 |
Mind, Body and Spirit working together for total wellness... |
|
|
|
Reiki Fact or Fiction?
I am a licensed massage therapist. My husband and I had just opened our new business, BodyWork in 1995. Many people have told me that I had healing power in my hands far beyond the massage techniques I had been trained to use. A number of clients suggested that I find someone to teach me Reiki. I had heard of Reiki and the high costs of learning it. It sounded like a scam to me. In time, a lady came in one day and asked what I would charge her to use my facility for a Reiki class. After some thought, I told her the price was for her to give me the class as compensation. Now I had the opportunity to debunk Reiki. The night of the class arrived. I had not prepared in anyway so that my mind would be open to whatever happened. I participated and listened intently to everything and was still not convinced one way or the other. Then came time to receive the attunements. It was a mystical experience. I will not even try to explain it to you, as you must experience it to believe it. It was not that it was so dramatic, for it was subtle -- but it was life changing. As a group we practiced the technique for a couple of hours and went home. What is Reiki? This is the short version. Reiki is the act of laying hands on a living body to comfort, heal, and relieve pain. This is our first instinct when someone is hurt or in pain. The human body radiates energy. We can feel it by its warmth. This energy is known as Ki, it is the life force itself. Ki is the activating energy of the universe, the essential life force of the Earth, the planets, and the stars. These sources of Ki energy affect every living body's Ki. Everything alive contains and radiates it. It is the Bio-Magnetic energy of the Aura (the energy field of the body). A Reiki healer is one who has had their body's energy channel opened and cleared of obstruction by a Reiki attunement. The healer is now connected to the Universal Ki. Reiki is not affiliated to any religion. Reiki is totally positive and cannot harm any living thing. It will heal but not necessarily cure. Reiki I Class A Brief History of Reiki An Overview of Reiki The Principles of Reiki The Chakra System The Body's Aura The Hand Positions The Reiki Affirmation Your Genealogy Reiki I Attunements A Group Session A Practical Reiki Session
Reiki Experiences Mel I decided to try this "new stuff" on my husband. I took him into my therapy room and had him lie on my massage table. I proceeded to do my first "on my own" Reiki session. I still thought this was crazy. I placed my hands on him in all the various positions and did everything as I was taught. It was not particularly eventful. In fact, I came out wondering if anything at all had happened. As we left the room, I noticed he was staggering as though he were drunk. I thought he was making fun of me and I fussed at him. He told me, "No, I feel dizzy. What did you do to me" It seems that when the Reiki balanced his energy he was unaccustomed to being in proper balance and felt out of sync for a few minutes. He has since become a Reiki Master.
Cozumel While on vacation in Cozumel, Mexico, we met a group of people on the flight and struck up a friendship. We spent quite a bit of time with them at the resort and went to dinner with them several times. After it rained one afternoon Don slipped and fell in a puddle. He hurt his back and could not stand up straight. He spent the next twenty-four hours in his room with a backache. The next evening, about dusk, he reappeared bent and in pain from his fall. It appeared that his lower back was the problem. I was still dealing with discovering the impact of Reiki and was not yet quite comfortable talking about it to people. Mel suggested that I try Reiki on him. I whispered, "no". I don't even know how to explain it to myself yet." Mel suggested I sit at one of the tables and I merely slip my hand behind his back on the spot that was causing the problem, turn on Reiki and see what happens. There were about 15 tables in this outdoor restaurant. The sky was clear, not a cloud in sight. I put my hand behind his back. I was not prepared for what happened next. Don, Mel, and I all jumped after hearing a loud booming noise. Everyone in the restaurant turned to see where the sound came from. Don stood up straight and said very matter-of -factly, " It does not hurt! My back is okay." I was stunned. The energy, like lightening striking, felt as if it went through my hand. Don was so stunned he didn't even ask what happened. I tried to find an explanation myself. All I could come up with was that the Universe was telling me to use Reiki. It does not matter if we understand how Rieki works, only that we trust it, use it, share it.
Fred Fred was my Father-in-law. He was cantankerous as an old man. He was in the hospital dying of cancer and other problems. One of his problems was anger. He was in pain and very uncomfortable. My husband asked me to do Reiki on him. I did not even know how to approach my Mother-in-law, who already thinks I am weird. I also did not want to place my hands on him and have her walk in and wonder what I was doing. I asked her to take a walk with me. I needed to explain Reiki in terms she could understand. I told her it was like hands on healing prayer. That satisfied her. Later I went into the room when he was alone and placed my hands over one of the affected areas. I had only been in there a couple of minutes when my husband, my mother-in-law, the nurses aide, and a cast and crew of many entered the room. I had really wanted to do this privately but the "Universe" decided I needed an audience. I guess the lessen here is trust and not be embarrassed about what you know works. I completed the cycle on that one spot and stopped. I was sure it had not worked that time. I was not confident enough in this mysterious technique. Fred died three months later. At his funeral his daughter told me that she did not at all understand what I had done to her father and did not want me to try to explain it, but after that session he had no pain and passed comfortably. That is a perfect example of healing but not curing.
Conclusion Each time I doubt Reiki, it puts me in a position to explain it to someone else. It seems the universe has much more to offer than just the things we see and touch. Now, I just trust Reiki will work and my clients and I receive what I can only call miracles. Today, Mel and I are both Reiki Masters and teach it to those who are interested in learning and healing. It takes an open mind and a leap of faith. Reiki is a very powerful tool. We will be happy to share it with you.
By: Barbara E. Knoblett, Reiki Master - BodyWork
|
|
Sometimes in life things we seek we never find. Other times, things we do not
think we want, find us. Reiki found me. Here is my story.
- A Day Spa, 476 Cahaba Park
Circle, Birmingham, AL 35242