How Reiki Saved My Life

There I was 20 years into my corporate career as a Learning and Development professional. Boy was I climbing that corporate ladder. I was working 65-hrs or more a week and making every effort to" knock it out of the park." I was taking an ADD medication to help me wake up and focus, a medication to help me calm down and an antidepressant. Folks, I do not have ADD. Taking ADD medication was a way of leveling up my performance. The reason that I was "depressed" was because I was a corporate zombie; overworked, and overwhelmed. Now, I'm not saying taking medications is bad, I'm illustrating that what I was treating with medication was an imbalanced life. Not a chemical imbalance. I had lost my path. I was 90% coffee because drinking too much water meant I might have to go to the bathroom and miss an important meeting. I was a type A all the way.

All of the sudden and what felt like all at once, I lost myself. I had become someone that I barely recognized. The pressure and long hours of working had turned me into a person that even I didn't like. I remember that I was so burned out that my inner dialogue was cussing. Yes! Me! I was cussing people out in my head driving into work. I was muttering cuss words under my breath at my colleagues. I was so ANGRY and frustrated and didn't know how I had gotten there or how to get out.

Eventually, my body gave out. Through all of this stress and wear and tear, I became very sick in 2012 and had two back to back surgeries (2 weeks apart). First my gallbladder and then my appendix. I remember asking the doctor 'why are my organs shutting down? and what do I need to do to get back into balance?" The doctor responded "Eat soups and sandwiches and you will be okay." I was like "What?" At that moment, I understood that western medicine could only take me so far on my path to healing. I needed a holistic approach to treat my mind body and spirit. I began my search for anything that could help me.

Well, one day I was chatting with my esthetician and she recommended I try Reiki. She shared how it had helped her with anxiety. I thought well, I'll try anything. I remember going to my first Reiki session, not sure what to expect. The Reiki practitioner listened to me with compassion. She explained that I would be fully clothed on the massage table and that she would be placing hands above my body and directly on my body to encourage energy flow and relaxation.

At first, I was apprehensive, I went into the session with a healthy level of skepticism. Once she began working on me, I was very aware of my thoughts. There were so many! They were racing around, cuss words and all. As she continued, I realized that my thoughts had slowed down and felt almost non existent. The warmth from her hands was comforting and powerful. My muscles relaxed, my shoulders relaxed, my breathing slowed. I felt like I was floating.

After the session, the Reiki therapist asked me how I was feeling and I was like "Wow! I feel amazing!, transformed! I asked "when can I come back again?" I booked a session for the following week. I saw her once a week for the next few months. Yes! Once a week. Because, I was broke down, broke down. My coworkers began commenting on my appearance. "You're glowing!" They would say. "What is your secret?" Unbeknownst to them, I was getting Reiki. That was my secret.

So yeah, It helped me relax and I as glowing but that's not all. Internally the racing thoughts slowed down. I began to gravitate towards activities that were healthier for me. Instead of getting 3 or 4 martinis to relax, I was incorporating yoga, mediation and green drinks. I would take 5 min breaks at work to meditate in a corner office. I had a calmness and discernment, a strength and a steadiness coursing through me. I was beginning to understand what balance felt like.

Well, as you all know that is just the beginning of my story because here I am now as a Reiki Master. Stay tuned to hear the rest of the story.

What are the benefits of Reiki? Learn more

What is Reiki with Aura Balancing? Learn more

What are the Benefits of Learning Reiki? Learn more

Check out the 14-min Guided Meditation to create an Aura of Protection: Watch/Listen