REIKI

A Holistic System of Natural Healing

A man visited Tamarindo from Canada recently and sought me out, in a fervent quest for a Reiki treatment. He had come to Costa Rica for a week in the hopes that the "happiest country in the world" could provide him with some much needed healing and peace. He booked a 90 minute Reiki session for that same day, and when I met with him, he was very anxious.

We sat down together and a verbal assessment was conducted, as I do with all new clients, to find out what was going on that he sought out the assistance of Reiki. Typically my clients have some sort of physical injury that they first sought traditional medical assistance and now "are willing to try anything" to help ease the discomfort associated with the injury. Others may be struggling with some emotional issues; a recent separation, lethargy, mild depression, etc. These are all great reasons for seeking out a Reiki treatment.

For those who are not familiar with Reiki (pronounced ray-kee), its literal translation is "Universal Life Energy" and is used to describe a system of natural healing. Our world is comprised of energy!! Energy is all around us and our own physical bodies are made up of energy. Not only is the world a conduit to energy, our own bodies provide a constant modality to give and receive energy. When this energy flow is uninterrupted, we have balance and harmony. When a portion of our physical or emotional beings is under-functioning or blocked, Reiki is a powerful way to help restore that harmony and balance. At some point in all of our lives, we need help to get "un-blocked."

When I asked the Canadian man what brought him to Revive Wellness Center at Langosta Beach Club he replied that he had been searching the Guanacaste area, from Playa del Coco to Tamarindo, to find a Reiki practitioner. His eyes welled up with tears as he confided in me that his wife had passed away suddenly in October and he was having a challenging time healing. We discussed Reiki, which is the practice of laying of hands either in light touch, or hovering over the body in order to transfer energy to where it is most needed. My personal practice is typically to work first at opening each of the seven chakras and then allowing the client’s energy needs to guide my hands where they are most needed.

This particular Reiki session was remarkable in many ways. Often times, both the practitioner and client will experience the energy in a variety of ways: physical sensations, emotional releases, deep relaxation and/or sense of peacefulness. Throughout the Reiki session, I realized a bird had settled in the rafters above the spa, making its presence known with a series of calls. As I moved around the client, transferring energy to various regions of the body, the bird followed overhead, just above the cana brava ceiling. I sensed its presence throughout the session. At the end of the session, I realized that when I had started the treatment I felt fatigued, and I now felt invigorated.

I always allow the client to ask any questions they may have at the end of the session, or give them the opportunity to describe any sensations they may have encountered. My client asked me, "Did you feel my wife at all during the session?" I mentioned the bird hovering above, which had never happened before in any of my sessions and asked him if he, too, heard the calls. He was astounded because he thought the bird calls were part of my reiki music playing softly over the sound system. He left with a profound sense of calm, peacefulness and hope. He also requested distance Reiki sessions once he returned to Canada.

While everyone experiences different outcomes resulting from Reiki, there are no known contra-indications of Reiki. This non-intrusive treatment is a safe, wonderful way to re-balance and find peace and tranquility to help us deal with many challenges that life presents.

Jackie Hartnett