Reiki, TTouch and Debono Moves with Mr. Ji: Finding Peace

Mr. Ji is a dear senior dog I have been working with for some months now.  He has spinal stenosis, but he gets around really well in his dog cart, and it certainly never dampens his delightful personality.  It can give him discomfort, though, so the modalities I use can help to relieve some of that discomfort, and can give gentle suggestions to the body that help him to be in better balance.

When I started working with him today, he was restless, moving around, and it was hard for him to settle.  I did a bit of Debono moves work and a bit of TTouch with gentle hands-on, but he seemed to prefer that I work with him with hands off.  When he is in this restless mode, often it is best to share Reiki with him with hands-off first, and then see what else he may be ready to do.  If I follow his cues, I know I will find the way to help him.

His lovely person, Niseema, had put a toy in between his two front legs, which helped him to feel more at ease, but it seemed like he needed something more substantial there, so she ended up folding up a small blanket and putting it there instead, as you see in the photo.

It felt like a lot of his restless energy was in the upper part of the body, so I moved my hands slightly off his lower body.  I began to feel him start to be more grounded.

Then I began to connect with his inner light, and I silently told him that he has this light inside him all the time.  And I began to picture the light spreading through his body, and a very bright light surrounding his body as well.

All of a sudden I felt us completely connected - as though the energy from my hands, the energy running through his body like a river of light, the energy surrounding us - that we were one.  And he became very still, and so peaceful. 

But it was a stillness that was not frozen.  It was a stillness that had breath and light running through it.  Such a beautiful peacefulness and we were one with this feeling.  I felt him completely relax into it, as though he was just letting himself flow with the energy.

He was so comfortable that I decided to just leave my hands where they were for most of the rest of the session.  Towards the end, I did some gentle touches on his hind feet, barely even making contact, just to give some gentle awareness there.

When I finished the session, I tested his chakras with a pendulum and all of them were balanced.  I thanked him and thanked this work, feeling such gratitude.

Much love to Mr. Ji!!! Thank you for showing me and teaching me so much, and look forward to seeing you soon!

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!

Riding the Ups and Downs with Mr. Ji

I have been working with Mr. Ji for some weeks now, and he has been responding so well.

Mr. Ji is a delightful senior Shitzu, a little dog with a big spirit.  He has musculoskeletal issues, apparently spinal stenosis.  He has some feeling in his back legs but they cannot support him, so Niseema (Mr. Ji's amazing person) has a customized cart for him which helps him get around very well.  He tends to twist to one side, and has a lot of tension in his upper body because it is working very hard to help the rest of his body get around.

But when I arrived at Niseema and Mr. Ji's place the week before last, he did not look good.  He was having spasms and seemed very uncomfortable.  Niseema said the trouble had started yesterday.

I sat down near him and set my intent to create as quiet and calm a space as I could for both Mr. Ji and Niseema.

As Mr. Ji was very sensitive, I kept my hands a short distance away from him for Reiki.  I started to let the energy flow, and pictured a healing bubble around us.  Niseema sat down and held Mr. Ji to help him feel more at ease as well.  If Mr. Ji cannot get comfortable on the couch, Niseema will hold him and usually he settles down.

As I continued, I slowly started to see Mr. Ji show some signs he was feeling more comfortable.

And then, Niseema began to do some slow TTouches down Mr. Ji's back.  I could see another level of relaxation begin to happen.

By the end of the session, Mr. Ji was definitely much more at ease.  And I was so happy to hear from Niseema later on that Mr. Ji seemed to have turned a corner - after the session he was more comfortable walking, and then he went to the vet for a cold laser treatment, which helped him feel even better.

This past week when I went to see him, I could see he was so much better, he had a lively energy to him and it felt like light was around him.  So beautiful to see.

This time, he was comfortable with my hands on. Which showed me he was more comfortable altogether.

Niseema held him for most of the session.  I began with Reiki with my hands around his lower back, then did some Debono Moves muscle lifts going down one side of his back, then the other.  Debono Moves is a very gentle modality, developed by Mary Debono, that is based on Feldenkrais work, as is TTouch, but I think it is even more subtle.  I did the muscle lifts extremely slowly, with the image that I was supporting his back, that he could breathe into my hands.  I felt him getting more and more comfortable as I worked.

After that, I had my hands on either side of his lower back, and had an image of him walking freely, with his legs moving comfortably.  I did not move my hands, but just imagined as I held my hands there that one hip and hind leg was moving forward, then the other - that he was walking.  As I continued working with him, sometimes my hands were on him and other times just off, as my intuition guided me.  And I kept seeing that mental image of him walking freely, without actually moving my hands on his body.  Continuing to let the Reiki flow throughout the session.

Niseema gently placed him down on the couch on his side next to me, and he settled in comfortably.  At that point I had one hand just off his chest and the other just off his lower back.  I felt the energy was traveling through his whole body.  He became so peaceful.  So lovely to see him so at ease, particularly when I thought about what the situation had been just the previous week.

Ups and downs are usually part of the territory when working with an animal with challenges such as Mr. Ji has, but fortunately Reiki and the other gentle modalities I use can often help the animal to be more comfortable and as much in balance as is possible, given the situation.  And Niseema is doing everything possible (and then some!) to help Mr. Ji to be as happy and healthy as possible.

Sending good vibes for continued comfort and health for dear Mr. Ji:)  xoxo  And thank you Niseema for giving this sweet dog so much love and care.

Sharing the Light with Mr. Ji

 

Mr. Ji is a little senior Shitzu with a big spirit.  His caretaker, Niseema, is a skilled massage therapist (for people) and is giving him amazing love and care.  I was contacted to see what I could do to help Mr. Ji's comfort level.
He has musculoskeletal issues, apparently spinal stenosis.  He has some feeling in his back legs but they cannot support him, so Niseema has a customized cart for him which helps him get around very well.  He tends to twist to one side, and has a lot of tension in his upper body because it is working very hard to help the rest of his body get around.
I have been working with him with a combination of Reiki, TTouch and Debono Moves (Feldenkrais work adapted for animals).  I keep my mind, heart and body open and he helps show me what is most comfortable for him that day.  I have shown Niseema some of the work so she has been able to do it with him as well, which is great!

Today was an especially beautiful, peaceful session.  It generally takes him a while to settle into a position which is comfortable for him, but today that seemed to happen more quickly.  One thing that Niseema told me later was that they had an animal communicator help them a few days ago, and that the session was very productive -- that he had generally seemed more at ease after that.  She had contacted the communicator to see if Mr. Ji was still present and wanting to be on the earthly plane, and the communicator had sensed that he still was very much here and wanting to be here.
Niseema put a rolled up small blanket along his side so that he could have support there.  He seemed comfortable leaning against it.  I started letting Reiki flow.  I intuitively put a hand underneath his belly, picturing him as though he were standing even though he was on his side.  I was feeling he wanted support there.  I made a very subtle lifting motion, barely perceptible, then did a long release.  Each time I released, I imagined breath and light expanding into his body.  As I did this subtle motion, I felt him become very peaceful and still and comfortable. I felt my hands become one with his body, feeling him breathe and expand into my hands.  I would do the subtle movement for a while, then stop and just imagine it.
I had my other hand gently against the top of his back, not putting pressure there but just resting there and feeling the Reiki energy flowing from both my hands.  I felt the energy flowing from my hands through his body, feeling it going all the way into his head, feet, tail.
I pictured light inside of him and surrounding him, the Reiki energy merging with his own bright light that exists inside.  The bright light that resides inside all of us, even when a being is older or not well.  It might be just a flicker, but connecting with that flicker can help the light to grow and expand.
I felt him so calm and peaceful.


Then I started to picture just the slightest movement around, as though I was lifting around the cylindrical shape of his body in one direction, and then in the other.  Again, I was mostly thinking the motion rather than actually doing it.  But I could feel the slight rhythm and expansiveness of it.  Then I would pause and let that go.
There were long stretches where I would simply let the Reiki flow with my hands still.  Just feeling the expanse of the energy through his body, the light and the energy relaxing him.  His peacefulness and the quiet and peace throughout the room.
He has a strong, big spirit and I felt that during the session.  It often happens that I feel the animal I am working with as being very big, as though I am connection with their spirit rather than the confines of their body.  I visualized him walking with ease, using all four of his feet.  Feeling grass underneath his feet and walking with ease.  Feeling his body supported and his feet on the ground. 
After about an hour, I felt the Reiki energy starting to ease off, and I gently ended the session.  Niseema said that they would both probably take a nap now:)
Thank you Niseema and Mr. Ji!  Look forward to learning and sharing with you more and more. xxoo

Connecting with Gemini at BARC Shelter: The Generosity, Beauty and Wisdom of an Older Cat

Thank you to fellow volunteer and friend Mary G
for taking the first and last photos in this post:)

Gemini is a beautiful older gentleman cat who is at BARC Shelter.  He is gentle and sweet with everyone he meets, whether human or animal, and is so well-loved at the shelter.  At times kittens were put in a cage with him and he would be a sweet and loving father to them. He would have been adopted long ago were it not for his compromised medical status. He has a non-cancerous tumor on one of his legs which is now bandaged because it bleeds.  It would be risky to amputate the leg because he is quite old, and because of the risk of the anesthesia plus the trauma of the surgery.
For some months now, he has been roaming free in one of the play rooms at BARC (and can also be brought out into the main room during the day), which is wonderful.

I have been doing Reiki with him to help relax him, plus TTouch and Debono Moves (gentle, yet very powerful work based on Feldenkrais work and developed by Mary Debono) to help his sense of balance.  Both of those modalities help give him a better sense of his body in space, which is very helpful.

Following is a video of me doing some Debono Moves with him:

He is extremely responsive to the work, and recently we had the honor of having Mary Debono come and teach a class recently. Gemini was a wonderful demo cat!

I know that the work I share with him can not cure him, but also know that it can help provide some peace and balance so that he can be as comfortable a state as is possible, given his condition.

The moments I spend with Gemini are really so special.  He so completely opens his heart to me, and I feel us become one with the peaceful, loving energy of Reiki, which is flowing whether I am just sharing Reiki or whether I am using another modality with him.

During this time that the energy is flowing, it is a very meditative time in which I feel in touch with his very spirit:  the depth of his wisdom and experience combined with his unconditional love.  The love and the energy reverberates and expands beyond time and space.There are times when I really feel transported to another place, even though I am simultaneously present in the shelter as well.

Last week was such a time.  I have been rather concerned about Gemini's condition and comfort level, but as is just about always the case, once I am there and connect with him with the energy, that concern slides away and we are just there in the beauty of the moment.  He laid right into my hands and was so cozy, laying on his side and showing my hands where he wanted them to be.  And I knew that we both were exactly where we were supposed to be in that moment.  It was so peaceful.

Meanwhile, in the playroom where we were hanging out, there were also a number of kittens bounding about joyfully.  I suddenly felt this lovely image of us being in a playground, with sun and light all around us, and the young ones playing.  Trees blowing with a gentle breeze, and the light coming between the trees, the light of late summer.  I felt such love and connection and such gratitude.

I want to thank Gemini for sharing these beautiful moments with me, and for sharing all of his kind and loving soul with me.  And thank you to BARC and my BARC friends for showing him such love and care.