Peace-By-Peace owner and Reiki Master/Teacher, Caly Lehrer, met Randy the sato when he arrived at a shelter in New Jersey. A dog lover all her life, Caly has been dedicated to sharing her expertise with dogs and their owners; since meeting Randy, she has now graciously offered to share her experiences and expertise with us. Check here for regular articles from Caly, as well as answers to your questions.
Caly Lehrer is a Spiritual Guardian for Animal Wellness and is owner/founder of Peace-By-Peace, LLC, located in Littleton, Colorado. In addition to sharing Reiki and The Journey™ with our Animal Friends, as an Intuitive and Animal Communicator Caly also shares Chakra Balancing and Meditations (for pet loss support groups). She is an advocate for our Animal Friends. For more information about Caly and the work that she shares, visit her website at www.PeaceByPeace.net. Caly is pictured left with her sato Randy.
Homeward Bound
Recently, I’ve found myself going through some major life changes, one being moving across the country, from New Jersey to Colorado. This was a bold move on my part, as I really didn’t know anyone in Colorado; yet, every fiber of my being was telling me that this is where I needed to be – Grace was leading me to my new home. Doors were opening up for me and messages were being conveyed that I could no longer ignore. And so in total trust, I took that leap of faith and moved across the country on my own. Although filled with fear, I was following the breadcrumbs that were leading me to where I needed to be. As I’ve been settling into my new home and way of life out west (and believe me, there have been many adjustments to get used to), I have been receiving some wonderful e-mails. These e-mails are filled with joyous news about the dogs I intimately worked with while in Puerto Rico back in January – they’ve found their forever homes! Here it is several months later, and just as I am finding my new home and new way of life, so are the many dogs that I worked with. When I reflect upon this, I am in awe of the Divine Timing of how “my pack” and I are all going through such similar life changes at the same time.
Just as I was being led to a new home far away from that which I’ve grown accustomed to (I lived in New Jersey all my life), so were the beautiful sato dogs that I grew to love. I was leaving the East Coast for the West; the satos were leaving the sun-drenched island of Puerto Rico for their new homes on the East Coast of the States. As I’ve been following the trail of breadcrumbs divinely laid out for me, the sato dogs are also following the paths laid out for them. They, too, are now going through adjustments much like myself – unfamiliar weather/seasons; roads never before travelled; unfamiliar faces – not knowing who to trust; and mustering up confidence, to rely on strangers for guidance and support. We as humans know that these satos are blessed and are being gifted with a great new way of life – they’ve found their way home! The satos, however, don’t know that. To them, they’re facing unchartered territory; they’re embarking upon unfamiliar land. Some may be lavished with toys and treats that make every day feel like Christmas – some of these dogs will be ready to eagerly accept these gifts, while some may be apprehensive and not know how to handle all of this unfamiliar love and support. Some satos will be moving into homes with young children – a whole new type of eccentric energy to grow accustomed to. Some satos may eagerly take on the role of protector and guardian of these children, while other satos may need the children to protect them; or they may have to get used to children innocently pulling at their ears along with the sounds of siblings fighting over who gets to play with them next. And for some, the energy of children may simply be too much; these satos may require a home without children. Some satos may come into a home where there are already canine or feline siblings; here again, boundaries will be set, territories established and new energies to grow accustomed to. Some satos may wonder how to play with their new siblings, while for others, it may seem like they’ve been life long friends. Other satos will find their way into the homes of an elderly couple, where their way of life is quiet, serene and routine – a far cry from the demands of living homeless on the beach and scouring for food and shelter every day of their lives. Perhaps there will be long walks in the park every morning, followed by an afternoon of curling up beside their new mom or dad, who gently rocks on a porch swing, while reading a book. No matter the scenario, there is one truth that remains the same – we are always divinely led to where we’re meant to be.
I’m sure there are many of you out there who are wondering, “What Is All This Talk About Reiki and The Journey™?” So this month, I want to explain Reiki to you in more detail (and in a future newsletter, I’ll share information about The Journey™). As popular as Reiki is, to many it still remains a mystery – an unknown. Reiki (pronounced “ray - key”) is a form of energy work, which derived from Japan. The word “rei” means “Universal,” while the world “ki” means “Life Force.” That being said, Reiki is essentially Universal Life Force Energy. Reiki is a modality that allows a practitioner to serve as a conduit for the Universe’s healing energy to flow through them, to their client. By going through an attunement process, practitioners are more strongly connected to Reiki’s vibrational healing energy and thus able to serve as a bridge, connecting their client with Reiki’s beautiful energy.
We are all comprised of “ki” (life force); if we have no “ki,” we are no longer alive! As we move through life though, things happen that can deplete or block our ki (such as the passing of a beloved family member, the stress of losing a job, constant fighting in a relationship, etc.). If this happens too frequently and restorative measures are not taken, our energy becomes blocked enough that we begin to manifest things such as disease, illness, harbored emotions, etc. Reiki paves the way for potential healing by clearing away blocked or low energy from our bodies. When I teach Reiki classes, I often tell my students to think of Reiki as follows: Consider the pipe of a bathroom sink (said pipe being your body). Water (“ki”) is meant to flow through that pipe easily and effortlessly. If, however, something like a clump of hair gets stuck in that pipe (the hair representing low or blocked energy), although water can still flow through the pipe, it may take longer to do so. Initially, the water most likely flows through the pipe, albeit slower. As more and more hair continues to clog the pipe, however, the water eventually reaches a point where it’s barely flowing through the pipe, if at all. If the hair from the pipe is never removed, consider the damage that can take place! The same goes on within our bodies – we need to ensure that energy can flow through our bodies the way it was intended to do so. Ideally, we want energy to flow through our bodies easily and effortlessly; we don’t, however, live in a perfect world. Throughout life, we’re susceptible to an array of problems and challenges which can cause us to react in ways like tightening our bodies, “stuffing” things internally or withdrawing and shutting down ….all possibly leading to low or blocked energy. Thankfully, Reiki is a way to promote well-being and restored energy!
As a Reiki Master Practitioner/Teacher, I am able to share Reiki with my clients in several ways: hands-on (gently placing my hands on them); short-distance (they’re a few feet from me or I may work through their aura - the energy field surrounding their body); or long-distance (from New Jersey, I’ve worked on clients as far away as Canada, California and even India). By intending to connect my client with Reiki, and having been attuned to the different levels of Reiki, I am able to be that bridge. Reiki can help on the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual levels. Examples of these are as follows: physically, it can help with illnesses/injuries; mentally, it can help with things such as manifesting goals; emotionally, it can help with grief or matters of the heart; and spiritually, it can help with hospice care or euthanasia with animals. Reiki never harms and it is always intended to be complementary to any other care/treatment a client is receiving (whether that’s helping medications to work more effectively or working in conjunction with a physician or veterinarian).
Initially, I turned to Reiki for its self-healing properties to help me on my healing journey (I was afflicted with fibromyalgia for years and was also having a difficult time recovering from emergency thoracic surgery). Although I studied Reiki for my own well-being, I was also taught how to share it with other people. Through homework assignments and practice sessions, I received a lot of positive feedback on my ability to share Reiki with others; yet more than that, I saw how Reiki changed my life. I went from being bed-ridden to being told that my healing is “off the charts.” Seeing the profound impact that Reiki had on my life, I started my own business to share this beautiful energy with my fellow human beings. As I continued on this path though, I realized that my heart was guiding me along a slightly different course – I felt moved to also share this work with my Animal Friends. Although I was told that Reiki could be shared with animals, I was not initially taught the proper guidelines for working with animals. Sharing Reiki with animals is very different from sharing it with humans. As such, I immersed myself in learning how to share this work with our Animal Friends. And through the years, that has now brought me to where I am today – here with Save-A-Sato.
When I walked into the shelter at Save-A-Sato, there were so many pleading puppy-dog eyes crying out to me for healing love and attention. Of course, I wanted to help them all; yet, I couldn’t. Thankfully, Gloria (our President at Save-A-Sato) understood that it was far better for me to consistently focus on working with a handful of the same dogs, rather then quickly working on as many dogs as I could “fit in” throughout a day. Gloria knew that if I focused my intention on sharing Reiki with the same seven or so dogs (rather then working on every dog in the shelter), more significant results would occur. Thank you Gloria! So while in Puerto Rico, I focused my attention on sharing Reiki with the same dogs every day. As such, by the end of the week, remarkable differences were noted on the dogs that I worked with. One such example is that of Candy, who is very near/dear to my heart. When I first met Candy, she was unapproachable. Filled with such anxiety and fear, all Candy did was shake and cower in the corner of her crate, all the time. This is an example where sharing Reiki “short-distance” is the best approach, as touch was too fearful a concept for Candy. For about an hour each day, I’d sit just outside of her crate and channel Reiki to Candy. Without physically touching her, I was able to share Reiki with this beautiful soul. And wouldn’t you know that on my very last day at Save-A-Sato, Candy gave me the best gift in the world – she came up to me and licked my hand, allowing me (albeit hesitantly) to touch her. By patiently working on Candy’s terms, healing had begun.
When working with animals, it is always imperative that Reiki Practitioners first ask the animal if they are open/receptive to receiving Reiki. My experience has been that nine times out of ten, I will be told “yes.” If the animal doesn’t want Reiki, it could be that they just don’t want it ‘right now’ or it could mean they don’t want it at all! Either way, as a Reiki Practitioner I must respect the animal’s wishes. Animals are wise souls; most will even position themselves so the part of their body that is most in need of Reiki is directly in front of my hands. Animals intuitively know the many benefits of Reiki! As fearful as Candy was, shaking in her crate, she still gave me permission to share Reiki with her from a short-distance. Had I not listened to Candy and instead quickly rushed in, throwing my hands on her body and trying to force Reiki upon her the way “I thought” was best for her, the end result would have been far different from me receiving that beautiful farewell kiss on my hand ~ a gift I will forever cherish.
What has your Animal Friend been trying to tell you? Do you feel that he/she could benefit from Reiki? As a gift to our Save-A-Sato supporters, I will extend a 15% discount on your first Long-Distance Animal Reiki Session booked with me; simply mention this offer to receive your discount. Just by sending a current photo of your pet, I am able to share the beautiful energy of Reiki with your beloved Animal Friend, no matter where you may live. Feel free to e-mail me (
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) for more information regarding this special offer!
I recently returned from my first, but not last, trip to Puerto Rico to work with the sato dogs at Save-A-Sato. Although I’ve wanted to write about this trip for some time now; quite honestly, it’s taken me awhile to process ALL that I saw. How does one begin to share the high intensity of pain, sorrow and anguish felt with so many of the dogs, while also feeling the immense waves of friendship, support and unconditional love from all those at Save-A-Sato….along with you, our readers. I was blown away by all the loving e-mails and words of encouragement I received, especially from people I don’t even know, supporting my endeavors with the satos. I printed out each and every e-mail from you – knowing your words of encouragement would provide me with renewed strength when I was most in need.
When I first arrived at the airport in Puerto Rico, I made my way down to the baggage claim area. While gathering my suitcases, I received a phone call from Save-A-Sato’s volunteer, Leilani (one of my many Guardian Angels on this trip). Despite a lot of personal challenges which Leilani was facing at that time, she still found the time to pick me up from the airport and bring me to my hotel. Meeting Leilani was such a blessing – she is a kindred spirit, filled with immense love and positive energy. Before dropping me off at the hotel, Leilani wanted to show me one of the nearby beaches. A short drive from the airport, we arrived at the beach in Pinones. Although I wasn’t sure what to expect, I figured I’d get a glimpse of what the upcoming week would hold for me. I caught more than a glimpse though….I got a full-flavored taste! Within minutes of walking around Pinones, Leilani and I came upon a pack of dogs on the beach. This pack of dogs, comprised of varying shapes, sizes, and breeds, shared one common thread – they were all male dogs…..male dogs, encircling one lone female dog, very much in heat and obviously trying to “break away.” Yet no matter where this female dog turned, she found herself engulfed in a circle of male testosterone. There was no way out for her; she was trapped. I think I fell into silent shock as I watched Leilani expertly follow and maneuver through this dominant pack of males, cautiously trying to get to the lone female. Never in a million years had I anticipated seeing a scene such as this – the female dog was being aggressively followed by a pack of male dogs, all with one thing on their mind. I anticipated seeing many things – this, however, was not one of them - the possibility of dogs being raped on the beach. Ever so cautiously, Leilani and I worked with a local shop owner to break up the pack; and with Leilani’s expertise and guidance, we were finally able to swoop up the female and carry her to Leilani’s car. Of course, she shook like crazy and had no idea how she went from being aggressively followed to now being in the unfamiliar environment of an air-conditioned car. I could see the confusion and fear in her eyes, mixed with a twinge of relief. As I calmly spoke reassuring words to her, Leilani got on the phone with Gloria, the President of Save-A-Sato and it was decided that our rescued female dog should go straight to the shelter’s vet, Dr. Costa. That being said, Leilani had to drop me off at my hotel to get Save-A-Sato’s newest member to the vet. As we drove to the hotel talking, Leilani mentioned we had to come up with a name for our newfound friend. Without hesitation the word “Raven” flowed through my mouth. I don’t know how or why that name came to me, yet it did – so our new friend was named Raven. I had rescued my first sato!
Since Leilani was driving, I had had the blessing of holding Raven in my arms during the car ride back to my hotel. Even though I knew she was in great hands, it was hard for me to say good-bye to Raven once we arrived at the hotel. I didn’t want to let Raven go (a recurring theme throughout the trip)! I assured Raven that she’d be in good hands and that her world would now become a much safer place. As it turns out, Raven tested positive for heartworm. Thank goodness we had rescued her. Treating a dog for heartworm is not an easy fix and is often considered an art form. The dogs must be kept still, to avoid the possibility of existing worms from navigating any closer to the animal’s heart. So for now, Raven lays in a private kennel at the vet’s office – alone, confused and uncertain of her future. Although I knew that Raven was in a much better place, Raven had no idea what had happened to her familiar world. Gone was the floor of sand from beneath her feet, it was now replaced with a metal floor. Used to roaming the wide open beach, Raven now finds herself confined within the barriers of a crate. Although Raven is headed to a much better place, not all satos initially know that. Some instinctively know that they’ve been saved –some even come running up to you to be saved; others, however, may sometimes feel they’ve done something wrong and that their life has changed for the worse. They see themselves as captured, rather than rescued. Yet with the selfless gifts of time, love, patience, commitment, healing and support from people like Gloria, Leilani and many others at Save-A-Sato, these confused dogs begin to see shifts for the better in their lives – they feel love from the touch of a human’s hand, they go to sleep with a full belly every night, when it rains they are protected from the elements, and when they have medical challenges, they now receive the necessary care and medication. And as each day becomes one filled with more certainty, assurances and stability, the satos’ hearts become filled with love and gratitude for the blessing of being saved.
Raven’s story is just one example of what it’s like to be a sato. Please look for my next article with Save-A-Sato, which will continue to tell you about my life-changing journey with the satos.
Raven, in the car after just being rescued by Leilani and Caly.
January 2010 - Caly Prepares to visit Puerto Rico
It is the start of the New Year in 2010, as I prepare for a most arduous trip; I am heading to the beaches of Puerto Rico. When I share this news, initial responses are filled with excitement, as people exclaim how beautiful Puerto Rico is and how much I will love it there. My trip, however, is not one intended for pleasure or relaxation. As a matter of fact, I’m sure my trip will be anything but that. As I head out to Puerto Rico, I mean business – the business of saving our beloved satos.
My name is Caly Lehrer, and I live in the state of New Jersey. As a Spiritual Guardian for Animal Wellness, one of the many things I do is volunteer every Monday at my local animal shelter, where I share Reiki and The Journey™ with the homeless animals as they await their new homes. While volunteering in the fall of 2008, I was asked by one of the shelter’s managers to share Reiki with a sato dog named Randy, a whippet mix, deemed unadoptable due to his excessive shaking. Despite my best efforts, Randy proved to give me a run for my money when it came to sharing Reiki with him. Shaking incessantly, he would cower in a corner or dodge underneath anything that would give him cover – a metal chair; a desk; the ledge of a table top. If I dared get too close to him, Randy would bounce from corner-to-corner in our tiny, secluded work room – like a pinball in an arcade game, Randy was everywhere and nowhere. Since Randy was unapproachable, I would patiently infuse the room we working in with the healing energy of Reiki. Although I knew Reiki was helping to some degree, you would never know it by watching Randy. Week-after-week, I would return to the shelter and once again attempt to bond with Randy. After awhile, Randy and I made some headway; however, I would then be gone for a week and the little progress I made, seemed to be forgotten by the time I returned the following week. Over time, my love for Randy kept growing – so much so, that I finally approached the shelter to see if I could adopt him. Much to my surprise, as I was approaching my shelter to see if I could adopt Randy, they were approaching me to see if I would consider fostering Randy, which would enable me to work with him more regularly. Later that day, Randy came to my home for the first time. With Randy shaking like crazy, my other dog, Arielle, took Randy under her wing – wrapping her arm around him to quell his fears or licking his ears to ease his fright. And a few weeks later, Randy was officially adopted and became my Christmas present.
Prior to Randy coming into my life, I had no knowledge of sato dogs. I knew my shelter had taken in a lot of dogs from Puerto Rico, however, I had no idea why. Now that Randy was my very own, I wanted to find out WHY he shook as much as he did…..why he was filled with so much fear….why he cringed at the sight of a man. And so my new teacher, Randy, began to open my eyes – teaching me what life was like through the eyes of a sato. I was appalled to learn about the horrific conditions sato dogs experience. As my eyes were opened, I made a commitment to “some day” get out to Puerto Rico to help our beloved satos. And in November of 2009, I put out a fierce prayer to the Universe to help me, help the sato dogs, by getting me out to Puerto Rico to learn/see firsthand, the life of our satos. Imagine my surprise when three days later, I was presented with the opportunity to fly out to Puerto Rico to do just that. Without hesitation, I knew I was meant to be on this trip. A trip, I’ve been told, that will forever impact my life.
In my heart, I know with every fiber of my being that I am meant to be in Puerto Rico for our beloved satos and those who help them. My intention is to go and see firsthand what the conditions are like, where the dogs congregate, how they are caught, what happens to them once they are caught, along with any other knowledge I can gain. Support from friends/family has been cautious, at best. Everyone is worried about me and what this trip will do to me. Some say that I should reconsider going out there – as “it doesn’t sound safe.” Those who know the deeper part of me say this will be my version of going to war. I’ve been cautioned to take steps to deeply ground myself, as the potential of coming back home with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a grave possibility. And although I realize that all this is potentially true for some, I choose not to listen or buy into any of it – rather, I believe that I am going where I am most needed….that God is sending me exactly where I need to be to best be of service to my Animal Friends. And so with faith-filled determination, I continue to prepare myself daily for what it is I’m about to embark upon – I take steps to protect myself emotionally and spiritually. For if I don’t know what’s “out there,” how can I educate others about our satos? And if I don’t personally meet all the wonderful contacts I’ve formed with Save-A-Sato, how can I show them how the work that I do on a daily basis, can help them and our satos. Whether I’m helping the dogs themselves or the humans who help them……..either way, I’m helping. So I go with an open mind, a trusting heart and valor – I want to learn all that I can learn, I want to share all that I can share, and I want to be a difference to the satos. What this looks like, I don’t yet know. All I know is I am on my way, and I plan to share this journey with my fellow sato lovers – YOU!
In future newsletters from Save-A-Sato, I will detail my first (but not last) trip to Puerto Rico, along with explicit details about the work that I share. Follow me to learn how Reiki and The Journey™ is helping our beloved satos and the human companions who care for them so selflessly. We will learn together; we will cry together; and we’ll celebrate together. The main thing is, we will be in this together – a united front, on a mission to Save The Satos.
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