The Reiki Cafe 

Namaste,
A week and a half since my dear boy ferret passed, but now the question comes to my mind about transition. I gave him Reiki just after death and for a few hours. I could still feel Reiki flowing for several hours when I had my hands on his body. Actually, the first time I gave him Reiki after death, I was afraid maybe he was not really dead! Like, the euthanasia did not work, because the flow was so strong. I could not feel "flow" after about 4 or 5 hours. Then, the Reiki seemed very expanded. So, my question is, since this was my first experience with Reiki and death, what was I feeling? Is there Chi still in the body for awhile after physical death? Does it take this little while after "clinical death" for the spirit to leave?
Thanks!
Feather

Hi Feather,

What love comes through for your ferret in your posting!

Through those strange ways of the internet, I came across an article today that seems to me to tie in very well with your question. It´s about animals and euthanasia.

I can´t share with you my thoughts on the writer – who is a reiki master - or on the article either really, because I myself don´t know what to think of “animal communicators”. But the idea she puts forth is sympathetic, plausible enough and certainly provides food for thought.

From what I remember of the article, and applying her ideas, it would seem that your ferret was ready to leave this life, as opposed to being put down prematurely. Therefore it´s soul/spirit had a very brief period of confusion – normal after death – which would have corresponded to the time you felt the reiki flow.

This is the URL:

I was surprised to have come across this topic today on the web, but I´m glad now that I did.

Namaste,

Petra

Namaste, Petra,
Oh, my,yes there was so much love. The website you posted is wonderful!!! It answered many of my questions. In fact, Chumley was critically ill with a bowel rupture, the vet said it was a miracle he was still alive, and yet, the ferret "told" me we should do the surgery. My heart screamed at me not to euthanize him yet. He lived a few days, then, out of character, bit me very badly. I knew then, as the article spoke of , that it might be time. The next morning, he did not want to eat, and I "knew" looking at him it was time. Why that day and not 5 days prior, I may never know. All I know is I had to listen to him. Also, as the article spoke of , we HAD to have ritual. We burned sweetgrass, we laid him in royal blue with a bright red toy ball. We burned vanilla candles all night and waked him. It felt very healing and peaceful. We had a funeral and read about the spiritual gifts he brought and will continue to bring. He has appeared in dreams to me and my youngest son. And , when he died, I noticed suddenly that there was not a shred of evidence of the deep bite. I can't believe you found that website. How awesome.
Thanks!
Feather

Petra,
One more thing that the article spoke of...that animals "know " that death of the body is not real death. Chumley's mate was very worried over him as he ailed, but as soon as she saw him dead, she scampered off to play, as if to say, "Oh, well, see him later!"
Feather

Feather,

I am so sorry for your loss. It is good that you showed his mate that he was gone. Animals grieve just as we do.

Blessings ~ Cachet

Thank you, Cachet, for your kind words. This experience has confirmed my long held belief that animals are great spiritual messengers.
Blessings to you,
Feather

How true Feather,

We lost our furry daughter on March 12th of this year. So I
understand exactly what you are feeling. She had been with
us ever since birth as her mother died 3 days after having her puppies. We never told her and her sisters they were
really dogs. She would have been 16 years old May 10th so
we feel blessed that she gave us her entire life to enjoy even in her senior years. Her gift to me was that of learning patience. Oh how I miss her. But she is with us in spirit constantly. My Reiki Master told me grief comes off in layers and I still find myself crying over her leaving but know we will meet again and look forward to that day.

Ferrets are such adorable little animals. My daughter had
one and she was so cute. Never knew where she would pop up and loved to hide down in the couch or sleep in my husbands shoes. Whiskey has also gone to the Rainbow Meadow so your little friend has a friend there.

Blessings ~ Cachet

Cachet,
I am happy for you that your furry girl gave you such a long friendship...16 years is a full life. I know what you mean about still crying... and you know, you can never replace an individual animal. They are so unique. I am realizing now all the cute ferret games Chumley played that his mate does not, but I know even another ferret will never be the same. I am realizing they even smell different, because I miss his smell!
I am sure Chumley will love playing with Whiskey.
Let me tell you something funny. Just a few days ago, we were talking about how animal spirits sometimes stay with us. We had lost a 19 year old Calico cat seven years ago. It turns out that both my son and I had been seeing the shadow of a cat out of the corner of our eye (when our current cats were otherwise occuped!) but we never said it to each other until this week!
Always surprises!
Namaste,
Feather

Hi Feather,

I was really struck by the amount of time – the hours – you spent giving reiki to Chumley after death. Also by the beautiful ritual you honoured him with. Royal blue and a bright red ball!

Several things are making me think the time is coming for me to face the nasty death of my dear dog a few years back. My dog died exhausted after a serious operation. I was exhausted from his pain and exhaustion, and from my impotence to relieve his pain, and his death seemed to give me permission just to go home and become a blubbering idiot for days and weeks on end. Wow – even now it´s like turning on the taps. One thing I never considered was a ritual.

I wonder if a ritual is still called for, and if I´m still in time to do some Reiki, if it would reach him and what it would mean to him. Or if it´s best not to bring back those bad “earth memories” for both of us, that he´s long onto another thing now, and let him be. Although I do dream about him still, and then I wonder if he has “a paw” in these dreams.

Whatever, thanks for what you shared in your post, because you have made me see clearly something I had never considered before, which is the link between the departing spirit and the body, and the need to honour that body out of love and respect for the spirit, and for the part it played on this plane. I read it in the article but you brought the lesson to life.

Namaste,
Petra

Feather,

/*\ Namaskar :-}}

- yes, energy of the etheric body, astral body, etc. may linger - so if the reiki is Intended for these aspects the practitioner may sense the flow -

hope this helps,

Reiki alla round,

all blessings,

Firekeeper

Petra,

/*\ Namaste :-}}

- such rituals are as much for the living as the passed-on sentient

- but to honor a dear companion is compassionate

- our 13 year olde cat (grimalkin) died recently - we did a Hindu-style funeral pyre ritual for her then buried her remains on our property - where she was born

>:-}}

hope this helps

Reiki all aorund,

all blessings,

firekeeper

Firekeeper, Namaste,
As always, so helpful you are.
Feather

Dear Petra,
I am guessing that you are already answering this question for yourself. I found our ritual SO healing. And how often do we help others deal with past pains via ritual? It sounds to me like you could give it a go. And you know, your dear dog has been released from his pain, and he is in a glorious place. I was just reading Doreen Virtue's book "Healing with the Angels". She talks about seeing people's deceased pets right next to them fairly frequently. She sometimes sees them actually romping in a great place. Realize that your pup forgives all and has overcome the darkness. Join him in this joy! For sure, God and Reiki are not limited in time and space constraints. Your pain would "hold " him down more than a healing ritual, don't you think? I am positive that he has a "paw" in your dreams.

Thanks so much for all you have shared with me. Let us know how it goes.
Love and light,
Feather

Feather,

Again you are right. Only an animal lover knows this and I
understand what you mean about the shawdows.<s> Puppy is here with us often. In the early waking hours especially I have heard her bark and both Terr and I have caught her scent. My one daughter went to see a psychic friend and he said she was sitting right at her feet. She loved belly foot rubs. AS John Edward says, our loved ones do not leave us even in death so just talk to them. And I agree with you on not being able to replace them. Each has their own
personality. When the girls lived at home, we had a multitude of hamsters over the years and no two were alike. Just like people. <g> Each is very special and unique.

Chumley, I love that name. I forget the reason my daughter named Whiskey Whiskey. When we were visiting her in Fla. I
would often take her dalmation, Sam for his walk. One morning as we were heading for the door, Terr told me to
turn around and there was Whiskey right behind me. So I put
her around my neck and off we went. She was not about to be left out. I think that is why they give us so many wonderful memeories because when they are gone it is the memories that linger on and make us smile us again.

Blessings ~ Cachet

Petra,

Know that your pet forgives you and he is well and happy.
A friend sent me a beautiful card with a story about how when our furry friends pass over to the other side they cross the rainbow bridge. It is there in the meadow they are all well again and feel no pain. Happily they scamper and play with others waiting for the day when you come
to the bridge. It is there you are reunited once again.

If it makes you feel better, plant a tree, bush or flower in his honor and say a pray for him. He understands.

Blessings ~ Cachet

Dear Feather,

Thanks for your comforting words. Yes, I KNOW my 17-year-old puppy (21 now!) is youthfully romping through meadows above. My pain has nothing to do with him as he is now. So I´m thinking – and thanks for letting me think out loud – that it was probably something else that died with him that I´m still grieving for, something brought about by the apparent unfairness of his suffering. (something very strange happened after the operation, the vets couldn´t figure it out, painkillers and tranquilisers wouldn´t work, they even tried anaesthesia. This went on three days).
So… if I can disentangle my dog from my grief, I think I´ll be able to deal with the grief without the major waterworks, finally face it and try to find out what happened to him and why.
When I have untangled “him” from what “happened to” him, that´s when I´ll do an “uncontaminated” ritual and it will be quite a celebration for both of us, I think.
You know, this has been locked up inside me these years, I haven´t even been able to think about it. This is like opening a window in a room.
Many thanks Feather, and I send many thanks to Chumley, too.

Love and blessings,
Petra

Cachet,

What a lovely image.
Obviously, I´m not very up on rituals yet, although it looks like one´s going to be happening quite soon. So I´m really grateful for your ideas and yes, I think I will plant something in his name.

Namaste,
Petra

Hi Firekeeper,
Thanks for your words. They consolidate the change.
I used to consider death rites to be only form and an emotional release for the living.
The dead, I´ve held close and tight in my heart and a ritual seemed unnecessary.
I´ve connected or tried to connect to them in spirit and, like Chumley´s companion, I´ve usually not paid much heed to the bodies left behind.
I see it differently now.
Namaste,
Petra

Namaste, Feather

Sometimes the spirit lingers through confusion. Reiki helps resolve this confusion, and release the spirit.

I sent reiki to an elderly patient who had been suffering a long illness in hospital, in pain and without any hope of recovery. His spirit held on a long time, many months, even into coma. He was not a religious person and was, it seemed to me, afraid to let go. While sending the reiki I spoke to him. I felt moved to tell him that it was OK to let go, that he should follow the light and all would be well. In the morning they told me he had died. It happened at the time I sent the reiki. That made a strong impression on me. For a moment I felt as if I had killed him. But then I saw how the reiki had used me to help him pass over. It also helped me to believe in reiki, which I needed.

Blessings,

Firebird