move around as best he can. After a bit, he settled on the bed and I was sitting very near him.

I started out doing Reiki with him from a short distance away, so as not to overwhelm him by doing hands-on right away. He had just had his homeopathic remedy, which helps him to be very relaxed. Initially he was facing me. I had my left hand near the front of his body on the right side and the right hand was a few inches from his body, maybe 2/3 of the way down near the sp chakra but off to the side. I saw him start to stretch out, and he draped his paw over my wrist. I think every time I've been there, he has wanted to make a connection using his paw. Later in the session he actually stretched his front leg and paw out, so that his whole front leg and part of his body were draped over my arm, his head very close to mine. This was so sweet, I could really feel him relax into it. We remained in this position for quite a long time, with much of his body draped over my arm.


When he had enough of receiving Reiki from this position, he got up, turned his body completely around and stretched out again, so that my hands were close to his back legs, hips and lower back. It felt clear that he wanted me to send the energy to that area. This was interesting, as sometimes it is too intense for the animal to receive directly in the area which is an issue.

So I did continue sending him Reiki from that position, so it was directed at the legs, lower back and hips, but I kept my hands a few inches away, so the energy would not be too overwhelming. I tried at a couple of points to see if hands-on would be comfortable for him, but it was clear that he was more comfortable with the gentler feel of my hands being further away.


As we continued, I told him he was very loved and very safe, several times, and I saw him really let go as he heard these words.


After quite a while, he adjusted himself til he was in another position, this time sort of sideways to me. It felt like we were reaching the end of the session, so I did did a little more energy work in this position, and then finished up the session. It was such a pleasure to see him so relaxed and peaceful. Thanks so much Jinx, look forward to seeing you soon, xoxo

Reiki with Jinx, August 10: More Confident, Calm and Mobile

Today when I went to work with Jinx, I noticed that he was a lot more alert and in the moment, and was also moving around more and seemed to be walking better. Though his back legs are still unsteady, he seems to use the legs more fully and to have more confidence in general. He was also jumping a little and going from one level to another in a way that he hasn't been for the past few weeks. It was such a pleasure to see him able to move around like this, and to see him seeming to be in better spirits as well.
I think there has been a combination of factors which have been helping Jinx: giving him the mental and physical space he needs to rest and be quiet, the medication the vet has prescribed, and Jordyn thinks TTouch and Reiki have been beneficial to him as well in this process, helping to aid in his balance, stability, calm and confidence. Not to mention all the love this sweet cat is getting! I have showed Jordyn some TTouches which I think will help Jinx with relaxation and connection of his front and back ends, including his legs, and she has also been doing some energy healing with Jinx in between our sessions.


Today I started in the same way as I have been the past few sessions, sitting a short distance away, and eventually I got closer and closer. A long portion of the session was spent with my hands about six inches away, which seems to be a good distance for him, since it is not overly intense. After this, I was also able to spend a long time with my left hand directly over his pelvis. This area is also where the sacral chakra is located. He was also at different portions of the session very responsive to me having my hands over his heart chakra and crown chakra.


Today I was reminded of a visualization I did in one or two of our previous sessions. When Jordyn said to me today that Jinx seems to feel more confident, I remembered that in previous sessions I had visualized a layer of protective light around him, to help him feel safe and comfortable.

In the picture below, you will get a more full image of what was going on by the end of our session. Jordyn helps to take care of a baby, and during the end of our session he was brought in and fell asleep on the bed right next to where I was. In the lower right hand corner, you see the back end of Buddy, one of Jordyn's dogs, who also decided to relax nearby. Reiki energy usually feels like it calms the entire space, including the beings who may happen to be hanging out there. Often at the shelter, several animals may gather around near me and rest while I am offering Reiki to one of the cats who is in a cage.

At any rate, you can see it was quite a relaxed scene there this afternoon. Jinx really enjoyed being in the box to absorb the Reiki, where he could have some private space to rest. Thanks one and all, and look forward to seeing you soon, and hoping for Jinx's continued improvement of his condition.

Reiki with Jinx, Closer and Closer

My friend Jordyn Thiessen's (http://dancingminddesign..com) cat Jinx has been having some trouble using his back legs, either due to a disk problem or a spinal tumor, so I have been working with him, mostly with Reiki, and have been doing some TTouches with him. Jordyn has also been doing some energy work with him, as well as some TTouches which I have shown her.
When I entered Jordyn's apartment for my session with Jinx on Wednesday, at first he was eating. So I just very gently sat down a couple of feet away and began sending him Reiki energy. After he finished eating I did a few Touches with him as he was turning around and starting to settle. Then I backed off a bit til he sat down comfortably. Still wanting to keep a gentle approach (especially as he is quite sensitive) I started out doing Reiki from about a foot away, then got gradually closer.


As he had done before, at ont point he put his paw on my hand to make a connection. I felt him more sensitive today, and his back twitched if I got too close. Ao I stayed a short distance away for a while. Eventually, he began to settle more and was comfortable with hands-on Reiki. I had my hands over his heart chakra area for a while (on the back a bit below the neck), stayed there for a while, then put my other hand over the solar plexus chakra (more towards the middle of the back). He really settled into the energy, his eyes closing, his body stretching out and he went to sleep. After a long while, he got up and moved a bit, so I wanted to see if at that point he would be more comfortable with my hands about a foot away from where he was. I felt him continuing to absorb the energy from that position, so I continued with him there.

For those unfamiliar with chakras, they are energy centers in the body. Just to sum up, the solar plexus chakra relates to the digestive system, nervious system, metabolism and emotions, and is a center of personal power and will. The heart chakra relates to divine and unconditional love, as well as circulatory and respiratory system, etc. You can find a lot more info on the chakras in books and online. Sometimes I am guided to chakras by my intuition, other times, I will work with specific chakras which relate to an issue the animal is having.

Out of curiosity, at one point I touched one of his front paws with my finger and he wanted me to stay there, moving his paw around my finger a bit like he was holding it. It is interesting, since he is having trouble walking, that he would want to make the connection there. When we finished, I felt he was SO relaxed, I felt him really let go. I feel he is very much craving peace and quiet as much as possible now.

The session I just described was on Wednesday. Sunday I went again to work with Jinx. Jordyn had put a crate with a towel draped over it on her bed, so that Jinx can have some privacy when he wants it, as there are two dogs and another cat in the house. I had suggested after our last session that having the option of a closed space to go into may be a good idea.

Today he was actually laying on top of the crate. He likes to be up high so he can see everything. there were towels on top of the crate, so this was a cozy place for him to lie. He was very comfortable, as he had just been given a homeopathic remedy which seems to help him to be extremely relaxed. Today, I approached him gently, as it seemed that he may be receptive to hands-on Reiki from the start. I started out with my hands a short distance away, and after a bit we settled into a position that seemed to be very comfortable for him. My left hand was just barely touching his pelvis area and the other hand was either under or behind his head. I felt a lot of heat and strong energy particularly passing to his pelvis area. His head was very relaxed in my hand, and at times he put one of his front paws to rest on my arm. He seems to enjoy making a connection with me this way. He was very sleepy and stretched out on his side.
After a long while there, we shifted position and I had one hand again on his pelvis and the other just off to the side of his abdomen area. After a bit, it became clear that at this point he preferred me to have my hands a short distance away. Once I moved my hands just about 6 inches away, he really stretched out and closed his eyes, very cozy. This time, his tail was close to my right arm. Initially it was twitching a bit, but then he made a connection with me with his tail in the same way he has done with his paw, just resting it on my arm, and I could feel his energy coming to me through it.
At the end of the session, I thanked Reiki and thanked him, and he looked so peaceful. As often happens, Jordyn's other animals had gotten into a rather sleepy mode as well :)

Thanks to you all, and I look forward to seeing you soon!! xo

Reiki with Jinx: Getting Closer

Last week I had a second Reiki session with Jinx, a beautiful grey and white cat whose guardian is my dear friend Jordyn Thiessen (http://dancingminddesign.com/).

Jinx has started to lose mobility in his back legs, which the vet believes is due to a disk problem or tumor. Last time I offered him Reiki from a short distance away, as he is a very sensitive cat. He was extremely receptive to this.

This time I started out in a similar way. He was relaxing on the bed, so I very quietly sat near him and started to offer him Reiki from a short distance away. When animals are accepting the Reiki, you can feel the connection and acceptance, and I felt this from him quite quiickly this time, as though he recognized the energy from last time.
As the session went on, he shifted his position until my hands were where he wanted them to be. It turned out he wanted one of my hands to be on his hip area (where the leg trouble is possibly emanating from) and the other around his shoulder, which is near the heart chakra area. heart chakra area.

I was hands-on with him by this point.

As he took in the energy, he stretched out more and more til he was totally stretched on his side, sleeping, with a very gentle smile on his face. It was such a pleasure to see him feeling so peaceful, particularly as he is an animal who can be on the restless side, and most often doesn't tolerate a lot of contact.

Thank you Jinx (and Jordyn), sending more peaceful thoughts your way and look forward to seeing you soon.