Reiki, which means "Universal Life Force Energy", is a healing modality that aims to bring the body back to harmony and balance. As proven by Albert Einstein, everything is composed of energy, animals, plants, and even our bodies.
Reiki is about connecting to Life Force Energy (also called Source), or universal energy, to bring the body's energy centres (also called Chakras) back into balance. Reiki is within each of us; at any point, we can tap into this healing energy.
My first experience with Reiki happened a couple of years ago. After moving country during a pandemic, changing jobs and feeling quite overwhelmed by all these, I started looking at more holistic approaches to help me cope with anxiety and overall well-being. That's when I came across [Ashley](https://www.instagram.com/ashleybrianapena/), a Reiki practitioner based in the US.
While Reiki is usually practised face-to-face with the Reiki Master placing their hands lightly over specific areas of the body. Being on two opposite sides of the world during a pandemic meant my sessions with Ashley would be held online. Honestly, I was a bit suspicious at first. Firstly, at the time, I didn't understand what Reiki was and whether it would help. Secondly, if Reiki was indeed beneficial, I did not understand how this would work at a distance.
The set-up was as follows; I would lay down, close my eyes, and let the Reiki works its magic on me. During my first session, a sense of pure well-being and bliss filled my body. I hadn't felt so calm and at peace in so long. I had been (trying) to keep a daily meditation practice, but quite often, I would have intrusive thoughts and struggle to clear my mind. I was surprised by how clear my mind became during the session and how I could be fully present and focus on the physical and emotional sensations.
My throat started to feel tangled, the kind of feeling you get when you're anxious, and then all of the sudden, without thinking about anything in particular, I burst into tears. I felt such a release, it was like something had been lifted. I couldn't believe how impactful this experience had been. After the session, Ashley explained to me that she had felt a block in my throat chakra during the session but it was now back in balance.
At one point during the session, a breeze grazed my face. What is the Reiki I could tangibly feel? It felt nice, like a healing light enveloping my body. Still, with some suspicion in mind, I double-checked after the session, and no, there were no windows open around me or anything from where this breeze could have come from. This and the sudden burst of tears I experienced convinced me that Reiki was real and not just a placebo effect. From that time onwards, I stopped doubting the power of Reiki and introduced it as part of my routine.
Within a few days, I started to notice a change in myself. I saw an uplift in my mood, I could manage my anxiety better, and I felt calmer.
It's been almost two years since my first session, and I've been practising on and off since then. Reiki has greatly impacted my life, helping me manage anxiety and improving my overall well-being. In founding shō-moon I wanted to share this beautiful practice with others in a simple accessible way.
