I often describe Reiki as “a dimmer switch for the mind”. I’ve come to the conclusion, from my personal experience receiving Reiki, and from what folks have said after their sessions, that what Reiki does best is relax our nervous system and bring us a deep sense of calm and relaxation. One of my earliest clients, who came in weighed down by all sorts of concerns about his life and future, sat up after a session and laughed. Shaking his head in bewilderment and delight, he said, “None of that matters. It just doesn’t matter.” He left feeling buoyed up and ready to face whatever really did need attention in his life.
What is Reiki? How does it work?
This energy healing method was developed in Japan about a hundred years ago, by Mikao Usui. After experiencing a transformative mountaintop spiritual experience, Usui discovered that he had the ability to bring about healing in others by placing his hands on or above the body of those who came to him in distress. He was able to invite healing energy (the Japanese word Reiki means “universal life force energy) into himself and then direct it out through his hands and into other people.
Before long, seeing what a great need there was for healing in the community around him, Usui began teaching others to access and use this energy to bring healing to themselves and others. I learned to do Reiki (specifically, Usui Shiki Ryoho) from a teacher here in the US who was trained by teachers in a direct lineage from Mikao Usui.
What goes on during a Reiki session? What does it feel like?
Most often, people who come to me for Reiki lie down on a massage table, fully clothed. (I can also do Reiki for people sitting in a chair, or even at a distance. ) I either place my hands on the body, in a series of positions, or hold my hands just above the body. There is no massage-like manipulation; my hands just rest gently on the body. A full session lasts for an hour. I can do the session in silence, or put on soft, soothing music, whichever the recipient prefers.
During a session, the Reiki flows into the recipient and goes wherever in the body something is out of balance. The energy works gently to make its way through all the body’s energy pathways.
As you receive Reiki, you may feel tingling, or heat, or cool, or nothing at all! Some people even doze off or fall fully asleep. There’s no right or wrong way to feel. But whatever you do or don’t feel, you can be sure that the energy is making its way through your body and working to restore balance.
My Reiki training and experience
I received my first level of Reiki training in 2007, as part of a hospice volunteer training at the Sister Caritas Cancer Center in Springfield, Massachusetts. (I then led a group of volunteers who offered complimentary Reiki sessions to family members and caregivers at the Center, while also offering Reiki to cancer patients themselves.)
I continued to train in Reiki, and in 2008 became a Reiki Master and Reiki Master Teacher. It has been my joy and honor to teach many, many people to do Reiki for themselves and others, including dozens of nurses, to whom I taught Reiki through Baystate Medical Center’s Continuing Education program. Over the years, in addition to my private practice, I’ve offered Reiki for hospice patients, through both Mercy Hospice (in Springfield, MA) and Hospice of the Fisher Home (in Amherst, MA). I have also had extensive experience working with trauma survivors.
Want to learn more, or schedule a session?
If you’d like to hear more about Reiki and how a session might help you, or if you’d like to schedule a session, reach out to me via phone or text (413-531-6677), or by filling out the form on my Contact page. I have daytime, evening, and weekend sessions available in my Easthampton, Massachusetts studio. And I offer Reiki on a donations basis: you pay whatever feels right to you to offer for a session.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Sue Downing 