Message From The President

As we celebrated the end of another year it is suggested that we reflect on the positives and negatives that we encountered throughout 2009. No doubt we hope to have learned from the negatives and allow them to be released back to the universe, taking with us only the positives into 2010. Our New Year wish from Board of Directors is to continued success in your Reiki practice and in your life.

In This Issue Member in Focus About the CRA Thought of the Month Healing Horses with Reiki Angel Hugs A Personal Explanation of Reiki My Reiki Journey Toronto Whole Life Expo Awakening Belief in Reiki How Reiki Entered My Life Reaping Reiki’s Benefits Book Review 1st Annual Healing Conference Breath of Transformation Holy Breath—Sacred Sound Reiki, Just the FAQ’s My Experience—Holistic Therapies Whole Life Expo Pictures Director’s Announcement Poem Shares & Exchanges Announcements Advertising

I hope you will find the opportunities to take our gift of Reiki into the community and share what Reiki is and what it can do. I also wish great success for our Association and its growth in membership.

Our plans for the next Annual General Meeting have been arranged. We will meet in Oakville, Ontario at the Wyecroft Road Holiday Inn on May 29, 2010. Our meetings have always ended with great success. If you have not attended an AGM before this is your opportunity to join us in a day of fellowship and camaraderie. The CRA Board looks forward to meeting you and the friends you bring. Once again this event is open to non members so please share this news with your friends and students.

At our afternoon presentation, we will be the host to a wonderful couple from North Carolina, Pam and Don McMahon. This will be their first time in Canada and they are excited to share their love of Reiki and music with us. Their acoustical music is of love, hope and blended with the spirit of Oneness and honouring the Divinity in all of us.

There will be a mini trade show available once again and if you have a product you would like to sell please contact the CRA to reserve your table.

We are also in need of door prizes. If you are able to contribute once
again please contact the office.

I have planned a special workshop with Pam McMahon the day following the AGM on May 30th. Pam McMahon is a Certified Transformational Breath Work Facilitator and will hold this one day workshop on Holy Breath ~ Sacred Sound from 9am until 5pm at the Holiday Inn. Lunch will be included and a certificate of attendance will be provided. Registration and deposits are accepted to reserve your spot. More information on this event is included in the newsletter. If you plan to reserve a room at the Hotel please let them know you are with the Canadian Reiki Association for a special rate.

My thanks and gratitude to all who have participated in CRA health trade shows this past year. It is your support at these events that give us the opportunity to inform the community of Reiki and continue to hold a strong professional presence in the community.

With Love and Gratitude
Bonnie Smith
CRA President

Member in Focus is Suzanne Harmony

Tell us how you were introduced to Reiki, your path with Reiki and what you do now?

I am a true believer in "Life's experiences (as uncomfortable as they sometimes are) are all opportunities to change."

My journey with Reiki is enthusiastically expressed throughout the pages of my book, "Leap of Faith...From Fear to Fulfillment."

A miserable migraine was about to end another productive day for me as Treatment Plan Coordinator at the Callander Bay Dental Centre when my co‐worker, Sally, offered to treat me with Reiki. I had not experienced Reiki before this, yet I trusted Sally and was open to her offer. Anything was better than the excruciating pain that I was about to experience as the visual disturbances of the aura were quickly leading to the neurological disturbances and severe pain of the migraine.

We dimmed the lights in my office, turned off the computer and from the comfort of my office chair Sally stood behind me, encouraged me to close my eyes and free my mind with calming breaths and she placed her warm hands on my head, then over my eyes, my ears, my jaw area, my throat area finished with her warm, healing hands over my heart chakra area. This session was clearly an "on the spot" healing experience AND one that I will treasure forever. It miraculously aborted the migraine. I was able to carry on with my duties and I did not experience rebound...like the side effects of so many migraine medications.

I was so pleased and enthusiastic about this experience that I asked Sally, “if I learned Reiki, would I be able to treat myself?" Her answer, of course, was, "Yes" and so my journey with Reiki began. Thanks to what could have been another MISERABLE MIGRAINE experience, I opened myself up to experience something new; an opportunity to change my previous treatment for migraines, and this led to my amazing life altering journey of empowerment and continuous personal growth/ healing through Reiki.

Sally taught me all three levels of Reiki shortly after that experience in 1997 and on June 01, 2001 I embraced and still honour the commitments of a Reiki Master/Teacher. On October 1, 2004 I took another "Leap of Faith" as I left the security that I grew comfortable with from fifteen years of service at the Callander Bay Dental Centre to pursue a full time Reiki practice. All the doors of opportunity open wide and effortlessly when we embark upon the "right path" and this I truly experienced in the months and years that followed that decision and my leap!

On December 17, 2004 Harmony House became my new home and the place where Reiki, and all the magic that it provides, would thrive! I have over three hundred clients from all over Canada and the U.S.; I hold monthly Reiki Shares and teach Reiki once a month at Harmony House to allow others to grow and improve their self‐confidence and life purpose through Reiki. I continue on this path and share my passion through public speaking events, book‐signing events, Holistic Retreats, and all that life delivers onto me.

"The Epiphany "section of my book shares the inspiration that guided me to write "Leap of Faith...From Fear to Fulfillment" in 2007 and I am thrilled to have it published through iUniverse and it’s in distribution world wide. Please take a few moments to explore my website at www.ReikiWithHarmony.com to find out more about me, my passions, my journey with Reiki, Harmony House and how and where to get my book.

What is your major focus for 2010?

My major focus for 2010 is to continue to share my passion for Reiki through media via television, radio and magazine interviews, news articles and to participate in Holistic Health Retreats, public speaking events and so on! I am comfortable in these areas and thrilled to have experienced numerous local radio and television interviews, an in‐depth interview about Reiki at Harmony House which will be a feature presentation for an upcoming television program, book‐signing events all across Ontario at Chapters, Coles and numerous private bookstores, a recent article in "Alive and Fit" magazine and numerous speaking events. I look forward to presenting to over 150 members of Transition House and other Community Partners on June 17, 2009 at the Davedi Club in North Bay and I am thrilled to have been invited to speak at The Annual Northern Ontario Dental
Association's Conference being held in Sudbury, Ontario on September 18, 19 and 20/10. I will be speaking about "Reiki...Its benefits for oneself, others and its valuable place in the dental office." I have treated some patients during implant surgery and was observed by the dentist in charge of the dental department at the oncology centre, Laurentian Hospital, in Sudbury, Ontario, Dr. Debra Saunders. She remarked upon the stability of the patient throughout the surgery, proven through blood pressure monitoring, and how calm the patient remained. She also was impressed that there was less bleeding throughout the surgery and very little swelling after the surgery. It turns out that she and Dr. Isabel Teijeiro, whom I spilled my enthusiasm for Reiki and its benefit in the Dental practice over dinner at another Dental function in London, Ontario, are members of the Ontario Dental Association.

Together they approached the NODA about this presentation at the upcoming annual event and WOW! it has been approved. I am excited about the future and all the blessings I receive daily!

Tell us about the contribution you see yourself making to the CRA?

My contribution to the CRA is easily fulfilled through my encouragement to all of my Reiki students to become CRA members and I feel I can contribute more to the CRA by submitting articles to the newsletter, participating in more CRA events, and a review of my book by other CRA members is certainly welcome. My book can also be purchased and used to support fund raising events, sponsored and supported by the CRA.

Yours In Love, Light, and Harmony,
Suzanne M. Harmony
www.ReikiWithHarmony.com
Reiki_with_Harmony@yahoo.ca
Reiki Master, Author, Inspirational Speaker
Harmony House
1531 Cassells St
North Bay, ON
(705) 472‐9005

About the CRA

We welcome your comments, criticisms, and feedback. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

Thought of the Month

By Aynsley Saxe

I was playing Scrabble the other day and wound up pulling three ‘E’s in a row (seriously). I also already had two ‘E’s on deck so if you looked at my letters they looked like this: EEEEE. I think the universe was trying to tell me what my December Thought of the Month should be. If I’d pulled a W and an H right after I would have written a different Thought of the Month about roller coasters: WHEEEEE!

What does ease mean to you? Do you think about sandy toes and Pina Coladas? Do you think of kicking back in a hammock, under a palm tree at the foot of the stunning-and‐oh‐so‐blue‐you‐can‐hardly‐believe‐it's‐real ocean, while being fed polished grapes by a …..well, never mind. Well my friends, unfortunately that scenario doesn’t happen to most of us very frequently. If it did we probably wouldn’t think of it as being full of ease because we’d probably be worried about sun damage or we might even suffer indigestion from eating only polished grapes all day.

The question is how can we superimpose that feeling of “ease” during our daily lives, when we are often working? In this culture, our “work hard” ethic prevails. There’s nothing wrong with applying ourselves and diligently expending our energy towards our goals. But to maximize our efficiency, and to enjoy our lives, even while working, we must remember ease.

A few years ago I went whale watching off the coast of Vancouver Island. During this tour we were fortunate to see at least a hundred large sea lions and seals basking in the sun on a large rock. When these large creatures actually decided to stand up (and most of them didn’t), they would step on each other and occasionally holler before immediately lying back down on the rocks to fall asleep. I think they hollered simply to provide some entertainment during their day.

These sea lions were so relaxed it was difficult not to yawn while watching them and I found myself thinking about how natural it is to take it easy, how allowed it is. Even the sea lions’ brother, the jungle lion, naps between 18‐20 hours a day! That’s how often they NAP. I wonder how long their full night’s sleep is. Four weeks? They nap that long and they’re still the king of the jungle. How’s that for focused energy? How’s that for proof that quality of action is more effective than quantity of action?

The next time you’re feeling under pressure or struggling with your projects or goals, do the opposite of what you think you should do: take a break. Take a nap! If you do you’ll come back in a few hours with new eyes and a fresh perspective. When your work is full of inspired action and you’re happy (or at least a little more relaxed and at ease) you’ll get so much more accomplished. And you’ll accomplish your tasks more quickly and effectively! Make “ease” a priority on your to‐do list and you’ll feel like the king of the jungle, raising your tanned hand while saying “Pina Colada please”.

Processes for reflection:

Take a break. Yes, I mean it. Take a break. Book in 3 straight hours in your daytimer right now for you. Three hours of liberated YOU-TIME. This time is not for chores. This time is not for making those phone calls you've put off. This time is not for emails or work or figuring out your life. This time is for you. You are allowed to nap, you are allowed to play and have fun, you are allowed to go for a walk and you are allowed to read or write (as long as that doesn't feel like a chore).

Take another break. When you resume life and other activities, notice how you feel.

Aynsley Saxe, RT-CRA
info@openessence.ca

Healing Horses with Reiki

By Dawn Kirkham

Although healing animals with Reiki was covered in both my First and Second Degree Reiki training I don’t think I had truly appreciated how much animals enjoy and benefit from this wonderful healing energy. 

I have grown up with horses all my life and was the proud guardian of a beautiful cob cross called Touchy (most aptly named) when I was first attuned to Reiki. She was bright chestnut or ‘orange’ as we liked to call her and was certainly her ‘own woman’ so to speak – she didn’t suffer fools gladly, not even me! I was the standing joke at the livery yard where Touchy was stabled as we pitted our wills against each other and still I loved her dearly. However, despite experiencing the benefits of Reiki in my own life I hadn’t thought to share it with Touchy, but she had other ideas!

I would like to say that I was totally in control of the situation and that everything that happened was initiated by me – but it wasn’t and I found myself participating in the most humbling and best ever learning experience of my life. It was a cold winter day and Touchy was feeling very grumpy – despite this, I decided to give her a thorough grooming even though she was protesting at me for taking off her warm snugly rug and making her stand tied up outside her stable. After a while I had a fairly large audience providing me with nuggets of ‘good advice’ as we danced around.

Touchy was very head shy (I think it was the product of some rough handling before me) and she was doing her usual giraffe impression as I was trying to comb her forelock, when suddenly I felt Reiki flowing. Almost immediately, Touchy lowered her head and placed it right between my hands. I gently rested each hand either side of her head and Touchy let out a huge sigh and just stood there, her head so low it was almost touching the floor. After a short while, Touchy was falling asleep, with her mouth hanging loose and relaxed. I am not sure who was more amazed; me, or the audience of people that had gathered to watch. I had never seen Touchy so relaxed around people in all of the years that I had known her. Our intimate moment lasted almost half an hour, after which I felt the Reiki slow and watched Touchy as she came back to earth with a snort. We then finished our grooming session without any further trouble.

After that everyone wanted to know about Reiki and whether it could help with a variety of physical and emotional problems they were having with their horses, dogs etc. I didn’t truly know but suspected it could, so endeavoured to try. I had many willing volunteers to work with and supplemented the practical experiences with a course in Reiki Healing for Animals and plenty of reading and shadowing people who were using Reiki for the benefit of animals.

I am delighted to say that many of my equine and canine clients really benefited from their Reiki experiences and I found myself spending more time in fields (usually in the rain) sharing Reiki with horses – and I loved every minute of it. I was still working with people as a Holistic Therapist and Life Coach, but found the work I was involved in with animals personally and professionally fulfilling – and it’s all thanks to a rather grumpy horse called Touchy, who taught me that all things in the universe will enjoy and benefit from Reiki and that they really do know what is best for them.

Touchy still lives in the UK, although I have now re-located to Vancouver Island, and has a wonderful human caregiver to replace me. She is still grumpy but enjoys life to the full and is still benefiting from regular Reiki sessions.

Dawn Kirkham
Reiki Master/Teacher

Biography

Dawn was first introduced to Reiki in 2006 and is now a Reiki Master/Teacher. She runs a holistic therapy and teaching business on Vancouver Island where she now lives. Dawn has only lived in Canada for four months after emigrating from the UK in May 2009, where she ran a successfully therapy and life coaching business for humans and animals. If you would like to find out more about Dawn and the work she does with animals or are interested in her workshop ‘Healing Animals with Reiki’ you can e-mail her at enquiries@inner-wisdom.net.

Angel Hugs

By Unknown

It had been a long trip. My daughter and 4 year old grandson had flown to southern BC from the Yukon, spent a few days with us then picked up a minivan and drove to the coast to camp out on the beach with family and friends. Sheila and Declan enjoyed the whole experience immensely but both were tired; hot and crabby by the time they got back to our house. Sheila barely touched her evening meal and Declan was whinny and miserable. I was concerned about Sheila, knowing she still faced a long 3 or 4-day road trip back to the Yukon. I asked if she would like a relaxing Reiki treatment before bed.

“Yes, I’d love that, Mom” she said. “But first I’d like to take a walk now that the air has cooled a bit.”

I suggested Declan clean up and prepare for bed as I readied the room and set up my Reiki bed in the guest room-come-healing room. Declan had not seen anyone do a Reiki treatment so I explained, “ Mommy is going to lay on this table and I am going to do something to help her feel better. You need to sit quietly on your bed. Watch or stand close to the Reiki bed, but you must not touch Mommy, ok?”

“Can I try the bed?” he asked.

“Sure.” I lifted him up on the Reiki table and he lay there quietly while I lit a few scented candles, set on some calming music and began to Reiki the room.

“What you doing Grandma?” he inquired as he sat up.

“Getting rid of any bad energy in here,” I replied. He hopped off the table and mimicked my movement as I drew the Power symbol around the room.

“Is it gone now?” Declan asked, when I had finished the cleansing process. "Sure is”, I replied and hugged him close.

Declan sat quietly as Sheila lay on the Reiki table. I asked her to take a few deep breaths and expel them slowly, to relax more with each deep breath, then to meditate or think pleasant thoughts. And so we began. Drawing the spirit guided life force energy of Reiki into the palms of my hands, I released this loving energy into her chakras from crown to base, raking off the heaviness and tension as I worked. She was very tense at the neck and shoulder area so I concentrated there. As I was doing so, Declan edged closer. I motioned him to be quiet and stand back. He shook his head and stepped closer, cupped his hand and ran it down Sheila’s arm from shoulder to elbow but not touching. I nodded my approval, so he did this for a while as I continued the treatment. Sheila was now relaxing well.

Declan stepped away from the bed looking around the room, then he walked over to a candle on a low table in the corner and placed his little hand over it briefly. Cupping the hand he’d warmed over the candle he came back to the bed and ran the warmed hand down Shelia’s arm gently. He did this several times. Sheila was now deeply relaxed and muttering quietly.

“Grandma Susie?” she exclaimed in wonder, smiling as she relaxed into a deep rest. My mother had died before Declan was born but I know Sheila has happy childhood memories of visits to my parents’ home. Tears welled in my eyes as I continued the treatment and watched Declan doing his own ‘therapy’ until, satisfied, he went to sit on his bed. He watched carefully as I closed the chakras and placed my daughter in a circle of white light, gave thanks to our spirit guides and shook off the remaining energy.

 “Who is mommy talking to?” he whispered as Sheila slowly opened her eye and lay watching us.

“Her grandma, Susie” I responded.

“But she is in heaven. She is an angel, right?” He puzzled over this a bit and then smiled and said, “Grandma Susie came here to give mommy an angel hug and make her feel better, right Grandma?”

“Yes, Declan. That’s exactly what she did”, Sheila replied, smiling at her son. “And you helped. I could feel your hand on my arm,” she said holding him close. He wriggled off her lap and went back to the candle, again holding a hand over the flame briefly then cupping it gently.

“I’m going to bring an angel hug to grandpa, too,” he said as he carefully walked into the next room where my husband sat reading.

Sheila tearfully told me how, during the treatment, she had seen my mother in the corner of the room by the candle and Mom had stood smiling as she watched us.

“’Meet my little boy, Grandma, Susie’ I said” Sheila explained. “She nodded with a smile as she briefly touched Declan’s hand over the candle, then faded away. Oh, Mom, it felt so good, so right. There is so much love here.” We hugged and shared tears of joy as I told Sheila how Declan had gone over to the candle repeatedly to carry the warmth back to her. I, too, had felt the angelic presence in the room. And we marveled anew at the how open and free young children are to the presence of Spirit and healing love.

Sheila was nicely relaxed and feeling positive. I felt they would be fine on the trip home to White Horse. And they were.

A Personal Explanation of Reiki
Energy Work for Healing

By Irene Arndt, CEO: Dragonfly Centre for Change

It may seem odd but I find that the hardest question to answer in my business is “What is Reiki?” (pronounced Ray Key). To me Reiki is so many things to so many people. That's why it is hard to answer. If you tell someone that you have a gift that can heal issues in mind, body, or spirit and can be learned by anyone; it probably sounds too good to be true! So, what I will do is share some of the benefits that Reiki has brought to my life and those I have shared the gift with.

What I love the most about Reiki is the ability to help others – relieve them of some sort of pain whether it is physical, mental or emotional - this is the greatest gift of Reiki. I have had a painful life (as many healers have) and that is why I see this as such a blessing. To be able to connect with another’s energy and improve their level of pain truly is a wonderful thing each and every time!

Physically, I’ve seen someone barely able to get on the massage table due to a pulled muscle wake up after treatment with no pain whatsoever. I watched a cyst decrease over time so that surgery wasn’t necessary. I’ve seen children relieved of aches, pain, and burns very quickly (they are excellent receivers of energy). Also, my pain has decreased to the point where I no longer take daily prescription medications to get by.

Emotionally I worked with someone over a number of sessions and knew something huge was just below the surface needing to come out that finally released and brought life-altering positive changes. I’ve helped others work through grief over the loss of a loved one.

Mentally, I have seen people increase their ability to cope with daily struggles and open up their thinking to change negative attitudes to positive. I’ve also helped others to decrease levels of anxiety by teaching techniques that can be used in their daily struggles after the Reiki treatment.

Spiritually Reiki opens doors to possibilities that just were not there before. The energy of one Reiki session can bring you to a state that has been compared to days of meditation. Some have entered another world of consciousness and ‘awaken’ to vast understanding of the openness of the universe, or with messages to address current situations or direction for the future.

Personally, Reiki brings a connectedness to one and all. It opened my heart, intuition, and ability to control and direct my life. It has helped me move from a feelings of helplessness to clarity and hope, from dependence to independence. It has relieved physical and emotional pain that brought limitations to my ability to live life as I wanted. It brings me great joy and purpose in connecting with and helping others. It provides profound understanding and acceptance of what is - perfect or imperfect, everything is as it should be.

I’d also like to share with you that the Reiki energy ‘targets’ the healing that is for your highest good, meaning that you may not always get the healing you are looking for. Many of us have a number of underlying issues behind what is identified as a symptom. For example, the sore neck may be present because you tend to hold your stress in these muscles. This is the root cause that the Reiki needs to identify and help you with. So mental and emotional healing can be required to relieve the physical manifestations of your stress.

I have also found that the longer you have had your ‘issue’ the longer it takes to heal. It is like reversing the layers until you get to the root of the issue. That is why it works so quickly for children or immediate injuries. In many cases, it is best to learn Reiki so that you can improve your energy levels daily. As you are working on your main issues you will also be clearing any new things as they come up, before they too can become an issue.

In summary, I see Reiki as a gift for self and others. It is more than relieving pain; it is a connection with source energy – the giver of life. It brings blessings and clarity that make it easy to live a life full of gratitude.

Irene Arndt, CRA‐RT
Kitchener, ON
dragonflyer@rogers.com

My Reiki Journey

By Darla Hinds

As I sit at my kitchen table drinking herbal tea and watching my 14 month old play, I can't help but recall when I took level 1 Usui Reiki. It was 2007; I was randomly surfing the internet when I came across Kikkawa College in Toronto. I looked up their courses and came across Reiki, something I was unfamiliar with, but it peaked my curiosity. So, I enrolled and thus began my "journey".

Level 1 was fun. We all got to know each other and spent the day discussing all kinds of topics, had our attunements and spent the afternoon practicing on each other. After my first attunement, I have to admit, I felt strange. I felt a little bit sick but it eventually passed. On my drive home, I suddenly felt very emotional, and started to cry! That only lasted for about five minutes or so, then turned into laughter because I had no idea what was going on with me. I later realized that I was "cleansing" and it was indeed a normal process.

Level 2 involved some of the same people as the level 1 class. We all met once again, and shared stories in the circle of our experiences with Reiki since level 1 the previous month. After my 2nd attunement, I felt totally different. I was excited on the way home, yet I had no idea why! I just felt "antsy", as though I was looking forward to something but didn't know at the time exactly what that was. And as silly as it may sound, I think it was recently that I finally realized what it is.

Off and on over these past 2 years, I've practiced Reiki on others and myself. I love the response from people after a session. Most tell me that they felt as though they were floating, but then felt very grounded near the end. A lady came to my home recently and asked if I could help her mother, who had suffered a stroke two weeks prior. She was unable to walk, so we helped her out of the van and sat her in my zero gravity chair, just in my driveway. I had relaxing music playing in the background, and the response I got was truly unforgettable.

By the end of the session, her feet were tapping to the music and her daughter and I were shocked. People were driving by my house staring but I didn't care. All I could focus on was this sweet elderly lady and hoping that she would find some peace with the session. She was smiling when she left! She even said thank you. I later took my dog for a walk and couldn't help but cry when we reached the park. I felt emotional....I felt good...I felt as though I had finally helped make a difference in somebody else's life. I am currently in the process of completing other alternative health courses, and I know that one day at a time, with hard work and patience, and self Reiki, I will reach all of my goals.

I recently was able to reconnect with somebody that I haven't seen in over two years. She taught me Reiki, and I have always secretly admired her for what she has done and things she has accomplished. Her name is Gwen Kikkawa.

Darla Hinds
Registered Reiki Practitioner
Port Hope, ON
www.workingwithmetta.com

November 2009 Toronto Whole Life Expo

Canadian Reiki Association member’s had a very busy weekend completing 135 Mini Reiki sessions over this three day event. Our group of 38 practitioners included members joining us for the first time and to balance out the group with many returning C.R.A. members. It was great to renew old friendships and make new ones as well.

We did find that there are still many Reiki practitioners from Toronto who dropped by our booth not aware of our Association. This indicates that we need to continue promoting the Canadian Reiki Association more than ever in our classes and at public venues such as Whole Life Expo.

By‐laws in Toronto indicate that you must present a valid CRA certificate when applying or renewing your business license.

Visitors to our booth who had never experienced or heard of Reiki before were curious to try the mini session. With four practitioners to a table the “client” definitely experienced the loving energy force of Reiki.

I want to thank Louyse Vigneault our Director for taking the time out her very busy schedule to help with the setup and tear down of the booth as well dividing the time between us over this exciting week end. I also want to send my love and gratitude for all our members who devoted their time in sharing their gift and knowledge of Reiki to the visitors of W.L.E.

Until next year Reiki blessings to everyone!
Bonnie Smith
CRA President

Awakening

By Alex Chornyj

Eldon McKinnon at the age of seven, was the youngest of three boys. Errol was nine and Sean who was twelve
rounded out the siblings whose proud parents were Laura and Randy. The family lived in a modest home along the outskirts of tiny Jasperville on the shores of Lake Quilling. Eldon was named after his grandfather who passed away only a year before, after a sudden stroke. Eldon had fond memories of his grandfather who always made time to spend with his grandsons. Eldon always enjoyed going fishing with Eldon Sr. on those early mornings when the only sound one could hear was that from a pair of blue jays darting about in the sky.

Randy and Laura struggled to make ends meet, but somehow there was enough to go around. Laura, due to a spinal condition was unable to work steady so she had a knitting business, which kept her off of her feet. “Laura I know you want to get a job, but at what cost to your health and quality of life if you cause more damage?" stated Randy. “I just want to pull my own weight and do my fair share," said Laura. “Noble gesture, but one that could do you and us more harm than good,” sighed Randy.

Randy's work was merely seasonal in nature. The life of a construction worker offered little in the way of job security. Randy was trying to do upgrading to obtain his certification as an electrician. Twice a week at night school meant another few years of sacrifice for Randy to achieve this goal. With this ticket, Randy could apply at the local power plant, which always seemed to be advertising for an electrician.

The family seemed to live on hand me downs and Eldon being the youngest, always received the most used due to his position in the pecking order. Eldon knew much beyond his years and understood why things were how they were, for good reason. “Dad," Eldon would always say," I know we don't have a lot, but because of that, what we do have we have a greater appreciation for because there are always more less fortunate out there than us." Randy thought often how such a little tyke could make the most of a bad situation and always look on the bright side.

Eldon acted as an inspiration to his own father. Eldon was a resourceful little fellow and was a chip off the old block when it came to this. Randy could not afford to buy Eldon that fancy Garcia Mitchell fishing rod, which always caught the gleam in Eldon's eyes when he went to Jasperville and passed by the trading post store. Instead of going without, Eldon fashioned together a rod of his own. It was not fancy like the one in the store, but the makeshift creation did the trick. He was quite the inventor and could make pieces of odds and ends function as well or better than store bought merchandise.

It was an early morning excursion for Eldon with prior consent from his parents to be off on a fishing expedition.
With his trusty fishing rod, Eldon made off with provisions for the day to that old favourite spot of his and his grandfather's. It took him some forty minutes to traverse the distance to the watering hole at the end of the dilapidated dock where all seemed tranquil each time Eldon went there.

Eldon had been fishing some two hours when he saw this shadow near him out the corner of his eye. It was an elderly man dressed in a plaid shirt that his grandfather made famous and the aroma of the pipe was unmistakable to Eldon. “Well young man" the grey haired gentleman would say,” kind of hard to get much without your favourite reel, eh!" Eldon said, “I bagged this small trout, but it's hardly worth keeping." The man called himself Nodel and Eldon found this to be quite the odd name. Nodel really reminded Eldon of his grandfather, but how could this man know about his favourite reel?

Upon asking the distinguished fellow this, an answer came that he had always worked at the trading post store and had noticed Eldon on several occasions eyeing the Garcia Mitchell reel. To Eldon, this was the only possible answer and after the explanation by Nodel, further questions were put to rest. Nodel had brought a package wrapped in paper and had placed it within sight of Eldon. “Eldon, what would you say if I was to
give you that special reel upon condition that the first fish you catch, I get to keep," asked Nodel?

“My parents always told me not to accept anything from strangers, but maybe this trade would be acceptable to them. If it is not, I can return the reel to you at the store," said Eldon. “That sounds like a deal and I'm always at the store if your parents want to contact me," replied Nodel.

With this agreement made, the two fine fellows shook on it. Eldon set about to make his first cast with the favourite bait of dragonfly, which his grandfather had taught him to use. The first fish, a three pound trout, went to Nodel. Nodel cleaned the fish with his favourite knife, which again was similar to the one Eldon's grandfather liked to use. The afternoon produced five more fish for Eldon, during which time Nodel had been whittling a piece of wood. The time was nearing five o'clock “and Eldon knew his parents were expecting him for supper.
I really have to get back home," said Eldon.

Nodel agreed and walked with Eldon along the old dirt road running beside Lake Quilling. The old man lit his pipe and when the aroma reached Eldon, it again flashed a memory. This was with reminiscence from a Christmas supper and grandfather Eldon was sitting younger Eldon on his knee singing carols with the rest of the family.

Randy had set out to find his son as he was running a little late. Eldon, upon approaching a curve in the road spotted his father in the distance and ran up to Randy to show him his new reel. When Randy heard the story, he wanted to meet the old squire who had befriended his son. Both Randy and Eldon were facing one way when both felt a touch on their shoulders and they seemed to observe a shadow, but one which faded with a short, bit invigorating gust of wind. The wind blew dust into both of their eyes and for a moment they caught the aroma in their nostrils from a pipe. “That sure smells like the kind grandpa used to smoke on the back porch," said Randy. “It’s the same kind my friend Nodel was smoking this afternoon," replied Eldon.

With no sign of Nodel, the two returned home for supper. Eldon felt something pinching him in his coat pocket and when he looked to see what it was, he found a carving of a boy fishing at the end of a dock. It was just like the one that was on the mantle in the living room given to him by his grandfather two years before. When Eldon showed the carving to Randy, Randy said ”so you took to carving just like grandfather eh!" Eldon just nodded his head. In a sign meant only for one, Eldon went out to the porch and when he again detected the aroma of sweet tobacco, Eldon said to the breeze, “thank you grandfather for the memories and the reel."

By Alex Chornyj, RP-CRA
Ontario

Belief in Reiki

By Lara Greve

My clients often have a baffled look on their face when they experience Reiki working through their life issues or health conditions instantaneously. It's like seeing for yourself that the world is round not flat when all you've been told is that the world is flat. Previous beliefs are challenged and we are forced to believe there is another possibility to our otherwise fixed and set thought patterns.

I was taught in Reiki level one that it is not necessary to believe in Reiki to benefit from it, although beliefs are the starting point of choices and how we create our own reality. New breakthroughs in science say that it is your thoughts and beliefs that control your life. Bruce Lipton says that 95% of the control of our cellular biology stems from our perceptions of our environment, while only 5% is from our genes. He also says that only 5% of our lives are run by our conscious mind while 95% of our perceptions governing our life are subconscious.

With one positive experience of receiving the benefits of Reiki, the mind knows that Reiki energy is at least a possibility to revisit and find out again if what happened really can happen. As we move into working with Reiki further, we become more and more of a believer through our own experiences of it working in our life and the lives of others. Still though, we are constantly surrounded by and influenced by a greater common belief that it’s not really real.

If we create our own reality, then living in a world where Reiki is not a side dish on the menu but the main course meal can be possible. That is, if we believe it.

Lara Greve, RP‐CRA
Vancouver, BC
www.larashealinghands.com

How Reiki Entered My Life

By Teresa Canoza

REIKI entered my life in the year 2006, and nothing has been the same since. My REIKI path has been one of self discovery, with many opportunities to heal on all levels: physical, spiritual, mental and emotional. The big transformation happened after the Master Level; my life has changed 180 degrees since then. It has been and still is a safe and loving way for me to heal myself. It brings things up when I am ready to face them and guides me through the process of healing.

First let me tell you a little bit about myself. My name is Teresa, I was born 52 years ago in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I have a friend there who started with Reiki many, many years ago, to be precise, in 1986. She was one of the first students of level one, when Reiki was introduced in my country by RMT George Magri, who got his training in the USA. Back at that time I remembered watching my friend, so excited with her level one certificate. She did Reiki on me but I could not feel anything. I’ve known her since elementary school, so I tried to be supportive and respectful, even though I did not believe in it.

Time passed and on December 2005 I was spending Christmas holidays back over there and I was feeling really sick, medicine did not help, my friend asked me if she could try with Reiki and I said YES! I guess I was ready, because that time, Reiki worked beautifully, so when I was recovered I started asking her questions. What is Reiki? How does it really work? Etc. The next thing I knew, I found myself looking for schools and Reiki courses. I needed to take level one. So I met my Reiki Master teacher and I did the first level. Let me tell you another fact: the experience of receiving the Reiki Energy for the first time was unbelievable, it was and still is difficult for me to even try to describe that moment…It was the first impact…It was very vivid, emotional…

Reiki level two followed, I took a little break, Reiki had already started working in and on me. And then level three
and… the Master Level… Being part of a community, practicing, Reiki shares, reading, investigating, becoming a CRA member as a practitioner, growing from inside… everything was and still is part of my own marvelous journey.

Perhaps until this point my story is very common among Reiki practitioners, although with this opportunity I would love to share with you all a special part of this: “my path”. I have been struggling with my weight since I was a little girl. I was “always” a chubby one; reddish cheeks, loved candies, cookies and ice creams…wondering why boys were so cruel?

I desperately wanted to loose weight. I starved myself, I emotionally suffered a lot, I spent lots of money here and in my country paying for diets, fitness clubs, coaches,… sometimes it worked for a little time, other times it was a completely waste of time, energy and money…deception, frustration, guilt…Through Reiki the transformation started from inside out. Reiki Energy started working and allowed me to understand what “one step at a time” really means. Sometimes I felt overwhelmed, sad, or on the contrary too excited. There was always an excuse to eat, some terrible thing happened and I could not manage it, I could not deal with whatever happened so I BROKE THE DIET. Reiki Energy helped me to forgive and learn to be patient with myself, I started taking care of myself… to LOVE myself. I followed my teacher’s advice and I did a self treatment every morning, followed by a meditation time. Something inside me began to “slow down”, I could pay attention to my body language, to take the time chewing my food properly, I knew when I was full and stopped eating, avoiding stomach acidity and bloating. I began checking products packages levels and watched amounts of calories.

Eating healthy was my priority, and do you know what was the astonishing part? It was smooth and easy, like I had done the same thing my whole life, it felt and still feels “normal”, I did not suffer temptations, I learned how to replace foods, I began eating “new” foods, and eventually when I reached the half way mark of my lost weight I started eating “almost” everything I wanted. I keep on with the healthy stuff. I was able to change my habits; it is still like a dream. I was weighting 245 lbs a year ago and my weight is now 200 lbs. I am half of the way, I feel physically, emotionally and mentally GREAT!!!!!! Can you imagine for a minute what it means to buy NEW SMALLER SIZED CLOTHES?????!!!!! It is one of the most beautiful feelings EVER!!!! I know I will never go back that weight again, I go slowly, one day at the time.

I feel wonderful, when another day is over and I accomplish healthy eating again. I learned to be thankful, because the energy and strength is given to me, and it will never abandon me.

It was like a huge door was opened, and a new world full of opportunities was there touching the tip of my fingers. It involved: trust in God (or your Higher‐Self if you prefer), determination (to accomplish the goal), dedication (one step at a time, researching, reading), self‐discipline (taking care of ourselves, nobody else will do it for us, it is our life and we have the right of fulfillment), and a serious attitude towards the change of life, MY OWN ONE.

I honestly don’t think I would be where I am today if I hadn’t taken my first level. REIKI is a powerful teacher!!!!
I enjoyed pretty much giving Reiki to others, anyways I need to teach it, I have the powerful feeling of telling everybody my story. I am sure it can help lots of people; it can really make a difference.

My plans? Keep researching, reading, exchanging experiences and knowledge with my co‐healing workers,
practicing it at shares, hospitals, retirement homes, hospices, where ever Reiki will take me, and waiting… because deep inside my heart I know that this has only been one important chapter in the book of my life, maybe the most important and hard one, because it was a very big first step, like I was telling you. Something else is coming, I can feel it, it is just there waiting until the right moment to come up, until I will be ready to handle and enjoy it. Where? Here, back in my country, who knows? Wherever Reiki will take me and is waiting.

Light & lots of Blessings to all,
Love, Teresa Canoza

Reaping Reiki’s Benefits

Provided by a CRA Member

Nearly 10 years ago, Portsmouth Regional Hospital in New Hampshire began offering Reiki, a gentle hands‐on healing practice, as a way to ease anxiety in patients awaiting surgery. Feedback from patients was so positive that Reiki (pronounced RAY‐key) was made available throughout the hospital. Ongoing program evaluations have shown patients who receive Reiki treatment needed less pain medication and left the hospital sooner. Today, the hospital has a fulltime Reiki practitioner and a volunteer corps that provide 2,000 Reiki treatments a year.

I’m pleased that more hospitals are offering Reiki, which involves light hand placements to balance the body’s energy flows and strengthen its ability to heal itself. This therapy can have dramatic effects on surgical recovery, says Pamela Miles, a New York‐based Reiki master who helped launch Reiki programs at several area hospitals. She often hears doctors remark that patients who had received Reiki are recovering three times faster than usual. I’ve found it’s a useful adjunctive therapy for acute or chronic pain, and I often recommend Reiki to people who are debilitated or recovering from illness or injury.

Reiki began in early 20th century Japan and was introduced here in the 1930s. During a Reiki session, you lie fully clothed on a padded table while the practitioner rests her hands lightly in 12 positions on your head and the front and back of your upper body. She may also place her hands elsewhere to channel energy to painful or diseased areas. You may experience warmth, subtle tingling, or calming, wave‐like sensations either where the practitioner’s hands are placed or throughout your body. I’ve had a few Reiki sessions and found them deeply relaxing. A typical session lasts 45 to 90 minutes, although Reiki from nurses or hospital staff is usually shorter.

You can also learn to practice it on yourself by taking first degree training from a Reiki master. (For referrals, contact the Reiki Alliance at reikialliance.org or 208‐783‐3535.) This beginning training, which involves 10 to 12 hours of class time and costs anywhere from $150 to $300, is all you need to do self‐treatment and to share Reiki with family and friends.

There is also second‐degree training, which involves a similar amount of class time but is typically more expensive, in which you learn how to practice distant, non‐touch healing.

Medical Uses That Show Promise

Exactly how Reiki works remains unknown, but research has found decreased levels of stress hormones, improvement in immune response, and reductions in heart rate and blood pressure. Reiki can be used to address a wide range of physical and mental health concerns. These include:

Chronic pain. Arthritis patients who get regular Reiki treatments often report decreased pain and increased mobility. And researchers are testing Reiki’s ability to reduce pain and improve emotional well‐being in fibromyalgia patients.

Cancer. Reiki treatments before, after, or even during a session of chemo or radiation therapy may reduce side effects like fatigue and nausea, and once cancer treatment is over, Reiki can help restore balance to the body and shore up its defences. Researchers are exploring other uses: In one study, advanced cancer patients who received Reiki treatments in addition to opioid drugs to manage pain reported improved pain control and better quality of life (Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, November 2003). Cleveland Clinic investigators are studying how Reiki affects anxiety and disease progression in newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients.

HIV/AIDS. In a small study of people with HIV/AIDS who received first‐degree Reiki training, Reiki was found to
reduce pain and anxiety after a single 20‐minute session, and self‐treatment offered just as much relief as treatment given by another student (Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, March/April 2003). Reiki may also help people with HIV/AIDS by enhancing immune function and reducing fatigue and insomnia, common side effects of antiviral drugs. Philadelphia researchers are studying the use of Reiki to promote a sense of well‐being in people with advanced AIDS.

Diabetes. Pamela Miles has seen many people with diabetes reduce their need for insulin after starting Reiki
treatment, especially those who practice self‐treatment on a daily basis. Researchers at the University of Michigan are studying Reiki’s effectiveness in reducing pain and improving cardiovascular risk factors in people with diabetic neuropathy (burning or tingling sensations in the feet or hands).

Mental health. In a study on Reiki and depression, people who received a 1‐ to 1.5‐hour treatment each week for six weeks reported reductions in depressive symptoms, hopelessness, and stress. These benefits held up when participants were retested a year later (Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, May/June 2004). Reiki treatment also offers a gentle way for people who’ve been traumatized - by rape, crime, or war - to “reconnect with their sense of wholeness,” says Miles.

To find a professional practitioner, contact the Reiki Alliance.

Miles recommends asking a prospective practitioner how long she has been practicing, how many hours of instruction she received, and whether she practices daily selftreatment. For more, see Pamela Miles’s new book, Reiki: A Comprehensive Guide (Tarcher/Penguin, 2006), or visit ReikiInMedicine.org.

Book Review:
ADYASHANTI true meditation discover the freedom of pure awareness

by Adyashanti (born Steven Gray)

What two things do Reiki and meditation have in common? No expectation of outcome and you can “live” them. The most difficult thing to convey to students is that these two practices though powerful are very simple. Our western minds have been programmed to believe that for something to be good it must be complex. Wrong!

Adyashanti writes: “The most important thing is that we come to meditation with an open attitude, an attitude that is truly innocent, by which I mean an attitude that’s not coloured by the past, by what we’ve heard about meditation through culture, through the media, or through our various spiritual and religious traditions.”

Do you have trouble meditating? Is your mind too busy or is it hard for you to be quiet? Adyashanti shares similar feelings he experienced even after several years of practicing the Zen style of meditation. He found his meditation time was more a struggle to meditate. One day his teacher advised him that: “If you try to win the war with your mind, you’ll be at war forever.” This was his aha moment. His style of what he refers to as True Meditation developed by letting go of any technique or discipline…he let go of trying to control the experience. Adyashanti writes about the different reasons people meditate and finally comes to his own main interest of using “meditation as an aid to spiritual awakening and enlightenment.”

The author writes about many meditation techniques leading to dead ends because they are a means of control. A natural state isn’t about our mind being in control. That is concentration and it is a contradiction to the goal of coming upon our natural state and spontaneous way of being. He explains it isn’t techniques that cause this problem but the attitude…because the attitude gets in the way. “Real meditation is about letting go.” Many meditators find the quietness disappears upon the conclusion of the meditating period. He suggests we move beyond techniques. Develop a curiosity about what happens when we stop watching the breath, stop repeating the mantras, etc.

Adyashanti suggests our attachment to the mind is the problem. Letting go allows us to open to insight or arising of deep wisdom/deep knowing. These things arise in the mind, but not from the mind. This is what
he means when he refers to spiritual meditation. Throughout the book he explains his views about meditation postures, effortlessness, and awakening. I found the chapter on living the way we meditate to be particularly interesting.

The author shares stories of his life experiences, creating a bond with the reader. He is able to convey the complex topic of; beliefs, the watcher, the witness, our identity of personality and ego…so you understand how awareness is behind it all. So what you may ask? This knowledge leads to his principle of meditative self inquiry. After all you can’t inquiry about what you don’t understand. The core of spirituality is awakening to who and what you are. He writes: “What you are is the beyond ‐ awake and present here and now already. I am simply helping you to realize that.”

This book comes with a CD that has guided meditations.

Jo‐Anne G. Stevens
RT/P CRA, Axiatonal Re‐Alignment
Teacher/Practitioner, Masseuse
,S.I. Therapist Level II,
Metaphysical Healer
www.essentialwellnesscentre.com

1st Annual Healing Conference

By Suzanne Dobinson

The conference proved to be a great success in many ways. On Saturday, June 6th, 50 participants came
together to share through networking, listening, and quiet reflection. The Kempenfelt Conference Centre in Barrie, Ontario was the perfection location for such an event. It sits on Lake Simcoe with forest all around! Participants came from as far away as Ottawa!

The day began with Alaina sharing her breast cancer journey. A young and vibrant 26 year old Registered Nurse, Alaina has a positive and uplifting message. She was there to share her allopathic and holistic experiences. Her presentation was about moving through all the stages of cancer to wellness. Alaina began with receiving medical care, chemotherapy and radiation, then spoke of her journey to Peru to see a traditional healer. Her goal was not to compare her treatments but to share her healing journey and how it has empowered and moved her to wellness.

Barb, who is a Shaman and HADO instructor advocate of Dr. Emoto’s work, shared her storytelling gifts. Through song and words, she shared her personal travels that brought her to recognize her gifts and present focus in life. This has taken her from 30 years in speech pathology into the world of shamanism, energy, sound and light body healing. In sharing her story her hope was to Light the Spark in all who were present.

Channelling information in automatic writing for about 8 years, Jacqui skilfully transferred information from Spirit into verbal output messages. The messages were positive, thought provoking and begged all to ask the question,

“How may I serve?”

Suzanne, a Holistic Health Practitioner, has been on 9 volunteer trips to various developing countries. Through her photograph presentation, Suzanne shared her experiences of offering hands‐on healing treatments, teaching Reiki, as well as being a team member with various volunteer organizations. The focus of her presentation was to “plant seeds”, offering ideas of ways to introduce the world’s people to each other so that they may become community neighbours.

Twelve Holistic businesses set up their products to sell at the Market Place, which was available to all the participants throughout the day. Door prizes were very generously provided by the market place businesses. Everyone had the opportunity to network through offering mini treatments, chatting with each other and also with displaying their cards and brochures on the networking table.

We all know that food is important at these events! The Kempenfelt Centre is owned by Georgian College and the food prepared by the Culinary Program. It was an exquisite buffet meal offering everything from soup, sandwiches, turkey dinner, a salad bar and dessert bar!

It was a full and fabulous day that promoted thought, awareness, development and friendship! Stay tuned
for the 2nd Annual Healing Energy Networking Conference in June 2010!

Suzanne Dobinson
Holistic Health Practitioner
www.suzannedobinson.com

Breath of Transformation

Pamela McMahon
Certified Transformational Facilitator
Reiki Master

In 1992 our family was in financial crisis. As old hippies, who had lived largely off the grid and outside the American mainstream, we found ourselves with a sucking chest wound of debt, disguised as an indoor skateboard park.

My husband Don worked as an independent computer consultant in a rural area with a limited number of
computers, but somehow we managed to feed, clothe and shelter our four sons by living very frugally in a cabin on 11.5 acres with few amenities. It was at this time of desperation, I followed friends urging to join a Breathwork group. I had no clue what it was, but my friends were having amazing breakthroughs and shifts in their energy, so I jumped in. My experience went beyond my wildest expectations.

Everything in our lives started to shift and before we knew it, we sold the skate park. Our income (which was next to nothing) doubled then tripled and we began to access healing on a causal level. For years we had been manifesting deep and ingrained thought patterns of lack. By acknowledging and recognizing these negative thought patterns it allowed us to shift and move this energy in a positive manner. I can honestly say that Breathwork ranks among the most profound experience of my life.

In one session I realized that I wanted to offer this incredible modality to others who were stuck in old worn out patterns just as I was. My next step was to educate myself with this wonderful gift. In 1995, I successfully completed the course and graduated as a Certified Transformational Facilitator.

Breath is a gift that most of us take for granted. In school we are taught that breathing is an involuntary process, one we can count on to take place whether we think about it or not. While it is true to a certain extent, there is a lot more to it. The quality of our lives is directly related to the quality of our breath, or the efficiency with breath. Each emotion we have elicits a change in our breath pattern and in turn, every change in our breath patterns can and does affect our emotional state, especially if we empower it with intention.

Breath is one of the quickest ways to access the subconscious, the place where all of our old tapes are stored. These old tapes keep us running on the hamster wheel of outmoded behavioural patterns that continue to recreate what we no longer desire in our lives. Conscious breathing, coupled with clear intention equals transformation at the causal level.

There are many schools and forms of Breathwork. Transformational Breathwork involves formulating an intent for the session and then using a specific circular breath pattern for 45 minutes to an hour. Literally breathing and anchoring your intention into the subconscious and into every cell in your body. Transformation happens through the Law of Entrainment which states that the introduction of higher frequency energy. This work is done privately and in small groups. In large groups, I focus on specific patterns and techniques of breathing to be used as tools under various circumstances, as well as using mini breath sessions for shifting into joy and balance.

Breathwork is an endless subject. It pervades every area of our lives. My goal in this work is to connect each participant to a deep experience and relationship with their breath. As well, to teach them to witness and monitor their breathing patterns, while using their new tools to bring themselves into balance anytime they find themselves drifting off centre. Breath is our most direct means for connecting with our Highest Self, Creator, and I Am Presence. It integrates body, mind and Spirit. It is grounding, healing, easy and free. It is our constant companion and it literally determines whether we are alive or dead. Build a life of conscious co‐creation and joy.

Right now, close your eyes, take a deep breath from the pit of your belly, up through your lungs, all the way up to your shoulders. Relax the muscles around your shoulders and ribs as you exhale. Do this eight or nine times, relaxing more on the exhale. Breath relaxation into your neck, head and arms, then our belly, hips, legs and feet. Feel the increased energy and the space you have created in your body. Enjoy the Breath of Life Force. Ahhhhh!!!

Pam McMahon is a Transformational Facilitator, Certified by the International Breath Institute, a Usui/Karuna Reiki Master/ Teacher and singer. She lives in Green Creek, North Carolina with her partner of 44 years and 3 of their 4 sons. Pam and Don are committed to the path of Oneness and the transformation of themselves and the planet. They are in the process of establishing a Sanctuary of healing called Heartspace Center of ONEness which is adjacent to their home.

The Canadian Reiki Association is pleased to promote Pam with a one day Holy Breath ~ Sacred Soul on May 29, 2010 at the Holiday Inn in Oakville, ON. Please visit the Canadian Reiki Association store to register.

Holy Breath—Sacred Sound

Presented by the Canadian Reiki Association

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Time: 9 am to 5 pm
Cost: $150 includes lunch
Location: Holiday Inn Select, 2525 Wyecroft Road, Oakville, ON

Two ways to register:
Online at: www.reiki.ca/store.htm#eve
Email:reiki@reiki.ca

Transformation is just a breath away.
Join us for a full day of conscious reconnection with the healing, empowering,
Life Force present in our breath and the joy of sounding with our true voice.

• Relieve tension and raise your energy.
• Learn specific breath techniques that shift your energy and restore emotional balance.
• Dissolve limiting beliefs and find mental clarity, peace and creativity.
• Solidify your conscious connection to Source and higher states of consciousness.
• Open the chakras.
• Anchor it all with Sacred Sound.

Pam and Donald T. McMahon have been singing and evolving together for 44 years.
Pam is a Transformational Breathwork Facilitator and both are Reiki Master Teachers and
co-founders of Heartspace Center of ONEness in Green Creek, North Carolina.

Reiki, Just the FAQ’s
FAQ’s regarding the Practice of Reiki

By Irene Arndt, CEO: Dragonfly Centre for Change

As a Reiki Master and Registered Teacher with the Canadian Reiki Association (CRA), I have many people
asking me about Reiki (pronounced ‘ray key’). I’ll explain it the best I can, but I still tell people, the best
way to know it is to try it yourself! It is a feeling thing, not a knowing thing.

What is Reiki?

Basically it is energy work that promotes relaxation, which in turn leads to better health in mind/body/spirit.

What do you mean by energy work?

Reiki is a Japanese word for ‘life force energy’ – that which gives all living things life. You might know it as
Chi, Ki, Prana, or spirit; you may think of it in association with the meridians in acupuncture, or the Chi in
Tai Chi or the energy martial artists’ harness for strength and power – that unseen force.

How does working with this energy help?

The Reiki energy is pure source energy that runs at a high frequency, clearing and revitalizing your energy
pathways, opening up the channels for your natural healing ability to kick in and work more effectively. Over time your energy systems (meridians and chakras) and cells get blocked with, or retain the memory of, traumas – mental, emotional, or physical trauma. The high frequency vibration clears and aligns your cells, organs, meridians, and chakras.

What does it feel like?

It is extremely relaxing! It feels like a massage but with the energy only (no manipulation of tissue). It could be tingly, warm or hot, feel like waves or bubbles – many people experience different physical or emotional sensations. Many people fall asleep!

How much does it cost?

This varies by practitioner however the suggested rate is equivalent to a massage. You will find many rates are between $50 and $70 for a full hour. I suggest you search for a registered practitioner or teacher with the CRA as they have trained with a qualified teacher and submitted a minimum number of case studies (client hours) in order to obtain their designation.

Is it covered by my health care plan?

Reiki is considered alternative or complementary health care so if your plan has an allowance for this practice then it is.

Who would benefit the most?

That is a hard one but I would have to say those looking to relieve pain and symptoms of stress (depression, anxiety). Anyone with a chronic or terminal condition should learn to do it for themselves or have their partner/caregiver do it for them - it has helped me tremendously that is why I promote it, teach it, and offer it!

To summarize, Reiki is for pain relief, deep relaxation, self empowerment, healing, and to support changes and growth in the areas of mind/body/spirit. There is a point in our lives when we are looking for something more - that is the time to connect with the energy of Reiki to help you get in touch with what is necessary to make this change happen.

My Experience with Holistic Therapies

By Carolyn Morrison

My experience with holistic therapies up until the mid 90’s had been one of  “That is nice but I just do not believe it works”. I came from a nursing background. We are quite judgmental when it comes to anything that does not
conform to western medicine.

I was volunteering at hospice and having conversed with many patients heard about some of the therapies that were helping them. It was quite an eye opener for me and I listened to what these patients were describing and how much pain relief they received especially from Reiki.

Shortly after this we received news that my husband had Lymphoma. The first thing he did was to go to the library and get some books on visualization and meditation. These books gave him some relief. We were also going to relaxation therapy at the cancer clinic and were introduced to Reiki along with a number of other holistic therapies. I can not tell you how much these therapies helped my husband as well as the patients and clients we met at the clinic. I have become a true believer in what holistic and therapeutic therapies can do for the whole body system even if you show no signs of illness.

Since I have became aware of these therapies I have become certified in a number of them but Reiki is the one I find most beneficial as it can be done any where any time. I have used it mainly in my nursing and palliative care nursing. I was given the gift of knowledge of these therapies and feel very blessed to be able to use them to help those who need it.

Carolyn Morrison, RP‐CRA
Youbou, BC

Whole Life Expo Pictures

Director’s Announcement

We recently received the unfortunate news that Tania Bakas has resigned her position as Board Member for personal reasons. Her absence will be missed as Director and friend on the Board. The other Board members and I wish her only the best now and in the future. Tania has brought her gift of business ideas to the board and willingly shared that enthusiasm with us.

We are pleased to announce that Virginia Smith of Vancouver will step in as Acting Director to complete Tania’s term that will end July 31, 2010. At that time Virginia has agreed to be nominated and enter her name for the upcoming elections at the A.G.M. in May. We welcome Virginia to the Board and look forward to working with her. With Virginia in Vancouver she will be of great assistance to Barb while Barb recuperates from her illness.

Love & Light
Bonnie Smith
C.R.A. President

Poem

Shares & Exchanges

Announcements

Facebook

At the request of our members we have a Facebook account.. We have also started a CRA Facebook Group as
well. Please join us and share you stories. Search for reiki@reiki.ca.

Shop at The Reiki Corporate Store

For your convenience we offer PayPal® through the internet Corporate Store to pay for all store products plus new and renewal of memberships. Our newest item in the Corporate Store is our two Corporate
Packages:

“Reiki in the Work Place Setting”
When presenting Reiki to the corporate world and explaining the benefits of Reiki in the work place, this package is ideal. It contains an introductory letter explaining the benefits of Reiki in the work place and several well written articles to further explain what Reiki is along with the new CRA Brochure. Just add your own business brochure and business card to the package and the presentation is complete.

“Reiki in a Volunteer Setting”
When presenting Reiki to a hospital, nursing home, cancer clinic or any type of care facility on a volunteer basis, this package is ideal. It contains an introductory letter explaining the benefits of Reiki volunteers offering Reiki in a care facility and several well written articles to further explain what Reiki is along with the new CRA Brochure. Just add your own business brochure and business card to the package and the presentation is complete.

“What is Reiki” Brochure
It covers: What is Reiki, The History of Reiki, How it Works, A Reiki Session. The brochure is in simple language for the non Reiki person. Our intention is to give you another resource for seeking out potential clients. When a potential client has a better understanding of Reiki, they may be more inclined to book a session with you. They are $3.95 for 12 plus S&H.

CRA Logo Lapel Pins: These beautiful pins are an ideal gift for yourself or as a gift for your Reiki students when they complete a class for only $5.00. Buy 5 pins for $25.00 and get 2 free with your order.

Certificates for Level’s I, II, III and Master: Don’t forget we have generic Certificates for Level’s I, II, III and Master for members and non‐members. Email for pricing or go to our on-line Corporate Store. In addition to the Reiki Certificates we offer to include your students name to the certificate. A minimal charge of 50 cents per name for this service will be added to the cost of the certificate along with the shipping and handling. Cost is: 1 certificate for $3.50 or 4 certificates for $5.50 S&H included.

This 17 minute guided Chakra Meditation CD is perfect to use at Reiki Shares or Exchanges. It is a lovely way to bring the group together while relaxing and centering them at the same time. It is also perfect for personal use to relax and refresh you in just 17 short minutes and makes a perfect gift for anyone. $15.00 plus $5.00 S&H.

Send cheque or money order to:
Corporate Store, c/o The
Canadian Reiki Association,
Box 54570, 7155 Kingsway,
Burnaby, BC V5E 4J6

Don’t forget you can pay on‐line through PayPal®

The CRA is interested in ways to bring the membership together so they can get to know each other by sharing
ideas and experiences. For those who frequent the Internet via e‐mail and website browsers, the CRA has
set up a members only e‐mail list discussion group; subscribe at: cra_news-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
Reiki Certificates for Reiki Teachers to present to their student’s upon completion of the Level they were
attuned to are available in the Corporate Store.

In addition to the Reiki Certificates we offer to include your students name to the certificate. A minimal charge
of 50 cents per name for this service will be added to the cost of the certificate along with S&H. Example of
Cost: One certificate would be $3.50 or four certificates would be $5.50

Affiliate Program with EMBROIDME
The corporate store now carries CRA Shirts, Track Pants, with matching Jackets, Blouses, Vests and Polar
Fleece blankets ‐ just the right size for your Reiki table. They are now available through the Corporate Store.
The product is competitively priced and is of excellent quality. The shirts, blouses, jackets and track pants are
made out of high quality cotton and you will have a choice of styles and wide range sizes of shirts and jackets. There is also a variety of colours to choose from.

We will be starting with a few products at first but the opportunity to introduce more in the clothing line will
depend on how well we do with the orders.

I would like to mention that the CRA logo is embroidered on not a transfer that has been ironed on as it was with the old style of shirts.

We know how everyone felt about the old shirts so we are pleased that we have found a way to update the
product line and bring other items in without the costly overhead. With our Affiliate Program from Embroidme in place it is without a doubt the best way for the CRA to provide a good quality product without the expense and storage that we experienced with the previous order of shirts.

Advertising

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Practitioner with twenty years' experience in energy work and Reiki available for appointments. Offering a service of integrity. Please call (250) 598-1846. The Best of Health, Katrina Pavlovsky Indian Head Massage Course Through the Canadian Centre for Indian Champissage Contact Debbie Boehlen at 905.714.0298 or visit website at www.indianheadmassagecanada.com for workshop dates and locations across Canada. Aura Wellness Centre Offering Chakra & Ch'i harmonizing, crystal healing, drumming/journeying, EFT, Life Coaching, Reiki, and sound sessions. Through Academy of Energy Healing enjoy in-person, email or correspondence courses. We are accredited and offer the Certified Holistic Energy Practitioner™ program Info: 604.524.8565 or LynAyre@telus.net www.LynAyre.com Twitter Well Reiki members, we are evolving in the virtual online world. We are on Twitter. Our Twitter nickname is “reikicanada”. This will be an excellent online socializing tool for us to stay in touch with the Canadian Reiki Association. If you do not Twitter then go to www.twitter.com pick a nickname for yourself to create a “profile” which includes basic information and a short bio, a photo, and your website. Have fun Twittering.

@2003 - 2007 Canadian Reiki Association
www.reiki.ca
May not be reprinted without written permission.