An Interview With Zoe Russell, Reiki Master in Training at SoulCentre Academy, Singapore

Reiki is often difficult to describe in words- you really have to feel and experience it to know what it is all about. In a series of interviews with students, Sally Forrest, Reiki Master and Principal Teacher at SoulCentre Academy, talks to students about their personal experiences, in an attempt to help people everywhere understand more about the amazing joys of Reiki.

Tell me a little about your background Zoe.

For 18 years I worked in the corporate world, working as a Senior Manager for AMEX's credit control division. It was a very stressful role, collecting money from people who couldn't pay. But I loved working for AMEX, and on top of my direct responsibilities, I had the opportunity to train as a Myers-Briggs facilitator. This is a people development tool, which was all about team building and conflict resolution. I soon recognised that people and their development was my "thing", and became a trainer travelling all over Europe.

So how long have you been in Singapore?

I arrived in Singapore just over 12 months ago, determined to find work as a Myers Briggs trainer, but after I arrived, I decided instead to take some time off to be a Mum, and enjoy a bit of peace in my life. As a trailing spouse, I did not have too much to worry about. Someone cleaned my house, it was financially easier than in Holland, and life was good. But it wasn't long before I knew I needed something more, and so I started to explore and read about crystals, meditation, colours, affirmations, spirituality and so on. I had always been interested in these areas, but this was the first time in my life I had the time to invest in it, because before, I just never had the opportunity to be exposed to this dimension of life thinking.

It was at this time I saw an advert in Expat Living for a free course on "Happiness," which was being presented by Vikas Malkani at the Soul Centre in Singapore. I thought why not? From the first moment I walked in, I felt like I had come home. There is such a strong feeling of love and warmth at the Soul Centre. The best part is the way they welcome everyone - with a BIG hug.

Vikas' talk was inspiring and I just had to buy his 'Guide to Happiness.' Following on from this, I enrolled in a course on crystals and colour therapies, meditation made simple, and the next step was Reiki.

I now know that Reiki comes into your life when you are ready, and I was ready. It was the next step for me to take. From the first weekend after doing Reiki One, I learnt a practical way to feel better. I could heal aches and pains. If I couldn't sleep, I would Reiki myself and fall instantly asleep. If I had a headache, I could treat it.

I have since taken level two, and I'm about to complete the Reiki Master course.

So how have you experienced Reiki from a personal viewpoint?

What I didn't expect when I started was being able to link this together with the whole spiritual side of living your life. It's all in the doing and the believing. You can't just help heal people - you have to live your life by the right principles. Essentially I came to understand that healing begins with you. When you start to learn Reiki, you understand that it's all about yourself first. I'm not used to doing or thinking like this. But the reality is, it just makes perfect sense - you cannot heal others until you learn how to heal yourself. It's very deep and sometimes quite confronting, but it was an extremely powerful process to understand and go through.

It was Dr Usui who rediscovered Reiki and this is what we learn at SoulCentre.

I love the five guiding principles it follows. They are:

Just for today....

Do not be angry

Do not worry

Count your blessings

Live honestly

Be kind to every living thing.

The way they were taught and explained by SoulCentre made real sense to me.

I found the idea of "just for today" really appealing. I am like most people - I can't be successful with this every day. Like any other parent, I get stressed about the kids, or getting them on the bus on time, or my husband being late home from work, etc, etc, etc.. But when I learnt these principles, I would more often than not stop myself and say: why am I worrying about a bus? Why am I angry because the kids are too loud? It's just made me aware of how much of my thinking or emotions are wasted. After all, worry is something that hasn't happened. Worry is a possible future outcome. So when you worry about something, it's worry for an event that hasn't even occurred yet. Regret is the past. It's gone. Why waste any time on it?

The reality is I'm a natural born worrier. I even worried that life was too good - crazy? But I was worried because we were so lucky to live in such an amazing place, and therefore, worried that something would go wrong. It's exhausting. You probably won't be surprised to know that I was also a glass-half empty kind of person...

Suffice to say, Reiki has changed my life in so many ways, and the impact on my family has been massive. Thankfully my husband is totally on board, and really embraces it - asking me to Reiki him almost every day. My children - while still young - are also really into it. If they are bitten by a mosquito they ask me to Reiki the bite. If we are watching TV I put my hands on them. If they've had a bad day at school, I just sit with them and give them Reiki, something they often ask for!

The family as a whole is much calmer, there is less tension and we are all more chilled. Being the Mother, and therefore the soul of the house, I definitely know that it is the changes in me that have brought about the most change. I am calmer and I feel more like a beacon of peace these days. I've always heard it said that women/mothers are the center of the home, and for once, I can really feel and see it.

Reiki is like having a friend - it helps me. I know there is nothing I cannot fix. It has definitely made me stronger and my outlook on life is more positive. On a more practical level, I see real results every day. For example, I had chronic toothache for three weeks and during that time I went to three root canal specialists. None of them could determine which tooth was the problem, so I decided to Reiki myself everyday and while I slept. Three weeks later my pain had gone with no treatment required.

I feel like I'm just at the beginning of a big and wonderful journey. I am looking forward to becoming a Reiki Master and I hope to mentor. Once you enter this world, where you go is all part of the fun, because the more you learn, the more you want to learn, and the more paths open up. I can definitely say that life is good and thanks to Reiki and SoulCentre, it's only going to get better and better.

With love and gratitude

Zoe Russell.

Reiki Student Interviews with Sally

Sally has decided to interview some of her students to help readers get a first hand feeling of their personal Reiki Journeys and Experiences.

Here is Mary Jo, from Switzerland, who got hooked at Reiki 1, studied all the way to Reiki Master with Sally and now will go on to become an Accredited Reiki Teacher Trainer with Sally at SoulCentre Academy.

From student to teacher- an amazing journey….

So Mary Jo, what attracted you to Reiki?

When I first came to Singapore, I was busy making a new life for myself when I first heard about Reiki. It was a wonderful opportunity to do something positive for myself so I immediately signed up for a class. I immediately got attracted to Reiki as it is natural, and especially because I knew that learning Reiki would allow me to take my life and my health into my own hands.

How did you find the teachings?

I was very pleasantly surprised to see how quick and easy it was to learn the basic skills. Everyone in the class had fun giving and receiving Reiki and all of us were amazed at how good it felt and at how effective it was. 

So why did you decide to become a Reiki Master?

After experiencing such joy and lightness after the first class, I got hooked! I wanted to learn how to do more for myself and for my loved-ones. This brought me on a wonderful journey of self-discovery and healing which is so amazing, I now want to share it with all.

Thank you Mary Jo for your generous sharing.

Such a dedicated and disciplined student…so will undoubtedly make a great teacher!

With love and gratitude

Sally

SoulKids Grows Up and Goes Global

As the New Year Approaches.........SoulKids is all set to soar high with the Dragon ;) Catch the front cover and 6 page feature in AsiaWide Magazine (both in Chinese and English)

SoulKids goes GLOBAL!!

Reiki is Simply Life Changing

Each student finds Reiki when the time is right in their life. They follow the path as far as they desire and no two paths are the same.

Here is a description from Karen (Australia) who started the journey quite by accident and who is still walking the journey to Mastery.

It is always so wonderful to see the change in students and to see them grow and bloom.

Enjoy the story of her journey

Love and Gratitude

Sally

Karen Practicing her Reiki at the St Regis Singapore

HOW HAS REIKI CHANAGED MY LIFE?

It was not a conscious decision of mine to follow the path of reiki. In fact, I didn’t even know what reiki was when I signed up for the level one workshop at the SoulCentre academy.

You see, I live in Australia, but when I am visiting Singapore, I like to attend a workshop or presentation at SoulCentre. They are always fun and extremely informative. I had contacted Sally to find out what was on the weekend I was visiting and was told that it was the module to introduce people to reiki and that I would probably enjoy it as it is a tool that a person could use on themselves.

So that was the start of my journey...I signed up and attended the level one module, completely open minded, still having no idea what reiki was and what the module would involve.

That was nearly two years ago, and since then, I have completed level two and have just started studying at the reiki master level....a continuing journey of self discovery.

Reiki has definitely changed my life... I can still clearly remember the visions and feelings I experienced during the balancing of my own energy.

They were so relevant to what my life was like at the time...it was as if I could see things with such clarity. A wake up call to things that needed addressing in my life!

As soon as I returned to Australia, I told everyone who would listen about reiki, whilst using it daily on myself. I felt so much calmer and able to cope with stresses of everyday life. I could hear and feel my body start to ask for reiki when things were getting too busy. Instead of reaching for medication as soon as I felt unwell, I would turn to reiki. I had people ask me if I was a yoga teacher because I had a certain energy about me and friends would be amazed when their otherwise untrusting dogs ( who were definitely outdoor mutts) would come and lie on my lap!!

Yet reiki is not just about using your hands to balance energies: it is a way of life. There are principles that Dr Usui (the person who rediscovered this modern day reiki) recommended people live by. As I strive to incorporate them into my life, my daily routines have changed, and so too has my way of thinking.

I count my blessings everyday and aim not to stress, worry or become angry, although this is sometimes hard to do, I am becoming more aware of my thoughts and make a much more conscious effort at nipping them in the bud!!!

I frequently hear my friends moaning about doing favors for others or taking part in activities that they did not want to do. A few years ago, this would have been me as well, constantly doing things to please others. Since learning reiki, I have learned to say “no” more often, and even as a busy wife and mom, take the time to consider my needs as well. In this way, reiki has given me back the control over my life. I feel that I am taking responsibility for my decisions and actions.

Jack (her son) Following in Mom's Footsteps

I perform reiki on myself, my family, friends and anyone else who wants to experience the wonderful benefits of it.  As I mentioned, I am now studying to be a master of reiki. My life has changed for the better because of it (and I am sure it will continue to do so). It is definitely a passion of mine and I would love to continue to introduce others to reiki, to demonstrate to them how they too can benefit from reiki in their lives. My long term goal though, is to be able to teach people how to perform reiki on themselves...to have it permanently at their fingertips!

It is hard to explain to anyone who has not experienced reiki exactly what it feels like...I would recommend anyone interested to just try it and give it a go. It can’t do any harm, and you never know...you might just enjoy it!!!

Karen Ward

Physiotherapist

Australia

Reiki Master in the Making

At SoulCentre, we teach all levels of Reiki, from beginners to Master level. People can progress at their own pace to reach a level of Reiki Mastery appropriate to their needs.

In 2012 we will be appointing Accredited Reiki Teacher Trainers to work alongside us to take Reiki to a wider audience. These will be senior, dedicated students who have undertaken all levels of Reiki at SoulCentre from beginners to Master level, and who show a passion for sharing.

One dedicated student on the Reiki journey is a lady called Natasha and she lives in France. She has travelled all the way to Singapore to learn with us! Now that is DEDICATION!!!

Read and enjoy her story- its amazing!
Love and Gratitude
Sally


NATASHA GADD (Physiotherapist) - My Story

I graduated from Uni and started working straight away. I was working for about 2 years and really began to get the feeling that something was missing in the way I was treating patients. People would recover from their injury or pain after the sessions, but somehow they would always come back, often with the exact same problem or something similar (the fact that the physio was next to free of charge for them enhanced this movement). I felt the need to help the patient was to realize his problem and help him look after himself. I wanted to learn Balinese massage. I thought that if one of my patients would take time for himself, and pay for a one-hour relaxation massage, they would be able to stop the routine of letting the physio sort out their problems and start looking after themselves.

So after 2 and 1/2 years of practice I set off on my own for Asia, I flew to Asia on 31st December 2009, I had organized my first 2 months of travels and that was it. No return flight was booked, I just told everybody I could be away for 4 to 9 months. I literally sold my car and used that amount of money to finance my trip. I spent January in Bali and learnt their techniques of massage. It was great to combine professional experiences and a huge personal journey also. In February I went to India and studied Ayurvedic treatments, in March and April I flew to Thailand and studied the art of Thai massage. In May I was back in Indonesia teaching anatomy and physiology for spa students. End of may I felt as though my journey was coming to an end because I really wanted to work with what I had learnt (and because I needed to refill my bank account!). But I felt that I needed something extra. The idea of reiki came to mind. I heard my aunt talk about it once, and thought it might be nice. I was in Bali and sent emails to take reiki classes there. The masters I sent the emails to were all overseas for the following months. A friend I had met during my journey had just headed home to Singapore and offered me to stay with his family if I wanted or needed to. I thought it would be great as it would also get me used to city life and ease my trip back to Paris. So I booked a flight to Singapore and also organized my flight home, I booked my flight back to France for the 21st of June I think. I would spend 3 and 1/2 weeks in Singapore before my flight home. I was still thinking about reiki so started checking out places in Singapore.

I saw Sally and Vikas's website (SoulCentre) and many more, but I just kept opening their page again and again, somehow feeling secure with them and their photos just kept popping up in my head for the next few days.

Before leaving Bali I went back on Internet to check out actual dates for classes. Amazingly Sally's reiki 1 course started a few days after I'd arrive, and finished the day I'd go home. It was like it was meant to be. So I started my reiki journey at the end of my trip to Asia. It just put everything into place, and connected everything I had learnt professionally and personally over the last 6 months. The reiki and my journey in Asia have changed me forever. I don't think I have spent a single day without thinking about reiki ever since. I wanted to continue my reiki journey and take the next levels in France. But I just couldn't find anything that suited me. So in December I flew out to Singapore again and studied reiki 2 at SoulCentre with Sally and Vikas.

The way I work as a physio has changed since my journey to Asia. Reiki will of course flow through during treatments and initially I would just pay attention to what I was feeling when giving a normal physio session. I now mix classic physio with the energy meridians, therefore work in different areas than during a normal physio session. I include Thai acupressure everyday, and without realizing it I often have one hand that will just stop in an area. I just go with the flow of what my hands feel and let the reiki do it's work sometimes. I will do only reiki during a session on the patients request. Patients seem to ask more questions about reiki, and that will be when we will chat about it. It is very interesting to see them also interested in the way they think and how they can change that.

So what has been my personal change since Reiki?

Since reiki I feel calm and collected, I seem to seek the better options for myself and have a clearer view of what I want and how I am comfortable living. Reiki helps me center myself and helps me understand the connections between my body's discomforts and my emotions. Since reiki I see a happy, colourful and positive life around me.

My clients views after reiki have been positive, it has helped them to become detached from situations that they usually would worry too much about, more self confidence, has helped them since their personal rhythm they needed for their life, has helped them think about themselves and not only the people around them, to put into perspective situations. For some physio cases, combining naturally reiki and physiotherapy has helped patients heal quicker and better, without them knowing why, and with a better result than physiotherapy on its own.

I have now decided to start my Reiki Master Journey and once more will travel to Singapore to study at SoulCentre with Sally and Vikas……it is just meant to be ;)

Feng Shui to create a home in total harmony. Nov 30th – do not miss ;)

A Moving Reiki Story

Many students of Reiki send me amazing stories of how Reiki has changed their lives, and also those of their family and friends.

It helps on a mental, emotional and physical level.

Here is a beautiful article from Ann Richardson, who studied Reiki Level 1, 2 and Reiki Master Level at SoulCentre Academy.

Ann is a beautiful, generous soul who has found that Reiki can really help those in need. She volunteers at the Red Cross and gives Reiki weekly to disabled people.

My Personal Reiki Experience

"Reiki is an intrinsic part of who I am. It is like the moon; constantly there but not always visible. A source of clear, pure, still light on a very dark night," says Ann.

For the past four years I have been organizing a weekly Wednesday morning Reiki practice at the Singapore Red Cross Home for the disabled.

This is a care home for people of all ages with severe multiple disabilities. A 'typical' Wednesday morning Reiki session might include any of the following situations: a semi-mute woman with severe cystic fibrosis makes it clear she does not want a session. As I give Reiki to a bedridden man, his Down Syndrome friend wheels himself over in his chair to 'ask' for Reiki and the gentle healing of Reiki sends sleep to a child crying in discomfort from a nasal feeding tube.

The practice runs from 9.30 to 11.00am and we welcome volunteers, preferable with L2 training.

Since each practitioner is assigned to work one-on-one with two or three residents, regular commitment is crucial, and given the severe nature of some of the residents' disabilities, it may not be for everyone.

However while our practice may at times be challenging, it is always enriching and rewarding.

With love and gratitude to my Reiki teachers, Sally Forrest and Vikas Malkani at SoulCentre Singapore.

Ann Richardson, a life-long Reiki student.

If you would like to support Ann and to help by giving Reiki, please contact Sally at soulcentresingapore@yahoo.com.sg and Sally will connect you directly with Ann.