Have you ever felt a deep-seated longing for something more, a connection to something greater than yourself? Jacqui’s journey has been one of exploration, discovery, and spiritual awakening. From the constraints of societal expectations to the freedom of self-expression, she has embraced the power of healing and the magic of the universe.
What inspired me to found KendaReiki and how does the name reflect on my approach to healing?
I have always been drawn to the spiritual path but I was influenced by society and the country I lived in for many years. My mother is Maltese and is a practicing Roman Catholic and I was raised as such. My father is British and is a non practicing member of the Church of England. He was in the British Army and we moved about quite a bit in my early years, only settling in the UK when I was 7 years old. At the age of 18, I moved to Malta to live with family and work in travel. I was always inquisitive and wanted to learn more about Wiccan practices which were squashed the moment I moved to Malta.
Heavily influenced by the Roman Catholic religion, everything I did was seen as “the work of the Devil” and I soon learned that I could not be open so quietly researched and practiced solitary for many years. My eyes were opened to things that led me to stop blindly believing that the RC was the only and right way and created a path of my own. I lost relationships with cousins and aunts but I knew this was where I needed to be and so I made the decision to leave my home, my life as I knew it to build a new one.
In August 2011, I relocated with my son, 4 cats and a few possessions (okay a lot of possessions) and bought a home in Birmingham to be closer to my parents and siblings. This is where I began to feel free from the previous restraints and started looking for a mentor. I first studied Past Life Regression. It was great and such an eye opener from me. I went into it to try to prove you could manipulate the outcome (I was wrong!) in one of my sessions, I was a medicine woman. At the time, I had no clue what that meant yet the words were flowing as I described a celebration of a boy who was now a man but still looked like a boy. The chanting, the drumming and dancing around the large bonfire. Plants, animals and smoke surrounded me and I could see everything, feel everything as though I was right there. When we finished I was so confused and it was suggested that I do some research, which of course I did.
I was speechless for the first time in ages, everything I had seen during the session was real. Here I was reading about such a ceremony that is still happening now. I felt more connected than I had ever been and so when I studied Reiki – Level 2 – Practitioner level, I was asked if I had any idea of a business name. I started looking for inspiration. I wanted it to connect with my past lives as well as my future then I saw it – Kenda (one of the variants of the name Wakanda). The name is of Sioux origin and the meaning is inner magical power. That is me, that is what I represent and that is what I help others release – their inner magical power and so, KendaReiki was born.
I work closely with the gifts of the earth in forms of crystals and essential oils on a daily basis. I follow the path of the planets and learn how they influence us and so much more. I now know that I have carried this knowledge through my many lives and so I want to share and teach others.
How has my personal journey through grief and loss influenced my work in reiki and other healing modalities?
Short answer – I am not sure I would be here writing this if I didn’t have Reiki and my other modalities to support me.
Long answer – During my 52 cycles around the sun, I have loved and lost and some losses hit deeper than others. I understand how it feels to want to shut yourself off from everybody and everything but instead force a smile and wear the mask so that I can function as society expects while I scream inside. I have fallen so low that I never thought I could get back up only to hear my inner voice (my guides) whisper encouragement not to give up, that I have more to give and then to rise up wiser and stronger than before.
My personal journey allows me to empathise with my clients, to read between the lines and hear what they are unable to vocalise. I can read their body language and reach their pain then show them ways to begin their healing journey. It makes me more determined to give them a voice and a safeplace so they can become whole once more, but better than that, they can be free.
Can I explain how reiki, crystal therapy, and essential oils compliment each other in my healing sessions?
This depends on what my client needs – everybody is different and so my approach adapts. I use essential oils in various ways, in the diffuser as well as topically. I usually know the client’s initial reason for coming to me and so intuitively pick essential oils for diffusion which means these tiny particles are already in the air as they enter The Moon Lodge. As we chat, I decide if they may benefit from having a topical application of oils (maybe different to the ones in the diffuser) before we move onto Reiki.
One of the services I offer is The AromaTouch Technique which is a gentle application of 8 specific essential oils to the spine and feet (similar to Reflexology but not quite). I love it because I benefit from them too. As I gently massage them into the skin, they are entering my skin cells too through my hands – Win Win for me. A fantastic 45 minutes of bliss and total relaxation.
During a reiki session, in fact any of my sessions, the diffuser is on and gets adapted to what I feel will best support them. You see, if I know I have an oil or a blend that can start the process of releasing what no longer serves them ahead of reiki, then why wouldn’t I work with it? I am not about making money by keeping the healing process slow through many sessions, quite the opposite. I want their inner magic to shine bright so they can function at 100% as soon as possible.
This also runs true with the use of crystals. I work with them so as to enhance the reiki session and target blockages within their energy field. As you know, each vibrates at different frequency levels, each crystal brings to the table something new which can support specific situations and circumstances.
Meditation sessions and workshops will always include essential oils and crystals; it’s just the way I like to work.
How did my spiritual upbringing and family connections to clairvoyance shape my path as a healer?
I kind of touched upon that at the start with my parents’ influence. My paternal grandmother, Jean Holloway, was a medium. Not your typical one though, she was so humble and never made a fuss. She read tea leaves and spoke with spirit even if she didn’t always realise they were not living beings. There were so many instances where she would see things happening, tell a family member, only to find out it had not yet happened but when it did, it was as she described exactly. My grandma was not the only family member though, her mother, my great-grandmother, Gladys May, also had the gift. My uncle Peter, my dad’s brother, moved to Scotland in the middle of nowhere to avoid the ‘noise’ as he puts it. It runs through my blood and little snippets would show up in my early years but my family would joke that I was the ‘airy fairy one’ with lots of imaginary friends.
I made a few bold statements at the ripe old age of 6 years that I would never have my own children and that I was going to adopt (I fell pregnant 3 times in this lifetime only to lose each before reaching 3 months) my son is adopted. At the time my mum just laughed it off and we never spoke about it until the adoption was finalised. It’s a very strange thing to say at such a young age while playing with dolls, not really a typical conversation at that age but that is what ended up to be true.
I have the ability to know when somebody is near the end of life. Not one I advertise for obvious reasons. To me the person will look grey like they are in a black and white movie whilst everything and everybody else is in full colour. I am able to advise how long they have and I have been right each time(not that I am boasting). At first I was blamed by my mum for causing the deaths – for cursing them. That freaked me out and I stopped sharing with family and friends after that. But over time, they began to understand that actually they were able to get a heads up and precious time to make the last few days/weeks special. They got to tell their loved ones that they loved them, share memories and get closure so they did not have to carry guilt or shame after their passing. Part of me wishes this gift gone, it’s hard telling people you love not so great news about somebody they care deeply for, yet the other part realises the benefit and because of this, so I share but only when asked.
As I mentioned I wanted to switch it all off, for my guides to remove the ability as it really scared me. I had nobody except my uncle to ask and I lived in Malta, he lived in Scotland, it’s not like I could pop over for a cup of tea and a biscuit for a chat. But when I did get the chance to spend time with him, he helped me understand that this was a gift given to me for a reason and suggested that I sit quietly with my guides and ask them to show me. I did and what I was shown was beautiful. I understood that it was not a curse as I had been ill informed earlier but a gift and how it could be used to help heal myself and others.
During a reiki session in particular, I tend to go to a place and open up fully for my guides (and theirs) to show me images (like watching a movie but without the popcorn). During the debrief, I share what I picked up where I felt pain (if I did) and anything else I feel will support their healing journey. Sometimes, a family member will come through and I will share the message, but now always.
What role do animals play in my healing practice, especially with my background in animal reiki?
I have always had animals at home. I see them in my dreams and many times when working with clients. One of my spirit animals is the owl, another is the wolf and I am very drawn to snakes. I see them everywhere, I even have an owl tattoo with its belly as a dreamcatcher. When I first moved back to the UK, we travelled with the cats. Each had their own passport and they flew over on the same plane as myself and my son. I was not going to leave them behind.
The connection with animals for me is very strong and always has been. Sadly all 4 cats have now crossed over the rainbow bridge along with our recently passed 13yr old Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Shimmie leaving us with 2 dogs.
Micah, named after an Archangel, is 12 years young, a Sprocker Spaniel and just a bundle of joy.
RavenSara, named after an essential oil (of course) is 3.5years young, a Rottweiler and my shadow.
Animals are the mirror of your soul. They are connected to you in such a way that they feel your energy before you realise it has changed. I believe that we have soul contracts with them and that they come into our lives at times when we need them the most so that we grow and heal and that this agreement has been agreed by both parties.
When I started animal reiki, they all became my case studies, it gave me a great insight on the difference between cats and dogs and that they were best when in their own homes. I pretty much focus on cats and dogs because that’s where I am most comfortable. There are many other animal reiki practitioners that offer reiki to horses and that’s cool, but it’s not my area.
How does my photography and creative outlets influence my healing work and spiritual path?
Photography and arts (drawing, painting, pottery, suncatchers) is a form of meditation for me. I get to immerse myself into an activity for a couple of hours where I am answering to nobody. A bit of ‘me time’ is key to recharging my energy, especially after a difficult session. With my photography I love capturing textures, old buildings (in any state of repair), I visit graveyards and photograph tombstones, my furbabies and family of course, that goes without saying.
I picked up pottery last March and I love it. 2 hours of feeling fully grounded and creating some interesting pieces of which I am immensely proud of. I create crystal suncatchers and teach it in local workshops. I find art in all forms is a way for me to escape for a little while, to switch off from the outside world, to express my thoughts and feelings at the time. So much energy gets poured into the project, whatever that may be, and the end result always catches me by surprise.
There has to be a balance, and this is how I keep balanced. During the retreats that I run, I take people on a journey showing them many forms and styles of meditation and art is always there. It is a powerful tool for healing and recovery. These tools help you to process your emotions, help you in grounding yourself (especially in pottery), improves your mental health, fosters self esteem, creates a positive mindset, improves cognitive function, be inspirational, spark creativity and imagination and so much more.
This is why I ensure that at least one of the above is included weekly as part of my self care routine. It makes me a better person
