Reiki Rocks Part 2 - I'm Attuned to Energy

You wouldn't know it to look at me, but I'm a certified level 1 Reiki energy healer. Yep, after a two-day course with the luminescent Laurie Goldstein, who I first wrote about two years ago, I can direct the flow of  life force energy through my palms into my body, your body, my dog, even my food. Seriously!

And I'm not the only one. Reiki is spreading like wildfire on the North Shore. Due to Laurie and other teachers in the area, there are a growing number of energy healers in my 'hood. There were five of us in my class, including a doctor who took the course because over her long career as an internist she has realized that when it comes to healing, medicine alone can only go so far.

Look, I'm not religious or even particularly spiritual, but I'm at the point in my life when I find it more interesting to be openminded than closed. It only makes sense that human beings are made of energy and that an intelligent energy surrounds and supports us. To some it's God, to others it's nature, but for sure, life is energy. If this whole idea is too far out there for you, I totally get it. This is new to me too. But according to Laurie, it doesn't matter what you believe for Reiki to work. It just does.

In class we learned that Reiki energy is a force that promotes health and well being, but it's not a miracle cure or a medicine. It boosts the body's ability to heal itself by clearing negative energy in the body, mind, emotions and spirit - all of which can contribute to illness or pain. Reiki practitioners direct the flow of universal energy through their palms into the chakras (energy centers) of their clients, either by laying their hands on the body or just over the body. There's no rubbing or massage involved and everybody stays clothed.

It's only been a few weeks since my Reiki Level 1 certification course, and I still know very little about it. I've tried it on my husband and kids a few times to help with their sports injuries. They humor me as I position my hands over different points of their body. I'm not sure what effect it has had yet, but I think they like the attention. I've tried to infuse my dog with Reiki, but she's too restless to sit still for it. Or maybe I'm the restless one. Giving Reiki requires patience.

The biggest success I've had so far is giving myself Reiki, especially when I wake up in the middle of the night. Nothing is worse than waking up at 2 a.m. tossing and turning, worried that you'll never get  back to sleep. I don't have that problem any more. Now I just breathe deeply and place my Reiki attuned palms over my eyes, my head, my throat, my heart, my stomach  - and within minutes I'm blissfully asleep again. This alone makes the two-day class totally worth it.

Given my other area of interest I couldn't resist asking Laurie about integrating Reiki into lovemaking, but in her extensive study and coursework, that issue has never come up. Hmm, sounds like an opportunity to me.

If you'd like to know more, visit Laurie's Reiki Rising Facebook page, or check out Reiki.org. You can read my original post about my first Reiki experience right here.