Reiki Ema shares her passion and experience of Reiki with MysticMag.
How would you describe your journey and transition from Project Manager to Energy Healer?
At the time, it felt very big and out of the blue, but on reflection, as a little girl growing up, I had always been drawn to energy work, complementary therapies and crystals etc.. However, I ended up doing office work, as one does, to survive in the ‘real world’. Project management seemed to be what was best suited to me and this position became my purpose and ‘dream job’. Ten years later, I finally achieved my goal – I became a Project Manager.
I hit a brick wall and for various reasons spiraled into a depression and ended up having a nervous breakdown. The Universe threw this at me, fortunately, because I was in no way prepared to give up my job or admit defeat.
After my breakdown, my partner suggested I do my Reiki level 1 course which I had been wanting to do for a long time. This brought me to realize I needed to make my uniqueness the center of what I was doing. I needed to trust myself and know that I had value to the world the way I was. It was a powerful reconnection with my soul.
I had had both a Shiatsu and Reiki treatment previously and I became aware that I needed more of both in my life; I just wasn’t sure in what capacity that should be.
Does the practice of Reiki on animals differ to that practiced on humans and are similar results achieved?
It is similar but different. With humans there is verbal communication and social cues that we follow. With animals, the work is different as they can’t verbalize their needs and wishes. The dynamics are also very different. Animals are very much energy workers in their own right and pick up on energies in a very intuitive, natural way. They tend to pick up on Reiki quite quickly.
It is important to understand the animal receiver’s behavioral patterns, on both the energetic and physical levels. It is also important not to impose touch on animals, particularly on rescue center animals where I have spent extensive time as a volunteer.
In this case, I may simply sit in the corner of the room and start channeling the reiki into the room, or into myself, so the animals can perceive what Reiki is all about. They then often start to relax and will tell you through their behavior and their reactions when they have had enough or which part of their bodies they want me to treat. Because animals lock into the energy so quickly and intensely, they tend not to need it for as long as humans.
What can you tell us about the Animal Reiki Study you are performing with the University of Chester?
When I was volunteering at the RSPCA it was extremely apparent the effect that Reiki had on the animals, and on the dogs particularly. It was chaos when I walked into the kennel block – all the dogs were barking, many were jumping up onto the sides of their cages and there was much stress and tension in the air.
I noticed that when I was offering the Reiki, gradually the sound level would decrease – and not only from the dog I was practicing on! At the end of the session I would hear occasional snores in the silence throughout the whole kennel. It was palpably noticeable and the staff wanted me to come more often because the dogs were so much calmer and easier to work with after the session.
At the same time, I was also doing a “boot camp” course, as part of a project helping small businesses and startups, with the University of Chester. One of the people from the University suggested they link me up with the University’s Research Department so I could carry out a study.
I approached them and I was put in touch with the relevant person and a student from Bio Veterinary Science. We worked alongside each other and performed a blind study of Reiki. We are still waiting on the final thesis on the study – it was an incredible learning experience and I can now relate back to the Reiki Federation on what works and what doesn’t with studies on Reiki for animals, a path that is being developed more and more in the medical fields, and one which the UK Reiki Federation is pioneering. One of my priorities is to encourage more scientific and mainstream recognition and evidence on how effective Reiki actually is for all species.
How has Reiki transformed your life?
It has brought me back to me. It has given me my life back and the Universe has forced me to step into my potential, embrace who I am and fully start to use my skills in my everyday life. It has been a catalyst for me as it is for many people.
Do you take a specific approach in the teaching of Reiki?
I adapt how I teach and the approach I use for teaching Reiki, depending on the background and needs of my students. Sometimes we focus more on the practical aspects and gaining experience than the theoretical and spiritual side, and for others I may bring more focus to the spiritual side of things and explore energy theory more. This would involve things like the Eastern theory around Qi/chi or Ki, briefly covering the meridians and perhaps touching on the frameworks of Yin and Yang and the 5 Elements.
For more advanced students I like to make sure they have a grounding in some of the knowledge that already exists in energy work in the East, in other modalities: for example in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture and Shiatsu. Reiki is one form of energy but there are many others that it’s useful to understand if we wish to build our skills, which can help us to take our Reiki practice to higher levels.
Want to know more about Reiki Ema, visit https://www.reikiema.com/ or follow on https://www.facebook.com/reikiema.therapy
