What Is Animal Reiki and How It Might Benefit Your Dog or Cat

Reiki has a healing force that has many potential benefits to people and pets. Reiki was first developed in Japan and was born out of a system of spirituality, meditation, and chanting in the early 1900’s.  Reiki is a way of harmonizing with another individual or animal and working with the life force energy that everyone possesses.  

Reiki is not a religion but it is wrapped within spirituality.  In fact, in Japanese, the word Reiki is composed of two smaller words:  Rei—“God's Wisdom or the Higher Power” and Ki—“life force energy.”  Practicing Reiki can strengthen one’s own energy and concentrate one’s abilities to connect with others’ energy.  It is not even required for Reiki to be performed entirely hands-on either, since it is more about energy flow than touch.  

In fact, there are various levels of Reiki.  Practitioners may connect with your pet using energy from a distance, whether that is across the state or in the same room.  Another method may be hovering your hands lightly over your pet’s body.  Lastly, Reiki may include actual physical contact with specific hand placements to encourage energy connection.  All methods of Reiki are appropriate and safe.  

Practitioners working with animals generally operate a little differently than with people.  Because we cannot physically ask an animal if they approve of the Reiki, many ‘ask’ the pet using their energy, beaming it non-threateningly from a distance.  

Sensing a received energy connection, we then proceed from there at a pace and comfort level of the pet.  A typical session may be anywhere from 30-60 minutes in length and may or may not include any type of physical touch.  The sessions with animals are guided by the comfort level of the animal.  

Most hands-on sessions are in the pet’s home for the best relaxation and comfort, and distance sessions can also be used to not stress the pet.  

While Reiki practitioners are quick to note that they do not diagnose an illness or directly cure the problem, we do believe our services are invaluable.  The connection of energy is mental, physical, and spiritual.  This means that Reiki energy might work towards a healing process within an individual, but as Reiki providers we believe that even in the event of lack of physical healing, healing on another plain exists.  

For example, Reiki might be used for a human or animal nearing the possible end of its life.  Reiki doesn’t work towards curing this disease but rather the connection of energy works on the mental and spiritual realm to relax and prepare the individual.  

Reiki can provide benefits to many animals including those that might be sick, traumatized, fearful, or any other kind of situation.  Kathleen Prasad, in her article Connecting with Animals through Reiki (from the Reiki Newsletter, 2004-05), tells of her work within animal shelters.  She explains how using her Reiki energy draws her to those animals that need her the most.  

One example she shares in the article is of a desperately ill Rottweiler, who she realizes is suffering from not just a virus but some type of cancer.  Shelter staff confirms he has inoperable cancer and is scheduled to be euthanized later that day.  Prasad, while disappointed she cannot physically assist this dog, is comforted by the knowledge she provided comfort and relaxation in his final hours.  

There is certainly nothing to harm your pet during a session, and whether you believe in the life force energy or not, perhaps the potential relaxation and comfort from a session is the biggest benefit of all. 

We follow the Animal Reiki Practitioner Code of Ethics as developed by Kathleen Prasad, Founder of SARA and Animal Reiki Source.