Thursday, January 17, 2008

Reiki and the Family

by Kathie Lipinski

Reiki is a gift that we give ourselves and it increases for us when we can share it as a family. Not just the typical mother and father and children, but also significant others, and the many people we often consider family.

My first "students" that I attuned as a new Reiki Master in 1995 were my husband Bob and son Johnnie (7). Although they didn't fully understand what Reiki was all about and what I was about to do, they were willing to support me in my journey as a teacher. I cannot begin to tell you the joy that I felt as I prepared them to receive this gift. Tears flowed from my eyes as I attuned them. I felt the joy and the coming together as a spiritual family. The remembering of who we are at our soul level and why we come together in a family was the gift of their attunements.

Later that year, when I attended a Karuna Reiki® workshop, I was told during a meditation that my son Matthew, at 4 years of age, was ready to receive his attunement as well. He has brought much insight ever since (and many laughs) about how to use Reiki.

How we use Reiki as a family is that we pick a time and share Reiki with each other. The boys are much quicker in their giving and receiving since they are pure channels. They feel the energy come in and out. So a typical sharing can last just an hour. We usually scan each other to find the areas in need and then allow the Reiki to flow there.

Whenever I am teaching, someone always gives me Reiki before class. It helps me to be a more clear channel and for things to flow smoothly.

If there is an illness or injury, whoever is available at the time will give Reiki. If we are all available, we give the person as much Reiki as they want. This has worked well with the kids and sports injuries and fevers and colds. We have found that the illness works through the process quicker and injuries heal faster.

A friend of John's recently broke her wrist. He went to her house and gave her Reiki. He is usually shy about sharing it (he's a teenager now) so I was quite happy when he told me what he did! He said she felt the heat and the energy and enjoyed the "treatment."

When one of the boys has an exam in school, we make time to send Reiki to them. We send the mental/emotional symbol for relaxation and clear thinking. A few weeks ago, when John was taking his Math Regents exam, Bob and I stopped what we were doing and sent Reiki 5 minutes before the exam began. John told us later that he felt this energy come over him and he felt really good taking the test. I also send the boys Reiki when they are into sibling rivalry and fighting. Again, I use the mental/emotional symbol to help heal the relationship and ask for the best outcome.

We also send Reiki as a family to other family members in difficult times. When my cousin died this year at 46 years of age, it was a difficult time for the entire family. The boys and I prepared them emotionally and asked that we give ourselves Reiki for a few minutes before we went in. I also asked them to bring Reiki in, fill themselves up with it, and then let it flow from them to our relatives and friends who needed it.

We also send Reiki to anyone in the family who is sick or in distress. We just stop what we are doing, invoke the distant healing symbol, and think of the person or situation and let the Reiki flow. We always ask for the best outcome and let Reiki do what needs to be done.

When Bob has important business meetings, or travels, the boys and I send Reiki for a successful outcome or safety. When I travel to teach, they send me Reiki as well.

What I have found is that the use of Reiki in the family helps us all to be more understanding and accepting and compassionate with each other. It helps us really focus on the love we feel for each other.

An interesting family experience was when I gave my niece a Reiki session (she is 30) and she loved it! I explained what Reiki is and that we all do it. She then said, "I always knew there was something special and different about your family!" That was one of the best compliments I ever had! We have since had many interesting conversations and it brought our relationship to a different and more enjoyable level.

One very special family use of Reiki was by two of my students from New England. They took the Master class in December 1997, and their gift to their family for Christmas was the gift of Reiki. On Christmas Eve, they gathered their family together (mom and dad and sisters), talked about Reiki, and then gave them their first degree attunement. Even the cat joined in! That was their sharing of their love for their family. They have shared it ever since.

Some other ways families can use Reiki is if someone is terminally ill or going through radiation or chemotherapy. The family members learn Reiki and are able to give their loved ones Reiki to support their process. They also have Reiki for themselves to replenish their energy and help them keep on keeping on. It is also useful for someone who has surgery. Giving Reiki before and after helps the healing process and strengthens the connection between family members.

Some women also study Reiki so that they can give themselves and their baby Reiki during their pregnancy. What a gift that baby has receiving Reiki even before it's born!

Reiki is good for all aspects of loving and living together. It helps us to be the people we are truly meant to be. It helps us to remember to be compassionate and understanding and tolerant of those we love and live with.

How do you share Reiki with your family and friends?

Peace On Earth

by William Lee Rand

Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us, and the world will be as one. -John Lennon

Is our planet becoming a safer place to live? The events of September 11 and those that followed may not make it seem like it is. But, if we take a broader look at world events, it can be easily seen that the planet is getting safer.

Those who grew up in the 60's and also those who experienced the 70's and 80's can recall a time when we lived with the fact that the destruction of most of the planet could have taken place in half an hour or so. During the cold war tens of thousands of nuclear warheads were aimed at all the major cities in the US, the Soviet Union and many other countries around the world. They were ready to be fired at a moments notice and either a real or imagined threat or a glitch in the system could have triggered them.

People everywhere, both young and old had nightmares concerning the horrors a global nuclear war would bring. The rivalry between the US and the Soviet Union was so great and the arms race advancing so quickly that it was difficult to see how we would ever solve the problem. Many wondered if the planet had a future and the fear of such an unimaginable horror affected everything we did.

And yet, we survived. The planet was not destroyed. Things changed. The Soviet government came to an end and the countries that took its place are now our friends and getting friendlier all the time. This is an amazing and tremendously positive shift in the global situation.

Uniting global spiritual consciousness is the next step in creating world peace.

Since that time, there have been other crisis situation but all have been less serious than the cold war. Most have been dealt with quickly and while some have led to other difficulties, most of the challenges they presented were either resolved or reduced in a significant way.

We can see how this happened with the Gulf war and the problems in Kosovo and other areas. And now we are in the midst of another threat to global security. The issue of international terrorism was brought into sharp focus by the events of September 11 and this developed quickly into a war on terrorism that could have far reaching effects. This is indeed a very difficult problem of global proportions and yet, as we can see, more difficult problems than this have been solved in the past.

The current challenges to world peace are really more like healing crisis situations. The energies and issues that drive them have always been present, but are only now coming to the surface and demanding attention. If we are to have a real and lasting peace, we must be willing to acknowledge them and heal the political and religious rivalries they represent. Rather than being challenges to peace, they are actually part of the process that can bring peace.

There is a Chinese character for crisis called Wei Ji. The first part of the character means danger, and the second part means opportunity. So it is with every crisis there is also opportunity, the opportunity to learn, to heal and to grow. There have been many opportunities from the events of September 11 that have already created benefits. One of the most important is the fact that as soon as spiritual people heard of the events, they immediately began sending healing and praying. This united the largest group of spiritual people in history to join together and work as one to bring healing to the planet. Any boundaries that may have existed in the past were blown away allowing our hearts to open completely. This oneness of consciousness, acting like a magnet, attracted Reiki energy and other healing energies far stronger and of a far higher vibration than has ever been experienced on the planet before. This uniting of global spiritual consciousness is actually the beginning of an important next step for world peace. It is making possible personal as well as global healing on a level never previously experienced.

The effects this increase in healing energy is having can already be seen. The US and the Russians as well as many other nations, are become better partners. The fact that the Taliban have been removed from power in Afghanistan has made it much safer for women and children there. This is raising the consciousness of people in other countries where woman have been abused, increasing the likelihood that woman's rights will be promoted more successfully all over the planet.

On a global scale, awareness of ourselves, our potential and what we need to survive and prosper is increasing.
As the pace of events on the planet increases, not only does it create an increasing number of new and unique challenges for us to solve, it also increases the speed at which we are able to learn about how the world works. In other words, on a global scale, awareness of ourselves, our potential and what we need to survive and prosper is increasing. This is allowing a greater number of people to understand on an ever-deeper level what our ultimate purpose is and is also motivating us to achieve it.

Buckminster Fuller, a practical futurist popular in the 60's and 70's, came up with an idea that is especially meaningful for us now. He took systems theory and mathematics and applied it to the global situation. He came to the conclusion that as the pace of life on earth quickens, it can lead to only one of two conclusions. It will bring about our total destruction or it will lead to a world of complete peace and harmony.

This principle can be seen in the flywheel. When a flywheel is rotating slowly, any imbalances it may have are not noticed. As it increases in speed, the imbalances become more and more obvious and will begin to create vibrations. These vibrations will become stronger and place greater and greater stress on the flywheel as it increases in speed. If it continues to increase in speed, at some point the vibrations will be come so destructive that the flywheel will explode. On the other hand, if the flywheel can be progressively balanced as it's speed increases, it can reach a very high rate of speed and provide all the benefits it was designed to provide in an efficient and harmonious way.

The same is true for our planet. As the pace of life increases on our planet, new issues come up. As we work to balance them, not only does it help the people affected by the issues, but also, because of our interconnectedness it contributes to the harmony between people everywhere.

Looking at world conditions from the 60's to the present, we see that the threat of total global destruction has passed and we are now faced with smaller challenges and while they are more numerous, we are also dealing with them more quickly. This is creating a learning curve that appears to be increasing faster than the challenges that would destroy us. From this we see that a world of peace and harmony is within our reach.
While the basis for world peace is a strong possibility and there are many conscious and unconscious forces at work to create it, it will not happen on its own. If we are to achieve it, we must focus on aligning with global peace in an ever-increasing way.

The global economy has been a reality for some time. This has worked to create a greater level of friendly cooperation between nations. The next step toward world peace must take place on a spiritual level. What we need now is a global spiritual community. If this is to take place, then all religious and spiritual groups need to honor and respect each other. This needs to be done with wisdom and be based on the idea that each person has the right to practice the religious or spiritual path of their choice or none at all as long as it does not interfere with the right of others to do the same. Once this awareness has reached global proportions, the spiritual consciousness of the planet will have achieved an amazing new level. The prayers and spiritual practices of all groups will have a synergistic effect on each other. The spiritual power this produces will activate the awareness in each person that all are one and world peace will soon follow.

People from all spiritual and religious backgrounds practice Reiki in every country on the planet. Because of this, the practice of Reiki is providing a meaningful contribution to the creation of a global spiritual community. Now more than ever it is important to send Reiki to heal global situations. The synergy created by doing this is greatly multiplying the good it does and will bring world peace much more quickly.

On January 24, 2002 an important meeting will take place that is a clear indication that consciousness is moving in the direction of a global spiritual community.

Representatives from all religions have been invited by Pope John Paul II to come to Assisi to pray for world peace. This extraordinary event will help ground in a practical way what has been developing spiritually. Also, on this day, people all over the planet from all religious and spiritual backgrounds are being asked to pray for world peace. I encourage you to mark your calendars and set aside time on this day to send as much Reiki as you can for world peace. This will be a great blessing for the planet and for everyone who takes part.

Creating Prosperity with Reiki

By Laurelle Shanti Gaia

"Prosperity and abundance are my Divine birthright." How long has it been since you have made that statement? Has it been a month, a year, a decade…or never? Maybe intellectually you know that you live in an abundant universe, but do you FEEL it to be true?

Have you noticed the power of the collective creative consciousness recently? How many reports of troubled economic times have you heard since September 11th? How are such reports affecting you? Are you fearful that you may lose your job, or that your clients will stop coming, or that you will need to work harder and will no longer have time for spiritual practice, exercise or your family? If you have worried or felt fear, let me remind you of something a great man once said; "Just for today…do not worry and be filled with gratitude."

There is a reason Usui Sensei used those words in the Reiki principles, which are a foundation for all Reiki practitioners and teachers to blossom from. He recognized the power of our thoughts and our words. We often forget powerful statements like "thoughts are things" or "where the thoughts go, the energy flows". However, they are so very true. Whenever we create anything in our life, we must first have the thought of it. So it is very important to be aware of what we are thinking at all times. If we allow our thoughts to be those of fear and worry, we are empowering the very things we are concerned about to manifest in our life.

As Reiki practitioners we can accept the responsibility of using what we have learned to help the United States and the world to heal any sense of lack that is pervading the collective consciousness so that we all become the prosperous beings and nations that we truly are.

The basics of thought discipline are one factor in prosperity consciousness, but this becomes even more important once we are attuned to Reiki. Reiki has the ability to help us empower our thoughts, unite the mind with the heart, and transmute our words into pure light, and they become even stronger than the mere thoughts themselves.

I invite you to explore just exactly what prosperity and abundance mean to you. They take so many forms. The first thought that usually comes to people is money, or material things; but we know that loving relationships, spiritual practices, and doing work that we enjoy are also among the elements of prosperity and abundance.

Take a few moments and jot down keywords that describe what prosperity and abundance mean to you. When you have your list, take a moment and "tune in" to each word, one at a time. I suggest that you use the Reiki distant symbol to connect to the consciousness each word holds, and the mental/emotional symbol to help you discern how your thoughts and feelings respond.

For example, take that "M" word … money. How do you FEEL when you tune into the energy of money? What do you THINK about money? Do you feel and think … "YES…bring it on, I deserve to have all the money I need to live in a way that is comfortable for me, and that allows me to share with others." Try saying that. How do you feel, and where in your body do you feel the response to that thought? Is there any uneasiness? If so, where does it come from? Do you hear echoes of "money is the root of all evil" … "spiritual people should work for free" …"only special people have money", etc.

Try the same process with all the words on your list. Here are some phrases you might use. "I love my work", "I have a happy and loving marriage", "My children love and respect me", and "I am worthy of the time needed to nurture myself".

Those things that represent prosperity and abundance are available to all of us, not just special people. We each have within us all the answers, skills, and talents needed to create unlimited prosperity on all levels of our being.

We are each blessed with the creative power of the Divine heart-mind connection, and we can learn to work with Reiki to tap into the unlimited abundance that is our birthright. When we develop prosperity consciousness, everything we need to fulfill our highest purpose comes to us with ease.

We can attract anything we want into our life and truly realize our heart's desire.

Money, love, peace, and joy are all simply energy. We usually think of them only as we know them in the manifest plane i.e. what most people believe is reality. However, all things reside in all planes of existence and in all realms of consciousness. Thus, reality is actually multi-dimensional. What we often believe to be reality is simply a projection of how we are currently working with our hearts, minds and energy. We have power and ability to change anything we have created.

There are universal spiritual laws that govern abundance. Within the essence of these laws is the wisdom that that there is an ebb and flow to all aspects of our life. We can also learn that it is as important to receive as it is to give, and to recognize that we are limitless beings. The importance of holding pure intention that we are attracting those things that serve the highest good is also part of the wisdom. We can only experience prosperity if we have the things in our life that are meaningful to us personally, those things that hold the essence of the quality we want in our life rather than a quantity of something.

Humanity is awakening to a soul knowing of the power of the collective creative consciousness, or mastery of the heart-mind connection. We are learning to create a flow, a stream of resources into our lives, all of which support our Divine purpose.

When we feel constrained, or that what we need is not flowing to us with ease, this is a good time to take inventory. What things or elements of our life are we holding in the present that no longer serve us? When we can identify these things, we can then recognize each of them as energy. The energy that they hold is taking up space in our lives; space that could be used to hold new and exciting things that support us in the present moment.

In letting go of the old, we make room for the new. When we have outgrown aspects of our life, it is time to send these things out into the Universe so that they can serve someone else. This may mean that you sell what you don't need, or perhaps you make donations, or release a relationship or a job. Let these things go, and when the releasing process is complete for the moment, pause to experience how you feel. You have just created space in your life to receive the blessings the Universe has for you.

Be sure that in letting go, you are releasing into areas that you feel in harmony with. For example if you feel you have a lack of money in your life, it can be disempowering to become miserly and spend money on only what you feel you "need". It is empowering to share money, even if it is just a little, by spending it on something that enhances your quality of life. By doing this you are putting energy out that empowers others who are working to help humanity awaken to a more peaceful, joyous, prosperous existence. When you do this you make room for money that improves your life to flow in to you as well.

Now you can use Reiki to assist in magnetizing infinite blessings into your life, in the perfect form at the perfect time.

Create a list of the things that you feel will enhance the quality of your life, and support the highest good of all. If you aren't sure what your list should contain, you can use Reiki to help you. Simply use the same process I defined above. Invoke the distant and mental and emotional symbols to make the heart mind connection with each of the things on your list. Pay very close attention to how you feel when you think of them. What is the energetic essence each holds and how do you sense that they will add to the quality of your life?

Once you have your list, you may wish to enter into a 21-day process of magnetizing these things into your life with Reiki. Each day use the distant, mental/emotional and power symbols by drawing them, or visualizing them, or invoking their names. Once you have called the energy in, hold your list in your hands and send the Reiki energy into it. Now, take a moment to verbally acknowledge all the things in your life that you are thankful for. Let the Reiki flow until it slows, stops or feels complete. Of course it is also important to close the session with a prayer.

In closing I would like to remind you of this thought. Just for today, do not worry and be filled with gratitude for all the blessings that are currently in your life, and that are flowing to you every moment.

A Personal Healing Program

by William Lee Rand

Each of us comes into this existence with a unique set of personal qualities that include aptitudes that can develop into skills and abilities. Also there are often challenging situations that affect us. Like the rudder on a boat, our choices determine what direction we take in life and what possibilities we explore and develop. When we are confronted with difficulties, as well as opportunities, it is how we deal with them that determines how they affect us. So it is important that we use our ability to choose wisely. A life well lived is a life of growth, a life of healing and development.

As we look back on our lives, it is easy to see turning points where we made a choice that had a powerful effect on where our life went and who we became. By thinking about our past choices and where they have taken us, it is possible to learn from our experiences and improve our ability to choose. Life is filled with many possibilities, and it is important to realize that sometimes it is the more difficult decision that brings us the greatest benefit.

If you are ill in any way or if you are experiencing any part of your life that is less than what you would like, know that it is possible to change, to heal, and to create the kind of life you want. If you want something you don't have, then the most important thing you need to do is to choose this for yourself. Then take action.

The universe is always in a state of balance. A problem, difficulty or challenging situation cannot exist unless its solution exists at the same time. If you want to solve a problem, the first thing you must do is to decide that you are going to find the solution.

Here is a law of the mind, a law of life that is very important to understand. Definiteness of purpose, sustained over time always produces results. Think about that! It always produces results! This is the most important concept you can focus on in terms of personal healing and accomplishment. If you want to heal, you need to form this into a definite purpose and pursue it with a passion and stay with it until you are healed.

The mind is like a magnet. It attracts what it thinks about most, the stronger the thoughts the stronger the attraction. If you want to heal yourself, or develop any positive quality, it is very important for you to make a clear decision that this is what you are going to do. As you hold this thought in your mind with the definite belief, and knowingness that you will achieve your result, you will attract to yourself all the resources and people you need to create the results you want.

We each have special talents, qualities and gems of value that we may not be fully expressing or perhaps not expressing at all. We were born on this planet to fulfill a purpose and that purpose is to discover our truth, who we are, what makes us unique, take possession of this precious part of ourselves and express it to the world.

Regardless of the life situation you find yourself in, it is possible for you to heal or to improve yourself and your life in a most definite way.

Reiki is a powerful tool for healing and personal growth. Its energy comes from the highest spiritual source and because of this, it will always create the best results for all concerned. It can be used to heal the body, the mind or the spirit; and can also guide us through life. It can help us develop latent talents and improve the quality of everything we do. So, if healing and personal development is what you want to accomplish, if you have not already done so, take a Reiki class.

Self-Healing Program
In developing your personal Reiki self healing program it is important to take the time to try different techniques. As you do so, be aware of the results and if the technique seems to be moving you toward your goal. If it is, continue with it, if it is not, try something else. In this way, you will develop a personal system of healing that is exactly right for you. This will greatly improve your results. There are many ways to use Reiki and I would like to present a few ideas and techniques that are powerful and effective.

Self-Treatments
Use of self-treatments is an important part of any Reiki healing/self improvement program. Set aside 15 to 30 minutes each day to give yourself a Reiki treatment. This can be a complete treatment using all the hand positions or you could use Byosen scanning and treat only those areas you are guided to. While giving yourself Reiki, your vibration will go up and as this happens I suggest you allow yourself to contemplate the various activities taking place in your life. As you do this, it is likely that you will find healthy new attitudes developing about issues in your life, as well as receive creative ideas on how to deal with them. In order to keep track of this, I suggest you get a notebook to write these ideas in and then use them in your action plans.

Personal Healing Alliance
Receiving treatments from others is also important and in fact, this is probably the most important thing you can do to keep your Reiki energy strong. I suggest you go one step further and develop a personal healing alliance. To do this, find someone you can trust who also has a health or life issue they want to heal. Meet at least once a week to exchange Reiki sessions and share what has happened since your last meeting. Form an agreement between yourselves that you will support each other completely in finding solutions to your issues and becoming completely healed. Be willing to share everything and keep what you share in your meetings strictly confidential. Use all the creativity and inspiration that comes up to solve your issues or achieve your goals. During the week set aside time to send distant Reiki to each other. You can also call each other on the phone if something comes up. These meetings must be taken seriously and it is important to focus on the steps listed above and not allow them to slip into just a social event. This is a very powerful process and will bring deep and very meaningful levels of healing.

Reiki Affirmations and Prayers
Reiki can be used in a powerful way to enhance affirmations and prayers. Place your healing goal or desired accomplishment on a 3x5 card. Using energy, draw Reiki symbols over the card. I recommend using all three Reiki II symbols and any others you may have. Then hold the card between your hands and give the card Reiki. As you do so, repeat your affirmation and/or say a prayer giving thanks that your goal has been achieved or that your healing has taken place. Say your affirmation and/or prayer over and over. Do this with conviction at least once a day. You can also carry the card with you and repeat this process whenever you have a spare moment during the day.

Going Aganist the Issue
A process that will accelerate healing is to go against the issue and use Reiki to heal the feelings and energies that come up. If you have a fear of doing something, go ahead and do it anyway - go against the fear. This process restimulates dormant psychological feelings causing them to come to the surface where you can more easily use your Reiki to heal or release them. It takes courage, but it is very powerful. Have a Reiki friend work with you to help if possible. As an example, if you have a fear of public speaking, go ahead and arrange to give a speech. Before the speech give yourself Reiki, and focus on any feelings that are coming up. After and even during the speech, give yourself Reiki focusing on the feelings. Or, if you have a fear of meeting people, decide to attend a party and deliberately introduce yourself to people at the party. Give yourself Reiki before, after and during the party if possible. If it is too scary to physically do it, then just imagine doing it in your mind and direct Reiki to the feelings as they come up. After treating the issue in this way, at some point you will be able to do it for real. When using this process, it is important to use common sense and not engage in any activities that could be dangerous.

Raising Your Vibration
Anything that will raise your vibration will help you heal more quickly. Doing things such as improving your nutrition, developing an exercise program, meditation, getting adequate rest and sleep, massage, yoga exercises or stretching, Tai Chi, social activities and other forms of entertainment will act to raise your vibration. As your vibration goes up, it will be easier for you to gain insight into your situation and create more effective solutions. It will also cause all other forms of healing to work better.

Use of Other Modalities
Remember that Reiki works in a very positive way with all other forms of healing. So, with your clear intention, and the use of Reiki energy you may be guided to other healing resources. Be on the lookout for these additional healing methods. Methods such as other techniques, changes in diet, the use of herbs, and homeopathic remedies, etc. These could greatly improve your healing process.

Medical and Psychological Care
There are many excellent medical doctors and psychologists who are open to alternative healing. If you have a medical or psychological condition, it is important that you get their advice and follow it if you feel guided to do so. If you have a serious condition and surgery or drugs are recommended, it is important to get a second opinion before deciding what to do. Remember, Reiki works in harmony with medicine and psychology and there may be some important and even necessary therapies they can offer. It is important to consider them when developing your healing program.

These are a few ways to use Reiki to create your personal healing program. Your inner guidance and your clear intention will cause you to discover others not mentioned here. Being fully engaged in this process is necessary if you are to derive the greatest benefit. To quote Helen Keller, "Life is an exciting adventure, or nothing at all." You are the one who decides which way it will be for you. The challenges we face in life contain the lessons we are here to learn. Do not withdraw from them, nor attempt to solve them half heartedly, but instead, fully embrace them. Accomplishment of a worthy personal goal brings with it more than just the results you were looking for. It also brings the certain knowledge that we can change and create the kind of life we want. In the end, when we examine our lives, it is not so much what we know in our heads that is important, nor even what we do, but what we become.

My Reiki Story

by William Lee Rand

It’s been 24 years since I first learned of Reiki and began experiencing it’s miraculous power. Since that time many changes have taken place in my life that were brought about by my association with this wonderful energy. In fact, in looking back to that time, I can clearly see the role it played in placing me firmly on my spiritual path and leading me on a journey into greater levels of peace, happiness, and fulfillment. It has guided me in so many ways, helping me progressively strengthen my connection to the spiritual world as well as develop my ability as a writer, teacher, and healer. It has also taken me on adventures literally to the ends of the earth and saved my life in a dramatic way that is certainly a tribute to the healing power of Reiki and the way it unites so many people to help others.

I became interested in metaphysics in high school and decided I wanted to learn as much as possible. Over a period of 20 years or so, I studied and became a practitioner of hypnotherapy, astrology, past life regression therapy, rebirthing, and Neuro Linguistic Programming. While living in Hawaii, I worked with a Kahuna as his astrologer and did readings for his clients.

It was in a rebirthing class held on the Big Island of Hawaii that I first heard of Reiki. In the class a woman asked to talk to the group during one of our extended breaks. Her name was Bethel Phaigh and she was a Reiki teacher. I was fascinated by the idea that the ability to do Reiki is transferred to the student rather than being something the student develops. Yet I was skeptical. I wondered if the attunement actually did anything energetic or if it was an empty ritual that simply gave people permission to use the healing ability they already had.

During the attunement I was aware of an energy entering my crown and going down to the root chakra. Then I felt energy push out the heart chakra, and I could actually see small glowing chunks of something being blown out and felt that the heart chakra was being opened and a block was being released. When this happened, I knew Reiki was real and that I had discovered something very special.

The results that came from giving sessions to others and myself further validated Reiki, and a year later I received Reiki II training. I considered the teacher training (also called Master training), but the fee was too high and so didn’t consider it to be part of my spiritual path.

Reiki has a way of connecting us more strongly to the Source and in so doing providing a much clearer form of guidance. Realizing this I began taking my life more seriously and decided that with the help of Reiki I’d focus on pursuing my spiritual purpose. I began saying a prayer with conviction each day, “Guide me and heal me so that I might be of greater service to others.”

Things began to change. I loved Hawaii and planned to remain there the rest of my life. But when we make a commitment to follow our spiritual path, we must sometimes do things that don’t go along with what we think we want.

I ended up leaving Hawaii, living in California awhile, and moving in with my parents in Detroit for a short time. I had a dream of being a workshop leader and traveling around giving workshops. I planned to develop my own style of personal development, and never thought I’d be a Reiki teacher. However, when we’ve made a commitment to our spiritual path, sometimes we end up doing things we hadn’t planned. In March 1989, I took the Reiki teacher training and taught my first class in June of that year.

My teaching practice developed quickly and while teaching my first class in another town, I suddenly realized that I was living my dream; I was a workshop leader, and I was traveling and teaching! I was overwhelmed with joy!

I was also able to look back to the moment I had been initiated into Reiki and see that I had been guided step by step to be a Reiki teacher, even though I had thought it wasn’t part of my spiritual path!

After I became a Reiki teacher, and accepted the fact that as far as my spiritual path was concerned, I belonged in the Detroit area, my life began getting better and better. As my career continued to develop, I ended up traveling all over the world teaching Reiki classes, wrote several Reiki books, and published a Reiki magazine. I also traveled to both the North and South Poles as well as to Jerusalem to place World Peace Crystal Grids. (See World Peace Project).

Then at the end of 2003, while dancing at a New Years Eve party I was hosting at my home, I felt a pain behind my heart. At first I thought it must be a rib that had come out of place, as I had been having problems with my upper back. I kept dancing, but the pain worsened and I began to feel a physical weakness that made me think it could be something more serious. I went to get some water and lie down for a few moments. The pain quickly spread around to the front of the heart and I also felt a pain in my jaw and down my left arm. My whole body was in trauma. I went back to the dance floor bent over with pain and asked a couple of friends to take me to the hospital.

I entered the New Year having a heart attack in the hospital emergency room. I had a blood clot in the heart, and it took them a long time to find the right thrombolytic agent to dissolve it. I was also told that the pain I was feeling was the pain of the heart muscle dying.

The two people who took me to the hospital had been giving me Reiki on the way. On learning of my situation, my friends at the party began sending Reiki, praying, and drumming for me. I gave myself Reiki as well and from the very beginning maintained a positive, upbeat attitude–even inviting the ER people to go back to my party when they got off work. I knew that regardless of the severity of the problem, Reiki would heal me and that this would turn into a positive experience.

I was transferred to another hospital to have a heart catheterization the next day. In the mean time, a cardiologist came in with a surprised look on his face. He told me my troponin level was off the chart and that indicated I had had a massive heart attack. He was surprised that I was sitting up in bed, smiling and in a good mood. Troponin is an enzyme that’s released when muscle cells die and is used as an indicator of the extent of heart damage. While the heart catheterization indicated that my arteries were not blocked and I didn’t need a stent or angioplasty, my heart function had been seriously diminished. Afterwards when visiting my cardiologist, he too indicated the seriousness of my heart attack, but apparently not wanting to scare me too much termed it as a “mildly” massive heart attack.

The seriousness of my situation was made real for me when I got home. My vitality was very low and I felt close to death. I could hardly walk and had to spend most of the time lying on the couch. It was difficult to speak and even thinking was at times too much. If I even thought about exercise, a life threatening feeling of danger would come over me and I’d have to stop. When I wasn’t sleeping, I found it best to simply focus on peace.

My heart was emotionally sensitive and very fragile. To feel any kind of feelings was very draining. Conversations with others or even their presence in the room drained me.

The amount of energy my friends who came to visit me had amazed me. How easily they spoke and expressed themselves. I wanted to reach out to them and explain how fortunate they were to be alive and to have so much energy and to be able to freely express themselves so easily, but I was unable to do so. I was too weak.

Another experience I had was during the catheterization. During the procedure, they were taking motion picture x-rays, and I could see my heart beating in real time. This moved me deeply. My heart was there, beating away, keeping me alive even after being so injured. A tremendous feeling of gratitude swept through me.

And there was something even more meaningful than this. I felt how grateful the heart is for the gift of life. And that it was this gratefulness that was actually keeping the heart alive. It’s gratefulness that keeps the door of life open.

While in the hospital I had a friend bring my laptop computer and was able to go online. I sent a simple request to my Reiki email list: “I’ve just had a heart attack, please send Reiki.”

Although we didn’t ask for it, 3,500 people replied to the request saying they would send Reiki. Many of these placed me on their healing request lists and we estimated that there were likely 5,000 to10,000 people sending Reiki to my heart. In addition, after I got home, I began receiving many hands-on Reiki treatments each week with several practitioners each session.

When I looked psychically, I could see that I was at the center of a giant ball of light at least 20 feet or so in diameter. While I remained weak at first, my spirits were always high, and I knew I would fully recover The only question was how long would it take?

I got a little stronger each day. Over time it added up and soon I was able to venture outside. I began walking very slowly around the driveway. At first I could walk just one lap before feeling tired, but then gradually I could walk further until I was walking three or four times around the driveway. Eventually I was able to walk a quarter mile and dreamed of being able to walk a whole mile.

On February 3, I went for a treadmill stress test and echocardiogram to determine the extent of the heart damage. I was hesitant, not wanting to over stress my heart during the test, but the tests seemed to go well. I received the results the following week and they looked amazing. There was no detectable heart damage!

I went from having a massive heart attack to no detectable damage in less than five weeks! I was overjoyed. I can only attribute this to the love, prayers, and Reiki sent by so many people.

While my heart had healed, I was still weak, but gradually got stronger. Soon I was back walking the four miles a day I had been walking before the heart attack. I was also able to teach most of my scheduled classes. When I went to Norway, that summer I was able to climb the mountains I had dreamed of being able to climb when I was so weak. I had fully recovered!

I’m ever so grateful for the gift of life and the gift of Reiki.

Southfield, Michigan
July 2005