Last November while visiting home a dear friend of mine, Heather, encouraged me to schedule a Reiki session to help with the mind-body connection to facilitate healing. Heather had given me some background information about Reiki and her experiences as a Reiki Practitioner and I became interested in the practice.
Wanting to know more, I asked Heather to share what Reiki is as well as some of her personal and professional Reiki healing experiences.
At the end of the post look for my Reiki experience!
*DISCLAIMER: The information provided in this article is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your physician, or health care provider before taking any home remedies, supplements or starting a new health regime including but not limited to reiki.
From a Reiki Practitioner:
My name is Heather and I am a Reiki (RAY-key) Practitioner.
Reiki is referred to as “Universal Life Force Energy” and was founded by Dr. Mikao Usui. Dr. Usui researched, practiced, and taught this healing technique in early 20th Century Japan. Reiki is a gentle method of hands-on healing that taps into energy referred to as “ki” in Japan’s and “chi” in China.
Reiki is not going to be what you think of in terms of traditional massage, though it is often classified as massage because the only thing you remove during the session is your shoes. You lay on a massage table covered by a sheet or blanket, on your back, for the first half hour as the practitioner places their hands over your body from your Crown to the toes. When the client turns onto their tummy and the practitioner works from the toes back up to the Crown.
The practitioner places their hands in specific positions over the Chakras. Chakras are the seven energy centers within the body that can become overstimulated, under-stimulated, or blocked entirely. They are located respectively:
- Crown is above your head
- Third Eye is between your eyes
- Throat is at your throat
- Heart is at your heart
- Solar Plexus is from under the heart to the navel
- Sacral is from the navel to just above the legs
- Root is from the legs down to the toes
Some people refer to these areas as “Meridians.” The practitioner will sense these energetic differences with the client’s energetic field and will use the energy they have been given by their Reiki Master Teacher & Ascended Masters to correct and put the Chakras back into balance for optimal health.
“Reiki is the best vibration for helping someone to relax well and deeply. Relaxation is key to human health and recovery because it initiates our natural and innate healing abilities. It is when we are truly relaxed that true healing can take place.”
― Chyna Honey
Research has shown that Reiki can address both chronic and acute issues to encourage the body to begin a regenerative healing process for the benefit of the mind, body, & spirit. Studies of Reiki show a reduction of pain, including cancer & chemotherapy, following treatment. The benefits of a Reiki treatment last three weeks.
My clients tell me they enjoy the deep relaxation and feeling of well-being during the session as well as having more recuperative sleep patterns afterward. Many of my clients relax to the point of falling asleep during their sessions. Some feel warmth, tingling, and pulsing of the energy moving and healing where they are needing it most.
Reiki is gentle enough for pregnant women, anyone recovering from surgery or an accident, or to alleviate pain. Many hospitals, including the world-famous Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, employ Reiki practitioners for this reason whether their patients are on an out-patient basis or in intensive care.
Improvement of the immune system, nervous system function, increased mobility with MS-lupus-& Fibromyalgia has been documented. Some patients have been able to scale back their use of pain medications according to Portsmouth Regional Hospital in New Hampshire.
After their session, I give them a glass of water…it’s important to stay hydrated because toxins are being released through the movement of energy through the Chakras even though I have not directly massaged toxins from the muscles themselves.
I am Intuitive, I am Empathic, and in doing Reiki people like me are often called Lightworkers. If my clients want to know what angelic messages I received for them, what I saw or heard, I will jot them down for them and we will discuss it. It’s always extremely positive, for their greatest good, and all about healing, they are needing now.
I’ve seen colors, flowers, spirit/totem animals, spirit guides, etc. I’ve smelled flowers, Earth, rain, etc. I actually had the sensation of rain falling on me in a session once…it felt so real I had to open my eyes to make sure I wasn’t all wet!
(I keep my eyes closed during my sessions unless I feel the energy shifting to the point where I’m not sure if they are moving or if I am…usually, it’s neither!) It’s just the undercurrent…sometimes it feels like I have a hold of live wires and I can feel the electricity zinging through my fingers.
I once encountered a woman’s Guardian Angel during a session. It was so profound I’ve never forgotten it. I was above her heart Chakra, surrounding it with a pink bubble of love & light when this Angel appeared.
I, being human in my search for answers, asked for identification in asking the classic question of, “who are you?” The Angel wasn’t going to humor me by disclosing a name, or a gender, but it responded by saying, “I am the One Who Never Leaves.” Meaning this Angel was assigned to her when she came into being and would not leave her side until God called her home. Yep, that happened!
During another session, I got to the feet of a woman and smelled deep, dark, rich, black wet Iowa soil. I wasn’t sure what that meant so I asked Spirit for clarification, “what does this mean?” I heard one word, “grounding.” I was to encourage this woman to go Earthing, to get grounded by putting her bare feet on the Earth and in the Earth, to stabilize her ions to help her feel better. Thank goodness it was Summer here and she could actually accomplish that task.
One more? Ok. I was working with another woman when I was overwhelmed by golden light, yellow flowers, and butterflies. After the session, I shared this vision with her and she began to cry. Apparently yellow was a color she associated with her Grandmother and so were butterflies! The fact that I saw both of those things together, and she saw this imagery during the session too, she said it was an unequivocal sign that her Grandmother was here during our session for her benefit.
Photo Copyright LeAnn Rodriguez
You just never know what is going to happen. I never know what I am going to see, hear, or feel…and every session is different…even with clients I have been seeing for well over a year.
People ask me how I got into Reiki. I was suffering from a knee injury, a destroyed L-5 vertebrae, and some emotional things I thought Reiki might be able to help me with so I gave it a try. My results were absolutely amazing so I was sold. I was so impressed by Reiki that I asked a Reiki Master Teacher to mentor me.
In Level One or First Degree, you learn how Reiki works and you practice on yourself. In Level Two or Second Degree, you learn how to use what you’ve learned so you can be a practitioner and help others feel better energetically. My family physician cannot believe how I am able to do what I do by the looks of my L-5. I tell her it’s a combination of Reiki, crystal therapy, essential oils, flower essences, and herbal teas. I no longer take pharmaceuticals daily, for the first time in eighteen years, and I am virtually pain-free.
I’ve taken the more natural approach to my body. I’m 45 years old. It’s never too late. It’s all about finding what works and what resonates with you. It’s trial and error. It’s about having an open mind. I am a firm believer in affirmations and telling my body, “I’m managing this but I am not owning it.” I try not to use my medical diagnosis (degenerative disc disease, arthritis, migraines, etc.) aloud. I don’t want them having that much power over me.
My (first) Reiki session experience:
First and foremost, I found my first Reiki session very relaxing. From a self-care perspective, I needed it and was open to whatever the session would provide. Heather dimmed the lights in the room were dimmed and relaxing nature-based music played softly in the background.
With my shoes off, I sat on the edge of the massage table and then laid down on my back. Heather placed a pillow under my knees to support my lower back. Simply getting the pressure off my lower back felt amazing.
I closed my eyes and practiced mindfulness – letting thoughts come and go. The sound of birds chirping could be heard in the music. Instantly, an image of a lush, green, peaceful meadow with soft sunlight came to mind. There was a sense of familiarity.
As the session progressed, I was aware spirit around me as well as the healing hands practicing Reiki and felt an overall sense of peace I hadn’t felt in a long time. I sensed my late grandma’s presence.
In fact, as soon as the meadow scene described above came to mind, is when I knew she was with me in spirit. To confirm that presence I heard a ping coming from a folding chair nearby. It made me flinch. I knew it was her spirit making herself known.
As the session drew to a close, Heather gave me a drink of water as she started to write down what she experienced during the session. It was good to have it written down for later reference, especially being so relaxed.
A few of the things she mentioned from the session included:
1. Spirit Animal – The spirit that came through for me was a unicorn! According to Maven Unmasked, “As a mythical creature, it is connected to both the heavens and the earth. A creature of magic on the physical plane. Unicorn asks you to release comparison and jealousy. See with new waking eyes that view the world with awe and adventure. Greet everyone you encounter with love and light straight from the heart. Even in the most challenging of circumstances, the love and support that Unicorn gives is undying.“
2. Spirit Guides – Heather asked me if I heard the chairs make a pinging noise on two different occasions. I told her I had and she said that was my grandma and that she was making her presence known. Heather could see her sitting in the chair near the head of the table. She was sitting forward, looking over what Heather was doing during the Reiki session.
Heather acknowledged her presence and that made Grandma feel more settled. She also stated that besides Grandma always being there to look over me, so was my late uncle, and my late grandpa (who stood in the background).
3. Supplement – While doing the body scan Heather detected a metallic taste. She suggested I try a taking a Spirulina supplement. To learn about the benefits of Spirulina click here.
Finally, did I enjoy the experience? Absolutely! I’m always open to utilizing mindful practices and personal development.
