• increased ability to relax
• positive changes in emotional states
• increased sense of well-being, and
• improvement in physical conditions unrelated to back pain.

I also witness my clients experience these benefits in my practice, and am pleased to see them confirmed by reasearch.  When people are in pain, so many aspects of their quality of life are diminished.  Chronic pain robs people of their energy and vitality.  CAM therapies help relieve stress, discomfort, correct structural and energetic imbalances and facilitate a natural state of wellness.  They are a great adjunct therapy in addition to more traditional allopathic treatments.  CAM therapies may reduce healing time, limit the amount of powerful medications needed for pain relief, and potentially reduce the need for surgical interventions. 

I would like to share my personal story.  

As someone who has lived with intermittent bouts of neck and upper back pain for nearly 20 years, I have experienced first-hand the benefits of Reiki (and other CAM therapies I receive regularly) for reducing nerve-related neck and back pain and improving the emotional and physical quality of my life.  In fact, my first experience with energy healing while in India completely relieved my travel-induced neck and shoulder pain, which is what inspired me to learn Reiki!

In 1993, I was diagnosed with a congenital cervical spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal in the neck.)  I was told by a neurologist and various spine specialists to “learn to live with it” and to expect surgery at some point if it got worse.  Several members of my family suffer from cervical pain issues and have already undergone cervical spine fusion surgery.  I have vowed to avoid surgery if at all possible. 

So far, a steady regimen of Reiki, chiropractic, massage and regular exercise has led to very few flare-ups and a quicker recovery time if I do aggravate my neck or upper back.  No one in my family has had this degree of success with traditional medical treatment.  I don’t take prescription pain medications or muscle relaxers – not that they were ever that effective anyway!  I can’t cure a congenital condition, but I’ve learned how to proactively manage it with CAM therapies so that I’m not living with chronic pain.

If you’re living with back pain and would like to learn how Reiki may help you experience less discomfort, improve your well-being and promote balance, please contact me for more information.

 Additionally, the study showed that Reiki treatments improved heart rate variability (HRV), which measures whether or not a patient’s body is recovering from a response to stress:

Reiki treatment was associated with an increase from baseline in mean Likert scale score for all positive emotional states (happy, relaxed, calm) and reductions for all negative states (stressed, angry, sad, frustrated, worried, scared, anxious). Changes in emotional state trended from most positive emotional change with Reiki treatment to least positive emotional change with resting control, with music intermediate.

In addition to the findings, there are several reasons to be encouraged by this research.  First, it was conducted in collaboration with Pamela Miles, a Reiki Master who has tirelessly worked for acceptance and adoption of Reiki as an adjunct therapy by mainstream medicine.  Second, it demonstrated that Reiki was as effective as traditional treament (use of beta blockers) for improving heart rate variability – and without the side effects.  Third, Reiki was practiced in an acute-care setting successfully and without adverse effects.  The authors “suggest that Reiki can be incorporated into standard hospital care to provide therapeutic benefit without additional cost or disruption of the nurses’ workday.” 

The study does not suggest that Reiki is a “cure-all.” What it does conclude is that the emotional state of patients who experienced Acute Coronary Syndrome (heart attacks) was significantly improved, leading to a more positive state of well-being that can improve their overall recovery rate and reduce the risk of another ACS event.  Experiencing a heart attack is often a traumatic, life-changing event, and patients need support beyond what standard medical interventions can provide.  It is my hope that cardiologists take notice of this study and express interest in including Reiki as part of an overall treatment plan for patients as a safe, therapeutic option.

This is an amazing opportunity for parents and parents-to-be in the Atlanta area to learn about how to have healthy, happy families from pregnancy and on through the childhood years.  The women from Lumina Birth and Lotus of Life Chiropractic have made very conscious choices when raising their own children, including their approach to pregnancy, healthcare, nutrition and green/organic living.  They have much experience – and expertise – to share.  My involvement not only supports their efforts, but provides opportunities for parents to learn more about the benefits of Reiki for their family’s improved health and well-being.

Upcoming films include:

October 10, 2010 – “Birth into Being” – Russian Spiritual Midwife Tatyana Sargunas and her filmmaker husband, Alexi, take you on a breathtaking expedition to witness two families birthing in the Black Sea, and into their home to see two of their daughters being born in a handmade clear birthing pool.

November 14, 2010 – “Orgasmic Birth” –this documentary brings the ultimate challenge to our cultural myths by inviting viewers to see the emotional, spiritual, and physical heights attainable through birth. Witness the passion as birth is revealed as an integral part of woman’s sexuality and a neglected human right.

December 12, 2010 – “What Babies Want“–an award winning documentary film that explores the profoundly important and sacred opportunity we have in bringing children into the world. Filled with captivating stories and infused with Noah Wyle’s warmth as narrator, the film demonstrates how life patterns are established at birth and  before.

January 9, 2011 – “Nature, Nurture and the Power of Love” — Dr. Bruce  Lipton, Ph.D.-author of “Biology of Belief” and “Spontaneous Evolution”

February 6, 2011 – “Babies” – Directed by award-winning filmmaker Thomas Balmès, from an original idea by producer Alain Chabat, Babies simultaneously follows four babies around the world – from birth to first steps.

Tickets: $3 per person or $5 per pair/couple. Bring your spouse! Bring a friend! Buy tickets online on the Lumina Birth site, at the Lotus of Life Chiropractic office, or at the door. Info: 404-377-7743. Print your Paypal receipt and bring it with you if you purchase tickets online.

Childcare will be provided on-site for a small fee of $2 per child, for children ages 4 months to 4 years. RSVP for childcare is highly recommended by calling Lotus of Life 404-377-7743. Please mention child(ren’s) ages and date of the film you are attending. Childcare can be pre-paid online at the Lumina Birth site.

Time & Place: All films are being shown at 3:00 pm at All Souls Fellowship, 647 E College Ave, Decatur, GA 30030. (Corner of New Street.)

 (Photo courtesy of Storyvillegirl)

Reiki Birth is designed to teach mothers-to-be and their birth partners to utilize gentle, hands-on Reiki energy healing for a healthy and centered journey through pregnancy, birth and post-partum.    Both the mother-to-be and her birth partner will learn how to channel Reiki for physical and emotional balance, as well as to deepen their energetic connection to each other and their baby. 

During this workshop, participants will learn:

• History of Reiki and how it is used today
• Hand positions for relieving pregnancy and labor discomfort
• Post-partum wellness with Reiki
• Partnering using Reiki to enhance and deepen your emotional connection
• Soothing and nurturing your baby with Reiki

During the workshops, participants will receive a beautiful energetic attunement, and have the opportunity to do hands-on practice on themselves and each other in a supportive environment. 

Participants will receive a manual, certificate of completion and ongoing teacher support as needed.

Cost: $ 275 per couple

Date: October 17, 2010 (12 PM – 6 PM)

Location: Candler Park Chiropractic

Reiki healing is especially useful for relieving the physical discomforts of pregnancy.  The hormones associated with pregnancy – human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and estrogen — contributes to gastric distress. Reiki relaxes the gastrointestinal walls and can reduce or alleviate the sensation of nausea.  It also provides relief from round ligament pain, as well as hip, back and nerve-based pain (sciatica and carpal tunnel are two common conditions) typically experienced as pregnancy progresses.  Reiki can be so deeply relaxing that people often drift off into asleep – and as any pregnant woman knows, sleep is a valuable commodity! 

Many pregnant women are juggling demands associated with careers, expectations from their families, changes in their relationships with their partners, and of course, in their bodies. These factors can exacerbate fatigue and mood swings.  Reiki can help expectant mothers reduce stress and remain more grounded emotionally.  A Reiki treatment is, first and foremost, time for women to reorient themselves and their bodies during a time when they may no longer feel like it belongs to them.  Reiki, along with other supportive practices such as chiropractic, prenatal massage and prenatal yoga, can have great benefits for a mother-to-be and her developing baby.

The soothing energy of Reiki provides a non-invasive comfort measure, relieving pain from contractions and reducing anxiety during labor.  The use of Reiki may reduce or eliminate the need for an epidural or other pharmaceutical pain relief.  Spouses, partners, doulas and other childbirth professionals trained in Reiki can be a valuable source of support for laboring women:

The birth partner has the very specific role during labor, delivery and post-birth of giving the mother and the baby Reiki, creating that Reiki space of peaceful, deep relaxation that assists the mother in flowing with her body and the baby throughout labor. – “Reiki and Sacred Childbirth”, Summer 2010 issue of Reiki News Magazine 

Assisting a laboring mother with Reiki can provide the space and support for her to experience a centered, empowered birth experience. It can be tremendously gratifying for the spouse or partner to be able to provide an additional source of loving and energetic support, creating a deep shared connection between the couple.

Reiki is also helpful for post-partum recovery.  Women’s bodies undergo tremendous change to support the new life growing inside them; it takes a while for the body’s organs and processes to return to a normal non-pregnancy state.  Healing is still occurring inside a mother’s body after her baby is born, even after an easy or uncomplicated birth. Reiki can help new mothers maintain energetic and emotional balance during those first weeks of adjustment.  This is especially important for the percentage of women who may experience post-partum depression. 

For those women who had a difficult labor, or had a cesarean birth, Reiki can help facilitate healing on physical and emotional levels.  Recent clinical studies show Reiki to be effective for reducing anxiety and post-surgical pain in hospitalized patients.  Women recovering from surgery or birth trauma can certainly benefit from this additional source of compassionate, palliative support. The medications used to relieve post-surgical pain often have unpleasant side effects, and the discomfort from the incision can make it difficult for women to hold or breastfeed their babies.  Reiki augments the physical healing process, enabling women to get back on their feet sooner.  Energy-based therapies, such as Reiki, emit extra low-frequency (ELF) signals, which have been shown to stimulate tissue repair and nerve regeneration:

[Dr. John] Zimmerman found that the pulsing field produced by the hands of practitioners is not steady in frequency, but varies from moment to moment.  The frequency sweeps up and down through the very same range of frequencies in the ELF band that medical researchers have identified as being effective for jump starting the healing process in the various tissues. –  Science and the Human Energy Field, Oschman, James L. Ph.D

Reiki also works on emotional levels, helping women integrate their experience, alleviate PTSD symptoms and allowing them to experience wholeness and well-being again.

Reiki honors the women we are: our bodies, our emotions and the spirit within that give us strength and purpose.  Please contact me if you are expecting a baby, and would like to find out more how Reiki can help support you in a healthy, happy and centered pregnancy. 

 Photo credit: Storyvillegirl

Every day in the U.S., more than two women die of pregnancy-related causes, with the maternal mortality ratio doubling from 6.6 deaths per 100,000 births in 1987 to 13.3 deaths per 100,000 births in 2006. (And as shocking as these figures are, Amnesty notes that the actual number of maternal deaths in the U.S. may be a lot higher, since there are no federal requirements to report these outcomes and since data collection at the state and local levels needs to be improved.) “In the U.S., we spend more than any country on health care, yet American women are at greater risk of dying from pregnancy-related causes than in 40 other countries,” says Nan Strauss, the report’s co-author, who spent two years investigating the issue of maternal mortality worldwide.

There are a number of reasons cited for this failure of our health care system, including difficulties in accessing quality care and overuse of interventions during labor, including induction and cesarean sections.  There are also many women who experience traumatic and life-threatening complications as a result of either inadequate medical care during labor or consequences of cesarean sections, which is major abdominal surgery.  A number of women who do deliver vaginally may also experience physical complications and birth trauma.  Far too often, their stories do not get told because they do eventually recover enough to where the focus then shifts to caring for their babies and families.  These women tend to suffer from bouts of post-partum depression (PPD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as other physical issues, including nerve pain, numbness and adhesions from their surgical procedures.  We are a baby-obsessed culture, but we do a poor job of caring for and providing proper support for the women who carry, deliver and care for our babies. 

Why am I sharing all of this? Because I am one of those women.  I experienced a near-fatal, undetected post-partum hemorrhage after my daughter was delivered via c-section.  I narrowly escaped a life-saving hysterectomy.  I spent a week in the hospital, very weak, in excruciating pain and confined to bed.  Once I returned home, it was a slow physical and emotional recovery.  I live with low-level PTSD, although the PPD cleared up within 6 months of my daughter’s birth.  I was fortunate to find the International Cesarean Awareness Network, an organization whose mission is to “improve maternal-child health by preventing unnecessary cesareans through education, providing support for cesarean recovery, and promoting Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC).” My c-section was medically necessary, but there were many things about the hospital experience, as well as the lack of support afterward, that the medical professionals in whom I entrusted my care, should have provided. The information and support I received from ICAN helped my recovery, and I am proud that Dragonfly Reiki is a professional supporter.  My birth story was featured this past month on the ICAN site.  I wanted them to publish it (as hard as it was to write) so that hopefully no other woman has to endure what I did in order to survive the birth process and care for her baby. 

I talk quite a bit about building your healing toolkit. I was very fortunate to have already been practicing Reiki prior to my daughter’s birth (I did Reiki quite often during pregnancy) but initially I was not strong enough physically or mentally to do the frequent self-treatments I needed to facilitate my recovery.  I am grateful to my Reiki teacher and one of my close friends, who provided me with Reiki during my recovery period.  Reiki continues to be my daily choice for self-treatment and has helped me tremendously with my PTSD symptoms, because I don’t tolerate anti-anxiety or antidepressant medications very well.  I have also regained all of the sensation in my lower abdomen and upper left thigh by doing a combination of Reiki and scar tissue massage.

The Reiki Precepts, which advocate “Just for today, do not be angry, do not worry and be filled with gratitude” have become important touchstones on the difficult days, when I flash back to my experience or feel sadness or anger about what I experienced or what I missed.  And best of all, practicing Reiki has allowed me to maintain a special connection to my daughter. She received Reiki in-utero and I used to it soothe her when she was fussy or gassy as an infant (which I talk about in an article on Reiki for pregnancy and post-partum.)  Now that she is 3 years old, she actually asks me to do Reiki on her at bedtime! The umbilical cord connecting us may no longer be there, but the spiritual cord created through Reiki is ever-present.

There were other things in my healing toolkit: psychotherapy, hypnotherapy, yoga, meditation, and the loving support of family, friends and the women of ICAN. As time goes on, I feel more healed and at peace.  Reiki is the foundation of my healing, because the daily self-practice (and healing sessions provided by others) centers me in my body and connects me to the endless wellspring of spirit.  I am still here for a reason, beyond just being able to mother my beautiful little girl. I am here to share my story, help others on their healing journeys and advocate for better maternal health care choices for the women who are bringing forth our future generations. For this, I am especially grateful.

I enjoy sharing Reiki with children. In fact, the first person (other than my teacher) that I faciliated Reiki with was my stepson. I had just gotten home from Reiki training and he was curled up in bed with terrible stomach pains. I asked him to close his eyes and focus his attention on what I was doing. I felt a very strong sensation of energy moving through me and within several minutes, his body relaxed completely and he fell asleep. I have also given him Reiki when he has had migraines. It’s terrible watching a child suffer with a migraine. If we are out and about and a headache starts to come on, Reiki helps ease the pain until we can get home and he can rest. If we are at home, Reiki helps him relax so he can sleep off the symptoms of the migraine.

One of my favorite times administering Reiki was with a boy of about two years old with a blood disorder. I would go to his house and his mom would put a cartoon on or have some toys out for him to play with, since it can be difficult to get a toddler to sit still very long to receive Reiki. I would sit next to him while he was watching TV or playing and gently place a hand at different places along his body. When the Reiki started flowing, he would suddenly sit very still and get the sweetest smile on his face – he could definitely feel it! When he had enough, he would gently push my hand away. Children always instinctively know what they need.

I also did some Reiki on a infant of about 8 or 9 months old who had taken quite a tumble and hit her head. Her parents felt Reiki would help her recover from the trauma of the fall, but one of the things they noticed was that the days they brought her in to receive Reiki were the days where she fell asleep easily – and stayed asleep for most of the night. After one of the sessions, they sent me a text on my phone with a photo of their daughter sound asleep with the message “Thank You!”

Children generally do not require long Reiki sessions. Their bodies naturally respond to Reiki and easily take in the energy in a short period of time. They are sensitive to what they are experiencing and will let you know when they have received all they need. If you think your child might benefit from receiving Reiki, or you are a parent and would like to learn Reiki to help soothe your little ones’ bumps, bruises and bellyaches, please contact me for more information.

Patients who receive complementary therapies may be able to reduce the amount of pain medication they’re taking, as well as cope better with the often strong side effects associated with opioid medications.  In my experience having facilitated Reiki treatments to people in the clinical setting, I have seen patients drift off comfortably to sleep, and they have reported to me that they felt significantly less pain and improved sense of well-being, which is critical to a good recovery. 

If you or someone you know is undergoing a medical procedure, I suggest seeing if the hospital has someone who can provide these complementary therapies through a patient wellness program, or contact someone who is practicing professionally who can make a hospital visit.  Reiki is a good choice, because hands-on contact is very gentle, but it can be done without direct contact if the patient is sensitive to touch following surgery.   However, any of these complementary therapies will provide benefit to the patient, depending on their personal preference.

What I liked about the questions Ms. Miles lays out for us is that there is a good balance between the Reiki practitioner’s commitment to practice, their ability explain in layman’s terms what Reiki is (differentiating between the spiritual and practical aspects), what its benefits are, as well as the amount of experience a practitioner has gained by working on others.  These are the questions I asked when I sought out a Reiki teacher for my classes, and is also the criteria by which I hold myself accountable. 

The only things I would add to her list is to ask if the Reiki practitioner/teacher is still committed to learning and supporting others.  Receiving the certification is only the beginning of the journey.  A qualified Reiki practitioner will not only seek to deepen their spiritual understanding and practice, but are also likely to want to learn more about traditional and complementary medicine, biology, psychology and a bit of physics.  A Reiki teacher should not just seek to teach classes with the intent of making money or establishing themselves as an “authority.”  They should be committed to providing guidance and support for both their students and other Reiki practitioners who may have questions, either informally (telephone, email) or by holding Reiki shares.

There is certainly nothing wrong with receiving Reiki from a friend or volunteer who is just starting out.  You will still receive healing and they gain valuable experience.  However, if you are paying good money for a full treatment or are taking a class from a Reiki Master Teacher, you will get more out of it if the practitioner/teacher conducts themselves professionally and commits to Reiki on a daily basis in their personal life.

Ultimately, you will know if you found the right Reiki practitioner/teacher for you, because that person will be able to speak to you in a way that resonates with your core beliefs, as well as help you move forward on your own healing journey.

I know a lot about IC because I suffered from it for years.  In my case, I believe it originally developed as a result of trauma to my bladder from a catheter that was forcibly inserted during cholecystectomy (gallbladder) surgery in 1997.  Within a year, I experienced a kidney infection followed by a cycle of recurrent urinary tract infections.  This was unusual because I had not had a urinary tract infection since I was in my early teens.  The infections usually cleared up with a course of antibiotics, but even when the infections were not active, I was still experiencing pain, pressure, urinary frequency and urgency. I spent a lot of time in the bathroom or at the urologist’s office.

In 1999, I had exploratory surgery performed on my bladder to pinpoint the cause of my symptoms.  I was diagnosed with neurogenic bladder and a congenital urethral stenosis, which was corrected with surgery.  However, neither of those conditions – which I had had my entire life – were causing the majority of my symptoms.  The cystoscopy/hydrodistention (procedure to examine the bladder wall lining and stretch the membrane) was inconclusive, despite obvious signs of chronic inflammation.

It took nearly four years before I was properly diagnosed with IC and by then, I was experiencing regular and near-debilitating flare-ups that were interfering with my ability to live a normal life.  I was fortunate to have a job that allowed me to telecommute when I needed to because the level of discomfort, lack of sleep and perpetual bathroom trips made it difficult for me to function when I was in the middle of a flare-up.  The resulting inflammation from IC also caused gynecological problems, since the pelvic region shares similar nerve pathways and tissue structure.  It was a very difficult, painful and depressing period of my life. 

In 2003, I finally found a urologist who felt certain, as I did, that I was living with IC.  I began medical treatment (Elmiron, Elavil, Urised and Detrol) as well as a modified diet, because certain food and drink can irritate the bladder.  Over time, I did see improvement in my symptoms, but I still dealt with occasional flare-ups, as well as the unpleasant side effects from the medications themselves.  Still, after being in pain for years, I was grateful for any relief.  I had been taking the medications about three years when I went on a business trip to India at the beginning of 2006 for two weeks.  This was actually my third trip there (and we won’t talk about what it’s like to have a bladder condition and have to fly halfway around the world) but this time was different.  I experienced energy healing for the first time and it was what led me to Reiki.

The energy healing I received that day actually eliminated my neck and shoulder pain from the long flight, which was my immediate concern.  It was such a remarkable experience that once I returned to the U.S., I immediately sought out someone to train me in energy healing.  It totally changed my perspective on what “healing” means.  The interesting thing was, after practicing Reiki for a while, I realized that my bladder wasn’t bothering me at all.  I had weaned down my medications around the time I went to India because I was seeing improvement and was concerned about my liver enzyme levels, but still took a maintenance dosage.  So, I decided to wean myself off to see what would happen.  Days, then weeks went by.  I felt fine.  I haven’t taken any medication since. 

I  got pregnant in the summer of 2006 and aside from the normal discomforts associated with pregnancy, had few issues with my bladder.  I was concerned that after my pregnancy, all of my IC symptoms would come back full force – and they didn’t.  The true testament of my healing revealed itself after my emergency c-section.  I was catheterized for a week due to post-surgical complications, but still experienced no bladder-related issues.  I do have some pelvic floor tightness that pops up from time to time but  that is likely a residual issue from the surgery, and is alleviated with regular chiropractic adjustments and yoga.  Every now and then, I’ll have a day where my bladder is irritated for some reason, but it is mildly annoying and resolves by the next day.  The other thing that I should mention is that the vulvodynia I was also experiencing is no longer active either. 

The site owners of Healthy IC Recipes invited me to write an article on Reiki, entitled Spiritual Healing Through Reiki.  Writing the article is what inspired me to tell my story in more detail.  It meant a lot to me to be able to share how energy healing can be beneficial for people living with chronic health conditions like IC.  Our bodies are capable of healing themselves, but often need some assistance with the process.  Reiki is a gentle, effective complementary therapy that can help people manage their symptoms, improve the quality of their life and in some cases, faciliate much deeper healing. 

Please contact me if you would like to learn more about how Reiki can help you on your healing journey.