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Sue Malcolm

Only Reiki Calmed Miffy

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“Being very sensitive to
energy, many animals
naturally seem to
understand that Reiki
will be kind and gentle
and offer them some
soothing relaxation to
benefit them in times
of stress or distress”

What was first notable about Miffy was that she could be heard
before she was seen. She hadn’t had the best start in life. After a
number of years in a rescue centre in the Middle East, she was
brought over here and homed in the UK, then transferred to a
cattery but neither of the latter two worked out. So that’s when
she came into Yorkshire Cat Rescue.

Her loud attention-seeking Miaows attracted anyone near her pen, or even in the building. We learned that her miaowing continued spasmodically when she had human company and certainly when anyone with her moved in readiness to leave her pen. Poor, adorable Miffy. She must have experienced fearful times wondering ‘what next’. She wanted to feel safe, secure, loved and cared for.

We were asked to offer her some Reiki and what happened surprised us all. In the first session she miaowed for a little while and wandered around, not seeking hands-on fussing but appreciating the company.

The Reiki and accompanying music we played very quietly seemed to calm her but miaows clearly indicated her disapproval of being left alone after half an hour. In the second session Miffy miaowed just a few times and brushed against my leg. After receiving the head fussing she requested, she climbed into her soft grey bed on the floor. Feeling safe and content . she made herself comfy and cosy. The Reiki and music provided much contentment and before long she closed her eyes. Expectations to quietly slip away were met with a ‘don’t go’ Miaow.

However, offering Reiki for a few minutes outside her pen resulted in the delightful sounds of a faint but ever so sweet snoring. There was nothing wrong with Miffy’s memory! As soon as her pen
was entered the following week and the music was switched on she knew it was Reiki time. Miffy went straight to her bed and rested her head, facing outwards, waiting for her Reiki to . commence. Relaxing energy flowed and she drifted into a nice doze with no miaowing. The
staff commented on never seeing her like this normally. She felt more settled and content. Within days this wonderful cat was happily.

Reiki reduced Tiggy’s Distress

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“Reiki offers direct
benefits but it also helps
people and animals to
relax and this can be
beneficial to support
veterinary or medical
treatments.”

Tiggy was a small 12-week-old kitten with the end of one
of her rear legs missing, presumed to be the unfortunate . result of an accident caused by her mum in her early days. She was not very well and on pain killing medication, requiring her temperature to be taken regularly. We were advised that when the thermometer was gently inserted into her rear end she screamed, squirmed and scratched, fighting against this procedure which she clearly disliked. I asked if we might offer Reiki to her for a few minutes before her next temperature reading.

After just a few minutes of receiving Reiki, Tiggy was yawning and showing early signs of relaxation. She was picked up by the care staff and as they took her temperature Reiki continued to be offered to her from a short distance away so as to maintain the energy flow. The staff were amazed – and so were we!

Tiggy made one small sound but no screeching, hardly any movement and no attempt to scratch. She was notably less distressed and all it took was less than 5 minutes of some gentle and non-invasive Reiki.

Animals may not always be quite so responsive, but this reaction reinforced our reason for wanting therapies like Reiki to become commonplace to support veterinary care.

Reiki supports Baybee’s Low Moods

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During the practice of Reiki when a compassionate and strong connection exists between the Practitioner and an animal, it is possible for animals to share their physical health and emotional feelings and for us to experience a two-way mental communication.

Shortly after BayBee found herself at Yorkshire Cat Rescue, she gladly accepted the Reiki offered to her. The Reiki Practitioner working with her soon became aware of an itchy feeling, representative of such a feeling across BayBee’s body but it was her ‘heavy’ and emotionally low mood that really stood out.

Baybee had been lying down when we first met her but by her second Reiki session she had been diagnosed with an auto immune skin condition for which she was prescribed medication. Her legs and feet were swollen and every step appeared to cause discomfort, being accompanied with a little squeal. Poor Baybee! She soaked up the Reiki offered to her for 40 mins and would have taken more and from a very vocal start to the session, had settled, appearing relaxed and more
comfortable.

Baybee had just returned from the vets before her next Reiki session. After a medicated wash, cleaning of her paws and the prescription of further treatment. Her legs and feet were a darker shade and sore, one paw had been bleeding and she hardly wanted to them to touch the floor when pottering about in obvious discomfort. Every time a paw touched down, she uttered a noise that sounded as though it would equate to a human ‘ouch’. Reiki was offered to Baybee and for over an hour. She calmed down, relaxed and appeared to really appreciate it. Neither I nor Baybee wanted the session to end, she would have happily enjoyed it all day but there were more cats waiting for their turn.

Distant Reiki was sent to Baybee on three occasions before our next visit and upon seeing her 2 weeks later, the difference was incredible. Baybee was like a new cat – she no longer showed signs of suffering and distress but instead nearly tried to escape as the pen door was opened eager to be free and enjoy life as a healthy cat. Baybee had been transformed – the veterinary treatments had significantly benefited her physical condition and Reiki had provided emotional support and comfort to aid her healing and recovery, whilst being well cared for at Yorkshire Cat Rescue. She was then very soon adopted. This is just one of many examples to show how Reiki can support conventional medicine.

Reiki Reduced Squeaky’s Separation Anxiety

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Reiki Reduced Squeaky’s Separation Anxiety

Our cat Squeaky who is 10 years old came to us 7 years ago from a rescue centre with separation anxiety as a result of her earlier life experiences. Consequently, we can never leave her for more than one week a year in a cattery whilst we have some holiday because she gets so distressed.

Although she has had excellent care at the same cattery, each year she is very anxious during her stay and is terribly ill in the car on the journey home & often takes a day or two to settle back home into her usual routines.

This year we asked Sue of Friends of Baxter Animal Care to send her some distance Reiki to help Squeaky’s anxiety whilst we were away and with the car journeys to and from the cattery. 

Treatments were sent to Squeaky before our departure on the morning we went away and during our holiday.

Squeaky was less distressed than usual going to the Cattery and upon collecting her we were delighted to see how relaxed & calm she was, compared to the stressed little moggie we normally find. In addition, on the car journey home she lay down calmly in her carrier seldom offering even a cry of complaint. Once home she skipped out of the carrier & went off to check her territory with her tail held high as though nothing had ever happened. We are used to her being sick on the way home and in an anxious state for 24 hours until she settles again. The success of the distant Reiki not only meant Squeaky’s experience during her separation from us was far less stressful but her journey home was far more comfortable too.

Both Squeaky & us will certainly agree to booking some distance Reiki with Sue again when we next have to leave her due to the positive effect it had….thank you Sue.

Alan

Reiki Gives Tiff Her Freedom

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Reiki Gives Tiff Her Freedom

Tiff is an eight-year-old Old English Bulldog who spent the first 7 ½ years of her life living in a small crate in a puppy farm. She was called Bulldog 51. She didn’t even have a name. Due to being kept in a crate she broke all of her bottom teeth off trying to chew her way through the metal.

When Bulldog 51 was originally rescued she was placed in foster care. She was spayed to ensure she endured no further pregnancies and required a major tummy tuck as her tummy was on the floor. As if this wasn’t enough she was diagnosed with a prolapsed womb for which additional surgery was necessary. She was diagnosed with Scoliosis of the spine, had scars all over her body and was terrified of going outdoors, presumably due to the fear of repeatedly being mated on the rare occasions she was taken outside.

In her first home Tiff refused to go outside and so was sadly put in a choker collar and dragged. This caused a nasty and very sore bleeding hole in her neck and added to her fear of the outdoors. Due to all of her fears the first foster carer tried to return her but was unable to do so as the charity responsible for saving her had closed due to lack of funds. This is when I heard about her. Seven-hour round trip or not I felt emotionally compelled to give her the love and care she deserved and needed, and I became her new foster carer with the intent to adopt her.

After a thorough vet’s check when I was advised that her neck would always be scarred and that she would need surgery for her back, I drove her home. Once inside, Tiff was too frightened to go out again. She took quite some time before would even go into the hall way, let alone down the stairs to the front door and outside again. 

I tried for up to four hours a day to help her, using high reward treats such as chicken but this had little effect. Then Sue (from Friends Of Baxter Animal Care) offered to give her some Reiki. Tiff had run away when anyone had knocked at the door until now but when Sue arrived she went towards her to say hello. I also noticed that she looked happy when her Reiki session started.

After the first session she went into the hall and down the first set of stairs then came back for a deep contented sleep. Following the second session dramatic advances were clear for all to see. I couldn’t believe it! After over two weeks of refusing to venture out she tootled downstairs and outside. The third session resulted in her being confident to roam around and she has since then happily gone out at least three or four times a day and enjoys going for walks, saying hello to neighbours and has made good friends with another dog. She was transformed in just four weeks and her neck has healed perfectly with no scarring too. Without the Reiki I don’t know if I would ever have got her to go outside. I am extremely grateful and so impressed with Reiki that I booked onto one of Sue’s courses to start learning this wonderful therapy myself.


Lots of love, licks and tail wags 

Libby and Tiff

How Reiki Changed Ruby’s Life

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How Reiki Changed Ruby's Life

I first met Ruby in February 2018. She was up for sale and located in a busy town centre setting, I rode her out in the town centre and was very happy that she was a very calm horse and totally unphased by anything.  Having bought her on a four-week trial, it was apparent that she was extremely frightened on arrival at our home, troubled by the open spaces with nothing but countryside in view.

She backed away from anyone entering her stable.  Trying to put on her head collar was a major task.  She also had extremely bad scabs on her lower legs, from standing in deep mud for a long time and she refused to let us touch her legs, pulling them away from us. On one occasion when I was able to get close enough to place a finger-tip on one of her legs, she kicked out at me in pain. I felt close to tears for her.

When I finally managed to get a head collar on her, I took her for a very short walk down our driveway and she was clearly struggling in this new environment, puffing away and looking panicked. She then leapt with all four feet off the ground when three noisy geese took off from a neighbouring field. Even the neighbour’s small cat was eyed with a huge amount of suspicion in fear that it might attack at any moment.  Her anxiety levels were so high, she gave the impression she could “explode” at any moment. I was having to keep myself calm and breathe deeply so as not to add to her worries.  She was even disturbed by meeting new people. One friend said to me that she looked as if she were saying “have you come to take me away from here?”.

 I contacted Sue at Friends Of Baxter Animal Care in a desperate bid to ask for Ruby to be added to the group distance Animal Reiki sessions, to try to help Ruby settle into her new life.  I have previously used Reiki for myself when I burnt myself out in a very stressful job working long hours and also on a previous rescue horse, with huge success. 

A one to one distant Reiki session was agreed for Ruby first and within just a matter of hours it was apparent that Ruby was benefitting hugely. Her whole personality changed – it was as though a switch had been flicked on! She no longer stood at the back of the stable worrying when we approached, she stood initially just behind her stable door, peeping over the door at us and waiting patiently for her food. After a further session, Ruby stood waiting for me with her head hanging over the stable door, all excited to see me and I got the most incredible neigh from her. Putting her head collar on was suddenly incredibly easy. As I held it up to her, she put her head into it!  She led to and from the field calmly, even when one of our own large fluffy cats was having a “wild” moment chasing something right past her feet!  It was apparent she was beginning to feel safe now and she had shavings (her bedding) stuck to her coat so she had been lying down to sleep in her stable of an evening, which is a huge sign that she felt secure. 

After the third one to one session, on three consecutive days, she even allowed me to bathe her desperately sore legs with warm water and antiseptic, something I previously had not been able to even get close to doing.  She has continued to allow me to gently rub cream into her legs without kicking out and has continued to improve following the group distant healing sessions. 

I was initially sceptical about Reiki before I knew anything about it but having benefited from Reiki myself and seen it help a previous rescue horse, I immediately sought Reiki for Ruby.

Over the years, I’ve witnessed; and been guilty in my earlier years; of “muddling” along with a horse, blaming an issue on a learnt or character “trait” and have heard a lot of horses described as “naughty”, when in reality, something is genuinely wrong and we are guilty of not understanding what that might be and therefore not looking at the greater picture and what we can really do to address it.

A lot of horse owners are sceptical (as I was initially) about the benefits of Reiki, mainly because they don’t understand it. Something unknown can be frightening when we don’t understand the benefits of it. It’s not something we can see administered like a medicine for example.  We have progressed massively over the years as horse owners and now have access to a much broader knowledge of the benefits of correct diet, good management, training and medical advances. 

After what I’ve experienced, I believe Reiki truly is something that should be in every horse owner’s “tool kit”, so that as guardians of these amazing creatures, we really are doing everything we can to help our beloved four-legged friends.

With love

Helen (& Ruby)

Cookie’s Experiences With Reiki

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Cookie's Experiences With Reiki

Cookie was first exposed to Reiki a few years ago when we spoke to Sue (at Friends Of Baxter Animal Care) about an injury of Cookie’s that our vet was unable to pinpoint. Cookie took to the Reiki straight away as if she knew that it would help her.

To give you some background about Cookie, she’s very loving but quite jealous and she likes to show off to anyone who comes through the door, demanding their attention. However, when Sue arrived, Cookie was extremely calm and relaxed with her straight away, almost as if she did not feel the need to put on any airs around her.

Without us telling her, Sue had picked up on something to do with her front right foot, and true enough that was the problem that Cookie was having. We had not told Sue where her injury was and it was not visible either but Cookie, with her eyes closed, had slid this sore paw under Sue’s hand.

Sue did not know us or Cookie at this point and she told us that Cookie definitely seemed comfortable with the Reiki as she was taking it before Sue had even intended to offer it! And to be honest that is Cookie down to a T. Almost immediately Cookie relaxed into the Reiki, becoming calm and staying under Sue’s hands. As you can see from the photo she was in no way restrained and was free to move but soon fell into a deep and relaxed sleep. Normally by now, Cookie would be picking up treats and toys to parade around and show off to visitors but not today.

Within a short time, the leg that Cookie ‘was having problems with’ began to twitch and vibrate under Sue’s hand. Within a few days of receiving Reiki (and no other treatments), she was vastly improved. I am totally convinced of the effectiveness of Reiki, with a trained practitioner and a willing participant.

Now I want to discuss not just the physical benefits of Reiki but the mental and psychological benefits too.

A few weeks ago, Cookie was diagnosed with cancer and had a number of tumours removed, the testing was sent off and it came back as terminal.

 We decided not to put her into chemotherapy as Cookie is quite proud and vain, and we knew she would hate all of the illness and side effects. Additionally, there was a very high chance that it would not cure her cancer due to it being so aggressive, so we made the decision to keep her comfortable for as long as we can.

Cookie was very down after her surgery, lethargic and upset, acting very depressed and not interacting with our other dog instead choosing to sit alone.

We contacted Sue who began to send regular Reiki long distance to Cookie. Please bear in mind Cookie is not in any physical pain with her cancer so she is not on any medication, painkillers or treatments, as none were available other than chemotherapy, so at this point the only treatment she has been receiving is Reiki.

Once she began to receive regular Reiki long distance from Sue, she improved greatly and became more herself. Her appetite returned and now that she is receiving regular Reiki she is eating well and has gained weight, something that in 7 years we’ve never been able to do with her. She has always struggled to keep weight on and has been a very fussy feeder and now she is eating whatever is put in front of her and asking for seconds.

We will monitor her weight and maintain her regular vets visits but Reiki will also be an important ongoing part of her care and we are pleased with the initial benefits it appears to have offered since her diagnosis.

Helen