World Animal Reiki Day is a special day dedicated to the healing power of animal reiki. Reiki is an ancient Japanese practice that focuses on using energy to heal. Animal reiki allows us to connect and communicate with animals–including our pets, and to understand them better and provide healing remedies for them.
When is World Animal Reiki Day?
World Animal Reiki Day is celebrated every year on February 5. The pet holiday was founded by Shelter Animal Reiki Association (SARA). The day focuses on the Let Animals Lead® Method of Animal Reiki meditation as a way to help shelter pets and rescued animals. Share photos on this day using hashtag #WorldAnimalReikiDay.
The day was selected because it was the birthday of Dakota, an Australian Shepherd rescued by the founder of SARA who served as the inspiration for the association.
What is Animal Reiki?
Animal Reiki is an alternative healing technique that promotes physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing in animals, both pets and wildlife.
The practice of Animal Reiki involves light touches and gentle strokes on an animal’s body to transfer healing energy from the practitioner to the animal to harmonize the energy of both the animal and their caregiver and allow for a deeper connection between them.
Practitioners of reiki work to create a sense of calmness, helping an animal relax, reduce pain levels and relieve stress or anxiety in animals–especially important in high-stress settings such as animal shelters.
Celebrating World Animal Reiki Day
Shelter Animal Reiki Association suggests several different ways to recognize World Animal Reiki Day from planning an animal reiki talk at a local shelter or pet supply store to lighting a candle during meditations to honor the animals who have been your teachers.
The association especially works to help shelter animals and has published a handbook on the practice.
“Shelters are often an animal’s last hope and a chance at a new life,” says director Kathleen Prasad, who runs the organization with fellow directors Leah D’Ambrosio and Caly Lehrer. “But for some animals, the stress of being in a kennel is almost unbearable. With Reiki, I’ve seen amazing healing responses—imagine watching a loud kennel full of hyperactive, stressed-out dogs transform into quiet, peaceful naptime space. The Animal Reiki Handbook is one way to get more people out there helping the animals who need it most.”
Prasad is also the author of Reiki for Dogs: Using Spiritual Energy to Heal and Vitalize Man’s Best Friend and other books.
More pet holidays you don’t want to miss
We have a full calendar of pet holidays and observances throughout the year. Here are just a few you won’t want to miss:
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