A spirit of openness

By Amelia Dress

Liz had never heard of Reiki before her cancer diagnosis.  It was her mom who found the information tucked in a folder of papers.  Deciding anything was worth a try, Liz scheduled her first appointment and met Heather, the practitioner who has become an instrumental part of her healing process.

“When I drove up on the first day, Heather was outside waving.  She gave me a hug and welcomed me inside.”  Heather’s cheerful energy is one reason Liz looks forward to every session.  “It might be an odd feeling, having someone hover over you while you relax.  Heather was so welcoming, I’ve never felt weird about it.  I’ve wondered if Heather’s personality is one reason that it’s so comforting to go.”

Liz found her sessions to be relaxing right from the beginning.  “I wasn’t sure what to expect but it was wonderful. I actually fell asleep!”  Liz laughs at this memory, remarking on the abnormality of falling asleep with a stranger in the room.  She soon discovered that falling asleep is a common reaction when people experience Reiki.  “Now I like to stay awake and Heather tells me that I’m one of the few who manage to do that,” Liz says.

Liz spends her sessions doing visualizations to help with her healing process.  “It works for me to visualize breathing in gold dust and breathing out red dust.”  Using this imagery, Liz focuses on helping her body fight off the cancer.

Because of the relaxation that Liz experiences in Reiki, she finds it especially helpful to go during the weeks when she has chemotherapy treatments.  She gets a boost in her mood and energy just by anticipating the treatments.  “I’m always happy on my way to Reiki.”

Asked about what surprised her about Reiki, Liz commented on the way that the energy feels.  “I can feel heat on troubled areas,” she replied.  In a recent session, Liz noticed a new sensation-vibrating in her foot. A frequent traveler who often suffers blood clots after flying, Liz wondered if the session had helped ease a clot from her recent trip.

Liz’s openness and enthusiasm come out when she’s asked about advice for others considering Reiki or Healing Touch.  “I would definitely recommend trying it, even if you’re not into holistic healing.  I didn’t know anything about it before I went and ended up loving it.”  She laughs and adds, “Even if it turns out that it’s not for you, what’s the worst that can happen?”