Sunday, June 28, 2009

Alice's Awakening

People often ask me how I got here, how I became a passionate Reiki teacher. Here's the story, and links to a number of posts written at the time of the events I've described here. Please enjoy.

When I was a kid, I wanted to feel special. Doesn’t everyone want to feel special, endowed with something that stands out, a reason for being here? I used to read lots of books about characters with psychic powers or special abilities, and wish I was like that. But, I wasn’t.


I grew up with a liberal Jewish upbringing. I attended Hebrew School, became Bat Mitzvah and continued attending religious school through High School. I remember wishing for some feeling that what I was doing had a purpose. I wanted to feel a connection with God or at least something outside myself during services, prayers, or any time at all. I never did.


I didn’t dislike being Jewish. I felt, and still feel, connected with a People, culture, history, land, language, religion and traditions. I even went on after college to study Judaism further and received a Master’s degree in Jewish Studies. But through all of this study and search, something remained elusive: a spiritual connection. I wanted something I could feel and be sure about. I was fascinated by, skeptical of, and a little envious of those who had "spiritual confidence" - utter faith and belief. For me, experience was the only way I was going to get to that point. The experience wasn't there for me.


I felt the most frustration during formal worship services. There are group and individual prayers, standing, sitting, singing and reading in Hebrew. I knew them all, but nothing gave me the feeling I craved. I was seeking a certainty of something more, something beyond this existence. I would leave services feeling frustrated. I wondered why I had come, what others were getting out of the experience. I think I drove my husband kinda nuts with asking him what he got out of the experience. His answers didn't help me. He wasn't struggling the same way as I was.


When I was pregnant with my youngest child, a parent at my kids’ school asked me if I’d like to learn Reiki. I had no idea what that was. She explained that Reiki is an energy healing technique that could be helpful for reducing pregnancy discomforts. She had my attention, and I figured, “Why not?” I came to her house, where she taught me Usui Reiki level 1, and gave me my first attunement.


I was underwhelmed, but faithfully did my Reiki self healings throughout my pregnancy, and sometimes gave my infant daughter Reiki after she was born. When she was a year and a half old, I asked that same parent if there was more to Reiki than what I had learned. She said absolutely and asked if I would like to learn level 2. I agreed.


My level 2 Reiki attunement changed everything. As soon as my teacher attuned me to level 2, my hands began to tingle. When I deliberately thought “Reiki,” my hands tingled and warmed in response. When I put them on or above myself or someone else, the resulting sense of relaxation, warmth and peace were undeniable. My teacher taught me distance healing as well. Here was the defining moment of my spiritual awakening.


This was what I had been searching for as long as I could remember: a tangible response to spiritual energy. Learning Reiki created my spiritual connection. I began offering distance healing weekly to two friends, and their physical and emotional health improvements were amazing. One of my friends had a deep fear of medical procedures, and a health issue that was terrifying her. The Reiki healings helped her release this over time, and she became calmer. It turned out she didn't need the procedure she was expecting, as the issue had healed. The other friend was having physical therapy, and over the course of time, she experienced great improvements and didn't need to continue the therapy. I was amazed, delighted, and felt completely inspired. My friends were too, and both of them went on to learn Reiki for themselves.


This was more than a physical-spiritual connection now, this was the magic power I desired in my youth; a purpose for my existence. I had been transformed from a mere mortal to someone with healing power. Three months later, I became a Reiki Master Teacher.


I knew that if I could learn to do this, anyone could. It became my mission to teach others what’s right inside us all. I find great joy, satisfaction and validation in seeing others find their spiritual connection as I did, and knowing that they go on to pass this knowledge to others.


Every day, I receive emails from my students telling me how amazed they are at the way Reiki has improved their lives. Many of them go on to teach others, join the Distance Healing Network, and share this amazing energy with their family, friends, and those who need it. This keeps me going, reminds me daily of the power and reality of this connection to energy, and the immense power that everyone has within if they care to find it. It has become my purpose to help people discover this, and I've never felt so fulfilled, motivated, and grateful.


Love and gratitude to everyone who has been a part of this journey so far, and all who will join me yet.
Peace.


11 comments:

Frank Dickinson said...

Alice,

I feel so privileged to have read back through your blog and your experience. Your ability to share your experiences with Reiki so meaningful to me.

It is such a privilege to work with you as my Teacher.

It is such a joy to count you as friend.

Thanks for all you do.

Blessings today and always,
Ffrank

Alice Langholt said...

Frank,

I am blessed to have you as a student and friend. The way you've embraced energy healing has been simply a joy to behold and I can't express how happy I am to have been a witness to this transformation in your life.

Peace and gratitude,
Alice

Amber said...

I really want to thank you for sharing this. It is really nice to get to know more about you and your story as we keep having exchanges on Twitter. I've been considering becoming a Reiki student for about 2 years now. What has held me back has been time/availability of Reiki masters in my area not exactly wroking out, not to mention the cost of classes. Not that it is terribly expensive, but I work in a pretty volatile industry when it comes to cash flow. I do like the idea of distance learning, since that means I could receive what I need in the peace of my own home without having to go anywhere, and your price lists seem very reasonable. Also, you give me the impression of a genuinely kind and caring person, and I think that's important in a teacher. So I do feel I would very much like to be one of your students, and hopefully this will be part of the positive changes I want to make in my life :) I suppose i just need to work out with you the when and how.

Thanks so much for sharing!
Amber

Alice Langholt said...

Amber,

Thank you for your kind comment and interest. I would be privileged to teach you Reiki. I believe it can be life-changing.

Take a look at my website. (http://reikiawakening.com).If you wish to order Kundalini Reiki attunements, you may do so on the Individual Attunements Offered page. If you would like to be in the Energy Healing Mentoring Program, read about that on the related tab. To be part of that program, you email me first. Whatever is best for you is what I want also.

I look forward to sharing energy with you!

Blessings,
Alice

Anonymous said...

Alice,

Just think what the rest of your life will bring now that you've opened yourself up to this learning!

Let the journey begin.

Fred

Alice Langholt said...

Fred,

You have a great point there! Thank you for your comment, and thank you for being a part of my journey.

Light & Peace,
Alice

Daniel Brenton said...

Cool beans, Teach!

Luv ya! MMMWWAAHHH!

(It was time someone got irreverent.)

(It is to serve.)

Alice Langholt said...

Daniel,

LOL! Love ya back!

Good student (pat, pat).

Peace!
Alice

Murielle aka Salem said...

I really felt something as I read this this morning - it echoed within me to my own past and the searching I myself had done. It was truly as though you were re telling parts of my own history. I feel compelled to share with you and others my own story! For me I left the faith I was brought up in because I didn't feel "at home" and I searched through the myriad others that populated the beliefs of the world's people, being equally dissatisfied with them all...then I came into contact with the faith which I practice a personal variation of today...and again it was like someone was reading my thoughts - as though they had reached into my head and pulled them out one by one and set them on a page. It was through this first experience that a million doors opened for me and my life since then has been more than I could have ever imagined...

Cheers to your Dear Sister on your Path to Enlightenment & Wholeness! May the Spirit within guide you to wherever you wish to be, as I'm sure it will!

Blessings,
Naware

P.S. Did I mention, you're awesome!

Jessica said...

Thank you for sharing your journey. Reading your post has made me realize that I have spent a long time following a similar path- looking for spiritual meaning outside of the typical path prescribed to us in this country. A recent health crisis intensified my search and I've just made a deeper commitment to yoga and have just gotten my first Reiki attunement as well. I think I've found what I'm looking for, yet still have a lot to learn. Thanks for sharing your story with others!

Jessica

John Soriano said...

What a wonderful story, God bless you for sharing it. It is truly inspirational!

Fan the spark!

John Soriano
www.sparkyourspirit.com