You've Got Mail!

If you read my previous post, A Reiki Story, you'd know I did not find Reiki.  Reiki found me.  I feel very grateful that life gives me what I need when I need it.

As Spider-Man would tell you, great power comes with great responsibilities.  Reiki is not a free gift. Once you get your attunement, you agree to help others when called upon.  To be a Reiki practitioner is to serve.

One summer, when we were visiting my in-laws in Michigan, Mom told us about her best friend Rose: not long after recovering from breast cancer treatments, Rose was diagnosed with spindle cell tumor.  It means more surgery, treatment and more pain.

Many hospitals in Michigan have introduced alternative therapies like acupuncture, color therapy and Reiki in their services.  Mom believes in nothing but traditional western medical treatments.  Yet, for the love of her friend, she asked if I would try giving Rose a Reiki treatment to alleviate the pain.  I gladly complied.

When we arrived, Rose was lying in a hospital bed in the middle of the living room.  She looked like someone cast away on an island in the middle of nowhere.  Looking at her diminished figure and weary face, I struggled to squeeze out a smile.  

After an exchange of the usual niceties, I offered to give Rose Reiki and she accepted.  Mom watched me anxiously like a hawk the entire time as if I would possibly hurt her friend.  Rose was nervous and stiff at the beginning, but she soon relaxed into a semi-asleep state.

One interesting about Reiki sessions is that, occasionally, there may be messages for the recipient.  The practitioner would know, and ask if the recipient wants it.  They have the choice os taking it or not.  If they do, we deliver it,; if not, it just goes away.

On this day, there was a message for Rose.  As the conduit, I had no idea what the message was about.  I was like the email Inbox that feels the "Ping!" when a message comes in.  "There is a message for you.  Do you want it?"  Rose looked confused, but she nodded anyways.  "Do you wonder why this keeps happening to you?  Are you angry?  You wonder what you have done wrong, don't you?"  Rose looked at my with eyes wide open.  Tears started streaming down her cheeks.  She nodded as she pressed her lips tightly together.  "You have done nothing wrong.  It is not your fault.  Do not worry.  You will be fine.  Just remember: God loves you.  You will recover."  I could see with my peripheral vision that Mom lunged towards me with eyes and mouth wide open.  To be honest, I was shocked by what came out of my mouth as well.  Those were clearly not my words.  I am not a religious person.  I don't know where these words came from.  I found out what the message was about with Rose at the same time.

Interestingly, Rose did not question the message at all.  She held my hands tightly with a smile while tears continued to flow.  She seemed to have found the consolation and strength she needed.  It took a while, but she did recover and is still around to this day.

Before I became a Reiki messenger, I once received a memorable message myself.  My teacher, Robert and another Reiki master, Rene, were working on me.  I have going through a very difficult time in my life.  My eyebrows were tightly locked together.  Rene spent over half an hour just to untie my eyebrows; the moment he removed his fingers, my eyebrows sprung right back together.  "Geez, how can you be so super stubborn?" Rene exclaimed.

Then a message came for me: Do not fight life. The more you fight, the more messed up things will be.  All the new problems are just signs to tell you to back off.  Accept life as is and try to go along.  You cannot change life.  Try to be part of it.

At the time, I found this hard to stomach.  "You mean: I am responsible for all my problems?  I am just trying to take care of things.  I thought I am the victim here! "  And, yeah, I learnt.  Every time I share this lesson with friends, on their faces, I see the same familiar frown that I used to wear.

Life, Aikido, Reiki.  They are manifestations of the same thing.  Live and learn.