The 2015 winter in southwestern Ontario, along with Quebec, according to The Canadian Press was generally seven to nine degrees colder than historic averages. Maxime Desharnais, Environment Canada meteorologist, explained that it was a combination of persistent cold and wind that made the temperatures even more challenging. “This will set the stage for the first time an entire calendar month has been below freezing in the Kitchener and Toronto Pearson airport areas since February 1978,” Environment Canada said. This was the first February in 75 years where the temperatures remained below freezing. March continued to record colder than usual temperatures.
Now that the weather is firmly etched in your mind, imagine a nine year old, overweight Shih Tzu dog lost and out outside for 25 days during this time. Yes 25 days! For those not familiar with the breed, a Shih Tzu dog is a toy breed (5-7.25 kg) with long silky hair. They are very affectionate, curious, and intelligent but generally a house dog, not accustomed to extreme weather.
At the beginning of March 2015 Moe was let out to do his business and unfortunately wondered off. He was missing for 25 days during the coldest nights that the area had experienced the entire winter. His family searched every day for him but eventually they began to believe that someone must have picked him up or worse yet hit by a car and had passed on.
Finally, the call came that Moe had been found. The vet that was caring for him had managed to track down his family and shared that Moe had been found in a lady’s backyard approximately 3 km from home. With his hair severely matted, Moe was barely recognizable. While the extra weight is believed to have sustained him, once shaved his body exposed his true condition; so emaciated that you could see his ribs protruding.
The vet instructed the family to take Moe home, administer antibiotics, and encouraged them to provide Moe all the love and attention possible. What was of most concern were his eyes. Moe would have to see a specialist and there was great worry that he would have to have his eyes removed due to the severe infection. The specialist believed that surgery was the only answer. While the family continued to administer the eye drops as directed, they wanted to postpone the surgery until he was stronger.
As Moe recovered, his family desperate to help him accepted an offer from a friend of mine who had heard about Moe’s situation and offered her assistance. As a Reiki practitioner she agreed to send healing energy to Moe. Understanding the seriousness of the situation she contacted me, also a Reiki practitioner, and asked if I would also send Reiki to Moe. I agreed and for days, together, we remotely sent healing energy to Moe.
For those not familiar with Reiki at this point you may be asking several questions. What is Reiki? How does it work? Can it really work when the animal or person is not in the same physical space as the practitioner?
The most common explanation is that Reiki is a universal life-force moving through the practitioner to the receiver.
Recently I read the following explanation provided by Practitioner Taryn Walker. “Instead of thinking of Reiki as an energy, I became more comfortable thinking of it simply as a practice that reconnects a person with their natural intelligence. I imagined that during a Reiki attunement a special piece of information is passed on from teacher to student. This piece of information may be a powerful reminder of the incredible inner wisdom we all have. It’s that same intelligence that heals our wounds without our effort that tells seeds to grow into trees, that creates galaxies and all of life! It’s always there and it’s everywhere. When a practitioner places their hands on or near someone that person is given an opportunity to respond to this information.”
Because energy is not bound by time or space it is able to move freely between human and animal or across distance effectively. Working from a photo, the name of the person or animal, and their age and location, a practitioner is able to direct the energy to the receiver. Practitioners are provided additional techniques to assist in the energy transfer.
Reiki is a gentle, effective energy therapy that promotes physical and emotional well-being. Reiki channels energy to activate the natural healing process. As demonstrated in this article Reiki works with conventional and alternative medicine, enhances the immune system, is helpful in reducing anxiety, stress, and depression, assists with pain management, while supporting and promoting healing.
After Moe had been receiving regular Reiki treatments he returned to the specialist for a follow up assessment. Wonderful news! After several weeks Moe’s eyes were healing and so they decided to monitor him for several more weeks. One eye was stronger than the other but everyone was hopeful. Then after another month the vet said his eyes were so good that the surgery would not be required. The vet was totally surprised at the speed and progression of the dog’s healing. He had no explanation for how the dog overcame such a traumatic condition. Moe’s family believes the Reiki energy and their love and care healed Moe’s eyes.
You may be wondering how the dog is doing today. He is thriving and doing wonderfully well. He has gained back most of his weight and his hair has come back and he is need of a “spa day”. His people are spoiling him, thankful to have him back in the family. Moe’s family are forever grateful for the healing energy and love sent to him in his darkest hours
Animals respond easily to energy work as they do not have the preconceived ideas that sometimes block humans in receiving. I have witnessed anxious horses to calm, competition horses to focus, and a Kingfisher to recover after a very hard hit against a large living room window. We all have an innate intelligence that heals a cut or initiates a seed to grow. I believe that I am a facilitator holding space for the receiver. Connecting with them and allowing them to accept and use the energy intuitively.