A Special Cat named Xena – Carolyn’s Animal Reiki inspiration

Xena is not only the beautiful black cat of Carolyn’s mother & father in-law, but also the reason that Carolyn is now an Animal Reiki Practitioner.

Xena suffers from arthritis and in December 2010 it was playing up, so it occurred to Carolyn that cats might like Reiki too. Well Xena didn’t just like Reiki; she loved it and settled in for a nice long treatment that she wished would never end!

While Xena found deep relaxation and some relief from her pain and stiffness, Carolyn found herself on a new path of Reiki discovery.

After researching ‘Animal Reiki’ … (Click here to read on)

*For Dedication to Xena, who passed peacefully on Sunday 18 Sep 2016, please read on below:

(Xena being her gorgeous self, enjoying Reiki at home)

DEDICATION TO XENA

In honour of Xena passing, I would like to write a little more about this courageous and beautiful black cat, who graced the earth for 19 years before passing peacefully on Sunday 18 August 2016 while I was teaching a group of animal lovers how to share meditation with animals, at Cat Haven WA.

In my course introduction I always honour Xena, and I know that in future classes it will be tough to share that Xena is no longer with us in physical form. Yet I also know, that who Xena is has everything to do with all of the precious memories and lessons she shared with those lucky enough to spend time with her, including her extended human family who loved her dearly and whom she resolutely loved in return.

I will never forget Xena’s gorgeous little face, the sound of her cute meow (‘rah’) or her beautiful motoring purr. It was an honour to sit and offer her Reiki each time I saw her and every time she would just love it! Xena loved me to place my hands on her body and would often move positions, placing the part of her body that she wanted healing directly into my hands, so wise in knowing exactly what it was that she needed.

My hands would always get hot and sometimes I could feel a pricking sensation, which I interpreted as a sense of the pain that Xena experienced from her arthritis, as well as her way of letting me know the Reiki was providing relief.

I know that I would not have been on the path I am, teaching people how to share meditation with animals (Animal Reiki), if it wasn’t for Xena showing me the way.

I have no doubt that Xena knew, long before I did, what was in my future and although we did not speak the same language her message was received loud and clear. That day back in 2010 it was as if an Animal Reiki light bulb went off in my head and being an animal lover, I could not get the thought out of my mind.

I could never have imagined before that day that I would travel twice to the United States to train with a world leader in Animal Reiki- once by myself! Though the funny thing is that as soon as Xena got her message through to me and I researched Animal Reiki online, I felt deep in my heart a sense of peace, trust and expansiveness that strongly communicated to me that it was my future. I just needed to figure out how to make it happen. (Or rather, wait for it to unfold which is what happened, but that is a story for another day).

“When you feel a peaceful joy, that’s when you are near truth.” Rumi

It seems fitting that Xena was able to live to see me start my journey of teaching Animal Reiki to others and that when she passed, she did so literally while I was teaching a meditation class at Cat Haven WA. Because of Xena, there will be many other people who will be able to learn how to deepen the special heart to heart connection they have with their animals, through the gentle power of meditation. This was (and is still is) Xena’s inspirational wish and I feel blessed to be helping her bring it into reality.

It was a privilege to be there as Xena was laid to rest in my mother and father in-laws garden, wrapped in a beautiful soft pink blanket and looking as serene and pretty as I had ever seen her.

As I drove home, I could feel Xena’s presence so strongly. Xena felt the same as she always did, so gentle, radiant, sweet and soft. I could tell that Xena appreciated how much she had been spoilt (especially in her later years), knew how much she would be missed, and most of all how much she was loved.

I recognise too that underneath my grief, is a deep appreciation for the sheer beauty of the special connection shared with Xena over the years. Xena, as she always did, resides in my heart and I will be forever indebted to her for being such a special and unique four-footed teacher.

The life of an animal never seems long enough, even though we are eternally changed for having them travel with us. Sometimes, if we are really lucky, their short lives can have a far greater impact on us than humans might.

I believe, that it is because an animals heart is so pure that they are able to carry out their missions so much more quickly; and that is why they don’t need as much time here as we do.

Xena, thank you for being you. I love you, I always have and I always will.

Xxx Carolyn