How Reiki for Animals Differs from Reiki for People

Practicing Reiki with my dog lucy

Reiki is a beautiful healing art and spiritual practice that just about anyone can benefit from—including pets. But Reiki for animals can differ a bit from Reiki for people. Understanding some of these differences can be helpful not only to practitioners who want to gain more confidence in practicing Reiki with animals but also to people whose animals may receive Reiki sessions. 

These are three of the key differences to be aware of:

Animals may respond a bit differently to Reiki.

Some animals will make noises, get up and walk around, or even turn their back to the practitioner during a Reiki session. People tend to take these responses as a sign that the animal doesn’t like Reiki, but in reality, it’s usually just their way of adjusting to the energy. Understanding common ways animals respond to Reiki, as well as how they may give and withdraw consent, can help you overcome any confusion. 

Animals need a more flexible approach.

The hand positions and techniques taught in regular Reiki classes don’t necessarily apply to more-than-human animals. In fact, many animals prefer not to be touched at all when starting an in-person Reiki session with them. And if they do want touch, it’s usually best to let them take the lead and show you where. 

Animals sometimes need shorter sessions. 

Because animals are so energetically sensitive, Reiki sessions with them generally don’t need to be more than 30 minutes. Sometimes, they’ll even let you know they’re done with a session after only a few minutes. If that happens, it’s usually not because they don’t like it, but because they’ve gotten what they needed from it and are ready to move on. I’ve seen only 5-10 minutes of Reiki do wonders for some animals. 

Of course, there are going to be exceptions, and we can always leave room for the both/and, as well as an individual animal’s needs and wants. But in general, keeping these differences in mind can help animal Reiki sessions go more smoothly and help ease doubt and confusion.

Want to know more? Learn Reiki for Animals with me.

Want to try Reiki for your pet? Book a session.