by Ursula Janiga-Price
A few weeks after I completed my Level II Reiki class, my friend Linda called me to come to the aid of a wren. The wren had flown into her patio window and was lying stunned and helpless in her garden. She told me she thought the tiny bird had a pulse, and she wanted to see if Reiki could revive it back into flight. Linda had covered the wren with a tea towel and placed it on the ground, hoping it would recover from the shock of the impact.
When I arrived at Linda’s house, the wren was lying on its side, listless, with its head peeking out from under the towel. It managed to look straight into my eyes when I touched its head and back. I picked up the bird and held it gently between my hands, covering the entire tiny body. I was in awe of how beautiful this little bird was and immediately was guided to give Reiki under the wings and into the back just using my pinkie fingers. I could feel the Reiki energy flowing into the bird and warming up its shivering body.
I continued to give Reiki, and we watched as the little wren stood up on the palm of my hand and looked right into my eyes. I drew the Power symbol over its body and told the wren to fly as soon as it felt strong enough and was ready. About a minute later the wren stretched out its wings, once again locked eyes with me, and flew straight up into the air. It circled the garden, then came back and landed right in front of my feet. I bent down, gave it another little bit of Reiki and smiled at this most incredible little creature of God’s. I knew as it looked directly into my eyes again that it was thanking me. Linda and I both had watery eyes by now. The wren flew up around us, circling several times, then around the entire garden as if it were doing a wonderfully choreographed dance. As it flew out of sight we could still hear it singing!
Any doubts, fears or lack of confidence in my abilities with the healing energy of Reiki melted away that day. When I held the limp body of the little wren, I found myself doing what I was being guided to do without thinking about the process or technique. There was no time to waste. No time for all those questions that often popped into my mind about my ability to give a treatment. Nowhere in my Level I or Level II Reiki courses did we discuss hand positions for healing little wild birds that fly into windows. I had to rely on my Reiki hands to transmit the energy where it was needed in the wren’s body. I had learned that Reiki goes where it is supposed to in the person and just knew that it would also do the same for the little wren. As the Reiki energy was flowing through my hands, my heart and mind were filled with love and compassion for the little bird. It responded well to the caring and healing energy.
Wren stands up after Reiki healing.Sometimes the smallest of creatures and what appear to be the tiniest of healings have the most powerful effect on our lives. I felt an immediate connection with the wren in the garden that day. The experience was truly amazing.
Since then, I have become more aware of our feathered friends and the gifts they share with us. Often, on nature walks, hikes in the mountains, or just working in my garden, I am made aware of the birds around me. They seem to know that I will listen to their songs and send them love and healing energy. They land close to my feet, or on a branch at eye level so that I will notice them. They fly by my ears and a few times have landed on my shoulders. Some birds will want me to follow them to show me the nests they have built. Others will show off with their singing and talents for a long time. They often look right into my eyes to connect and then go about their jobs. My husband and I had a large woodpecker accompany us one day on a walk through the forest. Every few feet he would land just ahead of us, chip away on dead wood, and show us the insects he found.
We watched him in delight for several minutes. He turned his head and looked into our eyes many times during his work. I always beam Reiki energy to the birds, and they seem to love to receive it. In turn, they lighten my energy with their playful flying, various sounds and songs.
The little wren experience was a turning point in my Reiki journey. It nudged me to continue my studies to take the Master levels and set up my own full-time Reiki practice. Linda was guided to begin her Level I and now has her Advanced Reiki Training. She has recently become a Master gardener, and she incorporates Reiki energy into all of her clients’ gardens. Several summers have passed, and the wrens continue to come back to both of our gardens. We are always reminded of that very special little wren. They not only grace us with their presence and song but also remind us of the healing power of Reiki even on the tiniest of God’s creatures. When we reminisce about the “Reiki Wren” we sigh and smile with thanks and gratitude.
This is an excerpt from the complete article that appeared in the Winter 2008 issue of Reiki News Magazine.
