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5 Reiki Precepts: Applying them to your life

Japanese print

In one of Phyllis Furumoto’s recent YouTube videos she responded to a question that someone had sent in regarding listening to spirit guides. When I heard the question, I was intrigued to see how she would respond to it because she teaches a very traditional form of Reiki that is very close to the teachings she received from her grandmother. (I was also imagining the question being directed at me and how I would have trouble answering this question myself.)

Phyllis, of course, answered the question with great skill and compassion. The first thing that she said was, “My only guide is Reiki.” Then she went on to state, “I have Reiki inside me. I listen to myself. I follow the five precepts.” In her experience, she does not have spirit guides in the way that the questioner was asking about, however, she is guided by the practice and the teachings of those who came before her in this lineage.

After listening to this, I spent some time reflecting upon what it means to follow the five Reiki precepts. To review the 5 precepts are:

Just for today:

  1. Don’t get angry
  2. Don’t worry
  3. Be grateful
  4. Work diligently
  5. Be kind to others

These have been presented and translated in many different forms but the meaning is basically the same. They provide guideposts for right action. Certainly they are not revolutionary and they clearly align with other systems for ethical action.

When Phyllis answered the question about listening to your guides, she was definitely aligning herself with the precepts. She didn’t exhibit anger or worry. She was appreciative of the question. And she carefully crafted her answer while being kind to the person who answered the question and others who might have the same question.

In our day-to-day lives, we will experience anger and worry. Being Reiki practitioners does not make us immune to our emotions (and definitely should not lead to repression of our feelings). However, how we express those feelings, how we behave towards others, and how we show our gratitude, our work ethic, and our kindness define us as Reiki practitioners.

How do you apply the Reiki Precepts in your life? Please let us know in the comments below.

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Sacred Sundays and Other Great Ideas

Sacred Sunday light“If it doesn’t serve to uplift your spirit, let it go.”

As the calendar was getting ready to change from 2015 to 2016, I experienced a healing CranioSacral session. My intention for that session included, “clarity and focus.” (If you know me personally, you know that this is something I don’t usually need to seek – but I was quite scattered at the time.) As I lay on the table, I heard very clearly, “If it doesn’t serve to uplift your spirit, let it go.”

This message is very helpful for focusing my actions and plans for this New Year. I have started to use it as a litmus test for whether or not I’ll continue with certain activities and scheduling in 2016.

For instance, for the past few years, I have run a Reiki Clinic on Sunday afternoons from 3-5 p.m. This has meant that my Sunday is another workday and sometimes that means working 7 days in a week.

Though Clinic is uplifting and fulfilling, I’m still there as a professional. This is not recreation and it is not family time. So I decided to implement a “sacred Sundays” policy for 2016. The only exception to this policy will be teaching Reiki classes on Sunday eight times this year. This will allow me at least one day off per week which opens up time for being with my family and having fun – just for its own sake.

This focus on uplifting my spirit has also caused me to change my schedule in other ways. I love to explore, hike, and travel with my family. However, with commitments most weekends, that means we usually can only get away for recreation a few times per year. So I’ve shifted my Reiki Clinic days to be the same as the days I offer Reiki treatments at the Wellness House in Hinsdale – one in the morning and one in the afternoon. This makes for a long day, but frees up Sunday’s schedule and it frees up other weekends.

I wish that the phrase (“If it doesn’t serve to uplift your spirit, let it go.”) were a Magic 8-ball and provided me with a definite answer as to whether or not I should maintain other activities and commitments, but it’s not. However, it has been helpful in terms of encouraging me to put my focus into a few specific activities related to my Reiki, meditation, and coaching practices for 2016, including a greater focus on teaching, especially in larger settings and, maybe, online; and doing more writing projects, maybe even a monthly column in a local publication.

Commitment toward those activities though means I have to be judicious in how I spend my time. I tend to take on a lot of things and end up being stressed out over a lack of time. In order to enjoy my activities and fulfill my highest purpose, I will continue to remove those things that don’t serve to uplift my spirit and dive into those that do.

How about you? How are you focusing your activities in the New Year? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

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Listening to your Body

Chicago River bridge liftOn October 11, 2015, several of my running buddies, from our local women’s running group, competed in the Chicago Marathon. There were also many others who competed in other races, including a half marathon in New York City. By Sunday evening our Facebook group was filled with posts about dehydration, injuries, close calls, trips to the emergency room, etc. This is from a group of highly experienced runners. Some of them are (or have in the past) qualified for the Boston Marathon. But a theme emerged in their posts and discussions: how do we do a better job of listening to our bodies?

As an athlete, it’s a tricky balance between knowing when to push and when to stop. Part of our training includes not stopping at the first tinge of pain; not stopping the first time our minds say, “enough”; not stopping when we cramp and ache.

Ok, so we don’t stop at the first sign but when is the right time to stop? When is the mind driving the show? When do we start ignoring the credible signs from our body? And which signs are ok to ignore and which are red alert warning signs?

It’s probably pretty hard to know the exact moment when we cross the line from reasonably pushing our bodies to pushing our bodies into the danger zone of injury, dehydration, and exhaustion. However, if we cultivate a habit of listening to our bodies, then we develop sensitivity to its signs and can, hopefully, react appropriately to each different type.

Developing this sensitivity takes practice and slowing down. Reiki self-practice is an excellent tool for developing this listening ear for our body’s signals. When we spend some time each day in quiet contemplation we notice the body’s energetic signs – where it hurts, where it’s in flow, and how our mind influences our experience of these bodily sensations.

Reiki is definitely helpful in this regard as are other mindfulness practices like yoga, meditation, and many others. The important point here is to practice listening, assessing, and remembering what it was like to hear the body with honesty and open-mindedness.

Another helpful tool is to run with a buddy. (Substitute, “running,” for any activity that you do and, perhaps, “mentor” or “teacher” might be a useful substitute for “buddy.”) In our running group we run with each other for a number of reasons: it’s fun, motivating, safer, and makes you a faster runner. A running buddy (or professional mentor or friend) who is familiar with you and your ability and skill can help you know when you’ve gone too far. They’ll help to push you and, on the flip side, help you know when you’ve pushed too much.

How do you cultivate listening to your body? Are there specific techniques that you use? Share them with us in the comments below. Thanks!

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3 Reiki Fallacies

Raised Hands imageThere are many fallacies in the Reiki community about what Reiki is, how it is practiced, and what Reiki practitioners can do. I completely understand how these have developed. One of the reasons is because Reiki is so malleable. It perfectly blends with other traditions, practices, and treatments. Another reason for these fallacies is because Reiki practice and teaching has not been standardize so the beautiful people who have learned it have morphed it into things that are as unique as each of them.

  1. “I felt something.”

This is often uttered by a well meaning Reiki practitioner who is seeking to do something that he or she is not trained or licensed to do, i.e., diagnose. Indeed, as Reiki practitioners we do often “feel” something.

We experience a whoosh of energy at the heart or a lack of energy pull at the stomach or an almost overwhelming draw of energy at the kidneys. Yes, you felt something, but what does it mean? Do you really know if it is a good thing or a bad thing? Can you prove that?

But let’s get to the most important part of this conversation, what will your words mean to the person you’re speaking to? Will this be helpful to them? Will it uplift them and facilitate their healing process? Or is it simply you seeking to uplift your ego and your place as the expert and the reader of energy fields? Please, think before you speak and keep your audience’s perspective and needs at the top of your mind.

  1. “Your chakras are out of balance.”

Let’s go back to our Reiki textbooks. The chakras are part of a system that is separate from Reiki. If you’re practicing Reiki and chakra balancing together, you’re doing something other than pure Reiki. You’ve created your own thing. (Or you’re following the practice your teacher created independently.)

The knowledge of the chakras is not needed in order to understand, practice, or benefit from Reiki. (The recent recordings made by Phyllis Furumoto that are on YouTube provide more background on this topic.)

  1. “Reiki should be free.”

It is wonderful to offer free Reiki sessions to those who are suffering and are unable to afford to pay for a session. I highly recommend this to my students and colleagues as a way to give back to your community and as a valuable learning tool because you will encounter so many different types of people and you will spread so much good.

However, most sessions should be done for a fee. People devalue that which is free. Also, payment provides a valuable energy exchange. As a practitioner, you’re offering your time and expertise during a session and the gift has been reciprocated when your client offers you a monetary payment. (Bartering is also a way to complete that energy exchange, if the value of the barter makes sense for both parties.)

If you’re questioning how this impacts the practice of Reiki and if it is traditional, please read this transcription of an audio recording made by Hawayo Takata. It will make you seriously question “free.”

Wishing you the love and light of the universe.

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First Thoughts upon Waking: What did I do . . .?

IMG_0582If you’re a Reiki practitioner, you may have a self-Reiki practice that begins as soon as you wake up in the morning. I know I do and I cherish those minutes of self-care that begin my day, focus my attention, and connect me with my higher purpose.

Perhaps you’ve also noticed, that just upon waking can be a moment of great insight. This can include insight into your own psyche or the revelation of a solution to a difficult situation that you may be facing. Sometimes there is great clarity as we face the first moments of our day.

Recently, I was startled by a thought that greeted me upon waking, “What did I do wrong?” Now guilt and blame have been my companions at other times in my life, but I was startled by how clearly I heard this thought. When I heard it I knew instantly that it was one that must be running in my subconscious during the day.

A few minutes later I asked my self, “What did I do right?” And then I asked myself to continue with that question throughout the day. As I moved through my day I noticed that there were people in my workplace who were focused on wrongdoing and blaming. As I reflected further on this, I felt that I had picked up from them this perspective and had internalized it with the constant thought, “What did I do wrong?”

I then thought, “Well, maybe it’s just me. Maybe I’m particularly sensitive to this blaming and guilt and that’s why I picked it up from these people and this environment.” Then, the next day, one of my coworkers was talking about her work and she said, “I’m always thinking, ‘What did I do wrong? Did I make another mistake?’” I was relieved, in some ways, to see I wasn’t the only one who had caught this perspective and provided her with reassurance on her excellent work performance.

So after all this reflection and all these revelations, I came back to the thought, “What did I do right?” After a few weeks, I was feeling much better and was focused on how many things I do right in a day. Granted there are still many mistakes, but they don’t have to be the focus.

Another benefit of the “what did I do right?” perspective was how I started applying it to others in my life. It helped me to focus on the positive things that my family, friends, colleagues, and strangers are doing on a regular basis.

So I offer to you today, ask yourself, “What did I do right today?” I think you’ll be delighted by the answer and it will give you the energy to cultivate even more of those positive actions.

 

Do you have experiences with thoughts upon waking or focusing your inner dialogue on what’s right? If yes, please share your experiences in the comments below! Thanks!

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Playing in the “And” Space: A Gratitude Practice

GratitudeI hope you all have had the opportunity to utilize some of the wonderful resources that become available this time of year around developing a gratitude practice. I find that, even in the most difficult of times, a gratitude practice can be a great comfort and can really uplift my spirit.

Today, I received Chelsea Dinsmore’s post on cultivating a gratitude practice. She shares many thought-provoking questions and provides some other guidance that I think you’ll find helpful.

Chelsea also shared this reflection, which you may have seen elsewhere. It can be a wonderful way to reframe some of life’s challenges:

Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire,
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don’t know something
For it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times
During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations
Because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge
Because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes
They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you’re tired and weary
Because it means you’ve made a difference.

It is easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are
also thankful for the setbacks.

Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles
and they can become your blessings.

~ Author Unknown ~

I know for some of us this approach feels like we’re forcing positivity onto things that just aren’t. “I don’t need to be thankful for the difficult times. Sure I may grow from them but there are other things I’ll share my gratitude with.”

If this is how you feel, my heart is with you as we move through difficult times with grace and strength. And with deepest compassion I offer you the following:

Thanksgiving the Good AND the Bad

I feel grief
And yet, I’m thankful
For friends and flowers

I see oppression
And yet, I’m thankful
For a voice to speak truth and to try
To make things better

I see injustice
And yet, I’m thankful
For striving and action to bring balance to this world

I face violence
And yet, I’m thankful
For brave warriors, first responders, and those who practice peace

I feel pain
And yet, I’m thankful
For breath, for life, for love

I lose hope
And yet, I’m thankful
For all I have

~ Janice Lodato

Sending love and light to all of you this holiday and always. May you feel the encompassing compassion of the universe as you live in your “and” space.

 

 

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Why the Stages of Grief are so Appealing

Mirror Maze photo by Janice E LodatoJust when you think you’ve “moved on” and accepted your new normal, you notice someone who reminds you of your beloved. Or you reach into your closet and pull an old sweater to your face and your mind floods with images of the one you’ve lost. Or you sit on the edge of your bed to get dressed and remember how you sat there that day – stunned by feelings of loss and grief. How can it be? You’re right back where you were before.

If this sounds at all familiar to you in your journey with grief, you are not alone. While the stages of grief, as described by Kubler-Ross, are very appealing – especially in their linear nature, i.e., that we will achieve acceptance and be done – the reality of grief is much more varied. It is complicated, and, well, not stage like at all. Perhaps it’s more of a circle than a line that goes:

Denial –> Anger –> Bargaining –> Depression –> Acceptance

The human mind likes to understand things and categorize them. We’re constantly trying to make sense of our experiences and stages are very appealing. Definitely, there is a lot that makes sense in what Kubler-Ross described and it may mirror our experience.

However, I think a more fluid and less linear approach may be more helpful. For example, we might continue to operate with some form of denial even as we experience acceptance. Though they may sound contradictory, in our day-to-day experience they may operate together. For example, as I accept the death of a loved one, I still may experience, at times, shock or a sense of denial that she is not there when I turn to talk her or I may expect her witty comeback in a conversation.

I think this is where the beauty lies in using creative tools and resources as we journey with our grief. Generally, these tools are not linear and ask our logical brains to quiet down. When we’re in this creative space, we can touch on internal resources to sit with our grief and help us make meaning in a new way. We can explore where our grief or anger resides within our body and how that might help us to discover ways that we can feel better. Or we can create a new self-portrait that shows how the shattered pieces of our former lives are pieced back together in new ways.

These creative approaches to being with grief are at the core of the Creative Grief Studio’s program and woven throughout the work that I do as a grief coach. Please reach out if this sounds like it will be helpful to you. Also, know that the back and forth / highs and lows of grief are a normal part of this very circular and spiraling process.

Wishing you abundant peace!

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5 things I want to tell the naysayers

Reiki during chemotheraphy
Joan Pouch performs Reiki on cancer patient Margaret Briscoe, to help relax her during a chemotherapy infusion.

Last week, an advertisement was posted in the UK for a Reiki Spiritual Healer to join the staff, in a paid position, at St Margaret’s Hospital in Epping, Essex. This created a bit of a storm in the webosphere with some people criticizing the hospital for condoning “quackery.”

Here are the top 5 things I’d like to say to all the naysayers:

  1. We’re not just physical machines. To be human is to be composed of body, mind, and spirit. These aspects are continuously linked during our lifetime. A healthy mind helps to create a healthy body and spirit. A healthy spirit contributes to a healthy mind and body, etc.
  2. Doctors and nurses don’t do the same thing as Reiki practitioners. The Reiki practitioners are helping the doctors and nurses. They help by creating an environment where a patient can relax and receive his or her treatment with less stress and anxiety.
  3. There are studies that show this is helpful. See, for instance:

Rachel S.C. Friedman, Matthew M. Burg, Pamela Miles, Forrester Lee, and Rachel Lampert “The Effects of Reiki on Autonomic Activity Early After Acute Coronary Syndrome.” J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. 2010; 56;995-996.

Baldwin, A. and Schwartz, G.E., “Personal Interaction with a Reiki Practitioner Decreases Noise-Induced Damage in An Animal Model”, Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, January 1, 2006.

Bengston, W., Kinslet, D. (2000) “The Effect of the ‘Laying On of Hands’ on Transplanted Breast Cancer in Mice,” Journal of Scientific Exploration, Fall, vol. 14(3), pp.353-364.

And more here.

  1. Maybe you haven’t noticed, but there are Reiki practitioners in many large hospitals. You can often find them offering Reiki during chemotherapy treatments. Why don’t you stop by and ask the patients what they think of the Reiki?
  2. Wake Up! Our bodies/minds/spirits are asking for holistic and complementary care. Please step aside while we provide it.

 

 

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No Guarantees

Twisting staircase, no guaranteesLet’s get straight to the punch line for this post: With Reiki, as with life, there are no guarantees. I wish there were, but there are not.

I’m writing this because as a Reiki Master I often have the following exchange with potential clients.

Client: “Will Reiki help with my . . . [fill in any physical or mental health ailment]?”

Janice: “Reiki will provide a state of deep relaxation where your body, mind, and spirit can reach their full potential for healing.”

Client: “Is there a guarantee this will heal me?”

Janice: “There are no guarantees. However, it will help you achieve a state of deep relaxation where your highest healing good can be achieved. When we’re relaxed our body heals faster, our minds are clearer and more creative, and we can relate with each other more authentically.”

Client: “What percentage chance is there that Reiki will heal my . . . “

Janice: “Reiki is a healing practice. I don’t have a number to quantify it.”

Client: “I’ll try something else with a guarantee.”

What is the something else with a guarantee? Does the medication you take come with a guarantee that it will heal you? Do you know how it heals you? Is it possible that it is your mind and your body’s natural abilities that are healing you?

Dr. Andrew Weil’s book, “Spontaneous Healing,” addresses this exact phenomena where a patient’s body is healed without conventional medicine’s intervention, even in the case of severe and prolonged illness. He writes:

“I regard the placebo response as a pure example of healing elicited by the mind; far from being a nuisance, it is, potentially, the greatest therapeutic ally doctors can find in their efforts to mitigate disease . . . Unfortunately, this view of placebo medicine is very much out of fashion today. . . . If a drug begins to work in too many different conditions, most doctors lose interest in it, because they think lack of specificity means lack of an underlying mechanism. In other words the drug could be — perish the thought! — merely a placebo.”

So, Reiki . . . maybe it’s a placebo, maybe its effectiveness really is all in your mind, and, definitely, there are no guarantees that it will work. Why, then, should you spend your time and money on a Reiki treatment? Here are a few compelling anecdotes:

  • A seven-year-old girl fractured her humerus and required surgery to insert three pins. The post-surgery recovery time was slated at 6-weeks, minimum. The girl received daily Reiki treatments and recovered in half that time – 3 weeks.
  • A 45-year-old man had knee surgery. He asked his wife, a level 2 Reiki practitioner, for treatments on his knee. At his 6-week follow-up visit the orthopedic surgeon was shocked by the speed of his healing. He called in his colleague to show him the progress of healing and recovery that the man had achieved which was what they normally see at 12 weeks or more post-operatively in people 10-15 years younger than the man.
  • A 60-year-old woman, grieving the death of her husband and living with the side effects of chemotherapy treatment for her breast cancer, received a Reiki session once a week for six weeks. After two treatments she reported an improvement in the quality of her sleep and increased energy. After three treatments she reported that the neuropathy in her hands and feet had stopped. After six treatments, she said, “I have my life back.”

Won’t you give Reiki a try? Yes, there are no guarantees, but there is a good chance you’ll feel great and facilitate your body’s natural healing abilities.

Wishing you abundant wellness!

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Why should you attend Reiki Clinic?

Reiki Master Phyllis FurumotoIf you’re a Reiki practitioner or master you may wonder: Why should I attend a Reiki Clinic? This was the topic of a recent conversation with a friend of mine. He pointed out to me the other day that many Reiki practitioners probably don’t want to participate in a Reiki Clinic because they are giving away their services for free with little benefit to themselves. This may be a very practical explanation, however, I hope that you are receiving many other benefits from attending Clinic.  I hope that you know (on all levels) that the practice of Reiki occurs through self-practice, practice on others, and living the precepts.  Clinic provides an opportunity to practice on others and often to receive a short treatment yourself. Do you need an additional benefit?

By practicing, you have the opportunity to learn from Reiki. To receive the insight and healing that you seek and that your body, mind, and spirit are innately capable of. As Takata said, “Let Reiki teach you.”

For instance, if you take a tennis class, study meditation, or take a piano lesson, and if you expect to advance, improve, and learn more about the game, about your mind, or about music, you will practice. For example, you will find a tennis partner and go to the court and hit the ball back and forth. You will probably do this at least once a week in addition to your lessons — if you expect to integrate what you have learned. Learning Reiki is like learning to play tennis. Take the class and then practice.

If you need more motivation to attend Clinic, or need to be re-inspired to practice, I highly recommend listening to this talk by Phyllis Furumoto. There are many heart-warming stories that she recounts about the teachings from her grandmother, Hawayo Takata. I especially loved this quote from Takata that I had not heard before: “If you can count to four you can practice Reiki.”

Perhaps that’s one of the issues with Reiki for those of us in the United States. As a group of people, we may want something more complicated.  (“What? I only need to count to four?! How effective can that possibly be? If I count to 4,000, then maybe it’s worth practicing.”) However, Phyllis repeatedly reminds us of the simplicity of Reiki and the way that Reiki works by tapping into our innate healing abilities. It will teach you when you practice it.

Hope to see you at an upcoming Reiki Clinic. And remember, as Takata said, “Reiki, Reiki, Reiki. . . . Do Reiki and Notice.”