By Kimberly Busch Scott
Not knowing exactly what to expect, I was led through a hallway to
a semi-darkened room. In the middle of the room was a padded table
which I would describe as a "massage table.'' I was asked to
get up on it, stretch out and get comfortable as possible with my
arms at my side. It is preferred to remove shoes before lying down
on the table.
My Reiki, pronounced "ray key" teachers, Judy McCale and
Nancy Lynch, instructed me to relax and they would do all the work.
They told me I could ask questions about what they were doing and
should relax. Nancy started at my head, putting her hands over my
face, my neck, shoulders and pausing a few minutes before each movement.
Judy started at my stomach with her hands lying flat and with little
pressure. I could feel the warmth of their hands, even through my
sweatshirt, and I was expecting to feel something unusual or different.
I was still a little confused, but my mind opened to the possibilities.
I was willing to see what exactly this session of Reiki, which was
originally taught in Japan at the end of the 19th Century, would do.
Both ladies took their time moving their hands over certain areas
of my body, stopping on key points such as head, stomach, legs, knees
and ankles. Following a brief period on my back, experiencing warmth
from their hands, I was asked to turn on my stomach and let them go
through the same steps. They picked up on a tightness in my back that
I attribute to too much computer time, problems in my knee areas from
the rainy weather that day and lots of things on my mind. They said
I had a lot I was working on mentally and it showed up through their
motions. I guess this could be a good thing, since they confirmed
I had a mind and there was something there.
Once the Reiki session was over, I felt very relaxed and almost soothed
by their calming words and motions. The low lights brought forth a
sense of relaxation one experiences at night when a day of work is
done. The table was quite comfortable, and although I had never experienced
this type of session before, they managed to calm even the smallest
of nerves and give me a positive energy level.
And so it began, my first experience with Reiki, a self-help technique
which has been used for stress reduction and relaxation by many masters
and teachers of Usui, Kharuna Ki and Reiki.
Judy and Nancy, in business under the name The Energy Connection
located at the King Brothers Complex, 6250 Grand Central Avenue, Vienna,
are members of the Healing Art Sources. They are also affiliated with
Serenity Book Store in Vienna.
First introduced to Reiki through Doni Enoch, Judy said she had her
Mom start with Reiki due to some complications with Alzheimer's disease.
Judy's Mom couldn't relax enough to get in the car with her, but following
the Reiki sessions she was able to relax and travel in a vehicle.
Experiencing Reiki is an "awesome feeling,'' Nancy said, as
we sat over lunch following the free session they gave, and one that
won't ever go away. Nancy's involvement came after she saw Judy bubbling
with enthusiasm over the Reiki experience with Ms. Enoch. "This
is the most awesome thing I've been through,'' Nancy said. She recently
worked with a male runner who was running an enormous amount of miles
a day, but had to stop due to leg pain. Nancy used her Reiki training
with him and was able to get him back into running form.
The partners are quick to point out several important items of interest
of Reiki. It is not a religion or cult. It is a method of relaxation
and stress reduction. It serves as a self-help technique that helps
maintain a state of positive thinking. It helps balance energies and
is applied through the hands of a practitioner who has been attuned
through an initiation process.
Both Judy and Nancy have studied with Masters of the art of Reiki.
Many pieces of information are not permitted to be shared with anyone,
but it is known the training is intense and can bring about many different
types of reactions. They work together on a client, knowing they will
sense similar information.
Judy, while going through her session, felt like her heart was going
to explode and went for a blood pressure check. “Emotions become
high during the training period,” she said. Her blood pressure
was normal, but she still had the feeling of heart pressure. She was
called by her instructor, who seemed to be intuitive to her feelings,
and told Judy to "hug a tree'' and ask the tree to take away
her pressure. The neighbors probably got quite a shock, she said,
but the procedure worked.
Reiki is a "new revolution in alternative health,'' Nancy said.
“It is a God given ability and everything works on an energy
level. We have a good time at this, and are able to help individuals
improve their mental and physical health.”
Reiki is a Japanese word meaning, "God Light Energy.'' It is
described as "healing energy that is guided spiritually and not
based on belief, faith or suggestion.'' It is not necessary to be
a an avid church participant to have a Reiki experience, nor does
someone need to fully understand its mysteries to improve an overall
energy.
The "laying of the hands" is a form of channeling a healing
energy from the practitioner to the recipient, Judy said. The practitioner
"accepts the energy," coming from above their heads, and
flows to the hands. For someone who is very ill, they may experience
a different feeling after a Reiki session. For the practitioner, the
session is somewhat draining following a session with someone who
is very ill, Judy said. Many sessions are uplifting too, with each
session bringing very different outcomes.
Judy and Nancy are not licensed medical physicians. They do not suggest
someone in need of medical care skip their medical doctor and have
a Reiki session. Reiki is being used in the Cleveland Clinic, Judy
said, and other hospitals around the United States have acknowledged
Reiki instructors in the art of healing.
For additional information on Reiki or to schedule a session, contact
Judy at (304) 375-6225 or Nancy at (304) 464-1245.
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