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Animal Communicators are Healing People and Pets

Marcia McCollum Hebrank first discovered she had what she considered special healing abilities when her mother grew terminally ill.

When caring for her mother, bathing and dressing her, Hebrank’s hands would get warm — and, almost like magic, her mother would start to feel better. So, after her mother passed away, Hebrank decided to get to the bottom of it, learning as much as she could about spiritual intuition and holistic healing.

But Hebrank, a certified animal communicator and animal Reiki practitioner, has always had a special connection with animals. No matter where she is, animals approach her.

“I’m a little bit like Dr. Doolittle, I guess,” Hebrank says with a laugh.

Hebrank, who previously worked as a clinical social worker for more than 20 years, has been a spiritual healer and intuitive in North Carolina since 2003. She owns a private practice, One Light Center, in Durham, N.C.

Though often referred to colloquially as “pet psychics,” animal communicators can’t read minds — they only know as much as an animal tells them.

Animal communication most closely resembles telepathy — the ability to send and receive thoughts, images and feelings over a distance. In many ways, animal communicators can serve as a translator between people and their pets, helping to establish a line of communication when problems arise.

Animal Communication At Work

Animals with a history of abuse. Animals who are sick or injured, or on their way to the Rainbow Bridge. Animals who won’t eat.

The goal of animal communication is simple: to create a dialogue between the communicator and animal. Animal communicators listen to what the animal has to say, then pass the information on to the animal’s human companion — thereby clarifying behaviors that may be confusing or unknown.

Animals express themselves through feelings and visualizations, which the animal communicator can pick up on and interpret.

“Sometimes, I’ll be working with an animal, and I’ll feel anxiety,” Hebrank says. “And it’s not mine.”

Whether it’s cats, dogs or birds (parrots especially), animal communicators say they can connect with nearly any member of the animal kingdom.

“They’ll tell you their story,” Hebrank says. “Once you learn how to connect and communicate with pets, they’ll tell you anything you want to know.”

For Lindsay Blotzer, a holistic healer who owns EarthWise Wellness in Pittsboro, N.C., working with animals is newer. 2020 has given her a chance to slow down and revisit her love of animals.

When communicating with animals, Blotzer often finds animals don’t want to talk about themselves. Instead, they want to talk about their caregiver.

“We think we’re here to take care of them,” Blotzer says, “but really, they’re the ones taking care of us.”

What About Animal Reiki?

Animal communication is just one tool that’s used to help pets. Many animal communicators also specialize in energy healing techniques, such as animal Reiki and shamanic healing.

Reiki is a form of alternative medicine that emphasizes physical and emotional healing. The name is derived from two Japanese words: rei, meaning spirit, and ki, meaning life energy. Reiki, which can be shared with humans as well as animals, has grown in popularity, even becoming commonplace in some of America’s most respected hospitals.

Whether it’s aiding in pain management for animals who are ill or promoting relaxation for animals with anxiety or stress, practitioners say Reiki might be just what your pet needs to feel like itself again.

However, animal reiki healing is generally not considered a replacement for medical care. Rather, it serves as a complement, creating a peaceful, soothing space for people and pets to heal.

Hebrank started out doing animal Reiki with rescue cats at stores like PetSmart and Petco. Once a week, she’d take the cats out of their cages, play with them and, if they were willing, she’d offer them Reiki.

“They can really soak up a lot of healing, and the rescue animals, they need it,” Hebrank says. “They’ve been through an awful lot.”

Healing In A COVID-19 World

As the coronavirus pandemic surges on, animal communicators and healers say their work is more important than ever.

“I can sense and feel a lot of the stress and anxiety this year,” Sarah Granahan, who owns Color My Spirit Wellness in Raleigh, says. “All the ups and downs that everybody on every level has been experiencing.”

In fact, when the pandemic began, the animals noticed. Granahan could sense it.

“Even the birds were more quiet,” Granahan says. “I could hear them wondering, ‘What’s going on? Where is everybody?’”

Granahan says her dog was confused why her family was suddenly around all the time, thrown off by the lack of peace and quiet.

Does It Really Work?

While animal communication and energy healing continue to grow in popularity, not everyone believes it works. But most animal communicators don’t claim to be psychics. Instead, they consider themselves intuitive empaths — highly observant and able to interpret changes in behavior.

According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, Reiki has not clearly been shown to be effective for any health-related purpose — but it hasn’t been shown to have any harmful effects, either.

Though Reiki has been studied for a variety of conditions — including pain, anxiety and depression — most of the research has not been of high quality, and the results have been inconsistent. There’s also no scientific evidence supporting the existence of the energy field thought to play a role in Reiki.

Blotzer, who has a background in the physical sciences, understands these doubts. Not everyone will be convinced, she says, and that’s OK — but keeping an open mind is essential.

“We can’t see love, but we can feel it,” Blotzer says. “In fact, there’s a lot we already believe in that we can’t physically see or touch.”

Those seeking the help of an animal communicator should be on the lookout for cold readers — practitioners who encourage the person receiving the reading to provide all the details. A cold reader might use vague language, ask lots of questions or make statements that are obviously true.

Animal communicators probably can’t tell you everything your animal is thinking, and animal Reiki can’t cure the incurable. But they might help explain why your pet is acting strange, or ease the pain and anxiety your pet is feeling.

At their core, practitioners say, these modalities are rooted in one thing: love.

“It’s not just about the animals,” Blotzer says. “It’s about all of us, and how we can all love more.”

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Animal Reiki – Understated Power Underneath the Gentleness!

Animal Reiki image

“So, does your dog make you feel loved, de stressed, relaxed?”; I asked one of the women attending, as I began the short talk I was conducting on Animal Reiki, at one of the local pet stores, near where I stay. She nodded in affirmation.

“Why?” I continued. “How does it do this? What does it actually do?”

She appeared a tad bit confused, & unsure about what I meant. “Do? Well, Nothing!…” “That’s what! It actually does nothing, right?; I responded. She nodded cautiously, still kind of unsure about what I was getting at, as I continued. “That is what pets do; don’t they! They aren’t really doing anything. They just are. It’s just their presence; simply the ‘being ness’ that acts so powerfully to create feelings of well being & relaxation inside us!” “It is this ability to be simply present for us in that moment, with their whole being; in short, their ability to be mindfully present for us that works the magic!”

Clarity seemed to dawn slightly on the woman’s face.

“That is kind of what Animal Reiki is! We try to create for our animals that space of pure mindful being ness which is absolutely unadulterated. We try to give them what they give us!”; I said hoping to make more sense especially since, another women attending the session has casually & rightly so remarked a while back that it’s difficult to explain Reiki to someone.

And that is what the core principle of Animal Reiki is, for anyone who might find it confusing to understand it. Its very simplicity is its core. And, its core is about aiming to create for animals exactly what they create for us – a space of unadulterated peace, & unconditional love. This is a state which helps them effortlessly connect, in turn, to a state of wholeness that we all inherently lean towards.

Reiki is the Japanese term for the omnipresent, pure, divine life energy that sustains us. I personally, overwhelmingly felt that this is also the same spiritual energy so often being referred to, inside James’s Redfield’s globally best selling, spiritual transformation book ‘The Celestine Prophecy’. Rei is the supremely intelligent, spiritual wisdom; Ki is the omnipresent, unseen, divine life force energy. It is also widely understood by various other names, depending on the tradition; such as Prana in Indian; Chi in Chinese, etc. Although, all living beings are connected to this life energy, since it is the very basis of their being alive, their ability to perfectly channel this energy in all its abundance, & purity starts depleting due to various factors, as they progress through life. When a Reiki practitioner works on you, they are essentially connecting you more wholly to this pure, ever present, infinite source of wellness, joy, harmony, & wisdom.

When we talk of energy, it is no secret that animals are way more energy sensitive & intuitive than average humans. They do not live in an analytical place of existence as humans. This is also what gives them an ability to be present in the moment; without the conscious baggage of any unfulfilled past, or apprehensive future. This mindful existence of these extremely energy centered beings, in turn, allows them to exude a very high & pure vibration of peace when they are in a space they trust, & around those they adore. In that moment, they are feel complete; joyful; content; & think or analyze nothing else.

Understanding all this, also makes the true process of Animal Reiki, quite different from its human counterpart. Unlike sending Reiki to a human, the practitioner does not begin with the assumption that they shall be placing their hands on an animal. An animal, especially one that is unfamiliar with the practitioner; or has been recently rescued from a shelter, has undergone some sort of trauma like abuse, or is otherwise of a nervous or aggressive disposition might not be prepared for the energetic experience of Reiki hands being laid on them. No matter how benevolent the intentions, this might be something too overwhelming, & uncomfortable for such an animal, to begin with.

Animal Reiki blog imageTherefore, the process of Animal Reiki works from a distance, unless the animal indicates by its own mannerisms the need for closeness or its comfort with a hands on approach, or is familiar with the practitioner. In addition, the practitioner also always takes what may be called energy based permission from an animal. He/She goes into what is called Reiki meditation mode, beginning by grounding themselves, & then into creating an energetic mental space of deep silence, love, & peace. From this space, they mentally connect to the animal or its heart space for receiving permission to send them Reiki. This, asking for permission, fantastical as it may sound, is one of the chief cornerstones of Animal Reiki. Reiki is pure energy from the source; this kind of energy always respects free will. That is why, even in human Reiki, it is always recommended that the in order for Reiki to work more powerfully, the receiver be completely open to receiving it.

Animal Reiki is above all a process which acknowledges the inbuilt subconscious intelligence of all animals to be guided towards that which will serve their highest good. Remember, animals are naturally tuned in to the presence of most things from danger & safety to food in their surroundings. When the animal gives permission, which they usually, & thankfully do give (again, because they are acutely sensitive to the energetic appeal & intent of what is being offered to them, & by who) they automatically start being receivers of this healing energy. In fact, not just an animal for whom this energy may be intended, but every other animal in the vicinity has a choice to tune in to, or not, to this energy, especially if the session is happening in a barn or a shelter! In the absolute wholeness of this healing energy lie infinite possibilities of wellness & healing, & an animal or bird; be a dog, a cat, a horse, or a hen is being guided effortlessly to an inner state of wholeness. It is in this deeply relaxed state that the body & mind’s self healing mechanism, & their ability towards greater immunity, & vitality gets activated. This makes Animal Reiki a blessing for animals in different conditions, & environments, whether they are suffering from just living in a stressful space; are physically ill; or are preparing to undergo a surgery etc. It can also be a graceful support to help very old, or terminally ill pets pass over gently.

Not just this, animal Reiki is known to relieve stress levels & create an ambience of greater peace, & relaxation for the human counterparts; be their owners, or their caretakers, in an area where animals regularly receive Reiki. Reiki, after all, is beautiful all sustaining pure energy. It flows across the barriers of time, & space, & of its own practices no discrimination in who should receive it.

It is widely known & proven scientifically that animals end up overwhelmingly absorbing all that their humans might be undergoing – tension; joy; even disease. Animal Reiki is one of the most beautiful, non invasive, absolutely safe, holistic way there is to reward them with a chance towards a state of greater equilibrium; & to regain all that they so effortlessly give. Petworks has over one hundred certified animal reiki masters and practitioners for hire throughout North America, both in-person and via distance. Book Now.


About the Author:

Shuchi Arora ChechiShuchi Chechi is a Vipassana meditator & an Usui/Holy Fire III Reiki Master who feels guided to support people find the same deeper sense of wholeness & happiness through these tools that she
found. She is a Certified Aromatherapist who loves to educate on the correct therapeutic value of essential oils, and a Tarot guide who helps shed insights & clarity into someone’s ongoing soul journey when they feel unsure & lost. As a dog lover, she was introduced to the wonderful option of dog fostering after moving to Los Angeles and felt logistically unready to adopt a forever fur buddy. She continues to foster different dogs (one at a time!) since then. Somewhere along the line, she felt logically inspired to combine her eternal love for human holistic healing & mindfulness meditation & for dogs, & get certified in Animal Reiki. Her name Shuchi means ‘pure’ in Sanskrit. She is a spiritual soul finding increasing joy in discovering the larger mysteries & meaning to her existence on this plane. She loves embracing the soul nourishing presence of nature; & receiving clear insights that flow, in moments of silence when the heart is connected to consciousness; untouched by the noise of the mind. https://antahsaara.com/

Book a reiki session from Shuchi Chechi


 

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From Fuzzy Beginnings to Farewell: The Life Cycle of Pets

Petworks Pet Care

In a world where pets are cherished members of the family…

Petworks is revolutionizing the way we care for our furry friends. We help pet parents book over 30 categories of pet care services: from nutrition to transport to end-of-life care, and everything in between. Let’s have a look at just a few of our top pet care professionals whom pet parents booked most often on the Petworks platform in October 2023.

(more…)

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Reiki for Pets

puppy outdoors

by Elaine McCarty, the Animal Reiki Lady

There is only one reason your pet dreads going to the vet. Stress!

Pets are so sensitive to our state of mind that they know something is up the moment we call the vet. Tack on a harness/crate, the car ride, the drop-off, the smells, the sounds, the other pets at the office and you’ve got one anxious pet. And heaven forbid they need a nail trim…Fortunately, there is a simple and easy-to-use method for reducing stress that can help make your pet’s next trip to the vet peaceful and calm. Reiki. (more…)

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Answering the FAQs about Animal Reiki

by Felicia McMillan, shamanic Reiki practitioner and owner of Mended Joy.

Noticing that your pet is anxious, depressed, or stressed can often be a sign that life energy is low.

Physical illness and maladies are a tangible manifestation that life energy is low. In collaboration with modern medicine, reiki may increase the rate of healing with a few sessions. Health issues are always circumstantial and sessions should be tailored to your pet’s specific needs. Reiki is a safe way to get your pet back to a healthy and balanced energy that complements any other form of healing, medical treatments, or homeopathy for pets. (more…)