Friday, July 6, 2007

Gracie the Cat and Fireworks

Gracie is a little grey tabby & white female cat who lives across the street from me, and is considered the neighborhood greeter. She is friendly with everyone who walks down the street, and despite the fact that she is wearing a collar I have had to come to her rescue several times to prevent her being carried off by well-meaning people who thought she was lost.

She has figured out what I do, and when Gracie is not feeling well she will march across the street and demand some energy healing from me. Every time that has happened I have had to let her person know that she needs a vet visit, and each time she has required medical attention in addition to Reiki and shamanic healing. Her person was kind enough to gift me at Christmas with a gift certificate as thanks for Gracie's impromptu sessions.

Very affectionate and appreciative when she receives Reiki, Gracie purrs, kneads, and often positions herself in my arms like a baby, belly uppermost, and then she gets this incredibly blissed-out look on her face, and sticks her tongue out. If she is really transported, she drools. Of course every time she does this my arms are too full to take a picture!

Yesterday, first thing in the morning, Gracie met me at my front door. She was crying and asking to be picked up. When I obliged she immediately snuggled into my neck, tucked her head in tight under my chin, placed her front paws delicately on top of both of my collarbones and then began to knead, gently shredding my skin. Although she purred with pleasure, her mental voice tone was complaining and frightened. She told me all about how awful the fireworks were the night before and how scared she was. It was not physical healing she needed this time, but emotional. So as I used Reiki for emotional/spiritual healing I also rocked her from side to side as you would a child who was scared of the monsters. It was truly heart-breaking, and gave me deeper insight than ever before into how traumatic our celebrations can be for animals.

I think this time when I tell Gracie's person about her visit I may recommend a crystal essence mist by Vi Miere called Panic Ease that I use with my clients' animals who have fear issues around thunderstorms, fireworks, and other scary things. I will suggest that her person use the mist for three weeks, misting 3-4 times daily above Gracie so that the spritz falls like a mist down on her and her energy field, and then use the mist as needed particularly around challenging times such as the 4th of July and New Year's Eve.

I am happy to report that when I finally put Gracie down she marched off with her tail in her usual self-confident and upright position. I love a satisfied customer!

3 comments:

zydescott said...

On the 4th of July I was planting veggie starts in my garden. It was quiet and peaceful and the joy of digging in dirt to transplant life was exquisite. Birds were landing on my Elderberry trees for plump berries. I obtained these trees from a native plant salvage event, digging them up to save them from development. They had told us in the workshop, that birds love the elderberry. I rejoiced at the refuge for wildlife my backyard sanctuary had become. Then, explosions rattled through my neighborhood as the "4th" began. The birds scattered in fright, winging this way and that across the neighborhood towards the greenbelt. I felt dismay at their fear and sad that those setting off the explosions did not care.

But, I was still able to feel grateful that I could provide a refuge for the birds and other animals 364 days a year. And, that this is part of being more sensitive and being able to care deeply for animals and plants. The pain at such a time reveals my gratitude for a special life, my own.

Rhoda Harley said...

Illuminating and important story, Rose. Thanks for sharing (and I'm glad Gracie is feeling better!)

Julie said...

Hi Rose ~ Glad you were able to ease Gracie. I've found that when I talk to my cat Nightcap about the upcoming fireworks explaining what they are and why people engage in them and how I'd think it would be really cool if he could just ignore them and be his normal awesome stable super cool kitty self, that he actually does navigate around the fireworks with a lot more confidence and grace - like he "got" what I said. I love how the animals allow us to be more present in our lives and allow us to be healers, nurturers, adorers of the animal kingdom... as well as students of all that they have to teach us - Life really is quite awesome isn't it. :) ~julie