ACUPOINTS: Light Touch is Best

Animals are very sensitive beings. A horse can feel a fly before it even lands on its back. Dogs even look back at you when you are just looking at them; they can feel the energy being directed from your eyes. And, cats, well, they can sense exactly when to ignore you completely. Any form of energy is palpable to animals so you can imagine how actual touch feels.

Take your index finger and place it on your closed eye lid applying just slight pressure – How does that feel? This is probably close to how it feels to the animal. We do not have to dig in or even press much at all when performing the Point Work segment of an Acupressure Session. It is not just respecting the animal’s energetics, it is also more effective.



Muddy Water…another way of understanding acupressure point work

In Acu-Cat: A Guide to Feline Acupressure on page 43 there is a description of how to approach acupoint technique. Whether you are doing the 2-Finger (middle finger tented on top of your index finger) or Thumb (thumb at about a 90-degree angle to the animal’s body) the technique of applying pressure to an acupoint is the same.

Glide gently into the acupoint so that you do not disturb the silt on the bottom of the pond. When you reach the bottom of the pond with the soft tip of your finger, apply very light pressure and just feel what you feel. Is there resistance? Is it hot or cold? Does it feel hard or soft? Does it feel as there is Chi flowing beneath your finger? What exactly do you feel?

Release the slight pressure and take a breath. Then apply pressure again. Does it feel as if you are sinking in a little more deeply? Is the resistance melting away? Do you feel the life force energy flowing or does it feel empty or “woody.” Keep going, keep applying light pressure as you sink into the acupoint. Watch for energy releases: yawning, stretching, shaking, burping, passing air, and even sleeping.

Send your healing thoughts to the horse, dog, or cat – your healing intention is key to the acupressure session.  After a minute or so of holding a point, move on to the next even if the animal has not expressed a release of energy or you have felt his Chi flow. Many animals will wait until they are alone before releasing; it is just the nature of the beast. You have still encouraged the free, harmonious flow of Chi and that’s your job.