Help! My Reiki isn't working!

By Beth Lowell
Contributing Editor

"Is it possible for a person not to be able to do Reiki?", "Sometimes, I just feel like my Reiki isn't working!" and "I don't feel anything in my hands, and my dog doesn't appear to care one way or the other when I give her a Reiki treatment." are a few things I've heard - from students, from practitioners new to Reiki, and from those who learned Reiki a long time ago and are picking up practice again.


Recently I consulted a homeopath and when the subject of Reiki came up, she mentioned that she had taken a course in the past. She confessed she didn't get it. She'd felt nothing, and like somewhat of a fraud when practicing. She quit and dismissed Reiki. (When I delved into it a little deeper, I was pleased and relieved to see the “aha” moment in her eyes as she exclaimed, "Oh! I get it now, it's a spiritual practice!") But mostly I find that people don't "get it" in a way that builds their confidence so easily.

When I talk to people who feel unsure, I remind them of the precepts. But not worrying, working diligently, and having compassion for one's self sometimes are not enough to bolster confidence in those who simply don't feel a physical sensation. I remind them, as my teachers reminded me, to let go of expectations, remembering all the while how disappointed I was when my unevetful level two attunement felt pale in comparison to my first one, which came complete with colors and visions ---despite my concentrated efforts to prepare myself for such an occurrence. Practice and time build confidence, I tell them, knowing all too well how little these words might mean to someone looking for something more concrete.

I never hesitate to pass on resources I think might help answer any Reiki question, and they often include articles by Reiki practitioners published right here in the Reiki Digest. So this week, I'm asking Reiki practitioners of all levels to share your advice for those looking to build confidence in their Reiki practice…this could be as simple as relating pearls of wisdom that someone else shared with you, describing a helpful exercise that you've recommended to others, telling your personal story, posting a link to a useful article, or just offering a word of encouragement. Please use the comments box below to post your reply. If you are new to Reiki and need help, feel free to post your question here as well.

Celeb-Reiki supporting actor depends on holistic support for health

Actor Simon Williams, best known for his role as Captain James Bellamy in the PBS series Upstairs, Downstairs, and who is now appearing in The Power of Yes at the National Theater in London dished to The Mail this week about his healthy lifestyle, including vitamins, tennis and Reiki.

The Reiki Roundup

Syracuse, New York, USA: Reiki is being offered in upstate New York hospitals. While one detractor says, "Having it available in the hospital makes it seem to the patient who is not educated that this is a legitimate therapy that will do them some good", patient surveys show that patients find it extremely effective (does this not make it "legitimate?") in reducing stress levels.

New York, New York, USA: Beth Israel Medical Center goes zen! Nurses and patients alike see the benefits of yoga, meditation, aromatherapy and Reiki at the first of its kind Zen Center in the country.

Royal Oaks, Michigan, USA: Beaumont Hospital, renown for its pelvic floor physical therapy program, opens new women's center to feature medical massage, guided imagery and Reiki.

Sydney, Australia: Auxiliary Bishop Julian Porteous warns that the popular Twilight series fuels a dangerous flirtation with occult practices...like Reiki! Luckily, this article also includes an explanation of why the Bishop is mistaken in his view.


New York, New York, USA: Reiki joins chakra balancing, Tellington Touch, and canine and feline massage as more pet owners seek natural methods as a complement to traditional veterinary care.

Music we love to practice Reiki by: "Wait For Me"...

Moby says, "Not to be too dramatic, but decreasing the suffering of animals is my life's work." Proceeds from the sale of his CD at the Humane Domain go toward improving the lives of animals raised for food. My dogs give this CD two paws up as one of their favorite picks to listen to during their Reiki sessions. And of course, it's also available in a more portable form on iTunes. Click on the button to listen and find out more.

The weekly waka

Creatures great and small

bring comfort, joy, messages.

Guide us on our path,

with not one expectation

for anything in return.

by Susan Ragazzo

(Waka wanted: If you'd like to contribute a waka to our regular series, check out these guidelines, write your waka, and email it to editor @ thereikidigest.com.)

Introducing our new contributing editor

The Reiki Digest is pleased to welcome Beth Lowell as our new contributing editor. As regular readers know, Beth has been contributing to the Digest frequently for some time, and we are happy to make that official. She began her tenure this week by putting together this week's edition in its entirety.

You'll find it here, and in your inbox, later today.

Healer, heal thyself

Featured Practitioner: Bobbe Bramson, Reiki Master Teacher, Westchester County, New York



By Bobbe Bramson

If I had to pick the one lesson that has been the most prevalent in my soul’s journey it would be this: learning how to take care of myself without guilt, without justification, without apology.

Like so many women of my generation, I was taught to sacrifice my own needs on the altar of everyone else’s, to hide my dreams deep down where they wouldn’t be found, and to tamp down the spark of my unique self lest my light offend or overwhelm those who took care of me. To protect myself I became hyper vigilant, reading facial cues from those around me to tell me when and how I should act and stifling my own self-expression. This was not an environment that fostered feelings of confidence, deservedness, or self-love. Bottom line: Take care of others first. Put thyself last.

A Native American elder once told me that I was a shaman healer precisely because of the "sacred hurt" that I had endured as a child. As the black sheep of my family I took on other people’s projected hurts and adopted the errant (heir-ant) belief that if I could just fix their problems then I could finally attend to mine. I was indoctrinated early and well into patterns of self-neglect and I have spent a lifetime learning how to undo them.

I do not feel unique in this regard. In my experience many people who become healing professionals have similar stories to tell, and many are much more harrowing than mine. Let’s face it. As a group we caretakers are great at giving-giving-giving and not so good at being on the receiving end ourselves.

My entrenched patterns reached crisis proportions in my late 40’s. I had overworked for decades in a career that I’d come to by default and didn’t enjoy, all the while pursuing fame and fortune writing songs that went against what I believed in. Almost everything I did was either fake or done for the wrong reasons and it was bleeding me dry. Still I chose to ignore the warning signs until finally my body gave up the charade and literally bled out. Surgery saved my life, but I knew that something else horrible would happen if I didn’t address the root of the problem: chronic self-neglect. I simply did not know how to listen to or serve my own needs.

What followed was a very dark night of the soul and it was my attunement to Reiki that brought back the light. Reiki became my new lifeblood. It was a lifeline that I grabbed hold of, praying that it would bring me back to my true self and it has never let me down since. From the very beginning I felt a passionate connection to Reiki. It astonished me that this flow of energy could water me, nourish and sustain me. It thrilled me that it was dependable beyond any measure I could fathom, infinitely available to me just for the asking. Its insistent urging called me back to me, opening a space within that would allow me to love me, wearing down the hard rock of my self- neglect and melting away my resistance to getting better, my fear of being seen and heard in the world.

Reiki changed my life, but it might be more truthful to say that the regular use of Reiki was what made the change, and for the better. Even though I have become a practitioner and teacher, my primary focus in using Reiki is as a path of self-discovery, spiritual growth and self-empowerment. I have used Reiki on myself every day, almost without exception, for six years, and I would like to share with you some of the ways I have found to weave it into my life, why I feel it is so important for all of us to do so, and why it can be hard to give to ourselves on a regular basis.

I love this quote: "The perfect man of old looked after himself first before looking to help others." (Chuang Tsu c.360BC-275BC) While it would seem completely logical to look after our own well-being first before attending to others, most of us don’t. And it doesn’t help that we live in a culture that judges such behavior as selfish and in fact encourages overworking and busyness to the point of exhaustion.

Imagine yourself and your precious energy as a high-yielding savings account. Now imagine that every day you withdraw money from this account, but never once put in any deposits. Pretty soon the inevitable is going to occur; you go in to take out your money and, whoops, there’s not a cent left. I’m exaggerating, of course, but this is exactly what we do when we give to everyone else (including clients/students) and don’t take the time to "make a deposit" into our own account. What does it say about us when we counsel clients to take better care of themselves while not doing it for ourselves? How can we expect our clients, loved ones, and co-workers to do their healing work if we don’t?

So what is it that keeps us from making an investment of time towards our own healing? There are lots of reasons, but some common rationalizations are "I’m too busy," "I have to do these more pressing things first," "I’m tired now, I’ll do it later," "I can’t do Reiki now because (insert your own)". I think the core reason we don’t, no matter what guise it takes on, is that we don’t feel we really deserve it, or that somehow we aren’t good enough to warrant that kind of loving attention. Here is the truth: any time we give ourselves a Reiki treatment, any time we put our hands on our bodies and run the energy we are participating in a radical act of self-love.

Is it okay for us to give to ourselves so that we can feel good and be more at peace even if around us others are struggling, miserable, or have lives filled with chaos? I would advocate for its being not only okay, but imperative. It’s really very simple: The healthier we are the more we have to give. The more we use Reiki on ourselves the more ki there is flowing through us all the time and the stronger channel we become. Reiki fills in the gaps and clears the places we block our light, and when our light shines other people benefit from its clarity and warmth. The more we are "being Reiki," the more grounded and calm we can be in the midst of life’s storms.

Reiki will heal the issues around not allowing ourselves to receive. One of the first things we can do to address any unworthiness and/or guilt that may underlie our reasons for not doing regular self-treatment is to ask the Reiki for help by coming up with a positive affirmation such as "I request and intend that Reiki support me in finding ways to self-treat every day" or "I request and intend Reiki support me in creating ways to incorporate it into my life on a daily basis." So even if at the beginning you are only doing one self-treatment a week, by stating your intention during that treatment or meditation you are making an alliance with Reiki to make a positive change in your life. If you have a Reiki box you can also write down your affirmation on a piece of paper, Reiki the paper for a few minutes and then place it into your Reiki box. Put the box in a highly visible place and whenever you go by it pause for a minute or two and Reiki the box holding your intention in your mind as you do so. Better yet, seize the moment to actually sir down for five or ten minutes and give yourself some Reiki!

I think that another thing that gets in the way is how we define self-treatment. A lot of people were taught they must go through every hand position in order to get the full effect of a session, but this just isn’t true. And as far as we know, Mikao Usui did not teach self-treatment this way either. During Reiki I training I wasn’t able to hold the self-treatment positions for the prescribed time because of shoulder and neck pain. As a result I discovered that the Reiki flowed anywhere I intended it to without putting my hands there. Never bound by the constraints of having to self-treat in a certain way, I have developed alternative ways that work great for me and I encourage everyone to do the same.

I always invite Reiki in while I meditate. I like the ritual of drawing the symbols as I quiet my mind. Resting my hands on my thighs or lower abdomen for the duration I intend that the Reiki flow with its Divine intelligence to exactly where it is most needed on the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels and that it bring healing, balancing, and harmonizing to every fiber of my being. If there is a place that I know could use special attention then I put my hands or my mind there. When I am done meditating I intend that the healing that has occurred integrate with grace and ease for my highest good and go about my day. This is the heart of my Reiki self-treatment.

A wonderful way to remove emotional blocks to receiving is to do the Japanese technique called seheiki chiryo ho, (or for level 1 nentatsu ho which is done without the symbols). You would again come up with a positive affirmation like "It is safe for me to put myself first," or "It’s easy to carve out time to nurture myself," or "I’m finding small ways to give to myself each day," and then sit or lie down placing one hand on your forehead and the other on the back of the head. As you give Reiki to these two spots repeat your affirmation either out loud or to yourself for three to five minutes. Then stop repeating the affirmation, remove the hand on your forehead and continue giving Reiki to the back of the head for another five minutes or so just allowing yourself to rest in its soothing energy. You will begin to notice shifts in attitude if done consistently once a day over a period of time. (An illustration and description of this technique can be found in The Reiki Sourcebook by Bronwen and Frans Stiene.)

Learning*

You should know
From the way
Children learn
When you practice more
You (will) get better results

One of the most common concerns that students bring up once they have learned Reiki is that they have no time to practice it. When I talk to them awhile, though, it becomes clear that they have made an unconscious choice to NOT use Reiki. We live in a world that inputs information to us 24/7 unless we consciously unplug from the mainframe and spend some time going within. All of us living in the 21st century must grapple with the time thieves of phones and emails to answer, TV shows to watch, bills to pay, and endless errands to run. Still, when you get right down to it there are at least as many opportunities to tune into Reiki as there are to not tune in to It. We just have to decide that we will. Here is but a small sampling:

• Before getting out of bed in the morning take 5-10 minutes and bring in the Reiki.
• In the shower/bath Reiki the water intending that it fill your aura and cleanse your body.
• Stuck in a traffic jam that isn’t moving at all? Invite in some Reiki to keep you company.
• At lunch take a moment to bless your food and yourself with Reiki and spend a minute or two in gratitude.
• If you are standing on a long line, waiting for the kid’s bus, etc. Reiki, Reiki, Reiki...
• Try doing Reiki during a yoga class or when cooling down after you exercise.
• When you get into bed at night bring in the Reiki and intend that it work its healing magic as you sleep.

If you were to do even two of these a day you would have given yourself an hour’s worth of Reiki at week’s end!

It probably goes without saying that the Reiki precepts are a beautiful template for self-care. These five golden rules (six if we include "just for today" as an all inclusive one) are nourishment for body and soul as long as we do our best to remember them. For me two of them in particular resonate with this topic:

Just for today I will be kind to my neighbor and all living beings. Now add INCLUDING MYSELF. If you want to be a true rebel you might change this precept to read "Just for today I will be kind to myself by putting my needs first, and from there I will be an overflowing well of kindness from which I allow others to freely drink."

Just for today I will do my work honestly. For me this means I will do my best to walk the Reiki path with integrity, honoring the Reiki by using it on a regular basis by doing my spiritual work and loving myself enough to take an active, responsible and compassionate part in MY OWN HEALING.

Am I perfect at self-care? No, I’m not. I still catch myself sabotaging my best efforts and shortchanging myself now and then, especially in the past couple of years as I go through the on again-off again vigilance and triage necessary to care for my ill and aging father. Just when things seem to be letting up and I am beginning to return to a sense of stability, just at the moment when I feel like I can use my energy to build a fire under my own dreams, that’s precisely the moment when a new crisis emerges and another opportunity for spiritual growth presents itself. I am using this karmic petri dish to conduct a powerful Reiki experiment. Each new trial puts me to the test again so that I can grow up, become the adult, and learn how to take better care of myself. Whenever I have felt myself spinning out of control or sinking into a vortex of fear, Reiki has been my energetic intervention of choice, my saving grace. My way of making peace with whatever is happening is to ask the Reiki to flow where it is most needed, not only for my highest good, but for that of the entire situation and everyone involved. I know I’ve made positive progress because now I can say in the middle of a highly charged emergency situation, "Wait a minute! Before I rush headlong into the fray to fix what’s out there, what do I need to do for me first?"

I would like to leave you with this acronym to help remind you to self-treat with Reiki.

Remember to use Reiki. Those of us lucky enough to be attuned to Reiki have been given an amazing healing gift. Remember that this incredibly adaptable, evolving energy works on all levels of our being gently and persistently, but it has to be used!

Every day Even small regular applications of Reiki can make a big difference overall, so use it on yourself every day (or at least as often as you possibly can). If you meditate on a daily basis throw some Reiki into the mix.

Intend I don’t mean to sound like a broken record, but really, intention is everything. Reiki flows where intention goes. Intend that you are finding more time to devote to you and your self care and it will be so. Intend that Reiki support you in learning how to nurture yourself and you will be rewarded.

Kindle a relationship with Reiki and then keep the flame alive by regularly interacting with it. Reiki is a vibrant and responsive partner in your self-growth and healing so ask it questions and expect the answers to come over time. Ask for its support and guidance and don’t be afraid to experiment with different ways to make it a part of your life. I promise you, much will be revealed.

Invest in you. Every time we give ourselves Reiki we are making an investment in our own bankable resources. What you put into Reiki you will get back, and with interest! And don’t forget, this is NOT a selfish act because the more you deposit in your "bank," the more you will have to give to others and the world.

We are all precious beyond measure, beautiful diamonds in the rough waiting to radiantly glimmer and shine our light out into a world that needs it now more than ever. So in support of this heartfelt sentiment here is another waka from the Meiji Emperor:

A Precious Gemstone*

The precious stone
Is not shining
It seems
Because you forgot
To polish it.


©2010 Bobbe Bramson RM

Bobbe Bramson is the founder of Lotus Song Healing Arts in Westchester County, New York, and is a Reiki Master Teacher of the Usui System of Natural Healing, a certified Karuna Reiki Master, I.E.T. (Integrated Energy Therapy) Master Instructor, and Green Tara Seichim teacher. With over 30 years experience in the creative and metaphysical arts she offers guidance, resources and inspiration for the soul’s journey, both privately and in group settings. Her guiding intention is to create custom-designed healing strategies that empower people to live lives connected to the sacred and beautiful within themselves and the natural world. She can be reached at (914)673-0976 or bramsongs @ verizon.net


*All waka are from The Spirit of Reiki
by Lubeck, Petter, and Rand:

Music we love to practice Reiki by: Áine Minogue

Áine Minogue was already performing at music festivals in her native Ireland when she discovered her true love at the age of 12: the Celtic harp. Her angelic sound also has a strong earthly connection, as she is an authority on traditional Celtic culture as well as its music. Click on the button to listen, or visit the meditation rooms on her web site. Thanks as always to iTunes for being one of our sponsors!

The weekly waka

Hawks are gathering
atop my neighbor's chimney -
under scrutiny,
mice go about their business...
everybody's got to eat

By Beth Lowell

(Waka wanted: If you'd like to contribute a waka to our regular series, check out these guidelines, write your waka, and email it to editor @ thereikidigest.com.)

This week's specials

Many thanks to our advertisers and our readers for supporting this publication! And thanks as well for this week's great deals:

This week's specials: tools of the trade

This week our specials are in the spotlight, focusing on tools of the trade for the professional Reiki practitioner.

We're an advertiser-supported publication, and every purchase you make via our links helps us continue to bring The Reiki Digest to you free each week. We hope that our advertising as well as our editorial content will further our goal of serving the global Reiki community. Many thanks to our advertisers for their support, and many thanks to our readers for keeping the energy flowing.

First, we all need massage tables, and for that we go to the Mercantilia massage table superstore, featuring all the top brands. Whatever table you choose, be sure to choose the Reiki endplate option -- that makes it easier to sit at the head or foot of the table without having to reach. It costs a little more but it will save you much wear and tear on your back in the long run. And if you sometimes work with clients on a floor mat, the shiatsu cable release option makes it possible to use your massage table for that as well.



Gaiam's natural cotton mat and massage mat combination provide a more portable option that's comfortable for face-down as well as face-up positions (here it's used for a hot stone massage):



You'll need pillows, sheets, blankets and bolsters -- Gaiam's having a sale on organic bedding this month:




Amazon.com also has a wide selection of massage table sheets. Here's just one example:



If you're a pro, you'll need to get paid, and these days that means accepting credit cards. EnCards.com can help you do that, beginning with a free consultation:



You'll need brochures and business cards:



You'll need a web site. We recommend the same thing we use: Google's free, easy-to-use Blogger.com.

And you'll need a phone -- this one's only $1.67 a month:



You'll need to keep your books in order:



And pay your taxes:



If Reiki becomes your day job, you'll need health insurance:



And anyone who practices professionally needs liability insurance. We get ours through the International Association of Reiki Professionals. -- the plans available through the IARP are only one of many benefits of membership. Once you become a member, you can choose the plan that's right for you. And if you use Promo Code TRD63, you'll get $10 off your new IARP membership, compliments of The Reiki Digest.



For more on setting up your professional Reiki practice, you might want to take a look at the article "Starting a Reiki Practice: Business Basics" by Marianne Streich in the Spring 2010 issue of William Lee Rand's Reiki News magazine -- unfortunately it's not available online, however.

You'll also need some music to practice Reiki by, and something to play it on:



And why not add to the ambiance with some Dancing Light Candles to enhance the experience?

We'll continue to add to our collection of products that can enhance your Reiki experience as well as your professional practice in the coming weeks. Thanks again for your support!

Even more guest editors wanted

Wow! Thanks for the great response to our call for guest editors! Because of all the great submissions (and all the ones we've received so far are excellent), we're revising our original plan for four guest-edited editions per year. Instead, we're going to try for one guest-edited edition each month.

In order to gear up for this expanded plan, we'll be publishing the first guest-edited edition of the Digest in May.

It's not too late to volunteer -- just click here to read the original post and a link to the application form.

We still haven't gotten back to all the volunteers, but we hope to do so within the next week. Many thanks to you all!

Calling all Reiki bloggers!

Do you have a blog about Reiki?

If so, you'll want to get yourself listed in the new About.com Reiki Blog Index, the latest project from About.com's Guide to Holistic Healing, Phylameana Iila Desy. And if your blog is a more general one, there's also an About.com Holistic Healing Blogs Directory.

The Reiki Roundup

Location unknown: A Reiki teacher is among those missing after their sailboat, the SS Columbia, disappeared off the coast of Chile. The 13-meter Columbia was scheduled to arrive in Chile at the end of February, about the same time an 8.8 earthquake hit, and so far searches by the Chilean Coast Guard have found no sign of the vessel or its crew, which included Reiki teacher Josee (Jade) Chabot of Quebec, Canada.

Syracuse, New York, USA: News 10 Now has this video report on Reiki at a local hospital.

Hagerstown, Maryland USA: Reiki is included in a WHAG-TV report on a new healing center.

Massagemag.com: "A randomised controlled single-blind trial of the effects of Reiki and positive imagery on well-being and salivary cortisol" came back with promising findings about the use of Reiki to mitigate stress.

A Celeb-Reiki in the First Family!

We didn't realize that there was a Celeb-Reiki in the USA's First Family until this week, when the Chicago Tribune mentioned in passing that Michelle Obama's uncle, Steve Shields of Chicago, is a Reiki Master. The article was about Shields's sister, "First Grandma" Marian Robinson, and her adjustment to living in the White House. Shields, co-founder of Chicago's Keystone Healing Center, was a White House guest for Thanksgiving last year, according to the article. We're glad to know that the entire Obama family has a Reiki connection, and that makes them all Celeb-Reikies!

Music we love to practice Reiki by: Brian Eno

Brian Eno is "best known as one of the principle innovators of ambient music," says the Wikipedia, but he's also famous for the music he made with such artists as Roxy Music, David Byrne, Robert Fripp, U2, Laurie Anderson and Coldplay. While it's all great music, it's not all appropriate for use during Reiki sessions, so listen and choose carefully.

His "Ambient 1/Music for Airports" is a classic, and very nice for Reiki. Click here for a list of his other ambient music, and click on the button to listen and find out more.

Many thanks to iTunes for being one of our sponsors -- a small percentage of each purchase you make via our links goes to help cover our costs.

The weekly waka

This soft tingling rush
through my fingers, palms and heart,
inspires the knowing.
My body, mind and spirit,
reunited, breathe a smile.

By Nancy Karp

(Waka wanted: If you'd like to contribute a waka to our regular series, check out these guidelines, write your waka, and email it to editor @ thereikidigest.com.)

Wanted: Guest editors

Would you like to put together your own special edition of The Reiki Digest? Here's your chance!

As we enter our fourth year of publication, The Reiki Digest invites our readers to become editors. We'll be publishing four special themed editions during 2010, each one produced by a guest editor.

Each guest editor can choose the theme (Reiki-related, of course) for the issue, along with all the regular components of our publication, including:

• The Weekly Waka
• The Celeb-Reiki Report
• The Reiki Roundup
• The lead article
• A special component chosen by the guest editor
  

What kind of themes are we talking about? Maybe you'd like to do a special edition focusing on Reiki self-care, marketing for Reiki practitioners, or Reiki meditations -- those are just a few examples.

What's in it for you? The satisfaction of creating your own special edition, and a higher profile on the web and in the global Reiki community.

What's in it for us? We believe that guest editors will not only allow us to better serve the global Reiki community, but eventually they might even make it possible for us to take a vacation now and then.

Does the guest editor have to write all the articles for the special edition? Not necessarily. You can include articles from other writers, but the bottom line is that you will be responsible for making sure all the components are there. If there are no reader submissions for The Weekly Waka, for example, you'll need to write one yourself.

Do guest editors need to have professional writing or editing experience? Experience does help, but it's not required.

Will the guest editor get help from the editor in putting together the special edition? Yes, we'll be happy to help, but the special edition will be YOUR responsibility.

Interested? Click here for the online application form.

Questions? Email editor@thereikidigest.com

We will announce our first guest editor by April 1, 2010.

Reiki Roundup

Calderdale, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom: Reiki is one of the modalities being offered to nursing home residents on Dignity Action Day, part of a campaign to ensure that older people are treated with dignity and respect.

Twickenham, Middlesex, UK: First he got breast cancer, then she did. Now the UK's only husband-and-wife breast cancer patients are both survivors, and Reiki helped them get through the ordeal.

Birmingham, UK, and Sydney, Australia: If you're in Sydney on March 21, 2010, be on the lookout for a group of women wearing pink climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge. They're the Breast Friends of Solihull, a group of breast cancer survivors who'll be traveling from England to Sydney to raise money for their organization, which provides Reiki and other services to those affected by the illness.

Hopkinton, Massachusetts, USA: Haiti, an ailing, blind, red-tailed hawk who had received Reiki from a veterinarian trying to save him, was euthanized by Tufts University doctors who declared him a hopeless case, and the vet who tried to rescue the raptor is very upset that the bird was put down rather than returned to her or other doctors for further treatment.

Great Falls, Montana, USA: A first-time Reiki recipient tells a reporter that "It made my mind quiet."

Temecula, California, USA: A reporter for the Riverside Press-Enterprise gets a Reiki treatment, and loves it. Great photos of people practicing Reiki!

Spokane, Washington, USA: A volunteer offers Reiki to residents at a shelter for low-income women. "Reiki helps lift the weight off their shoulders," says the shelter's director.

Celeb-Reiki wins gold in Winter Olympics

Congratulations to Australian snowboarder (and longtime Reiki recipient) Torah Bright, who won the gold medal in the halfpipe in the just-concluded 2010 Winter Olympics!

Bright's victory marks the first time (as far as we know) that a winner of Olympic gold has had a Reiki connection, though Celeb-Reiki cyclist Hayden Roulston of New Zealand won silver and bronze in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Bright grew up receiving Reiki and other natural therapies from her mother, a nurse. "The kids used to joke and say it was all witchcraft and that's why we won the events," Bright said in an interview with the Australian newspaper The Age.

Roulston's success has continued since his Olympic achievements: he distinguished himself in the 2009 Tour de France and just last weekend, he came in fourth in the Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne race.

Bright's next stop: the World Superpipe Championships in Park City, Utah -- her adopted hometown.

Music we love to practice Reiki by: Steven Halpern

Steven Halpern has been making relaxation music since 1975, when his "Chakra Suite" album (there were no CDs back then!) sparked a "quiet revolution" in music, long before anyone labeled relaxation and spa music "New Age." Click on the button to listen and find out more.

Many thanks to iTunes for being one of our sponsors, and thanks to our readers for purchasing music via our links. We get a small percentage of each purchase, which helps cover some of our costs.

Rest in peace

Reiki practitioner Raymond Sheldon Shuman, Springfield, Massachusetts, February 1, 2010.

Reiki practitioner Raymond A. Reynolds, 81, La Veta, Colorado, February 4, 2010.

Reiki practitioner Patricia Tessier, 66, Pembroke, Massachusetts, February 5, 2010.

Reiki Master Teacher Jo Anne Cerce, 60, Middleboro, Massachusetts, February 9, 2010.

Reiki Master Teacher Margaret Ann Case, 57, New York, New York, February 18, 2010.

Click here to read all obituaries published in The Reiki Digest since 2006.

The weekly waka

Long cold and dreary
winter days lingering on
Time to go within
to feel our own radiance
where eternal warmth resides

By Julie Romanko

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