During a First
Degree Reiki class in a student's home some years ago the students were
exchanging treatments next to a fish tank that contained two goldfish. We noticed that as we started to do Reiki the
fish swam up to the end of the tank closest to the treatment couch. When we stopped doing the treatments they
swam around the whole of the tank. What
was interesting was that this happened each time we began to do Reiki. The owner of the goldfish later told us that
one of the fish was unwell.
So when a
student asked in a recent class about whether I thought Reiki could help her
sick goldfish I said yes. I have on
other occasions put my hands to the glass of fish tanks and found that the fish
swam up to the hand and stayed there for a while, as if they could feel the
Reiki.
Of course
when giving Reiki to fish it isn't necessary (or a good idea) to take them out
of the water. Reiki will transmit
through the water (and glass if they are in a tank). I have experienced Reiki through water myself
when I burned my hand and held a bag of iced water against the injury and gave
the area Reiki through the water at the same time. It was just the same feeling as when I have
hands on directly.
So I was
delighted when my student shared the following story of giving Reiki to her
goldfish:
"I am
already feeling the benefits of self-treating myself
daily and have given Reiki healing to a very sick goldfish who was suffering
from swim bladder disease and had lost all his buoyancy, as well as his
appetite, and barely moved. After isolating him for 7 weeks and giving him 3
courses of medication with no sign of improvement, I had all but given up on
him.
However,
at the end of my first day of the Reiki First Degree course, I placed my hands
on his tank and gave him 5 minutes of Reiki energy and he started moving. At
the end of a week of doing the same thing every day, he had regained his
buoyancy completely and his appetite, was swimming normally and I was able to
release him back into the pond.
I
have never had a goldfish recover from swim bladder disease and I am still
amazed at his recovery – I am convinced he was healed by the Reiki energy as
there really is no other explanation."
There
are many other people offering Reiki to animals. When I attended the Reiki Council meeting
recently I heard that there are plans to create National Occupational Standards
for practitioners who want to work specifically with animals. This doesn't mean that anyone with their own
animals will be subject to any rules, but will ensure that those who offer animal
treatments as a profession will be expected to meet agreed standards. I think is a positive move for animal
treatments and the good reputation of Reiki in general.
