Closing a door, opening a thread. . .

Even though we won't be publishing The Reiki Digest after this edition, we invite all of you to continue speaking for and about Reiki right here in this open thread. If you've got something to say about Reiki, if you have a question about Reiki, just click on the word "comments" below to add your comments and keep the conversation going...

The final edition!

by Beth Lowell, Managing Editor

A little over five years ago in May of 2006, a one of a kind on online publication devoted solely to the subject of Reiki made its debut from its home base in Hoboken NJ. The brain child of Editor and Publisher, Janet Dagley Dagley, a Reiki practioner and teacher, and award winning journalist, The Reiki Digest targeted an audience of Reiki practitioners worldwide, regardless of lineage or the branch of Reiki that they had studied.

Our mission statement: The Reiki Digest is dedicated exclusively to publishing news and articles about Reiki to promote its practice and educate both the Reiki community and the world at large.

Part of The Reiki Digest's goal was to bring practitioners together and eliminate the sometimes present "competition" between practitioners of different lineages over whose is the "better" or "correct" method of practice. Beyond establishing a community for all practitioners, the mission included providing credible information and responsible reporting about Reiki to empower practitioners to learn more about the system, strengthen their practice, and help them to bring Reiki to the world around them in a clear and positive manner.

The very first edition of The Reiki Digest provided an explanation of what Reiki is, and from there, the publication grew to include a regular roundup of Reiki news items, Celebrity news, waka poetry, book and music reviews, and articles on just about any aspect of Reiki that one could imagine.

The publication soon reached an audience of over 5000 readers worldwide, including Reiki practitioners from almost every country on the globe. During its publication, The Reiki Digest reported on such Reiki milestones as its appearance on the Dr. Oz show, the renouncement of Reiki by the Catholic church, and the mainstreaming of Reiki in healthcare settings - this despite the fact that the words"Reiki", "voodoo" and "faith healing" are often used in conjunction with each other as reporters from  news outlets struggle to understand this simple system. This level of reportage, along with information on Reiki research, both in the scientific and medical communities, as well as less formal surveys and focus groups conducted among practitioners themselves served well to fulfill the mission statement.

So, why end the Digest? Well, we prefer to think of this as a much needed sabbatical, instead of an ending and we don't discount the return of The Reiki Digest  sometime in the future, although we're not quite sure what form that may take. Our website will remain live so that you can peruse the archives and catch up on anything you might have missed over the past five years.  Janet and I both have some words to share here, and we invite you to take a retrospective tour of The Reiki Digest as we conclude for now. Enjoy!

Kudos and thanks!

Kudos and heartfelt thanks:


To Managing Editor Beth Lowell, whose heroic efforts extended the life of this publication for more than a year, and whose outstanding editing and leadership skills not only deepened the level of our ongoing conversation but broadened our reach into the global Reiki community.


To all our contributing editors, guest editors, guest writers, waka contributors, artists, and commenters.


To our advertisers for their support.


And to you, dear readers, for your kind attention these past five years.

Making way for something new

By Beth Lowell, Managing Editor

After completing my first Shinpiden training in 2008, I wanted to get my hands on as much information about Reiki as I could. It seemed that each of my Internet search results had one thing in common – article after article I found had been published by The Reiki Digest. One such search yielded a book review and at the bottom I read a note from the editor, which welcomed reviews by readers.  

I didn’t hesitate to contact Janet Dagley Dagley, editor and publisher of The Reiki Digest to find out more. Since I’d just recently met Janet during my training, reaching out to her was like reaching out to an old friend, and to my delight, she agreed to let me have a go at it. What better way to learn about the many aspects of Reiki from practitioner/writers around the world - and get books and CDs for free?

Through time, my participation in The Reiki Digest grew. Along with writing reviews, I partcipated in Waka Fest and started to contribute articles, mostly about my practice with animals. But along with these I couldn't help but explore the many facets of Reiki that continue to fascinate me, like how intuition develops as a result of practice, and the professional and moral consequences of if and how exactly to share it. Through interaction with practitioners around the world my experience with Reiki deepened.

I became a contributor, a guest editor, contributing editor, and finally managing editor. I met so many wonderful people through this endeavor – either in person, online, or by phone and I was able to renew ties with many Reiki colleagues I have met along the way as well. I was pleased and grateful to have found my perfect niche in the Reiki world.

Through this period, The Reiki Digest responded to reader response and moved from a weekly to a monthly publication and subsequently offered Reiki practitioners from around the world the opportunity of reaching out to the Reiki community through their contributions as guest editors, and after that, the option for them to become contributors who submitted several articles throughout the year.

Although I had no preconceived notions about our team of writers, month after month I was so greatly inspired to find how each had truly embraced the essence of Reiki and integrated it into their lives.

The decision to conclude The Reiki Digest as it now exists unfolded in an organic way – it seemed the logical choice for the time, and while it was at first a frightening and sad thought, it bloomed into a beautiful space for new adventures and opportunities.

The Tao says that when we lose something we love, it’s making way for something new.      

I’d like to thank all of our readers for their support throughout the years, our writers, guest editors, and of course, our waka contributors too. Most of all I’d like to thank Janet Dagley Dagley for creating The Reiki Digest, which has served as such a font of reliable information, a source of credible and responsible reporting, for her guidance in both editing and Reiki, and also of course, for offering me the opportunity for being part of it all.

I’d like also to say not goodbye readers, but rather, farewell, and may we meet again!

The Reiki Digest Retrospective

By Beth Lowell, Managing Editor

The Reiki Digest has covered so many diverse topics over the past five years that it's difficult to choose which ones to share!

Mikao Usui, founder of the system of Reiki (source: Wikimedia Commons)

Maybe it's appropriate to start with the man who started it all, Mikao Usui. Reiki practitioners are often taught about Usui in bullet form - some facts like when he was born and how he founded Reiki after having a vision. By now, most practitioners know that he wasn't a doctor, and that Reiki was not introduced until the 1900's, but what about who he really was? The Usui in Context articles delve deeper into both what we know about the man, and what we can't be sure of. The focus of these articles is Usui in the context of his time and his environment, but they touch on issues that are relevant today, like the complexity of religion and its relationship to Reiki, and coming to terms with natural disasters.

Dr. Robert Klein in front of Mrs. Takata's sign. The smaller sign below shows the text in a more readable format. Photo courtesy of Special Corespondent Cymber Lily Conn

Another person who should not be relegated to the bullet point is Mrs. Takata, often known only as "the woman who brought Reiki to the West." In these articles, we get a flavor of what Hawayo Takata's practice was like, and the legacy she left her students, and those who followed.

Perhaps the most basic component of the system of Reiki is the set of precepts that Usui developed. Some of our favorite precept-related articles have included how people can put them to practical use in every day life. Seems like the economy has been on most people's minds longer than we expected it to be. Articles by Editor in Chief and Publisher, Janet Dagley Dagley and contributor Patricia Keene discuss how using the precepts can help through difficult financial times. Precepts can come in pretty handy in all aspects of life, including dog training and minor emergencies too!


Meditations, like the precepts, are a key component of Reiki practice. The trick here is continuity as Janet Dagley Dagley explains in her article on the subject.  Two very different but effective CDs to help you meditate, should you need a boost, can be found in this review.


Another hot topic on readers' minds here at The Reiki Digest has been presenting Reiki in a credible manner.This is especially important the more we see Reiki being portrayed inaccurately in the press. Guest editor Claire Schwartz wrote about this back in the early days of the digest, calling for clarity and honesty in communication about Reiki. Her argument stands today, especially since in some corners, the same old misinformation about Reiki and its founder, Mikao Usui is still circulating. Personal responsibility has always been a popular subject among our writers and our readers and has been the subject of quite a few discussions.


Because so many branches of Reiki exist, teachings vary widely. In the interest of promoting community and the practice of Reiki to those not familar, The Reiki Digest formed a list of the points of concensus to embrace the common points among different branches.  What followed was a very thoughtful discussion on the finer points of these points.


Another potential stumbling block to communicating Reiki is an unclear grasp of its elements. Sometimes, practitioners find it difficult to explain concepts and rituals from another culture and spiritual practice without making them sound like so much hocus pocus. A clear explanation of the symbols and mantras can go a long way in helping people understand why these rituals are so important.


We heard from readers from all over the world when the Catholic Bishops denounced Reiki, and in the first broadcast of Reiki Digest Radio, Janet Dagley Dagley interviewed a practitioner whose clinics were affected by the fallout.

Reiki for hens!

Our readers also didn't hesitate to chime in to help when other practitioners had questions, often providing advice for beginners or suggestions for those having difficulty practicing. And we got a lot of great feedback in our polls, the subjects of which ranged from marketing to personal practice to working with animals.While we were kind of surprised that a vast majority of practitioners did not use waka for contemplation, we weren't at all surprised that animals were a great source of inspiration, and showed up in waka, cartoons, and articles about not only how Reiki has helped animals heal, but how it helped them become healers,too.
Creativity is one thing that's not missing in the world of Reiki. We featured two great articles about the music of special correspondent, Cymber Lily Conn, a harpist who composed music to help heal the Gulf of Mexico after the disastrous oil spill there. In 2010, we heard from waka writers who helped us achieve our goal of publishing at least one waka a day during month long waka fest. And inspired by practitioner- artist P.C. Turczyn and her painting titled 'Reiki - The Infinite Field', we held an online art show, the participants of which are all Reiki practitioners. (Catch it while you can, it closes January 31, 2012.)  The art show came on the heels of our focus group, inspired by the same painting and which asked the question: Does art aid the healing process?

'Tranqility', Guest Editor Mari Hall's submsission to the Reiki, Healing and Art show

Reiki practitioners are also prolific writers. Over the years we've reviewed a lot of great Reiki books in the interest of bringing you the best Reiki information available.  Several of our guest editors, in fact, are also authors, including Marianne Streich who has written a book about practice in the first two levels of Reiki and Eileen Dey whose book tells of her personal journey and how she uses Reiki to help war veterans.

In the area of caring for yourself and loved ones, we featured three very unique books by Carol Wilson who also includes information on using therapeutic grade essential oils and Tibetan wisdom, Cheryl Richardson who focuses on extreme self care, and Kytka Hilmar-Jezek who writes about Reiki for children.

We've got books on the history of Reiki by the Stienes over at International House of Reiki, and two very comprehensive guides on Reiki by Pamela Miles and Penelope Quest.

Bogged down by the thought of all this serious reading especially with the holidays coming? How about snuggling up with a thriller? This one by Dominic James features a Reiki Master as the hero...perhaps the perfect way to wind down after a hectic year.

And wind down too, we must. This tour of the past five years seems all too short, but our archives contain so many great articles on these topics and more from contributors all over the world  that it would be impossible to include them all, therefore we will be leaving the website live as a resource for you to access. 

• Please feel free to add to existing conversations in the comments section of any article to keep the dialogue going.
• If you wish to find a specific article, simply type a few keywords into the Blogger dialogue box in the upper left hand corner of the page, right above the masthead and click the magnifying glass tool to search for it. 
• You can also browse our archives by date. Simply scroll down and click the month and year for articles you wish to access in the Archives section in the left hand column.
• Our directory of practitioners (found by clicking on the blue 'Reiki referral' banner in the left column at the top of the page) will still be available, though updated less frequently.

-finis-

Reiki perspectives: build your vision

Reiki practitioners are often characterized as dreamers, but is that really the case? Aren't we builders who manifest our vision through daily practice? Read more

Announcing the final edition of The Reiki Digest

The final edition of The Reiki Digest (and its email edition) will be published December 15th.

The weekly waka

Nick

 

Moon glow, crystal snow

Velvet diamond studded sky

Up over, down 'round

Magic flying through the air

A presence seen, felt and heard

 

by Jean Bromage

Hands on Healing under the microscope in the UK - what will it mean for the future of Reiki?

By Heather Alexander

A full experimental trial into hands on healing on patients suffering with bowel disease is underway in a UK hospital. It’s the brain child of Dr Sukhdev Singh, a Gastroenterologist. He put together a team including researchers from the University of Birmingham and supporters from the Holistic Healthcare charity Freshwinds to look into into the effects of Healing Therapy on 200 of his patients. Healing Therapy is not exactly Reiki but the level of credibility of the study means the results could be extremely helpful for the analysis and evaluation of all forms of hands of healing.

“In some people the results have been amazing,” Dr Singh says. He started pushing for the study after working with a hands on healer for 5 years. She volunteered to give 20 minute sessions to his bowel disease patients alongside their regular healthcare treatment. “I’d seen so many people I didn’t have a solution for, they would have abdominal pain, diarrhea, sometimes I wouldn’t even have a diagnoses for them.” Plus he found those he could diagnose, like people with Crohns disease, he might not actually be able to help. “I felt frustrated and was keen to better serve people.” Cue the hands on healer he had met. Dr Singh says he noticed patients symptoms were better even after just one treatment and that made him want to study what was going on in a more in depth way, “I have seen some amazing results, but still want to be scientific and objective so that the results will be credible to a broad range of people.”

The study involves 200 volunteers, all have some form of bowel disease or disorder; Irritable Bowel Syndrome or Inflammatory Bowel Disease which includes Ulcerative Colitis or Crohns. These are conditions where very little can be offered as conventional treatment, only reactive, after the event medications are available. Half will receive 30 minutes of hands on healing per week for 5 weeks, the other half will wait for three months, then they will also receive Healing Therapy. This provides 12 weeks to directly compare the results of those being treated and those not. “We have had pilots before but they don’t really mean enough,” says Tom Kingstone from the Charity Freshwinds, a partner in the bid to get the trial funded.

In the pilot, 180 patients were surveyed after a single 20 minute session of Healing Therapy. Afterwards patients reported feeling more relaxed, less physical discomfort and a general increase in well being. The pilot also revealed a wish that the treatment be more readily available. Tom says, “The results of the pilot were particularly impressive, especially considering the small duration of the therapy received by the patient. However, in order to confirm the effectiveness of Healing Therapy, a high quality clinical trial is required.” This time they will use a set of questionnaires to measure what they call ‘key criteria’ which will include severity of symptoms and quality of life. If the results show enough of a positive impact the trial could be used to argue for Healing Therapy being offered as standard in UK hospitals for people with these illnesses.

Of course some might not accept that the results show us anything about the effectiveness of Reiki as it’s not the focus of the trial but it is difficult to see a huge difference between the two practices. Healing Therapy is taught by the Healing Trust which was founded in 1954 and has 50 healing centers throughout the UK staffed by volunteers. They describe healing as a completely natural process, thought to be the flow of beneficial energy between the healer and the recipient. According to their website “they work with their hands at a short distance or just touching the body” and advise that patients may feel “tingling, heat, coolness or even discomfort coming to the surface to be released as the healing energy works”. However, one of the reasons Healing Therapy was chosen for the trial was because their standardized training program gives a high level of accountability. Practitioners have had a minimum of 2 years training, must pass standard final assessments and adhere to a professional Code of Conduct. This highlights a common problem for Reiki practitioners; how do we rate our service in a way that people can understand and fairly judge when there are so many differing ways of training and practicing?

The trial has been running since July 2010 with the results due in 2012 - they should garner quite alot of interest. It is funded by the UK’s National Lottery fund which is a national grant scheme. When this project was awarded two hundred thousand pounds last year ($320k) it made the UK’s national papers with some angry that public money was being used to research what a minority branded “voodoo”. Dr Singh says there were some negative comments from outside the hospital but he doesn’t really have a strong feeling about them, “I have a scientific background, I studied molecular biology, if I’d heard about laying on of hands I would also have been skeptical.”

Within the hospital (Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield, England) people have been mostly supportive of his open minded approach. “My colleagues have got used to me,” he says. Dr Singh’s been making use of mindfulness, yoga and meditation for some time, “I’ve found most people to be really quite welcoming because I am one of them.” He says some therapists borrow language from doctors and use it in a way that they don’t understand which can put people off. “I’ve managed to avoid doing that because I only claim what I can fairly claim.” As well as thorough research trials like the one at his hospital, Dr Singh has taken Reiki levels 1 and 2, has studied Qi Gong and had Qi Gong healing sessions. He says he’s also very interested in mindfulness because he found it was something he can actually participate in which he sees as the most important thing. Wisely he states, “You can talk about all this but in the end these are practical things, you need you own meditation practice, it’s the most grounding thing you can do.”

You can read more about Freshwinds here, and The Healing Trust here.

What are your thoughts about using Reiki for Bowel disease? Do you have experience of Healing Therapy or have you ever come across problems because Reiki training isn't standardized? Let us know here....

Brooklyn Reiki expands to Texas!

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Brooklyn Reiki and it’s founder Heather Alexander will now be teaching and offering sessions in Houston, Texas.

Heather has a new country abode near Clearlake so if you are in the area and interested in Reiki get in touch via her website brooklynreiki.com or by emailing brooklynreiki@gmail.com

Classes and sessions also continue once a month in New York City - the next practice night is December 12th 7pm at Reflections Yoga studio in Manhattan. She would love to see you there!

All teaching is based around a classical Japanese approach. Heather is pleased to have studied with Frans Stiene of the International House of Reiki, the late Margaret Ann Case of Reiki Arts Continuum and Allison Brice from the Aurora Reiki Center in London’s Convent Garden. She also practices Qi Gong with legendary Chinese Master Robert Peng.

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Reiki perspectives: Reiki, grounding and meditation

Meditation is the mother of healing, and of Reiki practice, yet many Reiki practitioners find meditation elusive. If you think you can't meditate, think again. Lovingkindness meditation is arguably the easiest meditation practice, one which builds on our natural inclination to wish others well. Read more     

Reiki perspectives: Reiki practitioner care and feeding

Yes, Reiki practice is safe. That said, practicing Reiki professionally, and giving initiations, creates a certain wear and tear on the system. The ancient knowledge of Ayurveda offers easy remedies that are as relevant today as they've ever been. Read more ...

Please welcome guest editor Lilia V. Marquez!

Dear readers,

Please join us in welcoming Lilia Marquez as November's guest editor! Lilia is a Critical Care RN, Holistic Nurse, Reiki Practitioner/Teacher-trained in Western and Japanese Reiki, NGH Consulting Hypnotist, Holistic Health Coach, Holistic Healthcare Practitioner, Author, Speaker, Motivator, Blogger, Parent, Friend, and in her words, "Student of the most amazing and greatest school on earth called Life."  She is also one of the Assistant Organizers of NYC Reiki Meetup and Energy Healers NYC.

Thanks, Lilia!

The Power of Gratitude (With thankfulness)

Reiki Precepts

Just for Today

Do not anger

Do not worry

With thankfulness

Work diligently

Be kind to others

The mission of Usui Reiki Ryoho(Healing Art) is to enhance mutual well-being for oneself and others, on one hand, by fulfilling a peaceful and joyful life mentally and physically and, on the other, healing the sick. -USUI Mikao Sensei (1865-1926)

By Lilia Marquez

As a Reiki Practitioner, I strive to live a happy, healthy and peaceful life through my Reiki practice.  Just for Today,  with thankfulness is one of the Reiki precepts.  An attitude of gratitude reminds me to be humble and to be thankful for the many blessings that I have each and everyday. Being grateful and thankful helps me to connect to my Higher Self, to be One with the Higher Source-to the Divine Love and Wisdom. I'm mindful that,  the farther I am from my ego, the purer I am as a Reiki channel.  Reiki is non-duality, the Art of Letting Go and Surrendering.  When I offer Reiki healing, I remember to place my hands, surrender and smile.  It is Reiki who's doing a great job of healing, not me.  As a Reiki practitioner, I am a channel/conduit of the energy of the universe, that is, Reiki. Each one has an innate ability to heal onesef and there's Reiki within all of us.  Reiki awakens the power inside YOU.

Each one has a story and a journey. Life is a journey. This is my story and this is my journey. My Reiki journey began a couple of years ago when I felt I needed healing myself-Mind Body Spirit. Holistic Nursing was introduced in the hospital where I work. I was 3 months away from my graduation from Holistic Nursing when Reiki came to my life. I didn't know anything about Reiki, didn't know of anybody who had Reiki healing, I was intrigued and curious what Reiki is and what Reiki offers as a healing modality for myself. Little did I know at that time that one day, I'll be teaching Reiki myself. Reiki is one of the many healing modalities that one can use to heal oneself. It is very easy and simple to learn. Children can learn Reiki. My 10 year old niece is my youngest Reiki Chuden (Second Degree/Intermediate Teaching) student.

Rei is  mysterious, miraculous, ethereal, transcendental and sacred. Ki means the energy of the Universe. As a Reiki Teacher, I tell my students to remember METS. The Japanese word Reiki can be defined as the miraculous/mysterious, ethereal, transcendental and sacred energy of the universe, which sustains life. Reiki is the name used by Usui Mikao Sensei, Founder of Reiki Ryoho(Healing Art) for the energy of the Universe. Reiki Ryoho (Healing Art) has twofold purposes: healing and spiritual. Reiki is a practice, a way of life guiding me in my spiritual path.

As a Reiki Practitioner/Teacher, I have to be mindful that non-doing and non-thinking is everything. Deeds are criteria of a good Reiki Practitioner and a good Reiki Teacher-what I think, what I say and what I do are very important.   In 2007, my daughter and I went to Japan, visited the Usui Memorial in Tokyo and climbed Mt. Kurama in Kyoto.  Standing in front of Usui Mikao Sensei's gravesite and Memorial was a humbling experience. I didn't know what to expect, what to think, what to say or what to do.  I asked Sensei for guidance, I want to teach Reiki the way he wants and not what I want. I want his presence in all the classes that I'm planning to teach presence especially during attunements. I asked for a sign.... waited for a sign ... Lo and behold... crickets...yes crickets and lots of them singing.  

Mt. Kurama-yama is Reiki's Birthplace, a sacred mountain north of Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan.  Climbing Mt. Kurama with my daughter in 2007 was one of the most amazing and unforgettable experience of my life. USUI Mikao Sensei  attained enlightenment and a healing ability in 1922 at the age of 57 while fasting and meditating in the sacred mountain.
It was almost a three-hour trip from Tokyo to Kyoto via the Shinkansen (Japanese Bullet Train, running at speeds of up to 300 km./h).  Mt. Kurama has many temples and shrines. It was an amazing journey walking on the path and feel the energy where USUI Mikao Sensei was 89 years ago.Reiki is one of the many blessings in my life. With my deepest gratitude and appreciation to  my family, my friends, my Reiki Teachers especially Kathie Lipinski and Inamoto Hyakuten Sensei, my students, my clients, my patients, and to all of you who have been part of my healing journey thus far -Mind Body Spirit.

Gassho,
-Lilia

Contributing Editor's Note
Reiki Precepts are guidelines for Reiki practitioners to strive to follow to live a happy, peaceful and joyful life through Reiki practice. Gassho is a position used for greeting with the palms together and fingers pointing upwards in prayer position. Gassho is an expression of respect, request , faith, thankfulness, prayer and devotion. Because the two hands (duality) are joined together, it expresses the "One-Mind"

The Reiki Roundup

Lake Leelanau, MI,USA: Living, Laughing and Learning - Gail Robinson, an experienced Montessori educator and Hatha Yoga and Reiki practitioner, introduced the technique of "Laughing for No Reason" to cardiac support groups and human service workers and their clientele, as well as to people with Alzheimer's, cancer and MS.

Littleton, MA, USA: Healing Garden in Harvard offers breast cancer patients nature as a backdrop for healing A Lowell resident, she was a member of the first support group at the Virginia Thurston Healing Garden, where she learned to meditate, had acupuncture and Reiki treatments and other healing modalities.

Sudbury, Ontario, Canada: The healing power of energy  "Reiki involves placing the hands lightly on or near specific areas of the body. Reiki is spiritual in nature, involving a healing energy to help you find balance in your life."

Queensland, Australia: Enlightening Words from The Diary of a Modern- Day Sufi Webster is a practising Reiki master, an instructor of Reiki, and a qualified natural healing therapist with diplomas in several vibrational therapy techniques.

Conway, NH, USA:  Chronic disease sufferers find relief through Reiki An article written by a Reiki Master about the use of Reiki  as a healing modality and how his clients find relief through Reiki.

Robertsdale, AL, USA Healing Acres - A Wellness Retreat, opens in Robertsdale  This wellness center offers massages, essential oils, Reiki 1 and 2 and other natural therapies for health and well- being.

Oak Park, IL USA:   My Introduction to Reiki Lisa Browdy says, "I love that Reiki is the empowerment between you and the Source, and I'm just the conduit."

Celeb-Reiki - Nandinii Sen and other celebs!

It is important to live in the present moment Former model and life coach therapist Nandinii Sen talks about her spiritual turn.

Reiki celebrity fans reported to include Nicole Kidman, Uma Thurman, Halle Berry, Angelina Jolie, Kate Bosworth, Sandra Bullock, Ellen DeGeneres, Macy Gray, Goldie Hawn, Kate Hudsoon, Helen Hunt, Sharon Stone and Naomi Watts.

Music we like to practice Reiki by: Reiki by Llewellyn

Reiki by Llewellyn is one of my favorites, except for the Reiki kanji used in the CD cover, my overall rating (1-5, 5 as the highest rating), I will give this CD 4.5

The selections are very relaxing  and soothing to calm the Mind Body Spirit.   This CD is available on Amazon.

The weekly waka

The gift of Reiki
Healing and spiritual
Just today only
To be happy and healthy
Through the practice of Reiki

by Lilia V. Marquez

 

Reiki perspectives: you can become an instant Reiki Master

You've seen the ads: “You Too Can Become a Powerful Reiki Master in 48 Hours” or “Becoming A Powerful Reiki Master Has Never Been So Quick, Easy Or Complete.” Have you ever wondered how fast and easy can also be complete? Read more ...

Reiki perspectives: Are you crazy enough to change the world?

Are you crazy for Reiki? Crazy enough to change the world? Read more...

The weekly waka

Brave heart, innocent

Compassion flows in and out

Beauty rests, silent

Sand passed through an hourglass

Does not question the motive.

by Kathy Koval

Have you ever written a waka? Mikao Usui meditated on waka poetry written by the Meiji Emperor. Usually written in a 5/7/5/7/7 format, modern waka, or tanka, are often written in a variation of this measure, using a short/long/short/long/long format with no more than 31 syllables. Submit yours to waka @ thereikidigest. com and be sure to include "waka" in the subject line.  

Music Review: Escapes - music for relaxing by Jeff Gold

By Beth Lowell, Managing Editor


We've featured the music of Jeff Gold before, here at The Reiki Digest. Jeff's collection titled "Escapes"  does indeed provide an hour-long  melodic escape from whatever ails you. His easy playing style, which features piano and guitar, has a real west coast feel - and in fact, the west coast of the United States as well as Hawaii have both served as inspirations for Jeff. He is often described by listeners as a creator of imagery through music. Unlike much of the music that crosses my desk, Jeff's music can truly be described as 'Easy Listening', rather than New Age, Ambient or Eastern.

His evocative compositions have as their healing muses the elements, the sun, the moon, and the earth itself. His music is known worldwide to not only spas but also to the parents of autistic children who report its soothing effect.

"Escapes" is available at Jeff Gold Music and at Amazon.

Journey behind the veil

By Jeffrey Hotchkiss, Contributing Editor

Oh my, I thought, we’re going to have to be very careful about expectations here.

On the bed, Ben* was lying, rigid, staring sightlessly at the wall next to him.  His arms were crossed over his chest, hands at each shoulder, like a mummy.  His legs were drawn up, feet flat on the bed.  Bald on top, hooked nose, slim and still strong, though his muscles were stiff, he looked like an eagle in repose.  He was breathing normally and his skin was clean, as were his clothes.  The staff of the nursing home were taking the best care of him they knew how.

I couldn’t imagine how Reiki was going to make any noticeable difference.  To my untrained eye, he looked catatonic and stiff as a board.

But, I had committed to trying.  So.... here goes, I thought.

“Hi, Ben”, I said softly.  “I saw you last week and told you about Reiki, gave you a little treatment to see how it felt, and now I’m here again, as I promised.”  No reaction – did his eyes move at all?  I wasn’t sure.

“I’m going to slowly and gently start to give you Reiki again.  As I said before, if at any time you want me to stop, just show me with your body.”  In last week’s brief introductory session, in the sunny common room off the courtyard, his body had relaxed into my hands, and I could feel him accepting the treatment.  Nevertheless, I had resolved to check for his acceptance at each session.  Although his daughter, Heather*, had signed the permission form, because she had power of attorney, that did not mean I could treat him every time I visited, that he would welcome Reiki every visit.  In end-stage Alzheimer’s, every encounter would be a first time for him, I assumed.  If he shrugged me away, or in any way showed anxious body language, I would remove my hands from his body and end the session.

I took a breath, and pulled up a chair next to his bed, trying not to scrape it on the floor.  Softly, gently, I let my hands find their way to the beginning places – head and heart. 

Almost immediately, though my eyes were open, my mind’s eye opened as well to a vision -- paired black triangles raising into a corner, like the Vietnam Memorial.  It felt like the ground opening up, to allow me entry to Ben’s mind.  

Then, I saw a large tawny cat, sitting on his bedstead, with the feeling of closeness to Ben  Startling in its clarity, personality and sense of meaning, the image seemed intent for me to remember it.

I continued the session, for half an hour, leaning over his bed.  Was he relaxing?  Hard to tell, but it seemed he was receiving as willingly as the last time.  Once during the session, the call button went off in another resident’s room, with a loud repeating beep echoing down the hallway.  “Leave me alone!” was the immediate sense I felt from Ben  Was that body language, intuitive sensing, or just my thought projection pretending to be his?  My notes say that the beeper stopped his process of reviewing his life in his mind’s eye, and he had to start over.  

I ended the treatment after half an hour, offered thanks to Reiki and to Ben, and left bemused and bubbling over with excitement, at the unexpected depth of the connection with an elder who had barely opened his eyes or spoken a word.

A few days later, I talked to his daughter Heather, to tell her how the first treatment went. Uncertain how she would react, I told her about the strong intuitive image of a cat.  She confirmed that her father had had a beloved cat fitting my description, before the Alzheimer’s forced him into full time nursing care.  Finishing the call,  we agreed to half-hour sessions twice a week for Ben.

At that time, I was dazzled by how often Reiki yielded accurate verifiable intuitions.  Finding the connection with Ben via the image of his cat, I felt joy at bridging the communication gap that is so anguishing for the loved ones of a dementia sufferer.  Ben’s ability to tell a story was unexpectedly restored, in a wonderful way.   

As it turned out, this episode served more as a comfort to his daughter and me, that we were reaching out to him in a meaningful way.  It was not to be an ongoing way to share his personal stories with the world at large.

For the next session, I gave him Reiki in the sunlit courtyard room.  My notes refer to working on his left shoulder – did I see his neck relax a bit, from its rigid board-straight posture?

Next time, I’ll continue the story.  It was to be a fascinating and joyful journey.  Writing about it, I learn anew.  

*Name changed to protect privacy.

 Your thoughts on intuition

Deborah Flanagan’s recent article on intuition makes some thought-provoking points.  In my own practice, I am more often encouraging clients and students to awaken their own intuition, however I can still see value in speaking and acting from mine.  Learning about appropriate and balanced expression of intuition has improved my practice.  This story marks a milestone along my way of understanding this question.

What do you feel is the role of intuition in Reiki practice?  How does permission play into it?  What are considerations for working with elders, for both intuition and permission? 

The weekly waka

What
wise poets know
is
that sometimes we're empty
and patience is always required.

by Beth Lowell

The Reiki Digest welcomes waka contributions from readers like you! To submit, simply include your poem in an email with "waka" in the subject line, and send it to waka @ thereikidigest.com. 

And the winners of The Reiki Digest's art and healing focus group drawing are...

By Beth Lowell, Managing Editor

...the following participants. Here's who they are and what some of them had to say about their experience. 

Jenny Garver

This is wonderful!! Thank you so much. I will place the print in my treatment room with honor - know that so many others will be able to enjoy it.

I want to thank you for including me in this beautiful experience!! The experience was the best "reward."

Everyone loved the mandala. I felt that the energy coming from the print "changed" or adjusted for each individual person. The print seemed to show a different image each time we focused on it for each healing experience.

I also had an opportunity to check out the art show and was very inspired by the other mandalas. All of them are beautiful. I will certainly refer my clients and friends to the website!

Many blessings to all of you who made the project possible. 

Christine Morley 

Thank you very much for the opportunity. I enjoyed myself immensely.  I will definitely be using the print in my practice, both for myself and for the people I work with.

Eva Chavez

I definitely would like to say that doing the Reiki with it [the mandala] helped me to get more in touch with my awareness as a healer. It breathed new life into me, and into my ability to heal as a whole.

Jason Campbell


Once again, a big thank you to all our focus group participants for their enthusiasm and dedication!

The results are in! The Reiki Digest's focus group analysis - Does art help the healing process?

Reiki: The Infinite Field (c) P.C. Turczyn 2011

By Beth Lowell, Managing Editor

"Images of a five pointed star, then [it]changed to a six pointed star, then a swirl, then an angel, then a dancing ballerina...Such an interesting experience!"

"I really enjoyed the movement and vibration of the mandala. I usually close my eyes during a Reiki session so it was a bit of an effort to remind myself to focus on it occasionally. I can say that I enjoy the mandala in my space and that it definitely had a positive influence on my personal vibration, if not the actual session."

"I am really enjoying using the mandala with my distant healing and will be sorry when this survey is over."

"I love how there is movement in the mandala. It flows, waves and pulsates, sometimes you see more bits than others. It turns into a 3D image at times too....I love the centre blue dot." 


On June 1, 2011, 24 focus group volunteers began practicing Reiki while looking at a mandala. Four groups of participants used the mandala for different types of treatments and meditation: self treatment, treatment of others, distant treatment and meditation.

Over a period of two months, they used it at least 5 times and recorded answers to a questionnaire. The results are in and it appears that art most definitely does have a positive effect on the healing practice!

Some participants felt hindered by the mandala as they were required to view it on a computer screen, or felt it was distracting and/or took them outward, rather than inward. One participant felt after trying it during meditation that it "did not apply" and chose not to continue in the program, either in meditation or in any of the other categories. One participant opted out due to an unexpected change in life circumstances.  

Most reported a calm and peaceful feeling although it took some participants a few trys before getting used to working with the mandala, and most experienced visual phenomena, such as colors blending together or changing, noting pulsations in the image, and even perceiving the image changing shape.


Here are the questions and a summary of comments. (You can also view the original survey.) 

What type of Reiki session did you do?

·         Self-treatment:                               36.5%

·         Hands-on treatment:                     23.8%

·         Distant healing:                              28.6%

·         Other:                                               11.1%

How long was the session?

                Average was 28 minutes

Was it different from your usual session?

·         Yes:                                                        68.3%

·         No:                                                         31.7%

How much of the time were you gazing at the mandala?

Respondents worked intuitively here, and while many looked at the mandala for only the first few minutes, others reported that they looked at it for up to 70% of the session. Many gazed at it off and on without recording hard and fast times.

Did it affect your perception of the Reiki vibration?

·         Yes:                                                        65.1%

·         No:                                                         34.9%

Did it affect your perceived ability to hold the Reiki vibration?

·         Yes:                                                        42.9%

·         No:                                                         57.1%

What was your response to the image?

Responses varied, with many respondents finding it to provide a calm and relaxing space. Others found the image distracting, and brought them outward, rather than inward. Many reported that with increased use, they noted a sense of Reiki flow in the painting, and most reported seeing vibrations in the image. The computer screen was a hindrance to a couple of participants. 

What was your response to the colors?

 Almost all of the participants felt that the colors were soothing, and that they seemed to blend together and pulsate in a pleasing way. Others could not be sure or had no reaction to the colors.           

Did you notice a sense of movement in the image?

·         Yes:                                                        88.9%

·         No:                                                         11.1%

Did the image appear to change over the course of your practice session?

·         Yes:                                                        77.8%

·         No:                                                         22.2%

Did you feel a response in your body?

·         Yes:                                                        60.3%

·         No:                                                         39.7%

If working with a client, did they have any comment regarding the mandala?

Not all clients had comments about the mandala, and many practitioners did not particularly point out the mandala as a source of focus. Of those who did respond, most found it to be a beautiful image. One client felt an energetic connection to the image.               

 Would you say the mandala supported or hampered your practice?

·         Supported:                                         63.5%

·         Hampered:                                         3.2%

·         Neither:                                               33.3%

Did you feel the mandala would provide a supportive atmosphere in your treatment room, even if you were not looking at it most of the time?

·         Yes:                                                        92.1%

·         No:                                                         6.3%

·         Did not answer:                                   1.6%

Do you have any comments to share?

   

Some of the comments have been excerpted at the begining of this article. You can read more here.

Overall results

Responses that indicated a positive response:                   69.8%

Responses that indicated a negative response:                  25.8%

Responses that indicated no affect:                                        4.4%

We are grateful to all of our participants for their enthusiastic response and wish them luck in each of the four drawings (one for each participant category) for an archival print of the mandala valued at $200.00.

Our thanks also go to artist PC Turczyn who started this whole thing way back in December of 2010.