Are you a planner like me? I had a fabulous idea for my message to you, but when I began to write, the words just did not come together. I felt like l was trying to force something, so I stopped. I took a deep breath and let go. Then I typed, “What is the message for the August newsletter readers?” And just like that, the plan changed into this message. I’ll put my idea aside and try again in September. We will say to you that the message is clear. Life goes on. No matter what you busy your mind with, no matter what the news cycle reports, your personal life is going on. The emotions you carried yesterday and the day before were still there when you woke up this morning. The lingering, unprocessed traumas and emotions are there for you. Regardless of what you distract yourself with, your personal story and state of emotion persist. We ask you to consider: when will it be time for you to address the issues that plague you? We invite you to step into the light of possibility that resolution may bring you. Peace is attainable within you to an extent you cannot imagine. If you seek more peace in your life, please come home to yourself and invest in your care and the processing of this lifetime’s events. And, yes, many of you are aware and focused on healing from past life events, which is also worthwhile. However, all events you have suffered in this lifetime have not occurred free from influence or connection to your soul's past and parallel experiences. Therefore, you are given a key to healing simply by living in this current lifetime and addressing the challenges you have faced. Nothing is hidden or out of reach if you concentrate on resolving what has occurred for you here. You are not living an isolated existence. The totality of your soul and all its wisdom is simply behind a veil while fully present and connected to you in every moment. It can be no other way. You are in wholeness. Your journey is to simply integrate all you have been, all you know yourself to be, and all you truly Are. And when these come into alignment in your awareness, your work upon this planet will conclude. It is then that your mission may be expanded, and you will choose how to serve and express the Light of who You Are. Freedom shall then be yours. Andrea: And so, practically, what can we do? 1. Seek Out Wisdom Seek out wisdom through means that bring mental consideration, reflection, and contrast so that you may see and feel more clearly who you are and who you are not. This is how you learn more about yourself, your desires, and your purpose. This means opening to perspectives that may differ from what you are used to accepting. If you find something challenging, ask yourself why and deepen your self-inquiry. From this place, your understanding grows. 2. Move Your Body Move your body in new ways. Even if you are active already, ask your body what it desires in movement. Change patterns, change routines, and let in a more fluid way of exercising the physical body so that all parts are addressed and included. Love all the parts of your body, even if you find them disgusting. Realize that rejection of a part of yourself impedes the life energy from supporting your health. This is why disease sometimes manifests in the body. Take care of your body and love it for all it does for you in miraculous ways each and every day. 3. Feed and Nurture Your Spirit Feed and nurture your spirit in nature, in quiet, in rest. Find what is peaceful for you and schedule time for this daily. There is no substitute, and nowhere may one purchase peace. Peace is cultivated like a garden full of beauty and abundance and does not grow by accident or in times of drought. For these reasons, peace is precious and a personal endeavor for which you alone are responsible. 4. Remember, You Are Not Alone Finally, remember you are not alone on this Earth and were not meant to choose aloneness. Be with people. Appreciate people. Love people. They are simply doing what they feel they must, and many are completely unaware of themselves from a higher perspective. It is not your mission to educate them, save them, or rub their noses in their ‘bad’ behavior. Those who insist on these pursuits divert their attention away from healing their personal lingering unprocessed traumas and emotions, and the cycle of suffering within persists. We wish you deepest healing and highest blessings on your journey home, found through healing yourself through love. ~~~~~~~~ I invite you to join me in the conscious creation of more peace within, Andrea

from the July 2023 Mainstream Reiki Newsletter I began to receive messages from the Divine Animal Kingdom when I was a student of Animal Reiki that I now teach. What astounds me is the wisdom they possess and the love they have for us. I feel this comes through in their message I’m sharing here with you: "Please take time to be a nature. We commune with you when you do this. We love you. Please also know that you may rest more. Even though you are doing so well to listen and grow in your light, we ask you to remember to rest. Enjoy life, too, and give yourself time away from the push to succeed in whatever it is you are pursuing. All moments in balance lead to growth and evolution. Even when it seems as though you are standing still, you grow. We understand this may not seem likely or possible, but we assure you that your soul and spirit work tirelessly and consistently to usher in a higher vibration, higher knowing, and more love. You are amazingly resourceful and resilient and have wisdom far beyond what appears to your conscious mind and awareness. We ask you to consider our words and our wisdom to reframe yourselves and redefine who you allow yourselves to be. You are so much more than you have known. When you allow yourself to be unlimited, you become unlimited. Only you hold this power in relation to your energy and evolution. We ask you to determine if you are open to more fully expressing who you truly are, and then you may claim this in truth by intention and authority. It is by doing this that you ascend to the next threshold of ascension, whereby you step forward as a co-creator on the Earth like never before. We all move higher in the realms more easily as you each claim your power and expression in the highest of ways. Your clear expression of the light of who you are, have always been, and forever shall be, allows others and invites others to do the same. And Light multiplies. Love multiplies. Peace multiplies. Do you not see yourself as one who saves this planet and all of creation within your site and senses? If not before, please acknowledge this today, for you are present and hearing our song for many reasons, but the unification of vision, light, and love is the paramount manifestation in the revolution you are experiencing now on Earth. And you are a change agent – instrumental in this war where no force or weapons are needed, simply your love, your intention, and your knowing of who you really are. Fearless expression is what you may choose to do. Sing your song vibrationally through thought, love, focus, and attention on how you wish things to be. Your choices are wise, and we thank you for your wakefulness in these times where many are confused and lost in the denial of the light of which they are a part – in oneness, we are, and we ask you to continue to live informed daily with this truth. For all of life is within you, and you are within all of life." Perhaps it's a time to reflect not only on this message but our relationships with the animals we've known in our lives and all they have taught us through their persistent presence and unconditional love. Highest blessings, Andrea

Ann Arbor's Crazy Wisdom Bookstore asked me to participate in the May-August 2018 issue of their journal by writing about how I came to Reiki and I was thrilled to accept. I loved my first “real” job as a stress lab technician in a Texas hospital. I was in college then and had plans to work in the medical field for most of my life. Science always fascinated me and I felt at home with the subject. My linear mind felt comfortable with the scientific method as a guide to formulate and test hypotheses. Furthermore, we often used precise measurements, calculations, and verifiable data to establish facts and reach conclusions. That was my world until 1995 when I first heard of Reiki. I had recently graduated with a bachelor of science degree in physics (specializing in health physics) and was working at an outpatient nuclear medicine facility in Idaho Falls, Idaho, when a family member came to visit. My beloved Aunt Eva flew up from Corpus Christi and began talking about Reiki. She explained it as a Japanese technique for reducing stress and promoting relaxation. ​ She said it helped the body’s immune system function better. She told us incredible Reiki stories that perplexed me, but something in me always knew there was much more to life than what we are taught in school or can yet be explained by science. I was intrigued, and she taught both my husband and me level one before she returned home. ​ Reiki is practiced by offering life force energy, or chi, through the palms of the hands. The practitioner places hands lightly on or above various locations of the recipient’s body. As the energy flows to the person, the flow of their life force energy can become more balanced, which is often felt as deep relaxation of the mind and body. Although I could feel no difference in my hands when I first practiced Reiki, my husband could feel the Reiki when I offered it to him. It was because of his feedback and encouragement that I went on to complete my Reiki training. ​ I practiced on myself and my family and began to feel sensations in my hands that could only be described as energy. I had no other explanation. In addition, my senses began to develop about where a person had pain and how they were feeling emotionally and why. The accuracy was unmistakable, although I again had no scientific explanation. ​ These perceptions further ignited my quest to learn more about energy, extra-sensory perception, and all things my traditional family would label as woo woo. In the years that followed, I studied and completed classes on a range of subjects including Theta Healing, the Silva Method, Integrated Energy Therapy, Chinese Energetic Medicine, and Healing Touch. I also learned self-hypnosis which worked perfectly during the labor and delivery of our second son. This further proved to me that the fascinating relationship between the mind and body is undeniable, strong, and mysterious. ​ In 2006, I began volunteering Reiki at my veterinarian’s office and quickly discovered I could communicate with the animals, although I had no training in that area. Word began to spread of my animal Reiki sessions and the results seen by clients. Based on feedback, the veterinarians suggested I begin to charge for my services. I had not started with that intention but decided to take their advice. Soon, people who brought their animals for Reiki began asking if I offered sessions for people. I was both excited and a bit nervous because I would need to figure out all the details and requirements. I decided that if people were asking, it was for a reason. I relied on my daily Reiki self-practice and it supported me as I navigated through what I needed to do. As a result, I grew my practice and opened a small office in downtown Idaho Falls for my two-legged clients and continued to see animals at the clinic. ​ Not long after, I began receiving requests for teaching Reiki classes. Just like before, I was a bit overwhelmed. However, I missed teaching. I had left my position at the local high school where I taught biology and earth science to devote my time to my Reiki practice. I prepared for and taught my first Reiki class in 2007 — twelve years after I learned Reiki I with my aunt. ​ I so loved my “work,” which didn’t feel like work at all. I met amazing people and animals, and my little Reiki practice that began with volunteering continued to grow. Unfortunately, the following year, we had to make the decision to move across the country for my husband’s job. It was exciting for us, but at the same time, one of the hardest times of my life. To leave my students and clients behind was just so painful; however, our Reiki connection has kept me in contact with many of them. ​ The last thing I wanted to do was start over and then have to walk away again, so I went back to practicing Reiki for myself and my family, attending Reiki shares to visit with other practitioners and studied more in the areas of healing and spirituality. I also volunteered in the Roswell Park Cancer Institute’s Healing Touch program. I obtained recertification in all levels of Reiki with different teachers and completed Karuna® Master Training and Holy Fire II Reiki. ​ When my family relocated to Michigan in 2015, I began making plans to begin offering Reiki again. Reiki is very much who I am. I could not tamp that down any longer. Begun in 2016, my practice in Saline is focused on helping people through Reiki sessions and teaching. I consider teaching Reiki a privilege, honor, and responsibility because I respect Reiki very much. It is powerful and at the same time gentle and non-invasive. I’ve seen it change lives, and it certainly has shaped mine. It’s what I’m meant to do... without question. There is nothing I would rather do than to help people reconnect with who they truly are through the practice of Reiki. It can do no harm, always works for one’s highest good, relieves stress, and supports one’s immune system to better perform in the ways in which it is designed. ​ What I feel most passionately about in regard to my work is bringing Reiki further into the mainstream through education and practice so more people may benefit. Reiki is not defined by the new age movement and is increasingly offered at hospitals and healthcare facilities across the U.S. and world. One reason for this is that Reiki is a complementary therapy that marries perfectly with traditional medical care to support the patient in ways often overlooked by mainstream medicine. Reiki helps people be more participatory in their own health and well-being by managing stress and increasing self-awareness. It is through this awareness that we may meet life’s situations from a more balanced, objective place. Decisions we make from that state of mind are, therefore, more informed, rational, and simply better for us. ​ Frankly, there is not an abundance of convincing scientific research proving the effectiveness of Reiki. However, what is out there is a focus of my Facebook page called Mainstream Reiki. There I post research conclusions, press releases, and news stories relating to facilities and organizations successfully implementing Reiki programs as well as testimonials from people who share their Reiki experiences. ​ I still consider myself a scientist. A skeptical one at that. However, I cannot deny what I have seen and felt through the practice of Reiki. The proof of Reiki is in the experience of it. As more people try Reiki with qualified professional practitioners and go on to learn Reiki, the voices attesting to its efficacy will continue to grow in number and volume. This will assist in the shift of Reiki from being considered a new age curiosity to a mainstream medical complementary therapy, and patients will be better served through more positive care models and outcomes. ​ Andrea Kennedy has practiced Reiki since 1995. She welcomes clients and teaches all levels of Reiki classes. To find out more, visit www.mainstreamreiki.com or call (734) 664-2255.

Social Media seems essential for many of us to stay connected with family, friends and also to build our businesses through networking and increased visibility. These platforms offer an array of positive opportunities for creating and maintaining relationships of all kinds on a global scale. While this potential can be fun, exciting and full of possibilities, we must acknowledge the pitfalls and negative traps of social media that present real and difficult challenges for us. And if we are empathic individuals, as many Reiki practitioners and spiritual seekers are, the harm social media may open us up to can be devastating to our mental and even physical wellbeing. The good news is, even if we are energetically sensitive to the point of often absorbing energy from other people and circumstances, we can utilize strategies and techniques to help us maximize our social media experiences to help us stay connected in meaningful ways, feel heard and build our businesses, too. By evaluating how interacting online is different from interacting in person, we can more easily find clear solutions. One important difference is the endless barrage and mass quantity of information streaming to us through these social media platforms. No break in this stream exists; it is constant. Furthermore, the platforms uphold no truth threshold so the unchecked spread of misinformation is pervasive. Finally, we must recognize the influence of perceived anonymity online. Social media interaction is most often between real life strangers. As a result, some people openly show us darker sides of themselves without self-filtering as they would be more likely to do if they were sitting with us face to face. What is the common thread with these three difficult areas presented by social media? Boundaries—there aren’t any in place outside of what we consciously construct for ourselves and decide to follow for our own sake. Boundaries are the game changer for how we intake social media as well as determining how we participate with others online. Without them, we are more prone to experience unresolved conflicts with what we read there. These unsettled feelings can affect our mood and our sense of security and trust. They often retain staying power remaining present in the background of our minds like a computer program running in the background, stealing precious power away from the more positive things we may try to focus on and accomplish. In an effort to try to help, we may choose to comment back with reason or appeal to a person’s higher nature. Unfortunately, this is rarely successful and simply brings us further into the anguish of the hopeless situation. To create a healthier relationship with social media, let us consider several guidelines and boundaries which can instantly empower us rather than drain or lower our energy. Perfect the art of scrolling on by. We can decide to stop trying to convince others we know better or they are wrong. Doing this never works and is a waste of our time. It only results in lost opportunities to focus on better-feeling things. Scrolling on by instead of reading the comments on energetically charged posts is difficult to do. This is a boundary we must keep by reminding ourselves it brings frustration and other negative feelings. With this awareness, it is easier to choose more wisely and scroll. After all, people will disagree. It is not our responsibility to resolve this. Instead, we may consciously choose to focus our time on posts about what we love. This will offer positive vibrations into the world and attract more positive people into our social media sphere. The art of scrolling by is absolutely one to practice for better mental and physical health. Give ourselves permission to clean up our friends list and who we follow. If the offerings of certain people are consistently creating conflict, it is perfectly fine to limit our exposure to them. Would we not do this in person? Furthermore, we need to decide if family members get to receive special permission to bring negativity into our experience through our social media connections just because we are related. We can take time to evaluate what they have published online and ask ourselves how we feel being connected to that energy. Would we invite them into our home and allow this sort of expression there? If the answer is no, it is time to consider making changes to keep our online space more in resonance with our goals for more peace. Evaluate who we have been online. Remember what we post online has energetic frequency and we are connected to it for as long as it is out there. Try the following exercise. Go to your profiles, your timelines and wherever you have an online voice. Read what you have posted from the perspective of someone who does not know you. As you absorb what you posted, evaluate your perceptions. Ask yourself to feel what energy and what emotions your posts bring about? What is the tone and who do you appear to be? Lastly, what energy is your social media presence offering—upbeat, loving, fun or perhaps judgmental, silly, divisive, or something else? Be honest with yourself and if you are promoting your business online, this evaluation is much more consequential. What traits do your potential clients see through your posts? Does that match how you would choose to portray yourself to them in the context of your business? Is your online presence helping your business or hurting it? The answers to these questions then allow us to make some new decisions to further shape our social media experience. Decide who we will now be online. It is important to perform the previous exercise from a neutral standpoint to get a clear perspective. Objectivity then allows us to see clearly and evaluate how we feel about what we find. Now is our opportunity to decide how we will present ourselves online and what our message will be to the world. Regardless of what message we choose to send, it is important to be authentic. This does not mean we must share every aspect of who we are. Instead, we may choose to leave some aspects of our thoughts and opinions and perhaps deeper personal events off of social media or choose specific privacy or audience settings that feel more suitable to what we share. However, what we do publish is best kept in alignment with our clear purpose and with authenticity. We must not pretend to be someone we are not because that would be misleading. Therefore, we may also delete old posts or comments that don’t reflect who we have become. There is no need to continue broadcasting what does not resonate with who we are today. We certainly would not walk around expressing the opinions we had 10 years ago if we no longer held those beliefs. So cleaning up our presence online makes sense especially because we are energetically tied to all we put out. Never post from strong emotion. Without a doubt, we will see material that triggers us in a reactionary and emotional way. It is important to catch ourselves before posting a quick response. It is a very good idea for us to pause and set the phone down or get up from the computer. Doing a task to be productive or just focusing on something else for a few minutes gives us time to reflect on what we decided our larger social media message would be. Then we can ask ourselves if the response we are tempted to publish resonates with this mission. More often than not, we will find that letting go and scrolling on by is our best option. It allows us to disconnect from a downward spiral of negativity and find our calm equilibrium again. However, if we do choose to respond, we may do so with a greater sense of awareness as we hold our social media goals in mind. Once written out, perhaps we again pause before making the final decision to publish. The fast pace of social media, its nonstop supply of shared opinions and ideas, the rampant misinformation and the insensitivity of some can certainly create a negative atmosphere and challenge our ability to enjoy the positive aspects of online platforms. This is often harder for empaths and highly sensitive people. However, when we stop reacting and set clear boundaries based on our goals, we can change our relationship with social media very quickly. From this more balanced place we can find uplifting people and new communities to connect with for encouragement, helpful sharing, learning and guidance. It is simply up to us to become more aware and decide the responsibility for regulating our relationship with social media lies within us. Article by Andrea Kennedy and published by Reiki Rays: https://reikirays.com/86315/social-media-survival-guide-5-guidelines-for-empaths-and-spiritual-people/

Meditation has catapulted in popularity in recent years and is currently firmly embedded in our popular culture. We hear about new scientific studies regularly in the media, we may easily download meditation apps to our smartphones and perhaps we have seen local meditation classes or groups form near where we live. It seems as though meditation is now accepted as much more than a spiritual practice and, instead, is widely regarded as a health practice touted and even prescribed by doctors and medical professionals across major specialties. In fact, research and the number of scientific studies regarding meditation have dramatically increased in recent years. A search of ‘meditation’ on the website for the National Center for Biotechnology Information, better known as PubMed (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov), lists 7456 articles from 1919 to the the very beginning of 2021 with over 40% in just the last 5 years alone as illustrated in the included graphic. In contrast to that recent trend, the Reiki community, has a decades-long history of both learning and practicing meditation techniques in addition to the practice of Reiki itself. One practice I teach is the Gassho Meditation which is quite similar to mindfulness meditation wherein we focus our attention and gently refocus when we become aware thinking is occurring. While this and other meditation techniques may enhance our Reiki practice, let us compare general meditation techniques and the practice of Reiki itself. Like many new Reiki practitioners, I believed I could be a better practitioner if I learned to meditate and did so regularly. I attempted to stick to a practice of regular meditation but I found it quite difficult to maintain. Over the years, I would begin with a strong and steady commitment but then I would inevitably meditate less and less often and then feeling as if I had failed, would repeat the pattern time and time again. As a result, I never felt like I was able to reap the benefits I believed meditation practice would undoubtedly yield if I could just stick with it. Luckily, one morning I finally let those feelings of inadequacy go and perhaps, if this feels familiar to you, you will be able to release them as well. That important day I attended my first mindfulness meditation group meeting. The experienced leader asked the regular attendees to introduce themselves and include what benefits they realized through their regular mindfulness meditation practice. Each took their turn revealing their personal results including examples such as feeling less stress, less worry and anxiety, enjoying better sleep, increased optimism and decreased chronic pain among other commonly documented benefits. The last woman then offered a description I found to deeply resonate with me. She explained she used to react to life as if it was occurring right at the tip of her nose. However, as a result of her regular meditation practice, she gradually moved from reaction to response because she now felt as though life was happening more at a distance from herself. This shift in awareness allowed her to observe and then decide how to best respond in words and actions. She shared how this transferred to feeling more balanced in her relationships with others, more peace within herself and as though she was a part of life’s flow and no longer just affected and by it. I immediately identified what she described as my own experience but I had never achieved meditation with any lasting regularity. How was it I had seen these same changes within me? The one practice I regularly kept was that of Reiki for myself and for others. I knew it was, at the very least, relaxing for me but I simply never considered Reiki as meditation. I left the mindfulness group wondering about the similarities between my experience and theirs. Sharma, M.D. from the Center for Integrative Medicine at The Ohio State University defines meditation as, “an exercise of consciousness that results in the expansion of consciousness beyond the day-to-day experience of duality. It is an experience of unity, which reduces stress and brings increased creativity and efficiency to the functioning of the inner faculty. This is an exercise that occurs without the mind directing the process.”1 Though Reiki practice includes a bit more than what the doctor states, undoubtedly, his definition does apply to Reiki. Practitioners do not direct the Reiki with their minds but allow the energy to direct the session. They commonly describe feelings of expansion and oneness while offering Reiki. Of course, Reiki reduces stress which is widely reported and I, along with other practitioners I have talked with, often enjoy extraordinary creative inspiration, discover solutions to problems and receive answers to questions. In addition to these benefits occurring for Reiki practitioners, those receiving Reiki treatment often report the same benefits. Passively receiving one session of Reiki may illicit equivalent results when compared to actively performing one meditation session. Another similarity between both practicing and receiving Reiki and meditation is that deeper, longer lasting shifts on physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels come through regular sessions. Given the parallels between the practices of Reiki and meditation, perhaps it is time to expand our thinking regarding Reiki practice and recognize it as an actual form of meditation in and of itself. Then we may begin to include this aspect of Reiki in our presentations when describing Reiki to others. And because the popularity and scientific support for meditation continues to grow, so too, may Reiki’s acceptance as a valid complementary therapy resulting in becoming more widely available to help an increasing number of people. Citation: Sharma H. Meditation: Process and effects. Ayu. 2015;36(3):233-237. doi:10.4103/0974-8520.182756

If you are finding the undercurrent of news and political battles difficult, I’d like to share what I return to for help in hopes it may be helpful to you as well. You know my answer is Reiki but it’s more than that. It’s what Reiki reminds me of and there are other paths to this remembrance if you don’t practice Reiki—any spiritual or meditation practice can assist. Reiki brings my focus down to the present moment whether I’m offering it to myself or to others. With others, my intention is to put all my personal energy aside and be here now. I experience myself as the light of who I really am and feel honored to invite Reiki for the highest benefit of the person I am with—also pure light. It is in this space that all of the thinking, judgments, labels and scenes of people tearing each other down fades away. The light I know we are is of ONE light. And as I remember this in the moment, I am able to extrapolate outward to include all people. Deep down, we are so very alike. We generally all desire the same things in life. When I reach this awareness, the quarrels of politics seem temporary, transient and even small. We are in a time of great change and therefore upheaval is required. Through these trials we can better see if we choose to do so. As the old ways are dismantled, space is created and with new perspective we have opportunity to reshape what we’ve known into a higher vision. This evolution and change is progress and progress can be uncomfortable. This too shall pass. My Reiki practice brings me home to comforting simple truths. It helps me focus on tending my own garden too, so to speak. When I invest my focus on my family, home and work I find peace. It’s when I look too long at the political strife and how some people choose to mistreat others, I feel overwhelmed. The key lies in awareness of how I feel and when I tune into myself and allow that to guide me, I stay afloat and in gratitude and hope. Honestly, it has often not been easy . It’s important for us to tune into ourselves and observe what we are feeling when we engage with news or media. Listen and choose your focus with your highest good in mind. If you do not practice Reiki, please find your own pathway such as meditation practice, yoga or something else that resonates with you and allows you to remember the truth of your connectedness—our connectedness. Tend to your garden in this way and build a strong foundation through your daily practice. It will benefit you. Therefore, it will benefit us all and our harvest shall be plentiful. Namasté

Social Media is a challenge for me. I see the great potential it has to bring us together but it just isn't used that way by so many people and that is where the challenge lies. Not too long ago, I was on Facebook and I crossed one of my boundaries. I read the comments on a political post. I try hard not to read them because I know that hate and judgement often live in the comments and it draws me in. One person made what I would characterize as a highly judgmental and stereotypical comment that was completely irresponsible. My first thought was, "Wow… I wonder what other people this person has lumped together and condemned and on what basis? Surely, there must be other gems this guy is broadcasting because he can type and thinks we all need to hear his opinion." Then, I admit, I began descending into the rabbit hole. My emotions that caused my throat to tense spurred my fantasy of retaliation with my own comments. I quickly wrote several responses in my mind, each one getting more clever and to the point in an urgent attempt to wake him up to his part in all things wrong with society. And then I stopped. I realized in that moment that this thread simply triggered remembrance of my fears. I reflected on what I was feeling and questioned my motives in feeling compelled to respond to this man. I was angry with how I judged this person to be…hateful, closed, arrogant, limited and that he seemed beyond reason. I blamed myself for my negative reaction and questioned my connection with Reiki. Specifically, I have been dedicated to Reiki for over half my life so, why was I easily descending down the path of negative reaction? Where was Reiki in all this? The answer then occurred to me. Reiki does not make us blind to what exists because this is neither healthy nor helpful. It also doesn’t take away our human nature. What Reiki does do is support us in self-reflection and conscious awareness. When I stopped myself from descending further, I created a pause which served as the opportunity for awareness and then choice—choice from a connected place, a higher place. It is from this place I am able to remember who I am and who others are, too. I know my ability to access this place is a gift from my relationship with Reiki. And from there, I am guided to promote unity, connection, truth, love and equality. I remember that fighting against anyone or anything creates focus and focused energy expands power toward expression and manifestation. You and I are responsible in creating what we choose to envision and I thank the man on Facebook for providing the opportunity to wake up to this truth once again. Lesson remembered, lesson lived...until the next time I forget I'm committed to the conscious creation of better. And I surely will. I invite you to join me in the conscious creation of better. Highest blessings to you.

New practitioners often have strong motivations to help others and save the world. While this is commendable, there are some points to remember. First, you were drawn to Reiki for yourself as well. Do not overlook your needs for healing, balance and insight that Reiki offers. It will always make you a better healer to continue to heal yourself. In the past, many falsely believed that when one spent time bettering themselves it was a sign of self-centeredness. Today, self-care is regarded as a positive part of wellness practices. Reiki is a powerful gift we have to heal ourselves and proceed down a path of well-being, peace, love and understanding. As we heal, our energy changes in ways that positively affect others without us even trying. So, in fact, we are helping others indirectly and automatically through our own healing. Please consider ways to incorporate Reiki into everyday life. I recommend beginning each day with self-Reiki even before your feet touch the floor. By spending as little as 10 minutes placing your Reiki hands on yourself, you have the ability to set the tone for the day. You may use this few minutes to meditate on an affirmation or goal you have been focusing on, review one or more Reiki precepts or perhaps simply enjoy the energy. There are no rules to follow but the regularity of daily self-practice is an important key to seeing deeper results. Secondly, trust Reiki! As healers, we possess a strong desire to do our best in creating specific results for those we help. Remember that the very nature of Reiki is that IT knows how to help someone for their highest good and, therefore, does not rely on our direction. However, we may feel pressure to seek knowledge about chakras, meridians, emotional causation of disease and other information in an effort to help boost the results of our sessions. While educating ourselves surely has value, so does remembering that Reiki does not require anything of you as a practitioner. Sometimes knowing more (or thinking we know more) can make it harder for us to energetically step aside for Reiki to flow freely. In fact, we do not even need to know what is ailing our client for Reiki to help them in profound ways. I understand this personally from my own practice and can attest to clients reporting astounding and unexpected positive results when we had not previously met and I was told nothing of their conditions prior to the session. Instead of relying on prior knowledge, it is always best to quiet the mind and allow Reiki to guide each session. Utilize hand positions and techniques you have learned but listen to the guidance in each moment of the session. By doing this, you are an instrument of the Reiki energy in service to the highest good of whomever you are blessed to work with in the Reiki space. Perhaps this is best described as being Reiki in contrast to doing Reiki. Finally, practice, practice, practice! There is nothing like the experience of giving and receiving Reiki. Practice often and notice what you notice. Perhaps keep a journal to record your experiences and insights as you deepen your relationship with Reiki. Welcome to the possibilities, mysteries and joys of Reiki!

I admit I've struggled over the past months to see a way up and out from the divisive and often hateful atmosphere of these times. And while I can comfort myself in the knowing that there must be chaos and destruction before we can rebuild in a new and higher way, I find some days harder than others to keep this in the forefront of my mind. My purpose in writing this is to renew hope. Hope for myself and perhaps for you. We need all the hope and reminders we are not defined by these times we can get, in my opinion. So, I offer what occurred to me today for the purpose of knowing and remembering we are on the uprise and a brighter future has been quietly born and is gaining momentum and strength right now in this moment. All before 1 pm today, I saw three clear validating examples of something I’ve known for awhile. This truth is that empathy will be the way out and up for us across cultures and how the human race decides not to destroy ourselves while we are so busy tearing each other down. The first of the three uplifting and validating events supporting my theory arrived at 9 a.m. this morning. “Samantha” is a 14 year-old young lady seeking relief for high anxiety and migraines. Like many of the younger clients I see, she is a highly intelligent, aware and an empath . As an empath, she is able to sense how someone is feeling and can use this insight to help her relate to others. Put simply, empaths have the ability to put themselves in someone else’s shoes and understand that person’s feelings and perspectives unlike a “normal” person. I have noticed an increase of empaths in my Reiki clientele and in the families of my friends and family—not all young like Samantha but it appears to me a larger percentage of the younger population is empathic when compared to the older population. An increase in the number of these gifted individuals results in an army of sensitive, caring people who are able to understand others at deeper levels which leads to acceptance and remembrance of our oneness. And when enough of us remember our oneness, violence will no longer make any sense. Divisions drawn between us out of fears and separation will not stand. As oneness is felt, the out-picturing of our knowing shall transform not only our personal reality but our collective consciousness and humankind on a grand scale. We shall experience heaven on earth which has been available all along but we have not chosen it as our collective experience thus far in our history. The second event occurred during a meditation group discussion at about 11:30. Our topic was on mindful eating and a woman spoke about her 8 year old granddaughter who feels the consequences of what she chooses to eat in her muscles and mind. For example, when she perceived a quivering in her muscles one afternoon while in gymnastics, she felt it was a result of adding too much sugar to her whole grain cereal that morning. She made note of that result and now adds little to no sugar when she chooses cereal for breakfast. You see, she chooses what to eat based on what her body tells her. Breakfast may be 3 slices of toast one day and mostly protein the next. Fortunately, her family allows her freedom with her diet because she is finely tuned in with herself and is in top physical shape as a gifted gymnast. Her heightened awareness indicates her ability to take her cues from her felt sense and not externally in the messages of what she 'should' or 'should not' eat. Finally, to my third uplifting example stemming from a conversation I later had with a client. She told me how delighted she was that her meditation group instructor enthusiastically endorsed the idea of bringing her 10 year old granddaughter along to one of their two-hour meetings. During that day's two-25 minutes silent meditations, her granddaughter very quietly read the book she brought along, mindfully turning each page trying to not disturb anyone. As soon as each concluding bell rang, she discreetly put the book away and listened to the adults share about their experiences. Later, over lunch, her grandmother asked her, “What did you hear today?” Very plainly her granddaughter responded, “Clinging to things can make you unhappy.” My client pointed out to me that her granddaughter did not parrot what anyone in the group had said but, rather chose her words herself as a result of her own interpretation. These young people of 14, 8 and 10 years of age each live from a place of deep connection and knowingness. It is no accident that our institutions created decades ago are now crumbling and offering the opportunity to be reimagined in a higher way at the direction of the youngest among us and those that follow. It is our responsibility to hold space for these gifted souls and do what we can to support their journeys which shall engineer humanity’s future. Through my experience, I believe more of these young ones are being born energetically cleaner than prior generations. Of course, many adults have had a part in this through their own healing because as we heal ourselves we may also heal our ancestors as well as future generations. This is possible and happening now due to our true nature of connection—our oneness. This is not an American phenomenon but a global one. It is a revolution in the purest form I can imagine and one worthy of celebration, indeed. Hope made manifest. 🙏🏼 P.S. - I wrote this article and before I finished it for publication, the world's youth mobilized and demonstrated in a climate strike--another sign of our changing population leading us to choose higher possibilities through awareness. Yes!!!

Andrea was invited and delighted to talk with Stephen C. Vanderver, host of Reiki Currents which is a talkshow featuring Reiki News. Watch the March 29, 2018 interview to learn more about Andrea, her ideas regarding Reiki, her goals for Mainstream Reiki and more.

For this Mother’s Day, I want to share a message in hopes it supports you in reorganizing your priority list. Too often, women and mothers are near the bottom of their lists. As a mother, I know firsthand the lengths we go to for our children and families. Sometimes (and maybe often) if feels like we have nothing left for ourselves at the end of the day. It can be really easy to put off the ‘unnecessary’ but healing things we can do for ourselves and it can feel selfish to spend our time doing them, too. The good news is that is old thinking and more of us are realizing that self-care is critical if we really want to be able to help others in the highest ways. However, it can be difficult for us to change that priority list and take action to move ourselves up the ranking. Odds are we are super tired from years of just getting by and perhaps often questioning if we are doing enough for others. So, I want to tell all mothers out there who reside at the bottom of their priority list… Please know the greatest gift a mother can give to her children is a healthy, happier mother. Think about that… Take a moment to imagine how it could feel to your children to have a mother who is healthy and happier. Pretty good, right? Your health and happiness could pay dividends you probably never dreamed of and not just for you but for your entire family. So, if you haven’t yet been reason enough to move yourself up your priority list…are they reason enough? Please believe you deserve the loving treatment you give to so many. YOU ARE WORTH IT!!! Happy Mother’s Day! 💐

A young woman recently met with me for an Intuitive Reiki session. When I asked her if she had anything for me to check on during the session, she said she wanted to know if she had everything within her needed for her to heal. In my mind, I thought, “Of course you do!” but said nothing. I’ve learned my thinking mind and the wisdom that comes to me in a Reiki session are often different. I’m thankful I waited because the answer was stunning and beautiful and far beyond what I was capable of saying to her on my own. As I started the session, I tuned in to her and immediately heard the old saying in my mind, “No man is an island.” I then witnessed a vision like a movie clip. I first saw an island in the middle of the ocean. Suddenly, all the water disappeared and the land that was the island was now obviously just a continuation of the ocean floor but at higher elevation. The water supplied the illusion of separation but the island had always been connected in oneness to all the other land on the planet. Therefore, the separation was simply a matter of perception. Following the session, I shared the island metaphor with her and relayed more explanation as it was revealed to me. The answer to her question was both no and yes at the same time. She, like all of us, does not have everything within her she needs to heal. But that is by design and it doesn’t mean we are deficient. The energy of who we are does not operate on a closed system. We are part of a whole and not separated at all—that is the illusion. Therefore, the answers we seek and everything we need to heal exists within our reach. Whether we reach for a book that beckons us or ask someone for help and advice, we are opening ourselves up to new energy. We then have the opportunity to reflect upon what we learn and may refine who we are by noticing how the information makes us feel and perhaps adjusting our beliefs. Connecting in these ways and then within can be quite healing and continues through our lifetime as we evolve through experience. Later that evening, I researched the quote I heard. I discovered it is actually a shorter version of “No man is an Island, entire of it self; every man is a piece of the Continent, a part of the main.” This was written in 1624 by John Donne in his book, Devotions upon Emergent Occasions. I was stunned it mentioned the word ‘continent’ which fit perfectly with what I saw. And again, I was thankful for the connection that day that helped me help the young woman with a beautiful answer to her very personal question, one I feel many of us have asked at one time or another. #IntuitiveReiki #Reiki #MainstreamReiki #NoManIsAnIsland