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Page 1: Using Reiki Symbols and Mantras with Animalsfiles.constantcontact.com/3744ad97be/d14b4ec1-4b19-4d57-a86b-1b6… · Using Reiki Symbols and Mantras with Animals ... , practitioners
Page 2: Using Reiki Symbols and Mantras with Animalsfiles.constantcontact.com/3744ad97be/d14b4ec1-4b19-4d57-a86b-1b6… · Using Reiki Symbols and Mantras with Animals ... , practitioners

UsingReikiSymbolsandMantraswithAnimals

Copyright©2017KathleenPrasad.Allrightsreserved.Page2of5

IthinkthisisareallyimportanttopicbecauseyouhearandreadalotofdifferentthingsaboutsymbolsandmantrasinthesystemofReiki.AndIthinkthey'resomeofthemostfavoritetoolsthatpeoplehaveofallthedifferenttoolsthatReikigivesus.ButI'vefoundhereisaspecificwayofworkingwiththemthatreallyresonateswithanimals.Ilearnedthisovertheyearsbyobservingtheresponsesfromthousandsofanimals.

WhenIfirstlearnedthesymbolsandthemantras,Ilearnedhowto“givethem”totheanimalorputthem“on”theanimalordrawthem“over”theanimal.AndIhadverylittleluckwiththat.Theanimalswouldgetupandwalkaway.Theyweren'tveryfondofthatkindofpractice.AndthenItookaclasswithFransStiene;hetalkedaboutadeeperinnerspiritualpracticeofusingthesymbolsforyourself.AndsoIstartedtoexperimentwiththatfocus,andtheanimalsloveditandtheyweredrawntoit.

Andsoforseveralyearsprevioustomytakingthatclass,Ihadstoppedusingsymbolsandmantraswiththeanimals,becausewhenIusedthem,itseemeddisturbingtothem.WhatIrealizedthroughusingtheinnerspiritualpracticewasthatitwasn'tthesymbolsandmantrasthatweredisturbingthem;itwasmyfocuswiththem.Itwasmyactive“doing”something“to”theanimalsusingthesymbolsandmantrasthatwasnothelpful.AssoonasIturnedmyintentionandenergyinward,usingthemformyownfocus,thentheanimalsbecameveryagreeable.

ThesymbolsandmantrasinReikireallyhelpthepractitionertouncoveradeeperlayerofbeing,onewherewerememberthatwe'reallconnected.Sointruth,Reikihelpsusrememberthatwe'reallOneinthisuniverse.Iamtheuniverse,andtheuniverseisme.Youaretheuniverse,theuniverseisyou.Yourdogistheuniverse,theuniverseisyourdog.Andsoon.Therereallyisnoseparationbetweenanyofus,andallofthetoolsofReikihelpustouncoverthis,butespeciallythesymbolsandmantrasarereallyafunwaytodiscoverit.

Sothesymbolsandmantras,inmyview,aresimplytoolstohelpusrememberOnenessandcompassion.Whenwerememberhowconnectedweare,thatthereisnoseparationandthatwearealloneintheuniverse,thenautomaticallycompassionarises.BecausewerealizethatifIhurtsomeoneelse,Ihurtmyself.IfIhurtaforest,Ihurtmyself.Soit'snotjustanimalsthatthisReikiconceptgoeswith,it'severythingintheuniverse.Webegintorealizecompassionandwearemotivatedtoactwithloving-kindness.

Sothesymbolsandthemantrasarenotmeanttobe“given”totheanimalstofixaparticularissueoraproblem,like,forexample,"Oh,youhaveabrokenleg,soyouneedthepowersymbol,"or"Oh,you'reareallynervouscat,soyouneedtheemotionalhealingsymbol."Instead,eachsymbolandmantraactuallyhasaparticularmeditativefocusforyouasapractitioner,becauseyouaretheonethatiscreatingthebeautifulopenheartedspaceofpresencefortheanimal.Whenyoucancreateaspacethatcausestheanimaltocomeforwardwithanopenheartandconnectwithyouheart-to-heart,thatisthespacewhereallhealingpossibilityexists.Thatisthespaceofmiracles.Thatisthespacewheretruehealinghappens.

Page 3: Using Reiki Symbols and Mantras with Animalsfiles.constantcontact.com/3744ad97be/d14b4ec1-4b19-4d57-a86b-1b6… · Using Reiki Symbols and Mantras with Animals ... , practitioners

UsingReikiSymbolsandMantraswithAnimals

Copyright©2017KathleenPrasad.Allrightsreserved.Page3of5

Sosymbolsandmantrasarereallyaboutusasthepractitionerandaboutourownmeditativefocus.Wheredothesereallycomefrom?Andifwelookback—andI'mreallygratefultoFransStieneforexploringsomeoftherootsofthesystemofReiki—Reikirelatestodifferentspiritualpractices,suchasShingonBuddhismandMikkyoesotericpracticeinJapan.JapanesespiritualtraditionsteachsomethingcalledtheThreeSecrets.TheThreeSecretsaremind,bodyandspeech.AndthesepracticesrelatetoReikibecausewecanseetheThreeSecretsinReikipracticeaswell.AndintheseteachingsitissaidthattheThreeSecretsallowustouncoverourtrueself,orourtruenature.Andourtrueself,ourtruenature,existswithinusandwithintheentireuniverse.So,inotherwords,theThreeSecretshelpusuncoverOneness.

SohistoricallyovertimeinJapan,practitionersofthesedifferentsystemswouldusemudras,whicharehandpositions;theywouldusemantras,whicharewordstochantortospeak;andtheywouldusevisualizationfortheirmindtohelppurifyandharmonizetheThreeSecretsofmind,bodyandspeech.SointhesystemofReiki,wecanseethisreflectedbecauseUsui'sgoalwasthesame:tohelpusuncoverourtruenatureandthisOnenesswiththeuniverse.Andwecanalsoseemind,bodyandspeechintheteachingsofReiki,includingthesymbolsandmantras.Sowithmind,wecanseeReikivisualizationssuchastheJoshinKokyo-Ho“breathoflight.”WecanalsoseeitwiththeReikiprecepts,sincetheyaretheretocontemplatewithourmindtofocusourmind.AndalsotheReikisymbols;wevisualizeanddrawthem,andtheyhelpusfocusourmind.

SotheThreeSecretsaremind,bodyandspeech.Let'smovetobody,whichcanbesymbolizedbymudras.ButdoesReikievenhavemudras?Well,wecanseetheminthehands-onhealingpositionsthatweusewithpeople.Thatisatypeofamudra.WecanalsoseeitintheReiju,ortheinitiationprocess.SothoseofyouwhoareReikiteacherswhohavelearnedhowtodoinitiations,youcanseetherearecertainhandpositionsthatwe'llusethere.Sothatisalsoawaytofocusourbody.Evensomethingassimpleasthegassho,whereyouplaceyourhandspalmtopalminfrontofyourheartatthebeginningorattheendofeachReikitreatment;thisisawaytoharmonizeyourbody.

Andfinallywecometothethird“secret”ofspeech.WeseethisintheReikiteachingsofspeakingtheReikipreceptsandalsospeakingorchantingthemantras.Whenspeakingorchantingthemantras,youcanchantthemasthey'rewritten,oryoucanchantthemusingtheprimordialsounds,whichisthewaythatIteachtheminmyclasses.Forthoseofyouwho'vehavetakenReiki2or3withme,you'velearnedprimordialchanting,whichFranstaughtme.

Youalsocanrepeatthosemantrassilentlyinyourmind,andyoucanalsousethemtogetherwiththecorrespondingsymbols.Inthisway,youcandrawthesymbolandsaythemantrathreetimes.Forthesymbolstopurifyyourmind,therearedifferentwaystousethem.Youcandrawasymbolintheairoryoucandrawitinyourhand,youcandrawitonyourbody,youcandrawitinyourmind,youcandrawitintheairwiththetipofyournose.Itreallydependsonwhereyouare.Ifyou'reoutinasheltersituation,youprobablydon'twanttowalkarounddrawingthingsintheair.Youcanjustdrawitinyourmind.

Butreallyit'sthevisualizationthatgivesyourmindfocus,andwiththemantras,it'sthesoundthatvibratesthroughyourbody,especiallywiththechanting.Ithinkthat'ssuchapowerfulwaytousethe

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UsingReikiSymbolsandMantraswithAnimals

Copyright©2017KathleenPrasad.Allrightsreserved.Page4of5

mantras,becausewiththechanting,youbreatheintotheharawitheachbreath,andontheoutbreathasyouchanttheReikimantrasoyoufeelitresonatethroughyourwholebodyandthenoutintotheuniverse.Soyou'rebecomingorembodyingthissortofradianceofReikithroughthechanting.

Sohowdoesthisthenrelatetoanimals?Ifwelookatthemeaningsofthesymbolsandthemantras,they'rereallyaboutfocus.Thefirstmantrameans,“focus,”goingstraighttoyourcenter,andit'sreallyaboutgrounding.Thesecondsymbolandmantraissortofthecomplimenttothat.It'saboutharmonyandearthandsky:theharmonythatcomesfromexpansiveness.Sobeingreallygroundedliketheearthandreallyexpansivelikethesky,that'sliketheyinandtheyangthatyouhavecomingtogetherandtheharmonythatresults.Andthenthethirdsymbolandmantra,it'sreallyaboutconnectionandtheheart.It'sreallyabouttheOnenessofallthings.Inreality,wecanseetheseteachingsaboutconnection,compassionandOnenessinallpartsofReiki,notmerelyinthesymbolsandmantras.

Sooncewelearnthemeaningsofthesymbolsandmantras,wehavedifferentwaystopracticeandtofocusonthem.Andagain,thekeywithanimalsistogetawayfromtheideathatyou'regivingthesymbolorthemantratotheanimaltofixacertainproblem.Thatwillcausealotofresistancewiththeanimals,asitwouldifyouweretoopushyinyourapproachwithanyothertoolinReiki.Whenwehavethatactivestateofmindof“doing”and“fixing,”theanimalsgetverydisturbedbythatapproach.

Soanyofyouwhohavetakenmyclasses,you'velearnedwhatIalwayssay:whetheryou'resittinginmeditationwiththeanimal,iftheanimalcomesforwardforyoutotouchthemandthere'sphysicaltouchinvolved,whetheryou'redoingabreathingtechniqueorsomesortofmeditationwiththemorifyou'reworkingwithsymbolsandmantras,itdoesn'treallymatter,becausetheyalwaysusethesameapproach.Thisapproachisthatyougoinwardtoyourtrueself,toyourinneressence,andthere'sabeautifulradiancethatshinesoutfromyoufromyourpractice,withoutjudgmentandego.Thatradianceislikeabeautifulhealinglightfilledwithpeacefulness,love,harmony,andcompassion,andanimalscanfeelthatsotheyaredrawntoyourradiance.

SothepowerofReikiisnotinsomethingthatyou'resendingfromheretothere,butit'saboutthespaceyoucreatewithinyourselfandhowyouradiatethatspacefortheanimals.Beingabletohavethisspacecomefromgroundingandexpansiveness(earthandskyenergy)isreallyimportantbecauseithelpsustomakethatconnection.Reikisymbolsandmantrasarereallyaboutfirst,gettingusreallygrounded;andsecond,helpingustoopenourmindandtoexpand.Oncewecreatetheearthandtheskywithinourselves,thenwehaveabeautifulspaceofconnectionthathappens,andthenthehealingpowerofcompassionshowsitself.

Wecanalsoseeearth,skyandconnectioninthemeaningofthefirstandsecondandthirdsymbolsandmantras,andwehavemanychoicesofhowtousethem.Wecanjustfocusonthesymbols(visualizethem,contemplatethem,goinwardwiththem),wecanalsojustfocusonthemantrasandwecaneitherspeakthem,saythemorwecanchantthem.Andwecanpracticewiththemantrasasthey'rewrittenorwiththeprimordialsounds.Wecanalsodrawthesymbolandsaythemantratogether,andsitwiththat.Therearesomanydifferentwaystoworkwiththesedifferentconcepts;thesymbolsandmantrasarebeautifultools.

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UsingReikiSymbolsandMantraswithAnimals

Copyright©2017KathleenPrasad.Allrightsreserved.Page5of5

Now,howdowedothatwiththeanimals?Well,itdependsonwhatanimalsyou'reworkingwith.Ifyou'resittingwithyourcat,youcanhaveyoureyesclosedforthismeditation.Orperhapswithyourdogyoucouldalsobewalkingyourdogandchantingthefirstsymbol.Forexample,ifyou'reoutinaparkwithyourdogorwalkingdownatrail,youmightfeelthepoweroftheearthunderyourfeetandthetreesandallthisgrounding,andthat’saperfecttimetoworkwiththefirstsymbolandmantra.You'resupportedbyallthenaturalelementsaroundyou:whatabeautifulwaytoshine.

Themorethatweuncoverourinnerradiance,ourinnerlight—thatbeautifulinnerhealingthatwehaveinsideofusthatoftengetscoveredup—throughthepracticeoftheReikisymbolsandmantras,themorethatweserveasamirrorforouranimals.Ouranimalsmightbefacingadifficulty,theymightbesufferingaphysicalillnessortheymighthavesomekindofemotionalissue,ortheymayevenbetransitioning,sotherecanbealotofemotionsforusaroundthatofgriefandsoon.Andsoifwecanshinethisbeautifullight,ithelpsouranimalgetintouchwiththeirtrueselfwhenthey'rehavingadifficulttime.Soinonewaywemirrorbacktotheiranimaltheirperfect,beautifulinnerlight.It’salwaysbright,alwaysbeautiful,evenwhenthey'restruggling.Thatcanbetremendouslyhelpfultothemtoremembertheirinnerpowersotheycanhealthemselves.

Wecanalsoguidethembacktothelight.Soifyoutakeananimalwho'sreallytraumatized—I'veworkedwithalotofanimalsinshelterswhoarecompletelyshutdownbytheabusethey'vesufferedinthepast—andthroughthesepractices,wecreatethisbeautifulshininglight.Fromwherevertheyareinthedarkness,theycanseethelightandtheycancomeforwardandconnectandremembertheirowninnerlight.Andsowe'realmostlikewearelighthouses;infact,oneofthemeditationsIteachinmylevel2classisthe“lighthousemeditation”wherewevisualizeourheartasalighthouse,andweareguidingtheanimalsbacktothelight.Sowecanbethatmirrororthatguidinglighttobringthemback.

AndthethingthatIloveaboutReikiisthat,usingthesymbolsandmantras,weoftenthinkthat"Well,it'saboutmehelpingtheanimals,"butthetruthisthatmanytimestheanimalsaretheoneswhohelpus.Andtheydon'thavetopracticeasystemofReikitodothis;theyjust“are”healers.Sotheyshinejustthroughtheirpresence,abeautifullight,andoftenitmirrorsoursbacktous.Andwerememberourstrength,werememberourcourage,werememberourpatience,werememberourkindness,justbybeingintheirpresence.

Orsometimesifwe'reverysad,ifwe'velostourway,whenwespendtimewithouranimals,theyhelpbringusback.Theyhelpbringusbacktous,toourtrueselves.Theybringusbacktohope.Whenwefeelsad,theybringusbacktolife.Theydothisbyjustbeingverypresentwithoutjudgmentandverygroundedandconnected.Andthosearethingsthatthesymbolsandthemantrasactuallyhelpusdo,soitbecomesareallybeautifulcircleofhealingthatwearedoingtheseReikipracticestohelpusgotothatinnerspaceofheartandlightandlove,andinturntheanimalsarealreadythere.They'realreadyinthatspace,andsotheycanmeetusthere.Andwhenourheartsconnect,thatisthespacewhereallthehealinghappens.

SoIinviteallofyoutothinkabouthowyoucanworkwiththesymbolsandthemantrasbygoinginwardforyourownspiritualpractice,andallowingtheradianceofthattoshineout,andinvitingyouranimaltojoinyouinthatbeautifulspaceofReikilightandloveandjoyandhealing.