Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jill Buckman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jill, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

PLEASE DON’T TAKE MY DOG.
I thought about his zest for life as he ran through the agility obstacle course
or practically flew through the air trying to catch a bird in flight.

PLEASE DON’T TAKE MY DOG.
I repeated those words over and over again. Who was I talking to? Was anyone listening?

PLEASE DON’T TAKE MY DOG.
It was all my frantic mind and broken heart could say.

My beautiful, vibrant border collie, Skye, had a rare form of inoperable cancer.

I had been driving to work when the call came in on my cell. The veterinarian in Rochester, New York said that the biopsy results were conclusive. A large tumor was growing on his larynx. She said he wouldn’t be able to survive surgery to remove his larynx and they wouldn’t be able to get clear margins by trying to remove only the tumor. They were very sorry and would do whatever they could to keep him comfortable until his transition, which was just a matter of time. Her words pierced my heart, my soul. No. I was not going to lose my dog! He was only 7 years old.

A marvelous young doctor at Cornell Animal Hospital in Ithaca, New York gave me an element of hope. He told me that radiation treatments might give him a few more weeks up to three months. I hesitantly believed that the treatments might be a beginning, but I knew they alone would not be enough to save his life. The prognosis on the consent form that I was required to sign was left blank. His chances were slim to none. I refused to allow the nauseating fear paralyze me. A “voice” kept pushing me forward.

What voice?

I knew, somehow, I knew, there was something out there that would help him, but I didn’t know what it was. Exhaustive soul searching and research led me to an internet site about Reiki. What was Reiki? They defined it as an ancient Japanese form of healing. I didn’t know it then, but I had just found my answer.

That was 15 years ago. The voices that had propelled me forward, the ‘whispers from within’ that guided me to Reiki were heard at last. And Skye lived – vibrant, loving, and brimming with health! When I came to know that he needed daily Reiki treatments after his diagnosis, I began Reiki training. Skye had radiation treatments while in Ithaca and daily Reiki treatments with me, hands-on when he was home and distant Reiki when he was there. The doctors called him a miracle dog. He not only survived, but he didn’t have a radiation mark on him. How was that even possible? Skye thrived for another six years, passing away just shy of his 13th birthday. They asked if they could document and publish his case. Of course I said yes, but told them there was something they needed to know: Reiki helps to heal all living things.

Skye was the bravest dog I’ve ever known. Toward the end of his life, he would look at me through eyes that seemed almost spiritual. We communicated easily without words. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear he knew exactly what I was thinking before I even uttered a word. He was wise in ways that were uncanny for a dog, but then again, Skye was no ordinary dog. Skye was my faithful friend, my loyal companion and confidant. He changed my life on every level, relentlessly coaching me to where he knew I was supposed to be when I didn’t have a clue. He was my teacher, my inspiration and catalyst to the founding of my business “Whispers from Within.” I’ve become the person I am today because of him. He passed away in my arms just a few weeks before his 13th birthday, living six years beyond the cancer prognosis of up to 3 months. I believe Skye held me in his heart the short time he was here. He will live in my heart forever.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

When I was six years old someone left a six-week-old puppy in a box outside our front door. I instantly fell in love with her and begged my parents to keep her. My connection and passion for animals with a prevailing desire to help them was born when Daisy entered my life.

As mentioned earlier, my devoted Border Collie Skye was diagnosed with inoperable cancer in 2010. The diagnosis turned my life upside down and inside out. Trust and faith ceased to exist for me when given the prognosis from Cornell Animal Hospital that offered no hope for his survival. Still, I refused to accept what everyone said was inevitable and was somehow guided to Reiki. (Reiki can be defined as ‘spiritually guided life energy’). I knew that thought and intention were strong tools and that love was (and will always be) the strongest emotion. but CHOICE was the most powerful force. I consciously CHOSE, with unwavering conviction, to heal my dog with Reiki energy. Another Reiki practitioner told me that Reiki energy would have no effect on him because dogs don’t have souls. Dogs most definitely do have souls!! All sentient beings have souls! Skye not only lived with ongoing Reiki healing, he thrived. Reiki is, after all, unconditional love through which healings occur. It is a holistic healing system that treats the whole being on all levels. The nature of Reiki is perfect harmony that balances the mind, body, and soul. With Skye’s healing, my true path and purpose began to crystalize. I was a Reiki healer.

Working in partnership with the animals I treat, I solve behavioral issues such as healing from trauma, depression, stress, anxiety, or aggression. Understanding and respecting an animal’s wisdom and point of view is vital, especially when offering a deeper healing for illness, injury, or disease at all levels of healing. As an animal communicator, I’m able to communicate with them telepathically.

For the people I work with, Reiki has been used in healing practically every known illness and injury including serious problems like multiple sclerosis, heart disease and cancer as well as anxiety, depression, insomnia, fatigue, joint and muscle pain, headaches, effects of chemotherapy, allergies, arthritis, addictions, or asthma. It can also be used to maintain health and energetic balance in healthy beings and heal emotional and spiritual problems. Although elimination of symptoms is usually the eventual or immediate outcome, healing is best described as a return to greater wholeness and connection with our spiritual nature. At the completion of a session my clients often tell me they feel deeply relaxed, stress relief, lighter, hopeful and comfortably calm.

As I was continually guided, actually propelled, to go forward, I realized my true path in life was offering Reiki healing energy to any animal or person in need. In 2012 I became a Reiki Master and launched my own business called Whispers from Within. A few years ago, I was attuned by Reiki Master Dr. Patrick Tersigni. Hawayo Takata (attuned by Dr. Hayashi who was Mikao Usui’s first disciple) brought Reiki from Japan to the United States in 1936. Dr. Tersigni was attuned by her in her first class on American soil. I felt the power of her Reiki attunement through this direct lineage to Usui Sensei, the founder of the Usui System of Natural Healing.

What sets me apart from other healers is that more recently, I have come to know and understand myself as an Awakened Starseed in addition to being a Reiki Master. I experienced what is known as a Starseed awakening. A Starseed awakening is a profound Spiritual Awakening which occurs when a person with a soul originating in a distant galaxy becomes aware of their true cosmic nature. As an awakened Starseed lightworker, I have come to understand that my deep connection to the universe stems from thousands of years ago when my roots extended to the planet Arcturus, to Andromeda and to Lemuria. My Awakening triggered a journey of self-discovery with an increased sense of intuition, empathy, and psychic abilities. Along with other awakened Starseeds, I have always had a sense that I am not from here, but I feel an obligation to bring love, healing, and positive change to humanity and to the planet.

As strange as this may sound, as a Starseed I am an advanced traveling soul from another planet who incarnated on Earth to inspire and heal human beings and to assist in the planet’s evolution. To be perfectly clear, I am a human being! As a Starseed lightworker, my inherent sole purpose is to be of service in love, light and truth for the ascension and evolution of the new earth. My open heart and compassionate intention serve as a bridge to channel the frequencies from higher dimensions. I use those frequencies to guide and assist people on their ascension journey while passionately healing and communicating with all animals that come to me in need.

I honestly can’t say what I am most proud of. Every single time I heal a pet or a person, I’m filled with such gratitude that my heart swells with joy and unconditional love. It is a blessing to be able to heal others. Healing others is both my passion and purpose.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I was brought up to be a people pleaser, to not express a point of view if it was different from anyone else’s point of view and to always back down from any possible conflict. It was a lesson that I learned very well. In 2010 when Skye’s Reiki healing was progressing very well, I decided to volunteer at the Humane Society to help heal the shelter animals. So many of the animals were either traumatized, physically sick, anxious, aggressive, scared or injured. As I walked through the shelter on that first day of my volunteer service, I mentally took note of which animals I would have preferred to work with, and which animal NOT to work with. After that I met with the person in charge. She was emphatic that she wanted me to work with the one animal that my inner guidance clearly advised me to stay away from. It was my first day there and I (stupidly) agreed because, after all, I was a people pleaser who would never disagree with her judgement.

After I entered his kennel, I placed the leash on the rather large Pit Bull (who had been approved for adoption) and walked with him outside just beyond the courtyard. There were many campers in the area as it was a beautiful summer day and children love to be around animals. The dog wanted to walk behind me rather than next to me. That was not a good sign. Soon I started to hear a sound that I didn’t recognize. When I turned around the sound stopped and he just stood there. Wanting distance from the campers, I walked with him away from the campus activity. I heard the sound again. He was aggressively chewing through the leash! My volunteer training had been painfully clear: “No matter what else you do, you NEVER lose a dog.” He looked at me like he wanted to eat me, finished chewing through the leash and with lightning speed took off.

I froze as I tried to process what had just happened. How could this be? I sent distant Reiki in his direction and waited. Nothing. I started walking back to the main building when, like a bullet, he appeared next to me. He eyed me like I was a piece of meat. I walked slowly, making no eye contact. I had to somehow get him into an outdoor kennel. I reached a fenced in courtyard, and opened the first of the two gates. He stood there glaring at me. My spirit guides must have helped me to remain calm. Keeping the first gate opened, I opened the second gate and entered the courtyard. He followed me in and began circling around me. Very slowly I untied my volunteer apron and then in a split second threw it as hard as I could toward the back of the courtyard, turned and ran out through the gate. Before I could latch it, he was jumping up and pushing against the gate. I’ll never know where my strength came from, but I was able to secure the latch. Later that day a staff person retrieved my volunteer apron; it was completely shredded.

The lesson I had to unlearn was blatantly clear. Had I been honest with her rather than being the people pleaser I was brought up to be, none of this would have happened. Every one of us has a voice and we must all learn to speak our truth.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

The above story also illustrates my resilience, because I refused to allow that incident to alter my path. Yes, I was truly scared, but my passion and purpose to heal those in need were stronger than fear.

Another story that illustrates my resilience took place on the telephone. A grandmother called me many years ago. After clarifying that I was indeed the person she wanted to talk with, she started screaming at me that I did the work of the devil. Her granddaughter had taken my card at an event and wanted to begin Reiki training with me. The grandmother was horrified. Without knowing anything about Reiki, assuming it was evil because she never learned about it in church, she refused to stop verbally attacking me. I could have simply hung up the phone, but what would that have solved? I let her continue to rage until she couldn’t think of anything else demeaning to say. I then calmly explained that Reiki was healing grace, life energy that is guided by a higher power. While it is not affiliated with any religion, it is always beneficial and can never do any harm because the universe is all-loving. As a healing system, Reiki is non-invasive, extremely gentle yet powerful, and always safe and comfortable for both the recipient and the healer. It is one of only a few therapies that brings no harm to any living thing-plant or animal-to produce its healing properties. Reiki is a pure form of healing that balances your mind, body, and spirit.

For a few moments the grandmother was silent. She then admitted that she didn’t know anything about Reiki, but feared what she did not know. I think she heard the smile in my voice because she added that she would now encourage her granddaughter to learn Reiki.

It’s very easy to feel defeated when people don’t understand what you do. But going forward with positivity, compassion and resilience brings the best results.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.animalreikiheals.com
• Other: email: [email protected]