Two New Beginnings: Finnegan and Mr. Blue

Finnegan (above) and Mr. Blue (below) are two sweet, beautiful senior kitties.

They both lived happily with Brynne til their current age of 17.  Brynne was offered a job in Singapore, so she felt it would be traumatic and hazardous to these older kitties to put them through the stress of the many-hours-long flight, plus a quarantine that would last for days.  She said this was an incredibly hard decision to make, but she decided to find a good new home (or, as it turned out, homes) for the kitties.

Finnegan went to live with Alisa and her two lovely kitties, and Mr. Blue went to live with Amy, her two (human!) children, plus three other cats. Many blessings to Alisa and Amy for opening their hearts and homes to these older kitties.  It can be difficult to find people as kind and generous as they are -- so many people would only take in a very young cat or kitten.

Through the networking power of Instagram (which also helped Brynne find Alisa, then Alisa found Amy), Alisa was referred to me and contacted me to come and help Finnegan to feel more comfortable in Alisa's home, and to help all three kitties to feel more comfortable with each other.

In my first session with Finnegan, he was still in a room separate from the other cats.  When I entered the room, he was under the couch, which is where he had been camped out for the few days he had been there.  On my way there, I had been sending Reiki to them and to the situation, offering positive energy.  I looked under the couch, let him sniff my finger and said hello to him.

To my surprise, Finnegan came right out:)

I began to do some zigzag TTouches with him, letting the Reiki flow as well.  He started being comfortable with me very quickly, walking around a bit, then coming back to me, and Alisa was able to pet him as well.  I also added in Llama TTouches (back of hand), ear slides and Abalone TTouches (circular TTouches with the whole hand) as we went along. 

I let him wander around, then come back to me as he wished. To make contact with him and give him some space, I also did some TTouches using the side of a stick from a stick toy.  He even settled enough for mouth TTouches later in the session.

It helps animals to feel more at ease when they feel that they have a choice whether to make contact or not -- when they feel that people are not forcing the issue.

He was opening up like a flower blooming, and I could feel him starting to realize that indeed he was in a safe and loving place.  I kept telling him silently that he was safe, this was his new home, that he would be taken care of and loved, and that Brynne still loved him too.  That Brynne would always love him, but that this was his new place.

Finnegan and Koda

After the session, Alisa told me how well he was doing, and soon she was integrating him with her other two cats, which has gone smoothly as well.  Her other two cats, Lily and Koda, are gentle beings, as Finnegan is, so I hadn't foreseen that would be problematic, but what surprised me was how fast the acclimation seemed to take place for all of them.

It felt like something had shifted energetically in the session, helping start this positive process in motion.  I made Bach Flower remedies for the cats, which seemed to help as well.  And I made some recommendations to help the cats become more used to each other in a gentle way, etc.

Lily, Koda and Finnegan

I have been there for a number of sessions since then, and Finnegan has made himself completely at home - he acts as if this has always been his home.  He is extremely outgoing, and, if anything, sometimes bosses the others around!  He is extremely affectionate with Alisa, as you can see from the photo below.  This is not to say that he was unhappy in his previous home, but rather, that he has embraced this new adventure.

And lately, Lily and Finnegan have become especially close with each other, as you see below.

I have been back to Alisa's several more times to work with her cats and to work with a kitty named Fig Newton who she rescued and is currently fostering.  It has been beautiful to see how well Finnegan, Lily and Koda have adjusted.  (And as for Newton, perhaps you will hear about him in a future blog post, as he has a story all his own.)

After Brynne heard about what had happened at Alisa's, she was very excited, and paid for me to do two more sessions and a round of remedies with each of the homes.  She had been concerned about the cats, and wanted them to have the best chance for all to work out well.


A couple of weeks after that, I met with Amy and all her cats:  Mr. Blue, Tracey, Lionel and Vincent.  Mr. Blue had been in a room by himself for some days, so she had started letting him out.

Amy's other cats are also very gentle, and Amy said that there had been some hissing between the cats, but nothing more than that, no fighting, etc.

When I arrived, Mr. Blue was under the couch along with Vincent, and Tracey and Lionel, who are extremely bonded with each other, were hanging out together.

I got out some treats, and was able to lure Mr. Blue out for a while.  He didn't really want to be touched, and that was fine.  I gave him a few treats along with the other cats, so everyone could get used to having something good happen in close proximity to each other.  I advised Amy to do this every day with the cats, as well as a few other strategies.  I also showed Amy about doing TTouches and using some of the tools, whenever Mr. Blue was ready for that.  Tracey is a very shy cat, so I showed her how she could help Tracey as well using TTouch. 

Mr. Blue settled again under the couch, so I just laid down on the floor near the couch and shared Reiki with him.  He clearly became more settled as we continued the session - I felt him really connecting with the energy.  I shared with him that Brynne loved him but that this was his new home, that he was safe and loved here, that this was his place, and his new family.  That everything was all right.  That I loved him too. When I finished, I thanked him for being open to Reiki and for participating in the healing process.

After the session, I heard that the cats were doing better with each other, and that Mr. Blue was becoming more comfortable in general, which was great!  Again, I believe that Reiki and TTouch helped to start a shift in the energy, and helped the cats to feel calmer and more open to the change that was happening. I made Bach remedies for the cats, which would help everyone to adjust and feel calm.

Vincent, Mr. Blue and Lionel

At the second session, Amy said Mr. Blue had been more out and about, and that things were going well.  Initially he was under the couch again, but came out quickly for treats.  And this time, I was able to do TTouches with him as he was eating the treats.  Again, I worked with the other cats (except Vincent, who was still hiding, but I believe he received the Reiki energy).  Mr. Blue went under the couch again for much of the Reiki session, but again I could feel him really connecting with the energy.  That was just where he was most comfortable in the moment.  Again, I was happy to honor his choice.

After the session, Amy said she was able to pet Mr. Blue a lot more, and not long after that, she sent me a photo of him on her lap!  He has turned into a real cuddler, and is so happy there.

And as for how Mr. Blue is getting along with the other kitties, Amy says they are all one big happy family!

  Mr. Blue and Lionel

Such a beautiful story, and I could not be more delighted at how well all is working out.  Alisa and Amy have kept in touch with Brynne, sharing with her photos and videos of how well the kitties are doing.

Thank you to all the humans and kitties involved - you are all so loving and so special.  It was an honor to be a part of this experience, and I will never forget it.

Reiki, Debono Moves and TTouch with Deuce: Gentle Work with a Gentle Soul

 

Deuce is a beautiful, sweet gray tabby who I have worked with weekly for about four years (I now also work with his dear brother Gruffy too).  Originally I was called to help Deuce because of his arthritis, and now he also has some digestive issues.  The work that I do is helpful on many levels, so it should help him to feel as balanced as he can be in his situation.
Deuce is a gentle and open being, and he is extremely receptive to the work that I do.  Each session feels like we share a very deep meditation together.

 Deuce with Gruffy

I have mostly done Reiki with Deuce during the time I have worked with him, but I also incorporate TTouch into our sessions, and, more recently, have begun incorporating Debono Moves (a gentle technique for animals based on Feldenkrais work, developed by Mary Debono) into our sessions.  Debono Moves helps with balance on both physical and emotional levels, and can particularly help animals with physical discomfort and trouble with mobility.  Among other things, Debono Moves gives gentle suggestions to the body about how it may be able to feel more comfortable, move or rest more comfortably, and feel supported.  In this post, the work I describe doing with his feet and legs is from what I have learned about Debono Moves.
Deuce has been having more physical trouble lately, so I am especially careful to be mindful of his sensitivity when working with him.  In the past, he has been really comfortable with Reiki hands-on, but more recently, I find myself working with him with my hands slightly off him, as I can tell it may feel too intense to him to do hands-on.  However, yesterday he was up for more contact, so I thought, let's see what can happen. . .

He was laying on his favorite chair when I arrived.  I sit on a low stool right next to the chair.  I started with my hands slightly off him, letting the Reiki flow. Right away he started purring.  He rubbed his face into my hand and made himself comfortable.  I felt him taking the energy in, and we became one, sharing the light and energy of Reiki.  We stayed there for a good long while, very peaceful.
He was curled around in a snail-like position as you see below.  At times, I gently placed my hands and arms around his body a bit, curving around him.  Just resting there at first, and feeling like I was giving him gentle support.  In my mind I would think of giving the slightest pressure (rather than actually really "doing" anything), as I thought of supporting him, then would gently release.  Then I would take my hands slightly off again and let the Reiki flow.

He seemed to want to rest his hind legs on my arm or hand.  I started giving him just a slight feeling of support on his hind legs, and then releasing.  I had a picture in my mind that he was standing up.  I would slightly touch one leg, then the other, picturing that he was putting a leg forward, then the other.
Keep in mind that these movements are barely perceptible, and extremely slow.  A video of them would look almost like nothing was happening, yet I felt a lot was happening.

I put my hand slightly under both his hind paws.  It felt like he started giving his weight to me through his paws there, like he had the sensation of standing even though he was laying on his side.  I would put a slight pressure under one foot, then the other, imagining he was taking steps.  At times I would stay still with my hand under both feet, imagining him standing. Again, I felt that HE sensed this and was responding to it.
I also did some gentle TTouches around the hind legs and feet to additionally help give some awareness there.
I continued to let Reiki flow the entire time, and he was extremely relaxed.

Then I gradually started to do the same thing with his front feet.  Usually he does not like to have his front feet touched at all, but he was so relaxed that he was ok with it.  And I think that starting out with the hind feet, where he is more comfortable, gave him a hint that this same movement may be comfortable on his front feet.  From what I understand, his arthritis is primarily concentrated around his shoulders, so I am sure his front feet are especially sensitive. Again, I just lightly touched one under one front foot, then the other.  Like I was just letting my hand be there for him to "stand" on.
He started pressing into my hand a bit with his feet too.  So interesting!

After working very slowly this way for a while, I let it go and just let the Reiki flow for a while.  I started to do a few gentle ribcage lifts, but could see that he had enough and just wanted to take in the peaceful Reiki energy for a while longer.  He settled into the peaceful energy flow. He was purring and I felt him so peaceful and comfortable.  Sometimes I feel my hands so connected with him that it is hard to end the session, even though I know I have been there quite a long time:)
After a while of enjoying the quiet flow with him, I gently thanked him and ended the session.
Thank you so much, Deucie!  I love you and always love working with you.  Look forward to seeing you soon!

TTouch and Reiki at BARC Shelter: Cody

 

Cody has been at BARC Shelter a very long time, he is one of the animals who lives there, running loose in the cat loft, and he is very well-loved.  He is an older cat, and has been through a lot during his life – he lost an eye and had his ear mangled by a pit bull, and now in his advanced age he has kidney issues.  But he is a trooper, and a character – he definitely has a humorous side to him.  If he is resting on top of a cage, he may want to use your shoulders to help him to get down!

He is a rather quiet, yet powerful presence - a kind overseer. 

I have been spending more time with him lately, as I feel that Reiki is so helpful for cats with kidney problems.  And of course, I feel a great deal of love for this dear pirate cat (that’s how he feels to me, a weathered pirate with a sense of humor).  He is a very loving cat, and readily will come onto your lap.

Cody often rests on top of a table, where I will sit with him for Reiki, or if he's in the mood to come in my lap, we do that.  Sometimes my hands are directly on him, sometimes not, whatever feels right.  Often my hands are slightly off him as the energy feels too powerful to have direct connection.



 

It feels such an honor to connect and work with any animal, but it is a special type of honor to connect with a cat who has had many years of existence, and you feel in the energy connection with them something about all that experience.  It is not possible to put it into words, but it feels like tapping into a quiet wisdom that exists inside of the cat.  I feel the years of that experience somehow traveling into me, not in specific thoughts but somehow energetically.  The energy passes back and forth between us. 

I treasure these moments, and am grateful, too, for all the love and care that Cody and all the other animals receive from those at BARC.  It is a special place!! xo

My Journey with Max: Comfort for Physical and Emotional Stress

Above:  Max

Max is a handsome, elegant 14 year old cat with a very big presence.  When I first went to see him, though, his big spirit was quite diminished, due to prolonged physical troubles - probable asthma and then a very serious chronic sinus condition which required a lot of testing and subsequent hospitalization, etc.

Max also has a lovely sister, Chloe, who has a separate tale to tell, so I will speak about her in a separate blog post.

Max's people, Debbie and Jonathan, are doing everything they can to help him.  After all that he had been through with the medical treatments and hospitalization, they wanted to help provide comfort for him in whatever way possible.  Both Reiki and TTouch are wonderful modalities for providing gentle comfort, both physically and emotionally.  They also can help the body to be more optimal balance, and can help stimulate the appetite.  Keeping a cat eating can often be a challenge in this type of situation, and is, of course, crucial to a cat's survival.

In the first appointment, he had just come home from the hospital with medication and a feeding tube.  I showed Debbie and Jonathan some of the basic TTouches, but I was very gentle and careful with Max, because his condition was very fragile, and I did not want to disturb the feeding tube.  I spent more of the appointment offering Reiki to Max, keeping my hands several feet away at first, then moving in a bit closer. 

The first thing I felt upon offering Reiki to Max was a huge flood of gratitude which I felt from him.  The gratitude was to his people, for all of their love and care which they have given him.  It felt like beautiful ocean waves flowing from his heart to mine, filling up my heart with this powerful feeling.

I felt a very strong flow of Reiki from my hands, and kept picturing his nasal passages clear, and clear light and energy flowing from his nasal passages and all the way down his body, healing.  I still had my hands off his body, as the energy was so strong, and I didn't want to overwhelm him.  A few times I wasn't sure if I should stop and give him a break but then I felt a signal from him that he was ready to continue.  I felt him really pulling the energy into his body.

After we finished the session, he got up and went to his food dish and ate, which was a wonderful sight to see, and then went and laid down in his bed by the window, where he looked very comfortable.

Over the next sessions I saw steady progress with Max, both on a physical and emotional level.  The feeding tube was removed, his energy and appetite improved greatly, and Debbie and Jonathan said he was acting more like himself all the time.  I saw the light come back into his eyes and began to see and feel the strong being who he really is.  Prior to the hospitalization, he had been getting steroids on a regular basis for asthma-like symptoms, and after this recovery he was able to stay off the steroids for a good while. 

Over time, I had to adjust the way that I worked with him.  He had gotten so much of his personality and energy back that it sometimes took some strategy to nudge him into a more relaxed mode.  But this was not a bad problem to have really!  Sometimes he would settle in several different places during the course of the session, but that was fine. 

At that point, I also began working with his sister Chloe, who has her own health issues.  Often I will work with her first, to give him time to settle into a more relaxed state.  Usually by the time I finished working with Chloe, he would have settled into one of his cozy spaces.

One thing that Max's people had told me was that he was still spending a good deal of time sleeping in a quiet closet space in the back of the apartment, rather than hanging out with them, which he used to do before his hospitalization.  Jonathan had mentioned he wanted to try to get Max engaged in play again.  This was a great idea, as engaging Max in play would encourage him to become more engaged with them again altogether. 

On my way to the next appointment, I stopped at Petco on the way and purchased a Cat Dancer toy.  Something told me this would be something he liked.  Indeed, it turned out that he used to LOVE to play with this toy when he was younger, and he got right into it when they started playing with him with it.  They also said that he had started coming up on their bed and sleeping with them again. 

A couple of weeks ago, while I was working with Chloe in her usual place in the living room, Max came in and started lurking around.  I wasn't sure whether he wanted to take in some of the energy, or was a bit jealous I was working with his sister, or both.  There was a cat bed a few feet away from where we were working, and he started circling around there, looking like he may even settle there. 

I was finishing up with Chloe, and so I quietly began walking towards Max when I had finished the session with her.  At first I thought he was going to lead me into the back part of the apartment, where he usually settles.  But instead, he came back into the living room, settling on a little cat track toy near the bed he had been near before.  A while after I had begun offering him Reiki, he then got up and gently settled into the cat bed, where he remained for the rest of the session.  I felt such peace from him!!

After I finished the session, Debbie and Jonathan told me that he had not been in that bed since he had gotten back from the hospital, which was 3-4 months ago now.  So this was great progress!  The living room is a place where Max used to spend much more time before the hospital, so this was great that he was gravitating back to this room.  He has been sleeping in that bed again since then, and hanging out other places in the living room that he used to enjoy.  This also means that he is spending more time comfortably hanging out with his people, instead of isolating himself. 

Unfortunately, Max recently had another bout of sinus trouble, which resulted in a couple of more trips to the vet hospital (fortunately not having to stay overnight though).  He is now still on some medication, some of which will be long-term, but is feeling better again, and that has been within a pretty short time period, so that is good.  He seems strong, is eating pretty well, is getting back to playing again, and he is continuing to hang out in his places in the living room. 

Max and Chloe have never gotten along with each other, and still growl at each other even after being together their whole 14 year old life.  I am hoping that over time, there might be a bit more harmony between them.  Reiki can often help that to happen.  It is encouraging that they are able to peacefully hang out in the living room together now - which is something that they have done in the past, but maybe there is a bit more of a shift that can happen. 

In this week's session, I worked with Max first, back in his cozy space in the closet.  I felt a lot of energy especially coming from his heart chakra, which is interesting, as I feel like his heart has been progressively opening during our time working together, after having gone through so much with his hospitalization earlier in the year. 

Above: Chloe
Then I went to work with Chloe.  She was on the couch, one of her favorite places.  We did part of the session there, and she seemed almost mesmerized by the energy.  Then she took a brief break to eat, then came up on the coffee table, another favorite place.  She stretched out on her side as I offered Reiki to her, really absorbing the energy. 

Above: Max

At this point, Max came slowly into the living room, looking like he was sneaking in, and then settled in one of his favorite places on a chair by the window.  I opened up my visualization of where I was offering the Reiki, picturing it as an expanding area of light, encompassing more and more of the room.  I felt the Reiki like a rain of light, gently falling and soothing.  Max stretched out on the chair, looking very cozy, and Chloe continued to be very relaxed on the coffee table.

It will be interesting to see if this is a continuing pattern, Max joining Chloe in the living room for Reiki.  It will be wonderful if the energy can help them to feel better being around each other, as well as to feel better individually.

Many thanks to Max and Chloe for again reminding me to really be in the moment with what is happening, and to keep an open mind because one never knows what can happen in those special moments!!  And thanks to Debbie and Jonathan for all the love and care they have for these lovely animals.  Look forward to seeing you soon, and sending positive thoughts for continued health and well-being of both these cats :) xo

Reiki with Deuce - Open Your Heart to Hear What the Animal Has to Say

I have been working with Deuce for some months now.  He has arthritis which is progressing, but Reiki and TTouch helps to put him more at ease, and can help his body to be in better balance.
Today he was laying in one of his favorite spots, an easy chair in the living room.  I had recommended that his person, Alice, put something of intermediate height near this chair and other places he likes to go that may be a bit of a challenge for him to jump to now.  So now there is a lovely step stool by the chair - perfect, as it is very stable and the surface is rough so he can get traction and not slip.
Most of the time, he was laying on his right side so that the left side was exposed to me, which makes sense, as it is the front left leg which is giving him trouble at this point.  He is now generally not using that leg when going up stairs.
I started out with my hands a foot or so away from his body, with my arms sort of forming a circle around him.  I pictured a sphere of light encompassing him and soothing him.  One hand was near his neck, the other near his back end.  I told him he need only take as much or as little energy as he wanted.
The first part of the session, I did what in Reiki is called a healing attunement.  In my Reiki master training, I was taught how to do this process for people, and I have recently been adjusting this process so that it will work well with animals.  It is different when I do it with an animal than it is with a person, as a lot of it I accomplish through visualization and intention, rather than the version for humans which involves more physical contact.  It brings in high frequency healing energy that is more intense than a regular Reiki treatment, and can be a very good addition to a Reiki treatment to assist in very deep healing.
As the session progressed, he shifted his body every so often so that my hands would be in a different place.  Each time my hands changed place, I would imagine any blockages disappearing, a feeling of opening.  I felt more and more energy and heat from my hands as time went on. 
I think it is very important to be open and receptive to whatever you might hear from or feel from the animal, to open your heart, let go of your own expectations and let these feelings in.  The animals very often will show me where they need my hands to be by shifting and changing position until you are where the energy is most beneficial for them.  It is possible to feel this, it feels as if you are plugging into a socket, and the energy flow can become very strong when you arrive at these places on their body where they want your hands to be the most.

During a Reiki session, I often feel the animal and I traveling together into a very dreamlike state, where I feel like we are inside of a bubble of energy and light, which is warm and very soft.  And this is where we went today for much of the session, though at times we would come up more to the surface and feel present in the room and in the apartment.
















In the earlier parts of the session, I often had one hand around his shoulder area, sending him energy there, which will help to ease whatever pain or discomfort may be happening in that area. The other hand was near the base of his spine.  I kept feeling the connection from his upper spine to the lower spine, feeling the energy going from the upper back down to the base of the spine.  I was feeling a lot of energy particularly in the upper back at this point, especially as that is the area where he is having difficulty.
Towards the end of the session, Deuce put both of his back paws on one of my hands, as if he was asking for the energy there.  This makes sense, as it will help him to really feel his feet, and he will need his back legs more now that the front ones are starting to be more compromised.  His front paws do need the energy even more, of course, but at this point he had them kind of curled up - so I will have to focus on that next session!
At any rate, at this point in the session he moved into a position which helped to really focus on the connection and power in his back legs.  My left hand had both back paws touching it, and at times I would do little TTouches on one paw and then the other, and put my hand around one paw (about an inch away) and then the other.  My other hand was on his pelvic area.  So I really felt the energy going all the way down from his hips to his feet, making that connection there.  My right hand felt nearly as though it was inside body on his lower back, and I felt the energy coming down to his paws.
After we finished, I watched him walk and he was walking quite well on a flat surface.  The stairs are more of a challenge, but hopefully all of this connecting energy will help him to be at his best, given his situation.

 
Near the end of the session, his "brother" Gruffy settled down a ways away, as he often does, taking in some of the energy.
Look forward to seeing you soon, Deuce and of course you too, Gruffy!!