REIKI WORLD MAGAZINE - SUMMER 2022
Offering Reiki to Animals in Rescue Centres, Sanctuaries & Foster Care by Sue Malcolm
As the Animal Reiki Coordinator for the UK Reiki Federation, I was delighted to host a panel discussion on July 19th titled Offering Reiki to animals in Rescue centres and Sanctuaries with three of our Animal Reiki Practitioner members – Ali Schmutz, Ema Melanaphy and Jude McDermott. We have all helped many rescue animals in desperate need of love, care and being understood and we came together for a 1-hour event to discuss our experiences and views on a number of popular questions. We opened by discussing the different ways we commenced our journeys in rescue centres with some helpful suggestions for anyone interested in doing so. Ali approached the rescue centre she wished to support online. As there were no vacancies with animals at that time she opted to initially volunteer in the tearoom where staff could get to know her and she could prove that she was reliable and prepared to help in any way. Before long this paid off and she was able to start offering Reiki with such success that two staff members decided to learn Reiki themselves. Ema started by helping an anxious cat she fostered from her local cat shelter. Tiggs had been neglected and she suspected more than this. He suffered from very poor digestion and would flinch, cower and panic in a range of situations. He quickly turned a corner upon receiving regular Reiki though, and within weeks the shelter staff were astounded by his progress, from hyper-vigilant and always active to a chilled-out lounge cat! Ema’s request to offer Reiki to cats in this centre, having previously been refused, was soon accepted. Jude wrote several letters, refining them each time. She realised that what really gained attention was not information about herself so much; beyond her professional qualifications; but how she and Reiki could help the animals and benefit the rescue centre, with a primary focus on relaxation. 24 REIKI WORLD MAGAZINE - UKRF