How My Rescue Dog Led Me to Emotional and Spiritual Healing
February 2022 Blog Post
A Meditative Journey Of Gratitude:
I have been taking an Animal Reiki Class called, “Let Animals Lead” by Kathleen Prasad. I am loving it! The materials I’m learning are not only opening up a whole new realm of how to be with Animals in a healing capacity for them, but also bringing much healing and insight into my own life as well! After reading through some of my class materials, I found myself taking a pause from my reading to meditate and inhabit a space of gratitude for my sweetest girl, Mika, and how she embodies a couple of my daily mantras, “Just for today, I will release angry thoughts and feelings,” and “Just for today, I will release thoughts of worry”.
Soul Connection:
Mika and I found each other 7 years ago when I was going through a difficult divorce. I was looking for a compassionate creature to help me keep my heart alive – a creature who would remind me how to love. Mika had been attacked by another dog when she was a small pup and lost one of her back legs as a result. Shortly after that, her people, who felt overwhelmed by the idea of having to nurse a 3-legged dog back to health, took her to a shelter and left her there. It was 2 years later when we found each other. She had been waiting for 2 years.
Transformation With My Animal Teacher:
When I was reading through my class materials, one of the things Kathleen had written was really resonating with me: “In working through the healing journey of our animal, we may learn about ourselves, and in so doing, find that we are better people for it. And so, one day we may realize that it is we who are rescued by this animal. We find ourselves humbled by their capacity to heal and forgive, to let go of the past, and to move forward into a new future with courage, joy, and selfless devotion.” Immediately I realized that Mika has been teaching me these things all the years that we have been together! When I was divorced 7 years ago, I was so hurt and angry that I thought I would never be able to love or trust another person. I certainly couldn’t fathom the idea of ever getting married again. And yet through these years with Mika, modeling healing and forgiveness to me, releasing her past hurt and anger and moving forward in joy and courage, I have been experiencing healing myself. I’m now finding myself in a beautiful relationship, where I am experiencing a connection with a magical, wholehearted soul of a man! In fact, we were engaged at the end of December 2021!
A Future Of Courage, Joy, And Great Love:
And I’ll be honest, throughout this process of learning to give to and receive love from another human, I have absolutely had moments of fear and worry. But it has been through my journey with Mika that I have been able to open myself to a new space of trust. A place where I can release the hurts and fears of my past relationship, and move forward into a new future with courage, joy, and great love!
Just for today, I will release angry thoughts and feelings. I will release thoughts of worry. And I will flow into a new future of peace and great love. Thank you, Mika~
