Reiki can be helpful for both physical and emotional/mental issues, in both humans and animals.
I volunteer once a week at a cat shelter to help socialize the cats that were once feral. Some have been there for some time, and most of them do not want to be touched. I have 2 cats that I'm assigned to, and one is more open to pets than the other. After I work with them (we use baby food on a finger to help convince them we are friendly) and also give out some baby food to other cats, I sit on the floor in a corner of each of the 2 rooms the cats are in and offer Reiki. I set the intention that it is for the cats' highest good, and that each cat may take as much or as little of the Reiki as they want.
I have developed a following, if you will. There are some cats that settle in near me, close their eyes and seem to be enjoying the energy. There are a couple of cats who repeatedly dart in and out of the room, as though they can only handle short bursts of it. There are a few who stay where they are on the other side of the room, and by the way they look at me, or how they relax and settle in, seem to indicate that they are receiving the Reiki also.
Rhonda, one of the cats in the socialization program, came out of her cubby in a cat tree (where she is most often) and lay down and the floor about 5 feet from me. I was surprised, for even though the people who work with her say she likes to be brushed a little, she has run from me (I'm fairly new, so I'm hoping with time she'll get used to me) when I've approached her with baby food. So, here she was, sprawled out in front of the water bowls, closed her eyes and seemed to just soak up the energy. I waited until she had enough and got up and went back to the cat tree before I got up and moved to the other room. The next week she didn't come out onto the floor, but came out of her cubby and lay on one of the cat tree platforms. When I read the notes for the socialization program, it was reported that Rhonda had made great progress and was allowing more petting and brushing. I was happy reading this, as I am sure that the Reiki I offer there had something to do with it.
P.S. That is Rhonda in the picture
It's Winter Solstice. I have only my Christmas tree lights and candles tonight. Instrumental Christmas music in the background. I wish I had some eggnog, it would be perfect tonight, but didn't make it to the store today. So a glass of wine instead. I got my Dobosh Torte in the mail today. When I was young, we would go to an aunt and uncle's on Christmas night and they always had homemade eggnog and Swiss Colony's Dobosh Torte, a rectangular cake with many very thin layers of cake and chocolate cream. Delish!
