Mrs. Cottontail and Friends
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Regular Price $14.99
Christi Eley has been sharing her Anam Cara “soul friend” rabbits for many years with people in her local community. She has visited many senior living facilities and has many stories to share! One very special encounter is shared in Adios – a personal memoir story of Christi visiting a retired Marine Colonel during his final days. It is a real life unfolding of Anam Cara “soul friend,” which in the Celtic Christianity tradition represented someone who would hold space for you, deeply listen and be a guide through life's transitions.
In this memoir, Christi shares the experience that started off as a routine visit with someone who was nonresponsive and unfolded into a life changing experience. It is a story that needs to be told, so we can all experience an Anam Cara in our every day lives. There won't be a dry eye while reading it, seeing how the rabbits open doors to trusting, meaningful communication and souls connecting to create sacred moments.
Our wish for you is that you can also create these heart to heart moments in your own life by connecting to an Anam Cara, which can be a person, animal, place or connection to spirit. We provide journaling exercises at the back of the memoir for reflection and discovery. We share beautiful pictures of the real life “soul friend” bunnies who were the visitors to the Colonel and inspirational quotes to serve as reminders for your own practice. This is a unique opportunity to be still, listen and awaken your soul!
Anam Cara Healing Visits
If you or anyone that you know could benefit from an Anam Cara Healing visit,
please contact us – we would love to share the bunnies with you!
We have several options for visits:
Individual visits in our Bunny Burrow
Individual visits from our Traveling Burrow to your home or facility
Group Presentations for churches, clubs, centers
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The end of life deserves as much beauty, care and respect as the beginning.
Anam Cara End-of-Life Visits
The Anam Cara presence can profoundly impact a person during their final days By providing much needed support and compassionate care, these visits can help to ease fears, loneliness and isolation.
The rabbits provide unconditional love and open the dialogue for sharing and communicating. By creating this space there will be increased emotional and spiritual well being.
Anam Cara Legacy Memory
The Anam Cara visits are very individualized and customized for each person. Relaxing, comforting guided imagery can be created using their favorite things, places, music and memories. We can also create an Anam Cara Legacy Memory for the family, which will be a written account of conversations shared during visits.
What Does an Anam Cara End-of-Life Look Like
Sharing rabbits with opportunities for comforting interaction
Creating space for open communication and sharing
Breathing exercises to create a calm, peaceful atmosphere
Guided Imagery meditation exercises to focus on positive, happy thoughts
Powerful questions asked to encourage reflection and increase emotional well being
Customized requests – Examples - music, reading, bringing in a special item upon request
“We cannot change the outcome, but we can affect the journey.”
Ann Richardson
Everyone wants to be the sun to lighten up everyone's life,
but why not be the moon, to brighten in the darkest hour.
“Life is this simple: we are living in a world that is absolutely transparent and the divine is shining through all the time.
This is not just a nice story or a fable, it is true.”
Thomas Merton
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“The stranger does not come accidentally; he brings a particular gift and illumination. And this is why it is said that the “Anam Cara” perspective is sublime for it permits us to enter this unity of ancient belonging.”
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John O'Donohue
Christi Eley (AKA Mrs. Cottontail)
Christi likes to describe her work with rabbits as “Anam Cara,” which is deeply rooted in Celtic Christianity and means “soul friend and teacher.” The rabbits have been soul friends and teachers to Christi since she was a young girl, helping her navigate through many different times in her life. They have surrounded her with unconditional love and a strong connection to her faith. The rabbits carried on this Anam Cara role with her own children and then ultimately with the work she has done with her Mrs. Cottontail and Friends business. While working with children with special needs and behavioral issues, adults with life transitions and challenges, and the elderly with loneliness and during their final days, the rabbits have been a constant companion – Anam Cara – a soul friend to all who spend time with them. As a result, Christi chooses to further expand her unique blend of personal and professional experiences and trainings to offer Anam Cara services to the community at large:
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Anam Cara Apprenticeship
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Professional experience in Grief Counseling at Hospice
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Professional degree and experience as a Medical Assistant
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Professional Yoga/Meditation Training and Business servicing children through seniors
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Mrs. Cottontail & Friends Business servicing children through seniors for the past 15 years
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Personal experience from youth through adulthood with tragedy, death and dying
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Life long student of Christian Contemplation and Spirituality