reiki healing Archives - Believe In Bunnies

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Eric & Ariel

Eric and Ariel’s mom is a dear friend of mine. She and her husband opened their home to this adorable pair of bunnies. While there’s nothing cuter than seeing two bunnies snuggle, pairs are notoriously hard to find homes for through our group (and as I write this, I realize that’s a paradigm we need to shift!). Two years ago this week, Eric and Ariel found their forever. They were dumped in a local cemetery along with several other rabbits. They survived out there for weeks before a compassionate was able to bring them to safety.

Eric and Ariel survived together. That dynamic runs strong through their relationship, even though they will never have to worry about survival again. Their mom and dad will love them forever. Of that, I have no doubt. Their mom asked me to come over and share some Reiki with the pair, particularly with Eric, to energetically reinforce their safety.

As our session started, I anointed myself with lavender essential oil to soothe Eric’s energy. They “showed” me the number 224. Eric almost immediately retreated into his bunny castle (not to worry—Reiki flows through cardboard). I spent our time together infusing his energy with the word trust. He “told” me that he feels unable to express his needs, which is where is bond with Ariel is so important.

For Ariel, her word was understanding. She is the only one who can understand Eric. She’s his protector and was when they had to survive in the cemetery. She gets sick often and the extra care she needs comes from taking on Eric’s energy and needs. I worked to help them balance that aspect of their connection. Ariel “showed” me that she was a women right’s activist in the 1920s. Her root chakra is strong. I’m not surprised, as she’s a spunky little thing!

I moved back to Eric at this point in our session. It’s like a storm in his head. He had the most trauma before rescue so it may take his entire lifetime to fully release that… but we made progress. He “showed” me the number 7. He has a very heavy heart and chest. Eric is still learning to feel safe but all the love he gets from Ariel and their incredible parents helps him tremendously.

I just love what I get to do with these sweet creatures. Thank you, Eric & Ariel’s mom, for allowing me to share Reiki with your babies. Much love!

February 3, 2019

Believe Energy Healing Purpose Reiki

Radical Trust

On Saturday, I woke up without a clenched jaw for the first time in decades. Hot, right?

Grinding one’s teeth is hereditary in the B. family. I recall my mother saying my father and I would keep her up at night, he next to her and me a flight of stairs away, grinding our teeth “in stereo.” It didn’t bother me when I was younger though.

Sometime during my first year of teaching, the teeth grinding got worse. I saw my primary care doctor, a specialist and my dentist. My dentist, whom I adore, said this behavior was all stress-related, so I asked him when it would stop. He said, “When you’re not stressed anymore.” He took a mold and had a fancy night guard made custom night guard for me (sorry to be so alluring again). I wore it maybe twice. None of the three professionals I saw suggested tackling the stress, as if the only option was to stay stressed forever. With that stress came a tightness and clenching of my jaw and the possible ruination of my teeth. But this was just the way it was, so I was led to believe. We work, we live on a busy island, so we must be stressed. Some people drink. Some people hike. I clench and bear it.

7 or 8 years ago, I started wearing the night guard more consistently. Judging by how quickly I wore through one (again, really glamorizing my existence), the grind was still in full effect, even though I don’t consciously feel as stressed as I did at the beginning of my career. Some holistic treatments offer some relief but not fully. I resigned myself to thinking that I would forever have some form of this tension, clenching, sometimes sprinkled with a festive clicking.

Just the case… I’ll spare you the actual guard.

I receive a Reiki treatment once a month from my healer. As this month’s appointment approached, my intuition told me to text her and ask to change the appointment to a hypnotherapy session. I wasn’t sure why or even what we would be working on but I went with it. The Universe has my back. Friday after work, I arrived at Lisa’s office. We talked; we got down to it. Intuition told me to talk about the jaw pain and the teeth grinding. Lisa worked her magic. Through our session, I got to another level of understanding of myself, my habits, and my paradigms. I can barely put words to it but Friday afternoon was definitely a mark on the timeline of my life.

One thing I can share with you about my discovery through this session: I finally made the connection as to why I have a hard time counting on people. In our post-session conversation, Lisa used the phrase “radical trust.” I’m pretty sure she used in it reference to a trust I need to have in myself and in the universe, but I know that the third piece to that is having radical trust in the people around me… as long as I surround myself with “right” people. It’s all coming together.

I woke up on Saturday without jaw pain and without my tongue forced to the roof of my mouth (Check in on yours and peel it free now. Relax, breathe. You’re just reading a blog). I know that the strides I made, facilitated by my healer, freed me. It’s a step, not the whole journey, but an important step nonetheless. I will not resign myself to subconscious stress, just because that’s the way most people choose to live. I have radical trust in myself, in my work… and I’m working on having radical trust in all of you, too. Much love.

November 12, 2018

angels Believe Bunnies Energy Healing Purpose Reiki

Maddie and Teddy

I drove to Brooklyn and back, all by myself. I brought my passport, just in case they checked at the border and gave some cute stamp. But enough about me—this is about Maddie and Teddy.

Several weeks ago, Maddie developed an abscess on the bottom of her back paw. Maddie and Teddy’s mom sought immediate veterinary treatment at the incomparable Catnip and Carrots Veterinary Hospital and her foot has since healed well. Over the course of the healing, Maddie and Teddy’s mom and I got to talking about the emotional and metaphysical connections to physical changes and injury. We talked about the connection to feminine energy and the side on which Maddie developed the abscess. I told their mom to read some of my past blog entries about Reiki and rabbits. We decided a Reiki treatment was in order.

I took my pilgrimage west. Upon my arrival to their home, Maddie and Teddy promptly hid behind furniture—stranger in the house! To start our session of sharing energy, I anointed myself with Frankincense and called on our guides to support all beings and objects who are open to the energy. I started “working” on Maddie first. She “showed” me the color grey. Her third eye chakra is blocked and she has trouble believing in her own instincts so we worked together to shift that energy (and I knew it! There’s the connection to the abscessed feminine energy in her paw!). Maddie “told” me that she feels very secure and loved.

Her root chakra is very solid. She did not want any hands-on work, which is incredibly interesting when compared to the ridiculously lavish snuggle session she and I had after the Reiki was over. Maddie flopped as soon as I started working with her husbun Teddy.

Teddy doesn’t want anyone to know his “secrets” or about his past, in a silly, playful way, so much so that he ran across the room and up the stairs! Teddy is very funny, like a cartoon character in his spirit. He “showed” me the numbers 2, 3 and 2 again. His sacral chakra is low or blocked so we worked to open up that energy. Overall he has a very chill energy. He loves music and the flow of water. It is likely that he is a water sign, but tough for us to do his astrological chart since we don’t know his exact birthdate!

Together, Maddie and Teddy love being a couple and they know they are with this family forever. I am very grateful to Maddie and Teddy’s mom for allowing me to share Reiki with her furbabies. Much love!

July 29, 2018

Believe Energy Healing Purpose Reiki Uncategorized

Topher & Co.

I had the honor of working with Topher, his brother Walter and their sister Nora last week. Topher and Walter are friendly, active dogs and Nora is a beautiful kitty. Their mom invited me over specifically to work with Topher but Reiki energy does not discriminate; it goes and flows wherever it is welcome and needed! Upon my arrival, Walter and Topher greeted me with puppy-like fervor while Nora assessed me from afar. I love cats for their moments like that—no nonsense, no pretense. After we talked about some goals for our session, Topher’s mom left us to get down to business!

I anointed myself with Believe essential oil and sat on the floor in their living room. As I started to tune in to the energy and my guides, Topher sat to my left, leaning his right side against my knee and crossed legs. The color blue swirled around his energy. As I worked on his crown chakra, I felt a sense of high alert and was compelled to send him the word “ease.” When I worked on his throat chakra, I shared with him the message from my guides that he can tell his mom what he needs and she will always hear him. I also connected with a heaviness on his right side, nothing to be concerned about per se, but just an awareness.

Topher bounced away after some time together and Walter walked over, almost like he had been waiting his turn. Walter sat in my lap and we connected. Both doggy brothers allowed lots of hands-on work throughout the session, probably the most I’ve ever had with new clients! I “got” the “message” that Walter was a lawyer or some sort of negotiator in a past life or, if he were human in this life, that would be his career path. I connected most with and worked on his sacral and root chakras.

Topher came back over and sat, somewhat at attention, in front of me this time. I just do my thing and those who need the energy line up! This time together, I was compelled to work more on his throat and solar plexus chakras. I worked through his legs, hips and corresponding root chakra as well, sending to him that he is secure. He “shared” with me that he senses a transition or a new family member. In our post-session conversation, Topher’s mom confirmed that someone did recently move into their home. Messages and connections like that are just confirmation for me that the energy is “working,” not that I ever doubted it anyway.

Nora stayed in the next room for the entirety of our session, regally grooming herself and never taking her eyes off of me. I got a “den mother” vibe from her, as if she feels responsible to keep order in the house. My closing messages, just from the space in general, were about a middle child energy and the number 7, all of which I shared with Topher, Walter and Nora’s mom in our chat after I closed out the session. It was truly a beautiful hour with this happy, energetic family. Topher, if you’re listening, just remember: ease!

Much love.

Photo Credit: Their Mom

August 30, 2017

Believe Bunnies Energy Healing Purpose Reiki Rescue Uncategorized

Piper, Tyler & Remy

On Wednesday, I had the honor of sharing Reiki with a wonderful, diverse family. When I say diverse, I’m taking size and species—a large rabbit, a tiny hamster and a typically-sized cat. When I arrived, I spent some time talking with their mom S. Rabbit Piper was hopping around, hamster Tyler was snuggling in my hands and cat Remy was nowhere in sight. I explained to S. that whether Remy came out of hiding or not, he would still receive whatever energies he was open to. Reiki is total magic like that.

I anointed my shoulders with White Angelica oil and gently rubbed a few drops of Valor oil between my palms. S. had expressed some concern for Piper’s occasional nervous and anxious behaviors, so Valor was calling to me for this session. I sat on the floor near to Piper’s pen with Tyler in a small cage to my left and Remy still lurking in the shadows. Our session began with a heavy energy, but not in a bad way—more of a stable, solid kind of heavy. I was drawn to the world “release” on repeat. My root chakra was strongly in play here. I felt very rooted in this environment, which is not a feeling I typically experience. Again, the magic of Reiki: I was “translating” the rooted, connected bond of this family.

After connecting with the energy of the space, I began to work directly with Tyler. He “told” me the words “heal,” “peace” and “curious.” He expressed the desire for his mom S. to read to him (totally adorable). I was drawn to his right side and in our after-session recap I told S. to be attentive to that.

Next up, Piper, an alum from our Rescue group. Piper didn’t want any hands-on work, which is common for prey animals. He “told” me that he likes to hide a lot. The energies drew my attention to his left eye, which I confirmed with S. in our recap that he had issues with that eye earlier in the year. I had the most beautiful vision while working on Piper and his enclosure. I don’t often see pictures through my work, as I’m more strongly claircognizant and clairsentient. As I sent Reiki specifically to Piper’s pen, I saw what I can best describe as tubes of rainbow-colored rain with stars inside. I invited the rainbow rain to flow through and around the home, showering the entire family and space with this stunning light and energy. Piper came closest to me at this point. He’s a cautiously receptive boy. He feeds off of the energies around him. I sent all I could to help ease his nerves.

I work mostly with my eyes closed, but they popped open at this point in our session and there was Remy. I could feel the energy of the entire house follow Remy. He needs to be the boss. He came to me, close but not too close, acknowledged my presence, then walked away. Piper quickly followed. If Tyler wasn’t in a cage, he would have done the same. That boss attitude—is that a cat thing in general? Or just a Remy thing? I’ll let S. decide how to handle that from here!

I closed the session with love, light and the greatest good for all beings and objects. What a beautiful family and a beautiful afternoon. Thank you S. for allowing me to share Reiki with your family. Hoppy Birthday. Much Love.

Tyler Photo credit: S. B.

Piper Photo credit: S. B.

July 24, 2017

angels Believe Bunnies Energy Healing Reiki Rescue Uncategorized

Snoopy & Budgie 2017

On the first day of this fresh new year, I visited Snoopy, Budgie and their mom Jean. Budgie has been acting out a bit so Jean wanted me to check in with him and make sure all is well with him. Before I left my house, I rubbed drops of Highest Potential essential oil over my heart and Release essential oil between my palms, just the oils I was compelled to grab in honor of my upcoming session. Every time I’ve treated these bunny brothers, I start with Budgie (maybe next time I’ll change that up!). Momma Jean worked on her computer, adjacent to the boys’ enclosures during our session (remember this fact for later). Budgie was very receptive to the Reiki energy and very calm. He “showed” me the number one, which I connected to the opening of the new year… or that he’s #1!

Budgie quickly invited me into his pen and we shared lots of hands-on energy throughout our session. All is well with loving Budgie. He’s a reputed kisser. He consistently gave me three kisses, then flicked his tongue three times, left-right-left. That might just be his habit, his tongue muscle memory… or maybe he was bringing the power of three to the forefront. Three is pure power. Three is divinity.

I moved on to Snoopy. He’s a guarded little boy so I know to stay outside of his pen. He still gets the bountiful energy and energetic benefits just as much as he would with hands-on—Reiki love and light will flow wherever it needs to, wherever it is welcome! Snoopy stayed within his cardboard house for the duration of our session (his Snoopy house?!) but acknowledged our exchange through his grooming and sharing “messages” with me as well. I had a sense of Jean’s mom, Snoopy and Budgie’s grandmother, and the letter M toward the end of our session. As shielded as Snoopy can be, he is still receptive to the energy, love and light in such a beautiful way. I feel so energized when I work with these boys!

After I closed out our session, I share the “messages” and feelings with Jean. I felt awkward asking about her mother; while I feel spiritually connect to Jean, I still don’t know her that well! What if this was a “bad” question to ask? But I had to ask her anyway. I asked if Snoopy was close with Jean’s mom or if they even knew each other. Jean shared with me that her mother passed away six years before Snoopy came into her life. Then she paused, took a breath and told me that she was writing a post for her own blog

while I was working with the boys. That post is about her mother and father.

I am honored to confirm Jean’s mother’s presence. Our loved ones are never truly gone if we just take the time to quiet our minds, remove the distractions and pay attention on purpose to the present moment. I am not a trained medium. But I am a true believer. We all have these abilities and they step forward when we take the time and care to listen. Sharing the love and light, the life-force energies with Snoopy and Budgie on the first day of what I know will be a year of beauty set a wonderful tone. Thank you Jean. I love you and your boys truly.

Snoopy, photo credit: Jean

January 8, 2017

Believe Energy Healing Reiki Uncategorized

Be Open… or Not.

One of my classic B-isms: Not everything is for everybody. Reiki is such a strong example of that. It’s subjective. It’s situational. It’s suited for some, or from some and not for others, from others or between others. Like a massage—what feels good for me might not be what you need. Or choosing a meal from a menu—you and I probably don’t order the same thing(s). And it’s all good. You don’t have to like what I like. I don’t have to find peace on the same path where you wade through yours.

I met with a first-time client this week. When I tell you that animals pick up on and respond to our energies, this family could be the textbook case. The matriarch of the family presented some specific questions and issues she wanted me to address with her companion animal. Before I could explain to her that Animal Reiki doesn’t necessarily work that way (your animal is not filling out a questionnaire or being hooked up to a lie detector), she then changed all of her questions and purposes. Her energy was like a bouncing rubber ball, pinging off of every surface, sometimes with grace and sometimes with force, trying to communicate what she thought we needed to attain from our time together… I wonder why your cat is an anxious little guy?!

I share this anecdote as a lesson: Be open. Or not. Reiki, like anything else, doesn’t suit every being or every situation. But if you do want to try giving or receiving energy work in Reiki or in another capacity, please exhale and let it flow. Energy work is not to be micro-managed (and this is coming from the queen of micro-management!). There’s an openness, an exchange, a flow that needs to be accessible for the energy to work its magic. It’s not for everyone. There are some days that I, as a practitioner, am not in the best head-space to give or receive either. Like I said before, it’s subjective. But it’s damn powerful. So don’t focus on feeling “ready” or looking for the right time, place, set and setting—just be open. Be open to the magic, to the possibilities.

August 28, 2016

Believe Bunnies Energy Healing Reiki Rescue Uncategorized

Alexa and Josie

I’ve admired Josie and Alexa for a while via social media, so of course I was excited to meet them in person when their mom and fellow Rescue volunteer Kim asked me to give the girls a Reiki treatment. Although they are sisters who live side-by-side, Josie and Alexa are very different girls when it comes to personality and energy. After Kim introduced me to her bunny-daughters and went over the basics of their dynamic, I anointed my palms and third-eye chakra with lavender oil and began our treatment.

I started seated in front of both pens and let the girls guide me as to whom to treat first. Josie, with her beautiful up-ears and spotted fur, invited me into her area first and with loving excitement. I added 2 drops of Envision oil, one of my newer favorites, to my palms to help open the channels between Source, me and Josie. The first message she communicated with me: “When mom is happy, then I’m happy!” (a common theme from our companion animals—really makes you think about how much our energies and experiences influence those around us). Josie is a curious girl, active and in love with her toys (she has a lot of them!). Her energy is that of pure love. If she could talk, she would never stop—in a bubbly, endearing way of course! The hands-on parts of our session were extra nice as Josie’s fur is unbelievably soft; I’ve patted soft fur before but NOTHING like this.

Lop-eared Alexa may have soft fur too… but I wouldn’t know, because she did NOT want any hands-on treatment! Alexa has a guarded energy, so I chose Peace & Calming, another oil blend, to hands for our moments together. Although she loves and trusts her family, she is very hesitant around those she doesn’t yet know. I did my best to connect to her; despite her reservations, she was reception to the energy, just at a distance. She quickly communicated with me that she’s the “older child,” which I later confirmed with Kim. Alexa knows her beauty and doesn’t share the young, curious energy that Josie has. She’s more refined but none-the-less comfortable and loved!

I closed our session back where I started, between the two girls, thanking them, Kim and the rest of their family for allowing me to share Reiki energy with them. A truly beautiful family… I am grateful to know them. And I’ll get to treat Alexa hands-on one day!!

lav pc env

July 24, 2016

Believe Bunnies Energy Healing Reiki Rescue Uncategorized

Budgie

Budgie probably doesn’t remember it, but he’s the first LIRRG rabbit I ever met. It was February 2012. Budgie and his mom and his aunt were representing LIRRG at a local Petco for an education event. Bunny-daddy and I had just brought our boys into our home a month and a half prior. (We found out that a local rescue existed after that… but we’ve more than made up for it since! When you know better, you do better.) I went to Petco with my mom and the uncles to meet the Rescue people. We met Budgie there that day and I exchanged contact information with Budgie’s mom, hoping to find out more about volunteering. And the rest is history-ish.

I visited Budgie this week to share some Reiki and check in with some out-of-his-ordinary behavior that his mom is concerned about. I’ve treated him and his brother Snoopy before. I started my session with a drop of lavender oil on my third-eye chakra and 3 drops of T-Away (the Animal Scents equivalent to Stress Away) in my palms. I don’t typically put the oils directly on my bunny-clients; I rub the oils between my palms and do hands-on treatments, sharing the frequency of the oils.

I started Budgie’s treatment from outside of his pen, giving him some time to acclimate and invite me in. I soon joined him on his play rug and worked hands-on for the majority of our session. I connected strongly with his solar plexus chakra and the desire to assert power… which aligns well with the behaviors his mom is concerned about. I sent lots of calming and peace to Budgie there, reassuring him that his power in this realm is recognized and strong.

He licked my right hand about 5 or 6 times during his treatment, each time in a series of 8 licks and the final time, 16 licks. In our discussion after the treatment, I asked Budgie’s mom if the number 8 has any significance to her. Nothing jumped out at her—but we did talk about 8 as the infinite energies and love. We rounded out our treatment with an exchange of loving energies and I focused my Reiki on reassuring Budgie of his strength and power in his loving family. All in all, Budgie thinks he’s the boss… and I’m not arguing with that face!

Much gratitude to Budgie’s mom for inviting me to share my love and light with her sweet boys.

July 10, 2016

Bunnies Reiki Uncategorized

Rituals

I describe myself as highly routinized. For my own good, I’ve loosened up a bit over the past few years and more markedly, over the past few months. I do attribute my massive success (and I define success as happiness and daily bliss) to my habits and patterns. This way of life, as rigid as it can be sometimes, just comes naturally to me. It’s the way my system was programmed. Even my downtime, my free time has rules to it.

I start my days by stepping outside and taking a few moments to be present. Up until very recently, I would start my days by grabbing my phone, starting the cycle of checking and obsessing. I’ve worked to replace that habit with taking myself out to the deck and listening. Some days, I do find myself on the screen before I’m on the grass but this part of the routine is a work in progress. Starting the day by taking a few moments to just breathe and be outside sets a different tone—the intensity to do, to go, to be somewhere else drifts away. Try it. A gift I got from my meditation coach and friend.

I come in from outside and flick on the diffusers, usually Thieves in the bathroom and today it’s a combination of tangerine and orange in the kitchen/living room. The oils have become just as integral to my routine as coffee. On work days, I hop in the shower; on non-work days, I feed boys, then fed myself. Breakfast is a piece of Ezekiel toast with peanut butter and a dark roast coffee with sugar and MCT oil. Work days: I eat, ready, dress and leave. Non-work days: I eat and shuffle between housework, Rescue work and catching up on completely junk television. I check my phone too often (working on it!) and I beat myself up for not reading more. I always say: the more you read, the better looking you get.

I’m profoundly a morning person, so whether it’s formal work or not, the best of it happens early. The day flows methodically. Accomplishments abound. Even the downtime is structured. But it works for me. Example: I don’t leave the house on Sundays. The bunny-daddy started that tradition. If there’s an absolutely unavoidable exit of the house on a Sunday, another day of house-arrest is substituted. Adding this to the rituals has made me carve out time for self-care and a clear boundary that I can’t overload myself with more “stuff” for anyone or any institution. It’s my day around the Manor.

My days round out with a short Reiki session for each of the boys and I’m always in bed early. I need a lot of sleep. It’s just a fact of who I am and I’m grateful to know myself and meet those needs. And yes, even the extended vacation on the horizon from the day job will be filled with structure, routines… the rituals that make this success continue to flow. It’s difficult for me to “do nothing,” sometimes to the point of torturous, but that’s something I’m working on for sure. I need to give myself permission to just be, to restore.

Adding to the routine this summer: more outside time, more books, more quiet.

Subtracting from the machine: checking my phone as much as I do, negative self-talk when I do “nothing.”

Now, go do something for you. Get outside. Or come wash my dishes so I can…