When I first found Reiki, I was dealing with connective tissue injuries and post-traumatic symptoms. I was in a lot of pain, physically and emotionally, and I tried many providers, including massage therapists, physical therapists, and counselors. I happened upon a massage therapist who got better results than any of the others. I felt extremely relaxed during and after her sessions, and my pain level went down considerably.

One day I asked her why her treatments felt so different, so restorative. She smiled and said, “Ah, that’s the Reiki!”

She explained to me that she was making Reiki energy available to my body as she treated me. She told me that Reiki is a frequency of energy that is available in the universe to everyone, and that we can be trained to make it available to ourselves or each other. She also referred me to a well-respected teacher, in case I wanted to learn.

A few months later, I took my first Reiki class. I loved it! I began using Reiki on myself immediately. I did, and still do, experience Reiki as a warm fuzzy blanket. It’s as if my cells are wrapped in the utmost caring and comfort. Within this loving protection, my system can find its way toward better balance.

My first Reiki class was 17 years ago. I have been treating myself with Reiki for almost 2 decades. I am healthier now, both in body and mind, than I was twenty years ago! And Reiki continues to be at the top of my list for self-care.

Many wonderful changes have occurred in my life since I found Reiki. I studied three other methods of energy healing. I returned to school and obtained a degree in counseling. And I continued my Reiki study; I’m very fortunate to have studied with two of the most accomplished Reiki teachers on the East Coast.

I now work as a Reiki practitioner, and every day I have the privilege of sharing the benefits of this lovely healing system with others. It still delights me when a client who is under stress falls asleep on my table and awakes at the end of a treatment relaxed and refreshed. I’m still amazed at the swift healing trajectory that Reiki brings for recent injuries and surgeries. I’m still grateful when a client tells me that the comfort of a session makes the challenges of daily life more manageable.

Giving Reiki is a profoundly humbling experience. When we give Reiki, we are conduits for an energy that is beautiful and profoundly restorative. I am very aware that I am not “healing” anyone. I am helping clients to access an energy that supports their own systems’ marvelous ability to heal.

I also am aware that my ability to be a clear and effective conduit has grown over these last 17 years. This has occurred because of advanced training, and also because I have channeled Reiki energy, day after day, year after year.  My own healing journey continues to unfold, and as I move forward, I become more able to assist those who seek help from me.

The benefits of Reiki can run the gamut from alleviating pain to calming post-traumatic symptoms, from hastening surgery recovery to gaining insight into the deepest meaning of our lives. After struggling through difficult times myself, I am now honored to witness and assist others as they benefit from the power of Reiki energy.