"Reiki - Every Day!"

This is naturally a foundation of Holiday Wellness for me. I practice Reiki energy healing on myself as soon as I wake up every day, whether for a few minutes or an hour - combined with meditation, visualization, relaxation, yoga and ritual, or just a "quickie" before getting up and heading out the door by 5:45 a.m., which I do a couple days a week. I find it helps me to wake up, and it certainly starts my day in a positive attitude. Then I often use Reiki and other practices here and there throughout the day to relieve tension, give my mind a break, boost my energy, etc.

Reiki is simply amplified Essential life energy, which is the Divine spark in each of us that gives us life. During Reiki training we learn hand positions for providing healing touch, ethics and the history of Reiki, and also receive energetic attunement which awakens healing abilities through a brief ritual energy transmission from teacher to student, activating our chakras and healing energy flow beyond normal functioning.

If it seems strange, it's just because it's not familiar. It's totally natural, non-invasive, and similar to healing traditions practiced throughout the ages the world over. Scientific studies have been done on its effectiveness and more are under way. Hundreds of hospitals in the U.S. use Reiki as a complementary healing technique. It's real!

You can find testimonials from my clients as well as links to some Reiki research resources on my Essential Arts homepage and under Reiki Resources.

Whether you are attuned to Reiki or not, you have healing in your hands, your mind, your body, which can be developed further simply by practicing. Try rubbing your hands together, then placing your palms over your eyes for a 10-minute refreshing break, or hold your hands over your heart and send yourself love every day and see how your inner peace and strength develop. You can also place one hand on one chakra and the other hand on another chakra and sense the relationship between the two - experiment! (Start with your head, heart and belly if you're not familiar with your ckakras.) And, of course, if you have areas of pain, placing your hands over that spot and asking Divine healing to flow through you is good practice and can accelerate healing and a sense of well-being.

If you are near a Spiritualist church, such as Vision of Light Church of Spiritualism & Healing, where I spoke last Sunday, you can practice and find guidance and instruction there. Here are links to the Vision of Light website and Facebook page. Vision of Light is the only full-time Spiritualist church in Vermont, but if you are in other areas, check with the National Spiritualist Association of Churches. Christian Science churches are also based on the spiritual science of healing and prayer for happiness and well-being.

If you do choose Reiki training, you can start using your Level 1 training immediately, and then develop your practice with time, experience, and if you choose, additional training. There are 3 levels leading to Reiki Master. A Reiki 1 workshop and attunement is generally a very reasonably priced one-day affair, and then you'll have the ability activated for life. I'll be taking my teacher training in January, and then I'll be team-teaching, starting with the Level 1 class, so let me know if you are interested. You can also find a teacher or practitioner through the Vermont Reiki Association, the International Center for Reiki Training, or the International House of Reiki.

I also enjoy receiving Reiki and other energy healing work from other practitioners. It's great to be able to work on myself, but isn't it nice to receive love and healing from someone else too? We don't need to be sick to benefit from Reiki or other healing energy practices - in fact, isn't it better not to wait until something's drastically wrong to take care of ourselves?

Of course, you can experience the wonderful relaxing and rejuvenating effects of Reiki through the Calm & Confident Holiday Wellness packages I'm offering this season! If you haven't experienced Reiki before and just want a taste before you decide on a package, let me know and we'll arrange a demo session for you. I want you to experience how delightful it feels! You can also experience a brief session at Seven Stars Arts Center on Saturday, December 9, where I'll be offering a talk and discussion on Calm & Confident Holiday Wellness with Reiki sessions by donation.

However you do it, I encourage you to take care of yourself - every day!