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.
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