By Ronald C Schlegel

Trauma leaves deep imprints not just in the mind but in the body, emotions, and spirit. It shapes how we see the world, how we relate to others, and how we view ourselves. Traditional therapies offer valuable support, but for many, true and lasting transformation requires a deeper, more holistic approach — one that touches the soul.

This is where intuitive energy work shines.

It speaks the language of your inner being, helping you rise above trauma by reconnecting you with your true self — the self that existed before the pain, and the self that has always been whole.

Understanding Trauma Through an Energetic Lens

Trauma isn’t just a mental or emotional experience; it is an energetic disruption. It can fragment your sense of wholeness, leaving parts of you anchored in fear, grief, anger, or helplessness. These unresolved energies often linger in the body’s energy field, creating patterns of self-doubt, emotional overwhelm, and chronic imbalance.

Intuitive energy work is a powerful way to gently identify, release, and realign these disrupted energies. It clears what no longer serves you and supports the restoration of your natural flow of vitality, clarity, and inner peace.

In short, it helps you come home to yourself.

What is Intuitive Energy Work?

Intuitive energy work blends energetic realignment, spiritual insight, and inner wisdom to support deep emotional and energetic transformation. Unlike rigid, one-size-fits-all approaches, intuitive energy work is fluid, compassionate, and tailored to the unique needs of your soul.

Using modalities such as energy clearing, emotional release techniques, spiritual guidance, and subconscious reprogramming, intuitive energy work can help:

• Identify and release unresolved trauma patterns
• Remove energetic blocks that keep you feeling stuck
• Reconnect you with your authentic power, peace, and purpose
• Strengthen your natural resilience and intuitive awareness

An empath and intuitive, doesn’t simply “apply techniques” — they tune into the energy behind your words, your emotions, and your unspoken needs, holding a space for your highest transformation.

The Four Cornerstones of Intuitive Energy Work

1. It Addresses the Root, Not Just the Symptoms

Traditional approaches often focus on managing surface-level symptoms like anxiety, depression, or relationship challenges. Intuitive energy work seeks to address the energetic roots, creating the space for lasting shifts from within.

2. It Restores Trust in Yourself

Trauma can create a disconnect from your inner wisdom. Intuitive energy work helps you rebuild trust in your feelings, instincts, and natural knowing — allowing you to navigate life with renewed confidence.

3. It Liberates Your Energy

Carrying the energetic weight of trauma is like dragging heavy chains. Releasing stuck patterns restores vitality, creativity, hope, and a renewed zest for life.

4. It Awakens Your Higher Self

You are not your trauma. You are a luminous being who has experienced trauma. Intuitive energy work awakens the remembrance of who you truly are — whole, worthy, radiant — and empowers you to live from that truth.

Rising Above is Not About Forgetting — It’s About Transforming

Transformation is not about erasing the past. It’s about alchemizing pain into wisdom, fear into strength, and wounds into sacred openings for love, compassion, and purpose.

When you engage in intuitive energy work, you don’t just survive — you rise. You step into a life where your past no longer defines you. You become the conscious creator of your future, fueled by hope, resilience, and deep inner alignment.

For more information go to: https://www.RiseAboveTrauma.com

The post How Intuitive Energy Work Helps You Rise Above Trauma appeared first on Alternatives for Healing Articles.

by Victoria Goldsten, HD, Phd, LPN, LMT

Director: Washington Institute of Natural Medicine

Since 1973 I have cared for patients with severe pain. First, those in the hospital setting after surgical procedures and now, in a complementary medicine facility. I have gone from giving Demerol injections and oral pain medications, to now providing cranial sacral therapy, acupressure, homeopathic recommendations, glymphatic drainage, and lymphatic drainage. Although Demerol and pain relieving drugs helped with the relieving the pain, and was necessary at the time, it was a temporary treatment, as are many other conventional drugs.  We do need our conventional methods, but we can explore other methods that can help prevent addiction and the development or intensification of symptoms over time.

Over the last thirty years I have seen massage and bodywork methods eliminate pain and promote improved mobility. It increases circulation and helps the collagen return to the cells, for moisture in the soft tissue sites, that had become compacted — as a result symptoms and flexibility improve. In addition, I have worked with an orthopedic massage therapist and certified guided stretch therapy practitioners, that have improved joint function and increased range of motion with their specialized treatments.

When a client presents with a difficult pain complaints, I recommend the addition of homeopathy to the bodywork therapy sessions. Homeopathy, relieves pain, increases circulation, and reduces inflammation. When circulation improves and inflammation is reduced pain relief follows.

I believe that natural practitioners need an arsenal of methods to help control pain and to assist in the healing of the client. One powerful method is lymphatic drainage. This technique is provided by those licensed health practitioners with post graduate continuing education training and certification in lymphatic drainage, such as massage therapists, physical therapists, and nursing personnel. Lymphatic drainage manual therapy is a specialized body work technique that applies repetitive pressure at lymph node sites and a stroking technique along lymph vessels, that stimulates the movement of lymph fluid. This therapy assists with post surgical swelling and inflammation due to numerous heath complaints such as sinusitis, arthritis, gastritis, back pain, neck pain and more. Within the process of the lymphatic drainage session, inflammation is released off of the nerves and the technique sends a message to the brain to relax the nervous system, thereby reducing stress and pain.

Some clients have reported an elimination of pain just after one session. Repeat sessions may be needed based on the client’s personal history. Lymphatic drainage reduces the millivolts produced by the nerves thereby decreasing the pain.

Lymphatic drainage practitioners may practice the method in various ways due to the different schools of thought. Some methods use a dry technique that uses repetitive pressure at lymph node and vessel sites throughout the treatment session, and some may use directional gliding strokes in a massage like fashion with pressure at lymph node sites, while using a lotion or oil.

The Washington Institute practitioners offer 60 to 90 minute lymphatic drainage sessions by way of using the gliding method. Institute clients have reported that the lymphatic drainage therapy, in some cases, has been even more powerful than standard massage techniques. It can also be combined with acupressure, reflexology, cranial sacral therapy, and energy work with even more profound results.

In addition to massage and lymphatic drainage, clients may also find positive responses to 60 minute Cranial Sacral Therapy, Acupressure, Reflexology, Glymphatic Drainage, and Guided Stretch Therapy sessions.

Prior to treatment, it is important to have a diagnosis from a medical doctor to insure that there is nothing seriously affecting the client, that may need conventional medical attention. Also, please be aware that natural therapies augment conventional care.

The Washington Institute of Natural Medicine has a variety of natural therapies that can assist with  conventional medications and therapies. Please feel free to contact the Institute for further question or details.

Conditions Causing Pain

Pain may be caused by many types of injuries and ailments such as Falls, Dehydration, Circulatory System Difficulties, Muscle Weakness, Limited Range of Motion or Stiffness, Lack of Exercise, Fibromyalgia, Peripheral Neuropathy, Trigeminal Neuralgia, Myofascial Pain Syndrome, Spine Conditions, Dental Conditions, and Arthritis.

Conventional and Complementary Medicine

It is important to see your dentist, medical doctors, and nurse practitioners for conventional evaluation and treatment. In addition natural health care methods can also improve health and augment conventional care.

Once you know you have a condition resulting in pain, you can work with your conventional medical and complementary medicine practitioners to treat the condition.

Complementary Medicine Evaluation for Pain Management

When working with conditions related to pain at the Washington Institute of Natural Medicine we provide the Natural Wellness Evaluation. This exam evaluates function rather than using the diagnostic techniques offered by Medical Doctors. This evaluation complements the conventional medical care provided by practitioners such as MDs and Nurse Practitioners. Conventional practitioners provide a diagnosis and medical treatment. Complementary practitioners search for imbalances.

In regards to treating pain related conditions naturally, the practitioner assess the body with natural theories, recommends natural remedies to treat the condition and focuses on the filtration mechanisms of the body through the kidneys or liver. Although conventional medical techniques may show there are no abnormalities in the filtration systems, the natural health care evaluation reveals sub clinical weaknesses that do not show up on conventional tests. This is based upon function rather than disease.

Holistic Methods and Therapies for Treatment of Pain:

When selecting a natural health care method for conditions resulting in pain, it is important to illustrate that natural medicine does not replace conventional care, but rather augments it. In this process the client seeking natural support treatments, needs to have the proper assessments with conventional medicine and natural health care practitioners.

The types of natural methods that can help with pain are: Natural Remedy Recommendations by way of the Natural Health Evaluations, Lymphatic Drainage, Glymphatic Drainage, Acupressure, Cranial Sacral Therapy, Guided Stretch Therapy, Range of Motion, Life Coaching, Organ Flushing, Reflexology, Geriatric Bodywork, Oracle Healing (Reiki Energy Healing), Hypnotherapy, Guided Meditation, Oracle Healing (Reiki Energy Healing), Emotional Freedom Technique, and the Ayurvedic Health Evaluation.

Below you will find further details regarding these methods.

Natural Health Evaluation

When a natural health care assessment is completed through a natural health care evaluation, the practitioner uses a variety of skills that help the practitioner understand what organ systems need support and healing. This is a holistic approach including emotional, physical, nutritional, and detoxification care.

The natural wellness evaluation is a comprehensive study of the human body using observation skills from the Orient and Europe. It is a preventative approach focusing on organ system efficiency and cleansing. Its goal is to heal the internal workings of the human body, rather than just treating symptoms. By improving the condition of the organs and tissues, symptoms will begin to dissipate, and as a result the body becomes stronger.

The natural health evaluation looks for imbalances prior to and during a disease state. These imbalances point the practitioner in the proper direction for healing the areas of concern. It also helps with disease prevention. These methods augment conventional medical care. It is not a medical diagnosis. For a medical diagnosis see your Physician or our Nurse Practitioner.

The components of a natural health evaluation provided at the Washington Institute are: Client History, Hara Study, Iridology, Pulse Reading, Visual/Face Observation, Kinesiology, Bio-Energy Field Testing, Remedy Testing/Selection, Homeopathic, Herbal, Aromatherapy, or Supplement Recommendations. Assessments vary slightly by practitioner.

After the completion of the Natural Health Care Evaluation the practitioner will recommend physical methods and oral product such as herbs and homeopathics for the underlying conditions, and the pain that is caused by it. Aromatherapy may also be recommended.

There are many homeopathic sublingual liquid remedies that can be taken orally for pain and healing, as well as a topical pain spray that can be used very effective.

Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD)

Lymphatic drainage manual therapy is a specialized body work technique that is provided by advanced trained licensed/certified health care practitioners such as Nursing Personnel, Massage Therapists, Aestheticians, and Physical Therapists, that have been additionally trained and certified in Lymphatic Drainage. This therapy applies repetitive pressure at lymph node sites, and a stroking technique along lymph vessels, that stimulates the movement and removal of fluid.

MLD can be an adjunct to the natural health care evaluation and conventional medical treatment. It improves the function of the lymphatic system by stimulating the removal of stagnant body fluids. It also stimulates the immune system and reduces inflammation in the head region, thereby allowing the brain to function more efficiently. MLD’s detoxifying, immune-balancing, and relaxing effects can help cleanse the body, and reduces inflammation in soft tissues and joints. It treats arthritis, and conditions with inflammatory components and pain.

Cranial Sacral Therapy

CST is a holistic healing assessment and technique that uses light pressure and gentle energetic touch to balance the cranium, spine, and sacral area which includes the nerve ganglion sites, cerebral spinal fluid, and soft tissues of the central nervous system. This therapy helps the spine become more limber and causes cerebral spinal fluid to move more freely thereby balancing the central nervous system. It treats neck pain, headaches, sinus pressure, brain fog, stiffness, back pain, TMJ, sciatica, stress, memory loss, and more. This is an energetic, light to moderate touch therapy, performed on a fully clothed individual, and can also be incorporated with other bodywork techniques.

Acupressure

Acupressure uses light to moderate pressure which is applied to acupuncture points with the thumb, fingers, palms, forearms and elbows. Acupressure helps to bring the body into balance, improves mobility, reduces pain, and decreases stiffness.

Glymphatic Drainage of Head

This is a method that uses a combination of lymphatic drainage techniques, cranial sacral therapy techniques, and Chinese and /or Ayurvedic pressure points in the head and neck region, in order to reduce swelling, brain fog, facial and head pain, sinus congestion, inflammation around the brain, and flushes the Glymphatic System the brain. This Head Drainage therapy with Cranial Sacral Holds, reduces inflammation in the head, promotes circulation, and assists with cerebral spinal fluid movement to the brain, as a result helps reduce pain in the head face and neck.

Glymphatic Drainage of Head with Ultrasound of Sinuses

Using a combination of lymphatic drainage techniques, cranial sacral techniques, Chinese and or Ayurvedic pressure points, along with ultrasound over the sinuses, in order to reduce swelling, brain fog, facial and head pain, and decrease congestion in the sinus. This Head Drainage Therapy with Cranial Sacral Holds reduces inflammation in the head, promote circulation, and assist with cerebral spinal fluid movement to the brain, as a result helps reduce pain in the head face and neck.

Ayurvedic Health Evaluation

The Ayurvedic Health evaluation is a comprehensive study of an individual using ancient India’s Ashtavidha Pariksha – The Eight Methods of Clinical Evaluation. It is a method that uses a variety of visual inspections, touch (e.g., pulse observation) and questioning to help identify symptoms and manifestations of imbalance. For each client, the exam consists of a combination of alternative modalities, such as Dosha and Agni Evaluation, Tongue and Pulse Studys, Facial Observation, and Ayurvedic diet and lifestyle recommendations.

The practitioner will make recommendations for treatment after the completion of the evaluation.

Organ Flushing Detox Therapy

Organ flushing is a light to moderate touch therapy, applied over the abdomen, which helps remove toxins and stagnant fluid from the organ systems in the abdomen, joints, and soft tissues, thereby reducing pain.

Reflexology Foot and Hand Therapy

Reflexology is acupressure on the feet and hands that balances energy, and reduces pain and stiffness.

Foot Reflexology with Lymphatic Drainage

A therapy for foot pain, inflammation, and peripheral neuropathy.

Geriatric Bodywork

A type of touch therapy that uses gentle and light application of bodywork techniques with oils or lotions that permit the body to be worked on without excessive friction to the skin. It has been shown to reduce pain, relieve anxiety and provide comfort, especially to those touch-deprived.

Guided Stretch Therapy

GST is a specialized bodywork technique performed on a fully clothed individual, that assists with improving stiffness, tightness, decreased range of motion, and pain.

Guided Stretch Therapy has been proven to enhance:

• Range of Motion
• Flexibility
• Recovery from Injuries
• Recovery from Sports

It slows down the progression of muscle aging, improves the nervous system’s ability to relax, reduces pain, and aides in the ability to get better sleep.

Range of motion techniques are added when needed with this method.

Life Coaching

A method used to focus on what we have the power to change: our own thoughts, beliefs, and actions. Life coaching can reverse years of negative self-talk and self-limiting choices thereby reducing stress and pain.

Reiki

The study of healing and directing the body’s energy via spiritual or universal energy. The practitioner applies a light touch to the client or provides it through remote healing. It is very relaxing and as a result reduces pain.

Hypnotherapy/Hypnosis

Hypnosis can help individuals and groups stop smoking, lose weight, sleep better, and deal effectively with stress and other emotional disorders.

During a hypnosis session the client experiences a trance state which is similar to meditation. In this state the innate powers of the human mind, which are usually untapped, flow freely and enhance every area of life. Emotional blocks that a client may not even be aware of are released during a session.

The Hypnotic state is completely normal. Hypnosis is experienced everyday by every person. It happens while watching TV or driving a familiar route. It is a narrowing of attention, thereby shutting out distractions, resulting in focused awareness. It is not mysterious but rather a state that every human being can easily reach, with very few exceptions.

The conscious mind, which is the rational and analytical mind, is in a relaxed state for a time, while the subconscious mind, which holds all emotions, memories and creativity, is more fully accessed to provide resources not usually available.

Hypnosis is a powerful tool that can alter your perception of pain, reducing its intensity and has impact on your life.

Oracle Healing (Reiki Energy Healing)

Oracle healing is a form of in-person or distant healing that involves the healer working with the Seven Rays of Reiki. Also known as the Seven Rays of Creation, these healing rays are high vibrational energies overseen by Seven Archangels. The Archangels serve people of all faiths and also those who don’t come from a faith tradition.

During the healing, the oracle healer receives a “God’s eye view” of your soul self, along with blessings, channeled messages, and intuitive insights as to what’s going on with your chakras, and what limiting self-beliefs need to be shifted and cleared. As a result stress and pain are reduced.

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) – is an alternative treatment for physical pain and emotional distress. It’s also referred to as tapping or psychological acupressure. EFT allows the body to dissolve emotions from the body easily and effortlessly. Great for healing the heart from old relationships, anger, insomnia, anxiety, pain and so much more!

Guided Meditation – is a process by which one or more participants meditate in response to the guidance provided by a trained practitioner or teacher. Guided imagery has many uses. It is used to promote relaxation, which can lower blood pressure and reduce other problems related to stress. It can also help you reach goals (such as losing weight or quitting smoking),manage pain and promote healing.

About the Author: Victoria Goldsten, HD, Phd, LPN, LMT

Victoria has been caring for the sick since 1973. Her first health care experience was in nursing at several local hospitals and health care facilities. She later studied and received certificates in: homeopathy, Reiki, acupressure, lymphatic drainage, neural therapy, hypnotherapy, Holistic Nursing, and Complementary and Alternative Medicine Nursing. She has a diploma in Nursing and a Doctorate degree in Homeopathy and Holistic Health. She is licensed as a nurse and massage therapist in Washington, D.C. and Maryland. She is currently working as the Director and an Integrative Homeopath/Holistic Doctor, Complementary and Alternative Medicine Nurse, and a Lymphatic Drainage Massage Therapist at the Washington Institute of Natural Medicine.

* Several Practitioner of the Washington Institute assisted with the contents of this article.

If you are interested in Natural Services or Natural Health Care Classes please contact the Washington Institute of Natural Medicine. Call for details or for an appointment. The Institute has in person and remote sessions and classes.

(202) 686-8202, (202) 237-7681, or (301) 538-9540

Further information can be seen on the Washington Institute’s Web site:   www.NaturalHealthDC.com

The post Natural Treatments for Pain appeared first on Alternatives for Healing Articles.

by Written By: Rev. Dr. Elena Skyhawk

Spiritual Shaman

The post How Crystals Can Help with Healing PTSD Trauma appeared first on Alternatives for Healing Articles.

by Nand Harjani
a Creative Life Sciences, LLC article

Do you have migraines, or other types of pain, and are tired of experiencing that physical pain, either most days or more often than that? Are you medicating your body when in pain? Are you tired of doing so? Fortunately, there is another way to take care of your pain. At Creative Life Sciences we have created healing approaches that use our proprietary techniques, which are focused on rapid, thorough, and long-lasting results.

How is this possible? Let’s start with what pain is, as we “see” it. Pain is caused when the flow of Universal Energies are blocked as those Energies go through the body.  The more severe the pain, the bigger the block is.

When we have someone who comes to us with pain, whether it is focused in a specific area in the body, such as a migraine headache, or unfocused, such as in the case of Fibromyalgia, we complete a scan of that individual, “reading” and interpreting the first three layers of the individual’s Aura Field. This gives us an explanation of the pain, a cause for the pain, and a way to minimize or resolve it. This process may take some time to complete – it needs to be thorough and conclusive in order for the “fix” to take place.

After we have finished the scan as described in the above paragraph, we take a moment to understand if the particular cause has been brought into this lifetime from a previous one, or if it began in this lifetime. We then search more broadly to see if there is something other than the first layer of the Aura Field that is connected to that pain. When we have this information, we prepare the client to receive the assistance of our SiddhuPrana™ proprietary energy balancing techniques. Once that preparation is in place, we utilize one or more of our uniquely designed protocols to begin the “repair”.

Following the completion of that process, frequently the pain begins to “travel” away from the localized part of the body to another part of the body temporarily, and then it begins to minimize or dissipate. If the pain is not localized, then we find that the overall pain begins to diminish in intensity. In either situation, we have found throughout the many thousands of people we have worked with that, for most, the pain is forever gone either during that session, or within a day or so afterwards. It should be noted that in our experience, we have observed that for some individuals the pain needs to be more gradually diminished over the course of several follow-up sessions.

To Schedule an Appointment: appointment@creativelifesciences.com

The post Energy Balancing: Pain – Overcoming Blocked Energies appeared first on Alternatives for Healing Articles.

by Kathleen Prasad

The post Why Reiki is Ideal for Animals appeared first on Alternatives for Healing Articles.

by Kathleen Prasad

The post Compassion Fatigue and Animal Rescue – How Reiki Can Help appeared first on Alternatives for Healing Articles.

by Kathleen Prasad

Animals. It’s always been about the animals for me. As long as I can remember, there has been an animal in my life, at my side, walking with me through thick and thin. Animals have always been my best friends, and since I was a little girl, I have understood them well, in fact, often better than my fellow humans.

I initially learned Reiki as a tool for self-healing. It was my dog, Dakota, who expanded my understanding and first helped me make the connection between Reiki and animals. He would lie awkwardly across my feet whenever I did a Reiki self-treatment. One day it dawned on me: he senses Reiki. Which led me to the next conclusion: he knows Reiki can help him. Which led me to the next realization: of his own choice, he is coming forward and accepting Reiki. I had almost nothing to do with it (other than sitting in a Reiki meditation myself), and yet he seemed to know exactly what was going on-not only was he participating in the energy healing treatment, he had taken it over for his own purposes. This series of “light bulb” moments was the beginning of what would become an eventual career change from Middle School Teacher to Animal Reiki Teacher, and the beginning of my life mission to bring Reiki to animals around the world.

Along the way, it has been my great honor and privilege to call many animals of many different species my Reiki teachers. Of course, I’ve got my human Reiki teachers too, and they have been an invaluable part of my journey. However, it has been while sitting with animals, in that quiet peace that is Reiki, that I have learned my most profound lessons about the nature of this energy. I share with you five of those lessons.

One of my clients was a kitty in a multiple cat household with a very caring and concerned human guardian. I was brought in to offer Reiki to this particular kitty, but he wasn’t too keen on the treatment at first, so I decided to get creative finding hopes of finding a way to get him to accept the energy. First, I decided to include the other kitties in the treatment, which they really appreciated, but he still wasn’t into it. As he sat staring at me in an annoyed way, I suddenly got the strong impression that he wanted his person to get healing. Although she was a Reiki practitioner herself, she didn’t often “do animals” and normally waited in the other room during treatments. I decided to ask her to sit in and meditate with all of us during the treatment. I couldn’t believe the difference! As soon as he saw his person sit down with us and open to the energy, the cat came up to me, licked my hands, and then settled down with his person for a long Reiki nap. She, too, was astounded by the change in his attitude and was delighted by the feeling of being together with her cats in the peaceful Reiki space. She decided that self-treatment (with her cats free to join in) should become a regular tradition.

This story illustrates Animal Reiki Lesson 1: Always start by healing yourself. Although many of us find Reiki because of our desire to help someone we love (either human or animal), the key and cornerstone of the system is self-treatment. It’s easy to forget this when caring for others through illness, injury or hospice, but when we forget to care for ourselves, we become depleted. It’s important to remember that our effectiveness and ability to truly offer healing to another being is directly affected by our own connection to the energy. Make friends with Reiki; make it not just a part of your life, but part of everything you do. Become Reiki, and in that space you will find that everywhere you go, you will be able to offer a space for others in which to find balance and harmony.

Take the case of a particular cat whose Reiki person sadly lamented to me, “Here I am a full-time Reiki practitioner, and my own cat hates Reiki!” When asking her how she went about the treatment, I discovered she always picked up her cat, placed him on her lap, and began the treatment. Within a minute or less, the cat inevitably jumped off her lap and ran quickly from the room. Interestingly, when she was treating her human clients, the cat was always in the room, sleeping soundly.

I asked her to try something different: to find a comfortable place in her house to sit in meditation and to establish an intention of being open to facilitate healing for her cat if he was open for Reiki (otherwise he didn’t need to take any Reiki at all). I told her to simply sit in the Reiki energy for thirty minutes, not worrying about what he was doing, where he was, how he was responding, if he was “taking” it, etc.-in other words, for her to simply sit in a Reiki meditation in her own space.

Within several minutes of beginning the treatment, she opened her eyes to find her cat sitting at her feet staring intently at her. Instead of reacting, she simply closed her eyes again and continued to offer the energy. Her cat lay quietly at her feet in a “Reiki nap” for several minutes. By the end of the treatment, he had jumped into her lap and proceeded to rub his head against her hands, turning his body this way and that so as to direct her hands where he preferred them to be for treatment.

This treatment was a turning point for their Reiki relationship. Her cat now comes to her and “demands” his Reiki treatments on a regular basis! Sometimes he sits in her lap, and sometimes he sleeps across the room, absorbing the energy from a distance, but most importantly, it is HIS decision, not hers.

Which brings us to Animal Reiki Lesson 2: Let animals control the treatment. Trust the energy to go where it needs to go. You don’t need to use hands-on contact. Even if this is more comfortable for us, it often is unacceptable for animals. To receive the best possible acceptance and openness from the animals, never initiate a hands-on Reiki treatment; always let the animal be the one to decide to come forward for hands-on Reiki if they so choose. Remember that hands-off treatment is just as effective, and in fact more so, in that you will most of the time receive more openness from the animal without hands-on contact.

One of the guide dogs I worked with had a terrible case of kennel anxiety. He was so unhappy, in fact, that they wondered if he would be able to make it through the training to see graduation day. He had become so worked up in the kennel that he was unable to focus on his training program. He entered the treatment room keyed-up, and highly agitated. Within a few minutes of my offering Reiki, the dog relaxed completely, lying halfway in my lap and going deeply into a “Reiki nap.”

I suddenly had a strong sensation of loud barking, physical pain in my ears, and a feeling of being completely overwhelmed by the noise. It suddenly became clear to me that this was the experience of this highly sensitive dog in the kennel environment. I shared my impressions with the dog’s caretaker, who worked with the dog’s trainers to change his program. Besides taking the dog out of the kennel area during the particularly active and loud times of the day, they began to stuff his ears with cotton during the times when he had to remain in a noisy area. Immediately they began to see a reduction in stress and an improved ability to focus on the training at hand.

Animal Reiki Lesson 3: Listen to your intuition. Sometimes during a Reiki treatment, we may suddenly understand something very important about the animal or his situation. We may be in a unique position to advocate for that animal. Ask yourself if sharing this information will bring healing and help to the animal: if the answer is an unequivocal “yes,” then share your intuitive information.

Another of my students was new to Reiki. One day, her horse was uncomfortable, and she wasn’t able to isolate the problem area. Feeling helpless and not fully trusting her ability to offer healing to him, she asked me for assistance. I suggested that we both offer Reiki to her horse. I guided her through establishing an intention and asking permission, reminding her simply to connect with the energy and allow her horse to set the tone of the treatment.

It was a beautiful thing to watch the connection between this horse and his person within the Reiki space. Within a few minutes, the horse lifted his head and looked at her, clearly asking for her to do some hands-on Reiki. As she placed her hands on his shoulder, the most incredible thing took place. The horse began to shake his skin over and over, literally moving her hands upward and backward across his back towards his hindquarters. At a certain point he stopped his skin movement, settling into deep relaxation. She felt heat and pain in her hands from this area of his body. She realized he had guided her to his problem spot!

The next day she shared with me that, not only had his problem improved tremendously, but that their relationship had also deepened. It was as if they could now communicate with each other effortlessly, not just on the ground, but also when riding. She joked that she was comforted by the fact that even if she was pretty clueless, her horse was happy to step in and show her what to do.

Animal Reiki Lesson 4: Listen to your animal. In fact, you probably already do in many ways, but in the space of Reiki, you can learn to quiet your mind and truly just “be” with your animal. In that quiet space you can begin to experience a new connection, a new understanding of his or her inner essence and spiritual being, and an ability to truly “listen” to what he or she has to say. Your new awareness will bring added depth and dimension to your relationship, as well as shine a light on possibilities of connections with other animals that may cross your path!

Perhaps one of the most memorable lessons in all of my animal Reiki days involved deer: specifically, several deer, but in reality all are one…

It all began one October evening as my husband and I encountered a horrific scene: a beautiful young buck with little two-inch horns was hit by an SUV just as we drove past. We stopped our car and walked over to the buck. As I offered Reiki, I felt an immediate heat and “whoosh” of white light flood my body. I also felt a sense of peace and understanding from the deer. For a moment, his spirit had lingered on the street, not even realizing he had passed. With Reiki, he was carried gently and surely into the light. Although I knew Reiki had helped this deer, I felt overwhelmed by the difficult reality that deer face when living in the midst of human civilization. I could not erase the image of carnage from my mind. I wondered if I’d ever again be able to sleep without nightmares.

Later that night I was walking my dog, and I saw a buck with little two-inch horns standing across the street from my home in silent vigil. Although we had lived in that house for four years, we had never seen deer in our neighborhood. I was in awe, transfixed in his gaze. Then it dawned on me: it was as if he were a messenger come to say, “Have courage and hope.” As soon as I had this thought, he turned away and walked slowly into the mist. That night I slept peacefully with the image of the healthy, young deer in my mind.

A few months later, a student of mine asked me to offer Reiki to a fawn whose mother had been hit and killed by the side of the highway. Wildlife volunteers and Animal Control were unable to catch the baby, and he refused to leave his mother’s body. Everyone felt concern for his safety, for his weakened state without food, and about what good outcome could possibly come from this. Remembering the two young bucks I had encountered a few months previously, I began to offer Reiki to the mother’s passing as well as to the baby’s situation. I knew that the perfect solution could be found (although I couldn’t imagine what that might be.) Courage and hope, I told myself. A few days later, my student contacted me to share unbelievable news: two young bucks had arrived out of nowhere, adopted the baby and taken her with them. The experts were amazed, as this was highly unusual, but they believed that with their help, the baby would be able to survive. Already anticipating the answer, I asked my student to describe the bucks. Sure enough, one of them had little two-inch horns.

Animal Reiki Lesson 5: Always have courage and hope, no matter the situation. The hardest life lessons seem to always come in the form of transitions: the spirit’s journey out of the body and on to the next chapter in existence. Working with Reiki and animals during this time is a way to embrace the process, both for the animal leaving his body and for the practitioner by his side. Despite how difficult it can be to work with animals who are dying, I have found that simply in this connection, there is no limit to the healing that can happen-on both sides. The animals have taught me always to remain positive. As this story shows, sometimes miracles do happen!

As you go through your daily life, open yourself to lessons from the animals around you. Remember that Reiki teachers come in all shapes and sizes, and all species too! By their very natures, animals live in the energetic realm very freely and easily. They can sense and understand all kinds of subtle connections that are easily overlooked by humans. Offering Reiki to animals can help us to become more aware, not only of the wisdom of other species, but also of the energy that is all around us. And this new awareness, once experienced, can never be undone: it will transform the way you view Reiki possibilities for healing the world and all creatures in it.

Kathleen Prasad is a Shinpiden Reiki Level III graduate of the International House of Reiki and founder of AnimalReikiSource.

http://www.animalreikisource.com

The post Five Reiki Lessons from my Animal Teachers appeared first on Alternatives for Healing Articles.

Originally published in the August 2011 issue of the Integrative Veterinary Care Journal.

 Learn about a safe and effective energetic healing modality with promising preliminary research that can support you and the animals you care for.

Last year, Dr. Oz declared Reiki his No. 1 alternative medicine secret. With 40 percent of Americans having tried alternative medicine—and 60 percent of U.S. households home to at least one pet—many people are increasingly turning to Reiki and other holistic therapies to help their animals.

As a result of Reiki’s increasing popularity, many holistic veterinarians now offer Reiki and other energy healing options in the clinic environment. Even many conventional veterinarians are now, at the request of their human clients, learning more about Reiki as a holistic option.

Reiki literally means “spiritual energy” and refers to a Japanese holistic healing system that uses specific Japanese meditative, breathing and other practices to support energetic rebalancing and the self-healing process.

Reiki, because it is holistic in nature, can address both physical and emotional issues, supporting healing on all levels. It is an ideal therapy to use with animals because it is gentle, painless and stress-free, does not require direct physical contact in order to be effective, and allows animals to choose their own level of participation and acceptance of the energy.

Maybe you work in a holistic clinic where Reiki is a part of the healing program, or perhaps you work for a veterinarian who is at present unaware of how Reiki can help the animals in her care. In either case, there are many benefits to learning Reiki as a veterinary technician.

Benefit 1: Reiki is easy to use and will not take away from your regular duties. Reiki is something you can use anytime during the day whenever an animal might need some extra support. Although longer and more focused treatments are extremely helpful, one can also use Reiki quickly and easily by using some simple focus and breathing techniques.

This benefit has already been documented for nurses in the study “Effects of Reiki on Autonomic Activity Early After Acute Coronary Syndrome,” in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2010;56;995-995). In this study, Reiki-trained nurses provided Reiki to patients on cardiac units. The study showed they were able to incorporate these treatments (and their therapeutic benefits) into the standard care protocol without disruption or additional cost.

Benefit 2: Reiki can calm the animals before and during exams and procedures.

As care providers for animals in a clinic environment, veterinary technicians are in a unique position to provide Reiki when animals might become stressed: before and during exams and procedures in the clinic environment.

According to the study “Reiki Improves Heart Rate Homeostasis in Laboratory Rats,” in theJournal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (14(4): 417-422, 2008), Reiki was able to significantly reduce the rise in heart rates produced by exposure to noise. Extrapolating these results to the clinic environment, veterinary technicians can use Reiki to help animals remain calm and relaxed during their visits.

Benefit 3: Reiki provides post-surgery comfort and recovery support.

A valuable time to offer Reiki to animals is immediately post-surgery, or post-treatment before they go home. By offering Reiki at this time, veterinary technicians can support a quick recovery.

The benefits of Reiki for pain management and recovery have been documented in the study “Reiki for Mind, Body and Spirit Support of Cancer Patients,” by Pamela Miles inAdvances (Fall, 2007, Vol. 22, No. 2). This study for humans shows how Reiki relieves symptoms such as anxiety and pain, helping patients feel better, “frequently within minutes.”

Benefit 4: Reiki self-care can reduce stress at work.

Perhaps the most important benefit that Reiki can provide for veterinary technicians is self-care and reduction of stress. Reiki teaches that all healing begins within the individual, and that it is through our own spiritual development and self-healing that we can deepen our ability to help others.

In the study “Nurses’ Lived Experience of Reiki for Self Care,” in Holistic Nursing Practice,(23(3): 129-145, 2009), nurses were able to reduce their on-the-job stress by doing Reiki self-treatment. Similarly, reducing stress can help support veterinary technicians in their interaction with co-workers, human clients and animals.

The four reasons outlined above—in addition to many more benefits not discussed—show that Reiki can be the perfect complementary modality for veterinary technicians to learn. Give it a chance, and see how Reiki can help you be the best professional you can be.

by Kathleen Prasad

http://www.animalreikisource.com 

The post Benefits of Learning Animal Reiki – for Vet Techs appeared first on Alternatives for Healing Articles.

by Kathleen Prasad

Shingon Buddhist and Mikkyo practices teach that the ancient wisdom of the Mind, Speech and Body (also known as The Three Secrets) are present everywhere and in all things. It is said that these secrets allow us to uncover our true nature–one that exists both within ourselves and the entire universe. Practitioners use mudras, mantras and visualizations to purify and harmonize The Three Secrets.

Similar teachings are present in Japanese martial arts training, where the warrior was to learn how to recognize these “Three Keys”–Mind, Speech, Body–as the three fundamental ways of being in the world. Learning to harmonize and unify them would allow the practitioner to attain not only martial power, but also power over all aspects of one’s own life.

Tibetan Buddhism calls them The Three Vajras. Practitioners work with seed syllables corresponding to the Three Vajras: a white om (enlightened body), a red ah (enlightened speech) and a blue hum (enlightened mind) to experience their own Buddha nature. In the Christian bible, the book of Proverbs says, Chapter 16:23-24, “From a wise mind comes wise speech; the words of the wise are persuasive. Kind words are like honey — sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.”

In Hinduism, the Bhagavad Gita calls them The Three Eternal Values; austerity of body, speech and mind is the way to manifest goodness for oneself and the world.

In a recent class with my teacher, Frans Stiene, he introduced this concept of “Mind, Speech, Body” using the Japanese term “Sanmitsu.” I find it so interesting, the ways different traditions have made use of this ancient and apparently universal wisdom, and I’d like to share with you some of my own thoughts about how Sanmitsu relates to Reiki practice.

Sanmitsu and Reiki 

Sanmitsu and the Reiki Precepts:

The thoughts we focus on, the words we speak to others, and actions we make in this world: each of these causes energetic ripples out into the universe. The ideal would be that all of these are in harmony and alignment with each other. All are forever linked; our actions reflect our words, which in turn reflect our thoughts. Reiki, the “energy of spirit” is hard to define, we can’t see it with our physical eyes, describe it fully in words. It is so beyond words, yet it is so powerful in its physical effects on our clients and students. We see it in their speech and in the physical/mental/spiritual healing that is manifested. In the same way it would be impossible to “see” a thought, measure it, or even fully explain what it is. Yet our thoughts are so powerful, and indeed all our speech and action in this external world (undeniably and physically heard and seen) originates there. When we go deeper than the physical, we begin to see the power in the unseen, and our universe (as well as our inner nature) expands and opens and becomes free.

We have a choice of how to “be” in this world. For me, positivity is key–for today only we should not anger and not worry. Open to the possibility of visualizing harmony and healing, allowing ourselves to have faith in this possibility and believe it with our whole heart. The words we speak and actions we take should be steps in this same positive direction. 

For me, this is how to be true to your way and your being: by aligning thought, word and deed in a way that is compassionate to yourself and also to others.

Sanmitsu and Being the Best Reiki Practitioners and Teachers We Can Be:

Focus your thoughts: Your passion for your Reiki practice or Reiki teaching is a spiritual path for uncovering your own true nature.

Allow yourself to “see” it as perfectly in balance and harmony. Just the thought of this will shift the energy towards healing. Speak your truth: Bring it physically into the world, speaking about your contemplative insights and direct experience with Reiki with your clients and students. Words from the heart will inspire others on the path.

Do your practice: Let go of the thoughts and words to just “be” in that indefinable, beautiful healing space every single day. In this way we uncover our true nature and “bright light” and we allow it to manifest in the world.

Kathleen Prasad is a Shinpiden Reiki Level III graduate of the International House of Reiki and founder of AnimalReikiSource.

http://www.animalreikisource.com  

The post Mind, Speech and Body and the System of Reiki appeared first on Alternatives for Healing Articles.

Relaxation, patience and positivity: these three qualities are key in developing a state of mind to which animals are receptive. Animals are very sensitive to our mental and emotional states. If we are in a disturbed state of mind or being, an animal will know it, we cannot possibly hide it from them. If we are tense, rushing, worried, angry, and so on, this may be a reason for some animals to say “no thanks” to connecting with us—for example, shelter animals who have been through a lot and don’t know us can be easily put off by our disturbed state of mind.

As much as possible, if we can stabilize our inner being, finding a quiet, grounded and peaceful place within ourselves, it will create ideal conditions for animals to say yes to Reiki and connecting with us.

How do we do this? Not frantically, grasping at straws while in the moment of emotion, upset, or chaos, but rather, through dedication to our own daily personal meditation practice. By meditating daily, we go deeper into our own essence and selves, on the one hand healing our own issues so that our energy flows clearer and brighter, and on the other hand, growing our roots and strengthening our own energetic center so that it remains stable no matter what situations we may find ourselves in. Then when we do find ourselves surrounded by upset, emotion, or chaos, our inner calm and center much more easily surfaces, because we have created a stable relationship with it through our practice.

Learning to Focus Inward: Developing Relaxation

Turn around the light to shine within, then just return…Let go of hundreds of years and relax completely. Open your hands and walk, innocent. –Shitou/Sekito 

Reiki with animals is not an outward activity of “doing”… Rather it is an inward mental state of being… an inner intention to peel back our own layers to find our true nature, the nature that IS oneness with all beings. In accessing this reality of connectedness with the ultimate universe, we also access infinite healing potential and possibility.

Meditation gives us the path that leads into this healing potential: Relax INTO the softness and gentleness of Reiki, the healing energetic space that exists all around us, rather than trying so hard to “do” and “fix”, pushing the energy this way and that way.

Recently in a Reiki class I was teaching at a farm sanctuary, I took the students into the sheep paddock. Their assignment was to choose a spot away from the sheep (the sheep all ran for cover when they saw us coming, disappearing into the barn) and meditate: focusing on their breathing–relaxing into a peaceful space within themselves. Then, through their gentle mental intention, they could simply invite the sheep to share the meditation space with them.

It took a few moments for every student to find a spot and settle into their meditation, but after about ten minutes, the sheep began slowly peeking their curly little heads out the door of the barn. Then slowly they began to venture into the yard, one following the other in a perfect line up. The students remained motionless, many of them with eyes closed, focusing inward, rather than outward on the progress of the sheep. Slowly the sheep’s courage built and several of them began to move forward to make physical contact with some of the students.  A few other sheep chose spots in the yard near students to lie down for a Reiki nap. Others chose to stay in the barn, lying down to soak up the energy. The energy was so peaceful in the entire area; it was irresistible, even to the shy sheep! When two sheep approached me and put their heads in my hands, it was a truly humbling and amazing moment.

Giving an Animal Choice: Developing Patience 

I love this quote by Paulo Coelho, “Why is patience so important? Because it makes us pay attention.” Mental patience is especially important when we are with an animal during a Reiki treatment. If we are pushing our ideas about how we think the animal should act or ways they need to heal, how soon they should heal and so on, we create lots of mental judgment and expectations, which the animals will pick up on. It can feel to an animal that we are not listening, not giving them ownership of their own healing process. This can make them very uncomfortable, perhaps even unwilling to connect with us.

In addition, when we forget patience, we are coming from a human place of, “Ok, here I am ready to heal you of “x” (fill in the blank), let’s get this done!” and it becomes about ego rather than about the animal. We can receive the best acceptance from animals when we give them choice, offering them Reiki and then just waiting and allowing, surrendering and observing, as a supportive witness rather than a doer. In learning to trust the higher wisdom of Reiki in this way, we will also receive a special gift:  a deepening of our intuitive knowing. In learning to quietly observe the healing treatment unfold in a patient way, we can discover a deeper layer of the animal’s being that we otherwise might have missed.

Recently while teaching an equine Reiki class, one of the students asked if I could demonstrate some typical hand positions that might be used during treatment. So I took the students out into a field w/several horses and as they gathered in front of me, I began to explain, “Well, it’s important that we find a willing participant who won’t mind being the demonstration horse for all of you. We wouldn’t want to force this on anyone; it’s really up to the horses in this herd whether they want us to have this lesson today. Remember that we only do hands-on Reiki when the animal initiates it.” As I was speaking, one of the horses walked right up and stood next to me, waiting for me to begin the demonstration! The students laughed, and I said, “Well clearly we have a volunteer.” I proceeded to show a variety of hand positions, and as soon as I had finished, the horse walked away.

What if the horses that day had said no thanks to the demonstration? I would have been patient and accepting of this. I could have discussed the positions with the students in a descriptive fashion and still gotten the point across, even without a horse model. It’s much more important to me to honor the choice of animals in each and every situation, rather than simply demonstrate a hand position.

It always amazes me how much animals appreciate when we approach them with choice, not putting our own “designs” on them. Often animals will take their time, test us to see, “is this really my choice” and then choose to come forward in their own time, ONLY because we left it to them. Had we chosen for them, rushed them by approaching them in our human way and schedule, they may have said no thanks! It’s hard for humans learn patience, to let go of our own timeline and our proclivity for “doing”—but the rewards are so big when we do!

Seeing Deeper Than the Surface: Positivity 

I believe that all of us consist of a beautiful inner essence of light. This light remains perfect and timeless, beyond this lifetime, when it exists for a short time in this physical body. When we are with animals who need our Reiki support, it is helpful to let go of our eyes, and look deeper—seeing the animals with our hearts, as the beautiful bright lights that are their inner essences. This is who they really are, not their mortal shells, not their physical, emotional struggles. It’s so easy to forget this, to instead begin to identify them as their problems on the surface. Remember that underneath the surface, their bright inner light that is the essence of their being, this is already perfect and balanced. If we can see this perfect light within them, hold that vision in our minds and hearts as we offer Reiki, this can help give them the support they need to remember their inner strength and heal themselves.

Being able to remember to see animals, people and situations with our hearts rather than our eyes will help us to create positive state of mind that is felt by everyone involved in the Reiki treatment, including the animal’s people. This positivity is key not only to attaining an animal’s trust and openness, but also to supporting strength and courage in the animal’s people as they walk hand in paw with their animal through the healing journey.

Several years ago I was offering Reiki to a dog who was dying of cancer. As I sat with the dog and his person, I could not only feel the pain and grief of the person, but also see the amazing acceptance, strength and courage of the dog. I could also see that he was so much more than simply this disease. I closed my eyes and saw him as a beautiful light who had healed and touched so many people over the years. As I had this vision, immediately the dog came and sat right in front of me, staring intently at my face. I placed my hands on his shoulders and affirmed, “Yes, you are perfect and beautiful.” He lay down by my side and fell into the most relaxed sleep, his little legs even running in his dreams.  His person was quite amazed at how relaxed and comfortable the dog became during the treatment, saying to me, “I felt just terrible before you arrived, but I feel so strong right now. I don’t know how, but I do. Thank you so much.” The dog passed away peacefully soon after the treatment. I know that his light still shines so brightly in spirit. And I remind myself that just because we die doesn’t mean we didn’t heal; there are so many layers to healing. We just have to remember to look deeper than the surface.

The Key: Practice Practice Practice!

There is a bright pearl within me,

Buried for a long time under dust.

Today, the dust is gone and the light radiates,

Shining through all the mountains and rivers.

— Master Yueh of Ch’a-ling 

Doing your daily meditation practice is like dusting your bright pearl, uncovering your inner light. All your work with the animals is fundamentally tied to your own discipline in working on yourself. Keep visiting this peaceful inner Reiki space over and over again. Invite your animal to be your meditation partner–practice sitting with your animal and letting go of everything; just be in the moment, be with your breath, and be with your animal. Let go, let go, and let go, over and over, every day. You will be building your meditation muscles and developing a stable state of mind of peaceful relaxation, patience and positivity which the animals will gravitate towards. And in time, this peacefulness will radiate outward even without effort and even outside of your formal meditation sessions; it will just become who you are.

Practice: The Healing Pond Meditation (developing a gentle and open state of mind)

Symbolically, water represents strength through change, strength through remaining formless. The water on the surface of a pond may still and peaceful, clear and pure, yet it is also very deep, and under the surface there can be so much movement of the creatures that call the pond their home. In the same way, Reiki with your animal can appear so quiet on the surface—as if you are doing nothing at all but sitting with your animal. And yet, when we look deeper, amazing healing can be happening just beneath the surface.

When we look at a pond, we can see the sky reflected in its surface—and in this way the pond can at once be grounded physical nature and reality, while at the same time it can reflect heaven and sky above–open limitless space and possibility. In this same way, when we sit with our animal in the Reiki space we can be with them, connecting in this physical moment, while also connecting to the spiritual dimension in which limitless healing possibility exists.

In one way, a pond remains the same over time, we can always count on it being there, as seasons and years pass, but in another way, every time we look at it, it may reflect something different—blue or grey skies, storm clouds, sun or rainbows. The pond will always be a mirror of this present moment in time. In this same way, we can learn to be present and open to whatever this very moment with our animal may look like—without judgment, without worry, without clinging—with love and compassion and openness.

As you sit with your animal, imagine you can pour all your light and love—your compassionate intention—into a pond. Simply invite your animal to come and drink from this healing pond for healing as they wish and as they are comfortable. Remember to relax, be patient, and remain positive. Just be in the moment with your animal. It is in this quiet, open state of mind that all healing possibilities exist…

by Kathleen Prasad

http://www.animalreikisource.com 

The post State of Mind and the Animal Reiki Treatment appeared first on Alternatives for Healing Articles.