Self-Reiki Sessions and Meditation Sessions

December 3, 2023 by Yvonne

Self-Reiki and Meditation

Self-Reiki and meditation are great modalities for relaxation. Many people find that reiki sessions and meditation sessions go well together.

Many of my students say that they find it beneficial to meditate and then go right into a self-reiki session. I also find this to be beneficial. I sit in a quiet space and relax my body. Then I say a statement to open my heart. Usually it’s a blessing that starts for myself and then I let the blessing expand outward so that it includes the world. Then I take a couple of deep cleansing breaths and meditate for a set time. I always set a gentle alarm so I know when it’s time to move into giving myself a reiki session.

For the reiki session, usually I work intuitively, just placing my hands over a chakra or an area that feels like it needs the energy. Once the session ends I feel recharged and relaxed at the same time. You could also do a self-reiki session first and then follow it with meditation. Go with what you’re guided to do.

Benefits of Self-Reiki and Meditation

While reiki and meditation are two different modalities, some of the benefits are similar, such as:

feeling connected to Higher Power
having more peace of mind and more positive thoughts
attaining more clarity and being able to make decisions easily
feeling a greater unconditional love for self and for others
having a greater sense of physical well-being
feeling intuitively guided in what steps to take for growth
ability to achieve goals more easily

Positions for Self-Reiki and Meditation

People can either be seated or lying down. Lots of people like to be seated because that way there’s less chance of falling asleep and yet they can still be relaxed. If there are physical challenges that limit sitting time, then lying down is fine. The length of the sessions also can be shortened to suit individual needs.

What Kind of Meditation to Do

Most people find that mindfulness meditation and self-reiki go together well. Just silence can be very beneficial and mindfulness meditation is usually done in silence. However, some folks need gentle instrumental music and that can be fine too. Still, playing some nature sounds in the background such as the ocean can be very soothing.

Guided meditation can work too, however some people find it’s distracting especially if they want to be able to hear their own intuitive guidance. Some sessions can be guided meditations and some can be just silent. It’s whatever works best for each individual and the benefits they receive.

Where and When to do Self-Reiki and Meditation

It’s suggested that people meditate and practice self-reiki in the same room/area each time. It makes it easier to go more quickly and deeply into the meditation because the mind recognizes the space and knows what to do.

You want to have an uncluttered room or area of a larger room. It could be just a quiet, tranquil space of a multi-purpose room. Some people like to have a candle on a small table. A flameless tea light that is battery operated can be beautiful in a glass candle holder. You might want to have a string of fairy lights in your space. A photo of a peaceful place in nature can be a calming addition to your meditation table.

Just a gentle reminder: no need to wait until your space is “perfect” before beginning to meditate and give self-reiki. You can change up your space/room over time. Just getting started is most important.

Meditation and self-reiki is good to do daily. Which part of day you choose is up to you.
Morning meditation along with self-reiki can provide a wonderful foundation to start each day. If you’re near nature, the rising sun can be very calming and refreshing as you sync up your meditation and self-reiki to the new day that’s dawning.

Meditation and self-reiki sessions also can provide a great break in the middle of the day. For those who practice meditation and self-reiki in the evening, it can be great to help with falling into a deep, restful sleep.

Keeping to the same time each day also helps. It’s easy to skip a session. And often times skipping one or two can easily turn into discontinuing the practice altogether, making it challenging to come back on board. However, if this happens, just begin again. Shortening sessions every now and then to accommodate shifting schedules is better than skipping a session.

Meditation Classes

If you’re curious about meditation, I offer a mindfulness meditation workshop. In the workshop, we go over the basic principles of mindfulness meditation and then experience small meditation sessions together.

There are probably other classes in your desired location as well. Many of my students say they are so grateful that they have continued the practice of mindfulness meditation because it’s been such a foundation of self-care along with the self-reiki. So whomever you chose to learn from, mindfulness meditation may just be a modality you end of falling in love with!

The benefits people receive from self-reiki and meditation are also helpful to others whom they come across in daily life. When we feel more grounded and relaxed, we can easily emanate those qualities to all those we meet, and we may just help to lift others into their happier selves.

By giving to ourselves, we can help to create a calmer and more uplifting world for all of us.

Enjoy your journey!

Many blessings,
Yvonne P. Gleason, Reiki Sanctuary of Northern Virginia
Certified Reiki Master Practitioner and Teacher
Certified Mindfulness Meditation Instructor

Giving Reiki for Injured Birds

April 2, 2023 by Yvonne

Helping an Injured Bird with Reiki

Whenever we find a bird that is hurt, we can always send reiki to help it heal. Just as with any other animal, giving reiki to injured birds gives them a chance to rebalance their energy systems.

It’s early morning on the shore and a canopy of light streams down around the beach in rays from behind a cloud. As I relax in my beach chair, to my right a ringed-bill gull teeters unevenly along the sand. It slowly approaches me and as it gets closer, I see that it’s hurt.

As it hunts for breadcrumbs that have been dropped nearby, other gulls encroach and roughly nudge the hurt gull aside. The other gulls greedily eat the crumbs, leaving none for the little gull. With each nudge, the gull’s body shakes a little and lifts off above the sand a few feet, flying unevenly. It comes back and hobbles across the sand. It can fly. But not so smoothly. Walking is a challenge too. So I begin to send reiki to this little injured bird. Soon it stops shaking and comes closer to me, as the other gulls move away, finding more scraps to feed on.

I feel the Reiki flowing through me. It expands like a great orb of light that emanates from my center and flows to the gull standing before me. I visualize the light embracing the gull like a gentle cocoon. I picture the injured bird whole and healthy and free. When I open my eyes, I realize the gull has come closer. It looks calmer. It isn’t shaking anymore.

I continue allowing the reiki to expand from within me. It envelopes the gull like the canopy of sunlight enfolding the shore. After a few moments I open my eyes and observe the gull. It looks more relaxed and settled in its body. Perhaps it knows I’m a friend. The gray and white feathers on its head fluff up in the breeze. Then it looks directly at me. There is a moment of connection.

Finally, I feel the reiki session is complete and I give thanks. Then the gull lifts off and flies into the sky. I watch it soar higher and higher, and for a moment, the gull carries me with it, and I feel truly free. I follow my gull until I can’t see it anymore. Then I wait a little while. It doesn’t return.

Four Signs that an Injured Bird is Receiving the Reiki

You can tell the Reiki is being welcomed if the bird:

perches nearby
starts to become calm
comes closer to you during the session
stays near you for a while

Reiki for Injured Birds at Rehabilitation Centers

There are centers that take in injured birds. The licensed rehabilitators can help them to heal, with the goal of releasing the bird back into the natural environment. In some situations you can give reiki to the injured birds while they are still healing at the center. You can also give them reiki once they’re healed, if you’re allowed to observe their release. Giving reiki to birds at their release can help to create positive energy for a successful release and for a healthy life after the release.

I had an opportunity to watch the release of an eagle at a nearby park in Northern Virginia. The eagle had been brought in with an injured wing. After a while, with daily care and attention, the wing began to heal. A day was finally scheduled for the release. The rehabilitators felt great anticipation for the newfound freedom the eagle would soon discover.

There was a small group of us standing outside the main park building to witness this special moment. Soon we were instructed to quiet down so that the eagle could remain calm. In the silence, I began to give reiki, letting it expand from within and flow toward the eagle. I sent reiki for the eagle’s well-being and for its wings to take it wherever it wanted to go. I sent reiki for a safe flight and a healthy and safe life.

In an instant the eagle was freed from the tether. At first it fluttered, then it took off and landed high in a nearby tree. We all watched in silence. I continued to send the reiki. At one point, the eagle looked down upon us, then in a flash it took off into the sky. I closed the reiki session as the eagle became smaller and smaller in the distance.

Finally, when our group was allowed to talk again, there were cheers and applause all around.

Self-reiki for Bird Watchers

If you ever want to get a longer viewing time with a bird, giving yourself reiki will allow the birds to feel your calm demeanor. This will build trust so that they might perch near you. They feel the calm reiki energy and that allows them to feel safe. The reiki invites them in. It also invites them to stay for a while longer than they might otherwise allow.

Two Main Chakras for Self-reiki before Bird Watching

Once you’re in the environment where you want to see birds, you can give self-reiki. You can be either standing or seated comfortably in a folding chair. You might begin by placing your hands on your solar plexus (your stomach above the navel). This will help you feel more grounded, centered, and calm. Then you might want to move your hands to your heart chakra (the center of your chest). Just allow appreciation for nature to fill your whole chest area.

When giving self-reiki, the birds, even the more hesitant male cardinals, tend to come in closer. It allows us to be with them and feel this wonderful moment of calm connection. And the longer we can stay with a beautiful bird nearby, the longer we feel more deeply calm. It can fill our hearts with joy! And this, in turn, brings a sense of well-being to promote optimal health, not only for the birds we love, but for ourselves.

Many blessings,
Yvonne P. Gleason, Reiki Sanctuary of Northern Virginia
Certified Reiki Master
Certified Meditation Instructor and Life Coach

Reiki Treatment Sessions for Caregivers

July 10, 2022 by Yvonne

Reiki for Caregivers

Last night I dreamed that a kind man who was highly spiritual gave me a care package: a basket of food. Then he was on his way to other things, perhaps to give baskets to other recipients. In the basket was a freshly baked loaf of bread, different kinds of cheeses, and lots more. All sustenance. I felt great gratitude for this man and the gift he brought, especially since I had been going through a stressful time. The following morning I thought about him and his role as a caregiver. He reminded me that Reiki treatment sessions for caregivers are indeed important. Since I’m a caregiver, I needed to schedule a Reiki treatment session for myself!

Caregivers and Reiki Benefits

Doctors, nurses, Moms and Dads, and energy practitioners: all are caretakers. In fact every one of us are caretakers in one way or another, and for those of you who are caring for a loved one, it can be challenging to remember to care for yourself. But it’s vital. Especially if you’re involved in long-term intense caregiving.

You may begin to feel that you get lost in the process of the medical ups and downs of your loved one’s path. That’s where receiving a Reiki treatment session can help to replenish your overall energy level for more stamina so that you can continue to give to your loved one and walk beside them.

Making Time for Reiki Sessions as a Caregiver

Taking time out, and choosing the appropriate time is up to you. At least a half-hour is suggested. An hour is even better because you want to be able to deeply relax.

Taking regular time for yourself to receive Reiki is important to create and maintain a foundation of feeling centered, whole, and rejuvenated with more clarity.

Five Benefits of Reiki:

Allows for a quiet time to regroup and relax your mind and body
Helps to recharge your energy
Provides a time to more fully feel the connection between yourself and loving Higher Power
Grounds and stabilizes your energy physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually
Helps you to honor your self-worth

After a Reiki session, you can come to your loved one with a stronger foundation of feeling refreshed and ready to continue caring for them.

Sometimes people say “There isn’t enough time to take care of myself. I’m so busy taking care of my friend/spouse/family member.”

What if We Don’t Take Care of Ourselves?

When we don’t take care of ourselves, it can impact us in the following ways:

We have less strength to help our loved ones
It’s harder to make decisions for our loved ones or for ourselves
We tend to run on empty and we feel drained which can affect our moods, which in turn can affect the moods of our loved ones
We may feel so tired that it begins to affect our bodies
It begins to be more challenging to stay truly positive with an uplifted outlook

Reiki Sessions for Caregivers

When you receive a Reiki treatment session, either in-person, or distance/remotely, it can help strengthen you on all levels. You can sit in a comfortable chair or lie down on a Reiki table or even on a bed or couch. You can say a positive affirmation or prayer for yourself at the beginning of the session to place your mind in a positive space for the session. You might fall asleep and that’s fine because when you’re deeply relaxed, the immune system has a chance to function at its highest level. (If you think you might fall asleep, you might want to set a gentle alarm so you’ll wake up in time.)

I’ve found that Reiki sessions for caregivers have proven to be restorative for their body, mind, and soul. After a session, they feel ready to face the tasks ahead.

Distance Reiki Sessions

Distance/remote Reiki treatment sessions are being felt just as profoundly, if not more so, than in-person sessions. That’s because the energy comes from loving Higher Power, through the Practitioner, to the recipient. The recipient always receives what they need for their highest good.

I hope that if you’re ever in a situation where you’re caring for a loved one, you’ll reach out to a Reiki practitioner so that a Reiki treatment session can help you to re-center and replenish your mind and your body. Because you’re worth it. You’ll also be able to bring a “better you” to your loved one, which may just help to lift them too.

Many of us are caregivers for others. On a very fundamental level, each of us are also caregivers for ourselves.

If we make the time for self-care, that caring energy for ourselves ripples out to all those whom we come across during the day, and it may help to lift someone who is just passing by, perhaps in ways we may not even know.

Many blessings,

Yvonne P. Gleason, Reiki Sanctuary of Northern Virginia
Certified Reiki Master Teacher
Certified Meditation Instructor and Life Coach

Reiki for Calming During Changes

October 30, 2021 by Yvonne

Reiki for Keeping Calm During Changes

Reiki is a wonderful modality for calming during changes in life that can cause us stress. The main purpose of Reiki is for deep relaxation. When we’re in times of transition, that’s when we need Reiki the most. Giving ourselves Reiki and letting that energy from loving Higher Power flow through us can be very palpable: felt as a strong heat or a sense of well-being and connection to Source. This can bring about immediate calm and inner peace. With calm and inner peace, focus and clarity come easier. If we’re too stressed to give Reiki to ourselves, receiving a Reiki session from a practitioner is equally beneficial and quieting for the mind.

Remember Reiki When Feeling Unbalanced

Many times when we’re uprooted or feeling unbalanced because of changes in our life, we forget to give self-Reiki to help calm ourselves down and get clarity on the situation. Just when we need it the most, we put off giving Reiki to ourselves. Maybe we think we can handle the situation without stopping to give self-Reiki for ten minutes or so. Maybe we feel there isn’t time. Or perhaps we’re unaware that we even need Reiki for calming.

There have been times in my life where I’ve definitely needed Reiki for calming during changes: it started with little things (“no big deal, I can handle these”) and then bigger things (“wow, no time to take a break now”) until a big tumbleweed of stressors had formed (uh oh, I’m out of balance!”). During these times of letting stressful changes pile up without taking a break to “plug into” the Reiki, I felt drained and off-center and quite frazzled. Feeling a sense of upheaval in any aspect of our lives can be all-encompassing for our minds; and many times we get caught up in the stressful situation at hand. I get it. It happens to all of us.

It’s human nature to think we can handle stressful situations on our own without stopping for a “Reiki break”. But things are so much easier and smoother when we pause and give Reiki to ourselves first.

Five Signs that We Need Reiki for Calming

So how can we recognize when we are feeling stressed? How do we know when we could use some self-Reiki?

Feeling of fear, anxiety, dread
Thoughts are scattered or racing one after the other
Not feeling secure and grounded
Experiencing brain fog or overwhelm
Nervous system is on overdrive, heart is racing, body is tense

So when we’re feeling any of these five signs, we can become aware that it’s time for a calming Reiki session.

Three Ways to Remember to Relax with Reiki

We can ask ourselves “If not now; when?”
Remind ourselves that we’re worthy of taking some downtime to nurture ourselves
Remember that solutions and next steps forward are easier to see when we’re relaxed and calm

To make it easier to incorporate Reiki into our life, we can set a regular time during the day or in the evening before sleep to give self-Reiki. We can also schedule a Reiki session at least once a month with a practitioner if we feel we’d like to receive Reiki regularly from someone. Many people find doing both of these things keeps them balanced throughout the daily stressors of life.

For Calming, Self-Reiki Sessions Can Be Short

We can start with ten or fifteen minutes. People often give themselves a short Reiki session upon waking each morning and before sleep each night. Having regular/daily Reiki sessions is what helps to keep calm and relaxed from day to day no matter what changes come our way. That way we’re meeting situations from a centered place of more clarity and inner calm.

It’s so much easier to navigate our way through life’s changes, whether big or small, when we first pause and experience the relaxation of Reiki. Then we can find which steps to take to move us forward where we’re meant to be.

Whenever I receive Reiki for calming during changes in life, I also end up experiencing much more clarity and I’m able to find my next steps forward. I wish the same Reiki benefits for you!