Athena Grey

I don't often talk about Reiki, but it is an essential part of my life, like breathing.

We need healthy touch in our lives, the kind of touch that is filled with love, compassion and healing. Reiki touch does not require us to hold every fiber of our being taut, because it is not our personal energy that flows; it is the universal life force and we are merely conduits for it. By placing our hands, we invite, acknowledge and witness the energy, but we do not create it or direct it. It simply is.

My dear Amber cat has no idea how it works, but she is fond of this special, quiet touch. Our days begin and end with this energy. She purrs deeper and leans into my hands in a way that is different from her response to ordinary stroking. She is totally relaxed and totally filled with trust.

Simba, the cat who lives in Treetops (above my Aerie) is slowly learning the joy of Reiki touch.  He's a restless cat by nature, and isn't accustomed to still hands that pulse with energy. He has taught me to take it slowly and be very gentle.

Yes, most of my Reiki practice involves animals. I don't see that changing even as I prepare for my Master/Teacher attunement (hopefully this coming November).  Hearing the 'Reiki purr' is one of the most gratifying things in my life.

Have your animal companions experienced Reiki? How was their experience?

I am turning slowly out of the midwinter spiral that took me deep into my heart. I am clutching a small tile close to my heart chakra, and on the tile is engraved one word, SMILE.

It is too easy to get caught up in seriousness and forget how to smile. Everytime I catch my reflection in a window, I hope to see a smile on my face because smiling feels good all over, and because it is acting in accordance with my desire to bring more joy into my life.

I do have a joyful streak in me, the same part of my personality that loves wearing striped socks.

I respond to simple and beautiful things, like the sound and sight of a cheeping bush, stuffed with contented sparrows chattering about their own joy. The gentle purrs of my cat, and especially her soft snuggles and whisker kisses, send me into bliss.

I am also approaching a brief retreat in January with much anticipation and joy. I will be making good on a promise to myself from this year that has slipped a few weeks into the coming year. I am finally going to receive my Reiki I training and attunement. Twice I have postponed this, because of various uncertainties, like the location of the class or the experience of the master teacher. This time, I will be going to a well-established yoga and meditation retreat center, and the master teacher is the author of a book that has received good reviews.

I have practiced energy work in various forms over the years, and have learned to transmit the life force that is all around us in our Mother Earth. In Reiki, the attunement will intensify the energy that flows through me, and the training will give me a more informed and structured approach to my energy practice.

In the setting of a three-day retreat, I will have time to experience this at my leisure, to take some yoga classes, and live in simplicity. This really makes me smile.