The health benefits you receive when sharing Animal Reiki

To understand the health benefits of sharing animal reiki I have my own experience as an example. I have a health condition called Fibromyalgia (or Fibro as we call it in my household) which started in 2004 but made a real impact to my life from 2007. So first, let me give you a brief description of what the heck Fibro is;

Fibromyalgia (FM), also called Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS), is a long term medical condition characterised by chronic widespread pain all over the body and a heightened pain response to pressure. Other symptoms include tiredness (fatigue) to a degree that normal activities are affected, sleep problems and troubles with memory. Some people also report restless legs syndrome, bowel and/or bladder problems, numbness and tingling and sensitivity to noise, lights or temperature. Fibromyalgia is frequently associated with depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Other types of chronic pain are also frequently present.

Before my diagnosis, I thought I was seriously ill. During 2007 all of a sudden I couldn’t even hoover the upstairs of our house without having to sit down at least halfway through. This was when I began to get scared and knew I needed to get help. After a lot of tests within different hospital departments, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. It is strange how a label can give some comfort but I thought ok so I have this condition, how can I ‘fix’ this?

I was told there is no cure but a few treatments can help relieve some of the symptoms and make the condition easier to live with. Anti-depressants, painkillers, CBT, talk therapies, counselling, lifestyle changes, exercise and relaxation techniques. You see living in chronic pain can soon bring your mood down into depression with anxiety issues which is why half of these treatments are relative to this aspect.

Feeling so tired I didn’t feel like exercising so I resorted to painkillers. Working a full time job, every weekend was a time for me to rest before it all started again. When I felt what I would call ‘a flare up’ where the pain was too much, I rested and reached for the pills. Thank goodness for the support of my partner otherwise I could have easily fallen into depression. What it did mean was that we fitted life around me, like having to stop in more cafes than I can count when trying to walk round New York City or if we were going to have a day out, I would organise for the following day to rest. Every weekend consisted of me mostly resting from feeling exhausting from the previous week. It was like this for years, until I started to learn the Japanese technique of Reiki.

Having already gained Level 1 & 2 certification in Reiki, I started to learn Animal Reiki in 2018 which is where my spiritual practice really came into its own daily practice. This included animal reiki meditation each morning and the occasional small amount of yoga too. Shortly after, I started to notice a difference… I didn’t ache or hurt so much, my energy level started to increase, I didn’t get as many headaches. Sharing reiki with animals meant I was focused on the animal and creating a healing space for us share. I wasn’t thinking of me throughout the treatments/sessions but the benefits of this practice meant I started to enjoy life more, I physically could do more and I was mentally moving into a stronger sense of self.

So whilst I will always have Fibro, I know I always have my spiritual practice too. I am so appreciative of finding this complementary therapy that not only helps me but helps others too. Getting into this relaxed state each day has really helped me in every way. Chronic pain is no more and all it took was spending 20-30 minutes, most days, in a state of deep relaxation and meditation. Even just 5 minutes of deep breath work will help your body, mind and soul.

Should any of you reading this be suffering, whether physically and/or mentally, I would highly recommend having reiki treatments and should you have any animals in your life, why not learn how you can support your animal and yourself live a more free and happy life together.

This is Chunk, our foster fail, who loves to chill out during animal reiki