(Editorial Note: This story comes from Julie Hutchinson-Smith, a Reiki practitioner. She would love to hear your response to it, and can be reached at starlightdancer@prodigy.net. If you have Reiki healing stories which involved animals I'd also love to hear them.)

I was driving along a highway, and saw a damaged car off to the side of the road. The occupants were on the grass looking at what appeared to be a body. It was a deer. The driver was at the head of the deer crying hysterically that she had killed an innocent animal. After seeing that the bystanders were all physically okay, I went over to see the deer. I saw her chest rise and fall...she was still alive!

My heart was racing; without thinking, I dropped to my knees, placed my hands on her, and started the flow of Reiki. Incredibly, I felt pain in her midsection and legs. She opened her eyes and struggled with all her might to get up, but could not. I was astounded when I felt her relax and just accept the strength of the Source.

An officer and ambulance arrived and found me kneeling by the deer, hands on, with my eyes closed. Having been asked by the officer what I was doing, I hesitated to explain that I was doing Reiki. After all, there are those who think it is something out of the Twilight Zone! I just replied with a grin that I had a feeling that she would be okay, she just needed some time to rest. I got the rolling eyes anyway.

The ambulance driver came over next and asked excitedly if I was doing Reiki. With my positive reply he asked if he could sit down and join me! So there we were, two Reiki practitioners, giving Unconditional Love to the injured deer while traffic obliviously whizzed by. We joyously laughed at this amazing event.

Soon the energy became very intense and then it happened. The deer gave a swift kick, leapt to her feet, and stood there looking at me. She looked deeply into my eyes, fluttered hers a few times, and took off in leaps and bounds into the trees! Wow! My counterpart looked at me in disbelief and asked "What just happened here?" I jubilantly replied that we just helped this Being in need, and wasn't it wonderful that we could.

The woman who had hit the deer looked over just in time to see the deer take off. She raced over to me, hugged the stuffing out of me, told me she loved me (!!), and squealed "Thank You!! You're a Miracle Worker!!" After all, she thought the deer was dead at one time. I laughed, and explained to her that we did Reiki and what it was all about. Knowing that she could use it herself, I asked if she would like a treatment too. She hesitantly accepted. No more than 5 minutes after I started working on her, this totally hysterical woman was now asleep! None of us could believe the transition! I felt bad I had to wake her up when the tow truck arrived.... she felt so peaceful. She hugged me lovingly this time, and said she'd never, ever, forget what happened.

As everyone left the scene, I calmly sat in my car to ponder the adventure that had taken place. I felt drawn to look at where the beautiful doe ran off to. She appeared at the edge of the trees, silently staring at me. I knew what she was saying to me. I rolled down my window and yelled out "You're welcome! Now go home!" Then she pranced off into the trees again! And I drove away with much love and joy in my heart...