Light and Love

In the midst of wakeful sleep I found myself within and without myself. The world around me was formless and all was as it was supposed to be. There was a pristine calmness to the space that surrounded me yet I surrounded it in return.

Breathing was my way of movement. I could go anywhere or perhaps everywhere came to me through nothing but thought. Then through the swirling Aurora of pure energy I heard a genderless voice call out to me in a language not of the Earth and behold I saw the light of Spirit manifesting in front of my eyes. Except I had no eyes for I did not need them to see. I did not need to blink or move to witness the brilliance that was unfolding before me.

Again it called my name. My true name that I chose before my feet felt grass for the very first time and I answered, knowing that I needed no lips nor a tongue to articulate my thoughts. I was divinely connected to the Spirit before me, beside me, throughout me.

I saw the brink of Creation as the Universe unfolded from within itself. There was no chaotic explosion to bring into existence the vast clouds of matter, nor was there a Godly voice that exclaimed “Let there be light!” Only a sudden self-awareness and a willingness to be. It was quiet yet the sound of ears pressed beneath the surface of water flooded my mind. I beheld many more beings of light dancing in and out of each other. They were merging and twisting and splitting yet they never stopped whispering.

I couldn’t recall colour. I saw it in every spectrum at once, but what was it really? It needed no definition or explanation nor did it want it. To define it was to limit it to that definition. It wasn’t colour anymore. It just was… Is.

This made me wonder how much time had passed. How many eons had I spent witnessing the unfolding of the conscious Universe and beyond? Then everything shifted suddenly. I felt solidity beneath my bare feet and the shapelessness found form. I was with Gaia and the being of light that now resembled a human. Between the trees and the stone it walked faceless until it was directly in front of me. He told me not to worry for time was not. There is only movement and those who are asleep feel the need to categorize it into Past, Present and Future as a way to measure the immeasurable. There is only one single moment that contains all that shall ever be for what was is also what is. Quicker than a thought and limitless beyond comprehending.

Those who move through sleep take a moment and break it down until it seems to elongate thinner and thinner into infinity. And once they think they understand the concept of that which is without conception, they choose to waste it with measurement and names, but to what end? The light being went on to say that those who are asleep are afraid of the vastness of their own being, so they created Death in order to limit themselves, to shrink down to a size that brought them comfort. This was in direct contradiction to the Cosmic Unity.

It all made perfect sense to me as the soundless words entered my perception, how we choose to limit ourselves as we limit the space around us. We chose shackles in an attempt to free ourselves from the responsibility of being. And as we fell into our own illusion of limitation, we breathed life into Death by naming it as such. We began to expect the expiration of eternity and so to us it did.

But the flaw in our design was of our own making, when the illusion broke and we realized that we cannot truly be touched by Death, for it simply does not exist to the Cosmic Unity. But until we open ourselves to the truth, that fear of the Spirit is unnecessary, we are to return ourselves to the cumbersome state in which we believe our Spirits thrive.

The being of light told me that I had to return. It reassured me that I was ready to do so and that in time I would learn more. I did not object. Instead I thanked it and asked its name, to which it simply answered, “Do not ask questions to which you know the answers.” Then it placed a light bound hand on my head and my eyes opened to the familiar darkness of my home.

The time we waited for Godot

That Saturday started like any other yet the celebratory anticipation was in the air. Finally after so long we were about to embark on a Psilocybin fueled journey of revelation and self-awareness. The stars were aligned so to speak and every detail of meticulous planning had simply fallen into place. We had planned a vegetarian barbecue, just the three of us. Salads and interesting sandwiched, fruit and veggie skewers and corn on the cob was laid out like an edible painting as the time grew ever closer. Shamanistic music played in the background as we hung fairy lights all about and set a table underneath the trees in the garden. It was almost time.

Not long after that as afternoon began to mix with early evening, the effects of the mushrooms began to take hold. Sounds became clearer and colours, along with our moods became brighter. We made our way to the bonfire that heartily roared away and we each wrote down our greatest fears. After some explanation and reflection, we each threw our fears into the fire to be consumed by flame and dispersed into the Universe. It was slightly overwhelming but at the same time we each felt free. By sunset the mushrooms were in full force and I was bombarded with euphoria and intense happiness as my eyes bore witness to the intense fusion of amber clouds on crimson skies. They looked so alive as they moved across the vista, as if the gods had painted them just for us. I was in total bliss, there with the two people I trust most in this world, but things were about to change.

The sun crept behind the tiled roofs of suburbia and the last of the food was on the fire when my friend made a comment complaining that the skewers were too far from the flames. I laughed and said, “It’s not like we have to wait for it to get cooked,” and it dawned on us that we were sitting around the fire for heaven knows how long, and there wasn’t any meat at all. The situation was an amusing trigger that would launch us into an eight hour fit of giggles. But as I was laughing and enjoying the euphoria and the wonderful show that a combination of fairy lights, glow sticks and psychedelic mushrooms could offer, I couldn’t help feel a rising unease from within me. It was like I could not let go and surrender to the fun. The darkness of night began to creep up on me and suddenly the wind picked up. A storm was approaching but it was still far away. I left the garden, hoping that a shower might calm me down and before I knew it I was staring at myself in the bathroom mirror. Sweat covered my brow and I was visibly flustered. My pupils were incredibly dilated and my skin had taken on an almost transparent look. This was normal and soon I was calmed and ready to face the darkness.

The night felt extra dark and the scattered lanterns and the flickering lights were causing havoc to my night blindness. My friends were laughing loudly and playing with the glow sticks and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of being trapped. Like we were purposefully being distracted so as not to see what we were supposed to see during the trip. I couldn’t take the build of anxiety so I said aloud what was troubling me. My friend looked at me and smiled, suddenly understanding and able to relate. The situation calmed down and we fell into silence for a while, listening and feeling the presence of Mother Nature. The storm however would not allow us too much time to be spiritual and as we scurried to get everything inside it began to rain. I love the feeling of water on my skin during a mushroom trip but ice cold rain water on the edge of winter is not a comfortable feeling. However we did manage to get everything inside. I immediately headed for the kettle, relying on the act of making tea, to cling on to sense. There was so much food that no one ended up eating because in our minds it was just too intimidating. I left my friends in the lounge (all the while still laughing) and went for that much deserved shower.

I felt instantly better as hot water ran down my back and the room filled with steam. I felt instantly grounded and every fear and insecurity washed down the drain. I cannot say how long I spent in the shower but my spirit travelled far beyond galaxies and dimensions. We have a term that we use for when the effects of the mushrooms take hold. It’s a way to describe the uncontrollable feeling of intensely vibrating molecules. We call it going through the tunnel. It can be nerve-wracking and it will almost always determine whether you have a good or bad trip and usually you reach the end of the tunnel roughly 2hours into it and it’s followed by unfathomable peace and serenity. I only reached the end of the tunnel as I stepped out of the shower, four and a half hours into my journey. I dried myself and got dressed and returned to my friends who were chatting about the play “Waiting for Godot” just in time to reach a paradigm shifting conclusion that Godot never arrives because Godot was there from the beginning, because the characters and by extension us are all Godot. My best friend went on talking literally until we went to sleep a few hours later, talking about life, about love, about the intriguing behavior of dogs… and I was listening yet my spirit was floating about, finally free of distractions and fears. And I truly allowed myself to laugh wholeheartedly and sincerely. In the end we ate some of the food but our bodies and minds were too exhausted to feast, so we put it away for the next day and went to bed. I fell asleep to the words of my friend saying, “It’s not about what you do. It’s about how you feel, doing it.”

It’s funny though, the way psilocybin mushrooms work. Through the silliness and the jokes and the bombardment of the senses, you always find the truth in things. I believe that all the controlled madness is simply our way of interpreting the experience of having one foot in the spirit realm…

I came to realize as the details of that day kept replaying in my mind, that I had unknowingly become lost. I spoke a good game but my words did not fully reflect the feelings in my heart. I had fallen in love more with the idea of being a Spiritual Master and in turn forgot “myself” and didn’t act like one. I was thrown back down to earth. Forced to deal with my humility and the realization that I am still simply a child with much learning yet to do. My trip was not peaceful or fun at all, regardless of what anyone saw on the outside. For eight hours I was shown, not in images but in feelings and vibrations, the parts of myself that I had been neglecting and honestly it was more akin to a spiritual slap in the face. I realize that I am still afraid and doubtful and angry at so many things. But I am grateful for the experience because it pulled me back onto the path I was walking, before I stopped and pretended to walk, only to avoid the thorns and pebbles along the way.

I know now that keeping my mind uncluttered and my body and spirit free of uncertainty and self-doubt is imperative in the quest to ascend into light. It is true that the answers we want aren’t always the answers we need and one thing about mushrooms is that they ALWAYS give you the answers you need, regardless of whether it’s welcome or not. And even though the trip was what it was… I deeply needed every moment of it.

My Reiki Journey -Part four (Mastering Life)

So much has happened over the course of this last year. Time is infinite yet fleeting and every day I draw a little bit closer to the end of this wonderful journey.

I have seen new faces come and go and some of them have stayed in my heart and now I carry them with me. It has been an intense and incredibly difficult road (more so than I ever thought going into it.) On some level I’m grateful for that initial ignorance because without it I would surely have given up before I even started.

One of the most important things I’ve learnt through Reiki is that being Awake is not the same as being Enlightened. It is but one of many steps on the narrow path. When we awaken, we become aware of the Spirit as being our inescapable true selves. Acceptance of Self is one of the keys to Enlightenment and the reason why so many never achieve it. Acceptance required inward forgiveness and compassion and the act of facing those parts of ourselves that we are not entirely comfortable with. But facing and confronting the True Self is the most terrifying yet rewarding act that mankind can do on the path to true Enlightenment. And it is only when we stop seeing things from a limited human perspective and realize that we are more than what we think, do the true answers become clear. But still, when you find the sacred truth and the light of mindfulness and individuation embraces you, that is when you will humbly realize that there will ALWAYS be more to learn, more questions to answer and more steps to climb. It is both a tiring and comforting thought, for what is life without questions?

I was lost and deeply troubled because I refused to face my True Self, not out of dislike or shame but because I was afraid of what I might see behind the ironclad masks. But Reiki taught me that I cannot truly have compassion for others unless I have it for myself and that no one would ever feel love for me unless I realized that I am worthy of love. I quickly let go of my fears and embraced, not the person I wanted to be but the person I unknowingly was. I was a mouse that found a voice and learned how to roar.

During this year we had one class monthly in which we as a group discussed different aspects of body and mind, our relationship and position with and within the Universe and we went into great detail on our relationships with people. We touched on the concept of Mind and Divine Consciousness and though the Reiki Masters led the conversation, the discussion was always open to everyone since we are all teachers and every interaction is a chance to learn. But all things must come to an end so to progress into the new and now I find myself cleansed of the past, ascended from the darkness that obscured my vision of the light and I can finally breathe.

I am a Reiki Master, but more importantly I am the Master of my own Life.

A Guided Meditation to attain Inner Peace Through the Manifestation of Om

Close your eyes and listen to the whispering nature of the heart. Let the light of your inner Spirit guide you through this journey of the Self, so that you may find Inner Peace. This is a Mantra Meditation and so we will make use of the body, the Spirit, the mind and the voice. Let us break loose from the chaos and turbulence of everyday life and retreat to the place inside each of us where energy flows like the tranquil spring.

Let us begin

Allow yourself to become still and let your mind focus on your surroundings. Feel the air around you as it comes into contact with your skin. Sense those who share this healing space with you and acknowledge them as you would yourself. Listen to the sounds of your body. Feel the rhythm of your heartbeat and allow yourself to become grounded in this very moment. Allow your thoughts and emotions to connect with the ground beneath you and feel yourself slowly becoming one with the Earth.

Good, now allow yourself to see in your mind’s eye the word or the symbol for Om. This is the original sound through which the Universe was created. It is the frequency through which all life is sustained and it connects each of us to the Divine Cosmic Unity. In a moment you will chant Om and send the sound out into the Universe. Feel the vibrations as it permeates through the bones of the skull, awakening the Light of Sahashrara, the Crown Chakra. Now empower yourself by chanting Om with me.

Om

Om

Om

Good. Now turn your attention to the sounds of your mind, the constant buzzing of traffic that are your thoughts. Listen to a lifetime’s worth of outside expectation, demand and judgement. Hear the words, acknowledge them and dismiss them. Let them disperse into the Universe like ash from a fire disappears into the night. Now slowly take a deep breath and allow yourself to feel the serenity within. Whenever a stray thought comes into your conscious mind, let it be there and then let it go. As you exhale, let yourself fall into the stillness, letting go of the ego and connecting with the Divine Spirit. Once again chant Om with me.

Om

Om

Om

Good, now that you have found the Serenity within yourself, take a moment to just be in the space that you have created. Allow your mind to become uncluttered and free to explore. Move away from the sounds of the world and move with the rising and falling of your chest as you slowly breathe life into your consciousness, then exhale and let go of that which weighs you down. Allow the energy of Om to pulse through you as you now begin to move through this space without using your physical body. See the world through Ajna the Third Eye and for a moment just be.

When you are ready come back to yourself as a whole. Become aware of your body, of the people who share this space, and let the sounds of the world return to you. Good. As you begin to become conscious of your surroundings, take this time to honour the Divinity within yourself and within everyone and everything. You are the Lotus Bloom. The Jewel within is the Divinity and the Enlightened Compassion that makes you a part of the Spirit of God. Hear the words as the Divine Energy flows throughout your body.

Om mane padme hom

Om mane padme hom

Om mane padme hom

Good, now slowly bring your hands together in the prayer position with both your thumbs touching your chest. Feel the energy of Anahata, the Heart Chakra. The connection between the physical and the spiritual and the bridge between the body, the mind and the Spirit. As you become aware of yourself, feel free to chant with me the words.

Om mane padme hom

Om mane padme hom

Om mane padme hom

Good, when you are ready, you may open your eyes to the renewal of yourself.

Namaste

A love set in Stone

The Earth is alive. She is the nurturing mother and the untameable beast and to those who truly listen, her voice is as clear as cracking thunder on a cloudless day. She sustains every being with an unending supply of Life Force energy from the moment we are born to the time when our last breath leaves us, but beyond that, the Earth has within her many precious gifts and secret treasures not yet discovered.

Since the dawn of Civilization, man has been obsessed with gems and stones and after countless centuries we still incorporate them into our daily lives in the form of jewelry. We place financial value on something far more valuable than we could ever imagine. They knew it when the world was young and we are only now beginning to discover it again.

Crystals are incredible energy generators with deep untapped potential. Each crystal or stone has a specific vibratory frequency (Just like everything else in existence) and as we know, frequency is a key component in Energy Healing. For example, a stone like Unakite can help to regulate body weight and promote positivity because it emits a frequency that causes these changes on a cellular level. Some stones can even absorb negative energy and convert it into positive energy while others can be used to purify water and air. I used to suffer from severe migraines all my life until I started working at a crystal healing store. At first they became less frequent and less intense and then they simply disappeared. Behind the counter where I spent most of my days was a large chunk of Lapis Lazuli, a beautiful dark blue stone associated with the Third Eye Chakra. Later I learned that it can help with migraines and most kinds of cranial pains and disorders but the healing goes much deeper than the physical.

Each of the seven main Chakras emits a specific frequency and many stones do the same and so coincide to promote good flow throughout the Etheric body. My personal Chakra stones are Garnet for the Root Chakra, Carnelian for the Sacral Chakra, Citrine for the Solar-Plexus, Jade for the Heart Chakra, Blue Lace Agate for the Throat, Lapis Lazuli for the Third Eye and Amethyst for the Crown Chakra. The size of the stone doesn’t matter. A giant pointed Amethyst will vibrate at the same frequency as a small pocket sized one.

The wonderful thing about stones and crystals, besides the amazing natural healing properties is the fact that they each seem to have unique personalities. Time and time again I saw a phenomenon where the stone actually calls out to the person it wants to go home with. It happened to me when I saw a Unakite pendant hanging in the back room of the store and I knew that I had to have it. The best way to describe the feeling is like seeing a friend after years of being apart. Two years later and I’m still wearing it as I’m typing these words.

But one thing that we need to remember is that these stones are not simply objects. They have life within them and just like us they build and use up energy. Their pure geometric structures make them perfect for this. So if you have a box or a container filled with stones, take them out and place them in sunlight or direct moonlight for a couple of hours. This will charge them up causing a burst of positive energy to be released wherever they are.

 

Just because it doesn’t breathe, doesn’t mean it’s not alive.

A Guided Visualization Exercise to cleanse the Chakras

Let us begin

Allow your eyes to comfortably close and relax as you focus on your breathing. Become aware of the Rise and Fall of your breath, its coming and going, the sensation, sound and temperature. Feel it move into you, bringing relaxation to your feet, up to your knees and to your hips. Feel it in your stomach and in your chest, moving down your arms towards your fingertips. Finally feel it move into your shoulders and your neck, releasing the tightness and the stresses of the outside world.

Allow your mind to sense the sky above you and the Earth below you.  Feel the support beneath you as you connect with the ground. Now draw yourself back from where you’ve been in your day. Draw your energies back home to your centre. Become aware of the sounds around you. Let them be there. Ground yourself here in this moment and just be.

Breathe down to where the Weight of the body rests, below the base of the Spine. Allow this area to be filled with energy every time you breathe in. Now picture this energy in your Mind’s eye as it rotates, becoming a Deep Red ball of light. This is the Root Chakra, your Centre and Connection with the Physical world. Gaze into the red light and repeat the following: “I am connected to everything around me. Fear of the unknown cannot overcome the strong foundation that I have built in this world. I am not afraid”

Good. Now acknowledge that his energy is always flowing within you. See it flowing up towards your navel where it changes from Red to a rich shade of Orange. Feel the glowing warmth as the energy breathes with you. This is the Sacral Chakra. It deals with passion and desire. Look into the orange light and repeat the following: “I am full of passion and creativity and my potential is endless. I acknowledge that the past is in the past as I plunge into a future of happiness and joy”

Feel this energy flow up towards your stomach to the very centre of your being. Feel it pulsating and strengthening your Spiritual Core. Now see this energy turning bright Yellow, filling you up with happiness and content. This is the Solar Plexus Chakra. It deals with willpower. It is responsible for the energy that we release into the world. Now look into the yellow light and repeat the following: “I am confident and powerful and I have the freedom to make my own choices. I am connected to the power of the Universe and if flows through me to encourage the power of others’

Now as you breathe, feel the energy move up towards your chest, moving up and down with the rhythm of your breaths. Allow yourself to feel the glowing radiance as the light turns Green. This is the Heart Chakra. It deals with our Eternal Love. Our love for others but also our love for ourselves. Allow this energy to fill you with love as you repeat the following: “I am graceful as I move to the rhythm of Life. Compassion and love leads me in my journey and guides me in all my actions”

Good. Now feel the energy moving up towards your throat. Feel the warmth overcome you and your neck becoming relaxed once more. See the energy turning light blue spreading and contracting when you swallow. This is the Throat Chakra. It deals with truth, with who we truly are at our core. Allow the light to expand as you repeat the following: “I am wiser than I think. I listen with my whole being and I think before I speak. I express myself with honesty and creativity to the highest good of myself and those around me”

Now allow the energy to flow upwards toward the forehead between the eyes. As the light rests here, see it turning a deep shade of Purple. Allow your mind to feel the colours as the energy spirals in and out of itself. This is the Third-Eye Chakra. It deals with insight and our ability to sense and channel our non-physical selves. Let the colours breathe with the rising and falling of your body as you repeat the following: “I am aware that I have the intuition to know what my Spirit needs. I see the Divine within myself and I am balanced, fruitful and happy”

Allow yourself, for a moment to experience the Universe around you. Sense the people who share this space with you. Acknowledge them as being part of you. Listen to the sounds of the world, let yourself move consciously into the environment around you and feel the wonderful joy of being able to see without seeing.

Now finally allow the light to move towards the top of your head. Feel your Spirit connecting the Cosmic Unity and acknowledge within yourself that you are a part of something greater than yourself. This is the Crown Chakra. It is the gateway to all the other Chakras and your connection to the Higher Self, Allow this energy to fill your entire being with pure Violet light as you repeat the following: “I am a being of pure light and love. My Spirit is infinite and boundless. I am Divinely guided and embrace the Unity within all things.”

Good. When you are ready, come back to yourself as a whole. Back to the rise and fall of your breathing, back to your centre. Become aware of the air on the surface of your body, the sounds around you. Notice how you feel and hold yourself with loving kindness for the beautiful, unique being that you are.

When you are ready you may open your eyes

Namaste

Mind

We are the product of whatever reality surrounds us. Is this truly the case? Or is reality simply the product of what we project into it?

The Mind has been a topic of bafflement to both science and philosophy since man developed the intellect to contemplate his own existence. The Mind is the Spirit or the Self. It is the Unity of two physical conscious Beings that cannot survive without the other, i.e. the Left and the Right Hemispheres of the brain. This being said there is a difference between the brain and the Mind. The brain is an intricately designed working machine, a sort of center of operations for the body where movement, senses and data storage is controlled. The Mind or Consciousness is separate from the brain in the same way that the Chakras are separate from their coinciding glands. The Mind is Multidimensional. It presides in the 4^th Dimension whilst being able to experience the 3^rd Dimension. Therefore the Mind can move without moving, in and out of itself and both observe and be observed by itself, because it literally moves and affects the Universe around it. The brain and by extension the body is merely a physical tool for us 4^th Dimensional beings to navigate through this plane of existence.

When we dream our bodies are of little use. The Mind uses this time to return to the higher plane of existence where time and gravity have no effect. It is a place of creation where literally anything is possible. Many indescribable things happen during this time but when the Mind returns to the physical, the Brain cannot fully process the wonders that the Mind experienced and so constructs bits and pieces of what we call dreams. These are often quickly forgotten.

Duality is also an illusion when the metaphysical Mind is discussed. It is both in unity with itself and with the Cosmic life force. This in turn means that the Mind as we perceive it cannot exist solely in one dimension alone. If it did we would not be able to experience anything other than the physical. The fact that we can think, dream and visualize proves that the Mind is a threshold between dimensions.

All existence is but a thought, our lives are a construction of the Unity consciousness wherein only that which has been seen actually exists. For example, The Universe is made up of Billions upon billions of different realities, each one unique to a specific person or animal etc. My Reality is only made up of what I can experience with the six senses, (sight, smell, hearing, touch, taste and intuition) Therefore the man who lives on the other side of the Earth whom I have never met or even seen, does not exist in my Reality, but he does exist in his own reality and the reality of those who are in his life. Our Higher selves are the product of the imagination of God. To a Mind such as His, all things can exist simultaneously because His senses stretch to the far corners of Creation. That is perhaps why we as human beings cannot conceive of that which is outside the Physical Universe or even the smaller one we create for ourselves.

So if the Mind is powerful enough to create our entire reality, why then do we limit ourselves to the term “human being”? When we finally let go of the insecurities created by the ego, the simultaneous fears of success and failure, and eradicate doubt in all its many forms, then we will come into our own and emerge as the beings of light we truly are.

Namaste

My Reiki Journey -Part Three (Empowerment)

There is always a way to achieve a goal. It may not seem like it at first but the answer is always provided for us. All we have to do is learn how to recognize the subtle signs that are scattered everywhere we look.

Two months passed as was the mandatory waiting period between the first and second Degrees of Reiki. This is to enable the student to come to terms with their heightened vibrations and to allow enough time to understand the Universal Life Force. The wonderful thing that I found about Reiki was that I didn’t and will never heal anyone. I am merely a channel for the Energies of the Universe, an enabler of Change so that the body of the recipient can heal itself.

I met up with the same group of people that were in the previous class. I was happy to see that most of them had come back for the next step. By now the first signs of summer had come. The grounds sprang to life with color and the birds were singing a sweet melody. The chill of winter was all but gone and a new found energy was within all of us.

This was to be another weekend filled with learning. To me there are many aspects of Reiki besides the actual treatments. It is healing of the body and the mind and the soul. Even the process of learning opened up a side of me that I didn’t know existed. Here I was in the company of a variety of people from all walks of life. A young couple looking to bond through Reiki, an older man seeking to expand his consciousness so as to peer into the fourth dimension and beyond. Some were there to learn to deal with the negativity in life while others saw it as a fun thing to learn. Each of us had our own unique reason for attending and there was no judgement or contempt.

As the weekend progressed we were taught the Sacred Symbols and their uses. These are incredibly powerful and act as a way to amplify the Reiki Energy. Among our notes they handed out each symbol on a separate piece of paper to help us learn and to practice. In all honesty they weren’t the easiest things to memorize.

We received two more attunements, this time much stronger than the previous ones. The procedure was the same yet this time it was like a jolt of electricity ran through my entire body, into every fiber of my being. I became quite emotional during the process but it felt to me like a lot of the baggage that cluttered up my mind was now swept away.

At the end of the weekend the Reiki Masters congratulated us on making it this far and handed each of us a certificate. There was a sense of accomplishment in that piece of paper but to our delight the day was not yet over. We were led outside to the courtyard where a nice little fire was waiting for us. We were told to stand in a circle around the fire with our Reiki symbols in hand. Then the Masters discussed with us the importance of friendship and the beauty of the bond that we had created together, after which one of them read the following to us.

Empowerment, by John Randolph Price.

I am poised and powerful in the presence of God. My emotional nature is quiet, my mind is still and I am one with my All-Knowing Self. Detached from this world, impersonal to illusion, I am totally open to the Divine Revelations from above. From the radiance illuminating my mind I see Reality. From the celestial note issuing forth from the Highest Realm of my Being, I hear only Harmony. From the stream of Crystal clear essence pouring into my consciousness from on High, I know only truth. From the pure light of Intuition I know the way. I am now able to take direct and correct action. I know what to do, how to do it and when. I am a Divine Knower. My knowingness now reveals the plan and my part in it. I watch… I Listen… I Wait… I See… I Hear… I Know. I now move forward to accomplish that which is mine to do.

When she finished reading we were told to each throw our symbols in the fire and to say the name of each one as they were consumed by the flames. As I watched the paper being destroyed by the fire it became clear to me just how much I had changed. The old me was slowly disappearing into ash and from the burning light I emerged anew. Stronger, wiser and ready to take on the world.

My Reiki Journey -Part Two (Expectation and Reality)

Nothing Worthwhile happens overnight. All that must will come to pass and there simply is no rushing the process. Patience is the key to unlocking our limitless potential.

It took a bit of time for me to become comfortable enough with the idea myself let alone discuss it as a career decision with my family. I had studied many videos of Reiki sessions and each was different. Some were fairly clinical while others could only be described as strange and somewhat off-putting. Still I remained adamant enough to at least take one Reiki class.

I honestly didn’t know where to even begin looking for a local Reiki Master in a mainly Christian conservative community and every phone call was met with another dead end. But I couldn’t give up. Perhaps I was being melodramatic but I felt like this would be my last chance at finding where I belong. I eventually found The Grange Guild of Reiki Masters and after one quick phone call I was signed up.

One of the reasons why I decided to learn Reiki was because of the incredible healing stories I’ve heard. People with severe Arthritis being instantly healed and the promise of stress and pain relief was already enough to win over a person who’s had to battle severe migraines since he was four years old. After countless ineffective medications, this was to be my last hope before I had to consider surgery. I am however happy to announce that my last migraine was before I started Reiki, which was more than a hundred days ago.

A week before my first Reiki Class I got it bad. It was the worst migraine I’ve had in years and for nearly two days straight I remained confined to my bed, crippled with pain and nausea in a darkened room. Moving my body was like moving a mountain and every thought was stabbing at the inside of my skull. My only salvation was knowing that it had to end eventually. And it did. The migraine passed and so did the final week before Reiki 1.

On the 1^st of August 2015 at 8:45am I walked through the gates to the place that would change my life forever. The grounds were pale and frostbitten but one could almost see the spirits playing among the trees. There was a labyrinth with twists and turns that came and went and the path was decorated with trees and shrubs, and in the middle were four stone benches arranged around a single lantern. It was beautiful.

I made my way to the meeting place where I met the others in my class and of course my Reiki Master. She gave each of us a hug like we were family and soon we were in a conference hall listening to the history of Usui Reiki. The environment was comfortable and it felt more like a group of friends having a discussion than a class. We went over different topics from Chakras to Spirit Guides  the Reiki Principles and many more. We were taught firstly how to do Reiki on the self before doing it on others, because one cannot heal when one is in need of healing.

We were then taken to a beautiful room decorated with tapestries and painted porcelain plates. There was an antique shelf with an Amethyst geode and a candle, and soft music was playing in the background. We were about to receive our first attunements and my heart was pumping with excitement. It was an intense spiritual experience, one that I will never forget. After the attunement I felt energised and I couldn’t stop smiling and soon it was time for my first Reiki session.

I laid my head on the pillow and closed my eyes. I was deeply relaxed as the lady began the treatment. Her hands were very warm and it radiated everywhere she touched. Even though there were about 14 people in the room giving and receiving Reiki, it felt like I was the only one there. When it was over I sat up and received a glass of water. I felt rejuvenated and floated around like I was weightless. That feeling remained with me for weeks after the class. When it was time for me to give a treatment I was incredibly nervous. But again I felt the warmth, only this time it was coming from me. I could perceive the energy of the woman lying on the bed and it was as if my hands knew the way. For the first time I was in touch with the Universal Life Force and I loved it…

What started out as curiosity and perhaps a trial of some sorts ended up cementing my desire to pursue this further. In the course of two days I had learned more about myself than I cared to share and it felt so good. This was a safe place where like-minded people gathered to share their experiences with their own spirituality. I was accepted and already made new friends and I was sure to return for Reiki 2.

My Reiki Journey -Part One (Becoming Crystal Clear)

The Universe has a way of pointing us in the right direction whether we want to or not. Happiness and Harmony comes from giving up control and allowing things to unfold as they should, Frustration and Dis-ease comes from pushing against the natural current of Life. This is something that I had to learn the hard way.

I was an emotional wreck… and that’s putting it lightly. I had lost nearly all my friends, the love of my life and my self-worth. I was fighting a losing battle with depression to the point where I couldn’t even look at myself in the mirror. The worst thing was that I had no reason to be sad. I was beating myself and hating myself and I didn’t know why. I was surrounded by people who loved me yet I felt like I didn’t deserve to be a part of their lives and they were quickly becoming sick of trying to convince me otherwise. This carried on for a while and I fell deeper and deeper into darkness and despair. But one day there came a flickering of hope. I had just started a new job at a crystal healing store. I was a borderline Atheist that could barely tell the difference between an Amethyst and Rose Quartz, and I even found myself saying that in the interview. The lady just smiled and said, “That’s a start.”

The store was small yet beautifully laid out. There were stones that shone bright like petrified fire and some were the deepest shades of blue. You could feel the energy radiating like waves. I didn’t feel or understand this at first but little things happened that soon opened my eyes as well as my mind. I was drawn to a simple Unakite pendant that hung in the back room. It was the only one in the store and I was planning on buying it with my first pay check. My boss was having a conversation with someone about the stones “calling” to a person and asked me if I had experienced that yet, so I told her about the pendant and my plan to buy it come the end of the month. She then told me to show her the stone so I did and then she took it off the hook, placed it in my hand and said, “Because you deserve it.” I was at a loss for words  and needless to say, I haven’t taken it off since.

During my time there I learned all about stones and their many properties and I quickly fell in love with the world of Crystals. I was forced to interact with people on a daily basis which gave my self-esteem a much needed boost. Suddenly I found myself smiling more, not to mention I could not shut up about rocks! My friends found it bearable to be in my company again and I actually felt happy for the first time in a long time. This is where I came to learn about Chakras and the energies of the Universe and every now and again the word Reiki would come up but I didn’t really give it much thought. Arlene, (my boss and the owner of the store) was a Reiki Master and many of the customers were patients of hers and so bits and pieces of this ancient art became open to me.

Time passed and again Life dealt me a heavy blow, but this time I was stronger and better equipped. I came to realize that things were not in my control and that I had to move on and grow. Then one day, on a Saturday morning, I was having a mushroom-induced spiritual journey with my best friends and I realized that I wasn’t happy with my life. I knew that something had to change and it was up to me to do so. That’s when that word came to me again. It was as if some unseen force was whispering this idea into my ears and soon that idea became a plan and then a passion. Soon I found myself researching Reiki, trying to soak up as much knowledge as I possibly could and with every word I read on the subject so grew the desire in my heart to pursue this.

I was standing on edge of what was to be the start of my Journey to Spiritual Growth.