Come and join us for an afternoon of you time.

Our ladies’ afternoon is for a small group of thirty ladies. It is an opportunity to connect with others, indulge in afternoon tea, participate in our wellness sessions, and experience a one-on-one therapy session.

In addition, we will have a raffle that will include prizes for a 1:1 session with Irena-Marie Makowski, an animal communication session with Colleen Kersey, Jo Malone’s room fragrance, a bottle of gin and all that is needed to drink it, and more.

Finally, we all have gifted items or items that we no longer need or use stored away in our cupboards, so we will have a (small) area for you to browse with an honesty box.

If you have any (good condition) clothes, accessories, jewellery, bags, or any items that would interest our female attendees, such as books or crafty bits, we would greatly appreciate your contribution. Please let us know if you would like to donate.

We hope you can attend. As this is a small event, places will be given on a first-come basis. Once we have your R.S.V.P. (contact@dawnandduskfrance.com) and payment to secure your place, we will send you an online form to fill in for the sessions. (Please note that we will try our best to allocate your first choice but ask for a second and third.)

Tickets are 28 €, payable via cash

Cheque, payable to Dawn & Dusk which should be sent to Ali Stickler, La Singlarie, 12270 Najac.

Paypal (friends & family option) donations@dawnandduskfrance.com.

HelloAsso https://www.helloasso.com/associations/dawn-and-dusk/formulaires/

bank transfer please contact Ali Stickler for details.

We envisage it will be popular, so don’t sit on the fence if you wish to come. xxx

Do you believe in Serendipity? By chance now volunteer Colleen came to visit Dawn & Dusk. I am not sure if it is the residents who need her or Colleen meeting the residents that have made her decision to reinstate practising animal reiki (Colleen presently practices human reiki ). But we are rather excited that she has so that she can physically, (eg when a dog has pain) and emotionally, (eg a dog suffering trauma) help a dog if they wish, when needed.

Plus Colleen is willing to help dogs outside of Dawn & Dusk. I asked her to give a simple explanation of what Reiki is, what is involved and how it can help not only our dogs but us too. You may want to get a drink and take a seat while you read. For more details or to book an appointment, please contact Colleen via her website www.authenticpathways.net or colleen@authenticpathways.net

Colleen writes –

Everything is energy, energy is all around us.

Before you roll your eyes and dismiss this statement as some new-age nonsense, remember that everything is made up of atoms. And those atoms don’t just sit there quietly being atoms, they jiggle around, and because they move, they give off a vibration and vibration creates energy, so…

… everything is energy.

Figure 1 Universal Life Energy E

Every inhabited continent has some sort of cultural relationship with a ‘universal life force energy’. According to these traditions, this energy sustains all life and is referred to in various ways – in the western world it’s good old ‘life force’; Qi/chi in China, Prana in India, Mana in Polynesia, Nyama in West Africa, Ki in Japan, and many more.

Everything has this life force, and because of that and the previously mentioned jiggling atoms, everything vibrates at its own frequency, and therefore is able to affect other things that vibrate as frequency around them.  Sometimes this frequency can be used to fix things, like broken bones ¹, and sometimes it is used to destroy things, like cancer cells using radiotherapy.²  A form of vibrational exercise has even been proven to improve dementia symptoms.³ Herein lies the link between frequency (vibration) and health.

A generally healthy human body vibrates at approximately 7.5Hz. If it’s SUPER happy, it vibrates higher, and if it’s ill, it vibrates lower. Basically, you give off a ‘low vibe’ when you’re feeling poorly.

So… people have energy frequencies, and these frequencies are susceptible to being changed by a variety of things which all help towards ensuring one’s life force (or energy) is free flowing.  Many ‘therapies’ deal with unblocking the flow of this universal life force inside the body. The belief is that when it cannot flow freely, it manifests itself in various physical, emotional and mental symptoms. When it does flow freely, the body has the ability to heal itself.

You may have heard of Reiki (pronounced ray-kee), you may have seen it in massage studios, yoga retreats or perhaps in spa facilities. Or even offered as a treatment, wait for it, in a hospital! (St George’s Hospital, SW London, for example).

Reiki as defined by the Oxford English dictionary is: “A healing technique based on the principle that the therapist can channel energy into the patient by means of touch, to activate the natural healing processes of the patient’s body and restore physical and emotional well-being”.

“A healing technique based on the principle that the therapist can channel energy into the patient by means of touch, to activate the natural healing processes of the patient’s body and restore physical and emotional well-being”.

Reiki was first ‘discovered’ by Mikao Usui, a Japanese man, way back in March 1922. He apparently received this gift of healing after spending time fasting for 21 days on a sacred mountain north of Kyoto. He claims that at midnight on the 21^st day, a powerful light suddenly entered his mind through the top of his head and knocked him out. When he woke, he felt refreshed, alive, and had a new level of awareness. Shortly afterwards, he discovered he could heal by placing his hands over an affected area.

Now, if you’re thinking, “Okaaaay, THAT’S a little weird.”, you’re not alone. I remember the first time I heard it on my training, I thought, “Wait…what the …? How exactly does THAT work?”

It sounded weird. It sounded woowoo. But do you know what? Lots of things in life sound woowoo, and by the time I’d finished my training and had experienced sensations by both giving AND receiving Reiki, I was less worried about how ‘woowoo’ it sounded, and thought more about, “Who can I help with my woowoo hands?”.

The UK Reiki Federation quotes:

“When giving Reiki, practitioners have been shown to emit electro-magnetic or bio-magnetic energy from their hands. The frequencies of the energy emitted vary from one moment to the next; but many appear to correspond to those that medical researchers have identified as being the optimum frequencies for stimulating the healing process in tissues, bones, and other body parts so far investigated.”¹  (UK Reiki Federation)

Reiki is not a religion, there is no dogma and you don’t have to hold certain beliefs in order to give, or receive, Reiki. It is always done with the best intention of the person or animal involved, and always done with permission. Always!

What happens during a Reiki session?

In a ‘person Reiki’ session, the person is either seated on a chair, or lies down on a therapy bed, and the practitioner places their hands on (or just above) the body in the area of the main energy centres or chakras. The chakras are referred to a lot in Eastern traditions, but in western traditions, they correspond to various glands in our body.

The practitioner starts at the head and works their way down to the feet. It’s relaxing treatment, so there’s not much talking. Sessions last roughly an hour.

When working with animals, you can’t just go ahead and start placing your hands all over their body. Animals are extremely sensitive to touch, and also to energy and anyone will tell you that you have to build trust before you touch an animal.

I follow a principle coined by Kathleen Prasad of Reiki Source, called ‘Let animals lead’.¹ So rather than ‘give’ Reiki to an animal, like you would give it to a person, you ‘offer’ it to the animal, and allow the animal to decide if they’d like to ‘join’ you. This is vitally important if you want to build trust with the animal.

When working with an animal, if it’s a bird, dog, cat, or horse, I always meditate beforehand so that I’m not thinking of washing the dishes when I get home; how much laundry I have; or how angry I am at something someone said earlier. I want the animal to sense calmness, serenity, love, and trustworthiness, not be thinking “Oh my goodness, what on earth is going on with this woman! There’s no way I’m letting her touch me!”

Once I’ve meditated, I would start the Reiki session near the animal by simply ‘being’ in a Reiki state. The animal will feel the Reiki and will decide if they want to partake, or not. If they growl, or show agitation, then they’re not happy or ready to join in, and the session would stop immediately. However, after a few minutes, I’d try gently again to establish whether the growling was “Hey, quit that right now!!” or rather “Hey, what’s going on?”

However, if they’re calm, they’ll settle down and do what they need to do which might not be what you expect. I have had animals sleep and sigh their way through an entire session, I have had others who got up and walked around every few minutes, and others who didn’t move from their bed from the moment I arrived to the moment I left. It’s vitally important to allow the animal to lead the session. For this reason, sometimes a session lasts 10 minutes, sometimes an hour!

It’s also very important to note, that I never approach an animal with an “I’m going to fix you.” mentality. Not only is that arrogant, it’s not allowing the animal to lead, and it’s a terrible approach to an animal, having an attitude that they’re broken. The mental approach is, “I’m here to offer Reiki, if you’d like to join me, you’re welcome. YOU are in charge.”

One very special little dog, Elliot, has a very tender spot on his tummy/ribs area, and despite not liking anyone to touch him there, always offers that same area to me for treatment.

When he’s had enough, he licks my hand, gives himself a good shake, and then trots off and that is my signal that he’s done.

Please note, this particular dog is happy with the ‘hands-on approach’; I do have doggy clients that I don’t touch, but simply sit nearby.

Reiki is not meant to be a substitute for medical or veterinary treatment, but as a complementary therapy. A Reiki Practitioner is not trained to diagnose or prescribe, and a client should speak to their doctor, or vet, directly if they have any concerns about their health, or their animal’s health.

Remember Reiki itself doesn’t heal; it simply creates an environment that promotes the body’s natural ability to heal itself. For that reason, I don’t call myself a Reiki healer, as I don’t heal. I call myself a Reiki Practitioner.

And besides, “Reiki Sharer so that people and animals can heal themselves” is awfully long for a business card…

Here are some of the benefits of Reiki for both people and animals:

• Helps the body release stress and tension which, in turn, improves sleep
• Provides pain relief
• Creates deep relaxation; reduces anxiety
• Boosts natural immune system
• Helps with post-surgery recovery process
• Reduces some of the side-effects of medicines
• Eases mood swings, fear, frustration and anger
• Provides relief during emotional distress, e.g., before, during, or after bereavement

For animals, some additional benefits include:

• Stress relief
• ‘Settling in’ for new homes
• Helping rescue dogs feel ‘safe’
• Transition (preparing both you and your animal for the time comes when they’re ready to leave this life

Well, I’ve kept you long enough. My cats are already starting to wonder why my thoughts are filled with dogs so much recently, and if you’re a cat owner, you know you’ve got to keep your feline-kids sweet, or there’ll be trouble.

I hope I’ve explained Reiki in an easy-to-understand way. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

1https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5243970/#:~:text=In%20summary%2C%2050%20Hz%20is,bone%20injury%20repair%20in%20vivo.

2 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3845545/

3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6165986/

4https://www.reikifed.co.uk/reiki-info/your-reiki-journey/

5https://animalreikisource.com/animal-reiki-information/the-approach/

Tempratures are rising. We know how we feel when we get hot and sticky, we try to make ourselves more comfortable by wearing summer clothes, drinking more fluids, changing our eating habits and hiding in the shade (or is it just me?) but how can we help our dogs in when it gets so hot? Having to go into town just after lunch in this heat I witnessed my pet hate, seeing dogs being walked on hot pavements, panting. Those poor dogs, something you would not see free-ranging dogs do, for they would be resting in the shade, sleeping or watching the world go by. Please rethink when taking them out, can you change your habits of not taking them everywhere with you? Can you make a vet appointment for first thing in the morning? or would they prefer being left at home resting?

Here are a few tips to make our canine friends feel more comfortable.

1. Stop the walk. We have conditioned ourselves that we must walk our dogs twice a day, no one really knows where this evolved from but we can break the cycle especially when it gets too hot. Dogs do not have to be walked all the time, especially in high temperatures that heighten the risk of heat stroke. Rather than walking give them some mental stimulation? (see below) Using their cognitive brain can tire them out as much as a walk. If you do need to take them out consider going early or late evening once the sun has gone down, perhaps there is a cooler place such as woods or a river to paddle in and take a slow short sniffy walk instead of a long hike. Don’t forget how hot surfaces get – we have soles on our shoes, dogs’ paws can get burnt.

Some dogs can suffer more in the heat than others; including puppies who can’t regulate their temperature, older dogs, breeds with thick fur and brachycephalic breeds (dogs that have shortened snouts eg pugs, bulldogs, boxers…)

2. Give your dog some mental enrichment. Using their cognitive brain can be as tiring as going for a walk. Rather than giving kibble in their bowl where it is gone in seconds sniffing out food is rewarding and can be built up in difficulty. Three ways to get you started without paying out for toys or equipment are:

Towel Lay a towel on the floor, place a few pieces of kibble or treats on one corner and cover with the towel for your dog to sniff out. Once they get the idea you can make it harder by laying the pieces on the mat and folding it in a variety of ways or sprinkle the kibble over the towel, with your hand twist the towel up so the kibble is hidden for your dog to hunt out.

Toilet rolls Close one end by overlapping one side over the other, place a few pieces of kibble or a treat in the roll closing the other end. Repeat filling up a small cardboard box for your dog to hunt out the kibble. Supervise your dog if they have a tendency to chew cardboard as this is not the intention of the activity. Try hiding them around the home for your dog to find. You may need to encourage them and build up the difficulty.

Recycling material Before recycling collect clean plastic bottles, yoghurt pots, paper, toilet roll inners, and pieces of material and place them in a large box with kibble sprinkled in (can add kibble to the scrunched up paper bag/roll inners and material) for your dog to snuffle out the food. You may need to start with a couple of items and build it up if your dog is worried about noise or putting their head in a box. You will soon get creative finding items to add. Remember no sharp items that they could hurt themselves on and items like polystyrene.

3. Provide a cool space for them to lie in. Most of us are lucky in our French homes have tiled floors and shutters to shut out the heat. A cooling mat/cooling bandana or vest come in a variety of styles, sizes and prices offering may be appreciated or a cheaper version that can be just as effective as a wet towel for your dog to lie on. Cool mats do need to be removed for a period of time to re-set themselves into the cooling gel form.

Introduce a fan this may be unnerving for some dogs so gradual exposure on a low setting out of direct exposure to start with and ensure they have access to fresh water at all times.

4. Give a cold treat Freeze treats in homemade stock (no salt) for an ice pop treat either in a container, Kong-type food dispenser or licki mat. Frozen treats could include pieces of ham, chicken, wet dog food, yoghurt, cream cheese, dog-friendly peanut butter, banana and vegetables……..

5. Think about whether your dog would be cooler with less fur? This can be controversial there is evidence to say that depending on the dog’s coat they may be better left uncut. Some dogs have two coats, a longer top coat and a short coat, the thinking is they act as cooling (and warming in winter) protection. you can read a comprehensive post (it is a long post).https://theeducatedgroomer.com/shaving-double-coated-breeds/

For many dogs, a short clip is welcomed. However, it may be your dog needs gentle desensitisation to clippers, standing on a table and often being restrained. Many groomers are beginning to understand the negative impact of forcing a dog to comply. Ask your groomer before taking your dog how they work with dogs that may be sensitive to being touched and groomed. Don’t forget regular brushing will help reduce the build-up of hair.