3rd Eye Watch January 2014 | Page 5

Reiki, The Healing Hands... Reiki became my friend back in 2001, when a new acquaintance at a dinner party saw me limping, and asked to touch my knee. I didn’t blink an eye, since I had experienced and learned Healing Touch in massage school. I sat down and allowed her to “do” Reiki on my knee, placing one hand on the top of my knee and the other on the underside. After a few minutes of feeling tingling warmth, the knee felt much better, and I began to walk with a normal gait. ereafter I began to notice a vast number of people I encountered spoke of being attuned to Reiki. Now that I had become aware of that type of healing, it kept appearing. In 2005 I answered the call to learn Reiki, and found my first Master Teacher, who attuned me to Level I. A few months later I learned another teacher friend was holding classes, and I became attuned to Level II, and thereafter Level III. I have been facilitating healing through Reiki ever since, and attuning others to this healing modality for almost two years. People often ask me what Reiki (pronounced ray’-key) is. It is an energy healing technique that originated in Japan. It is spiritually guided universal life force energy that trained practitioners channel through laying palms on or above the body, or can transmit from a distance. I facilitate Reiki on myself almost daily. Just like a child that falls and asks us to rub or kiss their boo-boo, I automatically touch areas that experience discomfort or pain. Then I intentionally call upon the Reiki healing energy. What I have found is that I very quickly become relaxed and peaceful, the pain usually goes away, and if I happen to be lying down, I tend to go to sleep. People have different styles of facilitating Reiki. I call on Reiki as I massage clients. If I am facilitating a Reiki-only session, I use my intuitive skills to guide me to particular areas calling out for healing, and listen for messages from the body to communicate with the client. One friend and colleague uses Reiki in combination with his shamanic healing practices. Other friends incorporate aura reading and cleansing, chakra (energy center) balancing, sound healing, chanting and prayer. You see, Reiki is not based on any religion or spiritual practice—those with varying beliefs have successfully provided healing all within the context of their spiritual belief systems. Even many hospitals now offer Reiki as a service to patients. Continued on page 10