Reader Question: Hi Rose, I believe you may be able to answer a question I have regarding two animals who have recently visited me. I am confused by these events but I believe you may shed light on them with your vast experience. If you do not have time to answer I certainly understand.

One was a cat, whom I called Sundance, and another a dog who I did not have time to learn the name of.

Sundance showed up under my deck on a rainy day just after the summer solstice.

He was meowing with hunger and I could see he had been neglected. He appeared to be about 5 mos old, a yellow tabby. I fed him (I often feed stray cats, who usually move on the next day) and he immediately trusted me and stayed on my deck, and I grew to love him deeply in the next few days. I am not normally drawn to cats so much, I have always shared time with large dogs, but this cat was very different. He constantly put his face to mine. He loved me so much I could not turn him away and had decided to keep him. Or rather, he decided to stay with me. But by the weekend, he became very ill, could not breathe well and sat very still rasping for air. He let me feed him Pedialyte through a dropper, but he did not improve. I used Reiki but he did not respond. At last I took him in late at night to an emergency clinic, and when they took him from the car (as I had no carrier) he became frightened and went into heart arrest and respiratory failure. They advised me that it would cost a lot to run tests and keep him on ventilator, and that if he indeed had a certain virus, he would die anyway.

I allowed him to be euthanized.

I was in distress for 2 days, crying and unable to get out of bed over that. I have never, ever had a reaction such as that. I worked for a vet all during college and I am familiar with the cycle of death. I also had to put my dog Doc, (the love of my life for 14 years) down as he was so in pain, and so I know sometimes death is the best thing. Anyway, I could not understand what I had done wrong concerning Sundance and why the Reiki did not help. I look back and wish I had just allowed him to die more peacefully with me, but I thought I was getting him help.

A week later, a black lab dog approached me from across the subdivision where I live. He came straight for me, but did not look at me. I could see he was limping. I called as he approached and he saw me and his face softened. I thought perhaps he had a thorn in his foot, but when I looked, his entire underbelly was red with fresh blood and his leg was raw as well (later learned he had been hit and drug by a car).

He was panting so hard and it was so hot, I got him water and I kissed his head, and he looked at me with such gratitude. I felt he came to me for help. I did Reiki, but he did not seem to want it.

I called my neighbor, who agreed to assist me in taking him to the local shelter, because all the vets were already closed for the day. The Black allowed us to lift him into the car without a whimper, but he yowled as we got close to the shelter (about 8 miles away). Anyway, they gave him meds for the pain and agreed to watch him overnight, but by the morning he had been put down, as the vet said his injuries were too great.

I became a Reiki Master practitioner specifically to help my doc Doc, who strangely, never seemed to like it much. He would always look at me as if to say "Why are you doing that?"  It did not seems to help his pain. But, I felt perhaps even if it did not help Doc, it would help others and I can't seem to understand why I was unable to help these two poor animals. In Sundance's case, I really feel I made a mistake taking him in.

While I am not in distress over these events, they puzzle me and I feel there is more to it that I can see. I did not mean to write so much, apologies for so much of your time. But, I can see you are a wise and practiced medicine woman, and I am compelled to ask your advice on this. I have studied with a native medicine man, but in this case, I am led to ask You this question.

I could offer you tobacco if you were closer, but instead I shall spread some in the forest for you if that is alright. I shall include you in my prayers as well.

With much gratitude,

Tracy C.
Raymond, MS

Response from Rose: Hi Tracy, the practice of Reiki can be more challenging than the actual training.

We often think of Reiki as a healing modality--a term that can be misleading. To many of us healing means that one recovers from an illness, injury or emotional distress.

But the intention of the Reiki practitioner should not be on the person or animal getting better, it should always be for the highest good of the recipient. And that means the practitioner must let go of their attachment to the outcome and be willing to be the straw, or the hollow bone, for the energy. This means that the practitioner does not always get what they want, but the recipient always gets what they need.

And this leads to the realization that the practitioner must even lose attachment to the desire to relieve pain. Reiki offers assistance on other levels, not just physical--mental, emotional, and spiritual-- and those levels may not always be apparent to us. In other words the recipient may be receiving benefit that we cannot see.

Doc sounds like a wise dog. Animals love us unconditionally, and usually have really good reasons for why they do what they do--often lessons intended to assist us in our own growth. I sense that Doc, Sundance, and the Black have a message for you, one that it is important that you journey for since you mention that you have had shamanic training. You can also ask your power animal for assistance.

In addition there are other steps you can take to receive the healing that you seek and that the animals wish you to receive.

You mention that you are a Reiki Master, which means that you would have received training in how to send Reiki from a distance in Level II. So I might suggest that either before or after you journey you consider sending Reiki back in time for yourself, to the point of origin of your need to make a difference or "heal."

I'd like to be very clear that there is nothing wrong with being compassionate and offering Reiki where it may be needed. What I am suggesting here is letting go of your need to have the result be a certain way. Send Reiki for your own self-healing with intent to release whatever is triggering your sorrow or guilt that you did not do enough, or did not do "the right thing."

You can also send Reiki back in time to the situation, the occasion of the passing of each animal, for the highest good of all, thereby opening possibilities for them. And you can include a Bridge of Light to assist them in their crossing. If you have difficulty letting go of attachment to outcomeyou can again send Reiki for your own self-healing before proceeding.

When we allow our hearts to open fully and trust the Reiki energy, ourselves and the guidance of the animals, everything happens as it should.

Best wishes to you on your journey through life, Tracy. And know that you always have the support of Spirit, Reiki/shamanic energy, and the animals.