Olivia and Justine

Every Monday evening, I visit our special needs and sanctuary rabbits’ foster home and help with “bunny chores” like cleaning litter boxes, vacuuming, and rotating rabbits out for exercise time. With last week’s storm, I shifted my schedule to head over there on Tuesday evening; shifting my shift opened up time for me to give Reiki to two longtime residents, Olivia and Justine.

After I finished my typical “bunny chores,” I cleansed my hands and the area with a few light squirts from my Thieves spray. Although Olivia and Justine are used to the smells of other animals around, I wanted to give them clearest opportunity to receive the Reiki energy. Besides enjoying the smell, I use Thieves spray in the same way I used to use antibacterial gels and Lysol-type products—it’s a blessing to me to have an alternative to those products that just might contain some things I try to eliminate or at least limit in my life. Then, I put a drop of lavender oil on my third eye chakra, another on my throat chakra, and rubbed a few drops between my palms. Lavender oil is a staple in my Reiki sessions—great for relaxing, soothing and opening up the communication channels.

I started this treatment with Olivia, a big white bun who has developed arthritis in her hind quarters. One of the most important elements for animal Reiki is to recognize the animal’s signs and signals. Traditional hand positions for “people Reiki” are modified and some animals or some sessions involve no hands-on treatment at all. Olivia was open and comfortable right away, so I started with one hand on her brow and ears, my other hand upturned outside of her cage to receive the energy.

Yes, I “get messages” like many energy workers do but I can’t ask my rabbit clients for confirmation of these messages in the same way one can ask a human client. That said, Olivia and I communicated telepathically and she confirmed the “messages” by grooming her front right paw (a common confirmation in my bunny experience) and by eating. Olivia “told me” that she wants to play a game and needs some more mental stimulation; I should buy her one of those treat puzzles that she can share with her foster brothers and sisters. As I moved my hand positions down her furry white torso, she shared with me that her arthritis is a bit frustrating and, while she is not in pain, she does miss the mobility of her youth! Olivia was very receptive to the energies and confirmed with me via some gentle tooth-purring.

Justine was having one of those days where she didn’t want to be touched (not uncommon with this clientele) but she received the energy from a distance. I used similar hand positions as I did with Olivia but kept my hands a few inches from Justine—she settled in nicely, flopping down to confirm for me that she was readily receptive. Justine “showed” me a bouncing ball, indicating that she felt bounced around in never being officially adopted. She told me that she wants to stay with her foster mom for the rest of her life; she feels secure there and doesn’t want to be bounced around anymore. She also told me that she loves when her foster mom dances and twirls around the kitchen, which is adjacent to Justine and Olivia’s bunny condo. Keep those dance moves going, foster mom Mary Ann.

I am lucky to have so much “free practice” with the many rescue rabbits in our midst. The availability of so many different personalities, experiences and even aliments/issues, has amped up my practice and abilities. Olivia and Justine enjoyed the lavender and the energy and I radiate from the blessing of sharing love and light with them!