You 'are' Reiki - So Why Don't You Know About It?

Discovering the widest possible means of perfecting my ability to heal during my 20+ years as a therapist has been a passion that motivates me still, every day. Exploring precise technical methods which are a perfect accompaniment to massage - such as AIS (Active Isolated Stretching) has been a joy. Indeed, I became so excited by the benefits to my clients that I even went on to teach such techniques to other therapists across Canada. As I progressed on such a journey owning several small businesses; a massage studio, spa business and seminar business, I always knew that there was something else within expressing itself which was making me stand out from other therapists, and it wasn't just my studious attention to technical detail.

A Universal Energy?

Throughout the years I noticed the rare occasional therapist receiving outstanding reviews, without having much experience or extensive training. I began wondering why this energy isn't something more widely recognized within the #massage field at a professional level in Canada - since I also had these remarks from early on in my massage career?

In Search of the Perfect Ambience

It was this mystery in mind that I embarked upon a journey to find out what this energy is. In my massage studio in #Banff I sat between appointments meditating - naturally wanting to create the best kind of ambience for my next client. I wondered about the balance of energy in the studio. I had great scents and great music playing, what else was needed to create good energy in the studio. I realized that it was me. Or, what can be best described at the time as the balance of human energy between client and therapist; I asked myself was this part of some broader cosmic fabric or emotionsphere.

My energy was already in the studio surrounding me and within me, and my clients had already commented on the location in this way. So, I naturally thought about ways to expand on this. I looked up some videos online about healing energy and was struck by how much is known about it and has been known about for centuries. All of this information linked in and when I thought of my other experiences as a therapist it made perfect sense - immediately.

A Natural Discovery A year or so prior to this I noticed my hands were cold and so needed to warm them up before the next client. At the same time I could feel a kind of warm energy being emitted from my palms. I held my hands just a few inches apart with the palms facing and sensed this warmth that was still there regardless of how cold the skin on my hands actually was.

Instinctively I began to follow a certain pattern this energy was lightly influencing me to perform; I circle my hands ever so slightly and realized that this warm energy was behaving in another curious manner which really amused me. I felt his odd yet satisfying sensation of a simultaneous pulling and pushing force. It is almost exactly like when you play with two magnets one in each hand.

Many Cultures - Same Life Force Energy

The more videos I watched I realized that this energy has different names according to different cultures. It is referred to as qi or ch'i energy in ancient Chinese culture - 'a vital force coming from any living entity. Qi translates to 'life force / energy flow'. Qi / Ch'i, I discovered, is the central underlying principle in traditional Chinese medicine.

Universal Energy in India Likewise - #Prana is the Indian / Sanskrit word for universal energy which flows in currents in and around the body. Again, Prana 'permeates reality on all levels including inanimate objects'.

Prana is applied in yoga, Indian medicine and Indian martial arts, permeating reality on all levels including inanimate objects

.. and Japan

I discovered that in Japan this same energy is referred to as Reiki, which means Universal Life Force. The description - that 'it functions as a support mechanism to the body to enhance and accelerate the body's innate healing ability' made too much sense to me. I could sense this energy in my own hands and when projecting it over my partner he could feel the same pleasant sensation that I could. Not everyone comes to #Reiki the way I came to it, and this is certainly not a prerequisite either. But, as you can expect - it wasn't long before I started to take courses in Reiki, and learned how to become a Reiki practitioner.

The Reiki Treatment

Reiki is non-invasive, light touch treatment. Physical contact isn't required for the whole treatment, and yet healing at the deepest level can occur. If you come to my home studio you can be reassured that you will receive an open heart for such healing and the compassion necessary to shine this loving energy back towards you.

Through a series of hand positions either directly on or just a few inches above the body, the Reiki practitioner allows for the flow of energy through their body. The clients body then draws off the amount of energy that is required to accelerate its ability to naturally heal itself.

One Big Question

So, you can imagine how I was thrilled at having made this personal connection to something that has been around... well, before culture itself,.. for as long as the universe is old. But why, if I could discover it so easily, didn't western cultures have its own name for this too? Sincere Connection The purpose of this blog hasn't been just to educate the reader on the various cultural interpretations of what this energy is, but to invite you to discover its purest meaning for yourself. Nor has this blog post been written to simply sell a service I am offering. Many write blog posts from this point of view and it misses the authentic human element - the reason we are all here in the first place, to help and heal one another with our compassion, with our Universal Life Force.

Beyond the Superficial Being a Reiki practitioner comes with a whole new mindset and approach to life and life-style. It has awakened me to the fact that Reiki is not about the superficial, the ego, nor just the monetary gain,... it is about the human element and what is at the core of our experience which connects us all.

We shouldn't hide from what we all are. We all need the help of others and we shouldn't be afraid to explore the full range of who we are - just as we shouldn't be afraid to explore the full range of ways we need help.

In my life long journey to seek all means available to heal people Reiki is the most mysterious yet unifying phenomenon in the wellness field. It isn't simply a treatment, it is - after all - what we are. It is you. The Universal Life Force.

I look forward to meeting anyone who after reading this story feels they need to experience a healing Reiki treatment at my home studio in #Cochrane, Heartland Massage Therapy. Denise Williams RMT