I wanted to honor the memory of the Rev. Dr. Mary Crist Brown, who passed away on May 20 after an inspiring and all-too-brief fight against lymphoma. I met Mary Crist about a month before she was scheduled to undergo a bone marrow transplant. She was referred to me by our chiropractor, who felt she would benefit from Reiki. I immediately liked Mary Crist the moment I met her – she was self-effacing, direct and emanated warm, caring energy. Sometimes you don’t have to know people for very long to realize they are going to affect your life in a positive way.
Mary Crist was an active participant and I don’t think she would mind me sharing some of the things that came out of our Reiki sessions. We both learned a lot from the experiences about letting go of control and allowing spiritual energy manifest itself within both of us. She told me she would pray during much of the sessions and at some point, she realized she needed to “let go and let God.” You hear a lot of people throw that phrase around, but for Mary Crist, an ordained minister and hospital chaplain, letting God in and allowing the Spirit to manifest within was her calling and vocation. Her life was devoted to the service of soothing and healing people spiritually. She felt she still had much life in her and work to do, and like any of us, wanted to cure the cancer and get on with things. Letting go of the urge to try to control or direct that process takes courage, insight and faith. For my part, I of course wanted to help heal her, and although I felt privileged that Reiki could allow me to assist in some way, I had to also realize I couldn’t control the process or results either. I had to “let go and let Reiki.”
We both felt the Reiki sessions were beneficial and I know I looked forward to working with her. Just being in her presence was soothing and uplifting to me, even though she was there to receive treatment from me! However, she underwent the bone marrow transplant in early April and I was unable to continue to treat her in person. I continued to send Reiki to her whenever I could during her hospital stay.
Our spirits often exceed the limits of the human body. I’m sad that we have lost Mary Crist, the woman, as I wish I had had more time to get to know her better. However, I’m grateful for the fact that we did meet, because I learned from her how we can walk in the path of God in our daily life, and it is our sessions together that really motivated me to start a Reiki practice.
My deepest sympathies and prayers to her steadfast and loving partner, Mary Margaret, their families and friends, as it is never easy to let go of the physical presence of the ones we love. I do feel comforted knowing that Mary Crist is still among us somehow, continuing her call to be in the service of God.