Sunday, February 22, 2009

Don't let seeking be the center

(when I wrote the title I wanted to clarify that I meant people, not dogs, because most dogs don't get enough seeking and trailing activities in their life haha!)

It's amazing how many new energy healing products and methods keep coming on to the market.

It's a good thing (mostly.. more on that), but it can get confusing. Just in flower essences it's a lot! And it does make you wonder if you're missing something good (Desert Alchemy, Australian Bush Essences, Alaskan Essences.. these are a few I've never used). But I keep reminding myself to keep it simple, and not jump in to everything. While I prefer learning new things to practicing old things, I also keep an eye on myself that I'm not simply seeking for something to fill an imaginary need.

When caring for a pet, and trying to negotiate the array of foods and products and advice, it can get not only confusing, but a bit obsession-inducing. My one piece of advice is to remember your pet in all of this. Seeking out the next and best can sometimes cloud your view to what is best for your pet. I see too many people who don't commit to a healing plan or lifestyle for their pet, but instead switch things over and over again without clearly attending to the animal.

"Attending" is a word that to me encompasses a few things in this context: seeing, caring, feeling, listening. With animals in particular, who don't speak our verbal language, this requires a quiet and clear attentiveness. Listening to an animal is akin to meditating sometimes. You have to let go a bit, and trust them.

This letting go includes letting go of worry - a habit that annoys our animals more than anything else. It forces our chaotic energy on to them, which if they need healing is the last thing they need, eh!

Energy healing is basically so simple. While I do Reiki, which uses a system of "attunement" for practitioners, I believe that if one truly attends to universal energy, there is no special system or school needed (and believe me, some of those schools are happy to take a lot of your money in exchange for their system!). For me, Reiki provides a structure, and perhaps it has attuned me to be more open to universal healing energy (I think if it as Chi/Qi).

Flower essences, for me, are a wonderfully simple source of Qi too, and while I don't pretend to be truly in tune with how each flower works (without reading up on what others have discovered), I've seen enough wonderful results to believe in them.

Food is another simple way to access Qi. That is why I'm such an advocate for fresh food and herbs for pets. If you aren't feeding some kind of fresh food, you're missing one of the easiest ways to bring healing energy to your pet. In most cases you don't need to learn a lot to make use of it either - relatively healthy animals will benefit from any basic fresh food diet. Animals needing to heal will benefit from some expertise that will tailor the food to their needs to bring added benefit and medicine (as in "let food be your medicine"). And I have to say, most pets in modern life do need a bit of healing.

If your energy is focused on seeking, and not attending to the present, you won't be doing yourself or your pet any healing favors. Mutual regard should be at the center.

So in that spirit, today I will commit to getting off the computer and spending some time with Vida, listening, and offering some healing energy and touch.

Don't forget! Carnival of Healing, right here, next Saturday. Let me know if you want to take part!

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