Tag: Reiki

Children as Reiki Practitioners

July 25, 2016

Children today are living in a world filled with over-stimulation and stress. It can cause even the most mild-mannered, easy-going kid to feel overwhelmed and drained. Our precarious world can cause children to live in continuous “fight or flight” mode. This constant level of heightened adrenaline and stress hormones wreak havoc on a child’s small body, spirit, and mind.

While we adults may have enjoyed a more stable childhood atmosphere in which to live, today’s children need coping mechanisms to deal with the constant onslaught of pressure. Practices such a yoga, meditation, mindfulness are fantastic tools for helping a child become more centered. But have you ever considered Reiki for your child? A Reiki session is a wonderful way to bring relaxation and peace. It can help reduce discomfort and pain, and is wonderful for children with special needs. But a child doesn’t just benefit from receiving Reiki from a practitioner. A child can learn Reiki and have the ability to treat herself!

When a child learns how to do Reiki, she has a greater ability to manage stress and anxiety. By simply placing her hands over her heart or wherever she feels the Reiki needs to go, she begins to feel calming waves of peaceful, loving energy. Having the ability to do Reiki allows a child to feel empowered as she becomes responsible for her own healing. This feeling of empowerment is critical for children who live in a world of uncertainty, which causes them to feel powerless and insecure.

A child with Reiki also has the ability to help others. By simply placing her hands over Mom or Dad’s forehead, she can help alleviate a headache. By placing her hands on her cat, she can help the furry friend settle down and rest. And by filling a room with Reiki energy, she allows everyone around her to feel calmer and less stressed.

Children who learn Reiki have the ability for life. It’s a tool that can be employed in a multitude of situations.
Reiki can help with:

-Anxiety before a test
-Healing an injury
-Reducing discomfort/pain
-Reducing stress
-Improving sleep
-Calming emotions
-Increasing joy
-Feeling a sense of calm and inner peace
-Reaching and maintaining overall well-being

Reiki is easily learned. In fact, many children intuitively place their hands on someone else’s “boo-boo” to provide comfort. Once they are practitioners, children can allow healing energy to flow to that area and speed recovery.

Children need as many tools in their coping tool kits as possible. Reiki is a wonderful modality to help them navigate an uncertain environment by providing a sense of peace, calm, and relaxation.

Reiki classes for children are now forming! If you are interested in having your child learn Reiki, please see the Current Classes and register today. It’s a true gift to give your child.

Reiki Helps Heal Injury

October 19, 2015

When we set out to achieve athletic goals, injury is usually not one of them.  My oldest daughter decided she wanted to run her first 5K at the ripe age of 11. She’d shown promise as a runner two years prior, when she ran the one-mile and placed first in her age group, and then again the year before, as she not only placed first again, but also beat her previous finish time.

The 5K charity race was scheduled on a crisp September morning. My daughter, nervous yet excited, was listening to my husband, a former local track star (although he cringes every time I describe him that way), as to how to warm up. After completing a warm-up lap, Maddie began to stretch. However, as she moved from a standing calf stretch to a deep runner’s lunge, one of my younger daughters playfully jumped onto Maddie’s back. Instantly, Maddie cried out in pain, as the force of her sister’s weight caused a strain on her upper thigh.

“I can’t move it,” she cried. Tears streamed down her face as concern that she wouldn’t be able to run the race matched her pain.

Moving swiftly, I place my hands on Maddie’s thigh and allowed Reiki to flow to the area. After a couple of minutes, Maddie’s weeping subsided and her body relaxed. Reiki was flowing strongly, but my ego still questioned whether it would be enough to allow Maddie full motion of her leg to run the race.

I continued to let Reiki flow for a few more minutes until the energy had begun to diminish. “How does your leg feel?” I asked. Maddie slowly stood up, raised her leg a few times and smiled.

“All better,” she replied. She went on to run the 5K as if the injury never happened and placed first in her age group. I was reminded that day, that while the ego tries to have us believe we are not capable of helping others heal, the consciousness of Reiki knows better and knows just what to do.

Photo courtesty of thepinaysunsetrunner.blogspot.com

Why Do I See Light During a Reiki Session?

October 19, 2015

At the conclusion of a session, clients have often told me that they could see a bright white light during treatment, even though their eyes had been closed the whole time. They frequently describe the experience as feeling like someone has turned on a bright overhead light or sunlight streaming in through a nearby window.

One client was so convinced that the sun had been the reason for the bright light that I actually led her over to the window to see the dark, cloudy sky. The sun had been nowhere in sight.

On another occasion, I ran into a client while shopping at the grocery store. She stopped me to once again thank me for the session and then proceeded to ask me if I had shone a bright light on her during the treatment. I of course explained that I had not, and she began to marvel at how she’d been certain I had since there was no way any outside sunlight could have contributed. (We had been in a windowless room during the session.)

The question still remained. Why did clients experience this phenomenon? The answer is simple.
Reiki energy.

To the practitioner who can readily feel the energy coursing through his or her body and being emitted through the hands, there is no doubt that Reiki is not only doing its work on the client, but also filling the room. When the client experiences this visual phenomenon, he or she is becoming aware of the presence of Reiki.

The healing work of Reiki begins the minute the practitioner sets the intention for the session and intends to be a conduit through which the energy can flow. Reiki, and its divine consciousness knows exactly what areas are most in need and gets to work harmonizing the physical and energy bodies of the client. When the client experiences this visual phenomenon of perceiving bright light, he or she is witnessing Reiki energy surrounding them. When this happens, Reiki, which can sometimes seem like an intangible entity, can actually be seen.

Often, when the bright light is perceived, it brings with it feelings of great hope, love, optimism, happiness and clarity. It is quite literally the presence of the Divine.

I can recall having this experience during one of my first Reiki sessions. I had been experiencing some physical pain and was also trying to release negative emotions. I was relaxed and at peace throughout the session of course, but can vividly remember one point in which it seemed that bright white light had begun streaming through the window across the room. It was purer and brighter than any light I’d ever experienced before, even on the sunniest day at the beach. Yet the light did not feel hot or oppressive. It was cool and pure and it filled me with feelings of hope and release, so much so that it nearly brought me to tears. In that moment, I knew on both a physical and soul level that I was in the presence of something far greater than myself. I was protected. I was loved. And I was being healed.

While it doesn’t happen during every session, when this phenomenon occurs, it is profound.

Animals Love Reiki

August 25, 2015

The first time I realized how receptive animals are to the healing aspect of Reiki was completely by accident. In fact, it happened while I was training my first Reiki student at her home. Mary had a small brood of French bulldogs who were friendly and curious. They sniffed and snorted their way around the house, often stopping for a few scratches behind the ear or a belly rub.

I had decided that in order to properly demonstrate the proper hand positions for a full Reiki treatment, we needed a stand-in client. I asked Mary’s ten-year-old-daughter, Fiona, if she would be willing to accept a complimentary healing session, so her mom could observe the process, and she gladly agreed. While I briefed her on what she could expect during the session, the dogs busily roamed the room, perhaps checking to see if we’d left behind any crumbs or treats for them to nibble on.

I asked Fiona to lie down and began the treatment. Within a couple of minutes, she was completely relaxed, with her breaths coming in deep, rhythmic waves; the telltale sign a client has opened themselves to the energy and the healing has begun. It was at that point I realized how quiet and still the room had become. I glanced down and noticed that all four dogs had positioned themselves at the foot of the treatment table and had fallen into a calm and restful state. There was no more wandering around. No sniffing and snorting for treats. Just deep, rhythmic breaths that mirrored Fiona’s. The dogs remained in this position for the duration of the treatment, soaking up the energy which had begun to fill the room. They had been drawn to it, knowing instinctively that it was good for them and that they too, could enjoy the wonderful benefits of Reiki.

French Bulldogs courtesy wallpaperest.com

Reiki and Childbirth

August 25, 2015

Childbirth is one of the many instances in which Reiki can be of great benefit. Reiki can be used in many situations: To protect and harmonize the energy of an area, to alleviate anxiety, and to facilitate communication between individuals, just to name a few. However, Reiki is a remarkable modality to use during stressful situations or those which involve pain. So why not utilize it to alleviate the pain, discomfort, and stress related to labor and childbirth?

During each of my four deliveries, I received distant Reiki from one or more of my “Reiki friends” as I like to call them. When labor began, I simply placed a call or sent a text message asking that these practitioners send me Reiki. I then sat in the most comfortable position I could muster and waited for the energy to do its thing. Within minutes of Reiki being sent, I could feel a gentle sense of calm washing over me. It was as if a silky veil of love and light had been draped around my tense body. I became more grounded, centered. While Reiki did not completely eliminate the pain, it gave me a sense of peace and focus as I rode each wave. It allowed me to be completely present in the experience rather than distracted by contractions.

The amazing thing about Reiki is that it has a tendency to fill an entire space, particularly if the practitioner asks that Reiki be sent to the entire situation, not just the person. When distant Reiki was sent during my deliveries, it allowed the entire room to become infused with Reiki energy so that everyone—doctors, nurses, my husband, myself, and even the baby— could benefit from its positive, calming effect. Knowing we were all enveloped in pure loving, healing light, I never had any worry or doubt that my deliveries would be anything but pure joy.

Are you or someone you know about to experience the thrill of childbirth? You can request distant Reiki be sent to that person through the Sessions page.

Photo courtesy www.slocounty.ca.gov

Healing With Crystals

August 24, 2015

Why Crystals?

Crystals have long been known for their healing abilities. They come from the earth and have their own healing vibration. The ancients intuitively knew which crystals could be used for different situations or ailments. Over the millennium, as we became more “modernized” and “evolved”, our understanding of these miraculous stones began to seep from our consciousness, in place of the traditional medicines and practices we know today. Fortunately, there are still many people who understand the amazing healing and restorative properties that crystals possess. Even scientists are beginning to see their value. For example, they have discovered that Shungite contains extraordinary anti-oxidant properties. This new understanding may lead to better, more advanced health care and cancer prevention.

By utilizing crystals in our everyday lives, we are tapping into an ancient wisdom. Mother Earth has naturally created all the medicines/remedies we will ever need. Crystals are one such remedy for finding natural wellness.

What Can Crystals Do For Me?

There seems to be an unlimited number of ways that we can use crystals in our personal or professional life and they are meant to be used by everyone, not just those who do energy work like Reiki. The following is a brief list of some of the benefits of working with these amazing stones.

Crystals have the ability to:

Balance and clear the chakras
Facilitate feelings of inner harmony
Protect from negative and lower energies
Reduce pain
Bring healing to the body
Release energy blockages
Drive away negative thought patterns
Create new, healthier habits
Help us release all that no longer serves us
Help improve memory/concentration
Increase intuition
Expand consciousness, especially during meditation
Transmute electromagnetic radiation and geopathic stress
Connect us to our Higher Selves
Open the third eye
Help us to connect to the spirit world
Promote feelings of bliss
Provide grounding

Why not sign up for a crystal workshop to learn more? See the Current Classes page for upcoming dates.

Pets Understand the Value of Reiki

June 30, 2015

Our pets often become members of the family, and my parent’s dog was no different.  He was what you might consider a “senior citizen” who battled a host of maladies. Before he made his transition, he experienced a decline in mobility. Stiff, painful joints made walking, climbing stairs, finding a comfortable position to sleep in, and even trying to relieve himself, difficult and painful tasks. During one visit, I decided to offer some healing to alleviate his symptoms. I quietly told him I’d like to offer Reiki. Then I placed my hands on his left hip and activated Reiki energy. He was curious at first, sniffing my hands and looking intently into my eyes, but within a couple of minutes, he became deeply relaxed and let out several “Reiki sighs.” As I continued to let the energy flow to him, a very curious thing happened. He began to move his body in different positions so that he could press specific parts of himself against my hands. He was showing me what areas were hurting and in need of healing!

We continued in this fashion until he lay his head down and dozed off for about twenty minutes. When I ended the session, he again looked intently into my eyes. I could feel him saying “thank you.”

The next morning, as I was getting ready, I looked out the window and saw him in the backyard. During the weeks preceding Midas’ Reiki treatment, he had been unable to lift his leg to relieve himself due to his pain and discomfort. He instead, resorted to squatting to do his business. However on the morning following his treatment, I watched as he nimbly pranced across the yard. He then lifted his leg and proudly watered my parent’s plants.

Reiki is a valuable modality for all animals, not just dogs. They intuitively understand and accept  it in ways that sometimes escape humans.  Our beloved pets deserve to experience healing, too.

Crystals Amplify Reiki

June 29, 2015

Crystals have long been used in metaphysics for their natural healing abilities. Clear quartz is one such crystal which can be used in conjunction with Reiki. According to The Crystal Bible: A Definitive Guide to Crystals by Judy Hall, “Quartz is the most powerful energy amplifier on the planet because of its unique helical spiral crystalline form. Found worldwide, it absorbs, stores, releases and regulates energy and is excellent for unblocking it.”

Crystal grids are often used by practitioners to send Reiki to situations or people via distant Reiki. By placing the intentions on pieces of paper and placing them within the grid, the practitioner is able to send healing energy to multiple situations at once. And since quartz has the ability to retain Reiki energy for long periods of time, Reiki can continue to flow to these situations continuously, across time and space, as long as the practitioner keeps the crystals charged. This is one of my favorite aspects of Reiki.

During an ART/ Reiki Master class recently, one student had a brilliant idea. She asked if we could “link” our grids together to further amplify the healing abilities of each grid. After brainstorming on how to best do this we decided that each student would write the names of the other students in class and the intention to link their grids to one another, on a piece of paper. Each student would then place their paper into their individual grid.  Once charged, each students’ grid would then also charge and send Reiki all the others, thereby increasing the amount of Reiki each situation or individual recipient would receive.

No matter how long I’ve practiced it, Reiki (and its many uses and benefits) continues to amaze me. There are endless ways in which it can be used to spread loving light to those around us.

Note: Specifics on setting up and charging a crystal grid are taught during ART training.