I often imagine a world in which children are taught important life skills in kindergarten.
Things like meditation. Nervous system regulation. Reiki.
How different things would be if everyone had the capacity to nurture calmness, vitality, and presence in themselves. I get goosebumps just thinking about it.
Which is why I just love teaching Reiki classes! There’s something magical that happens in Reiki 1 after the attunement, when students open their eyes and recognize that they now have lifetime access to this amazing healing energy.
I was telling my mother recently how excited I am about the upcoming training I’m offering.
Her response? “But then they won’t need you.” As if teaching people how to use Reiki for themselves was going to put me out of business.
I guess that’s one way of looking at it.
In my experience, though, it’s not usually the case.
Giving yourself a Reiki treatment every day is a profoundly healing experience. It is the fuel that allows long-standing problems to begin to shift gradually.
It’s not the same thing as leaving your home and the chores that need doing, coming to my cozy office which smells yummy and has soft music playing, and being the recipient of 100% of my attention.
We can all benefit from doing our work and cultivating a self-care routine. That doesn’t necessarily take the place of receiving support from a professional. It often does allow folks to go longer in between appointments, but most people continue to see me while doing their own thing too.
Taking a Reiki training doesn’t mean that you need to shoulder the entire burden for your healing journey. It just means that you’re willing to do your part and be on the team. It means you can have blasts of healing energy any time you want and share it with your friends and family.
And if the budget is super tight, yes, it does mean you can take the Reiki ball and run with it, taking full responsibility for your healing life-force energy deposits.
I want everyone to have access to Reiki in the way that works best for them. If you’re in the Philly area, check out my upcoming class. If you’re elsewhere in the world, send me a message and we’ll see if we can pull together a virtual training that suits your schedule. If you already have too much on your plate, schedule a session, in-person or remote, and I’ll do all the work.
I often imagine a world in which children are taught important life skills in kindergarten. Things…
Got stress? Fatigue? Anxiety? Overwhelm?
Don’t we all?! 21st century living isn’t for wimps. Between the toxins, the perpetual busyness, and the information overload, wellness requires some effort these days.
It doesn’t help that our nervous systems respond to deadlines, traffic, and emails from the boss with the same physiological response as if we were being chased by a tiger. All that adrenaline pumping in our veins and nowhere to go. We wonder why we feel anxious when we try to sit still and act normal, but our body is screaming for us to punch, kick, run, or hide under the table.
Yeesh. It’s exhausting.
For most of us, chronic stress and go-go-go lifestyles are here to stay. Rather than bemoaning that fact or hiding our heads in the sand, we can acknowledge that this is less than ideal and take action to mitigate the damage.
That’s where Reiki comes in. It’s a holistic healing technique that calms the nerves, relieves stress and pain, and stimulates the body’s innate healing abilities. It’s powerful, safe, effective, and…
wait for it…
Anyone can learn how to do Reiki.
Even better- you can use it for yourselfanywhere, anytime.
While Reiki can indeed be shared with others, I see its most important use as a self-empowerment practice that allows you to actively contribute to your own wellness.
By “practice”, I mean it’s something that needs to be utilized consistently for the best results, like brushing your teeth or exercise. What better way to get daily deposits of universal life-force energy than to tap into the infinite supply and saturate yourself from top to toe?
Which is why I’m excited to announce my next Reiki 1 Certification course. This is an in-person training in my Mt. Airy (that’s a neighborhood in Philly) studio.
Four Thursdays, noon- 2pm
Feb 27, March 6, 13 & 20
(alternate date in case a class is cancelled because of snow- March 27)
This training does include how to give sessions to friends and family, but the foundation is using it as a self-care practice. You know, put your own oxygen mask on first.
You needn’t be psychic or spiritual. You don’t need to know anything about chakras or crystals or own a meditation cushion or yoga mat.
What it takes is curiosity, an open mind, and a willingness to follow through. The benefits come from the doing, not the learning. The class itself won’t change your life, but if you engage the tools I teach, well, get ready for the magic to unfold.
Investment = $300 with a $25 early bird discount if registered by January 31, 2025. Seats are limited. Literally- I only have 6 chairs, so if you want to join us, claim your spot now.
Got stress? Fatigue? Anxiety? Overwhelm? Don’t we all?! 21st century living isn’t for wimps. Between the…
SPOILER ALERT: Eventually it all turns out well.
There must be something wrong with me.
That’s the unconscious belief I grew up with. It wasn’t part of my rational thought process, yet it was there, lurking beneath the surface and driving much of my behavior.
Looking back with the knowledge that I’ve garnered over the decades of practicing holistic healing and studying the body-mind-spirit connection, I can see how it was installed during my formative years, before I had the cognitive awareness to argue that it’s utter nonsense.
The choices I made as a child for navigating this belief system were nearly as damaging as the belief itself. I was afraid to express myself or to be seen, hell, I was afraid to even sense that I had needs, let alone to do something about them. I swallowed my feelings and tried to be invisible.
This constant fear did a number on my nervous system, causing me to be perpetually hyper vigilant, jumpy, tense and shut down emotionally. It steadily eroded my life-force and gut health and ushered in chronic back pain. Without the energy or nutritional building blocks to repair the damage, chronic anxiety mixed with depression and fatigue set in. Without the awareness of what was really happening, all I knew was that I was extremely uncomfortable almost all the time and had no tools for handling this.
Naturally I turned to dulling and numbing these feelings and sensations with whatever was at hand. Books were my first escape strategy. Later came overeating and sweets, later still alcohol and pot, and co-dependent and dysfunctional relationships. Let’s not forget the people-pleasing and perfectionist tendencies, poor boundaries and overgiving, overspending, and attempting to micromanage everything.
Perhaps the worst of all? The betrayal of self to keep everyone else comfortable.
I did it all with stoicism, pretending that everything was fine and I was in control of my life.
I was not.
Through a bizarre set of “coincidences”, I found myself in a Reiki workshop one weekend in 2002. Little did I know that this was a pivotal moment in my life and that my trajectory would be forever altered.
I wasn’t yet aware of the complete absence of wellness in my life, but I instantly noticed a shift in the way I felt. I was less tense, less anxious, more at home in my body and the pain in my back decreased noticeably.
That was enough for me to carry on with my daily Reiki practice, slowly uncovering layer upon layer of wounds and scabbed over psychic infections that were poisoning me from the inside out. Over time, my nervous system became regulated more often than not and I was able to find a sense of ease and belonging that had eluded me my entire life. I kept at it, healing whatever rose to the surface rather than pushing it back into the archives of buried emotions.
I felt increasingly better physically and emotionally, and my confidence and self-worth gradually grew. I began to get in touch with my innate creativity and to experience more joy, peace, and dare I say, even pleasure.
I developed the curiosity, compassion and courage necessary to do the inner exploration and discovered the core belief that seems to be the foundation of my ailments. There must be something wrong with me. I know it isn’t true, but it’s a weed with tenacious roots. I’ve been gradually digging them up and have stopped feeding this weed with self-blame and self-criticism.
I suspect there is a a soul agreement to clear ancestral wounding at play here as other limiting beliefs have been much more responsive to my efforts. Yet, step by step, I continue making headway.
Whatever the source of this programming, my path is simple. I slow down and pay attention to what’s happening in me and meet it with Reiki and the loving intention to heal. If I were to focus on “how” to heal subconscious belief systems or ancestral trauma, I’d likely trigger overwhelm and doubt that I could handle such complex work.
Luckily, I don’t need to know how. Reiki knows. I just need to apply it consistently and be willing to receive the benefits. It’s been quite the adventure, this healing journey of mine. It’s wild to think that it all began one day in a funky old adobe building in Santa Fe, in my first Reiki 1 class.
If you’ve read this far, I imagine that some part of my story has resonated with you. It’s likely your story has different twists and turns, and your symptoms are different than mine, but I bet you have a core limiting belief that is wreaking havoc. You might be aware of it, you might not, but you probably have a sense that something is off.
That something, my friend, is not you. There’s nothing wrong with you. Someone taught you something that isn’t true a long time ago. If you’re willing to turn and face it, it can be healed. You don’t need to know how. Reiki knows.
I can easily provide you with this healing energy. You’ll need to get sessions on a consistent basis to work through all the layers. It’s much more affordable, however, for you to learn to do it yourself. If you’re in the Philly area, I have a class coming up soon. If you’re elsewhere, let’s connect about planning a remote training.
Whether you decide to take action at this time or not, do know that you aren’t alone. It’s rare that I meet someone who isn’t affected by something similar to this. And it’s not their fault. Nor yours. Sometimes just knowing this helps to begin the healing process.
If you’ve never been told, allow me to be the first. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you.And your spirit remains undamaged by any of the experiences you’ve had in this lifetime.
I get so frustrated when doctors diagnose arthritis and lead people to believe that there is nothing to be done about the pain they are experiencing. Gah!
True. There is no cure for arthritis. AND that doesn’t mean that it is a sentence to hopelessness and increasing discomfort.
We’re talking about inflammation of one or more joints. It can be quite unpleasant when left untreated. But don’t despair. It’s possible to manage inflammation and to create space in joints that might be jammed together because of tension or imbalanced movement patterns.
(If you’re over 20, I can practically guarantee you have at least one imbalanced movement pattern; perhaps from an old injury that didn’t heal 100% or repetitive actions from a job or hobby.)
It’s possible to have arthritis and to minimize the resulting pain. I see it all the time and feel it in my own body. Reducing inflammation, tension and misalignment can only benefit us. Why not give it a try?
Reiki is an amazing holistic healing technique that utilizes spiritually-guided life-force energy to reduce stress and pain. Stress is a primary driver of inflammation. It stands to reason, and has been backed up by my 20+ years of experience, that minimizing stress can provide relief to inflammatory conditions.
Reiki can also help process suppressed emotions. Releasing anger, resentment, worry and grief that might be blocking the body’s energetic flow can help joint issues. And will help prevent us from tipping over into the stress zone where cortisol triggers more inflammation.
You know what doesn’t help joint issues? A diagnosis presented without hope of a remedy. It’s unclear to me why the medical establishment hasn’t grasped this fact yet. Despair feeds tension that puts greater strain on the joints.
Reducing stress and re-establishing a healthy flow of energy in the body can support the reduction of muscle tension. This encourages circulation, providing the muscles with fresh oxygen and removes cellular waste, reducing pain in the muscles which can trigger a cycle of clenching, pain, clenching and more pain. It also allows for more space in the joints.
Reiki can also support body awareness and increase access to inner wisdom, helping us to notice when we’re using poor body mechanics and guiding us to new patterns or even therapies, such as Somatics, Feldenkrais or Gyrokinesis that promote balanced, healthy movement patterns, or products that activate the body’s innate healing abilities.
It might take time to relearn how to sit, stand and move in alignment, meet with and metabolize feelings and trauma, manage stress and reduce inflammation.
This is what holistic healing looks like: addressing the causes of imbalance rather than trying to eliminate the effects while carrying on with the offending behavior. It’s possible that these causes have been developing for decades; reversing this requires some patience and self-compassion.
But with some attention, effort and consistent Reiki support, there is hope of finding greater comfort and ease in the body and peace of mind.
To me, that seems like a much better option than doing nothing and bemoaning the doctor’s verdict.
I’d be delighted to work with you if you’re interested in pursuing Reiki treatment, or massage if you’re in the Philly area. You might consider taking a Reiki 1 class and learning how to give yourself daily treatments.
If that’s not your thing, I’d encourage you to explore one of the movement therapies I listed above, an anti-inflammatory diet or some form of herbal or homeopathic support.
Most importantly, know that there is hope, as hope is one of the greatest medicines available.
I get so frustrated when doctors diagnose arthritis and lead people to believe that there is…
I like to compare health to a bank account. Many of my students and clients find this analogy to be useful for understanding the benefits of Reiki. In the same way that we grow financial wealth by making more deposits that withdrawals, we can cultivate wellness wealth by accumulating life-force energy. Reiki is a safe and reliable method for amassing health credits.
Instead of relying solely on medical professionals to detect problems during annual checkups, there’s much we can do every day to boost the immune system and overall wellness. The body already knows how to be as healthy as it is able, and we can support its endeavors by giving it the energy necessary to do so. Reiki is a powerful, yet simple and safe way to help all the body’s systems function more effectively.
Life-force energy (called ki, qi, chi, and prana in other cultures) can be cultivated by lifestyle habits such as eating natural foods, spending time in nature, getting enough sleep, and expressing creativity. I view each of these activities as a deposit into a wellness account.
Conversely, chronic worry and stress, consistent consumption of processed foods, and being excessively sedentary can be viewed as ki withdrawals. Sadly, western culture generally steers us towards a deficit by overvaluing productivity and busyness and undervaluing rest and relaxation. In order to optimize wellness, we can take steps to offset the trend towards wellness debt.
Granted, there are factors beyond our control such as genetics, accidents, injuries, illnesses, and pollution. While we may not be able to change these circumstances, we can do everything within our power to give ourselves the best possible chance to enjoy the optimal levels of health and wellness available to us.
Given that I am not perfect in my pursuit of a healthy lifestyle and have some chronic health issues that require extra attention, I turn to Reiki to fill in the gaps. Reiki is an ancient healing method, commonly defined as spiritually guided life-force energy. It is gentle, powerful, completely safe, and complements all other treatments. I know of no other modality that is pleasurable to receive, universally beneficial, and has no negative side-effects.
Reiki is not limited by time or space and therefore can be received in-person or remotely from the comfort of your home. Some people enjoy the contact of human touch, some enjoy the connection of a video meeting, and others prefer to take a break from both. There are many ways to experience a treatment. Additionally, anyone can train to become a practitioner in a short period of time. During initiation, energy channels are opened, allowing access to this universal energy. Making daily health deposits is as simple as inviting the Reiki to flow.
Consider investing in your wellness account consistently. Rather than waiting for an unwanted diagnosis, you can actively pursue the best version of health possible for you. Filling up you ki tank, either as a client or practitioner, is one way to do so with minimal effort and expense. It’s never too late to take steps toward vitality and health. Why not begin today?
I like to compare health to a bank account. Many of my students and clients find…
Whoosh. There’s nothing like Reiki to get me out of my crazy busy head and into my body. It’s amazing how quickly it happens each and every time.
I find that thoughts just dissolve when the energy is flowing. We don’t need to think or reflect or plan while healing is happening. In fact, our minds can often be obstacles to healing, harboring the ego’s tricks of delay and distraction.
Last night in Reiki 2 class, we started with a self-treatment. I found myself amusingly unable to find words for the simplest things. I couldn’t remember the names of the “tubes” in our throat for breathing and swallowing.
(I meant esophagus and trachea, but just couldn’t grab hold of those terms!)
What’s especially cool is that this would have embarrassed me in the past. I would have allowed the stunted vocabulary to mean something about my abilities as a teacher or value as a person.
But because of my daily Reiki practice, which has been filling in the gaps of self-worth that did not come organically during my childhood, I saw it as a funny thing that happened to me rather than making it mean that I’m a failure.
I don’t usually use Reiki on myself when I’m teaching because accessing my communication skills is obviously important. But this was a great learning experience for me and we all had a good chuckle about the tubes.
Not only did the usual monkey mind of swirling thoughts dissipate, but the inner judge was nowhere to be found. Hallelujah!
There’s a Reiki 1 class coming up soon. That’s the starting point for folks interested in learning how to use healing energy for themselves and their pets, friends, and family. If you want to stay in the loop and receive notifications about upcoming classes, please join my mailing list.
You can also read about Reiki classes in general or book a Reiki session and I’ll do all the work while you lie back and receive.
Whoosh. There’s nothing like Reiki to get me out of my crazy busy head and into…
I’m delighted to announce some in-person classes coming soon! Both will be held in my Mt. Airy (a neighborhood of Philadelphia) studio. Space is limited, registration is required.
Anyone can learn Reiki! You don’t need any special psychic skills or healing abilities. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never meditated or eaten kale, if you don’t practice yoga or wear crystal jewelry or baggy pants.
If you’re open to new ideas and want to actively participate in cultivating the optimal health and vitality available to you, this is your way in.
My passion is helping ordinary, busy folks find their own unique path on the healing journey. I endeavor to make energy healing as accessible and doable as possible. You can cultivate a daily routine if you enjoy structure and/or practice on the go if you prefer freedom and spontaneity.
During class, you’ll receive an attunement (the initiation provided by a Reiki Master) which will gently open your energy pathways and connect you to this healing energy.
Afterwards, you’ll be able to effortlessly tap into Reiki and direct it at will. Whenever you want! Lifetime access without any membership fees.
If you’re interested in learning how to use Reiki exclusively for your personal wellness, healing, empowerment and personal or spiritual development, Reiki for Self-Care will provide all that you need to get started.
If you’re interested in offering treatments to others or perhaps become a professional practitioner, Reiki 1 is your starting point. We cover everything in the Self-Care course plus how to give a session to friends, family and pets.
I’m delighted to announce some in-person classes coming soon! Both will be held in my Mt.…
Folks are often surprised, maybe even bewildered, at all the ways I apply Reiki in my life. Recently a Reiki 2 student commented that it seems like I’m just doing Reiki all day.
She’s right!
But probably not in the way you think. I do live in the world, same as you. I pay my bills, shop for groceries, cook my meals, brush my teeth. I have dentist appointments and get the oil in my car changed and do the laundry. So. Much. Laundry!
I have not forsaken all the usual tasks, but I do bring Reiki into them.
To me, Reiki has become a state of being rather than a task. So, when I’m on hold with the internet provider, Reiki is flowing. When I’m brushing my hair, I’m connected to the flow of life-force energy and aligning myself with its frequency. Before I put the car in drive, I pave the way forward with Reiki intentions.
This is my recipe for maintaining equanimity while dealing with whatever the world presents me. I meet each moment, turning towards whatever pops up with compassionate attention and.. yup, Reiki.
Much of the time, I’m successful. I’m still participating in this human experience and do lose my sh*t from time to time. But it’s rare, usually doesn’t last long, and I recover pretty quickly.
If full-time Reiki sounds a bit overwhelming, let me assure you that I started this journey 21 years ago with a simple daily practice. For about 15 minutes every morning, I used the traditional hand positions to fill myself up with healing energy.
Over time, my practice began to expand. I brought Reiki into the shower with me, washing my body with ki as well as soap and hot water. I brought Reiki to the yoga mat, infusing my breath and awareness with it. It came along on my meditations and walks, gushing from my open palms and surrounding me with supportive and protective energies.
Gradually it grew, seeping into more and more of my daily life. This wasn’t effort-full by any means! Once you realize you have full-time access to healing powers that help smooth the way through the rough spots and deepen the joyful moments, willingness to apply them emerges quite naturally.
I believe that committing to a daily practice is the first step for all of us. Once you get into a habit of showing up for yourself and taking time for self-compassion, self-empowerment, and self-healing, you begin to notice the rewards. And once you get familiar with the rewards, you begin to notice pretty quickly when you aren’t experiencing them and quickly want to return.
There’s nothing particularly special about me. I’m not overly motivated or assertive or ambitious. Quite the opposite! I’m just very averse to suffering and lazy enough to want the simplest, safest, easiest support system that provides amazing results with only beneficial side effects.
I was willing to devote a mere 15 minutes of my mornings to a practice that gave me full-time access. Eventually I began to take more and more advantage of this full-time access, because… why not? Why not use your superpowers all the time to help you with all the things?
If you’re already on your Reiki journey, why not take advantage of the New Year reset energies to reinvigorate your self-treatment commitment? Or consider booking a Chakra-cleanse remote Reiki (December’s special) or an in-person session if you’re in Philly.
If you have yet to be initiated into the Reiki world, join my mailing list and be amongst the first to know about upcoming classes. I’m planning to offer Reiki 1 certification training in January.
Luminous Heart Reiki & Massage 