The Reiki Digest for January 3, 2007: Happy New Year!

They say that Reiki is practiced in every country in the world, and after half a year of publishing The Reiki Digest, I believe that's probably true. As we celebrate our half-a-versary, our readership now extends to 37 countries on every continent but Antarctica: Argentina, Australia, Barbados, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Estonia, France, Finland, Greece, India, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Vietnam. Many new subscribers have joined us during the holiday break, and the entire staff of The Reiki Digest (that's me!) sends Reiki-filled greetings to all of you. Meanwhile, we'll keep hoping to reach at least a few readers in Antarctica, and for that matter, the Czech Republic, which is conspicuous by its absence since we know there's a lot of Reiki being practiced there.

In recognition of our international readership, The Reiki Digest resolves in 2007 to reach beyond the limits of a single language to connect with non-English-speaking practitioners as well. To that end, a few words in Czech (non-Czech-speakers, just skip ahead to the next paragraph): Ahoj! Jak se mas? Vitame, a stasne novy rok! Chcete edice The Reiki Digest v Cestine? Je mozna. Pro dalsi, moje e-mail address je: janet @ healingmovement.com. Dekuji vam!

And if there are any Reiki practitioners in Antarctica, please raise your hands.

Next week, we'll take a closer look at news about Reiki in languages other than English.

During the holiday break, we also established connections with two major online communities: About.com and zaadz.com. Phylameana lila Desy, the About.com guide for Holistic Healing, is herself a Reiki practitioner. While About.com is part of a huge media empire -- The New York Times -- Zaadz (from the Dutch word for "seed") is a small sprout of a company with a small but thriving online community where Reiki types fit right in.

This year, The Reiki Digest also resolves to connect locally with a combination online/real-life community, the New York City Reiki Meetup group.

Of course, there's still time to pre-register (and save $25) for the New York Open Center's January 15 all-day Reiki Symposium. I'll be among the practitioners leading workshops, discussion forums, and other activities.

This next announcement seems almost belated, even though the event won't take place until April. Nonetheless (drum roll, please), we proudly announce what we hope will be the first of many Reiki-Digest-sponsored events: Shinpiden Level III with Master Teacher Frans Stiene, co-author of The Reiki Sourcebook, The Japanese Art of Reiki, The A-Z of Reiki, the Reiki Techniques Card Deck and the forthcoming Your Reiki Treatment. I traveled to Chicago last October to take the class myself and I got so much out of it that I decided to sponsor it here in New York. So what makes this announcement belated? The class is already more than half full! More details here.

We've got a fascinating assortment of Celeb-Reikies this week. First, actress Pam Ferris plays a midwife (and Reiki practitioner) in the new movie Children of Men. I haven't seen the movie yet, but I'm sure a little Reiki comes in handy in the dystopian future it protrays.

Next, please send Reiki to our four-legged Celeb-Reiki, a little two-year-old elephant calf named Rinky in Guwahati, India, who was hit by a bus and gravely injured last month. Little Rinky received some Reiki as veterinarians tried heroically to save her, but the last news item about her is dated December 19, when euthanasia seemed the only option left.

Also in India, artist Jenny Bhatt is also a Reiki practitioner.

We stay in India for one more Celeb-Reiki: Paula Horan, known as "the lady who brought Reiki to India."

Hey, hey, it's a Monkee: ex-Monkee Davy Jones is among the clients of Reiki Master Pat Branch of Memphis, Tennessee.

Finally, Reiki Master Michelle Berry, Ithaca, New York city council member, who mentioned her Reiki practice when asked by a reporter about her New Year's resolutions.

Our Celeb-Reiki feature is brought to you by Miriam's Well Healing of New York, New York, specializing in the health and well-being of performing artists.

On to the first Reiki Roundup of 2007. The Los Angeles Times reports on 200 American Jews, including some Reiki practitioners planning to set up a clinic, who are moving to Israel. Perhaps they'll run into some of the Reiki practitioners (among others) from Palestine and Israel who recently got together in Turkey to discuss peace education.

In Maine, we find 75-year-old Reiki practitioner Vivian Franck in the hospital, recovering from being hit by a truck. Can't help sending a little Reiki her way, along with our admiration.

Next stop: the dentist's office, or should we call it the pleasure palace?

Reiki is becoming more popular in the Ozark mountains of Missouri, according to KSFX-TV.

Last stop on this week's Reiki Roundup is Camano Island, Washington, USA, where Reiki plays a part in a dramatic true-life, true love story in two parts, headlined, "The Light Within" and "I'm Coming Back to You".

Reiki obituaries are becoming a regular feature, as they should in any community publication. We'd like to round it out with a few birth announcements, so please let us know about the arrival of any Reiki babies.

Rest in peace:

Reiki Master Victoria Marie Catani-Rossena, 52, of Rye, New Hampshire.

Reiki Master Nancy Bordley Hall, 68, of Shrewsbury, New Jersey.