Sharing a Space of Love, Peace and Gratitude with Chelsea

Chelsea was a quiet, shy senior kitty who was returned to BARC Shelter along with his senior kitty friend Chloe.  Chloe is very outgoing, so the return to the shelter was not as traumatic for her, but Chelsea really took it hard.  Initially, he was lashing out at anyone who tried to approach him.

Sadly, he also became very ill, as he and Chloe both probably had compromised immune systems due to their age, combined with the stress of returning to a shelter environment after a lifetime of living in a home.  At one point, Chelsea stopped eating, which was really scary.  The wonderful cat loft staff started hand feeding him, and after trying numerous foods, I happened to find a cat food that he loved.  So I brought a bunch of cans for him every time I went to the shelter.  So little by little we did coax him back to eating again, and he seemed to reach a bit of a holding pattern for a while.

I am always drawn to shy cats and older cats, and I connected with Chelsea's soulful, wise spirit immediately.  I knew that what others saw as aggression was his extreme fear. 

I worked with Chelsea very quietly and gradually.  I started our sessions by sharing Reiki with him from outside the cage.  I quieted myself down, to start with, which is SO important, especially with scared animals.  Quieting my mind and my body so that I could hear and see and feel what he was feeling.

In the beginning, he would sit in the litter box or in the back of the cage.  As I let the Reiki flow, I could see him start to relax and get sleepy.  After letting him relax with Reiki for a while, I would sometimes stroke him a bit with a paintbrush.  If he was hesitant, I would pause and go back to letting the Reiki flow again.  He started being more comfortable with the paintbrush after a while, and started to lean his face into it.  He almost looked as though he was smiling when he did that. 

I spoke softly to him, letting him know he was safe, and that I loved him.  I visualized light all around him, and welcomed him to connect with the light as much as he wished.

He began to recognize me, and to realize that we were going to work gently and quietly.  I could feel him connect with the Reiki energy more deeply each time, often going completely to sleep.  I felt a bubble of this peaceful space around us.  And his friend Chloe, who you see in the photo in the next cage below, would also respond to the calm energy.

And he started hanging out further towards the front of the cage.  He also would sometimes enjoy treats, so I would see if I could get him to come a bit closer for the treats.

He also was enjoying TTouch more and more, so I started working with him directly with my hand after working with the paintbrush for a while.

Below is a link to a video of some clips of me working with him..  In the last segment, you will see him start to come towards me.

As time went on, we started to realize there had to be something deeper going on with him.  Though he was eating again by this point, and was clearly more comfortable emotionally, he still was very gaunt, and we could tell something was going on with him.  The vets suspected he had cancer.

Reiki works on many levels, so at the very least, it can help provide comfort and optimum balance and, often, more quality time even for an animal who may be quite sick.

By this time, I felt so connected with this sweet kitty.  I had experiences of closeness with him which were beyond words.  I could feel so much love and so much gratitude coming from him. And a sharing of his beautiful soul with me.

There was one day that I was sharing Reiki with him, and I had such an extraordinary moment.  I always feel a powerful connection when sharing Reiki, but suddenly I had a feeling that was on another level, and was somehow more complete -- that our souls had completely merged, that there were no boundaries.  There was this feeling of longing from him, and then the image I saw was of his chest expanding with sparkling light and I joined him in this timeless place of light.  It was a feeling of such pure love.  A love and a feeling truly beyond words.  It is hard to find the right words to express it, and tears run down my face as I am writing about it and re-experiencing that feeling.  He had opened up a place in himself to allow me to be one with him there.  And I so gladly went with him there to that place of pure love.  I will never forget it.

Even when I am sharing Reiki with an animal who is quite ill, they give me healing as well.  And certainly Chelsea did.

Shortly after that day, when I went to work with him, he would stand up and come towards me.  I knew he was working up the courage to get onto my lap. 

The last time that I saw him, he put two paws in my lap, and looked into my face as if to tell me that he wanted to crawl into my arms and come with me.  He had already crawled into my heart in a space where he will always remain. I told him how much I loved him, that I would always love him, that I would always be with him, that I would always love him.

I knew that he was not going to be on the earth too much longer, but I hadn't realized that would be the last day I would see him.  Sadly, he took a turn for the worse, and the vets realized he had a huge mass inside him, and that he must be in a great deal of discomfort, so they let him go.

The kind people at BARC let me have Chelsea's ashes, which I brought home with me yesterday, and which are in a special place in my home, with a photo and a drawing I did of him a couple of days ago (the drawing is above).

Thank you, dear Chelsea, for giving me so much.  For connecting with me with your soul and with your spirit in such a special and sweet way.  I know you will always be with me, and I will always love you.

And thanks to all my wonderful BARC people, for all your kindness, love and care each and every day. xoxo

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.

Rusty at BARC Shelter: The Beauty, Power and Wisdom of a Senior Cat

 

Rusty is a very elegant, dignified and very sweet older cat.  An older gentleman cat.  He is probably about 18, with kidney issues and probably other health issues as well.  He arrived at BARC Shelter probably a year ago, looking very frail and as if he would not be with us long.  

 

However, he is a real trooper, and after being cared for medically and receiving much TLC from all who know him, he has been in a holding pattern -  hanging in there, being well-cared- for, enjoying his food and getting love and attention from everyone. 

 

I love him, and often spend Reiki time with him.  He purrs and curls up, very contented, taking in the energy.

 

Colin, one of the two wonderful keepers of the cats at BARC, told me last week that Rusty was really not doing well, and he thought me may be ready to pass soon. Rusty did look even more frail than usual, and I also had a sense he was going to pass soon.  

 

I sat with Rusty for a long time with Reiki.  I told him I loved him and it was all right if he needed to leave his body.  That he was safe and everything would be all right.  I started to feel so sad for him, then I heard a very clear message from him.  He said, "I have lived a good life." 

I found that to be so moving, and I knew what he meant by that.  He was satisfied and comfortable and fine if he needed to leave his body.  For animals it is so much less of a big deal than it is for us humans.  Cats particularly are so fluid between the earthly plane and the spirit world. 

 

 

 

He wanted me to let go of my sadness, and realize that everything was as it was supposed to be.

 

And I felt so much gratitude coming from him.  And I felt so grateful for him, and grateful to learn from his wisdom.

As I sat with him with Reiki, he was purring and purring.  I pictured him big, a very big cat, the size of a cougar.  First I saw him surrounded with light, then I saw him resting in the grass.  I still felt sadness, but I felt joy as well, in these beautiful and moving moments with him.  I felt he was sharing the depth of his powerful and loving spirit.

When I left, I knew that I could be saying goodbye to him for the last time.  I told him it was fine, if he needed to fly, fly, fly.

The next day, I called Colin and he told me that Rusty was doing better, hanging in there.  It is a week later and so far he is on the earthly plane.  We realize he is near the end of his road, but if he can still have some happy moments before he goes, that is great.  We will see what happens! 

Thank you so much to my BARC friends for all that you do.  And thank you Rusty, for sharing your wisdom and love and precious time with me.

Sharing Energy with Monk: Comfort, Peace, and Optimal Balance for Chronic Renal Failure, Part One

Monk is a dear cat who I initially was called to work with because he was urinating outside of the box.  I taught his owner, Suzanne, how to do some of the TTouches, and then the subsequent appointments I did with him were Reiki sessions.  He came to recognize the energy and would completely relax into it, stretching out on the bed with a look of bliss.

More recently though, he was diagnosed with chronic renal failure.  I had not seen Monk for quite a while, and Suzanne had called me to cat sit for Monk and his cat girlfriend Jade, and when I saw Monk, I felt so strongly that I wanted to help.  I could see that Monk’s appetite and life force was rapidly diminishing.  I had such a strong sense that the work would be of help to him now, not to mention that I have a very strong bond with Monk - and I felt that sessions should be as often as every day at first, so Suzanne and I worked out an arrangement for that to happen without placing a financial burden on her, as she was out of work. 

Monk has taken to basically living outside on Suzanne’s terrace, resting in the plant boxes, and sometimes stretching out on the deck.  Unfortunately, for the first appointment, it was raining, so we had to bring him inside.  Though he was resisting being inside, I did feel him absorbing the energy, and I knew it would be good to follow up with another appointment soon, when I could work with him out on the terrace.

A few days later I came to see him.  I sat with him outside on the terrace.  I moved a couple of times to get a bit closer to him but really let him set the pace.  I felt he wanted me to be at least 4-5 feet away, for the most part.  But at times he would come closer to me.  And I could feel him really settling into the energy again, as though he was becoming re-acquainted with the energy, and with me, gradually trusting more and more and letting me in.  Throughout the appointment, I silently sent him the message to only take as much or as little energy as he wanted, and reassured him that I was there to help him.  I kept picturing the energy as a soft white blanket that was moving over him and being absorbed into his body, and the white light moving through the inside of his body and healing his body.

Suzanne had left a handful of dry food out for Monk to eat, and at various points he wandered to it and ate it little by little.  Quite often during a Reiki session, an animal’s appetite can be stimulated.  By the end of the session, he had eaten all the dry food.  Suzanne said that was really a lot for him, as in recent days  he usually will only very reluctantly eat about four kernels of the dry food.

At various points during the session, Monk stretched out on his side, looking very comfortable.  It was a hot day, but where we were sitting, in the shade, it was really quite comfortable, and hearing the sounds of the birds, the sound of the breeze , the rustling of the leaves of the plants, it made so much sense to me that this is where he is comfortable right now.  The energy was very quiet and peaceful.  It felt a bit like a dream state.  When I heard the nearby church bells ringing on the hour, they almost seemed a bit distorted.

When I left, I kept feeling like Monk was in this curious limbo – obviously he is in very fragile condition, but he still has energy and is engaged with his surroundings and situation.  As if some greater force is giving him a bit more time, quiet time on earth, before he moves into the spirit world.

I was leaving town in two days, and wanted to go with the momentum of what was happening with him, so I went the next day for another appointment.  This time, he came right to me, wanting affection, so I did some gentle TTouches with him.  At various points during the Reiki session, he would come to me, rubbing his face against my hand.  This time, he settled even more into the energy, and wanted me to be closer to him to send the energy, though not directly hands-on.  Especially with animals who are in frail condition, it is usually most beneficial to send Reiki with your hands at least a bit off of the body, as it can be too overwhelming. 

This time, Monk ate even more of the food than he had the day before.  And Suzanne had said that after the appointment the day before, he had eaten more food.  So this was really a shift.

Again, I kept picturing the white light energy moving through his body, soothing and healing.  Recently I have been incorporating the essences of colors into the Reiki work that I do.  Sometimes I will purposely send a specific color with a certain intention, but sometimes a color will come to me, though I may not be sure of the why of it.

Monk seemed to be more comfortable in his body this time, and there even seemed to be more life in his eyes. 

At the end of the session, he was laying near me, on his side, doing the cute thing of having a paw partway over one eye.  I felt so much love passing back and forth, such an energy of pure love, healing and love.  Reiki feels that way, an energy filled with light and love that strengthens and expands as the animal becomes comfortable with you and trusts you.

Since I returned from town, his energy and appetite has improved even more, and I will tell you more about that in the next posting!!

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

TTouch and Reiki at BARC Shelter: A Quiet Connection with Abby

Abby is a dear white senior cat at BARC Shelter. He arrived at the shelter after his owner passed away. He is quite a sensitive kitty, and, though he is friendly with people, he appears to be frightened of other cats and of dogs. He can also become overwhelmed if approached with energy that is too intense. It is easy to imagine that this transition must have been so difficult for him.

So I started out with him in a very gentle way, sending him Reiki energy from a short distance away. He sensed the energy right away and smelled my hands, as though he was smelling the energy. He came closer and closer to me until he was cuddled around my hands and arms, and he stretched out for a snooze. I felt such a deep calm in him, and a bubble of calm energy around us. This was so lovely to feel and see.

The next time I worked with him, the same thing happened, he came forward to sniff the energy, then became entertwined in my hands and arms. I had my elbows bent, resting on the bottom of the cage and my hands facing either side of him, so he had one paw over the crook of each elbow, and was feeling the energy between my hands and arms. In the moments of these intensely special connections, it feels as though I merge with the animal, and I will often feel tears welling up. I try to let that feeling just pass through and focus on continuing to send positive energy coming back to the animal.

After both these sessions, I felt such a profound sense of peace and calm in Abby, and it felt as though there was a bubble of calm around him as well. Best wishes to you Abby, look forward to seeing you soon. And thank you as always to BARC shelter for taking care of all these beautiful animals.

Reiki and TTouch with Bonsai and Nilo: Nov. 12

A few days ago, I went to do Reiki and TTouch with Bonsai and Nilo, who I have worked with off and on over the past year or more. Bonsai (above) is a sweet senior Burmese kitty, and Nilo is a very independent, lovely bengal cat (below). Nilo is extremely close with his human "mom", but is generally afraid of everyone else. He initially would run away from me, but we have established a closer and closer connection as time has gone on. Kristin's daughter has been able to have a bit more of a connection with Nilo as well. Bonsai tends to have seizures, which are being controlled with medication, and has been getting more frail as time has gone on. Kristin called me primarily because Bonsai had been seeming to be more frail and lethargic lately, so I spent a bit of time with Nilo, then concentrated most of my time with Bonsai.
Nilo is generally most receptive to TTouch in short spurts, as he is very sensitive and can get easily overwhelmed.


First I did some abalone TTouches with Nilo, working down each side of his back slowly. The abalone TTouches are circular TTouches done with the whole hand. The larger surface of the hand can be comforting to many cats who are unsure of people other than their guardians. I also did some slow zigzag TTouches from the front part of his body to the back, which are helpful in bringing an animal who is a bit scared back into its body. He actually didn't seem scared with me today, he settled into the TTouches pretty well, then decided he was done and walked away.So I then focused my attention on little Bonsai.

With Bonsai, I did a little bit of Reiki with him with my hands slightly off his body, then he got up to eat some treats. Reiki can sometimes stimulate the appetite! While he was in the kitchen, I did some TTouches with him which he was very receptive to, nuzzling sweetly against my hand.
When he was done with this, I thought a nice warm place would be cozy for him so I put him in a sunny patch on the couch and he settled in, curling up for a Reiki nap as I worked with him. I started out by having one hand resting over the solar plexus chakra (about midway down the back) and one hand off. As he is a delicate being, I often just have one hand on his body at a time, so as not to overwhelm him with too much energy.
He settled into this position for a while, then rearranged himself til one hand was on his head and the other was over his base chakra, on the very lower part of the back. Animals will show you where they want the energy to go. I stayed there for a LONG time as he took a reiki nap, I felt him totally taking the energy in. As the heat in these areas began to dissipate, I followed the heat on his body which seemed to work down the back from the heart chakra, to the solar plexus chakra, sacral chakra, and the base chakra again. I felt a lot of heat coming out, but it would start to dissipate as I continued to hold my hand or hands over these areas. I felt him to be sooooooo peaceful. He stretched out on his side and I continued with hands-on reiki near the solar plexus and heart chakras again, following my intuition and his body language as to where my hands should be.
Kristin came in the room to speak to me and as we spoke, I continued to send the energy to Bonsai as he continued to be laid stretched out on his side. When I left, I felt so much calm in Bonsai and a calm energy surrounding him.

Later that night, I received an email from Kristin saying that Bonsai seemed to be much better after our session, that his energy had picked up, and he just seemed to be feeling better. This is always so wonderful to hear, it means the world to me. A few days after the session, I stopped by their apartment to deliver Bach flower remedies for the cats, and indeed, Bonsai looked much more alert, present, and energetic. Thanks so much to you all, sending all the best ..... xo

TTouch and Reiki at BARC Shelter: Gentle Energy With Abby

Abby is a beautiful senior cat at BARC. He was surrendered to BARC after his owner passed away. He is an EXTREMELY sensitive being. He is generally comfortable with human contact but is very frightened by the presence of other cats or dogs, which makes the shelter an especially difficult place for him to be. He has a bit of a skin problem, possibly aggravated by stress.

When I open his cage, I speak to him in a very quiet voice. Especially with a very sensitive cat, I want to create a very quiet space around him, to help him feel more comfortable even in the midst of an environment which is not always so quiet. Reiki and TTouch can help to create that quiet, peaceful space. I start to send him Reiki energy from a short distance away (about a food or so), so that the energy will not be too intense for him. Even when not physically touching the cat, it is possible to feel when the connection with and acceptance of the energy happens. I feel it as an energetic connection, and feel the energy being absorbed by the animal.

As Abby relaxed into the energy, I slowly moved my hands closer to him, and eventually was touching him. I put one hand instead of both hands on him, so as not to overwhelm him. He became very peaceful and laid down to take a Reiki nap. I also did some gentle TTouches around his forehead area, which can be a very relaxing area for cats. And indeed, during that time, I felt a calm bubble of energy around us, and a concentration so that our connection was all that was existing in that moment.

Reiki at BARC Shelter: Adele: RIP

Adele was a gentle, sweet lady - one of the most unassuming beings I have met. Her owners had moved away, and she arrived at BARC many months ago at 15 years old and with a number of health challenges: hyperthyroidism, kidney problems, and possibly a tumor. She was kept in as good condition as possible with medication, hydration, monitoring of her food intake, etc. She was well-taken care of by BARC staff, vets and vet staff, and BARC volunteers. She was much-loved by everyone and I would often arrive at the shelter to see her on someone's lap.

She touched my heart so deeply, this beautiful, graceful soul who was so grateful for every bit of attention she got. Sometimes she would show her gratitude in such sweet, gentle ways: extending a paw, sometimes putting both paws up on my chest, and occasionally she would do a little "circus cat" move where she would put both paws together and move them up and down.

She went through phases where she seemed to feel better and phases where her energy seemed low. She was very responsive to Reiki - for a long time, she would come right out on my lap and I would do hands-on Reiki with her. She would stretch out and really relax into it. Later on, when she wasn't feeling so well, she would stay in her cage, and I would hold my hands slightly off her and I would feel her connect with the Reiki energy and become very comfortable. Nearly always, afterwards she would want to eat, which was great, because it was hard for her to keep her appetite up. I would always mix different treats with her food to help to get her to eat.

I always looked forward to spending time with her, though at times I would become conscious that, though she had her better days and worse days, she did seem to be on a gradual downward slide, as her physical issues were taking their toll. Through it all, though, she maintained such a sweet, gentle spirit, as though to say to me, "hey, it's ok, don't worry about me." Above you see her giving me a kiss, after a Reiki session.

Right about the same time it became apparent that Animal's condition was deteriorating, it was apparent that Adele was reaching the time for her gentle exit. So, the same Thursday when I said goodbye to Animal, I also said goodbye to Adele.
I spent time with her twice while I was there, for a longer while when I first arrived, and a shorter time right before I left. She seemed to want to remain in her cage, as her energy was very low. So I reached in and offered her Reiki from just a short distance off her body. I felt such calm in her.

I told her it was ok to leave her body. I thanked her for teaching me so much, and thanked her for her gentle sweet spirit. I wanted her to know that she was not and would not be alone. I told her she would be surrounded by angels and light. I told her how loved she was.

Thanks to all the BARC people (staff, volunteers, veterinary folks, etc.) for all you did for her and for all you do for the animals every day.

I will miss you greatly Adele, and think of you often. A gentle hug to you, sweet lady.

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!

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...

TTouch and Reiki with Bonsai and Nilo

The other day I went to work with Bonsai and Nilo, two sweet cats who I have worked with for a while, but had not seen in some months. Bonsai (above and below) is a gentle senior Burmese cat, who has had seizures from time to time. He is on medication, and I have showed Kristin (the cats' owner) how to do some of the basic TTouches so that she can regularly do them on both Bonsai and Nilo to promote relaxation and balance.

Bonsai was resting in one of his cozy places, so I began with him. I started out by offering him Reiki with my hands a little distance away. I found that the most heat was emanating from his heart chakra. It felt very warm at first and began to dissipate as the session progressed. I also worked with the other major chakras. As I worked, I felt him starting to purr. It was lovely to see him so relaxed.

After the Reiki session I also did TTouch on ears, as well as circular ttouches on body and forehead. He continued purring and was just so relaxed. What a gentle, dear soul he is.

At that point Bonsai was resting very comfortably, so I then went to see what could happen with Nilo.

Nilo is a young, very active kitty who tends to run away from people other than his human mom, who he is very bonded with, though I have been able to have more and more contact with him as time has gone on. Initially I could only touch him with the wand, but little by little I have been able to do short TTouch sessions with him directly with my hands.

Today he was hiding behind furniture, as he often does to begin with. I tried to contact him using a long dowel with a piece of ace bandage wrapped around the end (we call it a "corn dog", which he was receptive to in the past. Today, he just seemed to be afraid of it, so I had to try another tactic.

I offered my hand to him and he started to sniff it. I stroked him with the back of my hand and he rubbed against it. I did some Ttouches with the back of my hand as he remained under a chair. I have been finding that he feels more secure about being touched if he is in a semi-enclosed space.

Then he moved again, and I was able to make contact with him for a much longer time after he went into a little box with a door on the cat tree. He felt extremely safe in there, and he started to purr up a storm. This is the first time I have heard him purr while I have been TTouching him, and he has a very loud PUURRRRRR! It was such a pleasure to hear this. This was the most connection I've had with yet!

While he was in this little space, I did mostly llama ttouches (circular TTouches using the back of the fingers) on his body and abalone TTouches (circular TTouches using the whole hand). Then I did Ttouches with back of a finger (often just my fingernail), around his mouth area and forehead, and around his ears. He was especially responsive when I did this around the mouth area, which makes sense as this is connected with the limbic system, which has to do with emotions. He revved up his purring again, this time even louder, and began to push himself into my hand. This was a new big step in our contact with each other.

After the session, I spoke to Kristin and her daughter about what had happened. Her daughter said that Nilo generally runs away from her when he's out in an open space, but he will let her pet him when he is in a more enclosed space. I encouraged her to continue to contact him when he is in a comfortable space. I feel that over time, he will be more comfortable with her touching him out of the space.

I gave Kristin a spritzer bottle with 10 drops of rescue remedy in it and the rest filled with water. I suggested that she spray it on places where the cats like to hang out, as this can promote even more comfort for them in those places.

The day after the session, I met with Kristin to give her bach flower remedies which I had made for the cats. When I entered the apartment, Nilo was resting on a couch, looking completely blissed out. He didn't move when I came in, which was different behavior for him. he was just stretched out and cozy. She said that she had sprayed the rescue remedy spritzer onto the sheet which was on top of the couch, and that he had cuddled right into it. Kristin also told me that when she woke up that morning, Bonsai was smiling, that it had been quite a while since she had seen him smile :)

Thank you all, it was a pleasure, as always to work with you :)

TTouch and Reiki at BARC Shelter: Update on Adele B

Adele is one of the most gentle, quiet, sweet souls I have met. She is a rescue cat at BARC shelter. She is about 15 yrs old, had been found by someone and it was found that she was microchipped. When her owners were contacted (they were out of state), they didn't want her back. She has a number of health issues, including kidney problems and hyperthyroidism, and is quite frail. The wonderful staff and volunteers at the shelter are making sure that she receives a lot of love and, of course, the food, medication, fluids and veterinary attention she needs in order to keep her as healthy and comfortable as possible. Her spirit is strong -- the other day it seemed she was taking a turn for the worse, but then a couple of days later when I arrived at the shelter, she had rallied and was right in the front of the cage, eating and waiting to come out onto my lap. Her eyes seemed brighter and she actually doesn't seem as frail as she did a while back. Below is a picture of her with Mary, a very dedicated and wonderful volunteer at BARC, who is very connected with Adele, as I am. As I have been doing Reiki with her several times a week over a few months, Adele recognizes me and usually comes to the front of the cage when I greet her, and waits for me to open the cage so that she can come out onto my lap for Reiki. She really absorbs the energy, and lately she has not wanted to go back into her cage even after receiving Reiki quite a long time. I give her a good long session, and then after working with the other cats, try to come back to her for a little more time. I also incorporate some very gentle TTouches along with Reiki when I am working with her, and yesterday when I began to do the TTouches, she gave me such a sweet little kiss (see below). This cat who is so appreciative of every bit of attention you give her and never complains, has taught me so much about the importance of appreciating the moment, and appreciating the beauty of that indescribable heart connection which you can have with an animal.

Reiki at BARC Shelter: Adele B and Gratitude

Adele B is a gentle, senior kitty at BARC Shelter. When she arrived, it was found that she was microchipped, but her previous owner did not want her back.

Despite whatever difficulties she may have been through, she has a such gentle and sweet energy. Because she is on the frail side, and is sensitive, quite often when I am doing Reiki with her, I keep my hands a short distance away, depending on what seems to be her comfort level. Reiki energy can be too overwhelming for some animals to have hands directly on them.

Yesterday she was resting at the back of her cage, and so I offered her Reiki, letting her stay where she was. I put my hands in several different positions during our session, and she shifted a few times so that my hands were where she wanted them to be. I especially felt heat in her brachial chakra area. This chakra is one that only animals have, and is located near the two shoulders. It is also called the "key chakra", and can help the energy flow to the other chakras. I felt the energy being absorbed there, and could visualize the cones of energy going in from each side. She seemed to be very comforted by this.

When she had enough, she let me know by standing up and walking towards me and towards the front of her cage. She drank some water, and ate some of her food, which was great to see.

Then, she walked right towards me and very gently stretched out her paw and put it on my arm, looking at me. I waited to see if this meant that she was ready to come out onto my lap, but then I felt it was a simple gesture to thank me. She did it a couple of times, touching my arm with a light tap of her paw.

Thank you, Adele. Animals have so much to teach us about gratitude. I feel so honored to learn so much from animals every day.