Why I Practice Reiki
First of All, What is Reiki?
Reiki is an alternative therapy focused on channeling life force energy (qi/ch’i or ki) and treating the whole person. Whether working on the physical, mental-emotional, or spiritual level, Reiki moves through you, shifting, clearing, and revitalizing. No matter what your intention is in receiving Reiki, it always has your back!
A Very Brief History
In 1922, after a 21-day retreat fasting, in meditation and prayer on Mount Kurama, Dr. Mikao Usui of Japan had a spiritual awakening, which led to the creation of Usui Reiki. It’s argued, however, that variations of this kind of energy healing have been used for thousands of years even before Dr. Usui’s revelation.
To read more about Reiki or the history of it, please visit:
My Introduction to Reiki
The first time I experienced Reiki, I was still teaching and living in Puebla, Mexico. Sometime in 2014, a few friends and I were visiting a small town called Zacatlán and while we were there, we went to see a Reiki massage therapist who came highly recommended by a colleague of ours. She ran a small retreat centre out of her family country estate and it was a lovely way to spend the afternoon.
My Reiki experience with Sra. Rosa María Olvera Trejo (1947-2016) was one that I’ll never forget. Before beginning the massage, she stood by the table and closed her eyes. As if reaching out to receive something, she held her hands above head. Aside from the seemingly regular treatment, she would sometimes follow with sweeping or combing-like motions over my body, as if removing invisible particles.
At one point, out of the blue, she stopped and told me that I shouldn’t feel guilty; that what I was doing was good. Although I hadn’t provided any reference from which to make this observation, she couldn’t have been more precise in addressing the feelings of guilt that had been eating away at me. It’s not that I wasn’t thrilled to be living life Mexico, it’s that I knew my family questioned my choice. What value was there in earning a salary that was a fraction of what I could be making back home? Deep down, I questioned my own self-worth.
Her comment having struck a chord, I burst into tears. It felt liberating to give a name to these feelings and to let them out in the open. Sra. Rosa María handed me a tissue and as I let out my last stuttered breath, I settled back down on the table. She continued her work and next, began pressing down on my chest as if trying to pump something out of me, “Say ‘AHHHHHHH’ “. I attempted, but I could barely find my voice and I felt shy. I could feel the exact sensation of unease in my chest that she was trying to extract, but at the time, it seems as though I was just not ready to let go of whatever it was that was there.
The last thing I remember from my treatment was the feeling of heat emanating from the healer’s hands on my abdomen. It was a comforting sensation, although after some time, it struck me as a little strange that she would be holding that position for so long. When I opened my eyes to check, there was nobody there. As I looked around, there was Sra. Rosa María sitting in a chair not far from where I lay.
Returning to town later that afternoon, I felt different and lighter somehow. Little did I know that things had already begun to shift in my life and like a chain reaction, one change would lead to another, and another, and another…
In Transition
At the end of that summer, I moved back to Montreal with Edgar (my partner). I decided that it was time to explore a different avenue and found work at a non-profit organization. It was a welcomed change on my professional path, but soon enough, at the end of my 2-year contract, I once again felt that it was time to move on. On a personal level, things were just not sitting right, and I knew that I couldn’t continue to jump from one country and job to another without stopping to take a closer look at what exactly was going on inside. During this same period, I had received a few other Reiki treatments from different practitioners, including Edgar’s aunt. My interest in energy work began to grow.
My Reiki Training – Level 1
My first Reiki teacher was Inge Broer. What I discovered as I delved into the limitless world that is energy was that there were blockages within me that weren’t allowing me to be completely free. What I mean is that the reality I was living did not reflect what I was truly capable of.
Just as Sra. Rosa María had identified my guilt, working with energy opened up a channel for me to unpack many of the other feelings that weighed heavy on my soul. Throughout the course, I began to recognize certain feelings as beliefs of self-doubt, or inadequacy. During an exercise around receiving compliments and affirmations, I recall feeling paralyzed as I stood there in the middle of the circle; within me, there was something blocking my ability to accept these genuine offerings of kindness.
What’s more, I learned that my hypersensitivity and strong emotional disposition had something to do with being an empath. This can be explained as someone who has a heightened sense of feeling — not just of their own experiences, but someone whose senses are so attuned to feelings that they may also take on what people around them are experiencing. This made so much sense to me. If only I could learn to manage the emotions and know how to separate my feelings from those of others, being an empath came with many gifts.
Becoming a full-time Reiki healer was not in the cards for me at this time, but things continued to shift and possibilities continued to open. When invited to join Inge’s Level 2 course, I regretfully declined. I wasn’t ready for it yet.
The end of summer came around and I left my job at the non-profit. After 30 years of trying to keep up with the path that had been laid out for me, I ditched the yellow brick road. I found solace in the thick of the deep, dark forest and was determined to find my own path. That was in 2016.
My Reiki Training – Levels 2 & 3
Several years went by and I was finishing up an undergrad certificate at Concordia University. I had even applied to the Master’s program in the same faculty, convinced that this would be the answer to all my professional woes. I wasn’t accepted. Once again, I found myself teetering on the edge of the unknown.
Luckily, at this point in time, Reiki 1 had set me on a path to self-(re)discovery and self-acceptance. Meditation and inner work had become regular practices in my life, allowing me to let go of certain beliefs or behaviours that no longer served me. I became more connected to my personal interests and strengths. I had also grown in confidence and self-expression.
And so, during yet another period of transition, Reiki returned to meet me. Through someone I had initially met online in a Community Healing Group and whom I later met in person at a creative workshop, I heard about Ramya. Now seemed like the perfect time to continue my training.
Through Ramya, I learned that there was no other place that I was meant to be other than where I already was. As I learned how to use Reiki symbols and practiced sensing the energy, this strengthened my sense of self-trust. Reiki energy began to flow more easily through me.
From Reiki 2, I moved on straight to Reiki 3, high off of the flow. My understanding of energy continued to expand and soon I came to the realization that the possibilities were endless!
By the summer of 2019, although it still wasn’t obvious what came next on my journey, Reiki helped ground me with every step. Navigating the thick of the forest had led me to a beautiful clearing; I had come this far and there was no reason for me to turn back.
Why I Practice
I practice and believe in Reiki because it worked for me. As it came into my life, it was the catalyst of many positive changes that have brought me to a place of freedom. Where I once doubted myself even in simple everyday actions, I now move with more clarity and confidence. Where I struggled with anxiety and hypersensitivity, I now regulate my emotions with more success. Overall, Reiki has brought me tranquility and peace of mind.
It has served as a tool for me to re-connect to my true self, bringing to my life more meaning and renewing my sense of purpose. Reiki is a gift that I know can offer so much, which is why I choose to share it with others.
**During these strange and challenging times, I am offering short 30-minute Reiki sessions to anyone who is in need or who feels called to just try something new! The sessions are done remotely and are free of charge. For more details, please visit my Services page**.
