Mystic Mag’s Miguel Amado talked with Arthur Baird, a Reiki Master and presenter at the International Reiki Retreat based in Sedona (Arizona, United States). Here’s what we talked about.
Please tell us a bit about your story and how you became a Reiki Master?
I actually had a fairly unusual upbringing, my dad (and later my stepmom) was a Reiki Practitioner practically since I was born and always made an effort to expose me to a range of spiritual practices. My mom on the other hand was stereotypically mainstream western religious. I started my own personal journey of study and exploration of Sound Healing when I was 8 and of Reiki when I was 11; and I have been teaching for the last 14 years. And from that basis I have expanded into crystals too.
Can you explain what Reiki is to our readers that don’t know about that therapy?
The nutshell way of describing Reiki is as a rest and relaxation technique, but what differentiates Reiki is that it is the channeling of Source energy which then helps and empowers the recipient in their own personal healing work. I can spend an hour talking about what Reiki is, but I think that works for a quick, basic description.
Can you share with us some of the treatments and results that stand out in your journey?
I like to always remind my clients that expectations are a form of assumptions, and we all know what happens when we ass-u-m-e. That said I do know where people have witnessed broken bones setting themselves.
My stepmom suffered a stroke from a massive brain hemorrhage caused by an aneurism and was then in a coma for 21 days; because of Reiki, sound healing, and crystals being combined with western medicine, she was able to walk into her neuro-surgeon’s office a year later when she was only given a 2-5% chance of survival. Sometimes what you need, though, is just having the best nap of your life.
What is the Sedona Metaphysical Spiritual Association?
SMSA is a professional community organization that is partnered with the Sedona Chamber of Commerce. We are a gathering of spiritual and metaphysical businesses in the Sedona area that are all dedicated practitioners. For us, though it is our livelihood, we do it to be of service and assist people in their personal journeys. The SMSA has a code of ethics, something I believe it’s very important to create a relationship of trust with the client.
What do you believe is fundamental for the professionals in this area?
To put it a bit crudely, it is about walking, living, and breathing the talk, and leading by example. At the end of the day, it’s about service and gratitude.
For us that do not know Sedona or even live outside the US, can you explain why Sedona is a special place?
Sedona is a very beautiful place to experience nature, but there are lots of beautiful places around the world. So I would say what makes Sedona special is the powerful healing energy that is part of everything here. There are power centers, or vortexes, at many sites, but none have the volume that Sedona has in such a small area.
You mentioned an international retreat that you were working on. How do those events work and what is the audience (gender, age)?
My family works with the International Center for Reiki Training to host a big retreat every year over Labor Day weekend so Reiki practitioners and those Interested in Reiki can come together to share in peace and calm and recharge along with maybe learning some more/new tools for their healing work.
Normally the main retreat is held in person, but due to COVID-19, it was held as an online retreat. As far as attendees, it is designed for adults but kids are welcome and we get a wide range of people from around the world (on average there are probably a few more women than man, but that is shifting)
