Create an Animal Healing Circle in Your Community

Shiri Joshua, M.A., is a psychotherapist, “animal whisperer,” and director of the Shiri Joshua Centre for Human & Animal Healing in Vancouver, British Columbia. Each month she holds Group Animal Healing Circles with the aim of celebrating and exploring the human/animal kinship. As she says, “Our aching planet is calling for our attention, and the animals are its co-guardians and our fellow travelers, with much to teach us about kindness, compassion, and living in harmony with nature.” She believes that if enough of these healing circles can be created, the impact of that intention will be profound — and measurable through the Global Coherence Project (glcoherence.org). We asked how we could help create more circles, and she gave us these eight steps:

1. The Space: If possible, pick a gathering place that is close to or within nature. This is where we are most able to expand our auras and tap into the universal mind with ease (more so than in the city).

2. Intention: I usually open my circles with a prayer of intent, asking that each participant (including me) may let go of his or her ego and allow for the pure energy of spirit to flow through each of us.

3. Cleanse, ground, protect: In your mind’s eye, see and feel your field being cleansed from the day’s events, through visualizations or cleansing ceremonies that suit your needs. Next, ground your energy by focusing on your breath for a few moments, feeling the soles of your feet on the ground. To protect your field, you may visualize yourself inside an oval of white light, or call upon the energy of your celestial guides.

4. Take a moment to think about and energetically invite any person, animal, or place that brings you joy: This will help to open up your heart chakra from which to direct the positive healing energy.

5. Become mindful: When ready, become mindful of the group presence and those who are around you, knowing that you are all synchronizing your hearts and minds as one collective open channel, through which the healing energy will flow.

6. Focus only on compassionate kindness energy: Proceed to bring to mind a particular companion animal, animal group, or the entire animal kingdom that may be in need of healing or human assistance (e.g., I use this method to help “warn” and thank certain animal groups who are being hunted seasonally or as a sport). Nevertheless, it is important to keep to positive energies of kindness, gratitude, and compassion at all times, as anger, judgment, hate, or aggression will contaminate and interfere with the resonance of our intention.

7. In your mind’s eye, ask them for permission to send healing: This may appear as a sudden image of your dog wagging his tail or simply a knowing that healing is welcomed.

8. Take a deep breath: When ready, focus your intention on an invisible cord connecting you to all group members and to the universal mind that is source energy. Trust that the healing is taking place, and see your companion animal (or animal group) as you wish them to be in perfect harmony: healthy, vital, happy, safe, or at peace. This can also assist animals who are near the end of their lives to pass on with ease.

Joshua says that being able to send healing through heart-focused intention is our natural gift. “If you feel yourself doubting your abilities or the process, you are likely trying too hard or have allowed your ego-mind judgment to come in the door. Just relax, and allow the wisdom of the universal genius to do its job through you.”