Newsletter 108
26/02/15
The Healing Power of Cats
The Luangwa Valley in Zambia is an extension
of the Rift Valley and one of the worst areas to contract
Malaria in Africa.
When I was recovering from Malaria (I
contracted malaria 8 times in Zambia) I got into the habit of
lying in the shallow water of the Luangwa River during the heat
of the day.
The lioness Shingalana would come with me to
the river and let me lie up against her. In this way Shingalana
would transfer her energy to me and help me recover quickly from
the Malaria.
For Eleven years I fought a devastating court case.
During this time I suffered from post traumatic stress an depression.
My method of coping with this terrible time was to
sit with Tigress Julie and draw energy from her. I neither filmed nor
took pictures.
Apart from the initial greeting, I sat leaning up
against her in complete silence. After an hour or two I would feel
refreshed and ready to face the day.
In the last three weeks of Julies life I spent hours
trying to repay the healing energy that she had given me. Alas her
kidneys had failed and on the same day as Nelson Mandela she passed
away. One of the saddest days of my life!
Recently we acquired two male Cheetah Runde and Sabi.
These two cheetah were taken away from their mother at a few days old.
The wrong supplements were used and they developed ‘ballet feet’.
Runde went to Onderstepoort to have his feet
straightened. During and after this time I got into the habit of lying
down next to Runde and Sabi, hoping to give them some of my healing
energy.
Immediately I lay down, these two affectionate
animals would lie on top of me. For an hour or two these two cats would
purr loudly . I found the sound and vibration of the purr strangely
therapeutic.
In fact, I believe they were healing me far more than
I was healing them.
When I was diagnosed with cancer, the first thing I
did was to lie underneath Runde and Sabi for several hours. Strangely
the day that I was to leave for hospital Runde and Sabi walked into my
bedroom, jumped on my bed and woke me up. They have never done this
before.
On reaching hospital I was told that I had scored a 4
on the depth of the cancer. According to the doctors the cancer was into
the lymph nodes and beyond. In short, it was extremely serious! The
doctors would operate within the week and I could return home in the
meantime.
I immediately sought out Runde and Sabi and did
several hours lying underneath them. At the same time I synchronized my
purring with theirs.
When the doctors went into the lymph nodes they found
no cancer there. This was surprising!
I have no idea if lions, cheetah or tigers have any
healing powers at all. All I know that for me, spending an hour or two
in the company of a big cat is the most magical, calming and therapeutic
experience I can have.
Tread lightly on the Earth
JV
