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Animals have always spoken to me. I am a deeply Spiritual person, and very much in tune with the energies of the earth, animals and Spirit. I had a dream, where Geisha, my previous soul dog, had told me there was more work to do. Another Soul Mission to undertake. A deep knowing inside. Anticipation of the unknown. By this time, I had given up questioning the multiple strange synchronistic events unfolding. I began to anticipate with deep curiosity what the next side quest would take me.&nbsp;I woke one morning early to see a video posted by the rescue, asking for volunteers, and for donations, and help.&nbsp; I took one look into those eyes and I fell in love. A text message sent just a few moments later began a chain reaction of events, orchestrated so prefectly, and so profoundly, it still feels like a movie!Bailey came to me after a few days being pulled from the kill list at LDH, by a volunteer who decided he couldn't die in that hell-hole! He was very much loved by his elderly owners and sadly they had been convinced that to surrender Bailey to LDH when they couldn't afford surgery, with the hopes that a rescue would intervene.Bailey had developed several large mast-cell grape-fruit sized tumours under his armpit affecting his lymph-nodes, and severely affected his mobility. We collected him from another foster carer, just 2 days before he was scheduled for life-extending surgery, and we smothered him with love, food and tenderness both before and after.&nbsp;He immediately bonded with us both and straight away connected and bonded deeply with our dog Tippy, despite both having their own cave-crates, they would often curl up together, total bonded snuggle bugs.I am grateful for the amazing people we met, the beautiful loving caring people who shared their stories with us, and the courageous rescuers who also learned of the profound love, ripples of change, and creating awareness. Many people sent gifts, and donated to the rescue, others would send presents for Bailey, and pictures and letters, often asking him to tell pets on Rainbow Bridge that their hoomans on earth still love them. "Please tell them we are sorry. Please know we tried our best. . We replied to every letter with a return address." Creating ritual and sharing our profound grief with the world was in a way so very vulnerable, but also so very bonding.&nbsp;It allowed me to see that in choosing to shower Bailey with Love, and sharing ourselves with the world, we were able to offer love, support and assurance to others, who needed to work through their own loss, grief, relating to their own profound pet animal death, and their sense of loss.&nbsp;The rescue had created a Bucket-list of events and experiences to publicise the rescue. Each day I was fielding mulitple publicity calls from tv stations, newspapers, local radio, local tv, it was overwhelming.&nbsp;Advocating for Bailey vet needs, and for our own mental and emotional needs for ourselves became exhausting. After attending a local radio station, in Melbourne, with Bailey, who had severe mobility issues at that point. I asked the universe for the wisdom and grace to be able to see, feel, hear, know, the time is near. And I often asked Bailey to let me know when he believed his time was close, with absolute faith, I would know the sign. from himI began to struggle with the ethics of it all and withdrew suddenly. I became annoyed at the at the exploitation taking place. Suddenly it was abut publicity for the rescue. These events were beginning to affect Baileys health negatively. He was tired, recovering from surgery, and a publicity tour to radioa stations, tv networks for a weather forecast wer plitely but firmly a NO. I was angry at the lack of medical treatment, the complications after surgery, the lack of communication between the rescue admin and the vet team.&nbsp;This was the most difficult period of my life where I had to stand up to someone whom I had once admired, and to call this person out on her behaviour which was not aligned in the best interests of Bailey. I made a choice to choose what was right for Bailey. And to say No because it was right at that moment. To say No. Absolutely No. Bailey need comfort, rest and compassionate care with a family that loved him perfectly imperfect as he was. His presence enriched our lives and through meeting so many generous individuals during the Bucket list, who were focused on love and could see how happy he was in his forever-home.A few days after we visited the LGBTQIA radio station in Prahran, Victoria, I had a feeling that his time was close. Thursday, we walked the kids to school as usual with the dogs. Then we walked to the creek, along the paddocks, the pathway meandering, slowly climbing the ascending hill, until we stood at the lookout across the city. The day we spent together, making precious memories, fun, running free across the paddocks, exploring. We sat under a gum tree and had a picnic. I remember tears streaming down my cheeks, watching the joy and playful bows between our 2 dogs.&nbsp;Later that evening, Bailey came and sat in front of me, looking staring deep into the depths of my soul. Deep big sighs, then placed his head next to mine, foreheads touching. I heard the words 'time is now'.&nbsp;I knew in my heart it was time, so I phoned his other foster-carers who decided to meet us at the vet to be there to say their farewells too. One of the volunteers was a Reiki Master and held distance reiki vigil for us on the way to the emergency vet at 10pm at night. We stopped at his favourite burger place for a McWaggy Cheeseburger Meal and ice-cream cone! He gobbled it greedily like it was his last meal ever....&nbsp;Animal Reiki means to sit in a compassionate energetic space, without agenda, without need to assess, judge, control outcome. To merely surrender to the flow, and lovingly observe with calm compassionate detachment. To bear witness is a powerful space to be during death.&nbsp;We sat in vigil together at the vet clinic, as we said good-bye to our beautiful boy, where he took his last peaceful breaths surrounded by humans who loved him dearly, fiercely if only for a short time. The lovely kind, gentle vet-nurse came and asked us what we would like to do, if we had made any decisions regarding our wishes. I cannot put into words the hole that I felt in my soul at Bailey passing.&nbsp;We brought him home and placed him upon his couch where he often snuggled with us. We kept vigil beside him for 24 hours, while it allowed Tippy and the other human foster-carers, an opportunity to say their own personal good-byes too.2 weeks later the photographer called and asked to share a gift with us she had made in honour of our precious Bailey.&nbsp;She arrived at our home with a massive frame, and presented us with an USB with every single shot taken in the park that day, memorialised forever. That day Baileys ashes were also returned to us. We had chosen to have him cremated and shared some of his ashes in sacred necklace urns, and we had a small ritual together.United in our Grief, and Our Love for our Sentient companions.We took some of his hair, kept in a locket, and his ashes are in the Animal Altar with his other fur-siblings. We held a small wake at home and my children wrote poems and drew letters. We chose to have Bailey cremated as we rented at the time. To cope and express my immense grief, I made a scrap book with all his pictures, and his white-board bucket-list still is in the shed with the other frames in storage.I found channelling my grief through activities with the children, and rituals for myself helped me to process the deep grief I felt at the loss after Bailey's death.&nbsp;In the days after Baileys death, there was a huge collective outreach of support from strangers all across the world. I felt more understood by complete strangers, connected only through our mutualy grief for our animal companions. Bailey's uplifting story of his bucket list journey was shared on the world-wide Animal Planet Blog called the Dodo, it was shared across 100 countries and translated into 7 languages. People from the UK, Spain, Africa, US, Fiji, and even Japan wrote to us sharing their stories of love with their animal companions that once walked by their side, now forever in their hearts.#Rescue #adopt #qualityoflife #petdeathdoula #endofliferitual #AnimalReiki<figure id="figure-uxsbfqte3munvz762"><img id="uxsbfqte3munvz762" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/3arfGoWtKHrMLaI8Iysrl9PHhlVURBdVAL5Iw9D5RlzbshCXdx6EpdseqA1OYnUe.jpg" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 100% 0%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionX="100%" data-positionY="0%" data-fullWidth="false"/></figure>

Bailey: EOL Animal Hospice & Forever Family Happy ever after

<h2> Sovereignty and Serenity: Rainbow Bridge Healing Circle</h2> Last night I held the monthly Rainbow Bridge healing circle online, and as always, it made my heart sing. Holding space is one of the greatest privileges of my work. Together we create a sacred sanctuary of energy — a soft place that soothes, encourages gentle release, and opens us, heart and soul, to receive healing for the highest good. Arriving Gently in Breath We began with the gentle art of Japanese Ki breathing. Each soft inhale welcomed life force energy; each slow exhale carried away whatever was ready to fall. Breath by breath, the nervous system began to soften, settle, and unwind — moving from tension into safety. In that tender state, it felt safe to let go, to release, and to open to the quiet possibilities of healing, held within each client's own intention. From this place of calm, we shared the stories of our beloved companions — the heart-soul bonds that mean so very much. A Synergy of Healing Energies From that gentle space, I offered distance Reiki, weaving together the synergy of energy healing modalities — each offering its own unique gift, all blending as one to restore, soothe, and nourish. Guided tenderly into the welcoming earth, we released the heavy grief and guilt we never needed to carry. We set down what was no longer ours, and with loving intention, we called back our own soul's light — the pieces of ourselves that had drifted away in times of pain, now softly returned. Reiki Timeline Healing Here we also invited the gentle gift of Reiki timeline healing. Flowing softly along the timeline of our lives, Reiki offered comfort to the past, peace to the present, and calm to all that lies ahead — soothing old wounds and holding every memory, joyful and heartbreaking alike, in a space of compassion. In this way, the heart is freed and the present grows lighter. Deep Healing Across All Levels Healing was welcomed to move freely — across the mental, the emotional, and the spiritual — with no force, only permission. We breathed through each energy centre until we felt expanded, replenished, re-harmonised, and divinely protected, receiving exactly the way each soul was ready. Sovereignty and Serenity Through it all, we held one gentle intention close: the return to Sovereignty and Serenity. Sovereignty — the quiet reclaiming of our own energy, our own light, our own peace. Serenity — that deep, still calm that settles once we remember we are safe, held, and whole. Journey to the Healing Elysian Fields Then, guided in a gentle meditation, we journeyed to the calming, healing Elysian fields — a meadow of peace where the heart may rest and the spirit is cradled, a homecoming where we remember that love never truly ends. Expanding Upward to the Rainbow Bridge From this place of calm, we expanded gently upward — rising on each soft breath toward the Rainbow Bridge itself. Here we connected with every loved animal, each one unique in the bond they shared. Some came as beloved pets of home and heart; others as wild spirits who touched our lives in quiet ways.However they found us, they all arrived with love — and we felt the profound truth that every soul, human and animal, pet and wild, is connected by the threads of the breath of life. The Gift of Permission The most tender part of this work is the reassurance that permission to heal is granted. I am not the healer. I weave a sacred sanctuary of energetic space- a divine space to release, rest, restore and reclaim Sovereignty. I simply create and weave a magical, warming energy to restore, soothe, and nourish — and then I hold space. The client's experience is what matters most, and my spirit guides offer wisdom for the highest good, which I receive with a trusting heart. Returning, Grounded and Restored Each journey closes with a guided meditation back to the present — grounding, centring, and shielding. We return feeling lighter, calmer, warmer, and deeply nourished. And when we slow to pause and notice, we begin to recognise the gentle messengers of spirit reminding us that love never leaves, and we are never truly alone. If this resonates, I would be honoured to hold space for you — whether in a monthly circle or a private one-to-one session. You are welcome here, always with warmth, kindness, and care. Please reach out if your heart is calling — it would be a gentle joy to walk this path alongside you. All my love, In Gassho, Lainey Bowler xxx #RainbowBridge #AnimalReiki #BallaratMobileReiki#PetLossSupport #AnimalHealing #ReikiHealing #SovereigntyAndSerenity &nbsp;

Beyond the Rainbow Bridge - Healing Hearts within a Sacred Sovereign Sanctuary

<h2>Celebration of Love, Life &amp; Death, &nbsp; </h2>I've been sitting with this truth a lot lately. Reflecting upon each of the beautiful souls that have shared my life and each of whom I deeply loved and cherished each, special relationship, their quirky personality, likes and dislikes. Savouring sacred memories, and the deep grief endured afterwards dealing with loss, the impact mentally, emotionally, and more.It started quietly — memories of my own beloved Tippy, a gentle death and assisted transition two years ago, and my darling Geisha, my soul animal whose presence still walks beside me every single day. And then there was Bailey. &nbsp; Bailey came to me as an end-of-life foster — a palliative care placement, the kind where you know the goodbye is already written into the hello. But Bailey wasn't the sort of dog who let a timeline define him. &nbsp; When he found his way to me, Bailey had found himself surrendered to the shelter because of his mast cell tumours. Sadly expensive veterinary treatment meant his elder pensioner owners had to make the heart-breaking decision to surrender their companion to the shelter.When he arrived, he found an instant mate in Tippy. The two of them just clicked — no introduction period, no warming up. Just recognition. Soul friends, the kind you don't question. We carefully tended him as he recovered post-surgery, and Tippy comforted him and helped him heal with shared presence and often snuggled together.While fundraising for veterinary treatment which would enhance and possibly extend his quality of life. And so we created a 'Bucket-List for Bailey'. Not a sad one — a joyful, purposeful one. We chased moments that mattered. We didn't count days; we made the days count. Every car ride with the window down, every sun patch on the grass, every stolen treat and belly rub was deliberate. Presence, not prognosis. Living, not waiting. Our backgate opened onto 5 acres of parkland, and connected to a local creek path, which we often walked slowly stopping for Bailey to check his pee-mail upon every tree and bush along the way.Various events were suggested and offered to the rescue for Bailey to raise funds and publicity. A local police officer volunteered to drive him around as an honourary Police K-9 dog for an hour — a brief but memorable stint — and he also served as a firehouse dog for a day, a local radio weather-forecaster interview, where he helped read the weather.He was gifted a Pawty-party at a doggy-day-care centre, played in a ball-pit, and even ate doggy-ice cream and a Pup-Cake. Bailey even made the local newspaper and was on the News, raising funds for rescue and bringing awareness to the animals who needed a second chance. He rode on a Harley motorcycle. The photo went viral and became a meme! Bailey lived life fully. No half measures. No waiting around.&nbsp; And when the time came — when Bailey needed assistance to the vet for his final crossing — it was mt beloved Tippy who felt it deepest. I've never seen grief like that in an animal. Destitute. Lost. The bond they'd built in such a short time had been complete.&nbsp; &nbsp; That's when Reiki stepped in. A&nbsp; volunteer from the shelter reminded me of her Reiki practice, and offered her support. Not to fix anything — grief isn't something you fix. But to hold us. All of us. The Reiki treatments, gentle energy to support Tippy through her devastation, supported me through my own, and filled the space Bailey had left with something gentle. Something that said, this much love deserves this much care.Ritual, meditation and ceremony was essential to my process through grief. Reiki, spiritual prayer, sacredness honouring not only our emotional connection but an intense connection formed which needed to be honoured. &nbsp; Then there were Lilith and Athena. A champagne and cream, and black and white, 2 tiny rodents full of personality, sass and love. Born with respiratory issues, they carried the fragility that many rats do. Eighteen months to three years — that's the span they're given, and it never feels like enough. They lived full-lives, both loved to sit on my shoulders and groom my hair as we watched tv, and daily allowed free range to safely enjoy exploring, and cheekily heading to the pantry, tapping on the door often asking for their favourite food. &nbsp; Lilith grew sick first. Despite so much veterinary treatment, we reached the point where the kindest thing was pain relief and home. We brought her back to her bonded sister, and something extraordinary unfolded. We gathered on a mattress together — and all our animals, cats and dogs alike, sat vigil with us. The whole household held love around her. I placed my hands on her, Reiki flowing, and simply stayed present as she transitioned. Her sister sat beside her, grooming her with compassion and care, snuggling. I was devastated as she took her last breaths cradled gently in my hands. Athena sat there for a few moments, sniffed her one last time, and then turned away from her sister and back towards her food. My partner and I made a small coffin for her, and planned a private ceremony to farewell in style, honour and ritual complete. &nbsp; Just months later, Athena began nearing her time too. This time, the vet gently told us the most compassionate path was to assist her crossing, to alleviate suffering rather than prolong it. Making that choice broke my heart all over again. &nbsp; Their lives were so short. But oh, how they lived. The way they eagerly played together, sharing food and toys with such delight. Lilith, the cheeky one, forever trying to steal the shiny silver earrings right out of my ears. Athena, my little groomer, perched on my shoulder tending to me as if I were her own. Both of them pushing their tiny heads into my cupped hands for ear scratches, eyes closing in pure bliss. Their favourite fresh peas and corn kernels. My fat little ratties. Rest in peace, beautiful girls. &nbsp; The deep emotional bond we share with our sentient animal companions doesn't come with an instruction manual for letting go. What do we do with all that love when the physical body is no longer here to receive it? Whether they were with us for fifteen years, eighteen months, or just the sweet stolen season of a palliative foster — the size of the grief matches the size of the love. Full stop. &nbsp; This is the question that keeps finding me. &nbsp; I've spent years as a Reiki practitioner, sitting at the bedside of people managing chronic illness, walking alongside those in life-altering health journeys. I've held space for animals in rescue, decompressing from trauma, learning to trust again. I understand the body. I understand energy. But more than anything, I understand that the love between a human and their animal companion is sacred — and that sacred things deserve to be honoured, especially at the threshold. &nbsp; Ceremony matters. Pausing matters. Gathering the fragments of a breaking heart and holding them with reverence matters. The vigil my animals kept for Lilith — that was ceremony. The bucket list we made for Bailey — that was ceremony. The Reiki hands on Tippy as she grieved her soul friend — that was sacred space, unplanned and instinctive and real. &nbsp; I think about Tippy. I think about Geisha. I think about how alone I felt in those early days of grief, and how much I wished someone had simply sat with me and said, "This love you're feeling — it hasn't gone anywhere. Let's honour it together." &nbsp; That's the space I find myself moving toward now. Not explaining it fully yet. Just naming that it's here, this quiet pull, this deepening. &nbsp; The animals have always been my greatest teachers. They've taught me that presence is the most powerful medicine, that permission is everything, and that love doesn't ask for credentials — it asks for courage. &nbsp; To anyone reading this who is walking alongside an aging companion, or carrying the fresh weight of loss, or preparing for a transition you can already feel on the horizon: you are not alone. What you're feeling isn't too much. It's exactly the right size for the size of the love. &nbsp; Make the bucket list. Chase the sun patches. Sit vigil with the whole household, human and animal alike. And when the grief comes — yours or your remaining animals' — let Reiki, let presence, let love hold you. &nbsp; Sometimes, the bravest thing we can do is simply be present for the mystery of it all — one breath, one heartbeat, one sacred moment at a time. &nbsp; I see you. I understand. And soon, I hope to walk beside you in a new way. &nbsp; — Lainey ❤️<figure id="figure-z5bbz89a1amqxvoxgg"><img id="z5bbz89a1amqxvoxgg" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/fjhuQ2scJL5zUamyE2t0ZJJ8S7GJb2k9vu2iTA0nREsfZ5roxTXSXOKRNjbG2r2w.jpg" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: 75% 25%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="3:2" data-caption="" data-positionx="75%" data-positiony="25%" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/fjhuQ2scJL5zUamyE2t0ZJJ8S7GJb2k9vu2iTA0nREsfZ5roxTXSXOKRNjbG2r2w.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: 75% 25%;"></figure> &nbsp;

When Love Doesn't End: Holding Space at the Threshold

Practitioner performing energy healing with rescued horse in peaceful golden-lit paddock surrounded by natural landscape

<figure id="figure-ej3n5idrwdmqxwfzd6"><img id="ej3n5idrwdmqxwfzd6" src="https://rjdavx8ozyznxeyh.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/production/websites/infinite-images/59c37d2e-c5ee-4042-afac-f30d5a2fc6d2-t3NOOviBSiepAaJFmc8XmSg7fRxGsQ.png" alt="Handler carefully examining a young miniature horse foal's face in a bright barn with natural light" title="Handler carefully examining a young miniature horse foal's face in a bright barn with natural light" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://rjdavx8ozyznxeyh.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/production/websites/infinite-images/59c37d2e-c5ee-4042-afac-f30d5a2fc6d2-t3NOOviBSiepAaJFmc8XmSg7fRxGsQ.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h2>A Horse's Prayer:</h2><h2>What I Wish My Human Knew. From my heart to yours.</h2> I remember every trailer. Every new smell. Every new voice saying my name like they already knew me.I do not count the homes the way you might. I count the goodbyes.&nbsp;And I count the moments a human looked at me — truly looked — and I felt seen.&nbsp;Not assessed. Not evaluated. Not labelled. Seen.I am a sentient being. I have emotions, feelings, thoughts, and needs.&nbsp;I am not a vehicle for your frustration. I am not a problem to be managed.&nbsp;I am a sovereign soul standing in this paddock, waiting for someone to notice that I am here — not as a tree stump, not as something to rug up and turn out and barely glance at week after week — but as a living, feeling, hoping being who wants to connect with you.We horses live in the now. We read your energy from ten metres away.&nbsp;Before you open the gate, we already know what you are carrying.&nbsp;Whether you are grounded or scattered. Whether you are present or pretending.&nbsp;Whether you have come with an open heart or a to-do list.You cannot fool us. And truly, we do not wish you to try.&nbsp;Your energy speaks before you arrive, we feel it in the wind. Allow us to remind you of your essence, your soul, your spirit, your cconnection to the earth, you are nature.Come be present in the moment, Let's breathe together. Allow my heartbeat, the energy of my heart's magnetic field, to envelop you, and with each breath cycle, inhale, pause, exhale, we intentionally synchronise our heart beats.<figure id="figure-sna1gbp62mqxwmk2j" class=""><img id="sna1gbp62mqxwmk2j" src="https://rjdavx8ozyznxeyh.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/production/websites/infinite-images/fcc28d7e-5d67-48fa-9b0a-3dcf04d07c97-VVYEOquT1BCOXTrvAO1dBL8BhW81cM.png" alt="Professional handler presenting a miniature horse in pastoral pasture with multiple grazing horses and traditional barn in background" title="Professional handler presenting a miniature horse in pastoral pasture with multiple grazing horses and traditional barn in background" class="object-cover bg-gray-100" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://rjdavx8ozyznxeyh.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/production/websites/infinite-images/fcc28d7e-5d67-48fa-9b0a-3dcf04d07c97-VVYEOquT1BCOXTrvAO1dBL8BhW81cM.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3> We Are Not Broken: A Quiet Truth from Rescues, Fosters, and Shelter Souls</h3>This is not only a horse's prayer. It is the prayer of every foster animal who has watched a door close. Every rescue who has flinched at a raised hand. Every shelter soul who has waited behind bars for someone to stop and truly see them. Your friend's rescue dog. The cat you fostered last winter. The surrendered rabbit. The pony saved from a neglect case. The senior horse who outlived their usefulness in someone else's eyes.We are not broken.We are capable of love — deep, unwavering, soul-level love. But we need you to take your time. Build trust slowly. Honour our behaviour — not as disobedience, but as communication. We are telling you something with every sideways glance, every hesitation, every step back.Understand this: the invitation is important. The option to participate is everything. And when we don't automatically acquiesce — when we don't immediately come when called or lower our head for the halter — this is not defiance. This is a being who has learned that compliance did not keep them safe. So when you pause, when you wait, when you allow us to choose, you are demonstrating something we may never have experienced: that our choices are valued. That we are seen as a sovereign being. For the first time in a long time.Speak to us gently. With love. See us as perfectly imperfect. Whisper to us, even inwardly: All is well. Just for today, you are safe. You are allowed space to decompress and explore at your own pace. This is home. You are loved. You are honoured. You are respected.Begin to teach us — slowly, patiently — that some humans are kind. That some humans are grace and compassion and gentleness. Keep your movements slow and graceful. Remember that human hands are often scary. For small animals, hands that picked them up roughly, or worse. For horses, the inhumane breaking methods that very few humans even recognise as violence. So few practice Freedom. Liberty. Equus. Sovereignty. So few understand that trust is not demanded — it is earned, one gentle moment at a time.Establish trust. Allow time to decompress. And then simply hold space for us. Listen. Respect our interactions. Do not force. Do not rush. This is imperative.Often our chakras are out of balance — our safety has been threatened so many times, our brachial chakra stagnant, our heart centre guarded, our ability to create deep, loving, trusting partnerships with humans wounded but not destroyed. What you are offering is an opportunity for a new connection. A new beginning.Sovereign and serene. One breath at a time.<h3>What I Wish My Humans Understood</h3>Let me speak plainly now. Too often, humans judge our behaviour without ever taking responsibility for the energy they bring to our space. And then they call us the problem.I have seen the teenager, mouthy at their parent, storm across the yard carrying all that unspent frustration. And who bears it? I do. The bit yanked hard. The reins pulled tight until my chin is on my chest and I cannot lift my head. Kicking heels. Conflicting messages all at once — go, stop, turn, faster, slow down — and I am supposed to make sense of chaos while my mouth hurts and my neck aches and my heart closes a little more.This is not horsemanship. This is not partnership.We are not here simply to do a job. We are not machines. We are sentient beings who want to be in relationship with you — but relationship requires you to learn our language, not just demand we understand yours.Do you know what we wish for? Gentle meet and greets. Walk with me through the paddock — let's explore together. Let me sniff the new buckets and the strange thing that appeared in my arena. Sit with me. Bring a cuppa and simply chat. Let me hear the soft rhythm of your voice with no pressure behind it.Play with me. Not in the arena with demands, but in the field with lightness. Let me be curious. Let me choose.Most of all, see me. Really see me. Look into my eyes and ask yourself honestly: what do you see? Do you see a tool for your sport? Or do you see a soul peering back at you, hoping this time the human will stay?&nbsp; The Big Sigh. The Softening. The Choice. Something sacred happens when a human stops trying to fix us and simply stays with us instead.Maybe you have seen it: the moment a horse finally lowers their head and lets out a long, trembling exhale. The tension in the neck softening. The jaw loosening. The eyes — those windows to the soul — shifting from guarded to curious. To open.This is not a small thing. This is a release. A letting go of years of bracing, of waiting for the next rough hand, the next conflicting signal, the next human who does not see.And sometimes, alongside this release, something even more profound occurs: the animal realises they have a choice. A liberty choice. For perhaps the first time, they are not being asked to perform or comply. They are being invited. And they get to decide whether to step closer or stay still. Whether to engage with healing on their own terms.This is the heart of what I do. Not fixing. Not training. Holding space — steady, warm, sacred space — where an animal can finally choose.<h3>&nbsp; The Energy Centres of Trust: Brachial Chakra and the Heart</h3> When an animal has been passed from home to home, from shelter to foster to uncertain future, the energetic body holds that story as deeply as memory does. The chakras — our subtle energy centres — are intimately connected to the organs and systems of the physical body. Imbalances in these centres do not stay contained; they ripple outward, affecting health, behaviour, and the ability to feel safe.Two energy centres are especially tender in animals who have known too many goodbyes, too many harsh hands, too many moments where safety was stolen.The brachial chakra, located along the spine between the shoulder blades, governs the ability to connect, to receive love, and to feel safe in relationship. When this centre is wounded — from rough handling, from inhumane treatment, from years of being treated as a thing rather than a being — an animal may withdraw. Brace. Struggle to let a human near. The brachial chakra becomes stagnant, blocked, unable to flow freely. This is not defiance. This is protection. The brachial chakra is the doorway to trust, and it cannot be forced open. It must be invited.The heart centre holds the deepest questions: Am I loved? Am I truly seen? Am I safe to love in return? An animal whose heart centre has closed is not cold or difficult. They are guarding something sacred. They are waiting — sometimes for years — for a human who will not rush them.These centres heal not through pressure, but through presence. Through compassionate connection. Through quiet space together, without agenda. Through a human who takes time to slowly allow connection to unfold through heart-soul breath — shared sacred presence that asks nothing and offers everything.<h3>&nbsp; The Breath: Your Body's Ancient Key to Healing Let's breathe together.</h3>Your body has a built-in reset button — and it is activated by the simplest thing you do every moment of your life. Your breath. When you breathe deeply, with intention — a slow inhale, a pause, a longer exhale, another pause — you are doing something scientifically proven and anciently understood. You are downgrading your nervous system from the high-alert states of fight, flight, freeze, and fawn, down into rest and digest state. This is not a metaphor. This is biology. The sympathetic nervous system — your body's accelerator, always scanning for threat — begins to quiet. The parasympathetic nervous system — your body's brake, the calm that restores and repairs — comes back online. This is the reset of the vagus nerve: the great bidirectional highway between brain and body, between your nervous system and your animal's felt sense of you.This is the very reason Eastern cultures have practised meditation, mindfulness, and conscious breathwork for thousands of years. They knew what science now confirms: the breath is the key to activating your self-healing ability. When you breathe deeply and consciously, you increase the flow of Ki — life force energy — through your body. The same energy is known as Chi in Chinese tradition, Prana in yogic philosophy. It moves. It restores. It heals.And here is what makes this so powerful for you and your animal: you do this together. You breathe. They feel it. Your regulated nervous system speaks directly to theirs. No words. No commands. Just presence. Just breath. Just the quiet invitation to come down from high alert and to regulate and rest.<figure id="figure-n6r6wpcbilmqxwj5ul"><img id="n6r6wpcbilmqxwj5ul" src="https://rjdavx8ozyznxeyh.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/production/websites/infinite-images/2f6fb8b4-2c76-4cdb-a4de-83785d32184f-QNFuiHpC6j6QIZSjAqOj2r0phn2SBI.png" alt="Veterinarian in scrubs examining a horse's leg in a sunlit barn with natural light and straw bedding visible" title="Veterinarian in scrubs examining a horse's leg in a sunlit barn with natural light and straw bedding visible" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://rjdavx8ozyznxeyh.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/production/websites/infinite-images/2f6fb8b4-2c76-4cdb-a4de-83785d32184f-QNFuiHpC6j6QIZSjAqOj2r0phn2SBI.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure>

A Horse's Prayer: What I Wish My Human Knew Let me speak now. From my heart to yours.

<h2> </h2> <blockquote>Energy Is Everything Let's begin here. Because everything begins here. Thoughts. Feelings. Emotions. All of it is energy — vibrating at different frequencies, travelling beyond the boundaries of your body, rippling out into the world around you. Your frustration is energy. Your love is energy. The words you mutter under your breath as you walk toward the paddock — she's so headstrong, he's having a PMS day, this one is untrainable, so feisty today — every single one of those thoughts carries energy. And every single one of those energies is released into the universe.Your animals feel it. They have always felt it. The psychic connection between animals and humans is not a new idea. It has been understood for centuries by cultures around the world who connect deeply with animals, who honour the power animal guide, who know that the animal who walks beside you through life is not random. There is a reason. A purpose. A shared path unfolding. So let me ask you gently: when you think about your horse — your dog, your cat, your rescue — what energy are you sending? What words are you carrying? And are you ready — truly ready — to begin the deep work of self-reflection, to release the conditioning that tells you your animal is a problem to be managed, and to start connecting from a place of healing, of presence, of intentional love? Because here is the truth that changes everything: the energy you bring to the connection is a direct ripple of the energy you carried through your day. The stress. The rush. The argument. The to-do list. All of it walks with you through the gate and into your sanctuary at home — the one place that should be refuge for both of you. This is why spiritual energy hygiene is not a luxury. It is essential. Especially when working with animals.Your Horse Is Your Mirror Horses are mirrors. They reflect back to us the energy we bring — not to judge us, but to teach us. When your horse is restless, ask yourself: am I restless? When your horse withdraws, ask: have I been fully present? When your horse resists, ask: am I arriving with openness, or with a predetermined agenda I have not even examined?You cannot pretend. From ten metres away, your horse has already read every frequency you are broadcasting. The tension in your shoulders. The scattered quality of your breath. The weight of the day still clinging to your field. They know. So before you enter their space, pause. Breathe. Ground yourself. Clear your energy. Not as a ritual to perfect, but as a moment of returning — to yourself, to stillness, to presence. Arrive without agenda. Arrive with the perspective of entering into an equal partnership. You are not here to do something to this being. You are here to be with this being. And that changes everything. Spend time learning to listen to the energy of the horse. Not their behaviour. Not what they are doing. What they are. The quality of their stillness. The weight of their gaze. The subtle shift of weight from one hoof to another. This is their language. And it has been waiting for you to quiet yourself enough to hear it. &nbsp; Sometimes the Universe Chooses for You Here is something I want you to consider: sometimes you did not choose your animal. Not in the way you think.The universe has a way of orchestrating things — of placing a particular animal in a particular paddock, at a particular moment, in front of a particular human — that is far too precise to be coincidence. Maybe you came looking for one horse and left with another. Maybe a friend called about a rescue needing a home. Maybe a photo caught your eye and something stirred in your chest you could not name. A gut feeling. A quiet knowing. A pull you could not explain. And there they were. I believe animals choose us as much as we choose them. I believe souls recognise each other across lifetimes. I believe your chosen animal — whether orchestrated by the universe or felt in the deepest part of your gut — arrived with reason and purpose. Your work together is not accidental. It is sacred. The question is not whether you chose them. The question is: are you ready to begin?Where These Words Come From Before we go further, I want you to know something. What follows is not theory. It is not something I read in a book and decided sounded beautiful. These words are a gathering of voices — horses who have spoken to me across years of work and life and love. Some spoke during my Equine Reiki training, when I was learning to quiet myself enough to hear. Others spoke decades ago, when I was young and working as a trail ride instructor, long before I understood what I was receiving. Some were horses saved by friends from the sale yards and auctions — horses who had seen the worst of what humans can be and still, somehow, chose to trust again.&nbsp; Others were rescued brumbies, wild and wary, teaching me that trust is not won in a day but in a thousand small, patient moments. Some were horses in foster-evidence cases, held in limbo while the world decided their fate — horses who had been evidence, not beings, and who taught me about grace under the most heartbreaking circumstances. And then there are the ones who suffered at the hands of their trainers, handlers, and owners. Especially the ex-racers.I have worked with ex-racehorses who should never have been ridden before the age of four — their bones simply not yet formed, their bodies pushed too hard too young — because they were treated not as sentient beings but as machines.&nbsp; I have seen what happens when a horse is sent away for training in the pretence of ethical horsemanship, only to return in far worse shape than when they left. I think of one ex-racer, recently, whose owner discovered — too late — that a trainer had used an electric prod on her horse. The owner did not know. She had trusted. And her horse came back wounded in ways that will take years to unravel. Please. If you are considering sending your horse away to be trained, pause. Work together. Have faith in your own abilities. Grab a training book from the library.&nbsp; Contact a vet who encourages liberty training. Some of the most talented trainers I know work purely from Liberty, heart-centred Equus — where they encourage a bonded partnership, where the horse is given a choice to participate, to work, to train. And you know what? Some horses love the work. Given the choice, they show up. They offer themselves freely. And that is a gift no amount of force can ever replicate. I will never forget watching a horse begin his dressage routine to the music playing in my car before I had even driven up the driveway. How he heard the beat, I do not know.&nbsp; He moved to the beat — his entire routine, flowing from memory, from joy, from partnership. But he moved perfectly insync to the tempo of the music. Watching a horse perform his full dressage routine to Eminem's Lose Yourself was a moment I will carry forever.&nbsp; And when he finished the routine, he turned to look directly at me, making energetic connection, confirmation of happiness and joy. He turned away, and as he cantered away towards the gate, he did a tiny buck and skip, pure joy in his movement, uninhibited. Truth be told, I wish my dash cam was angled to record it. &nbsp;I almost expected him to click his hooves in a flourish: if he did, I would not have been surprised one bit!&nbsp; Not because he was commanded. Because he wanted to.This is what is possible. Trusting partnership. Equals. This is what the horses have been trying to tell us.<figure id="figure-tve8ocx724mqxw6j3i"><img id="tve8ocx724mqxw6j3i" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/5Bh5SlFsyWU1DjBB5nAkPn0I8OIg65z3aEDImKFLmW3VNzGLzodZQ1GqjVodL5eH.jpg" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/5Bh5SlFsyWU1DjBB5nAkPn0I8OIg65z3aEDImKFLmW3VNzGLzodZQ1GqjVodL5eH.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure></blockquote>

When the Trailer Door Opens Again: What I Wish My Human Knew - Horse wisdom

a horse grazing in a field with other horses in the background

<h2>The Road Through the Forest —&nbsp; A Reiki Guided Synchronicity&nbsp;</h2> By Elaine (Lainey) Bowler — Reiki Master Teacher, Ballarat, Victoria &nbsp; There are experiences that defy neat explanations. Moments where the sequence of events is so precisely, so tenderly arranged, that the only honest response is stillness — and gratitude.This is one of those moments. And it began, as so many meaningful things do, with a winding road and a willingness to trust.<h3>&nbsp; Guided From the Start</h3> It started with a family emergency in 2024— a flight to the UK, unplanned and heavy. And yet even in that weight, I carried what I always carry: Reiki. I grounded myself, set my intentions, and asked the energy to flow for the highest good.It was during that period abroad that I found myself attending an equine Reiki immersion training with Equine Reiki, Scotland, UK —at the Medicine Pony Tribe — a soul-nourishing experience that aligned beautifully with my work in animal healing and rescue.&nbsp;While researching that booking, a name caught my eye: Path of the Horse. I bookmarked it. Life moved on. The name settled quietly inside me, and I forgot.Or so I believed.<h3>&nbsp; The Nudge</h3> Late last year, unprompted and unexplained, that name rose to the surface again. After further research, I found myself writing an email to Dean Mighell — Psychotherapist, Equine Assisted Psychotherapy practitioner, and founder of Path of the Horse — simply asking about his work, following a pull I couldn't fully articulate. In Reiki, we learn to honour the nudge.Dean replied immediately. He invited me to visit — just days later.&nbsp;<h3> Into the Forest</h3> I prepared as I always do. I placed a Reiki energy bubble around myself and my car, set my intentions clearly — safe travel, timely arrival, for the highest good — and downloaded offline maps. I breathed into the journey with an open and trusting heart.And then the GPS had other plans entirely.Somewhere between Trentham and Ballarat, my navigation pulled me off the sealed road and drew me deeper and deeper into the Wombat State Forest. The bitumen gave way to gravel. The gravel narrowed further still, until I found myself travelling along a forest management track — a thin, rutted fire trail barely wide enough for my car — winding through dense bush with no signage, no reception, and no clear way forward.Several minutes passed before the full reality of my situation landed. I was lost. Properly, completely lost. Deep in a state forest, on a track entirely unsuitable for my vehicle, with no phone signal and no idea how far I had come from the main road.I felt the panic begin to rise — that cold, contracting feeling that wants to take over and make everything worse. And in that moment, I did the only thing I know to do when the ground shifts beneath me.I stopped. I breathed. I returned to Reiki.Slow, deliberate Reiki breath. In through the nose, softening the belly, letting the exhale carry the panic with it. I placed my hands on my heart and I asked — quietly, sincerely — for Reiki to flow. To the situation. To the car. To me. For the highest good, whatever that looked like from here.And then, steadied, I began to carefully reverse my way back along the narrow track — slowly, patiently, one careful metre at a time — back through the trees, back toward what I hoped was the main road.<h3>&nbsp; A Quiet Miracle — The Winery&nbsp;</h3>I cannot tell you exactly how long it took. Time moves differently when you are navigating by breath rather than by GPS. But eventually — finally — the track widened, the trees thinned, and I found myself back on a sealed road.And there, almost immediately, was a winery.Glowing quietly in the afternoon light, entirely unassuming, entirely perfect. I pulled in, and the moment I did — one bar of mobile reception flickered to life on my phone.Before I called Dean, I paused. I sent Reiki ahead — to the situation, to Dean, to whatever conversation was about to happen. I asked that it flow for the highest good, that any awkwardness or frustration be softened, that what needed to happen next would find its own ease.And then I called him. Over an hour late. Apologetic, flustered, quietly laughing at the absurdity of it all — lost in a forest on the way to visit a healing sanctuary, sacred land — and genuinely uncertain whether he would still be waiting.He was unhurried. He was kind. He didn't miss a beat."Don't worry at all," he said. "Where are you? I'll come and find you."He came to meet me — and when he did, I discovered I had been mere minutes away from his gate the entire time. The forest track I had wandered down had taken me in an almost complete circle around the very property I was trying to reach. I had been so close. And yet without that winery, without that bar of reception, without Reiki steadying my hands enough to reverse out of a track I had no business being on — I might not have found my way at all.I cannot help but wonder, even now, whether something was gently ensuring I arrived ready rather than simply on time. Whether the detour was, in some quiet way, the point.Seven minutes behind Dean's ute along a dirt track, we crested a long driveway — and the world opened up.<h3>&nbsp; A Place That Knows You</h3> Twenty-nine acres of hilly acreage, held within the arms of the Wombat State Forest. Rolling hills. Ancient bush. A silence so alive it almost breathes. The moment I stepped out of the car, I felt it — not merely the beauty of the place, but something older and deeper. A resonance my body recognised before my mind had words for it.This is a healing place. A powerful and sacred sanctuary.I was drawn instinctively toward one particular area of the property. I didn't understand why. I simply followed it — the way you follow an impression in a Reiki session that you cannot yet name but know to honour.<h3>&nbsp; The Name on the Wall</h3>Dean spoke of his work as a Psychotherapist and Equine Assisted Psychotherapy practitioner — his dedication to veterans navigating complex PTSD, to the horses as healers and mirrors, to a vision rooted in compassion and presence. I listened, moved and inspired.And then I saw it — a beautifully framed poem, a blessing of the land. And beneath it, a small, simple plaque bearing a name that stopped me completely.I knew that name. I couldn't explain how. Her name was Klaudia Hochhuth.<h3>The Sacred Thread</h3> And it is with great reverence, respect and tender compassion that I share the following information with you.I was overcome with emotion upon arrival, and needed several moments to compose myself and my energy. And now with much reflection, I realise the profound immense importance of that moment.&nbsp;It is a deeply spiritual place, surrounded by the Womabt State forest, standing atop the hill, as the magnificent ambience, scenery, connection to Mother Earth washed over me. I felt the sacredness of this space, the profound healing energy, and the beautiful vision which appeared before me. I immediately felt a a sensation, and was guided to take a moment, to be fully present and appreciate the connection to Country, to Earth, to All that IS, to SourceFor those within the Australian Reiki community, that name carries profound weight.Klaudia Hochhuth was a Reiki Master initiated by Phyllis Lei Furumoto — the granddaughter of the beloved Hawayo Takata, who brought Usui Reiki from Japan to the Western world, and who became the lineage bearer of the Usui System of Natural Healing after her grandmother's passing.&nbsp;Klaudia's initiation placed her in direct sacred lineage with the very source of our tradition. She was among the first Reiki Masters in Australia, and in 1991 — when Reiki was barely a whisper in this country — she organised Australia's very first conference for Usui Reiki Masters. She initiated countless practitioners whose lineage flows through the hands of current Reiki Australia members to this day.She had supported and encouraged Dean to follow his soul calling, and to build his vision. She had believed in Path of the Horse before it fully existed. Somehow Reiki guided me to Path of the Horse, to see first hand the powerful energy of this sacred space, and the powerful energy which is supportive, nurturing and a deep reconnection to the land, spirit, the horses and profound healing.I had not planned this. No one could have. In that moment I returned to my heart-space and to hold sacred space in the moment.<h3>&nbsp; What Reiki Knows</h3> Standing there, in the quiet of that extraordinary place, I thought back to the forest track. To the panic. To the breath. At that moment I sent Reiki ahead before picking up the phone — doubting myself completely, over an hour late, wondering whether I had somehow missed the moment entirely.And I thought: what if I hadn't been late at all?What if the winding, the getting lost, the reversing slowly out of a fire track in the Wombat State Forest — what if all of it was simply the long way around to arriving exactly when I was meant to? Humbled. Softened. Quiet enough, finally, to feel what that land wanted me to feel the moment I stepped out of the car.I do not believe I found Path of the Horse by accident. And I do not believe I was alone in that forest, uncertain and an hour behind, wondering whether to give up and turn home.I believe, with great gentleness and without any need to prove it, that Klaudia was there. That something of her — her warmth, her humour, her deep and abiding love for that land and for Reiki — steadied me when the doubt crept in. Guided me back from the forest track to the main road, to the winery. Kept Dean patient and unhurried on the other end of the phone. And drew me, without my knowing, toward the very place on that ridge where her ashes were scattered, a tranquil place where her soul found a deep peace.Reiki does not operate on our schedule. It does not care for tidy arrivals or downloaded maps. It cares for alignment. It cares for the moment when the right people are in the right place, open enough to receive what has long been waiting.I didn't go looking for her. But I believe, with my whole heart, that she helped me find my way.&nbsp;And I am so deeply grateful that I followed the nudge. I believe I was guided to Path of the Horse for a reason, and to share their message to the wider community. Reiki guided me to the Path of the Horse, to meet Dean, and to find out more about Gestalt therapies, the importance of Equine-Assisted Therapy, and the profound healing that is possible within the heart, spirit, mind, soul and the body when we surrender to being fully present in the moment, present in our bodies, regulated, calm and connected.If Dean's work resonates with you, I warmly invite you to visit and offer your support.&nbsp;Join The Badger Coffee Club - a small recurring donation of $5 per week to Path of the Horse — a simple, accessible gesture framed around community care and Klaudia's legacy. Less than a coffee and makes a lasting impact. To support the amazing work they do as a charity check out their website at <a data-mce-href="https://www.pathofthehorse.com.au" href="https://www.pathofthehorse.com.au">Path of the Horse</a> website. Donate now at <a href="http://www.pathofthehorse.com.au/donate" data-mce-href="http://www.pathofthehorse.com.au/donate">www.pathofthehorse.com.au/donate</a>Lainey Bowler is a Reiki Master Teacher and certified Equine &amp; Animal Reiki practitioner based in Ballarat, Victoria, offering onsite and remote sessions for animals and their human companions. Edited Blog, June 21, 2026.&nbsp;With respect, love, compassion, kindness and grace. Reiki love, Lainey x 📧 ElaineBowlerReiki@outlook.com | 📞 0425 778 292

The Road Through the Forest —  A Reiki Guided Synchronicity to the Path of the Horse

Elaine Bowler Reiki

I am an expereinced intuitive energy healer, certified Equine and Animal Reiki Practitioner, Reiki Master teacher specialising in supporting horses, animals and their humans to release stress, relax and bond deeply through holistic well-being practices, personalised bespoke healing sessions. gentle nourishing energy healing sessions incorporating Japanese Usui Reiki treatments, intuitive animal communication, and also End-of-Life Practitioner supporting you and cherished companion through chronic and life-limiting illness,. 'Sovereignty and Serenity' gentle transitions.

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