​With so much more attention being placed on natural, or holistic practices in the past few years, there has been a lot of speculation on the effectiveness of holistic healing practices on cancer and cancer treatments. 
 
With the greater visibility and awareness of holistic healing, and specifically Reiki, there have been many studies done to determine the value of energy medicine treatments.  One area of research examined the impact of Reiki on cancer patients.  A study done on the effects of Reiki for pain management during cancer treatment found reduced anxiety and mood improvement, as well as pain reduction and an increase in post-therapy comfort. Another study evaluating the impact of cancer patients receiving infusion treatments showed compelling results relating to improvement in pain, fatigue, and anxiety.
 
In other words, Reiki sessions are proving to be helpful in improving overall mental and physical health while undergoing cancer treatment.  Although there is no real evidence to suggest that Reiki can prevent, treat, or cure any kind of cancer, it can help mitigate the side effects of harsh or invasive cancer treatments. 
 
Simply put, Reiki is a light-touch technique of promoting a healthy energy flow throughout the whole body – physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual.  A Reiki session is calming and allows the receiver to experience a profound sense of deep relaxation and stress reduction, while at the same time receive strong, radiant energy through the hands of the practitioner.  Reiki also provides a safe and quiet space to process through the emotions of navigating through a cancer journey. 
 
Some of the immediate benefits of a Reiki session are a sense of release and feeling emotionally lighter, reduced anxiety caused by fear and uncertainty, and an increase in over-all physical well-being.  Other long-term benefits include learning how to allow yourself to receive, and a life-time commitment of listening to the body, and enhancing your intuitive health skills. Although Reiki cannot cure cancer, it can help ease the impact of a cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment.   

​As a new practitioner, who among us has not had our doubts about our ability to connect with our client?  We worry if we are able to channel correctly, to understand all of the subtle nuances of each person’s energy, and to make a positive impact so that the participant experiences the benefits of Reiki energy treatments.  It can feel like a lot of responsibility.  And for good reason – as practitioners of natural healing methods, we have a responsibility to be able to explain the technique and speak to the benefits of energy medicine. 
 
The good news is that it doesn’t have to take too long to begin to feel a sense of confidence in your ability to be an amazing conduit for loving, healing energy.  In fact, in just a few sessions each practitioner will notice the small and subtle shifts during the sessions which lead to increased awareness and self-assurance.  Just remember these three pillars of Reiki – intention, intuition, and integrity – and you cannot go wrong. 
 
Intention is necessary to begin the flow of energy.  Intention setting can be a ritual action or a simple hand motion.  Intention setting can also differ within the healing environment, differing from an individual session to a healing circle.  Intuition just needs practice.  Using it and paying attention to it will lead to trusting it.  Always working with integrity is critical, as it impacts both your intention to facilitate the flow of energy in a healing manner, and to interpret the sensations that are felt during the session.  Setting a mindful intention, allowing your intuition to guide you, and operating with the highest integrity will guarantee success with your practice.  Success will lead to increased confidence and faith in the overall holistic process.   
 
There may be times at the beginning of a Reiki practice when one might feel like an imposter, but with continued practice it will quickly become more and more comfortable until insecurity is completely replaced with a sense of wonder at the magic of this incredible healing craft.  

​Remember that time you were convinced everyone could see your aura radiating like a disco ball after your first yoga class? Yeah, me neither. But amidst the kaleidoscope of wellness trends, whispers of “Reiki’s magic touch” persist. Before you envision yourself levitating like Yoda after a session, let’s untangle the truth from the “woo-woo” surrounding this enigmatic practice.
 
 
Myth #1: Reiki is a religious or mystical mumbo jumbo.
 
 
Reiki claims no specific deities or dogmatic doctrines. It’s rooted in the concept of “biofield energy” a network of subtle vibrations encompassing all living things.  Think of it as your body’s own internal Wi-Fi, humming with information and influencing your physical and emotional well-being. Studies by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) suggest Reiki can actually alter this biofield, potentially reducing stress hormones and increasing relaxation. Research published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management even hints at its potential to mitigate pain in cancer patients.
 
 
Myth #2: Only super-sensitive souls can “feel” Reiki.
 
 
Newsflash: you don’t need a third eye to tap into the Reiki flow. While some may experience warmth, tingling, or deep relaxation during a session, others feel...well, nothing. That’s okay!  Effectiveness isn’t tied to tingling toes. Think of Reiki as a gentle nudge towards harmony within your biofield, like tuning a radio to a calming frequency.
 
 
Myth #3: Reiki replaces medical treatment.
 
 
Absolutely not. Reiki is a complementary therapy, not a magic cure-all. Think of it as a
supportive arm on your wellness journey, not a replacement for doctor’s appointments or prescribed medications. If you’re battling chronic health issues, prioritize conventional medical care while exploring Reiki as a potential way to boost your inner strength and healing potential.
So, if you’re curious about adding a touch of biofield-balancing to your holistic regimen,
remember: Reiki isn’t about levitating furniture or channeling unicorns. It’s about harnessing the subtle power within you to promote relaxation, manage stress, and perhaps even tap into a deeper sense of inner harmony. And if you’re curious to explore further, studios like Rising Sun Reiki offer a variety of Reiki packages tailored to specific needs, from reducing anxiety to navigating grief.
 
 
Ready to ditch the “woo-woo” and embrace the science-backed potential of Reiki? The journey to biofield bliss awaits. Are you ready to tune in?

Most of us know about the traditional story of the crucifixion and the resurrection.  Jesus of Nazareth was crucified on Mount Calvary and then rose from the dead as a victorious symbol of forgiveness and everlasting life in heaven.  But for many of us, this explanation of Easter is unsatisfactory, as there is some ambiguity regarding how, exactly, this act of crucifixion and resurrection saves us from our sins.   But if we look at the crucifixion and the resurrection as a metaphor it becomes clearer. 
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A crucifixion is an ending.  It is symbolic of the letting go of conditions, items, and sometimes people that no longer serve us.  The process is seldom easy, and often rather painful and complicated.  It typically involves bringing to light hidden, harmful thoughts and beliefs about who we are, and the negative emotions like shame and bitterness, that accompany them.  But once those negative thoughts and beliefs are acknowledged, they can be processed and released, ending the cycle of self-doubt and limiting thinking that may be holding us back from our true abundance and prosperity. 

Once we let go of these thoughts and beliefs that do not serve us we create space in our minds that we can fill with joyful thoughts and positive beliefs that will enhance our lives. This is the resurrection.  The beginning of a new set of beliefs about our lives and our potential.  And out of this new set of beliefs we can build, or resurrect, a new life that we love living. 

The crucifixion is the end or death of something – a habit, a job, a relationship.  The resurrection is the new beginning, the rising from the ashes, the Phoenix.  Each Easter is an opportunity to cast off that which no longer serves us, an ending of those beliefs that we have found to be harmful.  And a beginning of new beliefs and habits that bring us closer to our true spirit and purpose. 

You cannot have the resurrection without the crucifixion.  The crucifixion can be chaotic and awkward, but it is necessary to end the old before the new can begin.  There is a resurrection power in all of us, and it is never to late to rise up and begin again.  

To understand how Reiki can help with karmic experience we need to examine the concept of Karma. Karma is most often misunderstood.  Many think it is strictly “an eye for an eye” natural law, but that is a false and oversimplified explanation for a complex belief.
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Karma is defined by Merriam-Webster as “the force generated by a person’s actions…to perpetuate transmigration and in its ethical consequences to determine the nature of the person’s next existence…”.  Simply put, Karma means that for every action there is a reaction.  Whatever energy is put into the world, the same energy will come back to the sender.  Karma is not a punishment that is meted out based on our actions, but rather a natural consequence of our choices.  Buddhists believe that Karma is generated by emotional attachments, and that emotional attachments are the cause all suffering in life.  Karma is the result of choices based on suffering resulting from emotional attachments. 

Karma is influenced by the lessons that we have chosen to learn.  Errors in life must be understood and remedied to be healed.  Our lessons must be learned to move past the energetic mess we have made with our negative choices.  Karma is the act of learning the lessons and replacing negative choices and actions with positive choices and actions, which will attract more positive choices and change. 

Karma is also instrumental in fulfilling agreements made while preparing to enter the current lifetime.  We all make soul agreements with our guides and with our soul groups regarding the lessons that will be learned, and a tragic event or a terminal illness may be the agreed upon circumstances to create the learning experience.  For example, a person who has suffered life-long chronic illness or injury may not be resolving karma from causing others to physically suffer in past lives.  The karma playing out could be a way of learning to receive or to be patient. 

So how does Reiki healing help karmic resolution?  If the karmic situation has its roots in past life circumstances, Reiki can help to provide space to learn the karmic lesson associated with the prior events.  The Reiki session itself is a meditative space that will allow the receiver to connect with still, small voice of the soul, providing insight into the relationship between current circumstances and past life experiences. 

Also, because Reiki energy healing works first on the high vibration energy body it will impact the high vibrational thoughts, beliefs, and emotions.  These thoughts, beliefs, and emotions can be directly tied to karmic issues such as explained fears or phobias.  Clearing out these thoughts, beliefs, and emotions can clear the karmic energy associated with them, leading to release and healing. 

Karma is a natural law that dictates that one will receive the same energy that one puts out into the universe.  This can happen quickly, or it may take lifetimes to fully resolve.  Reiki can have an impact on one’s karmic journey by providing gentle, quiet space to explore the karmic reasons for current events.  Reiki will also strengthen, support, and clear the energy body of residual negative energy resulting from thoughts and beliefs reaped from past actions and experiences.  

When I first began to practice Reiki and created a business with my practice, it became clear early on that I was going to have to find language around the art of Reiki. Language that not only invited curiosity and conversation around the subject of energy medicine, but was also authentic to me in a way that would convey my passion and belief in the healing process. I firmly believe as practitioners we not only enjoy the gifts of being in the healing community, but we also have a responsibility to share our knowledge with others who are interested. 
 
At first, I found myself tripping over my words trying to explain something that I just fundamentally and deeply understood. I struggled to find the words to explain the practice of Reiki in a clear and concise manner that would inspire interest, and not sound too mysterious or obscure. William Rand, founder of the International Center for Reiki Training defines Reiki as
                           A Japanese technique of deep relaxation and stress reduction that also
                          promotes healing.
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This is a good definition, and it is certainly general, or even vague enough not to be off-putting to anyone. But it doesn’t really say anything – it doesn’t speak to the hands-on technique, or the facilitation of life-force energy, or the benefits of Reiki healing. However, it is a great initial introduction to Reiki and will prompt conversation with those who are seeking information on holistic medicine. Another, more succinct, definition of Reiki is simply “spiritually guided life-force energy.” Although also not especially broad in scope, this definition does narrow it down a bit.
 
One of the reasons that we have trouble defining Reiki energy is because the English language has no word that explicitly means “life-force energy.”  We are not a nature-based society and as such we have no cultural understanding of the subtle energies that surround us. Just because these energies are not detected by the human eye, does not mean they do not exist. In fact, we acknowledge and use transparent, or invisible, energies every day. Electricity is an example of a subtle energy that is not visible to the human eye, but we confirm its existence each time we flip on a light switch. The internet, radio waves, and gravity are all examples of high frequency energies that we make use of each day, but cannot see.
 
Many cultures, both modern and ancient, have an acute awareness and understanding of the hidden energies that permeate our environment, the highest if which is life-force energy, the energy of love. In Japan the word for life-force energy is Ki.  In China it is Chi, it is known as Prana in India, and in Hebrew Raush. Perhaps with more acceptance of natural, holistic practices our Western European culture will eventually create a word that captures the essence of Life-Force Energy. 
 
Another challenge with the language of Reiki is the translation from Japanese to English. Language mirrors the culture within which it is spoken. Japanese and American cultures are very different and there can be misunderstanding when trying to interpret the meaning of words and ideas. Usui’s five precepts, the principles (Gokai in Japanese) that will lead to happiness often vary in the wording depending upon the translation. Although the general meaning is the same, the words used to describe the precepts can be quite different.
 
One thing is for sure – once embarking upon a Reiki adventure, one’s vocabulary will change and more thought provoking words, gentler words, words of compassion and curiosity become everyday words.  We begin to think with words like gratitude and forgiveness, unconditional love and self-responsibility, intuition, and integrity.  When we change our words, we can change our world.

One of the tools of a Reiki practitioner is Distant Healing.    Distant healing is simple and effective, and can be as profound as an in-person session.  Distant healing has two characteristics. One aspect is that of distance through space.  In other words, a practitioner can send Reiki to a recipient that is not physically present.  The other aspect is that of distant healing through time, both past and future. 

Distant healing through space is quite common amongst Reiki practitioners.  It is typically done by intentionally sending healing energy while in a state of meditation.   Distant healing through time is also done in a state of meditation, sending healing energy to a past or future event or circumstance.  The intention of the distant healing through space is not to try to change the conclusions of the past, nor influence the outcome in the future, but rather to surround the circumstance or event with loving, healing energy. The desired result is the highest good of all involved. 
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Many people that have experienced a distant healing session report that the experience is very similar to an in-person session – a deeply relaxing and profound experience.