Abide with Us

Concerning Reiki for the Dying

2010-03-29T20:02:00.003-04:00

This email was just sent to me, and it is so impressive I had to share this with the permission of the author (Names omitted for privacy).

I am a Reiki Master Teacher, my Spiritual Lineage is 7 Removed. I do Reiki at the "_______"(name omited as per the Author to respect privacy). It has been one of the most incrediable journeys that I walk with these very courageous patients.
My Mom passed in May, and I felt I needed to help make her transition easier as it was difficult for her. So I went on the web and found you and about the Chakra between the third eye and crown..and did that for my mom with Reiki for her breathing as she had been chain stoking..within minutes she had a normal pattern of breathing again and continued until she passed. My Mom and I had often spoke about her angels and how they would be there to greet her..I know for her she was afraid to die as she felt she would have to answer for things she had done to others in her lifetime. I have this lens that fits over the camera that comes from England, it shows Auras..what it captured with my Mom was a white tunnel around her..it is the most amazing pictures..I then knew the realm was with her.
Last week I was asked by a Mom to see her 38yr old son who was actively dying in the hospital..when I arrived he was moaning, fidgeting and his breathing was erratic. Again as I did for my Mom, put my hands between the Crown and 3rd eye chakra. Within minutes he was at ease..I asked if it was okay to share with him what I saw...his mom said yes. I saw his angels around him just waiting for when he was ready and they would wait for as long as he needed..he opened his eyes and said "amazing" his mom asked him what, he said he saw them, she said your angels, he nodded yes and had a very faint smile. His mom stated to me "look how at peace he is now then before you came in"...And so I left knowing that he would be having an easier transition. All my life I have been connected to people who have passed as I give messages. And I see a lot of things, I believe it is because I had my own near death experience when I was a child.

Aged Tires: A Driving Hazard? - ABC News

2010-01-30T11:51:00.000-05:00

Aged Tires: A Driving Hazard? - ABC News

Be Well Frederick Dec-Feb Edition 2010

2010-01-20T14:43:00.002-05:00

Robin Littlefeather Hannon, Heather Jovenal, Kathleen McLaughlin, Jill Johnson and Steve Ayton (l to r) perform pro bono Massage and Reiki on family members at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial event October 2 in Emmitsburg, Maryland.

A Be Well Frederick Program of Intention
One Heart, Many Hands offers Healing Therapies

"One Heart Many Hands" is an outrreach effort of Be Well Frederick led by Massage Therapist and Advisory Board member Kathleen McLaughlin. one Heart, May Hand's intention is to organize practitioners to offer massage, energy work, acupuncture and more on a pro bono (free) basis to those who would otherwise never receive the benefits of this healing.
Practitioner volunteers met the needs of both individuals and orgainzations last quarter in its very first days of existence. Pictured above, practitioners offer healing therapies to members of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation at the annual memorial gathering at the National Firefighter Academy in Emmitsburg, which honors the firefighters that have lost their lives that year in the line of duty. It is also a weekend of support for the families that come from around the country and are grieving their loved ones. Those who received healing sessions were wonderfully grateful and left with a lighter heart.
But One Heart, Many Hands is manifested today by the efforts of only a few. The load is ever so muc lighter with more hands and the work is rewarding on many levels. If you are one of our many Healing Arts Practitioners, please consider an hour, or a day to join us in bringing your touch to those hearts that are calling.

Reiki for the Dying

2009-09-01T07:50:00.000-04:00

Reiki for the dying
In recent weeks my father has been making the transition between life and death. In this transition I have been using a Reiki technique developed by myself and Dr. Harold Bob of Season’s Hospice to ease his pain, and to make his passing more comfortable and less fearful for him.
The technique used is slightly different from the Reiki used on people who are not in the active dying phase. When someone is transitioning, most of the energy below the waist begins to shut down and no longer functions. Normally Reiki is used to regain this function and get the energy flowing and aligned properly. In this case there is no attempt to align the energy or re-establish its flow. Instead what is worked on is the upper body where the energy is still flowing, mostly around the head area, and sometimes the throat and heart. Eventually the only place left flowing with any energy is the head. It is suspected that when one finally does depart it is through the head area where the energy was the last to shut down.
The idea of this sort of Reiki is to help acceptance of this transition, and to allay fear and anxiety, along with pain which may be present in the individual. Breath work along with focus on the Bodi tree brings forward a very healing and supportive energy that assists in the dying process bringing peace and equanimity to the one in transition.
Not only has this process helped my father, but it has also helped me. I have actively been able to not only ease his suffering, but as well to ease my own pain and grief. I have been in the moment as I have worked on him. In this place there is no past, no present, only that moment. There is a sense of connection, peace, and a purity that seems to present itself as I work with him. I have seen his face wracked with pain, and then ease as I work on him. I have seen him drift off to sleep as I work with a smile on his face. At one point he almost seemed to glow with contentment and the beauty of this brought tears to my eyes. I am both humbled and honored to have been part of his process, and I know that when he finally does let go I would have had a small part in his passing in peace and comfort.

Robin Littlefeather Hannon

Explaining Reiki

2009-07-29T12:08:00.002-04:00

Explaining Reiki
Reiki is a simple technique to relieve stress and pain and promote wellness. It promotes the flow of energy in the human body which in turns allows the body to function in a more holistic manner. To demystify this concept let’s look at a carburetor in a car and then relate it to energy work and Reiki.
The goal of a carburetor is to mix just the right amount of gasoline with air so that the engine runs properly. If there is not enough fuel mixed with the air, the engine "runs lean" and either will not run or potentially damages the engine. If there is too much fuel mixed with the air, the engine "runs rich" and either will not run (it floods), runs very smoky, runs poorly (bogs down, stalls easily), or at the very least wastes fuel. The carburetor is in charge of getting the mixture just right. By the same token when energy flow in the human body is not moving, stuck, or in some way hampered, the entire body will run poorly. Symptoms of this vary, but some of the more common symptoms may include decreased energy levels, lack of mental clarity, emotional distress, and physical pain and or illness. The goal of a Reiki Master Practitioner is to ensure the proper “mix” or flow of energy which will then promote wellness and allow the body to heal itself.
One might ask how a Reiki Practitioner influences the flow of energy. When a carburetor is plugged up the technician will remove or clean the ducts then replace it in the car. An energy worker obviously cannot remove physical parts and then replace them. What an energy worker does is to lay their hands on a client. A Reiki Practitioner can feel the ebb and flow of energy through their hands the same way that a technician can diagnose the ebb and flow of air through a carburetor. Once the Practitioner feels the flow or lack thereof of this energy, they are able to move it with certain techniques taught to them among which is intent, breath control, and as well mental images to focus on. Through this technique they then balance the energetic system.
Benefits of Reiki may include:

• Increased Energy Levels
• Increased Mental Clarity
• Personal Ability to Grow
• A Sense of Calm or Balance
• Emotional Healing & Stability
• Clearing & Balancing of Chakras
• Can Provide Relief from Chronic Pain
• Boosts & Strengthens the Immune System
• Compliments & Supports
• Conservative Medical Treatment
• Helps to Deal with Suppressed or
• Blocked Emotions & Feelings
• Reduces Stress, Tension, Anxiety, & General Emotional Distress

A response to the Bishops' Statement on Reiki

2009-05-19T17:46:00.002-04:00

A Response to the Bishops' Statement on Reiki
by William Lee Rand
On March 25, 2009, U.S. Catholic bishops issued a statement advising Catholic hospitals, health care facilities, and Catholic chaplains not to support the use of Reiki sessions. The statement was issued by The Committee on Doctrine, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and titled: “Guidelines for Evaluating Reiki as Alternative Therapy.”

The statement was based on research the committee had done over a period of several months involving information found on the Internet and in Reiki books. Based on these sources, they concluded that Reiki came from Buddhist texts and has a religious basis; that Reiki healing energy is directed by human thought and will; that Reiki is not validated by scientific studies and has no scientific explanation, and that Reiki is not accepted by the medical community.

When considering the value of the bishops’ statement, it’s important to note the sources they accessed. Much of their research came from information published on Internet Web sites. Overall, the Internet isn’t a good source of factual information because there is no requirement that information published there be checked or approved for accuracy. Anyone can set up a Web site and publish anything they wish. What often happens is that authors of sites copy from each other, so if inaccurate information is published on one site, it can easily spread to many sites across the Internet. If one makes use of the Internet for research, one must use a developed set of selection criteria that limits one to only the most respected and reputable Web sites. Otherwise, one runs the risk of accepting rumor and misinformation as fact.

This is especially true for Reiki Web sites. Reiki information has been riddled with inaccurate ideas from the beginning of its practice in the West. Many Reiki practitioners, teachers and authors fail to check the accuracy of the information they base their teaching and writing on, and this has had a detrimental effect on the quality of information published both on the Internet and in Reiki books.

The best information on Reiki comes from those who have researched the history and practice of Reiki professionally by conducting research in Japan, reading original documents, and interviewing members of the founding Reiki organization in Japan. If the bishops who wrote the statement on Reiki had interviewed several of these experts, they would have realized that much of the published information on Reiki is inaccurate, and they would have had accurate, verifiable information on which to base their conclusions.

Origin of Reiki
One of the stories told by Mrs. Takata about the origin of Reiki indicates that the founder, Mikao Usui discovered the secret of Reiki n Buddhist texts.1 This story has been repeated over and over in Reiki classes, on Internet Web sites and in many Reiki books. Yet we know this isn’t true. For many years, Mrs. Takata was the only source of information about Reiki for those in the West, and most practitioners accepted her statements without question. Language, cultural, and organizational barriers in Japan made research difficult for those who wanted to learn more about the origins and practice of Reiki. It wasn’t until the end of the 90’s that a few researchers were able to make breakthroughs.

Researchers, including Toshitaka Mochizuki, Hiroshi Doi and Frank Arjava Petter, made contact with the original Reiki organization, discovered Mikao Usui’s grave, translated the story of Reiki inscribed on his memorial stone, and uncovered an original document written by Mikao Usui about the nature of Reiki. These sources indicate that Mikao Usui wasn’t seeking to discover a method of healing, but that the ability to heal came to him spontaneously during a spiritual experience on a sacred mountain. Furthermore, in his Reiki Ryoho Hikkei (Reiki Healing Art Handbook), Mikao Usui states: “My Usui Reiki Ryoho (healing art) is original, never before explored, and incomparable in the world.” These facts indicate that Reiki couldn’t have come from Buddhist texts, nor could it be connected to any religion or belief system. In addition, Japanese Reiki Masters who have knowledge of Buddhism have indicated that they can find nothing from Buddhism in the practice of Reiki and that Reiki is religiously neutral.2

The Nature of Reiki Healing
One of the first things I noticed after I took my first Reiki class and began to practice Reiki is that Reiki healing energy directs itself. I was unable to direct it with my mind or will and realized this wasn’t necessary as Reiki had its own form of guidance that was superior to my own. This experience has been verified by other professional Reiki practitioners and forms the basis of one of the important keys to using Reiki: If you want Reiki to provide the best healing experience, it’s necessary for the practitioner to set their own desire, will and ego aside, and allow the Reiki energy to guide itself.

Scientific Explanation for Reiki
There is a scientific explanation for Reiki that is based on scientific studies and factual information. This explanation has been presented as a testable hypothesis by James Oschman, Ph.D.

Dr. Oschman is a scientist with a conventional background who became interested in the practice of energy medicine. Through research, he discovered a number of important scientific studies that point to a scientific basis for energy medicine based on the laws of physics and biology. These findings are discussed in an interview, “Science and the Human Energy Field,” published in the Winter 2002 issue of Reiki News Magazine.

The electrical currents that run through every part of the human body provide the basis for Dr. Oschman’s hypothesis. These currents are present in the nervous system, organs, and cells of the body. For instance, the electrical signals that trigger the heartbeat travel throughout all the tissues of the body and can be detected anywhere on the body.

Ampere’s law indicates that when an electrical current flows through a conductor, an electromagnetic field is produced that reflects the nature of the current that created it. Tests with scientific instruments indicate that electromagnetic fields exist around the body and around each of the organs of the body, including the brain, heart, kidneys, liver, stomach, etc. The heart has the strongest field, which has been measured at a distance of 15 feet from the body.

The fields around each of the organs pulse at different frequencies and stay within a specific frequency range when they are healthy, but move out of this range when they are unhealthy. The hands of healers produce pulsing electromagnetic fields when they are in the process of healing, whereas the hands of non-healer do not produce these fields. When a healer places his or her hands on or near a person in need of healing, the electromagnetic field of the healer’s hands sweeps through a range of frequencies based on the needs of the part of the body being treated. Faraday’s law indicates that one electromagnetic field can induce currents into a nearby conductor and through this process, induce a similar field around it. In this way, a healer induces a healthy electromagnetic field around an unhealthy organ, thus inducing a healthy state in the organ. A detailed explanation of this hypothesis, including descriptions of the scientific studies, diagrams, and references is presented in the interview mentioned above.

Acceptance by the Medical Community
Although Reiki is not universally accepted within the medical community, many medical professionals, hospitals, and healthcare facilities recognize its benefits and accept it as an adjunct therapy. In Holistic Nursing, A Handbook for Practice, Chapter 2 “Scope and Standards of Practice,” the American Holistic Nursing Association (AHNA) lists Reiki as an accepted form of treatment.3 In addition, according to the American Hospital Association, in 2007 Reiki was offered as a standard part of patient care in 15% or over 800 hospitals across the US.4 Doctors have recommended Reiki to their patients for amelioration of various health-related conditions. Surgeons make use of Reiki practitioners prior to, during, and following surgery. As an example, Dr. Mehmet Oz, one of the most respected cardiovascular surgeons in the US, uses Reiki during open-heart surgeries and heart transplants. According to Dr. Oz, “Reiki has become a sought-after healing art among patients and mainstream medical professionals.”5

Ethical Implications
To refuse Reiki treatment to patients that request it creates an ethical issue. According to the AHNA statement in response to the bishops’ statement, the practice of holistic nursing is not subject to regulation by the Catholic church and it would be an ethical violation for a member of the AHNA to withhold Reiki treatment from a patient who requests it; this includes those working in Catholic hospitals.

Scientific Studies
There are a number of reputable scientific studies that provide evidence that Reiki is therapeutic. These studies can be found by using one of the professional medical databases such as PubMed or Cochrane Collection.6 Studies meeting medical and scientific standards are usually published in peer-reviewed journals. There are over 20 such studies on the therapeutic value of Reiki. A review of some of these studies, “An Integrative Review of Reiki Touch Therapy Research” by Anne Vitale, Ph. D., can be found at http://www.nursingcenter.com/pdf.asp?AID=732068. While the Reiki studies conducted to date are preliminary in nature, they do provide support for additional studies.

One well-designed Reiki study is “Autonomic Nervous-System-Changes During Reiki Treatment: A Preliminary Study.”7 Forty-five subjects were assigned randomly to three groups. One group received no treatment, another received Reiki treatment by experienced Reiki practitioners, and the third group received sham treatment by a person with no Reiki training who used the same hand positions as those receiving real Reiki.

Measurements were made of heart rate, cardiac vagal tone, blood pressure, cardiac sensitivity to baroreflex, and breathing. Heart rate and diastolic blood pressure decreased significantly for those receiving Reiki, but not for those receiving sham Reiki, or no treatment. This study indicates that the body does respond to Reiki energy and that this response isn’t purely psychological. It also indicates a potential therapeutic effect for Reiki.

“Reiki Improves Heart Rate Homeostasis in Laboratory Rats”8 is another valuable study. The value of using animals in this type of study is that they are not affected by belief or skepticism regarding Reiki. In addition, highly accurate telemetric implants were used to transmit the biometric data. White noise was used to increase the heart rate of three implanted laboratory rats. The rats were treated by a Reiki practitioner and by a sham Reiki practitioner prior to being exposed to white noise and after exposure. The procedure involved the practitioner directing their hands toward the caged rat at a distance of four feet. The rats that received Reiki experienced a significant reduction in heart rate, both before having their heart rates elevated by white noise and after, whereas those treated with sham Reiki did not. This is one of the most rigorous Reiki studies to date and demonstrates that Reiki reduces the heart rate in both stressed and unstressed animals and promotes homeostasis, both of which promote healthy heart function.

Reiki is practiced by followers of many religious traditions. Although some practitioners integrate Reiki into their existing religious beliefs, Reiki is not a religion, doctrine, or dogma. Reiki is grounded in the principle of compassionate action, which is common to all religious traditions. While each religion has the right to create its own rules, it’s within the nature of human dignity and free will for each person to decide which path to follow and what activities are appropriate for them.

1 Paul David Mitchell, The Blue Book, revised edition for The Reiki Alliance (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho: 1985), page 13.

2 Personal communication with Japanese Reiki practitioners Hiroshi Doi and Hyakuten Inamoto.

3 page 56.

4 http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-09-14-alternative-therapies_N.htm and www.reikiinhospitals.org

5 http://healthcare-research.suite101.com/article.cfm/reiki_in_hospitals

6 http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/ PubMed is the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) free digital archive of biomedical and life sciences journal literature. http://www.lib.umb.edu/node/1353 The Cochrane Collection provides access to a collection of databases, which focus on the effects of health care and evidence based medical practice.

7 Nicole Makay, M.Sc., Stig Hansen, Ph.D., and Oona McFarlane, M.A., The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Volume 10, Number 6, 2004, pp. 1077–1081. This study is also discussed in “The Science of Reiki” by Nicole Mackay, Reiki News Magazine (Summer 2005).

8 Ann Linda Baldwin, Ph.D, Christina Wagers, and Gary E. Schwartz, Ph.D., The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Volume 14, Number 4, 2008, pp. 417–422.

William Lee Rand is president of the International Center for Reiki Training and executive editor of the Reiki News Magazine. He has studied with five Reiki teachers, including two from Japan, and has made three trips to Japan to research the history and nature of Reiki. Rand has practiced Reiki since 1981 and has taught full time for 20 years.

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Faith in a time of fear

2009-05-03T08:55:00.003-04:00

By Robin Littlefeather on May 3, 2009

It's been quite a crazy time we live in. First there has been economic upheaval, and now we have a new viral strain floating around. It seems as if everywhere we look there is fear, and fear mongering. The hysteria about all the things happening right now seems contagious. In Egypt they are slaughtering pigs although there is not one shred of evidence that pigs are infectious in any way. In the USA entire schools are closing for weeks. We just had one close where I live because one child "might" have this flu.

In this time of fear and panic I choose to refuse to fear. Yes I will take ordinary precautions such as hand washing, common sense when there is something going around, but I absolutely will not fear.

Fear is simply negative faith. What we believe and how we choose to react to things has an impact on our reality and what is manifested. Constant fear produces adrenaline which is a strain on adrenal glands. It also inhibits immune response and strains the entire body. Once our bodies are thrown off kilter we then become sitting targets for illness. The more we fear the more likely it is we will get ill. The more stress, the more our body shuts itself down, and the sicker we become.

During my day I will take the time to stop whatever it is I am doing and simply breathe. I am not talking about shallow chest breathing, but a technique that actually improves over all health, and destresses body and mind. I breathe in to my diaphram and imagine that Spirit's light is going all the way down to about an inch or two below my belly button. This point is called the Tantien. I imagine the light swirling around in that point and through my body and then breathe out any tension, negativity, or anything else that might harm me. I imagine my body becoming calmer, looser, freer. I find where in my body I am holding tension and let it go by breathing out. This takes fifteen minutes and can easily be done first thing in the morning, at lunch time, and again in the evening.

Along with the physical breathing I find positive statements, ideas or things to replace fearful or negative thoughts. If one is concerned about the flu a positive statement might be, "I am well and whole and continue to remain so. I place my faith in Creator and know that I am safe in the midst of this concern." What we say with our mouths literally does get into our Spirits. It may seem kind of silly even feel false at first, but the more we say things to ourselves, the more real it becomes. If we must say anything, why not invest in positive and healthful statements instead of negative ones? What do we really have to loose with this?

Question to Mother Earth

2009-02-10T16:29:00.001-05:00

Question: Mother Earth the entire planet’s weather system is out of kilter. The scope of this is frightening and at times it feels as though you are angry with us, and lashing out at us.
My Children:
You have it all wrong. I am not lashing out at you in spite of all you have done to deface me and poison me. No my Children you have it wrong. Yes my Body is responding to the damage you have done. Yes the climate is warming, the polar icecaps are melting. Yes there are stronger tornados, and yes there are issues with rain, lack of it, extreme heat, and other natural disasters. This is not because I am lashing out my Dearest Ones.
Let us look for a moment at the process of cancer produced by cigarettes in your own bodies. When you choose to smoke the lungs are damaged by cancer producing agents. They are blackened, and tar from the cigarettes impedes their ability to deliver life sustaining oxygen to the vital cells that sustain your life. Eventually the body responds by producing cancer cells. This is immunity gone wild, and it is the body’s reaction to an unnatural and unhealthy product that should never have been there to begin with. Now would you say your body hates you in this case? Of course it doesn’t hate you. Is it lashing out? No, in essence the body is trying to protect itself, but the mechanisms have been so damaged that instead of protection the body ends up attacking itself and killing itself.
In the same manner Children my body is responding to the damage you have done, and continue to do. Unfortunately I cannot control the response of my body and you are feeling the results. You cannot poison the waters of life I have given you, the air you breathe, the very ground you were born from and end up going back to without consequences. This is not because I am angry, but because my body is a living thing. It is its own living ecosystem with checks and balances just as your own body is. If you were to stop drinking water you would die. If you were to stop eating you would die. In the process of life, there are delicate systems that keep you alive. If those processes are disturbed then pandemonium and ultimately death is the result. These are choices my children, your choices. You have made the choices, and these are now the consequences of them.
Some have asked Me, is this reversible? Yes however the time is fast approaching when it will not be reversible. Just as people become terminal due to poisoning their bodies, or neglecting their health, so am I fast becoming terminal. Once that point is reached no there will be no return, there will be no coming back. If there is a time to reverse this trend it has to be now before the damage is so extensive that no one will survive, no life on Earth will sustain itself as we now know it.
I have nurtured you Children but I am old and feeble now from continued abuse. I am sick in body, and the poisons are rapidly diminishing my ability to recover, recoup, and fight back to health. I love you; I have given myself in my body and my Spirit to ensure your continuance. I cry tears in the acid rain that falls. Bitter tears for what have I done my Children that I deserve so little respect? I burn in the mounting heat, and as the icecaps melt, so does my determination to recover from it. I rumble and move in tsunami’s, earthquakes, and see the devastation my body causes and the lives it takes, and I cry my Children. I cry for you, for myself, and for all that I have done that goes unnoticed.
Wake up my Children before it is too late…Wake I say. With love Mother Earth.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090127/sc_afp/uswarmingenvironmentclimate found the same day:

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Climate change is "largely irreversible" for the next 1,000 years even if carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions could be abruptly halted, according to a new study led by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The study's authors said there was "no going back" after the report showed that changes in surface temperature, rainfall and sea level are "largely irreversible for more than 1,000 years after CO2 emissions are completely stopped."

NOAA senior scientist Susan Solomon said the study, published in this week's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal, showed that current human choices on carbon dioxide emissions are set to "irreversibly change the planet."

Researchers examined the consequences of CO2 building up beyond present-day concentrations of 385 parts per million, and then completely stopping emissions after the peak. Before the industrial age CO2 in Earth's atmosphere amounted to only 280 parts per million.

The study found that CO2 levels are irreversibly impacting climate change, which will contribute to global sea level rise and rainfall changes in certain regions.

The authors emphasized that increases in CO2 that occur from 2000 to 2100 are set to "lock in" a sea level rise over the next 1,000 years.

Rising sea levels would cause "irreversible commitments to future changes in the geography of the Earth, since many coastal and island features would ultimately become submerged," the study said.

Decreases in rainfall that last for centuries can be expected to have a range of impacts, said the authors. Regional impacts include -- but are not limited to -- decreased human water supplies, increased fire frequency, ecosystem change and expanded deserts.

Native American Code of Ethics

2009-01-26T11:29:00.002-05:00

I think we all can learn from these ethics.

Native American Code Of Ethics

1... Rise with the sun. Pray alone. Pray often. The Great Spirit will listen if you will only speak.
2...Be tolerant to those who are lost on their path. Ignorance, conceit, anger, jealousy, and greed stem from a lost soul. Pray that they will find guidance.
3...Search for yourself. Do not allow others to make your path for you. It is your road and yours alone. Others may walk it with you but none can walk it for you.
4...Treat the guest in your home with much consideration. Serve them the best foods, give them the best beds and treat them with respect and honor.
5...Do not take what is not yours, whether it is from a person, community, the wilderness or from a culture. It was not earned nor given, it is not yours.
6..Respect all things placed on the earth whether it is people or plants.
7..Honor other peoples thoughts, wishes and words. Never interrupt another or mock or rudely mimic them. Allow each person the right to personal statement.
8..Never speak of others in a bad way. The negative energy that you put out into the universe will multiply when it returns to you.
9...All people makes mistakes. All mistakes are forgiven.
10...Bad thoughts cause illness of the mind, body and spirit. Practice optimism.
11.. Nature is not for us but a part of us. They are a part of your worldly family.
12...Children are the seeds of our future. Plant love in their hearts and water them with wisdom and life's lessons. When they are grown, give them space to grow.
13...Avoid hurting the hearts of others. the poison of your pain will return to you.
14..Be truthful at all times. Honesty is the test of ones will...return to you.
15...Keep yourself in balance. Your mental self, spiritual self, emotional self, and physical self...all must be strong, pure and healthy. Work out the body to strengthen your mind. Grow rich in spirit to cure emotional ills.
16..Make conscious decisions as to who you will be and how you will read. Be responsible for your own actions.
17..Respect the privacy and personal spaces of others. Do not touch the personal property of others...especially sacred and Religious objects. This is forbidden.
18. Respect other religious beliefs. Do not force your belief on others.

Created By:
JanO

Post from my friend Susan Chester-Woods

2008-12-31T11:13:00.001-05:00

Past - New Year - Future
Current mood: peaceful
Category: Dreams and the Supernatural

I currently find myself, once again, on New Years Eve, in a mood of ruminating about both the past, the present and the future. For once not mired in the past nor thinking of the future, but trying to learn from the past to bring the good into the present to affect the future.

Today has been full of reminders of the past. Not only do I have old friends staying with me over this New Year, but today we went to the movies together and played air hockey.... something we haven't done together for years. And it felt wonderful. To do the game of "remember when" as well as talking on what has changed.

It is also the day I look back over the last 12 months to remember what has changed, what is gained or lost, what is new or old. And despite finding myself single once again, and having my heart broken (different stories, those) plus much study and working 2 jobs for a while, I feel on the whole that I have definitely come out ahead. This year has helped me to coalesce what I want from life, what my goals, aims and dreams are. Some of my core beliefs have been changed or replaced, and my skin will never be the same after this year (yes the tattoo).

During much of the year I have been under intense stress and pressure, and even needed counselling to make it through. But looking back I see growth and change, and am reminded that diamonds are only made under the most intense pressure available. And they are made from carbon - ashes. Considering I have a phoenix tattooed upon me (as well as dragon) the allegory is very apt :) Many times I have felt consumed by flame, and many times risen again. But this is the first time the diamond story was given to me too.

I believe we are all under trying and painful times. It is a trial by fire. The older allegory is that of purifying gold. It is heated so the dross can float to the top and be scooped off, making that which remains more pure and finer. Why it has been so intense for us all I cannot say with any certainty. But I do feel that 2009 is going to be different from the last 2 years of trials and burden. It will have a short respite for us to ease our aches and pains before the next round.

So when life feels as though you can take no more, know that you are not alone, we all feel it. We are all being made into the finest qualities for something that is ahead, whatever you may believe it to be. Do not give up, for we all need each other to help us all get there, wherever there is.

I wish you and your loved ones a respite for 2009. A time of joy, giving, and absorbing all that you have learned. A time to make sure the lessons are stamped in our conscious, and also a time to let go of the pain and whatever may be holding us back.

I bless you... with peace, love, hope and certainty.

Happy New Year.

New Year

2008-12-31T09:34:00.000-05:00

Well friends this has been quite a year. The winds of change and the time of reaping and sowing certainly seems to have been the theme for 2008.

Some are saying that perhaps 2009 will be a respite and a small window of rest from the tumult of 2008. I truly hope that this coming year is a respite. We definitely are being purged as it were in the fire. Everything that is dross is being burned away. We are stepping through a threshold, and we are being asked to ponder who we are without our possessions, without our wealth, and without our security. All that has defined America as a nation and people has been put to the fire. We have become fat, lazy, indulgent and greedy. Our greed has lead to a crisis that has not been seen since the time of the great depression. We are on the verge of a new birth and a new order. In this process a spirit of fear and dread has swept over many. For others, it has been an attack waged on spirit and body unlike anything previously seen. More now than ever we must ground ourselves in the middle of this storm. We must put on our armor of faith and hope to survive, and be willing to let go of every pre conceived notion in order to move forward. If indeed we are due for a respite, this is also a time to remember it is simply that, a small window to gird up our loins and gather our strength. We are no longer allowed the luxury to go around fat and belching with our spiritual tummies hanging over our belts. The call is loud and clear to wake up from our slumbers. Now more than ever we must stand in the gap as the world spins out its current course.

In times of shaking

2008-12-26T08:03:00.001-05:00

In this time of extreme shaking, it seems as even our very foundation is shifting. Everything we have known, all the things we have counted on seems like so much sand sifting between our fingers.

As Americans we have tended to define ourselves by what we can accomplish in our lifetimes, and what we can accrue. In this time of economic upheaval we no longer have the same luxuries, and the job market has become dismal and difficult.

The question then becomes what are we without the things that have come to define us? If due to the failing job market we are no longer physician, pharmacist, auto dealer, realtor, etc, who and what are we and what defines us?

Reiki in these times can help us to ground and breath and find out exactly who and what we are without all the trappings that we have allowed to define us. It helps us to get to our source, and to our center. It brings strength and the ability to focus into the current chaos. Reiki can help as well with stress induced problems brought on by the climate of worry and fear around us. While the tumult rages around us, we can be in the center of it with both peace and clarity.

Not only can Reiki help us define ourselves, it can help us to reach out to be a center of grounding and a place of comfort. We can give hope, a sense of purpose by standing in the gap as it were allowing Reiki to calm and assure ourselves and others.

Cherokee Wisdom

2008-11-16T13:54:00.002-05:00

November 16 - Daily Feast

Things have a way of growing out of bounds in the dark of thought. But we can control them by easing them out gently, the way steam escapes the kettle. The worst thing is to feed more fuel into our emotions than we can handle. Turn off the heat and the pressure will ease. Lay blame aside - especially self-blame. You can't do any good if you are dwelling on what went wrong. Forgive yourself and others. Nothing removes the blocks like forgiving. This is survival time and no injustice should be harbored. Make a new beginning and don't stop until it is done. You will know when that is.

~ The Great Spirit has heard me, and he knows I have spoken the truth. ~

KEOKUK - SAC AND FOX

'A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II' by Joyce Sequichie Hifler

Elder's Meditation of the Day - November 16

"We do not want riches, but we want to train our children right. Riches would do us no good. We could not take them with us to the other world. We do not want riches, we want peace and love."

--Red Cloud, OGLALA LAKOTA

The Elders say that what is important is peace and love. To have material things is okay, but if not, that's okay too. To have peace and love is more important than anything material. Our children will see the value of peace and love only if adults show they are a priority. Too often we think we can offer material things and they will replace the time spent with our children. But the most important way to give our children peace and love is to spend time with them.

My Creator, give me Your peace and love today.

'THINK on THESE THINGS'
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler

Don't try to tell me what your enemy looks like. My enemy is lazy, a procrastinator that spends most of the time talking me out of success. My enemy says friends are fickle and true ones are most infrequent. Faith, I'm told, is not enough to carry me over barriers. And I'm not loved so much as others, but that's all right because what good is love?

The day is dreary, my enemy says, and the flowers at my feet will soon wilt. I shouldn't smile at anyone today because they won't smile back at me.

This will be one of those days when everything goes wrong, my enemy tells me, and if I do anything right someone else will get the credit. I should watch the clock and realize how long the day is and how weary I am.

Don't tell me about your enemy, I have one of my own. But the fact that I know my enemy makes all the difference. My enemy lies to me and wants to destroy me. So I'll refuse to give my enemy power this day by giving a special measure of love to my friends and knowing that everything is exactly the opposite of what my enemy tells me.

Available online! 'Cherokee Feast of Days'
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler.

Visit her web site to purchase the wonderful books by Joyce as gifts for yourself or for loved ones......and also for those who don't have access to the Internet: http://www.hifler.com
Click Here to Buy her books at Amazon.com

Elder's Meditation of the Day
By White Bison, Inc., an American Indian-owned nonprofit organization. Order their many products from their web site: http://www.whitebison.org

Celebrating Rosh Hashana by Dr. Harold Bob

2008-10-03T09:32:00.001-04:00

This week Rosh Hashana was celebrated - (understanding that in the Bible prior to Abraham a "year" is not exactly a "year" as we know it) - roughly speaking for Jewish people this was the 5769 th birthday of the world. Every year for me this is a time of reflection, on many subjects.

Many of our dilemmas are fundamentally based on linguistic dualities. Right and wrong, good and evil, dark and light - we make much of this, and - more importantly - we use many of these dualities to teach and to learn. So - the fact that Newtonian physics has been shown to "not work" is a sub atomic world (we need "Quantum mechanics") - does not invalidate Newtonian physic for day to day things.

Likewise, the points here - are at special times - and - those wisdoms that are important for day to day life still are important. Birth and death though are, from an energy perspective - special times.

We focus a lot on morality, integrity and rules - if only we get the rule right we are "good," but - at times - the rules cease to matter. When a child is born - the circumstances surrounding the conception of the child no longer matter - it is correct to view each child that is born as a soul sent into the world by God, and, each child should be viewed for their positive energy and potential. Likewise, as a person approaches death, the "sins" of their life become meaningless.

This sounds stunning from the perspective of traditional religion - but - from a Reiki perspective - it is important and quite "normal." As energy of the soul or consciousness transitions from the body to merge with the Spiritual source, we need to assist as we can, but largely - get out of the way and not foment attachments that hold the spirit to the material world.

Their is actually, a lot of support for this concept - within traditional religion. A central prayer of Jewish faith quotes from Isaiah, the Angels or Seraphim singing back and forth in Heaven, "Holy Holy Holy is the Lord of Hosts. The whole Earth is filled with his Glory." From the Hebrew here, Glory can truly be understood as the "substance" of God - matter and energy and soul (or consciousness) - those qualities that make up the universe and the people in it - are all part of the substance of God.

In a major Rosh Hashana prayer, we recite a list of our sins, and pray for forgiveness. From a Jewish perspective, this prayer is part of the heart of our faith, and no doubt, from a Christian perspective, one can only imagine Jesus of Nazareth reciting this prayer - but - on reciting all the sins (to such a point that we realize that all human beings are sinners - and - we are taught - in Heaven one sin does not have higher standing than another, thus, all mortal beings are sinners) Avinu Malkeinu - or "our father our King" ends "our Father our King, act for your sake if not for our sake. Act for your sake and save us. Act for the sake of Your abundant compassion. Act for the sake of your great, mighty, and awesome Name that is proclaimed upon us. Be gracious with us and answer us, though we, have no worthy deeds; treat us with charity and kindness and save us."

There is a Talmud story of Manasseh, son of Hezekiah, who is rumored to be the most sinful man who ever lived. He turned the whole Jewish people to Idolatry. This action was felt worse than his murder of the prophet Isaiah, or his forbidden sexual acts done in the Holy of Holies. When he died, he repented, but the angels closed the gates of heaven to him. God, acted, and opened a new Gate to Heaven - Why? It was to teach the Angels a) not to judge - only God retains the right ot Judge for God contains Mercy that exceeds his attribute of Justice and that b) God forgives all who repent regardless the Sin.

Now there - stunningly - are countless Bible stories oft ignored by religious teachers - on this exact topic - and, for day to day life, it is understandable that we teach the lessons of Justice, Integrity and right behavior. However, as a human being approaches death, all these factors become meaningless - no one really "deserves" to suffer, and, God's intent is for human being to improve and evolve their Spirit or Consciousness -

And so for the Health Care worker, and especially for the Reiki practitioner, the time near "Transition" or death, is one that requires special training and skill, since, we need especially to be well grounded, check our own egos at the door, assist the soul in transition - and understand that it is not about "us" or about "judgement" (which belongs only to God), but about like birth, a natural phenomenon that we cannot fully understand, that we can only assist, and for which we can ask no thanks.

When we cannot "Cure" we can - at the least use Reiki to assist as the Spiritual Energy of a person returns to its source. Spiritual Energy permeates the Earth, "the whole Earth is full of its Glory"

The heart and praying

2008-09-29T09:35:00.001-04:00

"So I prayed, but I had to pray from my heart. All of my concentration and thoughts went from my head to my heart. All of my senses - hearing, smell, taste, and feeling - were connected to my heart."
--Wallace Black Elk, LAKOTA
The heart is the gateway to the Unseen World, to the Spirit World. It takes real concentration to do this. To connect to our own heart is also a mental state. It starts in the head and transitions to the heart. This mental state is our inner stillness. Be still and know. This place of the heart is very joyous and peaceful. It is this place that we become one with God, our Creator.

Great Spirit, teach me to be a heart warrior.

Love

2008-09-28T16:18:00.001-04:00

Love is something that you can leave behind you when you die. It's that powerful."
--John (Fire) Lame Deer, ROSEBUD LAKOTA
The Old Ones say, love is all anyone needs. Love doesn't go away nor can love be divided. Once you commit an act of love, you'll find it continues. Love is like setting up dominos one behind the other. Once you hit the first domino, it will touch the second one which will touch the third one and so on. Every love act or love thought has an affect on each person as well as touching the whole world. If you live a life filled with love, the results will affect your friends, relatives and other people, even after you go to the other side. So... Love.

My Creator, let me love. Let me put into action the love dominos.

Awakening from Spiritual Slumber

2008-08-28T14:30:00.001-04:00

It's been a very unique time in this present world we live in. So many people are waking up from what seems like a long spiritual slumber to their true calling. It almost seems as if there is a great divide happening between those who are willing to awaken to their potential and Divine Guidance, and those who wish to continue sleep walking through their lives. Our world is becoming progressively more frightening with terrorism, rising oil and food prices, wars, and terrible storms the like of which hasn't been seen in this scope. In many ways it is forcing the issue in regards to waking up in time mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. I truly believe we are in a unique position to usher in a new world, but we need to stand in strength rather than fear. We have the opportunity to manifest a new destiny through our intent, and to see mankind progress if we only refuse to allow fear to take hold of us. These birthpangs on the Earth are a product not only of Man's need to head toward enlightment, but as well Gaia's rage and retribution against those who have so polluted and abused her. We have sown the seeds of natural disaster by ruining the ozone layer, destroying forests and trees, burning fossilzed fuel and the like. In this time we must lead the way in going green as much as possible. We must be spiritually prepared and emotionally ready to live in a world that will be far different than the one we currently live in.

The difference between Faith healing and Reiki healing

2008-08-27T15:39:00.004-04:00

What is the difference between Reiki and the faith healing as in the laying on of hands? As well who or what are you calling on when you are facilitating Reiki?
Thomas Payne
Frederick, Maryland 21703

When one is attempting faith healing it's usually done with specific prayers in the name of God. For example in the fundamentalist Christian movement, one would lay one's hands on someone and pray in the name of Jesus, often quoting scriptures and or in some way activating faith in God. Depending on the faith involved there are often route prayers, and sometimes anointing a person with oil along with the faith of the person praying that facilitates the healing.

With Reiki you are not praying any specific prayers, nor are you calling to any specific God. In this sense Reiki is non religious. On the other hand Reiki is very spiritual in that you are not just dealing with the body of a person, but their mind, and their spirit. In Reiki we are calling on the same force that has created our physical universe and holds it together. This force does not have a gender, nor does it have any specific way to approach it. It is the creative force of life itself. While it is a spiritual concept this is not necessarily a religious concept or a dogmatic one.

In faith healing there are no symbols one must concentrate on. There are no specific hand positions. One simply has faith, and it is this faith that is supposed to move mountains. Faith then in this case is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen. It is calling on the promises of healing in whatever faith or religion one aspires to, and believing sight unseen that the things that have been prayed for are being manifested into reality through faith.

In Reiki healing we use symbols as a catalyst for the Universal Life force to channel through us and help the patient heal themselves. As one progresses in Reiki, often symbols become unnecessary because each symbol has a specific "feel" or energetic signature which can be then called on or channeled. There are specific hand positions in Reiki. These hand positions are aligned with something called an energetic chakra system. Chakras are points along the spine where the human energy has created little whirlpools of energy. When we place our hands along these areas, the idea is to align the energetic system which helps to facilitate wellness and healing.

As to what we call on, we call on the Universal force of life itself, or what is known as the force of Creation. Again there is no particular Deity involved, and no set rules of how to approach such a Deity.

Alternative Healing Treatments

2008-08-19T16:26:00.008-04:00

Reiki is actually a complimentary treatment rather than an alternative treatment.

A Complimentary treatment is something we do in addition to evidence based medicine that works together with medicine but does not replace it.

An Alternative treatment is something we do instead of evidence based medicine.
Reiki always seeks to work with and compliment existing medical modalities, it does not attempt to replace them.

While Reiki is technically a Complimentary treatment it would fall under Alternative Medicine. This is not because it replaces traditional medicine. In the United States anything that is not evidence based medicine tends to be lumped in with the title of Alternative Medicine.

For the sake of less confusion I will refer to Reiki here as Alternative based energy healing.

While conventional medicine treats the body, often the mind and spirit are left unattended. It is here that Alternative treatments or modalities shine. We all know the effects of stress on the human body.

Below are some of the effects although certainly not all of them:

Bereavement : Decreased lymphocyte proliferation.
Pessimistic states: Decreased lymphocyte reactivity; decreased T-cell effectiveness.
Academic stress: Decreased NK cell activity; decreased T-cells; decrease in certain immune chemicals; increased susceptibility to herpes virus; decreased immunoglobulin A; increased blood levels of Epstein-Barr virus.
Depression: Decreased T-cells; decreased number and function of lymphocytes; decreased NK cells.

In contrast to this we can see the effects of a relaxed or positive state of mind:
Satisfying personal relationships and social support.: Increased lymphocyte function; increased NK activity; increased immunity by nitrogen tests; increased immune response to hepatitis B vaccine.
Personal sharing and disclosure of traumatic experiences: Increased lymphocyte response.
Humor and laughter: Increased Immunoglobulin A; increased lymphocyte count and activity.
Hypnosis and relaxation techniques.: Increased T-cell effectiveness; increased NK cell activity; decreased blood levels of stress hormones; decreased blood levels of herpes virus.

From this we can see that what we feel or think has profound effects on our bodies. What we think and feel have far reaching effects on our physical bodies. There is a profound relationship between the mind and the body. It is fairly clear that negative emotions or thoughts produce a fight or flight response in the body. The more negative the energy invested in mind, it appears the more profound the effect will be on the body.

The benefits of Alternative Healing such as Reiki is that it can promote harmony of mind, which will then promote wellness of the body. Some of the benefits of Reiki can or may include:

1)Increased Energy Levels
2 Increased Mental Clarity
3)Personal Ability to Grow
4)A Sense of Calm or Balance
5) Emotional Healing & Stability
6)Clearing & Balancing of Chakras
7)Can Provide Relief from Chronic Pain
8 Boosts & Strengthens the Immune System
9)Compliments & Supports Conservative Medical Treatment
10)Helps to Deal with Suppressed or Blocked Emotions & Feelings
11)Reduces Stress, Tension, Anxiety, & General Emotional Distress

Reiki is unique as an Alternative healing method. Reiki can only work for the best and highest good of the person receiving it. Rather than do harm, Reiki will simply stop functioning. Reiki is a non invasive, calming modality. It derives it’s healing from the Universal Source which is Agape Love. It is completely nonreligious in nature. It accepts the person in whatever state they are in, always seeking for the highest and best resolution for that person mentally, spiritually and physically.

The Specter of Fear

2008-06-30T09:34:00.001-04:00

Abiding Reiki Newsletter for July

Let’s face it, wherever we look the world appears to be spinning out of control. Fear mongers are everywhere, and on the surface the fears appear justified. At this time we have oil prices running out of control, the specter of food shortages due to natural disasters, poor weather, and the unwise burning of food for fuel. There have been devastating floods in the Midwest which is the breadbasket of our country, violent and unusual tornados, and hurricanes. We have seen the almost total destruction of Mirimar, New Orleans, and other cities.
People are beginning to panic, and suddenly fringe survivalist groups are enjoying not only resurgence, but an acceptance in mainstream society. Many people have to tighten their belts financially and give up certain extras such as travel, eating out, and even new clothing.
In this atmosphere it is ever more important to find ways of counteracting stress. Rather than get caught up in fear, it is more important than ever to be grounded and calm. Learning to breath properly is an effective to relax and unwind. A reflex of fear and stress is often to hold one’s breath, and or to breathe shallowly from the chest rather than the belly. The fight or flight response raises adrenaline, and is a drain on the adrenal glands. This response also raises blood pressure, and muscles involuntarily tighten as they prepare to flee or defend. To illustrate how this works, next time there is a pressure or stress situation; try to take note of your body. Where are you feeling in your body? Where are you feeling this?
Simple belly breathing is not a hard concept, but one which will take some practice. Take two books, and put one on your chest, and one on your belly. Focus on long deep breathing, and pretend that your belly is a balloon. As you breathe you want your belly to inflate, and deflate. If you are doing this properly you will note that the book on your chest does not rise and fall as much as the book on your belly. Try breathing through your mouth, then making a slight O, leave your tongue at the roof of your mouth and slowly exhale. See what difference that makes in terms of how relaxed you feel. Breath in through your nose or mouth as slowly and calmly as you can. Extend your breathing patterns, but do not hyperventilate while attempting this.
Once you have the breathing down try these simple exercises:
Start at your feet, and then tighten them. Breathe in, then as you breathe out let the muscles of the feet go. Repeat this all the way up your body. Note the difference between tension and relaxation. What role is the deep breathing playing in that relaxation?
Breathe in, and as you breathe out, say or tone the word Om. Let your mind and bodies relax, and let the breath take you where it wants to go. If you drift off, this is fine. Be in the moment with the deep breathing and the sound of Om.
Spend fifteen minutes in the morning before you get up doing some deep breathing and again at night. This is a wonderful way to restore and refresh both body and spirit, and negate the effects of stress.

Working with Patients by Dr. Harold Bob

2008-06-10T19:43:00.002-04:00

In seeking a Reiki Master/Teacher for myself, I spoke with many Reiki practitioners and Reiki masters who were highly talented in their intuition. It became apparent that in teaching Reiki in the traditional way, teachers sometimes do not deal with the significant differences that occur for highly intuitive people who can channel naturally. Understanding what they can do, and why some things which can be done should not be done, is more important for more intuitive channels. And then again, higher level masters working with spiritual energy can sometimes attain incredible, seemingly miraculous results.

In asking patients for permission to work with them and provide Reiki, I also ask prior to starting Upekkha Reiki © about their own spiritual beliefs, or religious orientation. It is critical in end of life to work with the strengths and values of the patient, and zero out the belief structures of the Reiki Practitioner. This is a part of the grounding that must be done in preparation when we facilitate Reiki for the dying.

Recently I worked with a patient who was dying, and asked for her permission to perform Reiki for her. I asked her if she had religious training, and it turned out that she was a devout Catholic. As I began to work with her, she experienced intense warmth channeling through my hands, and i assured her it was not coming from me, and asked her if she was experiencing Jesus or Mary, the ascendant beings who she had prayed to her whole life. She closed her eyes, and started speaking - though not to me, "Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. "

There is an Apache tradition that, as human beings enter the world, the Great Spirit chooses their tribe. God chose for me to be Jewish, and that is what I am in my own private moments, and with my family. Yet, when i am a channel for another human being, especially a person near death, i channel only for them - whatever is occurring is not about me - it is only passing through me.

Not so long ago, I was at a patient's home, and the patient was dying of Parkinson's disease and dementia. There was no cure that we could use within traditional medicine, the patient's neurologist had told the family he was dying. My task was to make him comfortable, and work with the patient and family in coping with the transition and the loss. The family was very religious and wanted to speak about God, as they passed through "the valley of the shadow of death." As I left, they said to me, "we are so glad we could finally speak with a Dr who is a Christian." I had no need to talk about my own identity in that moment - i was there in service of them, in accord with what Hospice and Chaplaincy and Upekkha Reiki (c) mean at end of life. It is reminescent of the surgeon who saved President Reagan's life (he the surgeon a life long voting Democrat) saying after surgery, "right now we are all Republicans."

In working with Jewish patients, respect of Jewish tradition and values is important. A Jewish person may connect directly to God, or through the "bond of Eternal life" with the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) and the Matriarchs (Sarah, Rebecca, Leah and Rachel). I (Dr. Bob) have seen Christian Chaplains leave aside their own ministries, and serve instead the ministry of God the Creator, who in her/his wisdom made us each in a different way, and served Jewish tradition. And Islamic and Buddhist values must be respected and valued. The point being, in living the last part of one's life, near "transition," if a Reiki Practitioner can assist in channeling Upekkha Reiki ©, it should be only in accord with the life and values of the consciousness that is evolving on.

To be a witness to such a moment, to be allowed to be present, is itself a great and humbling honor. The importance of being a humble channel, of being properly grounded, of having respect for the soul and consciousness who is in transition.

Symbols, designs, and the meaning of geometric motifs

2008-06-09T10:02:00.002-04:00

On my recent time away, i visited la musee de civilization" in Quebec. (Civilization Museum).

There was an exhibit that i would like to ask everyone to think about, in terms of spiritual healing. In an exhibit of pottery made by Women in North Africa, there was a focus on the design and meaning of geometric motifs (or symbols) - painted onto the pottery. Reiki, deals in some regard with very specific ancient symbols.

When someone has a disease that cannot be cured by Traditional Medicine, there is a long human tradition for Caring when we cannot cure. There is also a long human tradition for reflecting on the nature of the human soul. For all that we have accomplished in Traditional Medicine, we have not moved forward (and in some cases have lost) accumulated wisdom from the human oral tradition.

The exhibit commented "geometric motifs that adorn the pieces have endured since the neo-lithic age, and are rooted in magico-religious intentions; self and species preservation; fertility; cult of the dead; and protection against evil." The women making the pottery often do not remember (or will not discuss) the meanings of the motifs.

Wikipedia comments on Carl Jung "Jung emphasized the importance of balance and harmony. He cautioned that modern people rely too heavily on science and logic and would benefit from integrating spirituality and appreciation of unconscious realms."

Evidenced based medicine is critically important to us, but, in its use we should not give up on our imaginations. This is especially true in Hospice, where evidence based medicine has been certified as unable to cure a patient, and our mission is to provide care when we cannot cure using a "traditional medicine" format.

As we find symbols, or "geometric motifs," that are ancient, it is helpful to have an oral tradition that provides us with a structure for viewing the symbols, and for connecting and integrating to our common spiritualities. Reiki is such a format or structure, that connects to Spirituality without attaching to a specific religious or devotional format. It is simply focused on healing and providing compassion.

Beyond that, in looking at ancient symbols, we always have our imaginations. The challenges of facing the unknown, being alone, facing fear, and suffering pain have not been abated as yet by the scientific method.

When we use our imaginations, we can place ourselves in a state, "as if we were there," in another time and another place. By imagining what that "might be like," we can bring some wisdom back to our own state of current consciousness.
By Dr. Harold Bob

Tornados and Storms

2008-06-06T02:57:00.003-04:00

Abiding Reiki Newsletter for June 2008

There is no doubt that Mother Earth is on a rampage lately. There has been an increase in violent tornados and storms that are shaking our foundation. There is no doubt that we are beginning to pay dearly for our abuse of Gaia and her resources. Gas is at an all time high, airports are being shut down in rural communities, food shortages and staples such as rice and bread are beginning to either be in short supply, or expensive to find. People are becoming increasingly fearful and wonder what their future will look like.
In this times of storms and challenges it is ever more important to ground and to be still in the midst of chaos. We can be rooted in ourselves while storms swirl within and without physically, mentally, and spiritually, or we can allow these storms to take us into their center and destroy us.
We are in a time where priorities are going to be shifting, and some serious choices are going to have to be made. It may well be that the lives we've known of luxury and cheap fuel and food are behind us. Perhaps this is an evolution and a lesson in this lifetime. How attached are we to "things?" How are we contributing to the current crisis in our weather? Have we begun to go green? Are we conserving, recycling, and doing what we can not to further upset the balance of nature? Will we learn from this, or will we continue to blindly go forward, destroying the Earth and ourselves in the process? What do these storms say about us, not just externally but internally? To me these outward storms also reflect the inward storms of stress, uncertainty, and lack of moral compass that has become a part of our more recent society. How will we be facilitators in this time of light, change and hope?
More than ever there are birth pangs. An entire nation is yearning for change, the platform that Obama has so eloquently brought forward. By running on this platform he has tapped into that universal longing America has because it realizes that things have gone seriously wrong. Our way of life has created monster weather, global warming, and a serious financial crisis. Instead of finding alternative fuel we are wanting to rip up remaining precious lands to look for oil. Instead of a national program to regulate the mortgage industry we find people in foreclosure of their home. Our days as the most powerful country are numbered, and people are running scared. Will we be part of the problem, or part of the solution?

Thought for the day

2008-06-03T16:33:00.003-04:00

Never give up on dreaming. Our hopes and ambitions and dreams are tomorrows reality.

Reiki form and function

2008-05-30T15:23:00.007-04:00

Amy Roland's book, "Traditional Reiki," is both important and extremely helpful. One of its many facets is drawing a clear focus to the fact that for traditional Reiki energy, "anyone can do Reiki." While for highly intuitive people, exact method may not seem critical - prior to formally training in Reiki it has been clear to me that with permission, and with contact, i can perceive "switches" and "blocks" and reach Chakras anywhere in the body, from almost any point of contact. Nonetheless, in teaching Reiki, it is critical to use the "proper" and classical positions, because, not everyone is equally intuitive, some students can only learn to do Reiki learning the proper positions and methods, and in the learning stages of dealing with energy, proper grounding is critical.

There is something about following form and function that as well allows the person to be anchored as well as proficient. Imagine a person who is learning to play a piano. In order to become proficient, one must first learn the form and function of how to play. One must learn how to read notes, then to sight read. One must also learn the different beats, scales, and various harmonies that go into the mastery of the piano. It is only after learning these basics, and practicing them relentlessly, that one can become a virtuoso. That being said there are some that are born with the innate talent to be a virtuoso. Mozart was five when he created his first symphony. I have no doubt though that even a virtuoso or prodigy still has to adhere to technique. In the same vein Reiki technique sets the foundation for a Practitioner. The stronger the foundation the better the Practitioner. Once this foundation is laid, then this is where intuition can take an ordinary Master Practitioner and turn them into a virtuoso Reiki Master Practitioner.

In facilitating Reiki for the dying the importance of proper technique becomes magnified. Imagine a water pipe or conduit, and as water flowed through it, one could vary the quality or pressure of the liquid. In normal flow situations, the pipe would be secure, and could hold the water. When the flow is magnified in this manner the concern would be energy "leakage." Specifically when we speak about leakage, we are talking about fear based energy that affects the Practitioner. Fear can produce adrenaline response along with other disquieting symptoms such as dizziness, faintness, and or a sense of disorientation. While Reiki does no harm in itself, the fears that we have are capable of great harm not so much to the client, but to ourselves. We have to leave this at the door in order to effectively channel Upekkha Reiki ©. It is natural to fear the unknown, and death to some is a fearful concept. However if we can stand aside as channels and vessels of love and light, leaving our preconceptions at the door, then we have the greatest honor, which is to help a soul transition from life to death. The idea is simply being in the moment grounded and without fear. Because of this proper grounding and technique learned in traditional Reiki, becomes more critical when even the most highly intuitive person. In summary channeling Upekkha Reiki © requires a conduit, that has resilience and flexibility. In assessing the strength of a channel, it is not simply "force" that matters, since a "strong" tree can crack and shatter from a hard wind, and a tree that is resilient and flexible may sustain the strongest wind passing through it without harm.

Part of what it is so important to learn is that with Reiki for the dying, one really wants to be, needs to be, must be "only a channel." While in traditional Reiki, we are taught to be channels, many wonderful, compassionate, talented and intuitive Practitioners knowingly or unknowingly add something of themselves, or modify the spiritual energy passing through them. Again we want to stress, even modified Reiki will do no harm, and will turn itself off. It is for the best and highest good of the soul seeking healing. However in Upekkha Reiki © we are dealing with dying and death. As this is an intensely personal process to the person dying, we want to make sure we do not in any way hinder the dying process, or the process of transition. Hindrance of this passage could lead to unknown consequences, and this is why this process must be approached with respect, reverence, and as well with all our preconceptions safely at the door. This is why we stress over and over that it is critically important with the high spiritual energy involved in transition, to function solely as a channel, and to resist the temptation to allow energy to stick to us, or to change the energy in any way that is being channeled to the patient.

Dr. Harold Bob and Robin Littlefeather in collaboration

When a soul is transitioning

2008-05-30T05:00:00.002-04:00

A P Sinnett (1840-1921) taught in "Esoteric Buddhism" (1883) that we needed to avoid being drawn to the delight of communicating with the departed unless it serves the benefit of the departed to deal "with some unsatisfied desire".... for the purpose of "smoothing its path of spiritual development." We may argue that if the beloved person is delayed a little on his way to Heaven by talking with us, he or she would be willing to make that sacrifice for our sake. By diverting the (departed) souls attention from its own proper business ....we may be doing it serious harm.'

Diverting the departed soul may unintentionally leave it “earthbound”. Sometimes when the pull on this plain is strong enough a soul will not or cannot depart and it ends up stranded. Such theories are not new. We see them in Egyptian tombs where elaborate doors along with possessions and even special paths are carved to assure that the dead find their way from this earth to their destination. Mayans also had elaborate rituals to assure the passage of the dead. In many cultures earth bound spirits were feared, and it was thought that these spirits once bound here became malevolent, seeking revenge on those that kept them here either by intent or by lack of knowledge. In this area we are simply dealing with an unknown. Without knowing fully the implications of such a diversion, it’s important that we then respect the process of transition and while we can help facilitate it, we should not in any way interfere with it.

The Reiki practitioner seeking to bring Upekkha Reiki (c) to a person nearing the end of life, should be careful to invoke channeling consistent with the life and visions of the patient. The joy of being a Reiki practitioner should come solely from sharing the moment. Insisting on a soul’s thanks or ongoing recognition or attachment for any reason is not healthy at this time.

By Dr. Harold Bob and Robin Littlefeather in collaboration

Presenting Upekkha Reiki (c)

2008-05-27T21:46:00.006-04:00

Taught exclusively by Dr. Harold Bob and Robin Littlefeather for the purpose of transitioning between life and death.

We observe that the spiritual need at the end of life is of a special vibrational quality, and reflect on the special needs of persons near death. In assisting a dying patient accomplish what Reiki Masters have referred to as "transition," we perceive the capacity to channel energy of a special and pure vibrational quality which we refer to as Upekkha Reiki (c).

Barbara Ray began her book, "The Reiki Factor" (1983) "Every day of your life represents an opportunity for a new beginning. Every breath you take is a rebirth, drawing in a new round of air connecting you to the universal vibrations of that particular moment. Exhaling is a letting go or a releasing of what has now become the past, and the new breath again keeps you in the "here now" - the eternal present."

Yet, at the moment of death, or transition, there is no next heartbeat, no next breath, only what his Holiness the Dalai Lama refers to as "mind or consciousness" which "comes into being as a result of its previous instants."

In the Western World, Traditional Medicine is split from Spiritual Healing, with assumptions that do not recognize the universal connections that touch all human beings. The successes in treatment that occur due to medication that is "evidence based," and due to Spiritual Healing, both are gifts from the same source, and should be used in a complimentary way.

Sogyal Rinpoche writes,("The Tibetan Book of the Living and Dying") "For all its technological achievements, modern Western society has no real understanding of death or what happens in death or after death ....people today are taught to deny death, and taught that it means nothing but annihilation and loss. That means that most of the world either lives in denial of death or in terror of it."

It is in response to this reality, that we in Traditional Medicine who wish to Care when we cannot Cure, must be aware of the power of the attunement to Upekkha Reiki (c), and, the assistance we can bring by channeling this specific vibrational energy.

Upekkha translates roughly as, Equanimity or "evenness of mind even under stress." However it can encompass much more. Ven. Nyanaponika Thera (http://www.buddhanet.net/ss06.htm) describes equanimity as "perfect unshakable balance of mind rooted in insight." He notes that, "to the degree that we forsake "mine" or "self" Equanimity will enter out hearts. Such is the capacity of Upekkha Reiki (c) to assist the patient near death ("transition"), by channeling Spiritual energy that brings an unshakable calm, and in the stressful time before the severing of the bond between the consciousness and the body, prepares the soul to evolve forward, rather than to be held back by fear.

We view this symbol, visualized in our mediations, as powerful in symbolizing the Master level of the channeling of Upekkha Reiki (c). The tree is seen by us as the Bodi Tree, and the falling leaves remind us of all that holds us back, fear of pain, fear of the death to self and to ego, and trepidation at moving forward and evolving. As leaves fall we stand more bare and more exposed to the universal spirit. We see the spiritual energy of the Buddha, but not the embodiment of the Buddha, beckoning us from within the dying tree, offering to be our ascendant guide. The light that shines through is the universal light, that which connects us all, and which we are gifted to channel through Reiki. It is when we find the quiet humble place that the universal spirit can shine within us and we can transition. The channeled gift of Upekkha Reiki (c) can assist in smoothing the vibration of the dying person, and allow the soul to evolve and to be transformed into more than we can envision in our current state.

While the traditional Reiki positions are useful in Hospice for the relief of pain, and the normal channeling of spiritual energy, over the years when i have experienced the flow of Upekkha Reiki (c) energy it has been through the Crown Chakra. It is not always feasible to place a hand on the Crown Chakra, but, a single hand touching the head of the client between the patient's Third Eye Chakra and the Crown Chakra, is the best placement for the channeling of Upekkha Reiki (c) energy. Near the end of life, the body is often failing and emaciated . While as a physician i may need to examine the body, in doing Reiki, the comfort of the patient and the family in this moment does not require it. As the consciousness is preparing to leave the body, the need to unify all the Chakras is no longer as critical, and, the opening of the Crown Chakra allows the channeling of Spiritual Energy most useful for Equanimity and for transition. Prior to death, we see the bodily functions of the Root, second and third Chakras, shutting down. With death, the heart ceases beating, and respirations occurring in the chest and through the throat, stop. The Medical Personnel perceive death as occurring at that moment, however, as a final step, the spirit departs the body through the Crown Chakra. The beautiful transition of the spirit can be perceived by the attuned Reiki practitioner. Depending on the grounding and attunement of the practitioner, this can be an uplifting and beautiful experience, but, it can if faced with fear and without adequate grounding, leave perceptions of disorientation and fear.

During this time of transition it is important that the Practitioner remain grounded and in prayer. Reverence and respect for this process is extremely important. By being a facilitator of the transition between life and death, we are stepping out as it were of the realm of life temporarily. In the capacity of facilitator we are in effect holding that person’s spiritual hand as they transition out of their body. Deep grounded breathing, staying focused, and remembering to shield our own spirits will be of tantamount importance as we do this. We cannot allow fear to take hold at any point, as fear is simply negative faith. We have what we manifest, and what we want to manifest is peace and the Spiritual Energy of Equanimity. In order to manifest this, we first have to have this same spirit working within and without of ourselves.

We offer a symbol that we attune to for the basic level of Upekkha Reiki (c) that represents our connection to the Universal Spirit, our grounding to Gaia, and Cho ku rei at both our wrists to allow energy that has entered through our own Crown to pass into the client, but, to prevent the passing of invasive energy retrograde into the Reiki practitioner. It is important that the flow of energy through our own Chakras be unified, grounded and without fear. We are not ourselves intended to treat or interfere with the transition of the "consciousness," but simply to act as a Channel for the Upekkha energy which assists in this transition.

While we present in this essay, our Master symbol, it ought not be used without attunement to the Master level of Upekkha Reiki (c), and, the basic level symbol ought not be used without attunement to the basic level of Upekkha Reiki.

The Reiki practitioner who with humility is able to serve in such a moment, is her/himself vibrationally transformed, and will never be the same.

When we channel

2008-05-19T17:44:00.002-04:00

By Robin Littlefeather and Dr. Harold Bob

When one channels, and calls upon a spirit, it is important to be able to intuitively know the difference between a spirit with a compassionate intent, and one who is tainted by less than our highest good, or perhaps one sent to test us.
Channeling is a powerful tool, that like the control of fire is a part of the human evolution. A fire can, used properly create warmth and light, and lead to physical energy that enhances civilization. Used wrongfully, or allowed to get out of control, fire can destroy homes, take lives, and ultimately ravage whole cities, as occurred at Hiroshima.

So we need to determine the intent of the spirits that we encounter when we channel. The way I test any spirit is I simply ask it, "Do you believe that the Creator is Holy, Righteous, Creator Father/Mother who we should love and serve?" Spirits that are not of Creator will not acknowledge Him/Her.
In fact and I've seen this personally, they will get outraged. If we then know to test the information once we know where that information is coming from, and genuine then there is no issue. And we should look with our own intuition to determine if the intent of what we receive is filled with respect and compassion, or will lead to denial of Creator, and oppression and subjugation of souls that he created.

I believe that Creator has shown Himself/Herself in many different faces and forms , I do not believe Creator wishes for any soul to die separate from Him/Her. I believe that Buddha, Jesus, Vishnu, and other Holy Ascendant beings are all manifestations of Creator. I believe that Creator meets people at the point of their understanding, so if it takes becoming Buddha, or manifesting that part of Creator which is Buddha, I believe that Creator will do that. I see Creator as loving And He/She would not want any of His/Her children spiritually bankrupt.
Since God creates each child with love, she/he would not want any child to lack a pathway to his grace, and thus even if we do not understand why, it is Creator's will that he created many pathways to connect to Her/His Energy.

We should not, Creator forbid, do physical or intellectual violence to any of Creator's children, or the pathway that was created for them. If we can rejoice in Creator's wisdom in creating people with different paths, then, are we not asserting our faith and our submission to His/Her will? In grasping the essence of Reiki, spiritual energy, one is drawn to respect and love the Creator of the universe, and to have compassion for all of Her/His creatures.

Re: When one is struggling

2008-05-17T17:10:00.002-04:00

This is posted with the permission of my friend Dr. Harold Bob

There are a couple of comments to this excellent blog. I feel that the disabled person was very brave, in trying to be healer, in the face of not being totally able to cure his or her own pain. It is a sign of evolutionary growth to be able to look beyond ourselves and to see our connection to the universe, and thus to others, and that to heal anyone else in the universe, helps to heal ourselves.

I had a friend who I brought to a class to learn something about Reiki - she was to take a level one. She was pretty excited about it, but one of the things that happened at the class was that, in scanning one of the other students, she found that a person had a "blockage" causing back pain. (not an uncommon human problem). She placed her hands in a Reiki position, found a lot of warmth, and that, even though she could not heal all the pain, the could ease it a little bit. This really was a highlight for her of the class, that, she could actually channel energy from God, and bring even a little bit of relief to another human being. For her, the compassion was more important than how much she learned. Which is why, I think, she will gain a great deal from her ongoing studies and be an incredible healer.

We cannot heal all the pain and all the ills in the universe; we cannot end all poverty and alone save the environment - but what we can do is remember and keep in mind both the light and the darkness that exist in our world. We can remember, which is powerful, and we can emanate compassion into the world. We can care where we cannot cure, and we can pray to God (in whatever language and using whatever name we choose to call upon that which is more ascendant than ourselves) .....and in do doing, the "energy" that we are made up of "ascends" or evolves to a higher vibrational (or energy) level.

There is a Bible story about a man named Job. This particular story of the Bible is felt to be very ancient and attributed to Moses. Job is a good man, but, he has wealth and family and Satan challenges God that, if Job lost everything Job would lose his love and faith of God. And so, Job ends up losing everything that matters to him - and his friends chide Job, searching (even though Job was faultless) for what he had "done wrong" to "earn" such a terrible fate. Job and his friends could not figure out what he "had done," but, in any case, through it all, Job retained his faith and kept praying to God. In the end of the story, God rescued Job and restored him to a good life, and, his friends who looked for "what he had done wrong" were chided.

Job's faith was being tested. His colleagues' compassion was tested. Job "passed" and all his friends "failed." Whatever our circumstance, faith in God and compassion for others are the two things we can retain. There is a book, "The Lizard Cage" by Karen Connelly, that describes the horror of a poltical prisoner in solitary confinement in Burma. Within his cage, he continues to call to the Lord Buddha for help, and continues to exude compassion to his jailers even as they beat and torture him. His body can be broken and fail, but his faith and compassion overcome everything.

Hopefully we do not need to face the trials of Job or Teza (the prisoner), and that, in all our classes and all the days of our lives we can retain our faith and our compassion.

Dr. Harold Bob
Sat. May 17. 2008

Thought of the day

2008-05-17T11:51:00.002-04:00

Take the time to breath and slow down today. Enjoy the beauty around you and let yourself just be in the moment.

When One is Struggling

2008-05-15T08:53:00.008-04:00

Recently someone I know had gone to a weeklong intensive residential class in "Shamanism" directed at healing and counseling. (I put this in quotes because the description after the fact would not be considered core Shamanism). Before they went they explained to the director that they had some physical challenges that had to be considered. A form was sent to them which they filled out, and they were then assured their needs would be met. The facility was a long way from home on the West Coast, so once the commitment was made there was no turning back. As well there were no refunds. When the person got to facility it became clear that there was no special consideration for them there at all. In fact the person had to hire someone at the facility to help them, and then go out on their own to get the things they needed.

What ended up transpiring is that basically the person was ostracized from the rest of the group. It was apparent this person was struggling, and it became clear that the others in the group were turned off by the struggles. In several conversations it was implied that perhaps there was something this person had "done" and that these struggles were "lessons" to teach this person or "correct" them in some way. This added a layer of stress to an already stressful situation. While the person got through the class, it was difficult and lonely emotionally for them.

My reaction to this is sadness and disappointment at the people involved with this. Here is a group of people who are in a class to learn how to heal and counsel, and right under their noses is someone they could both help heal and counsel! Instead of seeing this as an opportunity not only to learn, but to practice what they are learning, and in effect practice what they preach, they ended up ostracizing the person, and as well blaming them for their struggles instead.

I have spoken about this before but I will reiterate that pop psychology should not be excused or tolerated to shame, blame, or in any other way suggest that someone is responsible for their struggles. There is no excuse to ostracize, invalidate, or in any other way diminish someone simply because they are having challenges. In fact personally I applaud this person for their courage and persistence. They not only took a long airplane trip, but they withstood all that was thrown at them and stayed through until the end. They did not let their struggles stop them, nor did they give up. This is the mark of true courage. I do not believe that they did anything wrong. Furthermore I do not believe there was any reason or justification for the behavior of others in that group. If there was a "lesson" at all, it was not for that person but for that group of people. This group failed the lesson in my opinion. The lesson would have been to reach out to this person, to be a support, and to be humbled by the opportunity presented to be the healers they ostensibly were learning to be.

We must practice not only healing and compassion but common sense. Instead of pseudo psychology, blame, and shame, we have to practice unconditional love and acceptance. Common sense would dictate that if someone is having challenges, we should not add to those challenges but instead attempt to ease them with understanding and compassion. There seems to be this assumption that if one works with healing, then one must be healed themselves and have little to no challenges. This is an absurd notion and a harmful one. As long as we live in human form we will have challenges. Unless the day comes where there is no such thing as death, dying, decay, sadness, and challenges, we will all have our moments and battles with these things.

Let us then remember to practice compassion and leave pseudo psychology and the ideas of shame and blame at the door where they belong.

Article in the Washington Post about Reiki

2008-05-10T15:20:00.000-04:00

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/08/AR2008050800970.html

Washington Post

Reiki: Touching the Intangible

Jacobs, founder of ReikiPartners, spends a portion of her days working with patients at George Washington University Hospital, laying hands on them in a way she, and many others, thinks reduces stress and promotes healing. Starting at the head and slowly working their way to the feet, healers place their hands on or just above different parts of a patient's body. (Unlike massage, it's a very light amount of pressure, if any at all.)
There's no scientific evidence behind their claims, but Reiki healers believe that during sessions, they're tapping into a universal source of energy that is then transferred to the recipient.
Reiki was developed in Japan in the early 20th century and can cost $60 or more for hour-long sessions here. But several practitioners in the region accept pay-what-you can donations and offer reduced prices for sessions while they are learning the craft.
Meitia Hedge, who works at the World Bank by day, moonlights as a reiki practitioner, accepting donations for her Saturday afternoon sessions in Takoma Park. "Anybody can have treatments," she says. "If you don't have any ailments, it will optimize your feeling of wellness."
Even if they don't feel like much is happening during the process, Hedge says, her clients almost always report sleeping better after an hour of reiki.
"When I receive it, sometimes I feel heat in certain places," says Cheryl Jones, a Cheverly music teacher and one of Hedge's clients. "But it's not always a physical sensation -- it's more an overall feeling of peace. I get a lot of clarity, insight."
Jones, who was first introduced to reiki when she worked as a chaplain at the Washington Hospital Center, understands that the concept of the practice can be hard to grasp. "It can be ethereal sounding -- intangible," she concedes. "But the benefits are tangible, even if they're hard to explain."

Five Principals of Reiki

2008-05-09T18:17:00.001-04:00

Just for today do not get angry
Do not worry
Be thankful
Work hard
Be kind to others

Pig in a Waller

2008-05-08T03:39:00.001-04:00

Abiding Reiki Newsletter for May 2008

I was praying last night about forgiveness, and what to do when someone refuses to respect your boundaries, or continues to insult you with their actions or deeds. What came to me is the analogy of a pig in a waller: A pig by nature loves it's waller. In fact a pig is not happy unless it is literally immersed in mud and guck. They eat the garbage and refuse no one will touch and are perfectly content in doing so. They are the most innately perfectly unclean animals that we've domesticated. Now can you imagine if we got angry at the pig for its nature? What if we held anger, bitterness, resentment against the pig for wanting to live in a waller? Taking it further, some have even tried to create a pet out of the pig. They dress it up, clean it, train it, even potty train the thing especially the small little asian pot bellied pigs. Talk about making a silk purse out of sow's ear! No matter what you do, a pig is still a pig. Either you live with its nature in harmony and forgiveness for what it is, or move on to another animal. By the same token those who continue in shameful or despicable actions in my mind is equivalent to a pig in a waller. This has absolutely nothing to do with me or anything we have done, or will do in the future. Their desires are their own. What they do, and what they choose to fill their soul and spirit with is not something we need to take responsibility for. While it’s normal at first to be upset and angry at the disrespect, I've come to the conclusion that the person most disrespected in this is not me, but the person themselves. We are what we feed ourselves through our minds, our eyes, and our body and spirit. If someone wishes to feed themselves dirt and muck, or continue fill their soul with that, then we do not need to take that to heart as a personal affront. Their choices will lead to consequences emotionally and spiritually not to mention psychologically. In short we need to just walk the path in forgiveness recognizing that such a soul is just being true to their nature. These are their choices to evolve out of the waller, or remain in it. Our job is not to be dragged down into it with them. Creator made it clear, channel the Light, be the Light, walk the path you are called to walk, and let Creator deal with that particular soul and their waller.

Just for today

2008-05-08T03:32:00.000-04:00

Reiki thought

Just for today be grateful
How do we express gratitude? Do we see the glass as half full or half empty? What can we think of to be grateful for in our lives? How do we cultivate an attitude of gratitude? If we were to catch every negative thought and replace it with ones of gratitude how would that affect us emotionally, spiritually, or psychologically?

Newsletter for April 2008

2008-04-07T09:55:00.000-04:00

With spring around the corner many people take to cleaning up and sprucing up their homes. It's almost as if with the birth of spring there is a desire to get rid of things that no longer serve us. There is something that drives us to renew our surroundings. Feeling clean outwardly, planting pretty flowers, all those things seem to generate a feeling of health and well being.

What came to my mind concerning this, is that spring is also a good time to do a spring cleaning of our soul. It's interesting that while we take pains to clean the outward surroundings, often we forget to cleanse the inner self.

Take the time to sit down, meditate, and breath. Ask yourself, what is there in my life that needs cleansing emotionally, spiritually or mentally? What can I let go of that no longer serves me? Where have I been spinning my wheels, and how can I regain some traction in my life?

Letting go of all those extraneous things that we either can't control or fix releases energetic resources that can be better spent elsewhere. In that light here are some spring cleaning exercises for the soul:

1) Find a calm place somewhere around or near nature. Sit near a tree, a lake, or on a rock and allow your mind to still itself. Breath deeply in through your mouth and out of your nose. Listen to the sounds around you and begin to deliberately relax your muscles. Start with your feet and go all the way up to your head. Breath in Universal Light, (God), or whatever your particular belief system happens to be.
2) Create a diary. Ask yourself what you need to let go of, and make a set of goals for yourself. Envision the things that no longer serve you as dead leaves. Watch them blow away in your minds eye all the while breathing deeply. With each outward breath you blow away the hinderances in your life. Remember not to pick them up again. If you do repeat this exercise and be patient with yourself.
3) Find daily positive things to focus on. There are all sorts of positive intentions, prayers, and even rns feeds with daily meditations.
4) Do some sort of daily exercise. This releases endorphans and helps your mind and body to let go of stressors.

How to enhance our experience of Living

2008-02-14T11:55:00.000-05:00

Reiki Newsletter for February 08

Be a human being, not just a human doing. Live, breath, and move in the moment. Place fear and doubt on the back burner. Walk in love, forgiveness, and integrity with yourself and others. Have faith and try not to question so much. Live less in your head and more in your heart and spirit. Feed your spirit with spiritual pursuits. Water your spirit and soul with positive intentions. Sing, pray, meditate, dance, do something joyful every day. Slow down and limit distractions. Take time each day to recoup and rejuvenate. Be kind to your body. Eat healthfully, exercise, get out in nature. Remember to breath. Breath is the foundation of life. It is the fodder that nurtures the fire of life.

Abiding Reiki Newsletter for January 08

2007-12-28T20:16:00.000-05:00

Sitting in Stillness
In our modern day world we have forgotten how to sit in absolute stillness, breathe and meditate waiting for Spirit. From our conception we are surrounded by a cacophony of noise. We have music, television, car noise, crowds, all clamoring for our attention. We’ve grown so used to this hectic pace and way of life that sitting still becomes not only very difficult but for some impossible and frightening.
Our Elders before us in the Cherokee way knew not only how to sit still, they knew how to ground themselves into the Earth and wait quietly. They knew how to take a deep breath and sit in the stillness and revel in the quiet calm they created. This stillness created health in body, soul and spirit. It was in this place of calm and solitude that they could regenerate, communicate with Spirit, and receive the wisdom they so needed for their lives.
Many Europeans who had a different mindset misunderstood this mindset of the Native American and mistook it for stoicism. In fact it became a stereotype to see a Chief or a Native American leader portrayed on television with no more than a frown and a grunt. What was not understood is that our people saw words as power, and as manifestation. Feelings and thoughts were not to be shared lightly simply because the spoken word has power, and power brings manifestation. It was not so much stoicism as it was wisdom.
In this day and there are many different courses in breath or breathing. Imagine, we have even forgotten how to breathe in the madcap insanity that we have created of our world. There are courses in meditation because our minds have become so cluttered we cannot remember how to relax and let go. We have strayed so far from stillness and mother earth that the abnormal seems normal. We live in glass and concrete cities, and we breathe in polluted air. We rush in and out of subways, cabs, buses, and planes harried and frazzled. We do not put our feet in Mother Earth, or feel her grass beneath our feet any more. We have disconnected ourselves spirit, soul, and body, and now there is a restoration and a new movement that is trying to reconnect us with ourselves and with the Earth who is our Mother.
There is a call back to sitting in stillness, calmness and grounding back to Mother Earth. What was once ridiculed has now been found to be not only wise but necessary for our health spiritually, physically, and mentally. We must once again reacquaint ourselves with stillness and calm. We must not allow the distractions of our present day to keep us from learning this. It’s time to remember the simple things such as breathing, or feeling the grass beneath our feet. It’s time to plant, to sow, to remember the earth is our treasure, our sustenance and our Mother. It’s time to learn to control our tongues and remember the sanctity of words and the power of them. We need to learn respect for ourselves once more and the wisdom of sitting in stillness. More importantly we need to be unafraid of facing ourselves in this new stillness. Spirit wants to do a new work but as long as we deafen ourselves with mental spiritual or physical noise we will not move forward in this new beginning.

Abiding Reiki Newsletter for December 2007

2007-11-22T08:31:00.001-05:00

Winter's Introspection

Many find that winter seems to be a time of change. Certainly this year has been an example of huge changes spiritually and energetically. Many of us have faced challenges in our bodies, emotions, work place, and even friendships. Things that are not for our highest good seem to have left our lives, and we are in the process of grieving some of the things we thought we counted on. Old habits, the unpleasant shadow side that dwells within us has been revealed to deal with, and things that hinder our walk have come to light. Some of these things have been emotionally draining, difficult, sad, and have created a great deal of stress.

As well as change on the internal front we have had cataclysmic events on the physical plane. There was the fires in California, the earthquakes in various countries, the odd climate changes, severe drought in Georgia and the Southern regions. We are in a transition politically now that President Bush will be leaving office, and our fate as a nation seems tenuous. We live in a climate of fear and terrorism and it weighs heavily on people's hearts and minds.

It is important that we take the time during this season to take care of ourselves energetically. With all these changes going on we will need to hybernate, rest and pamper ourselves a bit. Take the time to slow down and enjoy the small things life has to offer. Rest your body and spirit with meditation, prayer, time out, good food and nutrition. Take stock of where you are and where you want to be. Begin to make a list of things you'd like to see manifested in the coming year. Stay positive and focused and grounded. While the world is whirling around and the rug seems to be pulled out from under us, we can remember that we have a choice in how we react to these things. We can be pulled into fear, worry, and stress, or we can take a step back and allow ourselves to hybernate and recover while the storm outside rages.

Energetic "Hitchhikers"

2007-10-26T10:15:00.000-04:00

Abiding Reiki Newsletter for the month of November

One of the issues that energy workers seem to have trouble with is that Reiki seems to sensitize them not only to the energies of other people, but as well to “invasive energies” that seem to enjoy hooking on to them. This makes energy workers uncomfortable in large crowds, hospitals, and or other places where they feel these invasive energies might be. In fact I’ve seen situations where an energy worker was working on a client and seemed to feel something transfer to them. The reaction to this was dismay, and sometimes fears. It would be the equivalent of a spider being found in a woman’s hair, and the resulting scream of, “Get it off me!”
What comes to my mind is that perhaps inadvertently energy workers are setting up such a scenario through their unconscious fears. Remember that energy work is intent manifested and as well directed energy that results in helping a client physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. Intention is a powerful thing and the basis of any energy work. If there is an underlying fear of negative energies then perhaps that fear then sets up an intention. That intention then manifests in exactly what the Practitioner fears and they end up with what they feel is an unwanted energetic hitchhiker.

What helps me is to remember an analogy that has served me well. When one is in a pitch black room and strikes a match what happens? The darkness is chased away by the light of that single match. Where light is no darkness can dwell, and conversely where total darkness exists no light will be found. If we accept these first truths then we know that the more light we call to ourselves the less likely it is that anything dark or negative can remain.

Now some will claim that the light shed by an energy worker is the equivalent of a moth to a flame, and that is what attracts the negative entities. However remember that anything we give power to is manifested and therefore becomes a truth. Let’s take that same idea and turn it around. We intend instead that our light and energy work attracts even more light, healing, love and peace. Because where more light is no darkness can dwell, then it is perfectly reasonable to assume that this same light would repel negative energies as we channel more of it. If we can really get this notion into our subconscious then there is no reason to fear, no open door, and no more avenues for unwanted energies to hitchhike onto the Practitioner.

On another interesting note, there are some that seem to think that the more “attacks” they have or the more negative energetic “hitchhikers” attempt to invade their energy fields, the better they are or the more spiritual they are as an energy worker. The truth is that if this is what an energy worker needs to validate their abilities, then their own manifestation will make it so. It is important to check our egos and to remember that we are not necessarily a better energy worker if we constantly have to fight off invasive energies. In fact it is a constant drain on resources that could be better spent helping others.

On a practical level before I arise out of bed every morning I put out the most positive intent for myself, my energetic field, and my day that I can. I call in the wonderful healing of all the Reiki symbols, and ask that Reiki be with me, guide me, and fill me with so much light that no darkness can remain or stay anywhere near me. I imagine that I am in a wonderful bubble of light with many Angels surrounding me. The intent is that the bubble remains with me until I sleep, and then I ask all my Guides, Creator and the Angels to watch over me as I sleep. I also intend that any fear whether conscious or unconscious be removed or made null and void. By setting up my day like this I have in effect struck the match that will repel any darkness or negativity that might decide to try to take a ride on my energetic fields. As well I refuse to allow negativity to take hold, and or to allow invasive energies to upset my apple cart. By maintaining my integrity in intention and prayer in the morning and evening it becomes water off a ducks back and I am safe mentally, spiritually and emotionally. I am then more able to do the work I am called to do without fear or concern for my own energetic fields.

Keeping a Balance

2007-10-26T00:53:00.000-04:00

Abiding Reiki Newsletter for Octobber

As Energy workers we all are working daily not just in the realm of the seen, but the unseen. Because we have a foot in both worlds we have to avoid the pitfalls that come with that and remain grounded. For example recently there was a healing circle that I attend. One of the people there were prone to seizures, and had been on medication for grand mal epilepsy. The man got on the massage table and a few practitioners began to work on him. In the middle of the work he began seizing. Having some presence of mind I stepped in to make sure he did not fall off the table and that he was safe until the seizure passed. I could hear the other Practitioners talking among themselves. They were either pointing fingers at each other wondering who had sent the "negative energy", or blaming the man himself insisting that he must not have really wanted healing. In truth no one was responsible for the man's seizures. This had been a lifelong issue, and he happened to have a seizure. It was not due to anyone's negative energy, wrong mental state, or negative faith. I call this response the hyper faith response. This response is based in fear and misunderstanding and it reflects a lack of balance that needs to be addressed. It is not based in reality, and certainly not based on fact. In fact I would call this harmful faith because in this belief system the person who does not receive healing is often shamed blamed, then ostracized for their lack of healing. Sometimes the Practitioners involved are also blamed. I've heard other Practitioners try to use pop or Freudian psychology to try to lend credence to their stand. For example, such and such Practitioner must have a lot of underlying rage, therefore she/he then channeled that rage instead of healing. The hypothesis goes on to say that such and such a Practitioner obviously is not safe and had they looked inward perhaps they would have seen the "negativity" within and this wouldn't have happened.
This is erroneous on many levels. Reiki is one of the most noninvasive modalities one can facilitate. It is for the highest good of every client. Rather than create a problem Reiki will shut itself off. It’s first motive on this planet is first to do no harm. If a Practitioner tries to channel anything other than light and love, the Reiki simply ceases to function.

Many Reiki people also are aware of the “healing crisis” that can sometimes occur when a client is worked on. However I have also noted that sometimes creating such a crisis seems to almost be an issue of pride. We have to remember that just because we can doesn’t mean we should. It would be similar to a brain surgeon deciding to go around opening up people’s heads simply because they have the skill to do so. If we are careful and cautious there should never be a healing crisis to contend with. Again as Reiki shuts itself off and is for the highest good of every client. We must be aware of how we use energy then and make sure our energy is always Reiki and not invasive energy that can cause issues.

Blaming oneself or the client is emotionally and spiritually damaging. We have to get ego out of the way and not allow pride to insist we have failed in some way. We must not blame ourselves or others for what appears to be a lack of healing in that moment. It is easy to point fingers when things do not go well, but as energy workers we are ambassadors for our craft. If we do not seek to channel love, compassion, integrity, and healing mentally, spiritually and emotionally who will? As a Reiki or any other energy practitioner, it’s also important to remember that we are not allowed to diagnose people. In fact a statement that involve any sort of psychological diagnosis, physical diagnosis, etc, is practicing medicine without a license and could lead to serious legal troubles. Secondly unless we have psychiatric degrees, making any sort of diagnosis about a person's emotional health could have dangerous repercussions.
It is easy to see "entities" around every corner and even easier to get into pseudo psychology based on "spiritual" knowledge. The problem is our knowledge is at best faulty. Lives hang in the balance, and it is important that we do not go stepping outside our boundaries. We must maintain a balance. We cannot just run around doing invasive or even harmful things with energy just because we "can". We must be sober, vigilant, and understand that we are not to play with forces we don't fully understand. We must leave the diagnosing to the professionals, and leave fear and pseudo psychology, or pseudo spirituality out of the equation.

Riding the Wave

2007-10-26T00:49:00.000-04:00

Abiding Reiki Newsletter for September

The other day I was watching the Discovery Channel and they had a segment on surfing. As I was watching it occurred to me that there was an analogy to be seen in the surfing.
A surfer riding the wave is very much in the moment of what they are doing. When they are in that wave there is no turning back. There is no yesterday, there is no tomorrow, there is nothing but that moment and that wave and riding it through. Once they paddle out they are totally at the mercy of the momentum of that wave for good or bad. The wave takes them where it will, and all they have to do is ride it to its conclusion. Sometimes the wave overtakes the surfer, and they are thrown from their paddle into the mercy of the pounding waves and surf. Their body is forced under water by the enormous forces at work, and then they must struggle to the surface for precious air, and reclaim their board once again. There is no time for anything else but being in the moment, being clear, focused, and in a sense battling with the forces that be. There is no time for worry, neither time for regrets, nor time for should haves, and no time for self pity, it's all about riding that wave to the other side.
In the same vein perhaps we can see our lives as a series of wave ridings. Perhaps when trials and tribulations hit the idea is to just be in the moment, ride the wave, trust in Spirit and let the lessons of life carry you to their ultimate conclusion. If we can harness the power of these lessons as surfers harness a wave, then not only is the result powerful, but we have ridden on top of tribulation rather than be consumed by it. When the waves of life bring us down crashing, it may be again the idea would be to struggle to the surface, and refuse to give way to self pity, fear, or despair.
It seems to me there is a lesson to be had here. So many times we get into should haves, would haves, could haves and if only I had done this or that. We use our precious time and energy harping on things we can't change and forces that we can't control rather than looking into the future. There are times we become embroiled in lack of forgiveness, anger, and the need for revenge. We want to control our environment and the outcome and get caught up in worry, fear, and doubt. This in effect drags us under the waves of life, suffocating us mentally, spiritually and emotionally. Sometimes the results are depression, physical illness of all kinds, and mental torment. Therefore the idea would be to let go and let Spirit or God into the equation. Instead of taking control perhaps the idea is releasing control and riding the wave in trust, and in that moment in time. It would not then be dissimilar to the serenity prayer which says “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”