One of my goals for the new year is to go deeper into my writing with my blog posts. In the past I’ve shared many things related to dogs and animals, which I will continue to do. They are the reason I am on my path of writing and why my blog is called Joyful Paws.  But as I continue to work on my new book, Through Frankie’s Eyes I want to share more about my journey in hopes that it will help others.

Thank you to Nancy of Living the Season blog who shared with me A River of Stones which is about paying more attention and falling in love with the world and the January 2012 challenge to notice something each day and write about it. I love this idea and am taking on the challenge.

So on this first day of January 1st, 2012 I share what I noticed just last week, which has me very excited about a new opportunity for me:

One thing I never knew existed until a few short weeks ago was Animal Reiki. I knew there was Reiki for humans, but not pets. For quite some time I’ve been feeling a shift inside me happening, a new path wanting to emerge. I have semi retired Frankie which means I will not be actively marketing our in person school visits any longer but will still welcome them through word of mouth. And even with word of mouth, I will be limiting her visits so she can enjoy her senior years. I feel like it is what she is wanting and I want to honor that for her.

Honoring Frankie wanting to slow down was reaffirmed for me by a first time Reiki healing I had done for her yesterday. Jay, Reiki Master and teacher of Healing through Spiritual Directions, who I met just a few weeks ago told me he received a message from Frankie while doing Reiki that she wants to slow down. I had a hard time accepting that fact a little over a year ago when I felt a change happening, but now I see a new opportunity before me. And I realize another new gift Frankie is giving me.

As I felt this transition beginning I knew I wanted to do something that would involve working with animals, but I just didn’t know what it was. Meeting Jay through my friend Susan and having him offer a Reiki healing for Frankie had me researching Reiki. This led me to animal Reiki and the above photo I share from Animal Reiki Source website. My heart skipped a beat that the founder, Kathleen Prasad has a wheelchair dog as her banner on the home page. I knew it was a sign.

As I delved deeper into Kathleen’s website I felt my whole body tingle and tears mist my eyes. This was something I want to know more about. After meeting with Jay I knew without a doubt I want to learn Reiki I, II and then III which means I will become a Reiki Master. This will take a good year to achieve. As I do Reiki I and II, I will be able to add to my education of Reiki by taking on line classes from Kathleen Prasad which will having me going deeper into doing Reiki for animals.

I’m very excited about this new journey and what I am going to learn. Sometimes life requires us to pay attention longer than we wish, so a new path or idea can emerge. Andd trust me, I know how hard that can be. I felt a bit lost the past few months trying so hard to figure out what it was supposed to be that I am to do with my life as Frankie’s needs change. So much of who I am and have done is because of her. But in paying attention, I also realize our path together is leading me deeper into more of what I already love, and that is animals. As I took this into my mind and heart yesterday I couldn’t thank Frankie enough for this gift, and all the gifts she has given me. I have no doubt that this new path will have me paying even more attention to the world around me.

Reiki is:

The word Reiki is made of two Japanese words – Rei which means “God’s Wisdom or the Higher Power” and Ki which is “life force energy”. So Reiki is actually “spiritually guided life force energy.”

This definition is found on the Reiki website where you can learn even more.