Thursday, December 20, 2012

43 in 13

It's my birthday and the 5th anniversary of the day I started this blog.

I went back and read last year's post and am grateful for the progress in achieving my goals, and the new goals that I've added.

But I'm not going to talk about those things this year. I just want to share my day.

There's a lot of hoopla going on right now. People are all excited over tomorrow, 12-21-12, and the Winter Solstice too. Energy people I've spoken with are talking about the intensity of the energy they feel. I can't say that I'm as swept away as some are, but I do feel a sort of intensity. Plus, with the recent events in the news, who doesn't feel the intense energy right now?

So that was all the more reason for my choosing to spend this birthday on myself. Time for some "me time"!

Here's what I did today to celebrate my birthday:



  • I met a Facebook friend (who I've never met in person) at a lovely little bakery cafe for some breakfast and really great "Reiki talk". Her name is Michelle Winkler, and her website is http://www.createhealingreiki.com/.
  • I went to see my very favorite massage therapist, John Goad, for a very nurturing 2-hour massage. Not only is John amazing as a massage therapist, but he incorporates energy work, aromatherapy, and  myofacial release techniques. I had the honor of teaching John Practical Reiki two years ago. His energy work is very powerful! The whole experience was wonderful. If you're within 2 hours drive of Mantua, Ohio, an appointment with John is well worth the trip!
  • Then I got my driver's license renewed (it expired today). The man taking the pictures at the dmv was smiling and so nice that it's my best driver's license picture ever!
  • I came home, made a nice dinner, spent some time with the kids, and now I'm enjoying a quiet glass of wine while I share my day with you lovely readers.

  • My new Energy Healing Cards (which I just published!) came and they look really great! They are now available on Amazon as a gift for the energy healer you are or the energy healer you know.(Energy Healing Cards are a tool for anyone practicing Reiki or other energy healing techniques. Beautiful, full color cards each feature an intention and an affirmation to inspire and encourage your daily healing practice. Choose a card for extra healing, meditation or journaling, or inspiration. Many uses and lots of healing potential in every card. 44 cards plus an instruction card. 3.5 x 5", rounded corners, laminated, packaged in shrink wrap and sent in an organza drawstring bag.)
So I'm sharing all of this with you because it was such a lovely day. I'm so very grateful that I had the chance to take some time for myself. I promised myself I wouldn't wait a year to do it again.

The message here (there's always a message, isn't there?) is that especially when stress is in the news, our work, and energies surrounding us are high, we NEED to take time to care for our bodies and our souls. Whether it's your birthday or not, this is really important. It helps us stay at our best to manage all we do. 

May you all enter the new age refreshed and ready. 

Happy holidays and new year too!

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

12-12-12 and the Children

As a family with a more active awareness of metaphysical practices than the average, we tend to have some different issues too. An interesting thing happened today, and I thought I'd share it.

For some reason I can't really fathom, this morning my 10-year old daughter, Sari, told my six-year old daughter, Arin, that the Mayan Calendar is at its end, and that means in nine days the world could end, the sun blow up, and the planets all die. FOR THE RECORD: I did not ever even mention the Mayan Calendar to any of my children, nor did I have reading materials lying around about it. So in this case, it didn't come from me. I think my kids' interest in this is more than most because we talk about astrology at times. We also talk about crystals, Reiki, angels, healing, pendulums, muscle testing, and tarot cards. But it's also been the talk at school, and it's hit the mainstream too.

This morning, before I had gotten out of bed, Arin was in my room asking me if it was true. I reassured her that just like when we finish a calendar we start a new one, the Mayan Calendar is just at the end and a new one is needed. I told her that the world is fine, we are fine, and she is safe. The kids went to school.

After school, Arin told me that she was so worried during Kindergarten today that she couldn't concentrate. She was scared, almost cried, talked with her teacher (I expected a phone call this evening but one didn't come), and that she was going to be very kind to everyone so she could "die in peace." Oy vey.

I told Arin again that she needn't worry. I told her that if the world was going to end, scientists would know and it would be on the news and the computer. And it isn't. I also told her that her dad and I would talk with her if something like this was going to happen. I told her that not in nine days, nine years, or even ninety years or nine hundred years, would this happen. 

And most of all, I told her that one should be kind because it makes LIFE better for oneself and for others, not in order to "die in peace." Goodness. Where did she get THAT one??

I also took Sari aside and let her know what her little story did for Arin's day. Sari felt awful. I told Sari just to learn from this that it's not okay to tell little kids scary stories, because they can't tell the difference between scary stories and reality. And I reassured Sari that this story she was telling was not going to happen.

There's a lesson here. Talking about the Mayan Calendar - 12-12-12, 12-21-12, and all that speculation is picked up by kids, taken in, and repeated to each other. It affects them, it confuses them. It's so unnecessary.

Here's what I think about 12-12-12, and 12-21-12 and all that: 

  • This is a new time. People are becoming more energy-sensitive. Many are waking up and finding out that there's more to life than the five physical senses tell them. They are seeking answers, seeking connection. They are realizing that thoughts and intentions are powerful. They are finding their power to heal themselves.
  • The energy is heightened these days. The Solstice, the movement of the planets and the Sun, they all affect how people feel. It can cause mood swings, uncertainty, and some confusion for those who are becoming more sensitive. It can make people wonder if "something is coming." It is. But nothing bad. Just a wave of new energy. I felt a little dizzy at times today myself. I grounded my energy more than usual to balance it out.
  • Those of us who work with energy are being called to teach those who are ready to learn. I'm here, I'm ready, and I've been preparing for this for nearly five years. 
And here are a few reminders:
  • Talk with your kids. Find out what they've been wondering about, and reassure them that they are safe and loved.
  • Ground your energy. When you feel a little off, breathe. Get outside. Drink water. Eat something with protein or that grows in the earth.
  • Be vigilant about self-care for your energy and your body. Give and receive positive healing energy. Be mindful of your energy. Take time for meditation, connection, and mindful awareness.
  • Be a resource of love and light to those who come into your circle.
Blessings and light to all metaphysical-minded parents, everyone becoming one, and those who are as yet unaware. 

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Thanksgiving 2012

It's Thanksgiving. 

It's always good to review the reasons to be grateful around this time. Funny, but it's really good to do this daily. I even saw a trend on Facebook with some of my friends to post something every day that they were grateful for. 

In the Reiki Precepts, gratitude is one of the five things that are listed as the secret method for inviting happiness. They all are:
  Just for Today, I will
  Avoid anger
  Avoid worry
  Do my work honestly
  Be grateful for all I have
  Treat everyone with kindness.

So now we have a holiday about expressing gratitude. It always kind of makes me laugh. Like Mother's Day - one day to honor mom, when it would be nice to be treated with respect every day. Many of us do anyway, so why one day a year? To make sure we get to it?

Plus, I kind of have weird feelings about Thansgiving's origins....but I'm not going there right now.

I have lots to be grateful for. This has been a good year.

Here are the top five on my list. Please read them, and then post your top five as comments here below this blog post, because we'd have a really nice long list if every reader added five!

I am grateful for:
  • The ability to work from home, with all four of my kids in school together. A few hours of quiet during the day help me focus, be productive, and schedule my day with flexibility.
     
  • A growing practice, increased enrollment in my school, fantastic teachers and staff, opportunities to teach in Lily Dale and The Cleveland Clinic, and a new book published this year.
     
  • A supportive husband who very agreeably and competently cares for our four kids those weekends when I go to expos or meetings in Columbus, or teach out of town. He's a great partner and a wonderful father.
     
  • My wonderful students who send me grateful emails and thoughtful questions daily. Not only do they help validate my purpose in life, they also surround me with love.
     
  • My four children, who fill our house with energy, laughter, love, singing, challenges, and a reminder every day of what family really means. 

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Mazel Tov...and now what do I say?

This weekend is my 13 year old daughter, Rayna's Bat Mitzvah.

 (For any readers not sure what that is, it's a Jewish Rite of Passage for kids turning 13 in which they lead prayers, and read a passage from the Torah - that's the "Old Testament" - a scroll written entirely in Hebrew. It takes months of preparation to learn. The student also prepares a speech about what all of this means to him or her. It signifies being old enough to take on a more responsible role - in fact, those who have had a Bar or Bat Mitzvah are counted as Jewish "adults" for the purposes of ritual and responsibility.)

As the mom of the Bat Mitzvah, I'm supposed to say a few words to my daughter in front of the congregation during the ceremony. I'm struggling to decide what to say. I mean, of course, "I'm so proud of you, you're such a beautiful young woman inside and out, and you've grown so much" come to mind. But beyond that...I'm feeling stumped.

Those of you who have been blog readers here will probably know that I struggle personally with formal religion. This is especially so because Reiki gave me my spiritual connection, not praying in temple. I'm really saying it lightly here, because I actually harbor a lot of resentment toward formal prayer. It really does nothing for me spiritually except frustrate me. I think Reiki has changed me into a Spiritualist. But I'm still a Spiritualist in a Jewish life, with a Jewish family and kids that go to Jewish Day School. So I keep my inner conflicts hidden for the most part (except here in my blog where I can let it fly!) 

This ceremony is special and important for my daughter, certainly. She's done a very dedicated job preparing and I know she'll lead her parts with grace and competence. But to me, really, this ceremony is more about a coming of age than a spiritually uplifting event. 

Family and friends are coming in from out of town and locally to attend. They'll all be so proud of Rayna, congratulate her on her accomplishment. Look at what she did: she learned a lot of prayers in Hebrew. And she can lead them confidently in front of friends and family. She learned her Torah part and wrote a nicely educational speech with a dash of humor. Well done. 

I acknowledge with some relief that other people will find this more spiritually meaningful than I do. 

Rayna and her siblings are being brought up a little differently from other Jewish kids at their school. In addition to learning and practicing Judiasm, my kids do Reiki. At home, they also talk about angels, crystals, and know how to use pendulums and Tarot cards. I think they already are far more spiritually advanced at their age than I was with a Master's Degree in Jewish Studies at age 37. So what can I say in front of this congregation, that will be sincere, and also inspiring in some way to my daughter?

I guess I could focus on what I want for her. I hope that she will always be proud of who she is. I hope that she will continue to grow and listen to her heart. I hope that she will always know that she has permission to question and wrestle with everything she is taught...even by me. 

I hope that will be enough. 





Sunday, September 23, 2012

In the Fire

Last night I attended a Fire Ceremony. A man named Ljubomir Rozic has these Shamanic ceremonies at each new and full moon. There's a bit of learning about a healing concept, a meditation, and then the fire. He teaches everyone to touch the fire and bring it into their heart chakra (there are no burning or special effects involved!). We also put a list into the fire of things we would like to remove from our lives. Then Ljubomir changes the frequency of the fire to manifestation, and we put (either symbolically or physically) into the fire a list of things we want to manifest into our lives. By the way, it was pouring rain last night, and we still gathered and did the ritual. This was my first time going, and I really liked it. It was also my husband's birthday. He wanted to go (to my surprise), and also really liked it.

I've been thinking lately that I have lots of things in the fire (symbolically). You know the expression "A lot of irons in the fire"? That's what I mean. I've got a lot of irons in the fire, and I'm waiting to see what's going to come out.

The things I have in the fire are all things that I've applied for, or inquired about, and am waiting for results or answers.

Here's my list:
  • I applied to be part of the new Transdisciplinary Holistic Care Education Program at the Cleveland Clinic. This includes specialized training in holistic patient care, rounds, case studies, and lots of direct experience in being an advocate for Reiki and holistic care in the hospital setting. Only CCF staff and volunteers from the Healing Services Department were allowed to apply.
  •  
  • I sent in my application to teach in Lily Dale for the Summer, 2013 season.
  •  
  • I've been invited to be a practitioner for a research study on comparing the effectiveness of acupressure vs. Reiki for people with Gulf War Syndrome. I completed all necessary forms as asked. Funding should be approved (or not) in two months.
  •  
  • I pitched an idea for a board game to a game company. They received it and will get back to me...whenever they do.
  •  
  • I am beginning to plan a very big two day Practical Reiki training weekend for April, 2013. The goal is to have at least 100 participants. I'm looking for a venue, interviewing holistic event marketing professionals, and waiting for people to get back to me.
  •  
  • I'm starting a project, called the Just Love Project. There will be t-shirts that on the front say "Just   love."
    On the back, will be a variety of quotes, cartoons, and specifically chosen artwork that fits the theme. The writers and artists who created the selected works for the back will also be featured on the website. 100% of the profits from the series of shirts will go to charity. Each quarter, we'll change to a new charity. The idea is to spread messages of being loving and kind, while also doing something more to help those who need it. I've initiated contact with the first couple of artists and writers whose work is fitting, and am waiting to hear if they are willing to participate. I had one shirt made to see how it would turn out. It arrived yesterday. Stay tuned for a more official launch...whenever it's together. I've got the website, the manufacturer, and the idea. Now I'm waiting to see who will participate so I can get to work on the website details.
So, these are a lot of works in progress, and my need for patience is at a premium. There's such an element of surrender in waiting. I'm very much an action person, and those of you who've read my blog over the last few years (bless you all!) know that this is one of my life lessons. 

Meanwhile, I'm working on things that need action now - teaching, giving Reiki, promoting events, finding a venue for my big spring Practical Reiki workshop, etc. Of course, there are personal life things going on always too. Next month is my oldest daughter's Bat Mitzvah. There are school activities, homework, lunches, grocery shopping, chores, and a big group of holidays to observe in the next few weeks. 

So I breathe. And put myself back into the space of the present moment. "Just love," I remind myself. It's all about that.

And, I'll let the fire ignite, offer, and shape what's been placed in there. I look forward to seeing what emerges, all in the right time. 



Thursday, September 13, 2012

Now I Know Why

At the end of August, I had the wonderful opportunity of teaching Practical Reiki at the Lily Dale Assembly in Lily Dale, NY. It was a fantastic time. The class was the largest number I've ever taught in one group. Their ages ranged from 19 to about 80-something. My class included a mix of people new to Reiki, Reiki Practitioners, Reiki Masters, and practicing Mediums. The absolute best thing was the joy and enthusiasm with which Practical Reiki was universally met. I was told repeatedly that it was "refreshing" to have a "real person" teaching this. (That made me laugh!) I had the opportunity to meet privately with 13 of the 20 students, and get to know them better. I heard about their lives, and offered some intuitive advice and instructional support. I loved it. I left feeling like a rock star. 

I realized that Practical Reiki is more needed, and has the potential to help more people than I had ever imagined. It confirmed for me that I'm really here to bring a simple and powerful way of healing to the world. People new to Reiki discover an immediate connection to the energy that they can instantly tap into. People who know other Reiki modalities discover an easier way exists - one that spells out what took them years to figure out on their own (because they were taught differently) - and an additional frequency that strengthens their own energy work. And people who were intimidated about teaching Reiki because they learned a complicated process of symbols and ritual are now empowered to teach it "straight up" - as I do. Practical Reiki needs to be big, and it's time to share it with more people on a bigger scale. 

So now, I'm starting to think big, and have begun to plan my first two-day Practical Reiki training for Spring, 2013. This will be an event that people can travel here (Cleveland, OH) to take, and it will be a weekend. I'll get good rates for blocks of rooms at nearby hotels, and make it as easy as I can for people to get here. It's time, the guidance pushes me, and I'm listening, and feeling the little nervous flutter in my stomach that means that it's exactly what I need to do.

The Lily Dale experience taught me something really important, and today I saw it as part of the bigger lesson about life that applies to everyone. 

Man, when I ask for inspiration for my next blog post, I get it!!

This morning, as I perused Facebook (better than the morning paper!), I found this. I realized that it's the truest thing I've ever read, and it's also the overarching theme of the bigger picture I've been shown. I wish I knew who wrote it, but I have to share it regardless. Whoever you are who wrote this, I send you gratitude and admiration.
This quote. This.

I needed to read this. It gave me the courage to move forward with this bigger-than-I've-ever-done thing, and face the voice that counters with "are-you-really-worthy?" Because it's love that is moving me to action. Love for this role I've taken on to share Practical Reiki, but more so, to help people find that inner power for healing that was there all the time (right, Dorothy? Of course, says Glinda). It's love that I receive from the grateful emails that pour in from my students. And the feeling of being connected to this great big LOVE that is the light I'm connected to when I'm teaching, sharing Reiki, and attuning people.

This quote also gives me permission to make mistakes as I move forward. It's so accepting and forgiving, and it gently takes my little snarky background voice and wraps it in a cocoon of love that soothes it to sleep...for a while. 

So that's my message today, and as always, I share it with you, in hopes that it will inspire you to go for that big dream of yours that's fueled by love.

------------------------------------------
Follow-up...I found the author. Her name is Courtney A. Walsh, and there's more to the quote than I posted above. The entire quote, and her contact information is here:
Dear Human:

You've got it all wrong.

You didn't come here to master unconditional love.
This is where you came from and where you'll return.

You came here to learn personal love.
Universal love.
Messy love.
Sweaty Love.
Crazy love.
Broken love.
Whole love.
Infused with divinity.
Lived through the grace of stumbling.
Demonstrated through the beauty of... messing up.
Often.

You didn't come here to be perfect, you already are.

You came here to be gorgeously human. Flawed and fabulous.

And rising again into remembering.

But unconditional love? Stop telling that story.

Love in truth doesn't need any adjectives.
It doesn't require modifiers.
It doesn't require the condition of perfection.

It only asks you to show up.
And do your best.
That you stay present and feel fully.
That you shine and fly and laugh and cry and hurt and heal and fall and get back up and play and work and live and die as YOU.

Its enough.

It's Plenty.

-Courtney A. Walsh
https://www.facebook.com/loonybus
http://www.courtneyawalsh.com/


----------------------
I simply love this quote so passionately that I've ordered a tee-shirt with the part of the quote I posted originally on the back, and "Just love." on the front.  If anyone would like one, I'll order you one and ship it to you for $25 free shipping (inside the continental US). Be sure to indicate size (S/M/L/XL) when ordering. Here's a picture.













$25 and free shipping. Let's start a love movement!




Sunday, August 5, 2012

Mercury Retrograde, Angels and the Grill from Lowe's

This is a true story.


This is not my grill. Mine was worse
but I didn't stop to take a pic!
At the start of this summer, I caught my grill on fire. Yes, really. Not just a little. It was on fire from the ground up, a pillar of flame that melted the entire grill like the Wicked Witch of the West and peeled the color off our vinyl siding.


It was my mistake. It was the start of summer. The grill had been sitting patiently during the winter and spring. My husband said to let him clean it out and check it, but I was impatient. I didn't wait for him to clean it out and replace the burner that had ended up angled awkwardly backward. I just wanted to quickly grill some chicken before I ran off to teach a class. I figured I'd put the chicken in the front part of the grill grates and cook it on indirect heat. I didn't realize the grill was quite as in need of repair as it was after the winter and spring. 
Well, I DID realize it once the awkward burner caused the grill and all of its parts to turn into a towering inferno.


After turning off the gas and hosing off the grill and house, I left to teach and my husband, Evan ordered a pizza. 


So we needed a new grill. My sister decided to give us an early Chanukah present and she gave us money for a new grill. 


Mercury Retrograde notwithstanding, we looked online for sales and went out to Lowe's, and purchased a decent looking grill. We paid for it and were told it would be assembled for us and we'd pick it up in a couple days. We were sold a conversion kit because we have a natural gas outlet from our house so we don't need to use propane tanks. 


A couple days later we went to pick up the grill. We waited inside Lowe's for a longer time than should be expected. Finally, someone wheeled up a grill and said something like, "Here it is." Before us stood a partially rusted, obviously used and returned grill of the same model as we had purchased. We pointed out that there must've been a mistake because this was clearly not new. The salesperson tried to insist it was new and had just been assembled in a dusty warehouse. Then he offered to sell us this rusty used grill for $75 off what we had paid. We declined the offer, got a refund and went home. 


We did call the customer service line and complain about the experience. 


The next day, I received a call from a manager, who offered us an upgraded model for the same price as what we had paid for the previous grill, and that Lowe's would attach the conversion kit. I said we'd think about it and get back to him in a week. We did some research during the week, and found that the model had mostly good reviews and so we decided to purchase it. 


I called and asked for a manager. I told the whole story to this new person on the phone. He said that no way could Lowe's attach the conversion kit, because that is not allowed. In fact, he told me, the person who had said they would do that could likely be fired for saying such a thing to us. He then said they have one natural gas ready grill, it's an upgraded model and brand from the one we had been expecting to get, and that we could have this one for the same price as the one we had first purchased. I agreed. He said he would have it assembled first thing the next morning and we'd be able to pick it up any time that day. 


The next day...
Evan called Lowe's to ask if it was ready to pick up. He was on hold for 30 minutes. The person returned to the phone and said that he would have to call Evan back because they were looking for it. Half an hour after that, they called Evan and said it's ready, come on and pick it up. He came home from work and went to get our new grill.


In the store...Evan and our daughter Rayna, who he had brought along, waited a very long time while a salesperson ran around trying to find the grill, trying to find a manager, trying to find an answer. After finding none of those, this person offered us an even more upgraded model (we're up above $700 now) for the same price as we had been expecting to pay. And she'd throw in the conversion kit for free. Evan agreed, paid for the grill, bought a cover, and came home. 


We set up the grill and looked this gorgeous thing over. Evan went online for a moment and found out that this particular model can't be converted to gas after all. Another call to the store, speaking to a manager. The manager said the wrong grill had been assembled, which is why no one could find ours. I asked him if the model we had intended to purchase was in the store. He said yes. I asked if it was assembled. He said no. I asked how long it would take to assemble it, and he said an hour. I told him that we would be back in an hour to return this grill and take the one we had been meaning to purchase, and that I wanted him to throw in a cover for our trouble. He agreed. 


An hour later...
Evan went back to Lowe's to pick up the grill. Evan returned the grill and cover. Lowe's processed a refund on our card. They brought up the right grill, new this time, with a cover. Evan checked to make sure it was indeed a natural gas grill. It was. A little smaller but still really nice. Lowe's knocked another $100 off the price for our trouble. Evan purchased the grill (now $100 less than the first model we had bought, listed at $200 more than the first model). He brought it home. We discovered that the wheels were on wrong. We decided we could fix that part ourselves.


The next morning...
Evan checked the computer and said there's a problem. Our checking account was overdrawn. Why? Because apparently, the refund would take a few days to go through. So we had basically purchased two grills and a cover, as far as our checking account knew. 


Another call to Lowe's. A call to the bank. Evan went to work with the problem unsolved. He called me an hour later and said that the bank said I had to go to Lowe's, then call the bank from Lowe's and let the Lowe's customer service person speak to the bank person and give the bank person some code that verified our refund so they'd release the funds back into our account. I went to Lowe's. 


This was no simple matter, as you probably expected by now if you're still reading. For two hours, the bank person tried to explain to the Lowe's person what was needed, and the Lowe's person and his boss tried to find the code the bank person wanted. At the end of two hours, I spoke to the bank person, who said that the code is on our original receipt (and only there, apparently.) The Lowe's guy felt so bad he gave me $90 in cash.


I went home. Evan came home from work, found the receipt, we called the bank and got our money back in our account. He and I fixed the wheels, hooked up the gas to our outlet, and prepared dinner. It works beautifully.


The outcome? The final cost for the grill was less than my sister had given us. We put the difference towards dinner.


The punchline? Thanks to Mercury Retrograde for the communication issues at every turn, and angels for some wild manipulation of events, we now have a high end grill, better than we would've picked out for ourselves, for less than we expected to spend. 


The lesson of the story? I'll be sure to not use the grill until it's all checked over, cleaned up and ready when next season starts. 

Friday, July 27, 2012

Stigma and Cred

I first learned Reiki in person from a teacher, and took the Master/Teacher level in a class, in person. It was traditional Usui Reiki training. I found that my training left some things to be desired. There was no instruction on intuition, for example, or chakras. I was not taught how to feel and experience energy, just taught traditional hand positions, symbols and ritual that "had to be" done in order to give a Reiki session. 


Three months later, I learned Kundalini Reiki, by distance, online from the founder of the system. I felt my attunements more strongly than I had felt any other, ever. I also learned that symbols, hand positions, and ritual are not needed in order to practice Reiki. Although this conflicted with my Usui Reiki training, it made more sense to me. I spent lots of time pondering and practicing after this. And the pondering and practicing really helped me the most in developing my understanding about Reiki, and how it can be effectively taught so that people can learn to feel the energy and understand what they are doing. 


Since that time, I've taught over 500 people Kundalini Reiki or Practical Reiki. I've written two books about Practical Reiki, to help those who want to learn get a more thorough education in energy healing. I have received only powerful, positive feedback from all of my students and clients. 


I'm proud of my work and am committed to being a dedicated and approachable teacher for all who learn from me. My students share the love of Reiki, whether they were previously Usui Reiki trained or not. 


At times, I've been informed (and even involved) in online discussions about what's "better," in person or online training. As I've said there and will say again, it depends on the teacher. It also depends on the student's comfort level, but I do my best, even with online teaching, to provide the most personal experience possible for my students. Not all online training is equal, just as not all in-person training is equal in quality. It depends on the teacher being of high integrity, knowledge, approachability, and dedication.


Now there's another issue that my students are facing, as well as others who receive training online. Some hospitals and other organizations who accept volunteers to provide Reiki will only accept individuals who have received training in person. Others will only accept individuals who have received Usui Reiki training. Practical Reiki (and other methods) are not treated with the same respect. So what are my wonderful students to do when they want to go out and dedicate their precious time to sharing Reiki in these places?


I guess we need to start a grass roots movement to establish cred and overcome the stigmas held by those who think that Usui Reiki is better than Practical Reiki, or that in person teaching trumps online learning. Yeah, we've got our work cut out for us. 


So here's what I suggest.


If you're faced with a challenge such as this, don't give up. Politely request a meeting to discuss your training and demonstrate your expertise. Show the person in charge my book, and encourage them to read it. Offer to give the person a Reiki session. Talk clearly and confidently about your understanding and love for Reiki. 


If that doesn't work, don't worry. Send in your students, your friends who have learned, and others to do the same. Eventually, we'll get a second look. 


If you want, have the person you meet with contact me. I'll be happy to talk about my year at The Cleveland Clinic, and my two years at The Gathering Place (a support place for families touched by cancer). I'll also be happy to talk about my Practical Reiki for Nurses course, which is approved to offer 8 CEs by the Ohio Board of Nursing. 


We are the change we want to see in the world. Reiki is healing energy, and the practitioner is the one who has the ethics, experience, and attunement to share it.


Let's move the world with our light.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

The Practical Reiki Companion is HERE!

In response to student request, I've created a workbook for Practical Reiki students and teachers. It's called The Practical Reiki Companion, and it's now available! 


I started out writing this workbook to offer students a way to log and keep track of their practices and healing experiences. But, as things often do, it became so much more. For each chapter, there are reminders and reflective prompts for journaling about your experiences. I added light lines and vibrant images so the workbook is a beautiful keepsake journal, not just an academic tool. (Have a look inside here!)


Also, I realized that the process of writing down reflections creates an important change for the student. If you know that after you complete this healing session, you will be writing down what you experience, think and feel, you will be in the mindset of paying attention during the session. The "assignment" cues your left brain to stay focused and present, which in turn increases your ability to tune into the right brain's feed of intuitive sensations. It's amazingly powerful as a tool for mindfulness and strengthening your intuition. This process will accelerate your ability to feel the strength of the Reiki energy. My goal is to empower every student with confidence in his or her ability to work with Reiki. This workbook is designed to do exactly that!


It's also an excellent tool for the student who completes Practical Reiki training and wants to teach others. Having the logs of your attunement experiences and healing practices will enable you as a teacher to reflect and share some of the unique and powerful experiences you had while learning, thus enriching the learning for your students. And I've also included several attunement logs for the teacher, so it's easy to keep track of how passing on attunements went on the teacher and student end. This workbook is designed to take you from beginning the journey to helping others to do the same. 


I'm proud and excited about the Practical Reiki Companion! Those who have had an advance peek, and the first student who is currently using it and giving me feedback all share this excitement. 


If you've already learned Practical Reiki, I encourage you to get one to transfer your notes from your learning into this keepsake.


If you're beginning to learn Practical Reiki, you need this. It will help you, empower you, deepen your learning and accelerate your growth.


If you're teaching Practical Reiki, this is for you and for your students. You will be a stronger teacher and your students will be successful because this tool will be part of their journey.


Thank you to the students who encouraged me to create The Practical Reiki Companion and waited with excitement. It's here! 


You can order autographed copies and get a package discount for the book and the Companion here.


You can order direct shipping from the publisher here (Use discount code F6TTENE5 for 15% off) and find it on Amazon here.


When you get yours, please leave a review on Amazon if you would! 


Thank you all. It helped me learn so much about learning to write this, and I know it'll be a great service to Practical Reiki students and teachers around the world!


Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Time to Read

The last week in May, my family went on vacation, and stayed in a quiet little beach house in Sandbridge, VA for a week. It was lovely to be by the ocean and have some time away. I had brought my netbook, in the hopes of blogging and getting some other writing done a little bit each day. However, that was not to be. My hard drive crashed and died the first day of the trip.

That left me with the books I had brought. Not a bad trade.


I'd like to present to you with some of what I learned from having time to read some really fascinating books!
This post will highlight the first of three books I read. 


The first book I enjoyed is "Reiki: The True Story: An Exploration of Usui Reiki" by Don Beckett.


In this book, I learned all about the "original" of the "original Reiki method." That is, Reiki the way founder Mikao Usui taught it. I found out something really fascinating!! Mikao Usui did not use symbols. He did not use hand positions. Reiki was meant as a personal enlightenment practice. Healing was a side benefit, and it was done by intention. Usui taught different people individually, and each was taught a little differently from the last, because Usui varied his teaching to fit the experience, frame of reference, and ideal usage of Reiki for each student. There was no formalized system, no defined rituals. 


This is extremely significant to me for a number of reasons. First, because Practical Reiki, the method that I use and teach, does not use hand positions or symbols. Its main emphasis is on intention and attention. Quiet, gently focused observation is the best state of mind for practicing. It sounds to me as if Practical Reiki is very much like Mikao Usui's Reiki. 


Second, Usui Reiki as it's taught in the United States, follows Mrs. Hawayo Takata's teaching method. She brought Reiki to Hawaii and introduced it to the West. She taught structured ritualized Reiki, including the addition of hand positions, symbols, and lots of formalized procedures. Practical Reiki differs so much from this version of Usui Reiki that many have treated me as if I am teaching a rogue or rebellious form of Reiki - as if I'm going against tradition by not using those things. Takata's method of Reiki, which is also William Rand's version, the most commonly taught in the US and many parts of the world, has become accepted as the "original authentic Usui Reiki." But I have just learned that it's not. 


Turns out that Practical Reiki is closer to the original Usui Reiki than the method most accepted as the one that's widely taught here. Not sure whether to laugh or yell, "SEE!!!?" I believe I did both several times as I read.


While in VA, my family visited the Edgar Cayce Institute in Virginia Beach. It's a really fascinating museum and huge metaphysical library dedicated to the work of a man whose channeled information filled hundreds of volumes of texts. I brought a few copies of my book, and soon as I showed it to the woman who runs the gift shop, she immediately placed an order for the store and asked for an autographed copy for herself. Two visitors to the museum who were nearby asked if they could buy a copy from me too, and I gladly shared. It was a great experience, and helped to validate that what I'm teaching is needed and meaningful. 


I'm training Practical Reiki instructors now as well as students, so that more people can share this accessible healing modality. And Usui was right - it's a method to personal enlightenment besides being an excellent way to help oneself and others receive healing. My Practical Reiki for Nurses course is approved by the Ohio Board of Nursing to offer CEs to nurses and massage therapists. I'm training instructors for that course too. 


Reading Beckett's book was like a nod from the Universe and a blessing from Mikao Usui himself. 


More book reports will follow in future blog posts! 


Saturday, May 5, 2012

We Are Hiring!


Recruiter Intern for Reiki Awakening Academy - job available

Are you a go-getter? Do you know how to excite people and motivate them to action? Do you know the meaning of these words: Reiki, intuition, holistic, and metaphysical?


This summer internship experience will give you the title of "Recruiter" for the Reiki Awakening Academy of Intuitive Development, a cutting edge online academy. Use all of your social media, personal and online marketing savvy to bring in students, and you'll get paid a percentage of each new student's first registration for a class. The more students you recruit, the more money you make. Students only need to register for one class, whether $40 or $400. Flexible hours, work from home.


This is an ideal position for a college student, but anyone qualified may apply.


To apply: First, visit and explore http://reikiawakeningacademy.com. Then, send an email to info@reikiawakeningacademy.com describing why you're the person we should select. Applications will be accepted until May 31, 2012. Position will begin mid-June through mid-August with possible continuation.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Gratitude Paid Forward

I'm writing today to extend thanks to some special people who have been supportive to me in many ways behind the scenes and alongside me. By sharing their awesomeness with you, I hope that you'll also check them out. They can help, and the connections will be a win-win for you and them both, as it was for me!


Jeff Kates, LMT ABT, Director of the Advanced Bodywork and Massage Institute (http://abwami.com/)
Jeff is awesome because he not only teaches a powerfully relaxing and healing type of massage, but he also offered me the chance to teach (twice!) at his beautiful school. He also learned Practical Reiki from me and incorporates it into his work. He's a sweet, personable guy too. Jeff developed a massage technique called The Kates Method. His students rave about what a great teacher he is. If you're in the Cleveland area and interested in learning massage, check him out. 


Charley Bach, Director of PC Handyman Computer Services http://www.clevehtspc.com/
Charley is a friend from High School days, and we recently became reacquainted at a computer store. Since then, he has repaired all of my family's computers, helped me choose a netbook (including purchasing it, upgrading it, and loading it up with software!), picked up and delivered to my house in amazingly fast amounts of time too. He offers a whole huge line of computer and internet related services. And best of all, his prices are totally affordable. I'm thrilled to recommend him. He can even help you remotely if you're not in the Cleveland area. 


Raizel Michelow, Certified Aromatherapist, Reiki Master & creator of 24 Zen Granola http://www.twenty4zen.com/


Raizel is a friend, and one of the great teachers for my school, Reiki Awakening Academy too. She is a fun person, a master aromatherapist, and has incredible vision too. She has always been helpful in coming up with great ideas for getting the word out about the Academy. The granola she makes and sells, by the way, is amazingly delicious and includes aromatherapy techniques for balancing chakras too! Check her out - she's just amazing. 


Happy to pass along positive energy for positive people!


Love and light.

Friday, March 16, 2012

Is Mercury Making Things Backwards, or Do I Have that in Reverse?

It's here again. I'm talking about Mercury Retrograde. Within the past year, I've learned about Mercury Retrograde, having never heard of it before that. Since I've known about it... I'm pausing here to give you the scoop in case this is your first time hearing about it! Mercury Retrograde is a 3-week period that happens a few times a year in which it looks as if Mercury is moving "backwards" in its celestial path. During the time that this happens, there seem to be a higher incidence of delays, technical glitches, and slowdowns in communication. Now back to your regularly scheduled blog post... 

Since I've known about Mercury Retrograde, it seems that a spotlight is shining on all of the delays, technical glitches, and communication gaps that happen during this period every time. And I'm wondering about it. Here's what I'm wondering.

  • The slight over-sensitivity to all things wonky is making these incidents memorable. What I mean is, because I know it's Mercury Retrograde, does that make me more aware of their existence, and subsequently more annoyed by them? Last Mercury Retrograde, I felt like my life was completely kicked around. My computer had issues, my website had issues, my phone had issues, payments were delayed...and I was exhausted from it all. Everything that happened, I remember blaming on Mercury Retrograde. When it was over, things seemed to be back to normal. But back to normal doesn't preclude some things going wrong. That happens. But they don't seem to have as much of an impact when I'm not so hyper aware of them.
  • Is my awareness that it's Mercury Retrograde, and I know that things could go extra-glitchy, actually manifesting these extra glitches? I have learned that the energy of expectation is a powerful creator. I know that first hand. So if I'm expecting glitches, does that logically mean of course that's what I'll be getting?
  • Our minds are naturally prone to trying to make sense out of life. We look for patterns and derive meaning from them. When things are consistent or predictable, we feel safe and like the world has order. So wrapping a lot of chaos into a package labeled "Mercury Retrograde Strikes Again" is somehow reassuring. But are these things really happening because of the shift in planetary motion, or are we just organizing them that way in our little insecure brains?
  • When I lived in my blissfully ignorant about all things Mercury Retrograde state, I don't recall having such intense 3 weeks of wonky. Maybe I should try ignoring astrological warnings for a change. My husband reads the daily horoscope in the paper. He used to get kinda discouraged at the start of the day if the horoscope predicted a mediocre or unpleasant day. I would tell him to not read it, because it would set him up for that kind of day. It's a cause and effect idea, or maybe the chicken and the egg. Is the planetary placement setting us up for a problematic day, or is knowing about it setting us up? Or if we have a strangely glitchy day, should we read the horoscope then to try to make sense of the seeming randomness?
I welcome any input on this possibly backward reasoning.

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Magic is relative

It's true. I feel magical. I feel like a super hero of healing. I just feel like there's something magical about being able to be a part of a healing process for someone across the world who experiences it and feels better. And I also love teaching others to do the same. 


But, I realized, it's not magic. The only reason it is magical is that science doesn't have an explanation for it. Think about it. Before the microscope was invented, the idea of germs was "magic". If someone had suggested that germs are responsible for illness, it would have been interpreted as little magical sickness fairies that no one can see go from a person's cough to another person's body and make that person sick. And scientists would have scoffed. And then, poof, the microscope is invented, germs can be seen so science deems them real, and it's accepted. Science can now study germs, identify different ones, and determine the specific treatment for each. 


One day, this will happen for Reiki and other healing energy methods. In fact, once some scientist actually invents a way to see the human energy field and how it's affected, big changes will happen. They will find a way to measure "frequencies" of Reiki and other healing energy. They will work to determine which healing energy frequency works best on which malady. Doctors will write prescriptions for people to see Reiki Master X because she has 6.79 ReikiOhms of energy, which is effective for such-and-such a condition. There will be tests, measurements, experiments, and a lot of excitement. Then will come regulations, licenses, and health insurance coverage with reps suggesting this or that practitioner. Next will follow science attempting to synthesize Reiki energy into a pill. Or perhaps they will take another look at homeopathy and Ayurveda, and measure the way a person's energy field changes frequencies when the person meditates. Wow. Can you see this future?


Right now, scientists scoff. And what we do is labeled as "pseudoscience," "metaphysical," "faith healing," "placebo," or...magic (in a rather sneering and derisive tone). But the growing numbers of people studying Reiki and receiving health benefits from Reiki are strong enough to make waves. These waves disturb those who need tools to convince them something is real.  


I'm honored to announce that The Ohio Board of Nursing has approved my Practical Reiki for Nurses class to offer 8 CEs. This class is taught online so that anyone with a computer and internet access can be part of it. This class offers Reiki training through Master level, and a method that is simple and directly applicable to nurses, caregivers, massage therapists, occupational therapists, and anyone working in a health care field. After taking the class, one can teach it to others. It's nice to see there is some evidence that western medicine is getting tired of waiting for the scientists to acknowledge Reiki, and are taking their own initiative.  


So about that "magic" idea...there is a part of me that really thrives on the magical beauty of it all. But even if it becomes commonplace, the beauty still shines. I mean look at it this way - the power comes through us. The power is not in a tool or a pill. It's innate, completely organic, and benefits emotions, body and spirit. It's MORE than any tool or pill can claim right now. The self-awareness that comes from giving and receiving Reiki is more profound than anything science, psychology or western medicine has to offer. 


That's why I'll never stop believing in the magic.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Standing on the Ground in Sandals

One of the books that I most recommend to my students is Clintin Ober's Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever? because, as Ober explains, 
"the surface of the Earth contains limitless healing energy. Science has discovered this energy as free-flowing electrons constantly replenished by solar radiation and lightning. Few people know it, but the ground provides a subtle electric signal that maintains health and governs the intricate mechanisms that make our bodies work-just like plugging a lamp into a power socket makes it light up."
Being aware of the difference between being "grounded" to the earth's energy and being "ungrounded" is important, especially to those who work with healing energy. See, we spend so much time connected to the higher vibration of healing energy, that after a while, we can feel a little "floaty." Some may start to feel forgetful (ever been an "air head"?), clumsy, or just really distracted. All of these feelings and results are because we need to get our energy fuuly back into our bodies. 


If this sounds strange, think of being on a boat for a long time, and then coming back onto land. It feels weird, right? That's because we got temporarily used to being gently rocked around on the water instead of firmly anchored to the ground as usual. Same would happen if we spent about 30 minutes walking around on a bouncy trampoline, and then got back onto the land. Temporary physical disorientation occurs. A similar thing can happen if we spend a lot of time working with higher chakra energies. This means meditation, Reiki, or other intuitive practices. 


Come to think of it, even "monkey mind" can take our awareness away from our bodies. (We all have times of the day with monkey mind - it means that our thoughts are chattering away constantly as we try to remember everything we need to do, what was said before, where we're going next, and how to handle various issues, on and on.) When we find ourselves dropping things, bumping into door jams, and stepping on objects on the floor, it's a signal that we need to stop and ground our energy, bringing our awareness back into our bodies. The best way to do this is by connecting, intentionally, with the energy of the earth.


If we could walk around barefoot all the time, we'd be more naturally connected with earth energy. It would help immensely with being more grounded and receiving the healing benefits of this energy. Interestingly, the Reiki method that I teach, Practical Reiki, is developed from Kundalini Reiki. Kundalini Reiki combines the earth energy with the Ki energy from above, and the healing properties are enhanced and strengthened by this combination. So the benefits of earth energy are found in the healing method I teach and practice. 


That's where these unique and brilliant sandals come in. Juil is a new company that understands the concept of grounding, and they've taken it to the feet. They realize that sometimes we need to wear shoes. But shoes have soles that are typically made of rubber or other insulating materials which separate us from the energy of the earth. The folks at Juil have developed sandals that have copper conductors beneath the toes and heels, connected inside the leather sole. The conductors sit on the outside of the bottom of the shoe, so every step brings the grounding effect to the wearer, allowing her to be grounded while wearing shoes.


I had the privilege of testing out a pair of Juil sandals. Many thanks to the folks at Juil for sending me a pair to test and review. Since I work at home much of the time, I wore them comfortably around the house. The best part is that we're having an unusually warm winter, so I even had the chance to walk around outside a little in them. I'm totally looking forward to the summer when I can just live in these sandals. 


First of all, they are really comfy. They fit nicely and the leather straps are smooth against my feet. I noticed the benefits the most when I was intentionally grounding my energy after Reiki healing sessions or meditation. I really did feel like it was easier to feel more present faster than when I'm sporting my Keds or Bearpaws. All I had to do was think of bringing my energy down into the earth and back up into my body and I had an instant sense of being HERE, now. I think, besides doing the grounding exercise barefoot, the Juil sandals were the next best thing.


So if you're interested in supporting a company that wants to support energy workers and those who are just becoming aware of the benefits of connecting to the earth, check out Juil.com. I also love that they've started a Soles for Souls program, where they donate a pair of shoes for every pair sold. Companies that do good like this are so awesome!


By the way, they're also coming out with sneakers soon. This Midwest girl will be ready to click and place my order when that happens!


Happy grounding.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

This Funny Role

I made this today...how do you view yourself?

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Everything is Here

Last month, I went to a training in Controlled Remote Viewing. CRV is a technique that was developed and used by the military to get information about classified things by using the intuition in a very controlled, structured way. It's also been known as "psychic spying." I was trained in CRV with a group that was interested in its applications for healing. 


I learned basic CRV, yes. But the real lesson that came from the training is much more meaningful to me. Here's what I have realized:


1) All of the information about everything -really EVERYTHING- that there is to know about everything is here, right around us. 
2) We can find out everything we want to know by learning to ask and learning to translate the information we receive.
3) Scanning someone's energy, psychic channeling, giving tarot or card readings, CRV, tuning in---these are all methods of asking for information and receiving that information.
4) Translating is how we bring the information we want to know into our conscious mind through our intuition. (From the right brain to the left).
5) There are many ways of learning to sense and translate this information into understandable answers. All we need to do is decide which method to learn and practice. 


When I work with Reiki, I use my hands. My intuition gives me messages through my tactile senses - called being clairsentient - which comes in the form of physical sensations of tingles, warmth, prickles, etc. Each sensation has a meaning, and through experience, I'm learning to understand what each one means. For example, one sort of tingle means a person is experiencing grief. One sort of prickle means there is pain in the area. Moving my hand over someone while Reiki is flowing allows me to receive these messages via my tingles - and I translate the messages into meaning that I can understand and discuss with my Reiki client. The tingles are the language of my intuition, and I'm learning it as a baby learns to talk -by being immersed in it and learning to discern the different nuances and attach meaning to them. 


When I'm scanning someone's energy, I'm asking for information about the state of the person's energy. Where is there pain, blockages, overactivity, etc.? This information comes to me, I translate it, and can dialogue with my client about what I sense. I feel the sensations change during the session and I know that the recipient has received what was needed for this session.


CRV is a process of asking for information too. There is a Target, which represents the information the viewer wants to receive details about. The viewer doesn't know much, if anything about the Target at the start, and so all information received via the intuition is written down, and through the process of relaxing, tuning in, and writing, lots of information comes forth about the target. It's a very structured way of doing the same thing - asking for information and bringing it onto the paper. It's not psychic training - it's learning a language. They call it a martial art. But it's still the same idea - the information is out there and we can retrieve it.


Try asking a question at the start of the day, and ask for the answer to become apparent to you by the end of the day. Don't ask the BIG question - don't ask for The Meaning of Life, for example - but something simple as "Should we have chicken or fish for dinner?" and don't forget to add that you'd like to have signs showing you the best answer by the late afternoon. Then just go about your day. At some point, you'll notice something. Either a chicken or a fish reference will pop into your mind or experience. For example, a chicken restaurant commercial will come on the radio as soon as you turn it on. Or someone with a fish symbol on his car will be driving directly in front of you. And you'll notice. That's the important part. This is just another way of asking for specific information and receiving it. (And it's fun!)


I teach my students to learn to identify and then tune in to their clairs - their own naturally strong way of receiving intuitive information. Because it's here. 


It's all here.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Best...job...ever!

Today I had a very wonderful and amazing experience. While it's something I've done before, stepping back and looking at the gestalt of it, I'm blown away with amazement and gratitude that I am offered the opportunity to be a part of this work - it's nothing short of incredible.


Today, I gave a Team Distance Healing to a woman in Congo, Africa, with my Healing Team friends, Tom and Cher. 


Last night, my internet connection went out. I was on the phone with AT&T Uverse Tech Support from midnight until 1 am, trying to get it fixed. It didn't get fixed, and a tech was dispatched to arrive late this afternoon. I knew we had this appointment for the healing session, so I took my computer to a nearby coffee shop to use the wifi. 


Then I thought about what was happening.


Tom is in Texas. Cher is in California. Our client is in Congo, Africa. I was in a coffee shop in Ohio. We met up on Gchat, via Gmail. Together, we connected with our client's energy, scanned and talked about what we felt and sensed in her energy. We found things, we sent healing to clear them, we used the techniques that we were trained in. We felt the difference happening. Cher told us what she saw, Tom responded and I did too, and we felt the changes. Cher channeled a beautiful, applicable and inspiring message from our client's Guides. We all could sense when the session was complete. We felt like we had really accomplished a lot. 


So there I was, just outside the coffee shop, at a little table. People were walking by. But I was involved in this incredible experience and the outside world just kept moving along. 


I typed up the report of our session, plus the guidance received, and emailed it to the client. Within 30 minutes, we received an email from the client verifying that what we had done had been powerful for her, and that she felt lighter, loved, supported, guided, and ...better. "Like dancing" she said. 


I am filled with joy and gratitude to be part of this experience. 


I feel like a super hero. 


What is more magical than this experience?? I can't think of anything. Real magic, this work. 


I have the best job ever. 


And I had to share the experience with you just because ...well, there's nothing like it.


We are capable of so much beauty, healing, magic, connection, intuition, and joy. And most of us, most of the day, walk around oblivious. It takes moments like the hour I spent this morning to be a powerful reminder of this truth. And I love being a part of it.


I told my dad on Friday night at dinner, we are connected to everything. We have access to all of the information in the universe. We only need to learn the methods necessary to train ourselves to receive the information we seek. 


Two weekends ago I was in Delaware for training in Controlled Remote Viewing and its applications for healing. I realized, it's all about accessing information. All of it. Just the act of connecting to another's energy and observing will activate a healing process. And intention amplifies that process. It was fascinating and just served to validate what I already have experienced. I also was taught that the more people who are "psychically" accessing a target, the stronger the signal will be. That also validates that healing with a team is more powerful than alone. But I already knew that too. Today is another perfect example of that insight.


So I need to blog because I'm just overwhelmed with gratitude for the privilege of doing this work. For all of you who also give Reiki, you know how I feel. For those of you who haven't yet learned it, I would be honored to teach you, advise you, and help you discover that anyone can learn this too. I'm not special, I tell people. I just learned to do something extraordinary. You can too. 


If you are interested, contact me. I'm here to help. 


Love.