A Mother's Story: How Reiki Healed Her Son's Injury Preventing The Need For Surgery

Photo by: Laura Joseph, Healing With Spirit, 
All Rights Reserved.
Photo taken during one Jikiden Reiki training. 

There are days where you receive amazing news from one of your students. Then there are days where I question myself, as to whether I feel more like a mother bear watching her cub bloom or a teacher watching her student flourish. Either case, this was a story that made me smile when I heard it for the first time.

This is a story by one mother, who just happened to sign up to learn reiki when her son got injured playing hockey. Could this have been some divine intervention? The timing of everything could not have been more optimum.

When this mother came to us on the first day of class and told us about her son's injury, we guided her on how to administer reiki for his shoulder injury. By the next day, she was elated that not only was he open to receive reiki, but that he loved it and asked for more daily. 

After a few months had past, we happened to see Suzanne, the mother, and she told us how her son went from needing surgery and out of playing hockey for the season to no surgery and playing hockey. She believed this was the result of the reiki she administered to her son. Here is Suzanne's story in her own words:

I was blessed to have the opportunity to earn my Shoden Level of Jikiden Reiki during a weekend Seminar with Laura Joseph September 23-25, 2016. My youngest son had suffered a complex shoulder injury playing hockey the weekend before on September 18. He was hit from behind into the boards sustaining a left shoulder dislocation, humeral fracture with a floating fragment and was found to have a torn labrum. He was seen in the ER that same day and we were told he would most definitely require surgery but with the amount of swelling he had, we were advised to follow up with the orthopedic surgeon in 10 days. My son had considerable pain, bruising and swelling with severe limitations in his mobility. He was also informed he would not be able to return to play hockey for the rest of the season.

After having been attuned I could not wait to go home and practice Jikiden Reiki on him. He was very open to receiving and I practiced on him nightly. We were seen by the orthopedic surgeon on September 26th who ordered a comparison x-ray from the original done in the ER on the 18th. He was amazed at the alignment of the bone and how the fragment had settled back into its original place. My son still had bruising, pain, swelling and mobility limitations. The surgeon was still recommending surgery but wanted an MRI to be sure of the extent of the injury. We had the MRI that weekend and we were seen by the orthopedic surgeon a few days later. All the while I continued to perform Jikiden Reiki on my son each night. His swelling decreased as did his pain and bruising. We returned to the orthopedic surgeon on October 6th and had a repeat x-ray done and were informed of the MRI results. The surgeon was “optimistically pleased” with the x-ray results commenting again at how nicely and quickly the bone was healing. He informed us of his concern with the result of the MRI and the revelation of a labrum tear. However, for the first time, said he was willing to hold off on the surgery to see how the healing progressed. He did warn us that surgery might still be a reality.

We continued with our nightly Jikiden Reiki sessions and my son continued to report that his shoulder felt better. We returned again to the orthopedic surgeon on October 27th. At this time another x-ray was done. The surgeon was again “pleased” with the healing process and my son’s mobility even though very limited. The surgeon decided to allow my son to begin Physical Therapy in 2 weeks but reinforced that this did not mean a return to hockey.

My son was evaluated by a physical therapist on November 14th who reviewed the original ER X-ray, and MRI and stated he was “shocked” that with this type of injury, surgery hadn’t already taken place. He also informed us that my son assuredly would not be playing hockey again this season. My son participated in physical therapy 2-3x’s per week and we continued our nightly Jikiden Reiki sessions. We were seen again by the orthopedic surgeon on December 15th. This time the surgeon was more than pleased with the progress my son had made. He actually allowed him to return to the ice to skate without contact with his hockey team. We continued with our reiki sessions and continued with PT. His physical therapist was amazed at the progress he was making with his strength and mobility. We returned to the orthopedic surgeon on Jan 4th and to everyone’s amazement my son was cleared to return to full contact hockey. He played in a tournament the last weekend in January and finished the season.

I truly believe my son was able to avoid surgery and heal so rapidly as a result of the gift and practice of Jikiden Reiki.

With Gratitude,
Suzanne McCarthy 

For more information about reiki classes by Laura at Healing With Spirit, please visit her website.

Effectiveness of Reiki For Wounds on a Dog; Zygomatic Salivary Mucocele

Ava, a 11 year old Sheltie, 3 weeks post dog attack 

By: Laura Joseph, Healing With Spirit

Have you ever wondered if reiki could be used on your pets or even if it would be an effective treatment option?  

I am sharing with you my story and personal case study using reiki to heal my 11 year old sheltie, Ava, after she was attacked by another dog that resulted in two lacerations on the head and one puncture wound to her salivary gland in her face.

Sometimes when bad things happen, something magical may come out of it. In this case, despite all I already know, I learned to trust more in the power of healing within.  By writing and sharing this experience, I hope to accomplish a few objectives:

• My hopes is to shed light on the benefits of reiki as a viable treatment option especially in the area of wound care.
• Many times I encounter loving pet owners struggling with the health of their pets spending thousands of dollars of medications and procedures. So my goal here is to show how beneficial reiki can be for our beloved pets on many different levels without the heavy cost. Reiki is complementary to traditional medical and veterinary care.

The Story 

Ava one day after attack

So just before the holiday, my small dog, Ava, that I use periodically as a therapy dog was attacked by another dog. This stunned me and shocked me on many levels as I did not see it coming. Usually my intuition kicks in any time I feel a dog nearby has aggression or dominance issues. Not this time. There were no warning signs.

I just happened to be talking with the other dog owner about coyotes and how to watch out for them, protect their dog, while living in harmony with them when this attack happened.

There is some irony here. The night before while taking Ava out for her final walk, we came within 15 feet with a coyote, but with no incidence. The coyote who trotted past did not have a care in the world or take interest in my dog. I live in an area abundant with wildlife of all kinds. So learning to live in harmony with awareness is key.

Above:  Ava's head wound one day
after attack.  Below: Puncture wound
to the salivary gland

We have come in contact with a coyote by itself at least a dozen times and on at least two occasions with a pack, with no incidence. I have chosen to learn to live in harmony with these magical beings that some would like to call vermin. Coyotes are omnivores whose diet vary primarily of deer, rabbits, hares, rodents, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates. Since I live near the water, we tend to have a pest issue too. So I welcome the coyote who naturally take care of the problem.

I am not naive as I take precautions when I am out especially at night and take added measures to protect my pets. It starts with awareness and vigilance. I do not fear the coyote so it does not smell fear on me. There was one occasion where a coyote stopped and stared at me as if he was going to challenge me. I picked Ava up in my arms and chased him yelling just to let him know who the alpha dog is around here.

So, I was stunned that what appeared to be a nice domestic dog would just attack and rip my dog’s head open with no warning or signs. Everything I ever knew and trained for came into question.

If you recall how the year 2016 ended, you might recall how chaotic the energies were then too. The cosmic energies and planetary alignment were quite intense and people were feeling it, I wondered if this seemingly nice dog did too. I am not sure as I can only presume.

So instead of getting mad or upset at that moment, I stepped into action for immediate medical care for her. I chose to step back emotionally and reflect on what happened which was hard for me to grasp. I even felt a sense of sadness for the other dog and could not only get the image of the attack out of my head, but when the other dog sniffed my hand with blood on it, it had the look like "Oh crap. I did that?" with the ears back and eyes saddened.

THE CARE

Christmas Day - 5 days after attack

After the initial emergency veterinary care, it was discovered the puncture wound in the mouth area could not be closed since it punctured a salivary gland.  Ava was sent home with the instructions of  frequent warm compresses and medications.

At one point, I was extremely emotional due to the ongoing ever changing wound care needs questioning every moment whether or not I was giving enough to this dog who has done nothing but give unconditional love and healing to me and so many. 

A mucocele that developed
about the size of a walnut

At first, I did not initiate reiki for the simple reason that the puncture wound of the salivary gland needed to drain and was concerned it would seal faster than needed in this case.

I know how effective reiki can be, especially the Jikiden Reiki®, in healing wounds. However, in this case I struggled with the decision to refrain because in one hand, we want the wounds and the gland to heal, but on the other hand, we want the puncture wound to remain open and not close.

Everything using traditional veterinary care was working up to this point and she finished her medication. However, one week post attack, things began to change. The puncture wound became harder to drain and she developed a zygomatic mucocele.

At one point we were wondering if she would need surgery to repair a salivary gland and even consulted a surgeon on day 8. Upon further research, we discovered that there are only two options for her situation.

1. To surgically remove the entire gland. This would prevent the mucocele from returning. However, despite no veterinary research to validate, I was concerned about digestive, teeth, and gum issues. How can there not be any secondary problems if the salivary gland is removed? If you understand physiology, it is a logical concern.
2. To aspirate the mucocele to get it to drain. To do this showed benefits that could last months. However, from what I discovered, these results were temporary according to the veterinary medical articles I read.

Day 7, I began adding a holistic regimen which comprised of the following:

• I began adding turmeric to my dog's food 2 times a day - once in the morning and once at dinner time. 
• We all know the power of prayer so I called upon the community for prayers.

Within one day, day 8, her wound is suddenly improved and the surgeon opted to "wait and see" since the wound was draining fine. It was recommended to continue the warm compresses every 2-3 hours and holistic remedies. At this time I still have not administered reiki. The turmeric seemed to be helping keeping the mucocele down.

However, by day 12, the puncture wound sealed and the mucocele returned preventing the accumulation of saliva to drain. THIS IS WHEN I ADMINISTERED REIKI as I was determined to not put my dog through something more traumatic of having surgery.

Day 12 - The Administration of Reiki

I initiated reiki treatments as follows:

• 20-30 minutes in the morning
• 20-30 minutes in the evening

Reiki never ceases to amaze me, yet I was still astounded at the level of toxins I felt in the wound site.  There is a technique we use exclusive in Jikiden Reiki to help move the toxins in the body. I was trying to figure out how to adapt the technique suitable for a 25 pound dog. 

Day 15 - Jikiden Reiki

By day 15, her mucocele was stable, and not increased in size. Redness had also diminished greatly. I then decided to do an abbreviated version of this technique seen in Jikiden Reiki to see if we could help Ava enhance her healing process.

Results

• Within 24hrs, the mucocele was more than 50% reduced. 
• Within 36hrs, the mucocele opened and completely healed.
• One week after initiation of this technique (day 22), still no mucocele.

Today's plan:

• Reiki 20-30 minutes daily
• Turmeric once daily in her food
• Warm compresses as needed 

18 days post attack running and playing the recent 2017 blizzard

Because of the medical research showing chances of relapse, I am choosing to continue this routine as long as necessary.  At the bottom of this post, you will find links for more information regarding the mucocele and reiki. 

Despite my years as a reiki professional with over 10+years of experience, I find what happened here with Ava in regards to the Reiki was undeniable.

So right now, I take it one day at a time with NO SURGERY or gland removal or aspiration of the mucocele planned in the future. That makes for one happy dog owner and hopefully for one happy senior dog.

I hope you will consider reiki as part of your wellness and health not only for yourself, but for your beloved pet.  After all, they give us such unconditional love.

If you are a reiki practitioner, I hope this personal case study helped broaden your view of the reiki practice. If you are new to reiki, I hope this inspired you with options. In the end, I hope your eyes have been opened to possibilities. 

Remember, just because someone suggests surgery, keep in mind the following:

• That individual may or may not be schooled or taught in the methods of holistic healing options or alternatives.
• Procedures and surgeries are costly and may or may not be necessary. So please trust your instinct and when in doubt, get a second opinion.
• Also, as the medical literature alludes to, procedures and surgeries seem to be the easy option many times. Hence, more convenient. If you are too busy to give your pet the care it needs, then maybe you ought consider what it would feel like if your loved one was too busy to care for you when you were hurt or sick. I apologize if this offends some of you, but it is a sad reality in our culture. All you have to do is look at the filled animal shelters to see. I am hoping this brings awareness so we can change our own behaviors. It begins within. 

If you would like to learn more about obtaining reiki, learning reiki, or just more information about reiki, please visit the various other posts on this blog 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

  

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www.laurahealingwithspirit.com 

RESOURCES:

1. Zygomatic salivary mucoceles in the dog; Schmidt GM, Betts CW.; PubMed; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/649488
2. Swelling of the Salivary Gland in Dogs - Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, Recovery, Management, Cost; Vetary; https://www.vetary.com/dog/condition/swelling-salivary-gland 
3. Learning Jikiden Reiki in a Western Reiki World; Laura Joseph; All About Reiki;  http://hwsreiki.blogspot.com/2016/07/learning-jikiden-reiki-in-western-reiki_5.html
4. What is Reiki; Jikiden Reiki Institute; http://www.jikiden-reiki.com/en/info/info0.html

Disclaimer:  Reiki is not a substitute for medical care or veterinary care. Please note: Seek medical attention when necessary. These are opinions based on a personal case study and Laura's alone.

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

  

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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.

My Journey and Experiment Through Jikiden Reiki

I wanted to share my personal story, spiritual journey and experiment through Usui Reiki and Jikiden Reiki®. Most of my background in Reiki over the last 9 years has been primarily in the healthcare setting or at various spiritual locations. I have worked on pets, children, and adults. I have used Reiki for cancer, digestive disorders, anxiety, anger, kidney diseases, abuse related issues etc.

One of the many miracles witnessed during my Jikiden Reiki
training. This is a rainbow in a cloudless sky.
2015 Laura Healing With Spirit, Dolce, Norwalk, CT

A Little About My Background: As many of you may or may not know, I have worked a cumulative 15+ years in various aspects of healthcare from direct patient care to administration to teaching in a college setting.

Since 2006, I began including more holistic health and complimentary alternative medicine modalities or mind-body medicine therapies such as reiki.

The Journey To Self Healing: As a domestic abuse survivor who has gone through the legal system as well as worked in the healthcare system, I realized something wasn't working in my own healing. Instead, I felt there were bandaids applied and massive judgments and discrimination with the courts systems only made my healing less possible.

With what began a journey in self-healing from an abusive marriage, I dived into learning ways into healing trauma associated with abuse such as domestic abuse, child abuse, and sex abuse. I began learning the medical side such as treatments, medical statistics, the problems statically of the re-traumatization of family courts, meditation, nutrition, mind-body medicine therapies, importance of spirituality, reiki, yuen energetics, sound therapies, and more.

With self-healing and learning these alternative methods, I began to finally see improvement in self and others as time went on. I even discovered a personal statistic that no agency or organization has been able to provide me with medical documentation to back up my preliminary findings ... A 100% link between breast cancer and abuse.



What I Do To Help Healing Survivors Of Abuse:
As more and more abuse survivors began seeking me out for help, the more and more I wanted to help them based on what I learned which started out with basic guided and mindfulness meditation in my office and at one of the local battered women's shelters.

With each recorded success, I felt empowered to learn more both for self-healing and for healing for others.  I began studying and learning various alternative modalities like reiki over the years and worked directly with domestic abuse, child abuse, and sex abuse survivors.

Beginning 2011, I coached and used subtle healing and mindfulness based practices in the college setting as an adjunct instructor where students who were in an abusive situation sought my assistance. At the time the college was not equipped to assist in such matters so I became the go to person.

I also became a volunteer and board member for Massachusetts Survivors Outreach in hopes to bring to light the benefits of alternative therapies such as reiki in healing abuse.  My goal was to research and back up in the office the successes or findings I was experiencing clinically. Hence, finding a different way to break the cycle of violence through knowledge and healing.

The graphics on this page are just one campaign I was a part of called the "Did You Know Campaign" educating the general public about the issues surrounding abuse statistically as well as showing the benefits of alternative healing modalities such as reiki from a scientific standpoint.

I also recently spoke at the 2015 Celebration of Reiki Conference "Reiki Reaches Out" Panel on my experiences using reiki to heal traumas associated with abuse.



My Jikiden Training: In May 2015, I had an amazing opportunity to continue my Reiki training by learning Jikiden Reiki® from Arjava Sensei who came to New England May 12th in Norwalk, CT.

Jikiden Reiki® is something I have been feeling deeply compelled to learn for a couple years now.  All Jikiden courses taught by Arjava Sensei are accredited by the Japanese Jikiden Reiki® Institute in Kyoto, Japan, and I will receive my certificate directly from Japan.

Jikiden  Reiki® is a simple form of energy healing from Japan known as “Shinshin Kaizen Usui Reiki Ryoho" which translates as "Usui treatment for the improvement of body and mind." Jikiden Reiki® is the original teaching of Reiki presented with credibility and clarity.

Jikiden is entirely free of Western influence. Its roots go back almost to the discovery of Reiki itself.  It differs from "Western" style Reiki in approach, attitude and ideas.  I will experience Reiki in its original beauty and simplicity.

This is a rare opportunity for me to study with someone so closely related to the culture and ideas that Reiki is steeped in and I am very excited about it especially on the ways it can assist in healing various traumas associated with abuse.

This training is just one more notch to help me on my path to help find long term healing solutions to abuse so a survivor no longer has to become a statistic.

As a result of  the recommendation of one of my students, I created a GoFundMe account to help make help make my dream a reality. I can not express the level of gratitude and appreciation I have for all those who contributed to the campaign as I am experiencing incredible healing like I have never experienced before.



Shoden and Okuden Jikden Reiki Training
PHOTO: Yohei Yamaguchi, Laura Joseph, Frank "Arjava" Petter
2015 Doce, Norwalk, CT

AFTER JIKIDEN REIKI TRAINING AND THE EXPERIMENT:

Well after I left Connecticut after studying Shoden and Okuden  in May of 2015 with amazing teachers, with Arjava Sensei and Yohei Yamaguchi, from the Jikiden Reiki® Institute, Koyoto Japan,  I decided to try an experiment.

BEFORE CT:
Just prior to coming to Connecticut, I had taught a Reiki level 1 class using the materials provided by William Lee Rand.

While cleaning up and removing the blanket off of the exam table a corner had gotten caught and ricocheted back jamming my leg into the corner of the table causing a small hematoma.

AFTER CT:
One thing I noticed all week is that the bruise never healed and actually looked a little worse .... So after the last day of class, which happened to be exactly 8 days after the initial bruise with no change, I decided to try the experiment.

I figured what the heck, I'll be sitting in a car for three and a half hours or more driving back. So I administered Jikiden Reiki® on my leg with my left hand while driving on half of the bruise.

THE RESULTS:
The side I did reiki on it cleared 80% by the time I arrived and unpacked the car (approx 5hrs) with clear finger print marks in it and completely in that side within 12hrs. Now, just to remind you, I have been a practicing reiki professional for over 9 years now. This result even completely dumbfounded me.

The side I did NOT do reiki is finally starting to heal after 2 weeks and finally cleared up at a month. I find it so incredible and love the healing power of reiki.

What amazed me was this was "just a bruise". What could be the results when applied to cancer, infections, insomnia, anxiety, trauma, surgery, etc?

SINCE MY JIKIDEN REIKI® TRAINING:
I am amazed at how Spirit works every time and the Universal energies of healing. Just in the short time I have trained I have bared witness to other instances such as:

1. A 6 mo post-op cancer patient going from non-healing and facing more invasive procedures to wound healing and reversal of original medical plans.
2. severe chronic eczema with numerous doctors and unclear diagnosis for years with no relief to an 85% improvement for the first time in years just after one treatment.
3. and finally here is what another reiki practitioner had to say after a Jikiden reiki treatment who had serious sleep issues, fibromyalgia, and other health complications "WOW, that was a powerful session of Jikiden Reiki with Laura Joseph yesterday! Slept like a baby last night for about 10 hrs. last night! Feel great today! Thank you, Laura (grin emoticon) xxx"

My goal will be to eventually provide clear evidential case studies of the value and benefits of Jikiden Reiki® with a qualified professional.

I can not wait to see what lies ahead.

"If everyone knew they had the power to heal themselves, they could change the world and how we view medicine." - Laura Joseph, RMA, RMT, BFA

Curious about Jikiden Reiki®? I am currently offering 60/90/120min Jikiden Reiki® treatments in my Hingham, MA office. Please email me to schedule an appointment.

"Buddha Time"
2015 Laura Joseph, RMA, RMT, BFA

THE OPPORTUNITY ... WHY DONATE: 
If you would like to assist in helping me continue my Jikiden Reiki® Path or to read more about my journey, please visit my GoFundMe account to help make help make my dream a reality.

My goal is to continue my training with Arjava and attend the 2016 Jikiden World Congress event and training in October of 2016.

Any amount you can give is greatly appreciated and will help me attend the necessary training. I am so looking forward to growing in my Reiki practice and incorporating what I learned into my sessions and classes, but especially to help me continue my passions in the abuse community and to help continuing establish reiki as a viable healing modality to heal traumas associated with abuse.

For more information about my reiki work, please visit my about Laura reiki page.

Thank you so much for your help and consideration! I and those I aim to help appreciate your assistance in helping break the cycle through healing.

Reiki Blessings,
Laura Joseph, RMA, RMT, BFA
Usui Reiki Master Teacher
Jikiden Reiki® Practitioner, Shoden and Okuden

www.healingwithspirit.webs.com

Upcoming 2015 Celebration of Reiki Conference

I am honored to be one of the featured 'Reiki Reaches Out' panelists this year for The Reiki Conference on April 26th in Brookline for my work the effectiveness use of Reiki to assist in healing survivors of abuse; domestic abuse, child abuse, and sex abuse. Hope to see you there. This will be a life changing event.

Conference Details:

Conference Theme: Living Reiki

Please discover what the 2015 Celebration of Reiki Conference Program has in store for you.

Sunday, April 26, 2015
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Holiday Inn, 1200 Beacon Street, Brookline, Massachusetts 02446 

 

9:30 - 11:00 am Morning Panel (Click here for complete conference details and schedule)

Reiki In Unexpected Places Panel - Moderator:  Jacki Katzman.  

Panelists: Lisa Biagetti (Reiki services to Wheelock College students; Reiki services at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital with parents of children with traumatic injuries), Laura Bonetzky-Joseph (Reiki services to survivors of domestic abuse), Judy Bousquin (Reiki services for homeless and poor women at The Woman's Lunch Place), Frederic Burnett (Reiki services with vulnerable youth in the Caribbean), Matthew McDonald (Reiki service to individuals living with HIV and to the LGBTQ community). Deborah Strafuss (Reiki services to individuals with Alzheimer's and their caregivers/families)

Laura is a holistic health professional, writer, Reiki Master Teacher, Registered Certified Medical Assistant, and Massachusetts Survivors Outreach (MASO) board member and volunteer, who has worked a cumulative in healthcare for over 15 years.  As a survivor of abuse, Laura discovered a discord in the healing process within abuse organizations, the legal system, and the healthcare system. Laura realized that, by using complementary therapies such as Reiki, in conjunction with traditional medical care, she finally began to heal.  Through her own healing, research, work as a holistic healthcare provider, and volunteer for survivors of abuse, she realized that we have the "cure," so to speak. Survivors do NOT have to become a statistic in the legal system nor the healthcare system.  The need is great and at epidemic levels.

Laura's goal is to get Reiki practice more accepted as a viable treatment option for survivors of abuse, solicit the appropriate partners for medical research, provide accredited training for holistic health professionals and allied health professionals, and end the cycle of abuse through healing.  With properly trained reiki professionals, the results of using reiki as a treatment option for victims of abuse are life changing.

What is Reiki?

A study done in 2007 by the National Health Interview Survey indicates that 1.2 million adults and 161,000 children received one or more sessions of energy healing therapy such as Reiki in the previous year. According to the American Hospital Association, in 2007, 15% or over 800 American hospitals offered Reiki as part of hospital services.

Reiki Administered at a local medical office (c) 2010-2014

What is Reiki? 
Reiki is a Japanese hands-on healing modality that is natural non-invasive and promotes healing. It is primarily used for stress reduction and relaxation, but is all effective in relieving pain, depression, and panic disorders.  Reiki is also assists in promoting the healing of fractures as well as alleviating many other physical and emotional challenges.


This form of healing is based on the idea that an unseen life force energy flows through us and is what causes us to be alive. The practitioner administers the treatments by laying the hands.  If one is frequently sick or under a lot of stress, the chances are one's life force energy is low.  Now if the life force is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy.  Reiki is a very simple and natural method of spiritual healing and self-improvement that anyone can use to improve their quality of life. This safe alternative is effective in helping many known physical and psychological illnesses and always creates a beneficial and positive effect. Reiki does work in conjunction with all other alternative or traditional medical treatments.


Reiki is not taught, but is transferred to the student during a Reiki class through a process called and an attunement.  During an attunement a Reiki master allows the student to tap into an unlimited supply of life force energy to improve one's health and enhance the quality of life.  This healing method has been taught to thousands of people from all over the world.


Reiki comes from the Japanese words Rei meaning Higher Power or Wisdom and Ki meaning Life Force Energy. 


What does a treatment feel like? 
A reiki treatment gives you sense of warm energy surrounding your body as well as flowing through you.  When undergoing a treatment, you are treated as a whole meaning your mind, body, and spirit.  A sense of well-being and peace is felt with many miraculous results. 


Is this Religious? 
No, even though it is spiritual in nature.  There is no structured faith base or dogma crossing all cultures.  It works not matter what faith you have as it's natural healing uses universal spiritual laws to promote wellness and peace.  However, this can enhance your own faith and religion.Check out our Calendar or Events page for more information.   Contact us in Hingham, Massachusetts, to learn more about Reiki treatment for stress reduction, spiritual healing, and relaxation.

Check out our Calendar of Events page or Services Page for more information.  Review what others say in our testimonials


Small selection of what others have said about Laura's Reiki treatments and or classes:


"I have attended, one of Laura's Reiki meditation and attunment evenings and came away feeling like a new person..."


"The Reiki one course was a unique and powerful experience and yet another opportunity to open the portals into the spiritual world. Laura walked us through the important aspects of the origin of Reiki, led each of us through the attunement process and gave us ample opportunity to practice what we had learned. She is a knowledgeable and a patience teacher...."


"...She is an awesome teacher and a beautiful soul!!!"


"It was an awesome learning experience..."


"I left my skeptism at the door because I'm curious if all I've known and all that I've had is really all that I'll ever be...After just a couple visits I know I'm more...I've learned to cut the string of baggage past..."


"Without the help I have received here I do not know where I would be today or who I would be."

Reiki Can Do No Harm or Can It?

Reiki can do no harm or can it? Just as in any profession, there are many wonderful reiki professionals who do amazing work and many individuals receive the many benefits of reiki. However, there are also downsides.  So, before I answer that question, I want to tell you a story.

I was teaching an anatomy and physiology class at a college in Boston. There was a section in one of the chapters talking about links to stress related illnesses and the benefits of meditation as a treatment option. I went on my normal tangents talking about how reiki, acupuncture, and other alternative therapies have benefits as well. I elaborated on each on what benefits, for what purpose and cited types of studies and research done.

I also discussed my professional experiences teaching and practicing meditation and reiki in a medical environment as well as how I teach them and why I teach them a certain way. I also discussed my volunteer work with trauma victims especially, but not limited to, domestic abuse survivors.

During break I had a few students inquire and ask questions about alternative therapies and about reiki in particular. At the time, I assumed their questions were out of curiosity.

A couple days later I received an email from one of my students through one of the websites I have written articles for. She wanted to know if reiki could help her because she was a survivor of child sex abuse and for the last 20 years everything she has tried has not helped her.  She had tried reiki once before about 5 years ago, but she said it felt like "someone put voodoo" on her. She talked about the class and how what I said made sense to her. She wondered if "this reiki thing" could really help her to finally heal and move on with her life.

Why am I telling you this story? This story is one of many stories of survivors of abuse having a negative experience with reiki. It did not matter if it was an alternative healing night, a referral from a psychiatrist or physician, or a student. The stories began to stack up as to why these individuals never sought reiki again until they met me. It always puzzled me, but also knew there was a reason even it I did not know it at the time.



Laura's students administering Reiki.
(c)2010-2014 All Rights Reserved.

So now back to the question. Reiki can do no harm or can it?

Reiki itself can do no harm. It is a Japanese energetic touch therapy with roots that go back to Ancient Tibetan Buddhist healing as do many other alternative therapies.  Reiki works with the electrical conduction system of the human body, BUT with the wrong practitioner it may give the appearance it can do harm.  The problem is not with reiki, but with the unqualified reiki person working with someone who has experienced trauma.

In the case of my student, the reiki worked. It was the lack of training or communication by the practitioner that caused the problem that exacerbated the healing crisis she felt making her feel as if “someone put voodoo” on her.

Sadly, over the years, I have seen too many well intentioned reiki practitioners take a 6-8hr workshop and want to profess their expertise in reiki. That is not reiki, but ego talking. If you are teaching this or have been taught that, there is a misconception, and it needs to change.

Working with trauma victims, requires more than just reiki training. You must know the clinical signs and symptoms of trauma and in my opinion, have some sort of clinical or medical training in one or many areas such as trauma, abuse, first aid and cpr, psychology, grief, post traumatic stress, etc.

There is a lot of scientific data research citing the many benefits of reiki as a treatment option especially for diagnoses such as anxiety and depression which tends to plague many victims, and speaking as a survivor of abuse myself, reiki DOES work. 

Reiki is also used in medical offices and hospitals all over the country as part of an integrative therapy approach. Boston area hospitals that offer reiki as part of their programs include: Boston Children's Hospital, Dana Farber and Brigham and Women's. Nurses are also able to get CEUs. So you see reiki itself, has become a viable treatment options for many within the medical community.

A study done in 2007 by the National Health Interview Survey indicates that 1.2 million adults and 161,000children received one or more sessions of energy healing therapy such as Reiki in the previous year. According to the American Hospital Association, in 2007, 15% or over 800 American hospitals offered Reiki as part of hospital services.

Out of ignorance, I see so many well intentioned reiki teachers and practitioners exacerbating serious medical problems and shedding a negative light on the good reiki can do as viable healing modality by preaching that anyone can do reiki on anyone as reiki can do no harm. Again, it is not the reiki doing harm, but the unqualified reiki practitioner.

How?

With an unqualified reiki professional, a victim who already experiences fear, mistrust, and guardedness, these symptoms can significantly worsen.

A qualified reiki professional does the proper client intake, knows when the client is ready for actual healing to take place, there is proper communication between practitioner and client, and if healing crisis takes place a qualified practitioner knows what to do and knows where to refer the client if medical intervention or treatment is required.

With statistics such as, one in three women experience abuse in their lifetime, the chances a reiki professional will encounter a client with trauma is great.  Domestic abuse has hit epidemic proportions in this country and is expected to remain steady until the economy improves, laws to protect victims are enforced and resources to organizations that work with victims are improved.

This is not taking into account other traumas from events such as our military servicemen returning from war or Hurricane Sandy or 9/11.

Of the 1.7 million veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, 300,000 (20percent) suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder or major depression.[i]   According to the VA, about one-in-five female veterans have post-traumatic stress related to "military sexual trauma", a catch-all category that includes everything from sexual harassment to rape.[ii]

For 9/11 survivors, “at least 10,000 firefighters, police officers and civilians exposed to the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center have been found to have post-traumatic stress disorder.”[iii]

“Statistics say that only 5% of those who survived 9/11 in New York City went on to experience symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). But in the case of Hurricane Katrina, 33% later suffered symptoms. This is a very high percentage, even for an extremely traumatizing event.”[iv]

With these numbers and statistics, it is imperative, the manner in which reiki is utilized needs to be given much consideration.

The reiki practitioner who looks out for their client first, will set ego aside and do the right thing by referring those clients to a professional better qualified to work with those individuals.

If you have ever experienced some form of trauma in your life whether it be abuse, rape, natural disasters, loss, war, or the like, then please understand that not all reiki professionals are the same just like not all doctors or therapists are the same. Seek out a reiki professional with training or professional experience in the related fields you seek and ask questions.

As a reiki professional and a survivor of abuse, I can attest to you the many wonderful benefits reiki has to offer especially in healing issues surrounding abuse.

This article was intended to help educate both well intentioned reiki practitioner as well as educate the general public on why choosing the right reiki professional is critical to your overall health, healing and overall wellbeing.

If you have never experienced reiki before, I suggest you give it a try. I have personally witnessed the many benefits of reiki, which is why I have become so outspoken about this challenge.  Just like anything else, understand not all reiki practitioners are trained alike or practice reiki alike. If you have a reiki story you wish to share related to this topic, I would really like to hear from you.

I sincerely hope the information given served as informative, beneficial, and healing. 

ABOUT LAURA
Laura Healing With Spirit is a Registered Certified Medical Assistant, An accredited Shihan (teacher) in Jikiden Reiki, and  Reiki Master Teacher in the Usui Tradition.  She has over 15 cumulative years in the holistic and allopathic health fields and has incorporated energy medicine in her line of work since 2006.

With Laura’s diverse background, Laura has a very unique way of teaching and working with her clients than what is typically seen in mainstream reiki which is why many certified reiki practitioners opt to take her courses to better fulfill their personal or professional healing needs. Laura also has extensive training and experience working with trauma victims and domestic violence over the past 6 years. She has a keen sense of awareness when working with her clients that many chronic illnesses, major life events and past life challenges often appear as potential energetic blocks during reiki treatment sessions.

NPO- Jikiden Reiki Institute Member. 


ICRT Reiki Membership Association - Affiliate Member
We are an Affiliate Member of  ICRT, and follow a code of ethics, and standards of practice.  Its purpose is to maintain a professional image for our members while at the same time preserving the spirit of Reiki and assisting members in creating a thriving Reiki practice. By becoming a member, we'll be associating with an organization that has the reputation of providing accurate, up-to-date information on the history, practice, and scientific study of Reiki. Affiliate members must abide by the following requirements: Use ICRTclass manuals purchased from www.reikiwebstore.com when teaching Reiki I, II,ART, Master and Karuna Reiki® classes. One manual must be provided to each student. Abide by the RMA Code of Ethics. Abide by the RMA Standards of Practice. Place the RMA logo on member’s web site home page (if member has a website).Affiliate members must be Usui Reiki masters. Reiki training must have taken place with teacher in person. (no Internet, distant, CD, or book only training accepted).    Contact us in Quincy, Massachusetts, to learn more about Reiki treatment for stress reduction, spiritual healing, and relaxation.
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/LauraHealingWithSpirit
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©2010-2014 Laura Healing With Spirit. All Rights Reserved. This information is for general educational uses only. It may not apply to you and your specific medical needs. This information should not be used in place of a visit, call, consultation with or the advice of your physician or health care professional. Communicate promptly with your physician or other health care professional with any   health-related questions or concerns.  Be sure to follow specific instructions given to you by your physician or health care professional.




REFERENCES:

[i] RAND Center for Military Health Policy Research, Invisible Wounds of War, 2008
[ii] J. Kitfield, National Journal, 2011
[iii] Anemonia Hartocollis, 10 Years and a Diagnosis Later, 9/11 Demons Haunts Thousands, TheNew York Times, August 8, 2011.
[iv]by SusanneBabbel, Ph.D., MFT, Bridging the mind-body gap, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder After 9/11 and Katrina, Psychology Today; September 12,2011.

The Reiki Effect

Graphic created by Laura Healing With Spirit (c)2014 All Rights Reserved.

The Reiki Effect - Reiki is a Japanese complementary alternative mind body medicine therapy that works with the human body's bioenergy field. It uses vibrational, or subtle energy, administered most commonly by a light touch to assist the body's ability to heal itself.

Reiki has gained acceptance and popularity over the years and is widely used and accepted as an effective therapeutic treatment in many medical offices and hospitals across the country.

As time goes on, there are more and more medical studies coming out on the efficacy of Reiki as a viable alternative treatment option. It is also used in conjunction with other conventional medicine treatment options.

This graphic summarizes the benefits of Reiki when administered by a qualified Reiki Professional.

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Laura Healingwithspirit, RMA, RMT is a Reiki Master Teacher, Spiritual Medium, Public Speaker, and Teacher with over 15 cumulative years in healthcare with the last 7 years specializing in holistic health. She specialized in using Reiki as an effective treatment option in healing trauma associated with abuse such as domestic abuse, child abuse, and sexual abuse.

Services offered: Medium Readings, Medical Intuitive Readings, Angel, Oracle, and Tarot Readings, Energy Assessments and Healings, Reiki, Yuen, Holistic Health, Stress Reduction, Spiritual and Holistic Health Coaching.

For more about Laura, visit www.healingwithspirit.webs.com