It's Their Country, Too

Our national holiday, Independence Day or the 4th of July, is usually considered a day of fun with family and friends. We celebrate by having parades and gathering with family and friends to share food and companionship. Sometimes our fun includes firing off fireworks, the louder the better.

I'd like to take a moment to point out that not everyone enjoys fireworks, legal or illegal (which they are where I live, King County, Seattle, Alki). Many dogs and cats experience deep anxiety, fear, even terror at this time of year; an anxiety that their people often share as they watch their loved furry ones suffer. Gracie, the cat who lived across the street from me, actually approached me one year, the day after the 4th of July, seeking Reiki for emotional healing and to share her feelings (see Gracie the Cat and Fireworks). She did not just tell me how she felt, she let me feel her fear and desire to hide. She did not understand why her safe and quiet neighborhood suddenly turned into a terrifying place to be, with no hiding place far enough away from the noise and vibration -- there was no escape.

Domestic animals are not the only ones affected, wildlife feels the same way. Jacquie Lawson has released another stunningly gorgeous e-card entitled "E Pluribus Unum" (translated from Latin: Out of One, Many) that reminded me of the great beauty that is America and that it is the wilderness and the wildlife that help make it so. Wildlife that deserves our protection not only in great tracts of land far from our cities, but also within our urban landscapes. We should rejoice in the animals that have been able to survive among us and celebrate our independence with a care for them and for our environment.

If you can't entirely bring yourself to do away with fireworks completely, a very American tradition, perhaps you could tone them down. When I was a child fireworks were illegal in my home state of New Jersey (I think they are still), so my grandmother and aunt would supply us with slender wands called sparklers that when lit could be waved around illuminating the dark with miniature fountains of colored streaks of light. My sisters and I looked forward to this once-a-year event eagerly; family memories do not have to involve loud explosions, they can be made up of smaller experiences that become a tradition, year after year.

However you choose to celebrate the 4th of July this year, please remember that you share your neighborhood and homes with other species. Have a care for them, and have a safe, and fun, 4th of July.

Rose De Dan, Puma, Kiya, Saqqara, Cougar, and Sand
Wild Reiki and Shamanic Healing LLC
www.reikishamanic.com

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!