Having practiced Reiki for over 20 years, I have learned that we are dynamic, ever changing energy systems. No two Reiki sessions are the same from person to person and even with the same person at different times. Every person’s energy responds to Reiki differently in each situation – physical or emotional – and there are many factors that influence their response in any given moment. I have learned then, to trust that the Reiki energy will have whatever effect needed in that moment according to the individual. Sometimes the effect will be subtle and sometimes profound. Such was my experience with Dave.
Dave was referred to me by his psychiatrist; he was unable to find relief for deep depression with medication or talk therapy. He was desperate to lift his emotional pain and was willing to try Reiki.
When I first met him, he looked ill and much older than he was. He didn’t meet my eyes and spoke softly. I told him how Reiki could relax him which could enable him to regain his normal energy patterns. During the session, he seemed tense and guarded, and his energy felt dull and lifeless. At one point, my eyes were drawn to a photograph of a dog on a table nearby. I asked if it was his dog, and he emphatically said “yes!”. Then his story poured out.
He was going through a divorce – his wife had left him for his best friend, she was getting their house, and she wanted their dog as well. He still loved her and although he knew it was over, he couldn’t let go of the pain and longing. Even though he wanted to. When the session was over, he seemed a little relaxed and I had felt a slight rise in his energy. He told me he felt as though he might be able to sleep that night, and asked me to come back in a few days.
The next time I saw him, he met me at the door with a grim expression and told me he had received the court date. Without further conversation, we began the Reiki session. Again, his energy felt heavy and static – until I got to his heart chakra. My hands felt as though he was drawing them inward, and they became so hot in my perception, that I considered stopping for a minute to run them under cool water. But I continued, and eventually the burning sensation eased – and then – there is no other way to describe it, but I felt laughter in my fingertips! I knew at that moment that he would be fine. At the end of our session, he just looked at me and said he felt wiped out and couldn’t even see me to the door, but could I come again.
The last session we had was just before his court date. When he opened the door, he looked like a new man! He stood straight and smiled with excitement. Before I could speak, he burst out “What did you do to me last time? It felt like you were pulling an anvil out of my chest!”
I shared what I had felt in my hands – including the laughter. He was amazed – how could I know that he was always the one cracking jokes and making others laugh. He said that although he still wasn’t happy with the situation, he no longer felt the unrelenting pain. In his words, he felt he was “getting himself back”.
Sometimes although we consciously know that we want to heal, that may not be enough to release an energy pattern that has developed. Reiki can be a great tool for helping to rebalance energy and overcome emotional blockages. The energy moved that much faster because he was so determined – which he was. I never saw Dave again, but at Christmas that year, I received a photo card of him – and his dog – dressed as Santa and elf – and a note saying thanks for the Reiki. He was back to spreading joy wherever he could!
Diane April-Cooper
MC, MT, Certifier Reiki Master
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