Starseed Evolution with Shannon Sullivan
Join me on this star-filled adventure as we raise our vibration to uplift our human selves through spiritual direction, Reiki, ceremony, mantras, guided meditation and stories for the soul. Thank you for joining me on this cosmic adventure!
Starseed Evolution with Shannon Sullivan
Channeling Universal Energy to Comfort Your Animal Companions
The practice of energy healing isn't limited to humans—our beloved animal companions can greatly benefit from Reiki too. Whether you share your home with dogs, cats, birds, fish, reptiles, or any other creature, this episode provides a complete framework for offering them the gift of universal healing energy.
We begin by exploring the foundational principles that make animal Reiki unique. Unlike humans, our animal friends experience energy differently and communicate their needs through subtle body language and energetic responses. You'll learn how to recognize when your pet is giving consent for a session—through movements, gazes, or energetic openness—and how to respect their boundaries when they decline. The episode walks through activating the Cho Ku Rei symbol from the Usui Reiki tradition, deciding between hands-on or surrogate methods based on your animal's sensitivity, and understanding the natural flow of an animal Reiki session.
What makes this practice so beautiful is its adaptability to every animal's needs. Your fish swimming in their tank, your anxious rescue dog, or your aging cat can all receive this healing energy in ways that honor their unique being. Through a channeled energy practice included in the recording, you'll experience firsthand what it feels like to connect with and channel Reiki energy—the same energy you'll offer to your animal companions. By the episode's end, you'll have a complete six-step process for conducting your own animal Reiki sessions with confidence and compassion.
Want to deepen your practice? Join me for live sessions on Insight Timer meditation app every Wednesday evening, offered by donation. Our next podcast episode will explore signs, symbols, and synchronicities—creating your personal language with the universe.
Artful Touch Therapies – my professional website
https://www.artfultouchbyshannon.com/
Shannon Sullivan, International Meditation Teacher on Insight Timer
(Download Insight Timer app. Then click link to my teacher page)
Link Tree Information:
https://www.linktr.ee/silverlunastarseed
10 Day Course for Empaths and Highly Sensitive People
Blue Heron Creates
This is my music artist name where I share mantras and original songs from many different faith traditions.
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4I0l8GxlFZ0dD5acKgsabs?si=hVSjJSt7Quudh0-yGBQEBg
Silver Luna Starseed Instagram Feed:
https://instagram.com/silverlunastarseed
Indie Music Box – Chris Collins
Hi, thank you so much for joining me today. I'm Shannon, and this is Starseed Evolution, bringing the wisdom and insight of the cosmos to you. I'm grateful that you're listening. Today, I'm going to walk us through a practice that will allow you to be able to gift your animal companion with Reiki. I'm setting this up in a way that allows anyone, whether you're a beginner or have lots of experience working with energy, to do this. Reiki is a universal, loving energy that we are all connected to all the time, and when you gift Reiki to another, remember that it is not your own energy that you are offering. Instead, you are channeling the energy of love like a ball of light and offering it to another. I'd like to suggest how to use today's practice, and then you can decide what works best for you. I recommend first that you listen to the whole thing one time through. Then, when you're ready to offer Reiki to your animal companion, you can play it again to connect with the energy that I channel into the session. So what animal companions can benefit from today's Reiki session? All of them Dogs, cats, fish, birds, snakes, reptiles of all kinds, spiders, turtles, horses, cows you name it. They can all benefit from the gift of Reiki energy.
Speaker 1:Let's now walk through some foundational guidelines before moving into the energetic part. When giving the gift of Reiki to others, whether it's other people, other animals, our trees and environment, it's important not to project our own intention onto the healing process. We don't always know a soul's path to healing, and if we ourselves try to direct the energy a certain way, we might be disappointed if it doesn't turn out exactly as we, our human self, exactly as we, our human self, thought that it should Instead allow spirit, god, universe, creation, the divine, to choose the highest path of light for the animal receiving this energy. Another important guideline in giving the gift of Reiki is making sure we get permission to do a session from the person or animal and in this case today, our animal companion who's going to be receiving the energy. Since today we're focusing our session specifically on our animal companions, you might be wondering how you ask them for permission. The answer is the same way you would ask a person. The only difference is in how you receive the answer. So our animal friends use the language of their body or movement or energy or feeling to give you a yes or no answer. Just as people are sentient beings with free will. So too are our animal companions.
Speaker 1:When I know I am wanting to give Reiki to my animal friend, I'll ask him or her this question Would you like to receive a Reiki treatment today? So what does a yes look like? Or feel like? When our animal friend replies yes, there are different things that might happen. They might move closer to us, showing us that, yes, they'd like the session. They might look at us softly and blink their eyes slowly to indicate yes, I'd like to receive that session. They might send an open, warm feeling to you, connecting with your heart. They might stretch or yawn, opening themselves up to receiving the energy.
Speaker 1:There isn't a specific one-size-fits-all when animals say yes, so it's just knowing your companion and when you ask, allowing yourself to connect with, if they are telling you that they do want to receive the session, believe it or not, some of our animal companions, at the time that we ask them, might say, quote unquote, no to us. If they say no in their own way, just know that this has nothing to do with the way you're offering the energy. Instead, knowing that animals are intuitive and if they feel like they can't receive the energy in that moment, just allow that to be. So what does a no look or feel like? It'll feel like maybe there's a wall up between the two of you. Another form of no might be them turning away and walking or crawling away from you. Reiki energy for our animal companions is very strong, much more than for many people. Not all animals at all times are able to receive that energy in the way it's gifted, because it might be too much for them and the no could be just for that moment and you can check in with them at a later time, either later that day or the next day either later that day or the next day and your animal companion might even approach you later when they are ready. So now that we have these two guidelines an open intention for the highest good of our animal friend and getting permission from them let's now move into working with a symbol of Reiki today that we're going to connect to to channel the energy.
Speaker 1:The symbol in the Yusui Reiki tradition is called Chokurei C-H-O-K-U-R-E-I. It means doorway of light. What I'm going to do now is describe what the symbol Chokure looks like. You can listen as I describe it or, if you want to grab a piece of paper, you can draw it as I describe it, or you can even draw it in the air, as I describe. The Chokurei symbol in the Yusui Reiki tradition turns on or activates our ability to channel the Reiki energy. Now, using your right hand, either on the paper or in the air in front of you, I'll have you pick a point. To your left side, you're going to draw a straight horizontal line from left to right, about two inches or so. This will be the first line. Then, at the end point of this horizontal line, you'll draw a second line straight down its vertical, about three inches From this end point. Then what you'll do is draw a counterclockwise spiral, moving across that center vertical line three times until you come back to the center on the third time. This Reiki symbol, choku Rei, is the awakening or the opening of the Reiki energy, and so it's moving from the sky or heavenward down to us and then opening that window of light between us and the heavens above to bring in that energy. Each of these steps that I'm sharing with you now prepare you and your animal companion for the receiving of the energy. So we're getting all of these steps set up so that when you offer the energy to your animal friend, then all the steps are in place. So now we have an open intention, we've received permission and we've activated the Chokurei Reiki symbol.
Speaker 1:The next step is deciding whether to do a direct hands-on session or using a surrogate to transmit the energy to our animal friend. This part of it will be decided not by us so much as our animal friends, because they will tell us whether they can receive the touch directly or not. Our animals are super sensitive some more sensitive to others to direct touch, and so sometimes the direct touch can feel overwhelming. That does not mean that they cannot receive the Reiki. In those cases, then, we go to a surrogate system, and I'll describe that in just a moment. Neither one of these the direct hands-on or using a surrogate is better or more effective than the other. They're both just as effective and important as the other one. The hands-on, direct method is just as it sounds. So you would take both hands when you're ready to offer the Reiki session and place them gently on your animal companion For this general session, just allowing your placement of your hands to gently fall where they're drawn to on your animal companion's body.
Speaker 1:If you move out of your mind and into your hands and the energy, your hands will be guided to those places on your animal friend where they're wanting to receive the energy. On the other hand, if your animal friend is not open to receiving direct touch, you can send the energy work in the form of using a surrogate. So what does that look like? I often use either a pillow or a stuffed animal as a surrogate to stand in to receive the energy that is then sent telepathically to our animal friends. Just know that your animal companion doesn't have to be in the same room or location to receive the energy, because energy surrounds all of us all the time. It's sort of like when we connect our computers to Wi-Fi. We don't have to have a specific cable that reaches that far. Instead, it's connecting to that energy. It's that same idea. So if you're going to do the session through a surrogate, I'll have you find either a pillow that you want to use or a stuffed animal. Once you have it, what you'll do is place this pillow or stuffed animal into your lap and just have it comfortably resting there for you. Then I'll have you place your hands gently on the pillow or the stuffed animal and then this time, you'll ask this surrogate to take on the energy of your animal friend. That way, your hands will be able to feel in this surrogate, in the stuffed animal or the pillow what's happening with the energy of your animal companion. Your hands will stay directly on the pillow or the stuffed animal for the duration of the session. Which leads us to the next question how long is a session? And that's a good question, and it all depends Depends on your animal companion.
Speaker 1:Our animal friends receive Reiki energy differently than we do as humans, so humans are on a more fixed timeline. So I might have a client call me and say I'd like a 60-minute Reiki session hands-on, and so when I go to that person's house, set up my table, the person gets on the table and I spend 60 minutes offering them a Reiki session. This isn't the same for our animal friends. They work in a more universal time flow. Every moment is right now, and so their session can be anywhere from one minute to 30 minutes, 45 minutes an hour.
Speaker 1:Each of our animal friends will let us know during the session when they're done. Sometimes they just simply get up and walk or crawl away from us when they're finished, and when they do this, just allow that to be okay. It doesn't matter how short or long the session is, they're receiving the energy that you're sending to them. The most important part is not to force it. Now. Sometimes surrogate sessions, where I'm channeling the energy into the pillow or stuffed animal that is acting in the presence of my animal friend Sometimes those can last a little longer because the energy being channeled isn't so direct to the animal and so they might not become so overwhelmed so quickly. Just know that working with Reiki energy causes no harm. It doesn't hurt. It's done in kindness and with universal love and compassion.
Speaker 1:Now that we have the open intention, we've checked in with our animal friend about whether they want to receive the session or not. We've activated the Chokurei Yusui Reiki symbol to start the channeling of the energy, and we've checked in with our animal friend about whether they want hands-on, direct or using a surrogate. Then we can decide to choose a time and location in which to offer this session to our animal friends. What I'd like to do now is do two minutes of channeling the Reiki from me through this recording into your hands, so that you are channeling the energy. This energy of Reiki that you feel over the next two minutes as we channel will be that same energy that you offer to your animal companion during a Reiki session. Now I'll have you move into a position of receiving this energy that feels comfortable for you In practicing, allowing that Reiki energy to move through the recording and into your hands, whether this is seated or lying down.
Speaker 1:Once you're in a comfortable position, I'll have you close your eyes, open your hands, allowing the energy to flow into your hands, connecting with this universal energy and as that energy flows into your hands as a gift, begin to slow and deepen your breathing. Imagine the energy at the top of your head opening and as the energy moves in through the top of your head, your heart opens and the energy moves through your open heart into your hands and flows freely. Connect now, in this next moment of silence, allowing yourself to feel the channeled energy of Reiki. This is the same energy that you will offer to your animal companion. I'll have you take a deep breath in and exhale and receive this energy now. The, the, the, the, the, the, the.
Speaker 2:The, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the. Thank you. The, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the.
Speaker 1:Thank you take a deep breath in and exhale, and open your eyes when you're ready, your eyes when you're ready At the end of working with Reiki energy. What I'll have you do to close the channel so that you're not channeling the energy all the time, is that you'll bring your hands together in Anjali Mudra, which is prayer position, placing both palms together. Then imagine like a switch energy turns off, closing that channeling of the Reiki. Now that you have all the tools you need in your hands, literally to offer your animal friends Reiki, I invite you to move forward in doing that session for them, as you feel called. The same energy that flowed from me to you and to your hands is the same exact energy that you will be gifting to your animal companion. So let's walk through those six steps once more. The first one is an open intention that you offer the Reiki session with no particular intention in mind other than what is for their highest good. The second is making sure to receive permission from your animal friend about whether, yes or no, they'd like to have a session. The third one is activating the Chokurei energy with the symbol that I brought forward for you during this session. So you just draw that symbol, either on a piece of paper or in the air, turning on or activating the Reiki channeled energy. The next part is deciding whether to do the session hands-on or using a surrogate, a pillow or a stuffed animal, and your animal friend will let you know which one feels best to your animal friends. Taking your hands, whether directly on your animal friends or on that surrogate and placing it gently there and just allowing the energy of the Reiki session to flow from your hands to them in an offering of love. Allow the session to be as short or long as your animal friend shares with you that he or she wants it. Once you finish the session, then, to close the Reiki channel off, you'll just bring your hands back into a prayer position, palms touching, and just ask the energy to close. For now, you can always activate it later when you need to. Now, if you'd like, once you meet with your animal companion and ask them whether they're ready to receive a Reiki session, you can listen again to this audio recording while you're offering them the session, so that you feel comfortable in giving the session to them All. Through the session, whether it was a silent two minutes of music or while I'm talking, this whole piece is channeled with Reiki so that you are connected with the energy as well.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much for joining me for today's episode of Starseed Evolution. I'm, shannon, and grateful to have you here with me. In our next episode, as promised from our last episode, we'll be doing an edition about signs, symbols and synchronicities in creating our own communication and language with the universe and how it's constantly communicating with us. I look forward to sharing that with you next time. If you'd ever like to join me live, I teach on Insight Timer, the meditation app, on Wednesday evenings and you can find my schedule by clicking in the show notes below the Insight Timer link. All of the live events offered on Insight Timer are offered by donation, so feel free to check the classes out and I look forward to seeing you there or listening here on the Starseed Evolution Podcast. I'm wishing you an awesome day, namaste.
