Healing Tools from a Reiki Master

What is Reiki?

Reiki is a Japanese healing technique that translates to spiritual healing energy. It is a deeply relaxing practice where hands are gently placed on the body along with energy meridian points. The person receiving leaves feeling relaxed and clear.

Can you share your journey with Reiki?

I lived in NYC for about six years and heard about Reiki while there. I was working at Glossier when it was really small, and someone wrote in slack “has anyone tried Reiki?” - pretty much none of us knew what it was. Fast forward a year, and I went to a little Reiki “happy hour” at Maha Rose in Greenpoint. The practitioner, Teva, was so gentle, and I remember afterward walking home in awe of how relaxed and connected I felt. I knew it would be something I wanted to study deeper, and that I would eventually move to Los Angeles. Once I moved here to LA, I saw that one of my teachers - Lara Elliot - was having a small in-person Reiki 1 Training at her beautiful home. I immediately signed up, and on the first day, I was hooked. I loved learning the history, philosophy, principles, and thinking of Reiki not just as a healing practice but as a way of life. I continued to study with Lara as well as with Frances Naude and started my private practice - Almost Heaven Healing - this April. The more I am in service through Reiki to my beautiful clients, the more I love it.

What are the benefits of Reiki?

Reiki shifts our nervous system from parasympathetic mode (fight or flight), to sympathetic (rest and restore). It is deeply relaxing and allows our body to be in a state for healing to take place.

Who would you recommend Reiki healing sessions for?

I would recommend Reiki to anyone who is feeling stressed, anxious, potentially depressed - it is really for everyone because it is such subtle yet powerful energy. I love to Reiki myself every morning to fluff up my energy for the day so that I feel radiant and sparkly <3

Do you have any favorite meditations you would recommend?

Yes! I believe that meditation changes lives. To get started, I like the headspace 10 day challenge. I also love this youtube video, as well as the app Insight Timer.

We love listening to Almost Heaven Radio, what inspired you to start this project?

Thank you! I had the idea one day to make a radio show, and then I made it and published the first episode that same day. When I have a spark of an idea like that, I like to be a little impulsive and just see where it goes! I love sharing music as a way to connect and to extend my world of Almost Heaven.

What are you listening to this month (music/podcasts)?

For podcasts, I am loving Soundfood, The Cutting Room Floor, and the Tara Brach Podcast. For music, I listen to a lot of old folk rock, and today that sounds like George Harrison.

Healing Tips:

These are free things that I try to incorporate into my daily routine. When I do 2/3, I feel great, and when I hit all 3, I feel radiant.

1. Meditation - Meditation is a non-negotiable for me. I started meditating at age 21 with a 30 day challenge, and in the end knew I wanted every day of the rest of my life to have this practice. I like to sit quietly on my meditation cushion or upright comfortably in bed and choose an object to focus on for 15-30min depending on how much time/space I give myself. If you are just getting started, try 5 minutes of repeating a mantra or watching your breath.
2. Movement - Taking daily walks is key for my mental health, especially as I was working from home over the last year. Sometimes I’ll go on a jog, take a zoom yoga class, or do at home pilates, but my favorite right now is to put on a podcast and walk around the park.
3. Connecting to nature - When we connect to Mother Earth, we connect more deeply with ourselves. We remember why we are here, and regain a sense of clarity about our day/week/lives. When I hike, I imagine all the energy that isn’t serving me draining out of my body and back into the earth. When I’m at the beach, I imagine golden cleansing waves washing over me. Either way, I leave feeling GROUNDED, positive, and open.