Our inner world longs for the same recognized importance as our outer world receives. We each have a full plate of daily multi-tasking, be productive, and stay healthy and balanced agendas demanding our attention. As a result, we may have no energy left for ourselves. Reiki is the fuel I carry that allows me to rejuvenate myself in the very moment I feel depleted. I use Reiki to heal and balance myself and my loved ones anywhere, anytime.

During my mother's breast cancer chemotherapy treatments, I began gently laying my hands on her body. As I did this, she stopped feeling ill and tolerated her treatments remarkable well. Her veins, thin and buried, and available in only one arm, seemed to rise up to meet the chemotherapy needle. When her liver became enlarged from the cancer, I would lay my hands on her liver, the pain would go away, and she would sleep soundly. The doctors were amazed at her tumor marker results six months later -- a remarkable recovery they said. When the brain tumors became very big and she lost the ability to move and to speak clearly, she would say simply, "Colleen, Reiki." It took her pain away. Thus, Reiki became a powerful language between us when words were no longer possible. In the time following my mother's transition, Reiki gave me incredible insight and healing of this devastating loss. I am thankful to have witnessed and contributed to such a healing of spirit for both my mother and myself. Indeed, in the past eight years of using Reiki for many physical, spiritual and mental healings, I have often been humbled by its awesome effectiveness.

So What Is This Thing Reiki?
Everything and everyone is comprised of energy. When broken down into their smallest parts, each unit of matter and energy becomes no-thing -- just energy. This intangible energy is limitless, timeless and gives us life. Reiki is this energy given form. Translated, Reiki means "universal life energy." It is a simple, scientific system of gently laying hands on the body to access and channel life energy. This infusion of unlimited, boundless energy may be experienced as varied sensations of heat, vibration, groundedness, sudden joy and acute sensory awareness that often lasts long after receiving even a little Reiki. Since Reiki does not come from the giver, neither the supply nor the giver's energy is ever depleted.

How Does It Work?
Reiki teachers, called Masters, give each student four initiations to attune healing channels. This is similar to tuning in the antennae on a television to aid reception. Just as we are each born with the ability to learn language, we all have within us a language to heal ourselves. In most of us this ability stays dormant until we activate it. So it is with Reiki.

How Do You Learn Reiki?
Reiki Masters teach three levels of Reiki. The First level, or degree, of training is all you need to give yourself or others this energy medicine. Specific hand positions easily learned in a workshop setting activate and accelerate spiritual, mental and physical healing. A Second level is available when you want more Reiki at your disposal. This most often occurs when higher concepts of time, space, and healing humanity with Reiki become clear to you and feel necessary for further spiritual growth and healing.

Why Learn Reiki?
Cost and limits of traditional healthcare, convenience, simplicity of use, self-independence, and effectiveness were important factors that drew me to learn and integrate Reiki in my life. I have also used this healing system as a spiritual discipline, both to facilitate "miracles" in my own life and to witness such healing for others.

Healing comes in many forms. It would be irresponsible to suggest that Reiki or any lone healing system is the sole solution to anyone's healing crisis. However, Reiki will show anyone with a willingness to see the powerful healing gifts that physical, emotional and spiritual challenges bring. These same important insights that Reiki brings to healing crisis's often bring resolution to the crisis's themselves. Because of its simplicity, Reiki is a valuable complement to traditional medical therapies - in clinics, hospitals, and everyday home remedy use.

The Facts Are In
Reiki has been documented to relax muscles, decrease blood pressure, ease pain, relieve invasive side effects of many medical protocols, improve hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, and significantly accelerate healing. Reiki quickly reduces anxiety and stress, thus dramatically increasing one's sense of well being, peace and security. Reiki brings about a deep state of relaxation that heightens sensory and overall awareness, and facilitates clarity on our respective issues. With Reiki, there is always healing, according to the highest needs of the person receiving it (though this highest good is not always immediately visible from our limited ego viewpoint).

Schools of Thought
There are varying schools of Reiki thought and practice. I am drawn to Traditional Reiki, which was introduced to the world by Dr. Mikao Usui in the late 1800s and, later, into Western culture by Hawayo Takata, the first woman to teach Reiki. Rooted in centuries of healing successes, the Usui System Of Natural Healing -- Usui Shiki Ryoho -- holds the energy of all the powerful teachers and healers that have gone before me. This foundation supports me as I build the blocks of who I am in the world, of what I offer as a teacher and student of life and Reiki.

The Grandmaster In Anchorage!
Shortly after Mrs. Takata's transition, her granddaughter, Phyllis Furumoto, became the Grandmaster of Reiki. With a group of fellow practitioners, she organized The Reiki Alliance, a group of over 800 masters dedicated to Usui Reiki worldwide. From July 27th to the 29th, Phyllis will be in Anchorage to host a series of discussions. In the oral tradtion of Reiki, " Dialogues With Phyllis" will offer students and masters from all lineages time for personal interaction. Phyllis has a gift for accomplishing the incredible task of not only representing Reiki in the world, but also of blending powerful eastern and Western tradtions and cultures - giving students, and indeed the world, the highest and best Reiki has to offer.

Colleen Coadic has been practicing Reiki for eight years. For information on her FREE Reiki lectures and circle, call 830-1800 or email Colleen at colleenc@gci.net. To register for " Dialogues With Phyllis," contact event organizer Ellen Montague at 907-332-7822.