Doris, R.I.P.

Doris (full name Doris Kiss Me Lips) was a sweet, gentle senior kitty whose guardian, Mari, adopted her at 10 years old and had her for 3 years. Doris had diabetes when Mari adopted her, then just recently was diagnosed with lymphosarcoma. Mari was giving her insulin, a very good diet and supplements and lots of love - doing all she could to help Doris to be comfortable in her last days. There are four other cats in the household who are so sweet and were very respectful to this gentle lady. I had the honor of doing Reiki treatments and TTouch with Doris over the past couple of months.

Doris was really a fighter - a very strong spirit inside a small, delicate body - but unfortunately she took a turn for the worse, so today I went with Mari to offer Reiki to her and say farewell.

I do think that Reiki can be of benefit during an animal's transition, for both the animal and for their person or people. It can help to promote calm in this stressful time. TTouch can also be of benefit in calming the energy of the animal and the person.


I met Mari at her apartment. Mari's other cats seemed to know that a change was about to happen. I did Reiki from a distance with Doris in the apartment for a short while, she did seem calmed by it. Then we took her in a carrier to the vet.

While we were in the cab, Mari was gently talking to Doris and petting her through the bars of the carrier, and I was sending Doris Reiki from outside the carrier. We continued this while we were in the waiting room, which, like most vet's waiting rooms, was pretty hectic with comings and goings and barks and meows. I kept visualizing a bubble of Reiki and light around us. Mari was petting Doris, talking softly to her, and doing some TTouches on her as well, while I continued sending Reiki energy to her, asking that she only take as much or little as she wanted to take. I expanded the Reiki flow to include Mari as well, as this is a very stressful situation, to say the least. Whether the animal has been sick for a long time or a short time, it is always so hard to say goodbye. As we did this, Doris stretched out and relaxed, stretching her front paw out to Mari.

Once Doris was on the vet table, Mari spoke to her softly, petted and TTouched her, looking right into her soulful eyes. I also did some TTouches, continuing the Reiki flow. This all seemed to be very soothing to her, and she stretched out. It felt like the energy was smoothing out. We continued as the injections were administered, and Doris went to sleep, then began to transition. She seemed so peaceful. I told her (silently, in my mind) several times during this process how loved she was. We both spoke softly to her and kissed her as she passed away.

Even after Doris had passed, as we stayed there for a few minutes longer, I felt I needed to continue the energy flow for a bit, as though somehow the energy was going with her as she transitioned. It still felt like the energy was pulling out of my hands towards her body. I know this is tough territory to talk about, and no one really knows what happens afterward, so I am just trying to put into words what I was feeling.

Mari, thanks so much for giving Doris so much love and care, such a loving home, and such a wonderful life with you. I send so much sympathy to you. Hugs go out too to the rest of your cats, who will be experiencing this transition as well. And Doris, you really touched my heart. I will always remember your elegant, gentle, sweet spirit. Love and thanks to you all....

Reiki and TTouch with Doris: Session 4

Doris is a gentle, sweet senior kitty who has diabetes and lymphosarcoma. I have been doing Reiki and some TTouch with her to help her to be as comfortable and balanced as she can be, given the situation. I have also showed Mari a lot of TTouches, which she has been doing with Doris, and she said that Doris really seems to love the TTouches and is very calmed by them.

Today when I went to work with Doris again, Mari said that Doris was feeling better after an adjustment on the insulin dosage, so that is great. She was sitting in the window, which seems to be one of her favorite spots, and she looked comfortable. I started out sitting on the bed, offering her Reiki from a foot or two away, as I have noticed that Doris generally is most receptive to Reiki from a short distance away. As always, I told her to take as much or as little Reiki as she felt was beneficial to her. I also remembered something that Margrit Coates (a wonderful healer with whom I have studied hands-on energy healing for animals), said about adjusting the volume of energy which is coming out, and I felt myself keeping that concept in my mind, as I didn't want to overwhelm Doris with too much energy coming at her, as she is so sensitive. It was a subtle thing, just a gentle influence of the way I was thinking about the energy flow.

Today I felt Doris really settle into the energy, staying in the window for the whole session, whereas in the previous sessions, she had needed to take breaks, then start again. I felt the energy coming out of my hand in soft waves, almost like a gentle breeze. I noticed that, as before, I often felt the energy drawn towards her abdomen area. This makes sense, as her digestive system has been under duress with her condition. I also felt the energy drawn at times towards some of the other chakras.

As I continued to send the energy, Doris became more and more relaxed, nodding off for a while. I did gradually move my hands closer to see what was most comfortable for her. At one point I felt she was letting me know that it was more comfortable a little bit away, as she got up, rearranged herself, then after I backed off (still continuing to send energy), she settled back down and laid her head down on her paws, looking at me.

As I started to feel the session was winding down, I did some TTouches around her forehead area, still sending Reiki at the same time, and thanked her. Shortly after this, she got up and went to eat from her bowl.

Speaking of food bowl.... Mari's other four cats often come near me, one at a time, while I am doing Reiki with Doris. Today they took turns sitting in the window to the right of the one where Doris sits, and they seemed to be taking in the relaxed Reiki energy as well. Mari sent me this photo of a "smile" they left in their food bowl after the Reiki session.

Thanks and love to you all, and look forward to seeing you soon...