Tag animal Reiki

Of course goodbyes are hard

Nancy Crowe Leave a comment

On the left is Rowdy, also known as Little Man or Little Rowdy Man. I worked with this cantankerous senior mini horse when he joined the Summit Equestrian Center herd a few years ago, as he retired to Lopin’ Along at the Farm Microsanctuary and just before he passed away last month. 

That came shortly after Maggie, Summit’s majestic (and sometimes princess-like) black Percheron, died. I’d known her since she came to Summit in 2018. Though skeptical of me at first, she decided relaxing meditation and getting her opinions heard were worth her while.  

All along the way, I was able to check in with them about how they were feeling and offer meditation to help. As their conditions and pain levels became more difficult to manage, I helped assess their readiness to cross.  

Anyone who lives with or works with animals has to deal with goodbyes. There are also hellos, I love yous, thank yous, inquiries about breakfast and other exchanges. 

Animal loss is painful. I’ve struggled mightily with it and walked clients through its dark, sweet shadows. There are no shortcuts.

The animals deserve to be remembered and the humans who love them deserve to heal in our own way. Can we offer ourselves the grace and humor our beloved animals have given us? I have found that as we do, it helps us see a much bigger picture.  

(Photos by Nancy Crowe)

Find the extraordinary in the ordinary

Nancy Crowe

This season reminds us that the humblest places — barns, pastures, homes — not only provide safety but connect us to something bigger. So many of these connections happen in the company of/because of our animal friends.

As an animal communicator and Let Animals Lead® practitioner, I’ve been privileged to share many such moments this year. Please enjoy this three-minute video honoring them. (Sound up … breathe.)

Study finds Reiki helps with pain relief in dogs

Nancy Crowe
St. Bernard and black German Shepherd

The American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association has published a blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical study on how distant Reiki affects the quality of life and well-being in dogs. Reiki, as you may know, is a Japanese stress relief modality. I practice a specialized, meditation-based form of Reiki called Let Animals Lead.®

All dogs in the Reiki group (vs. the placebo group) showed owner-assessed pain improvement, with 70.6 percent showing an “excellent” or “moderate” improvement. Here’s the abstract with link to the full article by Claudia Ruga Barbieri, DVM, MS, MBA. 

Bernadette, left, and Jack both dealt with pain of various sorts and not only benefited from Reiki but taught me a great deal as well. Being leaned or sat on by a St. Bernard, especially in the sunshine, is a great reminder about staying present on the animal’s terms. Jack would let me throw the ball (even though I throw badly) several times before he stopped for a meditation session.

They’re on my mind more lately because two years ago this month, they died in a plane crash with their beloved humans, Allison Wheaton and Randy Strebig. May their memory be a blessing, and may we all continue to learn about healing. 

(Photos by Nancy Crowe)