Three Legs Are Fine, Thank You!
/We have all seen animals who have lost a limb. When we see them, it takes us a moment to catch what we’re seeing, as the animal runs and plays like its four-legged friends. And then, we see the absence of something. We see the place on the body where there should be a leg, and it’s gone. We see loss.
Asia was a 3-year-old boxer mix. She was small for her breed, about 40 pounds, lovable and somewhat goofy, as boxers are. She was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. It is extremely painful. It wants to metastasize. It destroys the bone, and the pain takes over the animal’s life.
Surgery was recommended, as the diagnosis was early enough to prevent the spread of the disease. And Asia lost her front left leg.
After days in the veterinary hospital on IV pain meds and post-operative care, it was time for Asia to go home. The journey would be just as hard for her guardian as for her. Perhaps more so.
Most humans suffer from unbearable levels of empathy when their sweet ones are injured, ill, in pain. We begin to embody worry and anxiety. We begin to imagine how terribly our animals are suffering, not just from the pain but from the loss, the loss of the leg, the loss of who they have always been, the loss of how we have always seen them…
Energy travels. Energy can heal, or energy can be negative, weighty, even suffocating. Reiki teaches us that in these times, we must let the images go. We must be a source of compassion and also of faith, faith that the natural healing ability of the animal is powerful and that their determination is as strong as ours would be. And it is our job to support, to encourage, to laugh, and to play.
In offering Reiki to Asia during her time of healing, it became apparent that Asia was coping better than her human. We began to share our Reiki times, sitting on the floor, using our breath, releasing stories, imagery, fears. We used our grounding and our connection with the divine transformational spirit of universal consciousness, of Reiki, to find peace and ease. As her human companion practiced bringing in the light and sharing her heart-centered love and compassion, Asia’s human began to see a new vision of life going forward. And she began to “see” her beautiful Asia through the lens of renewal, rejuvenation, healing, wellness. Asia soaked up this energy during our Reiki times, and her mom fed and nurtured it in her quiet meditation times with sweet Asia.
When we see an animal missing a limb, our brains require just a moment to digest this information. And then, very quickly, we realize that the animal has healed. We see them run, chase their balls, play with their toys, walk with their human companions. Isn’t that fabulous? Miraculous! Extraordinary!
In Reiki, there is joy, the joy of sharing love and compassion and supportive healing energy with our animals when they are in need. And there is great joy in the recognition of the resilience, the determination, the will of all sentient beings to live life fully, to love and to play, and to enjoy the gift of time on this beautiful planet.
Blessings to All Who Care for The Animals!