Snake speak

Cape Cobra http://capesnakerescue.co.za

I was in the veggie garden sending Reiki to the newly germinated plants when I heard Tess and Murphy barking hysterically. I noted that it was not their usual bark and psychically I heard “snake.” I dashed over to the furrow and saw the dogs had cornered a huge Cape Cobra.

I was worried about the dogs getting bitten (see earlier post about Maxi’s snakebite)

The reptile had its head raised with the hood up, ready to strike. I called the dogs off and asked them to keep their distance and told them to stop barking as the racket was upsetting the snake. Thankfully they did.

I focused on the snake and beamed Reiki to it for a few minutes, then I took my focus to my heart chakra and I sent love and light to it, by visualising a beautiful pink light flowing from my heart to it. The results were instantaneous, I visibly saw the snake relax before my eyes. I continued to hold my hands up in the beaming position, with my palms facing outwards towards it and felt my hands getting hotter and hotter.

I noticed its beautiful eyes and I sensed a feeling of complete surprise. I told the snake telepathically that he was safe and that he would not be harmed. I continued to send Reiki while the snake just stared back at me, seemingly relaxed, as its hood was down. I got this feeling of being connected to something ancient and wise. I cannot adequately find words to describe this feeling, but I felt a deep sense of humility wash over me and I felt honoured by its presence. The cobra’s eyes were locked with mine, they seemed so intent, as if he was looking deep into my soul.

I quickly phone my husband Owen at the office, (which thankfully is nearby) for help. When he arrived he got the “slang-stock” which we’ve used for many years to catch snakes so that we can release them safely away from our home.

Alertness snapped back into the Cobra when Owen placed the noose over its head, but it was not having any of this and it managed to slip out and disappear under the rocks along the bank of the furrow. I decided that I would connect with it again later and ask it to leave our garden and go to the vacant property next door.

To be on the safe side, I kept the dogs indoors for the rest of the afternoon and when I connected with the snake again I found that it had already left.

I pondered over the whole thing, and felt that it was almost as if he’d just popped in for a visit, perhaps with a message for me, so I consulted Ted Andrew’s book AnimalWise. Ted says that: “when a cobra appears we can expect an awakening and heightening of our own intuitive vision that will enable us to make swift decisions and take quick actions that will benefit us tremendously. Now is not a time for hesitation. We should keep our senses alert because the likelihood of unexpected opportunities is about to take place. Opportunities to strike in business are very near and we should be ready. And from the cobra we can learn to read the inner soul of any person.”

I felt so deeply honoured to have had a soul to soul communication with this amazing being.

Murphy and me

If you’ve read the book or seen the movie Marlie and Me you will be familiar with the antics of the hyperactive and totally over the top Labrador called Marley. He was such a handful and I felt that the only reason the author continued to share a life of destruction with this animal was because of the deep bond of love which existed between them.

Murphy, a Labrador-cross, is our latest furry family member and I’m convinced that he’s related to Marlie in some way. They could be distant cousins, they’re both yellow in colour and both have the same destructive nature.

When Murphy first joined us, he was a law unto himself. No matter how many times we scolded him for something, he would do the same thing once our backs were turned. He chews everything he can lay his yellow paws on. We’ve lost a number of our socks as he snatches them from the laundry basket and shreds them into tiny pieces. The other day I found my mint green dressing gown lying in a crumpled heap under the wash line. It was covered in brown paw marks with gaping holes instead of buttons. There was no sign of them, so no prizes for guessing where they ended up. 

My gardener stopped me in the garden one day, poop-scoop in hand and frowning deeply “What type of dog is Murphy?” he asked.  I looked at him puzzled and asked what he meant. “Well you should see all the strange things he eats, he’s not like any of the other dogs. When I go around with the poop-scoop I see bits of wood, plastic, rags all kinds of stuff -  even bird seed. This bit of information led me to change from bird feeding tables to tree feeders, so bird seed is no longer part of his diet.

What can I say?  He’s eaten my flower pots along with their plants, the cushions from the garden furniture, flower bulbs, tree seed pods, bamboo, firewood, my garden ornaments and the dog beds.  I felt sorry for Tess when I saw her staring at the remaining fragments of her bed on the kitchen floor. So I spent a day making smart new beds for both of them. I used strong material and sewed the covers double, of course it made no difference, the corners are already in tatters.

I was so angry when I came home to find my beautiful garden Buddha statute – which usually sits peacefully in the lotus position beneath the trees – standing on its head in the middle of the lawn. I still can’t believe that he managed to carry it there.

Murphy is now just over a year old and he seems to be calming down. I've noticed some subtle changes in him, though he still chases the cat. Inca has no problem in leaving long scratches on his face or giving him a bloody nose, but he keeps going back for more.

He enjoys our fetch-the-rope sessions and now waits patiently until I give the “Ok now you can eat your food ”command at meal times. He also lies quietly when I do TTouch and Reiki on him these days. When he was younger he used to wriggle like an eel and wouldn’t allow me to put my hands on him or the body wrap. The body wrap, ear and mouth work really seem to help him to calm down. 

Like Marley, we’ve also grown to love Murphy. What can you do, when he looks at you with those adoring yellow eyes and continues to offer you his unconditional love no matter what he’s done... you can only love him in return.

Diesel the Boxer Pup’s Spondolosis

At the tender age of 18 months, Diesel, my daughter’s playful Boxer pup, started displaying signs of pain and distress when he sat or tried to lie down. Tests and x-rays revealed mild hip dysplasia, the primary source of pain being spondolosis, a degenerative disease of the spine. His life expectancy was reduced to three years as the disease was encroaching rapidly and was untreatable. He was prescribed painkillers and Bronwyn made him as comfortable as possible and waited for his spine to fuse as the vet had predicted. His quality of life became severely compromised as he responded to the painkillers.

I treated him with some hands on Reiki sessions and there was a huge improvement.

His appetite improved and he stopped crying out when trying to sit or lie down. He even started playing again. I used the ‘Reiki Laser’ (a technique given to me by my Reiki guides in which I visualise the energy as a laser beam and focus it on the

dis-eased area) to break up the dense negativity surrounding his spine. I extended my psychic fingers and performed psychic surgery* on the whole area, removing the **energy blocks. I visualised a brilliant blue light flowing down his spine and saw the pain being flushed out the end of his short stumpy tail. As I mentally drew the Reiki symbols I asked for help from my Divine Helpers: God, Reiki Guides and Angels. I asked for the healing energy to flow to the cause of the problem and heal it. I felt intense pain in my hands and psychically saw scenes of a puppy having his tail docked. I asked for healing for his highest good and that the memory of this pain be released from all the cells in his body and especially from the area of his spine. 

Some months later x-rays revealed that the spondolosis had slowed down dramatically. The vet was amazed with the results, as the dog's spine was expected to have fused and it had not even progressed to the halfway mark. Diesel is almost 12 years old now and thanks to the healing power of Reiki and some nutritional supplements, he still leads a full life, running, jumping and swimming like a true Boxer.

* psychic surgery is a technique taught in my Reiki Master’s Degree course

** the removal of energy blocks is taught in my 2^nd degree Reiki course.

Murphy’s arrival

Life didn’t really return to normal after the passing of the old dogs. Having shared our lives for such a long time, it was very difficult to adjust to their absence. I especially missed their exuberant greeting early in the morning and at the front gate upon our return home when we’d been out.

Nikki had always loved doing the rounds in the garden with me each day as we walked from feeder to feeder, putting out seeds, fruit and bread crumbs for the wild birds. All the dogs usually accompanied me to the veggie patch at the bottom of the garden. They would sit in a semi circle around the enclosure, and wait for me while I picked veggies. It’s at times like these that I missed them the most.

Inca, the cat, carried on with her life as usual, but seemed to spend more time in the kitchen with Tess, the remaining border collie. I felt that she was sensing Tess’s loneliness and offered her company especially during the recent thunder storms.

I’d been giving Tess a few Reiki treatments and Bach Flower Rescue Remedy, to help her to cope with the parting of her friends.  But she seemed to sink into a depression and hardly wanted any food. I know animals suffer from grief just as we do, so I increased the Reiki and included some TTouch during the sessions as well, setting my intention for the healing to help ease the grief. We took her for walks and spent more time in the garden playing frisby with her and she seemed to perk up a little.

We’d decided that we’d not get any more dogs for a while, but then we wondered if it would help Tess if she had some canine company.  I believe that it’s a good idea to always consult the animals first about any upcoming changes in their lives. So I connected with her and asked if she would like a friend. I got the sense that yes she would like to have somebody to play with again.  I checked with Inca too, she said she didn’t really mind if it was dog, but definitely not a cat.

We decided against getting a very young puppy and opted for the chance of giving a shelter dog a good home. Our daughter Colleen put us in touch with an organization who’d rescued an eight month old Labrador-cross type dog from a busy street and was now in foster care.

For days before he’s arrival, I kept telling Inca and Tess that Murphy would be coming home soon. I’d look deeply into their eyes and visualise the young yellow dog being in our home. They seemed to understand what I was telling them.

We collected Murphy last Saturday and brought him home. Colleen, her dogs and Bronwyn and family came round to welcome him as well. It was wonderful to see all the dogs romping together in the garden.

Tess was a bit weary of Murphy all day on Sunday, but early Monday morning they’d made friends and playing together.

Murphy is hyperactive and needs lots of Reiki, TTouch and training, but I’m working on it and I’m pleased to say that Tess is helping me too, but in her own way.

Creating a sacred space for your soul

The Universe has many ways of communicating with us.  Very often when the universe feels we need a ‘cosmic klap*’ we will suddenly notice that we keep seeing messages about the same thing, in a book, on TV, an advert on a bus or hearing the same song on the radio.

My message came in the form of my Doreen Virtue’s Archangel cards. I kept drawing  the Space Clearing card. So I thought ‘yes, ok, it is time I did a clearing, as I hadn’t done it for a while. So I got busy and cleared out the clutter, old books and magazines and stuff I now longer wanted or needed.  I attacked my clothes cupboards and sent all the clothes I’d not worn for ages to an animal shelter’s charity shop. It’s amazing how clothes and stuff just seem to pile up.
 

I then performed my usual space clearing ritual with candles, salt water, Tibetan singing bowl and bell. Once the negative energy was cleared in each room, I sealed and protected everything with the Reiki symbols.

The whole house looked brighter and I could actually feel the vibrant energy as it swirled through the house. I felt a deep sense of peace and accomplishment. Another bonus is that I also sleep much better at night. I gave myself a congratulatory pat on the back for a job well done.

You can imagine my surprise, when I again drew the Space Clearing card the following day. I thought ‘naw… the Universe is playing tricks on me. The card says you can ask Archangel Jophiel for help, which I did. I immediately got the message that yes, I’ve cleared the energy in my home, but what about the other areas of my life.

 I then realised that to do a complete spare clearing, we also need to focus on clearing the junk from our handbags, the hard drive on our computers and our motorcars. After all, are the personal things we interact with every day, not also extensions of ourselves?

Like our homes, they’re not merely a means of shelter, but they’re also mirrors of ourselves. They reflect our interests and beliefs, our passions and our spirit. Our homes are the sacred space where we interact with the Universe. If we space clear on a regular basis it can be our sacred refuge from the chaotic world outside, offering peace and harmony for us, our families, our animals and all our invited guests.

*slap

Postcards from Beyond

“How will I know he or she’s visiting” is a question which often comes up during readings for my clients with their deceased animals.

The days following the death of our beloved animal companions is a very sad time for us, but we must not allow our grief to close us down and block the flow of love and communication which still exists between us. If we keep our hearts and minds open, we will be aware of the many different ways our loved ones keep in touch.

 These visitations come in various guises and they always leave some form of confirmation, like a 'post-it' or postcard, confirming their visit. A popular one is a leaf or flower from the garden, a clump or tuft of fur on the lounge chair or bed, which you know was not there the day before. Sometimes there are rumpled pillows on the bed or couch where our pets used to sleep.

A client asked me to communicate with her cat in spirit to see if he was ok and asked him to give her a sign when he was visiting. He said “tell her to look out for the fur”
She phoned me the next day very excited, she suddenly woke up around midnight and was amazed to see a clump of fur floating in the middle of the room. She was almost speechless with joy as she knew that it was a message from her cat Magic.

A few days ago, we found a huge rain spider in our bedroom around 3.00am. My husband caught it and I went to open the front door so he could take it outside. I stayed on the veranda while he deposited it in the hedge. I suddenly got a feeling that Maxi was nearby and as I turned around I saw him lying on “his spot” by the front door. The vision was so vivid and the feeling so strong that there’s no doubt in my mind that he was definitely there.

The following morning I got another surprise when I rolled back the bed covers and found a tuft of black fur inside my bed, which I knew was definitely not there when I went to bed.  I asked “o.k. who’s hair is this?” I immediately got a picture of Nikki’s  laughing face and I got a sense of her saying “Got you!”  My pendulum confirmed that she had indeed been visiting. I smiled as I saw the three of them psychically. I picked up their sense of laughter, they thought it was very funny.

Last night I was sitting in bed reading, it was around 22.30h when I heard the floor creaking in the dressing room as it does when someone walks through to our bedroom. Inca my cat was sleeping next to me. Her head shot up and she just stated and stared into the dressing room. There was no breeze in the room but I saw the fringe on the fabric throw on my dressing table sway, just as it does when somebody walks past.

I said: “Ok so who’s out there, who’s visiting this time? Immediately a picture of Maxi flashed into my mind. Inca seemed quite relaxed about it and put her head down and went back to sleep.

This morning I found his postcard, a tuft of the dear Border Collie’s fur on the coffee mug beside my bed.

Karma in the ashes at the Labyrinth of Animal Remembrance

Our family had agreed to the ritual of scattering Nikki’s and Maxi’s ashes at the labyrinth on Sunday the 30 January. Our daughters Colleen and Bronwyn and grandson Cayden were joining us. Sadly Bronwyn had decided to release Karma, her beautiful Boxer during the previous week, as she’d been suffering from cancer for some time.

I’d connected with Mac-Tavish, Nikki and Maxi and asked if they would meet Karma at the Rainbow bridge as Bron was worried that she’d have to cross over on her own. I got the assurance that as Karma was part of their soul group, they would definitely meet her.

We painted the names of the dogs who had left us onto the stones and Cayden had great fun decorating his stone with bold splashes of colour. Bron asked me to connect with Karma and check if she was ok. I visualised the Reiki symbols and immediately felt the connection as my hands starting heating up. I saw the Boxer's face surrounded by the golden aura, she looked young and beautiful. She said she was ok and that our dogs had met her when she crossed. I saw them all together and told them that we’d be scattering their ashes and that it would be wonderful if they could come through too. Bron asked Karma to give her a special sign that she was alright and happy.

We walked the labyrinth in turn, scattering the ashes and placing our stones along the path as we made our way around the circle, while Cayden played the djembe drum. I passed the gently moving prayer flags and felt the presence of the dogs. They’d loved walking the labyrinth with me and I was certain that they were with us now. As I scattered their ashes in the wind, I felt the lingering sadness of our parting, but knew that the special bond we’d shared would last forever.

We received confirmation of their presence in the photos Colleen took. Bronwyn got her requested sign from Karma. There’s a stunning photo of Owen scattering Maxi’s ashes and Karma’s beautiful face can clearly be seen.

Hi... from heaven

Having the knowledge of Reiki and the sacred symbols opened a new world of  exciting experiences for me. I had a lot of fun experimenting with Reiki and its symbols; and I discovered it was great for connecting with people and animals in the spirit world.

Very often humans and animals require some healing once they’ve crossed over, especially if they suffered from a serious illness, accident or trauma at the time of  death. I found that Reiki was the perfect modality to assist them.

The day after Maxi departed, I decided to check in with him to see if he required any healing. I went into my healing room and lit a candle. I focused on him and visualised the Reiki symbols flowing to him. I sent him love and light by visualising a beautiful pink light flowing from my heart to his heart. I felt my hands heating up and I asked if he wanted or needed some Reiki. He said he would love some and I felt a stronger pulling in the center of my hands as he accepted the energy. His face was surrounded by the golden aura which I usually see whilst communicating with animals on the other side.

I asked him if he’d been alright while crossing over. He confirmed that he did and that Nikki and Mac-Tavish had met him. I beamed Reiki to him and I saw him looking young, vibrant and healthy. He was playing with his ball, an activity which he loved most here on Earth. Nikki and Mac-Tavish also came through, surrounded by the golden aura. They just seemed to hang there in my psychic vision, suspended in the bright golden light, as they absorbed the Reiki energy.

Eventually I felt the pull of energy lessen in my hands. I thanked them for allowing me to communicate with them and for the chance of sending Reiki to them. I released them in love and light, by visualising beautiful pink light flowing to them and the vision of their beloved faces slowly faded.

I was so grateful that I was able to connect with them in this manner and to know that they were happy and well. It was comforting knowing that they were all together and enjoying life in that place of golden Light which we call Heaven.

Goodbye Beloved Maxi

Maxi 27/11/1994 – 27/12/2010
Good bye dearest Maxi, may your soul fly on wings of love to the Light. We love and miss you. We know you’re at peace now in that beautiful place where love and Light reign supreme. Your spirit lives on and so do all our happy memories of you. Nikki and Mac-Tavish are waiting at the Rainbow Bridge for you. We’ll catch up with the lot of you there one day too.

Maxi’s health had been on a steady decline for a while and after Nikki’s death we noticed a rapid deterioration. When he refused to eat we knew he was also on his way out. Maxi had always loved his food, in fact he’d earned the name of Hoover, as he would go around and check all the other dog’s dishes and hoover up any left-overs. If there weren’t any visible signs of food, he’d still give the dish a couple of licks, with a   just-in-case-I-missed-something, sort of tongue action.

Sending Reiki to my animals had been part of my evening routine for many, years. I’d always asked for healing for their highest good and I knew that the healing energy had supported and helped them to cope with their ageing problems.

I connected with Maxi and sent the usual Reiki and also asked him if he was preparing to cross over. He confirmed that he was getting ready to go, “but just not yet” was the response, I heard in my mind. I asked him if he wanted to go on his own, or would he prefer the help of a vet. I got a sense that he wanted to go on his own, but also if things got too bad then it was ok for the vet to help. I told him that I loved him and that I released him in love and light and that he must go when he was ready. I asked Nikki and Mac-Tavish to meet him when he crossed and they assured me that they would.

He was battling with his legs, but he seemed to be hanging onto life,  reluctant to let go. After all he’d defied death twice in his life before. Maxi was actually my husband Owen’s dog. Owen rescued him from being sent to the SPCA as his previous family were unable to take him with them when they relocated to a “no animals allowed” housing complex. And of course he’d literally stared death in the face when he was bitten by the puff adder.

On the night of December 26, his hind legs collapsed. I did some hands on Reiki and TTouch, which I felt helped to ease the pain that I picked up in my hands. I saw his body visibly relax as the pain seemed to ease. I told him again, that I loved him and  that I released him in love and light.

He was still with us in the morning and we knew it was time to release him. Once again pet angel, Loure, from Paw Print Pet Cremation Services took care of the cremation and return of Maxi’s ashes.

Our grief was overwhelming having lost the last of our golden oldies. Owen in particular was devastated, as he’d formed a strong bond with Maxi during the many hours they’d spent playing ball on the lawn together. I sent Reiki to Owen that night as he slept, as I was worried what the stress could do to his heart and blood pressure.

Reiki is just one of those wonderful healing modalities which can be used to send love and comfort to somebody who needs it at that time.

The Christmas Pawtrait

On Christmas day we always tend to miss our recently departed family and friends more than other times, and Christmas 2010 was no exception for me.

Although it was a bright, sunny day, it wasn'

t how I felt inside. The day before had been the one year anniversary of Mac’s passing. I really missed both the Setters that day, as they’d  been such busy, inquisitive dogs and they’d always participated in everything we did.

I was grateful for the company of our other animals, Inca the cat and Border Collies, Maxi and Tess, who dozed in the dappled sunlight while I set and decorated the tables beneath a green canopy of trees at the bottom of our garden.

We were having Christmas lunch with our family and I felt certain that Nikki and Mac would be visiting us in their spirit form as our outdoor celebrations had been a favourite. They loved mingling with the visitors, always on the look out for a titbit or two. Mac always tried his luck. He went from person to person, sitting in front of them, mesmerizing them with his huge brown eyes, waiting for a morsel to fly from their plate straight into his mouth. It never happened, but that didn’t stop him from trying.

The family arrived and we set about opening our Christmas presents without delay, as my Grandson Cayden was anxious to see what the fat man in the red suit had brought for him. There was much ooohing and aaahing as each gift was unwrapped.

My daughter Colleen handed me a biggish package. I eagerly unwrapped it, wondering what it could be. I was absolutely stunned when I opened it, so stunned in fact, that I burst into tears. Colleen had surprised me with one of her beautiful PetPawtraits. It’s the most amazing likeness of Nikki and Mac-Tavish, they look so alive and vibrant, with their big shining eyes.

Colleen has been blessed with the fantastic gift of not only being able to capture a life-like impression of the animals she draws, but she also manages to create the divine light in their eyes, like she’s looking into their souls, bringing them back to life on the canvas.
 

I love the pawtrait. Each time I walk past and see their happy smiling faces and the light shining in their eyes, I feel comforted, knowing they’re together and happy, doing all the things they loved to do... on the “other side.”

Fields of gold

After Mac-Tavish’s death it was comforting to know that his sister was still with us as her presence was the last remaining physical link to him. But now the absence of both these black Setters left a deep sadness in our hearts and a vacant space in our home.

I didn’t get a sense of Nikki still hanging around on that first night. She just seemed to be gone. I got a sense that she was at peace and had been very ready to go the Light on the other side. Each time I thought about her, a wonderful warm feeling of peace and contentment came over me. It would be there for just for a little while, then the sadness would blast through me again.

Often newly departed people and animals require healing before they can advance on their journey. Lighting a candle, saying prayers for them and sending distant Reiki can greatly assist them

The sacred Reiki symbols which a Reiki Master teaches students in the 2nd degree level enables the energy to be sent over vast distances, including time and space. I use these symbols to connect and communicate with animals who’ve crossed over to the spirit world.

The following day I lit a candle in my healing room and sent Reiki to Nikki. I immediately had a psychic vision of her smiling face. She looked young and beautiful. Her head was surrounded by an aura of gold light, which is the band of light I usually see when I communicate with animals on the other side.

Then Mac-Tavish’s face popped into the picture, also looking young, with his usual lopsided grin. They looked at each and suddenly took off, running wildly, with their heads up and tails stretched out behind them, just like they used to do when they were young.  What a beautiful scene, the whole area was filled with gold light and the dogs were running through a field of golden wheat. There was a beautiful rainbow in the background.
I was so grateful for the knowledge that they were both together and happy. Also for the confirmation that they were enjoying life on the other side, still doing what they loved best……..running wildly…… just as they did during their younger days here on Earth.

Farewell beloved Nikki girl

 

Nikki (Nikkita) 16 August 1994 – 13 December 2010
Farewell dearest Nikki girl , may your soul fly on wings of love to the light. We love and miss you. Thank you for 16 wonderful years of love and loyalty. You’re at peace now, in a beautiful place where angels sing and flowers never fade. Your happy memories will live forever in our hearts. Your brother Mac-Tavish is waiting at the Rainbow Bridge for you, see you both there one day too.

Unfortunately ageing is part of this physical life we live and our animal companions are not exempt from it. It starts with the greying of the fur around the mouth, like a fine sprinkling of icing sugar. Suddenly the grey spreads, covering their face and head. Next thing you notice your dog is finding it a bit harder to stand up each morning. It slowly dawns on you that the day you’ve been dreading is approaching.

Nikki had been deaf for a while when she also started going senile. She’d walk around and around the house for hours on end, or tread a path through the front door and out the back door, just walking in and out, that it almost made us dizzy. What was truly amazing, was that she still knew instinctively when it was meal times, as she would wander into the kitchen and wait expectantly for her dish to be put down in front of her.

She started getting lost when she went out at night. We had to go out and look for her in the bushes at the bottom of the garden. One evening we heard a strange cry coming from the rockery behind the house. Noticing that she was not in her bed, we dashed outside and found her wedged between some huge rocks and spiky plants. My husband, Owen had to crawl over rocks to reach her, while I held the torch so that he could see. She was a black dog, who was difficult to see in the dark. We managed to extricate her and thankfully she seemed unhurt. I gave her Rescue Remedy for calming and Reiki for further healing.

Towards the end of November 2010, her appetite dwindled and she slept most of the time. Only venturing outside briefly for short walks around the house. As the days progressed into December, we knew her time was getting close and we hoped that she would cross over on her own. I continued to give her short Reiki treatments which she then preferred and sent her distant healing at night. I told her I loved her, I thanked her for being part of our lives for so long, I told her I released her in love and Light, and assured her that it was ok for her to cross over when she was ready to do so.

When the 13 December dawned, we knew it was time for us to release her. I told her this and from the look in her eyes, I knew she understood. I said goodbye before we left for the vet, my tears ran down my face and dripped onto her beloved soft furry black head.

The vet said that 16 was a very good age for a big dog and wondered how she’d managed to live so long. I’m certain that the regular Reiki treatments helped her to cope with old age’s infirmities.

Once again we left Nikki’s cremation in the expert hands of Lourė from PawPrint Pet Funeral & Cremation Services and arranged for the return of her ashes.

When we returned home, I lit a candle for her and sent her Distant Reiki. I visualised a beautiful pink light flowing from my heart to hers as I sent her love and Light to help her on her journey to the Sprit World.


Mac’s visits from the Other Side

When I was growing up I always knew that animals went to Dog Heaven when they passed and that they, like humans have an immortal soul and continue to live after their life on Earth. I refused to believe that their death was simply the end of their existence.

I really can’t say how I came to this conclusion, but now I know it was something that I intuitively knew, it had always formed part of my psych, lodged somewhere on a sub-conscious level. You probably know the feeling, you know but you don’t know how you know.

I was overjoyed when I discovered that my deceased animal companions came back to visit me, making their visits apparent with a sound or with the enactment of a familiar action, immediately recognizable as their own.

In the months after his passing, Mac-Tavish continued to visit his human and animal family. He announced his arrival in quite an unique manner. There was definitely a deep connection between him and the dove as it would call loudly from the tree outside our bedroom window and then the most beautiful fragrance would fill the air. It appeared to be a mixture of lavender, rosemary and rose geranium. It didn’t matter whether I was in the house or garden, or if it was day or night, when he chose to visit, always accompanied by the herby smell.

I would often sense him at the front gate, a favourite place where he used to lie and wait our return home. I could see his laughing eyes, his smiling mouth, tongue lolling to the side, as he “smiled” a happy-to-see-you-back- home-smile, with his tail wagging furiously. It was amazing, the fragrance was so strong and the vision very vivid, clear confirmation that he was really there.

His other favourite time for coming through was of course when I was cooking. I would hear his claws clicking on the ceramic tiles behind me, just as he used to do. The fragrance would waft through each time and I could still hear his voice in my head, ‘so what’ve got cooking', or 'I want some of that.’

The smell of the herbs continued to waft through the house during the night and in the early hours of the morning as he kept up is visits, often with the dove’s call. Sometimes I’d just be sitting, not doing anything special and he would tickle my nose with his special smell, I’d get a ‘hi, just popping in’ sort of impression.

I realised that Mac felt the need to visit and comfort us with his presence as our hearts were still on the long journey to healing. As time progressed the pain lessened and so did his visits along with his special fragrance, except for an occasional whiff wafting through, just a gently reminder that he was still looking out for us.

Farewell beloved MacTavish

16/08/1994 – 24/12/2009
Farewell dearest Mackie boy, may your soul fly on wings of love to the Light. We love you. Thank you for everything you taught me about animal telepathic communication and reincarnation. See you at the Rainbow Bridge one day.

In mid December ’09 Mac’s health began a downward spiral and we knew that his departure was imminent. During this time I gave him numerous Reiki treatments and sent him distant healing when things got rough during the night, asking for help with his transition. We hoped that he would make the decision to pass on his own, but he lingered on, with a diminishing appetite.

I asked him to give me a sign indicting that he wanted to be released from this world when he was ready, should the deterioration escalate. On 23 December a dove flew into the house, it circled the kitchen where I was busy preparing a meal, flew into the dining room, circled a few times before flying back into the kitchen and exiting. I knew that this was a message from Spirit, as birds are universally considered Divine Messengers as they move between the earth and the heavens.

Confirmation came that night. His hind legs collapsed and we had to carry him inside, being a big dog it wasn’t easy.

It was a difficult night and sleep eluded us. Mac-Tavish cried out periodically, while the dove called relentlessly from the tree outside our bedroom window, seemingly offering him his wise counsel. I send him distant healing as often as I could and shed many tears into my pillow, as dawn’s long fingers unfurled and caressed the slumbering earth.

Before we left for the vet I said good bye, I told him that I released him in love and Light, I thanked him for everything and for the wonderful life we’d shared together over the past sixteen years. I told him it was time now, for him to fly quickly to the light on the other side.

We brought his body back home. While we awaited the arrival of Louré from Petangels Pet Cremation Services, I lit a candle in his honour with some incense and sent Reiki again to assist the journey of his soul to the Light.

A few weeks later we had a family ritual at our Labyrinth of Animal Remembrance and scattered Mac’s ashes. We also honoured him by painting his name on a stone and placing it on a special spot in the labyrinth. This small act is symbolic of the healing that takes place over time. The writing on the stone will fade with time; and in time we begin to recover from the grief and loss of losing a loved one. Healing the empty feeling we carry inside that is the aching hole in our hearts.

Reiki’s golden healing light

One of my earlier Reiki clients was a man who’d been a heavy smoker for many years. He was then in his mid sixties and suffered from emphysema. He’d undergone several lung operations and was still recovering from an operation when he came to see me. He’d tried many times to give up his nicotine addiction, but had been unsuccessful. He also suffered from insomnia. His breathing was very laboured and he wheezed badly. 

I began the session with my usual prayer and centred and grounded myself. I drew the Reiki symbols and requested protection from negativity and asked for assistance and guidance from God, Reiki guides and other spiritual helpers.

I immediately felt the wonderful healing power surge through my hands as they heated up when I began the treatment. I channelled Universal healing energy, blissfully aware of being in tune with the Universe, of being vibrantly connected to the Source. It’s the most magical feeling which I cannot justly describe. This is what I enjoy doing most of all – being connected to the higher spiritual realms.

As we progressed his breathing eased and I felt his tense muscles finally relax.

I was working over the chest area when I psychically saw two black shapes, resembling black beetles and wondered why the guides were showing them to me. I was extremely puzzled as the vision remained. Suddenly I heard a guide’s voice saying ‘Fill the lungs with gold!’ I immediately channelled gold light and saw the shapes change from black to gold. Only then, did I realise that I had been seeing my client’s scarred, nicotine-filled lungs. ‘Flush the body with gold light’ said the voice again. I channelled gold light again, flushing the entire body with its brilliance.

As my client sipped Reikied water after the session, he said it was the most incredible experience he’d ever had. He was in awe of the heat that was emitted from my hands and most of all by the fact that he hadn't felt the need to use his asthma pump during the treatment, in fact his wheezing was barely audible.

When he phoned me the next day, he babbled excitedly: ‘It was most extraordinary, the heat from your hands stayed with me for about four hours – it even misted up the car windows as I dove home.’ He said his cat had suffered a bad facial injury on one side of her face and was bind in one eye. ‘When I arrived home she followed me around until I sat down. She then climbed up on my chest and snuggled up inside my shirt with her injured face buried in my chest. She remained there for about an hour, just absorbing the energy.’ This was an usual action for this cat as since the accident she had not allowed anyone to touch her face.

That night his stomach and lungs eliminated and expectorated their dark toxic waste. He couldn’t believe how much better he felt after just one treatment. He was in the process of relocating to another province, so he only managed a few more treatments. During that time his sleep improved and he managed to cut down dramatically on his smoking.

Caracal spoor

Caracal photo by: Van 3000, Wikipedia

Sending distant Reiki is a wonderful means of helping wild animals to heal from wounds, injuries and other mishaps which befall them in the wild. The only information required is the breed of animal, for your reference and their location. The following story indicates the creative manner in which it can be used.

A friend who was then living on a farm in the Soutpansberg area in Louis Trichardt, South Africa contacted me in 2003. Rozanna urgently requested help for a neighbouring farmer. A lynx (a type of wild cat) had been killing his sheep and he was reluctant to shoot her. He was prepared to find another solution so she asked me to try and contact the Lynx and communicate the danger to her.

I began the session with the Reiki symbols and the distant healing symbol assisted me to connect with her immediately. I focused on my heart chakra (the area in the centre of my chest) and I felt a deep connection with her, as I visualised a beautiful pink light flowing my heart to hers. I asked permission to communicate with her.  I felt her acknowledgement as my hands heated up. I psychically saw her, just standing there, with her head held to the side, as if she was listening to something entrancing. I told her telepathically that she had to stop killing the sheep immediately and showed her a picture of a gun. I let her know that if she continued she would be shot and killed. I urged her to go higher up into the mountains where there was an abundant supply of suitable wild animals she could hunt for food.

I sent Reiki to the situation and requested help from the Reiki Guides and Holy Angels. After a while my hands grew very hot as she accepted the energy. Then something amazing happened. I felt that I had merged with her. I was in her body, looking out through her eyes. I was running along the ground though tall clumps of thatching grass. I could feel the ground moving beneath me, my heart was pounding and thumping so hard and I experienced a drumming sensation in my ears. Eventually this sensation faded. I then saw the lynx carrying her kittens in her mouth, one at a time, away from the farms at top speed.

Rozanna called me the following evening and confirmed that no more sheep had been killed. Her husband and neighbouring farmers checked the spoors at the water holes and without a doubt, there was no trace of the lynx’s spoor.  I felt certain that Reiki had assisted with the whole situation. Everybody was very pleased that the lynx had got and understood the message and saved herself, her kittens and the farmer’s sheep.

I then sent Reiki again, this time expressing gratitude to God, the Reiki Guides and Holy Angels and the wonderful energy….. that is Reiki.

Maxi’s snake bite

Photo courtesy of Al Coritz, Wikipedia

One morning in the autumn of 2006, Maxi, our old Border Collie was sniffing in the fallen leaves on the lawn when he was bitten by a highly venomous puff adder.

Thankfully my husband Owen was at home that day and drove the car as we rushed him to the nearest veterinary hospital. I sat in the back of the car with Maxi and gave him Bach Flower Remedies. Rescue Remedy to help with the shock and Crab Apple for cleansing. I also kept putting Rescue Remedy on the actual bite on his face.

I did Reiki and some ear slides, a TTouch technique, by moving my thumb and forefinger from the base of his ear to the tip, to prevent his body from going into shock. I drew the Reiki symbols and used the Mental/Emotional symbol to clear the poison from his system.

By the time we got to the vet his face and neck were beginning to swell. He received immediate attention and was put on a drip. Because of Maxi’s age – he was twelve at the time – the prognosis wasn't positive. We were  advised that the puff adder’s poison would cause the skin to rot in the area of the bite, so if he recovered we should be prepared to deal with that situation. We stayed with Maxi as they placed him in a kennel and said a teary goodbye, not knowing if he would ever come home again.

My Reiki students’ network, family and friends sent Reiki and prayed for his recovery. I sent distant healing to him and all  the other animals in the hospital for healing for their highest good. The next day his face and head were swollen to twice the normal size. That night I sat with his photo between my hands and beamed distant healing to him, visualizing the poison and swelling leaving his body. I asked God, Reiki Guides and St Francis of Assisi (the patron saint of animals) for help.

When the phone rang early the next morning I was expecting to hear bad news. The vet said the swelling had miraculously gone down during the night and that we could go and collect him! When we arrived at the animal hospital, all the other animals were leaving as they had also made a speedy recovery (another dog also had a snake bite) much to the vet’s surprise.

I continued to give Maxi Reiki and thankfully he made a full recovery without the any of the predicted skin rotting on his face and he went on to live until the ripe old age of
sixteen.

See you at 8

Living in the country gave my animal friends free reign, my newly acquired kitten, Inca, was no exception. She loved playing outside all day, swinging from trees or chasing and hunting butterflies and skinks.  The problem was that she would rush home briefly for supper and then disappear until the small hours of the morning.

She was enjoying life to the fullest, it was all a great adventure to her, so I was rather reluctant to curtail her escapades. But I felt that being a kitten she was at some risk due to the presence of birds of prey and certain wild animals. 

I confronted her early one morning after breakfast.  Sitting opposite her, I looked into her eyes and asked her telepathically if I could communicate with her. She looked at me in surprise, and I heard a sort of giggly “yes.” I told her I loved her, by visualising a beautiful pink light flowing from my heart to her heart. I physically felt the connection when a feeling of warmth entered my chest.

I told her I was worried about her staying out so long on her own during the night and early morning hours. I told her I would prefer it if she came home earlier in the evenings. I felt that she’d understood my message, as she did come home earlier….around midnight. This of course was not what I wanted.

So another pep talk ensued. I told her that midnight was still unacceptable to me and I would appreciate it if she could be home by 8.00pm every night. I kept repeating the words 8.00 o'clock while simultaneously visualising a clock face, indicating 8.00pm. I asked her again "do you get it now Inca, I want you home by 8 every night please?"

The following evening I was busy working in my healing room, when I was startled by a white-tortoise shell apparition as she launched herself through the window. The time was exactly 5 minutes to 8.00!

Pass the spinach?

Learning to communicate with animals telepathically was not only a lot of fun, but it also led me to discover who my animal companions really were. I discovered their likes and dislikes, their fears and phobias and a whole lot more. I was amazed that I could “hear” their voices clearly in my head.

Whilst cooking supper one evening, Mac-Tavish sauntered into the kitchen and approached the stove. He greeted me in his usual fashion, a lopsided grin, mouth open with tongue lolling to the side, eyes bright with anticipation. I was busy stirring cream into the spinach when he made an upward motion with his head towards the pot and asked: ‘So what’ve got cooking there?’ ‘Spinach’ I replied.  ‘Can I have some?’ was his quick response. I said ‘Mac you’ve never eaten spinach and I’m sure you won’t even like it.’ ‘Try me’ he said.
 

I ladled a small amount of spinach into his dish and he wolfed it down. I was surprised, as I know many humans who can’t stand the taste of it and here was this hound simply loving it. He repeatedly asked me, ‘can I have some more,’ until he’d eaten almost half of our  portion.

Each day Mac-Tavish came to check on the cooking and always asked ‘can I have some of that?’  Perhaps my vegetarian way of life had influenced him, because he went absolutely mad for beetroot, raw grated carrots, gem and butternut squash, sweet potatoes, green beans, peas and mielies.

I checked with Nikki and the border collies Maxi and Tess and they also enjoyed the veggies, so it was incorporated into their daily meals. No more boring dog food, they were on a BARF diet of raw minced chicken, brown rice, gravy (with only a sprinkling of dog cubes). Beetroot contains a lot of fibre which can cause tummy upsets, so it was only given in very small quantities, much to Mac’s dismay.

It became a habit, Mac continued to check on the cooking each day, in the hope of a hand-out, like a canine Oliver Twist, 'please can I have some more?’ was his constant refrain!

Memories of our animal companions

Nikki and Mac-Tavish, our Labrador/Irish setter cross companions, entered our lives in 1994, as two black fluffy bundles of mischief. The brother and sister duo were inseparable, they would often sit in mirror image to each other. They appeared to be deeply connected on a subconscious level, as they continued to act simultaneously, but independently of each other.

Living on a small holding they were able to enjoy the freedom of the countryside. Much to our dismay they soon discovered the location of a game farm, situated several kms behind us. They would disappear early in the morning and  return sometime in the late afternoon, tired, panting and covered in all manner of twigs and greenery. Obviously very thirsty, they would plunge their faces, up to their eyes, in a bucket of cold water, expelling a number of bubbles as they slaked their thirst.

It was around this time that positive proof of animal telepathic communication entered my mind. I would notice that the setters were missing and I'd think 'Nikki and Mac, wherever you are, you'd better come home NOW!' Initially I was amazed that within about twenty minutes they would suddenly appear, running like the wind. They would look at each other, with a look which could be interpreted as saying; "Oh Boy....now we're in trouble."

I felt intuitively that this was not just a series of coincidences, so I embarked on a journey of animal telepathic communication.