New Leaf Mentoring … new thought. new health. new life.

Posts tagged ‘Reiki’

Reiki: A Discovery of Self-Empowerment


I came across Reiki one day back in 1995 while giving a talk about herbs and organic gardening. Up until that minute I had never even heard of it, and in the last 16 years since then I haven’t experienced one minute without it. There was an instant recognition that Reiki and I somehow belonged together, but I was gun-shy about joining into any belief system and literally ran in the other direction. It took me a full year before I was willing to entertain the idea of learning Reiki.

Doubtful Beginnings

I’m a self-starting kind of person, I have always been self-employed and have always called my own shots. I have always felt very strongly about maintaining my independence and helping myself, and although I was at a point in my life where I needed a new perspective and certainly some help from somewhere I just couldn’t wrap my head around a nebulous healing modality that was based in channeling energy. I did however, eventually take the courses and immediately understood myself to be engaged in a very personal discovery of self-empowerment. I felt better about it then. When I could feel the power of Reiki in my own core, in my own hands and use it for myself I was hooked. I determined to find out as much as I could about it and tried to experience it in every aspect of my life. Certainly Reiki was something I could share with others, but most importantly I could use it for myself.

The first degree of Reiki teaches us about self-treatment. Not only are you given a treatment protocol that teaches you how the give yourself Reiki, it also teaches us the value of doing so. Reiki gives us  5 precepts, that when practiced serve to awaken ourselves to peaceful ways, compassion and tolerance. In Reiki you become attuned to a vibration of energy that is highly organized and intelligent. It immediately stimulates the body to search out health and healthy patterns.

Reiki, Me and the Rest of Creation

I practice Reiki today because I am concerned for the well-being of humanity and our earth. I am fascinated by the possibility that we can change the world, indeed our future by the way we think, feel and of course behave. But all behaviour stems in thought and belief systems. I had been exposed to the power of the subconscious mind, positive thinking and creative visualization since childhood and began actively working with these concepts as a young adulthood. As I’ve grown and matured – [which is code for gotten older and made a lot of mistakes] – I began getting smarter and less controlling with my practice. I gradually began to understand the power of surrender, patience and ease. My Reiki practice gave me ample opportunities to experience suffering, pain and hardships from a new perspective of choice, non-attachment and opportunity.  I learned to observe without meddling, I learned to give Reiki treatments without minding my clients’ business, I learned to remain unattached to their outcomes, their journeys and their pain. I focused instead on the perfect principle of health that presides in our bodies and universe. When I do this – focusing on the health in any situation – health blossoms. It’s that old adage in action: where attention goes energy flows. I practice on myself – diligently. I understand that  the change I want to see in the world starts with me!

I discovered that in every broken down body, in every situation of despair and suffering and in every circumstance of perceived failure is opportunity, healing, and success. In Reiki we are able to access that Divine aspect of ourselves that has not forgotten our greatness and our truest soul purpose. In Reiki we can learn to restore our intuition and natural vitality to create sustainable life for ourselves and our children. By empowering all that is Divine on our bodies, hearts and minds we align ourselves with the highest creative forces of our universe. Creative energy is omnipotent, and while it belongs to everyone equally it can not be harnessed and controlled by one for another. Awakening your creative energy is personally empowering, and personally gratifying.

Reiki empowers people in their strength and their spiritual resilience. We remember our greatness in Reiki. We become awakened to the Divine aspect of ourselves and our boundless limitless potential to be healthy, creative and vibrant entities.

Reiki; Part of the Solution

Many years have passed and Reiki is still a daily part of my life. Although I am a Reiki Master which means I am able to teach and attune others to this amazing modality, in my heart I am and will always remain a student and practitioner of Reiki. I meditate and give myself t daily still. Reiki offers us a very simple technique to build a relationship with peace that sits in our core. Reiki meets us where we live. Where ever we are at Reiki can be without question, without judgment. Reiki offers us a new attitude with which to negotiate a challenging world and difficult stressful life situations. Everyone can learn Reiki – and at the risk of passing a judgment everyone should! The world would be a very different place.

I am offering a One day Workshop – ‘Reiki+ Meditation; Help Yourself with Basics’ to introduce self-help techniques for stress, worry, and chronic pain. See above under Upcoming Events for more details.

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Healing, Reiki

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Embracing the Wise Ones


This past weekend I held a Reiki Camp at my home. It was a beautiful heart full experience. When you’ve done something good for your soul – you know it! And here I sit 3 days after the event still deep in knowing that something really good happened. My soul was fed. My heart was filled. My mind was made quiet and at peace. My body was rested. OM SHANTI OM!

In the midst of this heart-filled experience arrived a group of wise kind-hearted souls that some of us hadn’t previously met before. What we physically did was Reiki, talk, meditate, ate, slept, cried a little and laughed a lot. But what we truly DID was excavate, investigate, surrender, accept, heal, rest and ultimately embrace the wise one within each one of us. As the wise one within each of us stepped forward out of the shadows of fear, doubt and insecurity the circle became enriched with a deep sense of self honouring and love for self and others.

And let me tell you  – what a feeling! We all surfaced feeling more empowered, more centered in our own knowing and more connected to our particular stream and expression of life. Deep gratitude and humility began to flow into all the crevices and cracks cementing the energy of the group into a magical cohesive whole. It spread and it grew steadily over the course of the 4 days facilitating deep trust and surrender.

Once again I was affirmed in the superb quality of Reiki. We made it a point (OK…maybe I made it the point) to stick to plain and simple Reiki. Although many of us have other modalities and energy healing techniques that we bring to the table, we agreed to practice just Reiki for this event. Other times may call for different ways, but since all the participants were attuned to Reiki we stayed with it. Interestingly it was the participant with 1st degree that felt the need to add other things to the mix. I encouraged her to seize the opportunity to practice simple form. Sitting quietly, mindfully, breathing, holding space, being in alignment, practicing the precepts and the symbols presented a beautiful interface with nature.

In the Presence of Nature

It was easy – so easy to surrender. Nature met us in full life force. Nature sat as an identifiable entity within our circle, co-creating the healing and deep rest that was happening. A quiet order permeated the happenings allowing all the time that was needed to complete all exercises on schedule without sacrifice or rushing. Every moment counted and was fully attended to. Every touch fell in perfect placement, every word on open ears and hearts.

In the end we all went away with a new friend; our Wise One Within. We came to understand ourselves in a new dimension and also introduced that aspect of ourselves to others. I was honoured to meet each of your Wisdom Keepers. I am deeply grateful for the participation and courage of all the attendees this weekend for because of your committment we created a profoundly Sacred Space here in my garden.

As I sit here today, I can still feel the awakened sacred. Thank you all – and welcome to all who join us in the future!

Namaste!

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Reiki

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Reiki, Camping & Healing; A Natural Connection


From 2002 to 2012 I lived in a truly magical place. Our one acre lot sat nestled amongst 30 acres of rolling hills and forest, perennial gardens and open space. We had more than a dozen ancient spruce sentinels majestically standing on guard over our property, wildlife – from squirrels to deer- roamed freely in broad daylight, birds chirped, sang and warbled all day long and yet my home was on the edge of town within walking distance to all amenities. My husband even put in a golf green and tee deck for a 60 yard practice hole. It was perfect. A Slice of Eden. I wasn’t the only one who thought so either.

I had worked from my home for about 8 years when it dawned on me quite unexpectedly that it was possible to add a new dimension to my work with my students. My property suited me well. Clients and friends had always enjoyed the gardens and property waiting for appointments or for meditation circles but it was that one particular morning after my meditations that I considered the possibility of my home becoming a healing/educational retreat place. It was rustic, it was natural, it was peaceful and it was time to share it!

There was a feeling on those grounds of being held. Of being supported. Of being hugged by the trees. I thought at first I was the only one who felt it and then I started noticing the melting that happened in people’s faces and posture as they sat on the patios. Despite their issues, despite their pain, there is a space here where it can be let go – even if only temporarily. Healing ground! Sacred space!

Focusing on What’s Right and Sacred

My property, my work, my family, and my life are sacred to me. The quality of our lives is determined by understanding what we hold sacred and how whatever that is holds presence in our lives. In the end it’s all about how we stimulate and encourage the sacred to be ambient and radiant throughout our lives. In a sacred attitude we are generous, mindful, respectful, honest and compassionate. When you add Reiki or any other powerful healing intention to the mix you create a magical opportunity for transformation.

There is a tendency among energy workers/healers to hunt out and heal issues. But after all these years working with clients in all sorts of difficult health situations I know of another way that is infinitely less painful and more successful than focusing on the issues. In focusing on the health of the body, on the vitality in life, and on the inherent light that resides in all manifestations of life we empower our potential and right to health, and in turn dispel the darkness. When we embrace peace, joy, life force energy we displace and transmute stagnant energies of pain. When we surrender to the health in us and forgive ourselves for believing that we are defined by our pain and losses, we heal. When we enter deep rest we initiate deep healing. Like begets like.

Immersed in nature we learned to experience the unlimited vibration of health. We experienced first hand the indomitable spirit of never-ending growth and potential. The vibration of nature is celebratory, exultant, and pervasive. There is a well-spring of health within us that is in perfect attunement with the vitality of nature. Nature is all about surrender and acceptance of what is, when we allow ourselves to be engulfed we learn to give over our ego and meet our true spirit. And so a weekend for Reiki practitioners was born; a weekend of being supported by nature to fully experience our own innate potential to be whole and to be healed in peace.

All things in life change and eventually we left our beloved home for new adventures and other places but the Reiki Camp continues to this day on the second weekend of September. Join us to experience healing with other like-minded individuals in the presence of Nature.

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Healing

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For the Love of Cats…I’m starting to purr! Help!


I have cats. Waayyy too many cats! Striped ones, solid coloured ones, bi-colours, and in more shades of gray than you can imagine. There are predictions being made around my loved ones that I will become that crazy cat lady with the wind chimes that does tarot cards in the old house on the edge of town. Hmmm…it’s hard to argue with that since that pretty much sums up my life already. I’m just not crazy…yet! I think…

But in the meantime what can you do? It is what it is! So yes, in the meantime I have too many cats. But seriously they’re lovely! Each one unique in personality and markings, each one with a lovely, generous nature.

My Favorite Teacher Was A Cat!

Cats, especially kittens in a litter, are endlessly amusing. Cats are remarkable teachers for us mere humans – ask any cat. They have no doubt in the superiority of their species. When we learn from the habits and behaviors of various animal and bird species we can refer to this practice as animal medicine. The commonly accepted teachings from cats are about independence and self-love. But, I can tell you from my experience of living in the midst of a colony of cats the teachings go way beyond self-love.

Cats are heartful, self less creatures and endlessly demonstrative in their love. They are far less independent than people like to think they are. People like the idea of having 1 cat but cats like the company of their own kind. As much as they like their independence, they love being within the snuggling distance of other cats. They are excessively affectionate animals with a strong social order within their colony. They have many rituals that center around looking after one another. They groom each other, they hug each other, they cry for each other, they wrestle ferociously and play tag together. The older ones teach the younger ones how to behave, how to hunt, how to stalk, how to have respect for the elders in the group. There are strict rules and penalties for stepping out of line, anything from boxing to swatting to nipping. But cats are guileless, they never hold a grudge. When they warn or punish each other it is done without creating fear. They set a clear boundary that the others respect without question but in the next second they are back to purring and loving each other unconditionally, so long as the lesson has been learned. Cats are tenacious and demanding in their needs. They are alert and on watch every second, highly sensitive to the energy around them and always tuned in to their environment and all that is happening within it. Their natural curiosity often leads them to the brink of disaster, but in the end they just grow and learn and carry on to live another one of their 9 lives. Yes I believe there is a lot we can learn from living with and observing cats.

Reiki Cats; Whose Treating Who?

All my cats have been ‘Reiki’ed since the day they were born. I actually think cats do Reiki naturally. There have been times when I am very aware of my cat being more attuned, more in harmony with universal energy than I am in a particular moment. They are always willing to give a treatment. They are instinctively hardwired to know where to place their paws (as well as the rest of their bodies) to facilitate healing. I often have cat assistants when I’m doing Reiki sessions. They are natural meditaters too, they can sit in posture for unlimited amounts of time, fully conscious, fully present, yet un-distractable from their meditative state. They create a space of calmness and peaceful acceptance for whatever is, and everyone who has the pleasure of having a cat for company is bound to be entrained into the same peaceful, unconditional energy very quickly. I think I’m actually starting to purr and find myself wanting to frolic in the garden! Oh no!

Sharing the Love

But all this said folks – we have a serious problem on our hands with an exploding cat population. The local humane societies are completely and totally overwhelmed and over run with cats and kittens. They need your support for their spay and neuter programs, for food, for litter. If you have it in your heart to adopt a cat please don’t hesitate, they are the worthiest of friends, faithful confidants, endlessly committed to your happiness and well-being. If you can please try to help these societies out. Any donations are welcome. The populations of stray and feral cats is escalating at an alarming rate. It may not seem to be your problem, but it is in fact a societal issue.

I love my cats, and they have all been loved well, but this doesn’t mean that I can’t give several of them up to good homes where they will continue to be loved as much as they want to be. And believe me the sooner the better! We honestly have too many!! (The picture at left only shows a few of them).

I am blessed in the love of my cats and I am purrfectly willing to share that blissful state with you! As soon as possible – that’s just the kind of reiki master, wind chime and cat lover I am!

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Reiki

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A New Leaf


There comes a time when we have to make changes. I know making changes is difficult. It is the human way to become attached – to everything. But as we learn, as we grow, it is important to portray ourselves on the outside in ways that reflect the changes we are going through on the inside. My friends and clients that have known me for many years of my business journey tease me about the way my business image keeps changing every few years. It’s true…at least on the surface. Changing is what my business is all about. Whether it’s with the Reiki, the Metaphysics Workshops, the Living Well Seminars, or my articles, it’s all about helping people stimulate, create, and maintain the changes they want to manifest in their lives. Likewise for myself.

We’re all looking for happiness and peace of mind. What that means is different for each one of us. How that looks on the outside may be  different but in the end we all want the same things; we want to be heard, we want to matter, and we want to be accepted. These elements are the root of all the changes we ever try to implement in our lives. They are the essence of all that it means to be human. It is perhaps even the common purpose that binds us and in the same moment propels the evolution of humanity forward.

Gregg Braden identified the three common fears of mankind to be i) a fear of surrender, ii) a fear of loss of self-worth, and iii) a fear of abandonment. We spend our lives doing what we need to do to try to overcome these fears. We strive to leave a mark in this world that survives our death.

Change is an interesting illusion of our minds. I’m not sure that we ever really change in our core. I believe we are what we are. I also believe that we don’t always know what we are and can spend a lifetime trying to find out. We can get so side tracked in life that we can head off on a path at a very early age that can leave us lost for a long time. To make sense out of a life we feel disconnected from we buy into and build up all the trappings that make us appear to be solid citizens. Eventually that solid looking box begins to crack and disintegrate leaving us confused, angry and afraid if we continue trying to hold on to it.

Everything in our world is impermanent. Everything material and physical changes. Our physical body will also change and die. But spirit lives on. I’m not talking about reincarnation here. I’m talking about the spirit of humanity, the spirit of the Divine Principle, the spirit of God. Our essential purpose is to live that spirit as fully as possible within the expression we are.

And so we change, everyday, trying to be more fully what we are. As the days go by we either choose to do things differently, letting go of everything that no longer fits or we choose to hold on tighter, trying to create a reality that would fool the best of them. It is the heart that will guide you towards the changes you want, and your mind will decide if you do or don’t. If there is disharmony between the heart and mind you will stay locked in a battle that will seep toxicity into all areas of your life. Change doesn’t have to be cruel or harsh. If we decide to make changes freely and easily, consulting with our heart and mind, we can make smaller, incremental changes that reflect our truth, stimulate our passion and empower our presence in the world.

My new business logo and image are reflective of a new lighter, brighter sense of myself and my work. The truth is I’m all about growth, all about change, all about turning a New Leaf! More than anything though I am committed to doing what I have to do to build a harmonious relationship between my heart and my mind so all of me can go peacefully in one direction.

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Healing

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Reiki; old fashioned, incomplete or just perfect?


The other day I heard a Reiki Master say that in his opinion Reiki was old fashioned and outdated…interesting.

I was dumb-founded. How can Reiki – Universal Life Force energy be old fashioned and outdated? I realize I can be a pretty literal person so I tried to comprehend how else this may have been intended.

Reiki as energy cannot be outdated. It is after all universal life force energy, it is a constantly co-created emanation of energy grounded in all life systems of our universe. Reiki as a modality could perhaps be outdated but only in context of the relationship the student of Reiki has with the practice of it, which makes it the responsibility of the student not the modality itself. I certainly have never experienced Reiki to be anything but currently applicable and relevant furthermore I believe that the truest power of Reiki is yet to be discovered as scientists learn more about the nature of energy from a quantum perspective. I don’t think we have even scratched the surface of it’s potential yet!

I’m involved in many chat groups on the internet that discuss Reiki healing and possibility. I’m seeing that Reiki practitioners in general have very personalized and limited perspectives of what Reiki is and can do. As usual people spread their personal fear garnished ideas around demonstrating how little faith they actually have in the power of the dynamic that is universal life force energy. It is so weird to me how many practitioners have tried to alter reiki with new symbols and theories and techniques when it is so powerfully and simply effective as it is.

Usui, the japanese metaphysician that developed this modality of healing brought to us an awareness that we have the opportunity to work with the energy that we are immersed in to create a possibility for peace, harmony and happiness. He became enlightened to this possibility after an extended meditation retreat where he apparently determined to release all his preconceived ideas of life in order to experience another way. Legend says he was willing to die if necessary.

Maybe I’m an old fashioned kind o’gal but I’m not gullible, niave, or easily bamboozled and I think Reiki is very cool. Reiki fits perfectly with well established metaphysical philosophies, evolving quantum theories, natural laws of our universe, sound spiritual practices (like meditation) and all health issues of modern man. Remember I’m talking about original Usui Reiki…The precepts of Reiki are, I admit, pretty old fashioned;

“Just for today do not anger, do not worry, honour your parents,teachers, and elders, earn your living honestly and show gratitude for all living things.”

But you know, all things considered, it’s a pretty honourable code of ethics to live by. As far as the rest of it I would suggest that before you decide Reiki is out dated – look perhaps to your own ego and it’s ideas. Reiki Is…it really doesn’t need your thoughts and perceptions of understanding to work, in fact try instead surrendering to Reiki, get out of the way, stay present and watch the magic begin! Reiki is precise and perfect every time. What do you think? Let me know.

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Reiki

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Fact, Faith & Superstition


So often when I introduce Reiki to someone new who’s never heard of it before, particularily men (it’s the whole left brain thing) they inform me they don’t believe in faith healing. So I tell them the facts. I tell them why Reiki doesn’t require ‘faith’ in order to work and also what the scientific world is now starting to understand about energy and the human body. Then they get on the table.

Having said that I have tremendous faith in my Reiki treatments; I trust them to work 100% of the time. I have faith that there will be change in the client’s life – even if they don’t recognize it right away. Sometimes the changes that come after a treatment are different than what the client expected or wanted to happen, but again I have faith that Reiki – Universal Life Force energy knows best. I also have faith that Reiki will continue to work for our highest good always whether we believe in it or not. And as much as all this faith sounds a bit airy fairy – my faith is based on 15 years of facts, success stories and ‘miracles’.

You see I really am a skeptical person, I have put my Reiki through the paces. It has never made sense to me to blindly trust something that could affect someone else. Further more, since I have no religious conditioning I’ve never had to have blind faith in anything in my life. Everything I’ve ever held faith in had to be proven at some point, before or later makes no difference. If I’m going to believe in something it has to hold water. So I tend to look for the leaks in theories, ideas, people, friendships, stories etc. of course this also extends to my Reiki/Healing/ teaching work. Some leaks can be easily fixed and are worth the effort, other leaks require a complete tear down and start over.

All the work that I do is prone to superstitious undertones. Reiki, tarot cards, meditation, metaphysics, positive thinking etc. Superstitious ideas like ‘healer’s can’t work on themselves’, or ‘ Reiki is witchcraft?’, ‘don’t ask for healing/abundance for yourself’ are taking decades to work their way out of human consciousness. And the new age has also brought a few strange ideas to the table for instance, the other day I met a lady who almost did a backflip trying to erase the word ‘fear’ out of the energy field around us when I suggested that our freedom is governed by our fears, She felt that just saying ‘fear’ would attract fear to her. Very bizarre. She had fear for the word fear…hmm, what’s wrong with this picture. I systematically avoid all superstitious belief systems and rituals based in superstition. My work is for the real world, grounded in facts, with real results.

I have a couple things though I am superstitious about. 1. I always pick up pennies, and if I sweep one up off the floor at home I don’t throw it out with the rest of the dirt. Because superstitiously I believe if I don’t pick it up I am throwing away good fortune.  2. I never throw out any cards, notes, or letters that have been signed with Love; again I don’t want to throw wishes of love away. 3. I have never thrown a book out in my entire life; I won’t throw knowledge or words away. Hmmm… maybe I’m just a packrat?….nah!

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Metaphysics

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