Reiki

“Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts.”- Thich Nhat Hanh

Reading the latest ‘Reiki News Magazine’, (I am hoping to very soon be a Reiki practitioner myself), I picked this magazine up and every article was interesting. From an article about a Reiki Master, Raven Keyes, who worked in the O.R. with Dr. Mehmet Oz, (his wife Lisa, is also a Reiki healer and he believes in energy medicine coinciding with traditional Western medicine to help facilitate post op healing). To Reiki in childbirth, for children, self- Reiki. There are Reiki healing stories from people with serious illnesses as well as articles about programs that teach Reiki to nurses to help heal patients in their care. It was a very interesting edition.

Reiki, for those of you who are like, (“Wh, What?”), is a healing practice administered by lightly laying hands on someone, you are able to channel guided energy into yourself, (self Reiki), or others. The benefits are relaxation, stress reduction, focus and clarity. As Jan Kendall says in an article entitled,  ‘REIKI MEDITATION’, its positive effects touch all levels: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual.

You may be saying, Huh? But I say, why not? I have had Reiki administered to me by my favorite Reiki Master and friend, Monika and a 30 minute session feels like a 2 hour massage when your finished. Calm, relaxed, clear and focused.  There was another article by Brenda St. Pierre entitled, ‘THE HEALING RELATIONSHIP.’  At the end of the article she described a meditation to do where you are sitting down, hands in prayer and your focus is on where your middle fingers meet. She explains in this amazing meditation practice that thoughts will come and go, but as soon as you realize you are focusing on a thought brush it aside and re-focus back to where your middle fingers meet. She ends the article with a beautiful prayer:

May you light up with joy as you encounter that constant and beloved friend that is yourself.

I loved that! Can you imagine going into the bathroom in the morning and catching a glimpse of yourself and lighting up with recognition like your meeting an old friend by chance on the street. “HEY! There you are! Yay!” (No? Me neither), so I decided to try it. At first my mind kept wandering so I thought I would recite that little prayer as a mantra to get me more focused. The first time I did as soon as I said to myself the word, JOY, my mind went from the true meaning to an inner monologue of “Joy? Palmolive, Ivory soap, I need dishwashing liquid.” So I brushed it aside and went back to my breath. It took me a few tries but eventually my deep breaths took me to a really calm and peaceful state where I was able to focus on where my middle fingers met. If at first you don’t succeed, breathe, breathe again!