Humans have for centuries benefitted from Reiki. The practice, originating in Japan, means “universal life energy.” In simple terms, it is a technique that involves a gentle hands-on healing. Reiki has been proved to be natural with no side effects. Since it is non-invasive, it is completely safe.
What Does It do?
Reiki reopens and rebalances energy. Energy flows through areas of the body called chakras. Chakras are centers were energy is concentrated and flows through to the rest of the body. Many people find that Reiki works well when used with traditional medical care to promote healing and reduce pain.
How It Works For Cats
The next logical question is whether this ancient technique can be beneficial for pets, particularly cats. The answer is that most cats do well with it when it is used alongside a veterinarian’s recommendations. Cats like to be touched gently and are particularly sensitive to energy. Cat owners do not need to worry about whether their cats will like it. They will let you know if they don’t!
Reiki therapy can be used to relieve the following problems with our feline friends:
- Allergies
- Anxiety
- Recovering from an injury
- Osteoarthritis
- Epilepsy
- Lung or respiratory issues.
Much like humans, Reiki has the same type of benefits for cats. It can help cats recover from illness or surgery faster and can reduce pain. It can also help in their overall health and really help improve their behavior or anxiety problems. After all, Reiki is used to increase relaxation, reduce stress and relieve anxiety. That can, in turn, reduce behavioral problems since anxiety and stress is linked to behavior issues in cats.
Reiki can be used to comfort your cat and this can be particularly useful if your feline has to go through cancer treatments. The stress of the treatment and the horrible side effects are tough on cats. Reiki can ease the side effects, provide them with a peaceful state of being and improve their immune system.
This type of comforting treatment also works well with terminally ill cats. It can provide much comfort and relief from pain for cats facing the end of their life. Allowing a gentle passing with the help of Reiki can help the cat owner as well.
Understanding Reiki
Reiki is based on the idea of energy being all around, in everything and on everything. Channeling this energy can help in healing processes. Chakra are main energy points in the body. There are seven in humans and eight in cats.
Dealing with an emotional challenge or physical problem can cause chakras to become blocked, preventing energy from freely flowing throughout the body. This can affect your, or your cat’s, whole being. Clearing chakras and rebalancing the body will help your pet get past a trauma or emotion. It also helps the cat to heal more quickly from an illness or injury.
Scheduling a Reiki Session
You will need a skilled Reiki practitioner who is used to working on cats. It needs to be someone who will answer all your questions beforehand and is comfortable working around an animal who may not be initially open to the idea of a stranger touching them.
Most Reiki sessions for a pet are between 15 and 30 minutes. That really depends on your cat. Your practitioner will ask you many questions about your pet beforehand, such as why you want the treatment, if you cat has a diagnosis, and some about your cat’s lifestyle and history. All of this will help the reiki practitioner figure out the best way to move forward.
A practitioner may start with directing energy from across the room before moving to touch the cat. Some cats may need this to feel more relaxed. Other cats may welcome the touch. TIt is highly important that your cat remain calm throughout the process.
Cats have different reactions to Reiki treatments. Some fall asleep and others began to play more with more energy. They can feel different sensations to the energy too, or not feel any sensation at all. It really depends on the cat.
Research abounds showing Reiki provides humans with healing, but there isn’t much research on cats. Most results are anecdotal. However, it is becoming more common to use the technique in the animal world with some veterinarians offering Reiki along with their other services. It is often used in U. S., Canadian and Austrailian animal rescue centres. New focus is on using it to help heal horses.
