Everything Reiki: 2016

Monday, August 8, 2016

URGENT APPEAL Regarding the State of Reiki in Massachusetts

☆☆ Urgent Appeal ☆☆

Thank you to the work by those from the Celebration of Reiki Conference on researching this

Massachusetts Senate Bill S2461, which is moving quickly through the Massachuetts legislature. Legislators are very concerned about human trafficking and do not want to appear in any way "soft" on it. The Bill has been through two votes in the Senate without a single “No vote" and is moving to the House for consideration in Committees there before a floor vote.

If this Bill passes, Reiki practitioners will not be able to practice Reiki in Massachusetts without first having a license from the state.

The following modalities are affected by Bill S2461:

Feldenkrais method; reflexology; Trager Approach; AyurvedicTherapies; Rolf Structural Integration, Polarity Therapy; Asian bodywork therapy; acupressure; Jin Shin Do; Qi Gong; Tui Na; Shiatsu; body-mind centering and Reiki.  These modalities are being placed in the category of "Bodywork".

The Joint Committee on Healthcare Financing will be taking testimony via email from interested parties; the committee has only until August 27th to move this through- there is a very good chance that they will not take the full time to review this bill.

That is why we are calling for a Call To Action TODAY.

First, some more background on Bill S2461:

All practitioners listed above will need a license from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in order to practice.
This Bill classifies Reiki as a "bodywork therapy." This bill is based on a misunderstanding of Reiki and a misunderstanding of "Bodywork". There is no such profession as "bodywork" or "bodywork therapy". Further, many Reiki practitioners define Reiki as a mind-body-spirit healing practice and not "bodywork" at all. “Bodywork” is just a catch-all term for a broad field containing many disciplines, some of which are full professions that already have their own bodies of knowledge, educational programs, codes of ethics, standards of practice, etc. as well as professional organizations to administer these. 
According to the Bill, all practitioners, including Reiki practitioners, must pass "a course of study consisting of at least 500 classroom hours or an equivalent number of credit hours of supervised instruction in a nationally accredited bodywork therapy program”.  As you know this is not applicable to Reiki practitioners, as we do not have a "nationally accredited program", nor does Reiki training require "at least 500 classroom hours."

This bill would harm our practitioners and the citizens of Massachusetts who benefit from their services. 

Citizens of Massachusetts receiving services from these practitioners would no longer be able to continue receiving the benefits these modalities have to offer.

You can make a difference by using your voice to educate lawmakers on the consequences of their actions.

PERSONAL NOTE:

Something for reiki practitioners to consider, and hope I voice this correctly and clearly.

However, speaking as someone who has worked with survivors of abuse, as a reiki professional, speaker, advocate, and reiki teacher, this bill will also prevent victims of sex trafficking from gaining access to qualified reiki professionals to help them with long term healing without draining taxpayer funded economic resources or dept of public health resources or health insurance costs.

The start up Massachusetts Survivors Outreach that I helped launch for survivors of abuse in Massachusetts will fail before off the ground as direct result of this bill. So this could also potentially negatively affect organizations providing care to abuse victims. Something I've been outspoken about as benefits of reiki on a much under served community.

The idea that it's used in hospitals etc ... may or may not be seen as relevant to this bill since it's about two things we are discussing

1. Sex trafficking

2. Reiki.

Food for thought

HOW YOU CAN HELP STOP THIS BILL

Become informed and read the Bill itself.

Please send an email ASAP to the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing Michael.Cannella@masenate.gov and include the following:

1. Salutation: Dear Representative So and So

2. Subject: Opposition to S24613. Your name and address
4. State that you are a Reiki (and/or other) Practitioner
5. Say you oppose the passing of S2461
6. State the reasons why you oppose S2461. This is an impact statement of how this Bill would adversely affect you and your business personally. Be sure to personalize your letter:

If you are a Reiki practitioner, state the negative consequences the bill would have on your practice, e.g., the bill would put you out of business, create unnecessary expenses, the bill does not understand what Reiki is and does not understand what bodywork is.
If you are a Reiki recipient, please state the negative impact the bill would have on you and your loved ones, e.g. you would no longer be able to receive the services/benefits of (include the name of the modality).
Please do not wait to send this. The email does not have to be long or complicated. Take a few minutes and send it out today. Everything depends on everyone taking action now.
It is very important to follow up your email with a phone call and be sure to ask them to officially log your call in opposition to the bill.
Reach out to your loyal clients for them to write an impact statement to send to the committee, as well.
Please volunteer, even if you do not reside in Massachusetts. We need help getting the word out. If you can spare time to make phone calls, send emails, etc.

For more information, please visit the Celebration of Reiki Conference Email.

There are additional ways to help--writing to house and senate members of the Healthcare Finance Committee and volunteering to help us get the word out.

I am grateful!
Laura

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Learning Jikiden Reiki in a Western Reiki World

Reiki (pronounced ray-key) is a simple form of energy healing from Japan known as "Shinshin Kaizen Usui Reiki Ryoho", which translates as "Usui treatment fo the improvement of body and mind".

Some of you reading this may have had the opportunity to experience the wonderful benefits of traditional non-westernized Japanese reiki with Jikiden Reiki.

Jikiden Reiki® personally changed my life more than any other modality including my dedication to my more western Reiki for 10yrs. Nothing I have ever seen where I bared witness to such amazing healing results from non healing wounds last over 3mo suddenly closed in hours to incurable cancer not being found on scans to long term severe eczema suddenly gone to ptsd finally in the past to traumas no long reoccurring to increasing the quality of life in end of life issues etc etc.

I wish I had the words to describe what I've seen happen where traditional medicine failed except to call them miracles in a westerners eye.

For a long time, I have a passion of healing traumas associated with abuse ... domestic abuse, child abuse, and sex abuse. For the first time, I truly feel we can end abuse through healing one frequency and vibration at a time using this form of healing.

Beginning this month, I am honored to take my Jikiden training to a whole new level. I am now authorized to begin offering Jikiden Reiki Training in the Massachusetts area.

I recently returned from San Diego from my 10 day intensive training with Arjava Petter!!!! I am now officially certified as a Shihan kaku in Jikiden Reiki and accredited by the Jikiden Reiki® Kenkyukai (Institute) in Kyoto, Japan.

What an amazing journey this has been so far. I met a lot of great new friends. I had an incredible class, and got to have a little adventure to boot. What else can one ask for?

There are sooooooo many people to thank who helped make this dream a reality ... who supported me and my desire to help others in their healing process especially those struggling to heal from trauma associated with abuse.

You all know who you are. My heart is filled with so much gratitude.

Laura and Frank "Arjava" Petter
2016 Jikiden Reiki Shihan Kaku Training

SO WHAT'S IN STORE FOR YOU?

I am already a reiki master teacher in the Western version of Usui Reiki, but felt a calling to Jikiden Reiki a couple years ago and I am honored to have been studying with such authentic teachers who are also some of the world's leading reiki historians.

The lessons I am learning is molding my teaching style to be more authentic and my own personal healing more profound.

Since I personally switched from practicing Westernized Reiki to Japanese Reiki, I have seen a huge difference and shift in my personal practice, spiritual growth, mediumship, and results my clients are experiencing. It's like a coming home. So much is NOT taught and learned with western reiki and I am excited to bring back to Massachusetts the original/direct teachings.

Westernized Reiki training is not standardized. It varies widely from teacher to teacher. Most Reiki teachers receive their entire training in just one weekend. Many start teaching Reiki classes immediately without the benefit of experience. This often leads to the passing of misinformation to students. Unfortunately, many students who take classes from these types of teachers leave unsure and confused. They feel something was missing from their training.

Laura administering Reiki to a silver
back gorilla.

One of the benefits I cherish with Jikiden Reiki is the thoroughness in training and qualifications of it's teachers to be authentic as Chiyoko Sensei and Dr. Hayashi Sensei taught. I look forward to now being authorized to begin teaching Jikiden Reiki. The term "Jikiden" means direct teaching in Japanese, so it is free from Western influence.

Jikiden Reiki® classes are presented with credibility and clarity from authentic Japanese lineage. This lineage goes from Dr. Hayashi to Mrs. Chiyoko Yamaguchi, Tadao’s (current President of Jikiden Reiki Kenkyukai) mother, who learned Reiki in 1938. Because this lineage has not gone through Mrs. Takata, it lacks the Westernization of Reiki.

It is entirely free of Western influence. Its roots go back almost to the discovery of Reiki itself. It differs from “Western” style of Reiki in approach, attitude, and ideas.

This is what I've been practicing in my office for over a year now with incredible results after practicing western reiki for over 10yrs in its original beauty and simplicity.

What I have learned over the past year?

Well because Jikiden Reiki is non-westernized, there have been numerous personal developments I have experienced on top of what I have witnessed with others.

Here is what I noticed in myself:

I have had a long battle with sugar my whole life and trying to reduce it or eliminate it has been difficult. What I have noticed without conscious effort, is that I no longer crave sugar. I have unconsciously eliminated 95% of sugar from my diet.
I crave healthier foods. Ironically, I have been craving things like spinach, kale, romaine lettuce, flax seed, cucumber, etc salad. I say ironic, because eating more vegetables have been difficult for me as well my whole life.
I have had a reduction of systemic bouts of yeast.
Enhancement of my mediumship connections to those on the higher side of life with less "preparation work".
A near elimination of all spiritual based practices on cord cutting, clearing spiritual or energetic attachments
A significant reduction of the need of spiritual based protections such as using or wearing protective stones, rituals, prayers, etc.
A significant reduction in psychic attacks
Elinination of taking on "other's" stuff energetically.
Improved sleep
Improved ability to handle my own personal elimination of toxic releases stemming from old traumas associated with abuse.
Improved relationships.

Bottom line, every area of my life has significantly improved without much conscious effort.

Who is Jikiden Reiki For?

Jikiden Reiki® is for anyone interested in learning Reiki and for current practitioners who wish to deepen their practice & understanding.

Currently, I use reiki in a medical setting as a viable treatment option for issues such as anxiety, post traumatic stress, spinal stenosis, cancer, eczema, dementia, depression, arthritis, inflammation, wound healing, kidney stones, breaking bad habits and much more by removing accumulated toxins from the body.

If you are interested in scheduling a private session or attending a Jikiden Reiki Training Seminar, please email me or visit my website.

With love and appreciation,

Laura Joseph

Usui Reiki Master Teacher, Shihan Kaku Jikiden Reiki® Practitioner and Teacher, Public Speaker, and Teacher

SIGN UP FOR MONTHLY E-NEWS

www.laurahealingwithspirit.com

All content and photographs are copyright protected. ©2016 Laura Joseph of Healing With Spirit. All Rights Reserved. All content and photographs or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written consent of the author.

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

My Story of Embodying Reiki to Heal Trauma Associated With Abuse

By: Laura Joseph, RMA, RMT

Yesterday I had a pretty deep conversation with a good friend of mine regarding the struggles to survive fleeing an abusive relationship where I lost my sense of self for over 20yrs. This in depth conversation brought to the surface certain pains and traumas from the abuses the victim part of myself would assume to forget.

However, in reflecting about this conversation and previous ones, it got me thinking about my path on where I was, where I am, and where I am going. I look back now through a different lens amazed how far I have come since I made that crucial decision to leave an abusive partner who displayed narcissist sociopathic tendencies that nearly killed me more than once. I am happy to say, his wish was not granted, and not literally buried six feet under.

I am still here to not only talk about it, but to share bits and pieces of my healing path to reclaiming my power back in hopes to inspire others on their healing journey.

Probably one of the decisions I made early on was to never doubt my gut or intuition again as it tried to warn me of the dangers that lay ahead at that time. One of the things that saved my life was my connection to spirit followed by the healing path.

I first had to learn how to trust again and have faith in the unknown which is not simple feat when dealing with the after effects of abuse especially "gaslighting". I had been beaten down physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. So how do I learn to trust again so I can heal?

By embracing Reiki in its full embodiment not only helped me regain sense of self, but my sense of purpose. It helped me to heal the past while staying present, and not let my triggers of the past cause worry or fear of the unknown. It was not easy and I still feel I am a work in progress learning, healing, and growing every day.

This process didn't happen over night, but over the course of 11 years. I had to learn to surrender to the Universe, which is probably the most difficult task in the entire process. The mind/ego wants to shield and protect you from any repeats of what had happened to you in your past. It is like an loop constantly repeating itself that has to be broken in order to heal and move forward in your life.

I knew I could not trust the system, domestic abuse groups, family, community, and the like as the mighty power of a skillful abuser can sway anyone in their favor creating an avalanche of being re-victimized. So if I could not trust people, who could I trust? Well it was spirit after all that tried to save me from this fate and I ignored the signs. So I went back to my faith knowing I could trust Spirit. That started the surrendering process leading into my healing.

I started with meditation and started going to church again rediscovering myself in the process. The more I learned to trust in the divine, the more healing took place in my life, which led me down the reiki path. Receiving reiki and learning reiki was the single most best decision I made for myself as it not only changed my life, it saved my life.

However, what I have learned over the years in studying the various different forms of Reiki, is it is not learned in one day as some may believe. I have been learning Reiki now for 11 years and I practice Reiki daily embodying all that Reiki has to offer.

You can not learn that after one class and receive your certificate. You must master Reiki completely and incorporate it into your life so you can BE REIKI. This process takes years of discipline to develop.

What I wrote in the picture are truly five things you can start to do today that over time will change your life. They stem from the teachings I learned in reiki so I know this to be true. I personally say these in Japanese as a mantra every morning when I wake and every evening when I prepare for sleep. By chanting these precepts, you begin to change the way you see yourself and the world around you.

This year is the grand year of transformation, a nine year in numerology. It is the year of completion, and I personally look forward to fully and unequivocally shining in my own light at full strength once again. I wrote about the importance of this year in 6 Tips To Guide You Towards Soul-fillment in 2016 if you wish to read more on that topic.

Reiki is more than taking a one day class, receiving a certificate, and laying hands on someone. I think this is the greatest travesty of misconception of what our Western society believes is important. Reiki is so much more. It is a way of being and a way to self discovery back to soul. Our bodies are designed to heal themselves, so all we have to do is tap into that source energy. Reiki helps facilitate that. I have been practicing Reiki over a decade now, and even after all this time, I feel like I have so much to still discover about the magic Reiki offers all of us inside and out.

Healing trauma is not easy, but I am so grateful for the system of Reiki and all the teachers I have had along the way to guide me in my spiritual path to healing and self discovery.

For those who are struggling now or feel like you can't see above water, please keep the faith. I remember days, where I felt like it was the end, and I am not only here, but I am beginning to thrive. You can too. I am here to help you best I can and so are so many other wonderful reiki healers.

If you struggle with healing from trauma associated with abuse, here are some tips in choosing a reiki practitioner.

Make sure you find a qualified practitioner who has trauma informed care as part of their training.
Make sure you find a practitioner who has been practicing Reiki for a long time as trauma has its own intricate needs.

Ask questions about the Reiki practitioner's training and belief system

What system of reiki did they study?
What was included in their studies?
What level of Reiki have they completed?
How long have they been practicing Reiki?
Do they practice reiki every day? (My apologies as many reiki practitioners may disagree, I feel THIS is the most important question). If they are not practicing reiki every day, how can they possibly understand how to help you? This goes beyond just reiki, but understanding trauma and all its intricate components.
What is their level of experience and training in working with people with trauma?
How many clients have they used Reiki for healing trauma?
Ask how they use Reiki in healing trauma.

This is just a simple guide, but you can also check out the article I wrote on Reiki Can Do No Harm or Can It? for more tips and guidance.

I hope what I wrote helps someone out there in need who needs something to help them survive in order to thrive. Please share the love and compassion.

With love and light,