Admittedly, there is always a brief hesitance when expressing about oneself; I contemplated exactly how I wanted to do so; keep it professional or let it be organic? Organic, I thought it best as being that which I am, it would offer the opportunity for character and personality to come through. Here you will find a brief summary, history, of what my credentials are along with a few short anecdotes to compliment the information.
R E I K I
My first attunement (See Reiki specific post for definition and details.) came early in the year of 2013. I had been seeing a massage therapist who was a relative of a colleague. I remember sensing kindred energy when she worked with me, and it was only a matter of time before the topic came up and my inquisitive mind led me to ask. For as long as I can remember I always felt a deep seeded connection to the idea and knowing that there was a path to healing, the universe and the divine that could be attained by us "mere mortals" (In fact, I most likely saw us, humans, that way then: being nothing more than what we were and this was due to all the life experience and loss of connection to anything greater I had experienced up to that point).
Over the course of some time, I eventually sought her Master Teachers Briana Brooks and Lori Garrett. This was just the beginning of my journey. Little did I know that personal life events would eventually lead to further initiations. In those moments though, I did find certain synchronicities with what I learned at this level of practice including the knowledge of chakras, the use of certain colors and sounds. It was very exciting.
Within the same year I felt ready to move on to the next level of practice, Reiki level two. This was also done with the "approval", for lack of term, of both my reiki master teachers and the divine. You see, to even enter into the process of learning and being initiated a student takes part in a brief interview. This is not to discourage an individual by any means but rather lights the way of intention and ultimately, direction a student may take. You see, a level one practitioner will most likely utilize their knowledge for the self and those close to them, even to include their beloved animals and plants. At level two though, the practitioner is intending to take their knowledge and utilize it to work with others, even outside of their closest circles.
With what I had experienced growing up, including the consideration of how I was raised, after my level one attunement/initiation there was no doubt about the purpose of this path: I am a healer and as such intended to work with others.
My level three attunement/initiation took place just under a year later in 2014. By this point I was garnering a deeper understanding and awareness of what it meant to be in the grace of this practice although this is not to say I was without my own self-imposed impediments. Being human gives the individual the absolute right to choose how we live and view life; the thing about that is we tend to forget that we cannot necessarily, if ever, choose the consequence. I, for some time now, look at such things as learning tools and to that they were.
It was in this year that I found myself terminally ill, most likely a consequence I placed myself in be it knowingly, unknowingly, intended or unintended; the universe had spoken, and it was determined to put me on the right path. In hindsight, I don't necessarily recall making this a point for this third attunement; I am a healer and that was the reason however, in the interview, my illness came up and it was decided, I feel, that whether or not I was going to utilize this practice for others, the illness opened the door to this part of the path.
Reiki level three is not just about working with others, specifically, it is there to help those who are ready to "crossover" and being that I was in a place of sickness, that had the potential to lead to "the end", I was granted access to this part of the journey.
For what has transpired since then, I am healthy and happy.
ORDINATION
Ordination, Credentials of Ministry, was something that was rather unexpected and yet unsurprising at the same time. I received ordination within the same year of my Reiki level two attunement. This was sought primarily because of state law and was recommended if the intention was to work with others. Some states have laws that only allow a professional to work with a client in the capacity of touch either by massage therapy or ministry. Seeing at the time that I had no such licensure for massage it made sense to seek this path. The reason that this was not a surprising avenue to consider is that I was raised the son of a minister or elder, as they were called in the family religion. This was a synchronicity and not far from what I believe I was to become had I stayed that course. The Credentials of Ministry have allowed me to perform the sacrament of marriage for loved ones in my life, an honor and a blessing.
MASSAGE THERAPY
It was a couple years later that I finally sought out a certification for massage therapy. Interestingly enough, massage therapy has always been a skill, trade, talent that interested me even when I was young and didn't understand it's full benefit. Note, I am not currently licensed and therefore do not have a practice; however, I am fully knowledgeable and will include this in my offerings at a given time, in the time to come. The reasons for this traverse quite the experience; occurrences regarding self-imposed actions, or inflictions, as well as selfless attentions. Suffice it to say that this time period was an extreme learning cycle. I was finding new insights, seeking disciplines and understanding discernments being brought into my life all while conquering some of the darkest aspects of the human: guilt, shame, fear and doubt. Those aspects were greatly offset with the yearning of gratitude, empathy, compassion and love. I feel this was when many paradigms shifted in my life, and I started to truly awaken. A great benefit to undergoing this training was, is, that with the knowledge obtained, visualization in reiki sessions became, are, optimal. Though not always necessary, truly knowing the body internally and externally is always beneficial to the practitioner when guiding or directing the energy through a client. Though massage therapy was the earliest of interest, I do find it intriguing that it is not the first fully realized practice to come to its fruition. It will though.
YOGA
Yoga, like massage therapy, was always in my scope of interest. Then, I thought, as a personal practice but sometime around my training for massage therapy I realized yoga would be the connection between reiki and massage and found the inclination to deepen my understanding of it by way of a teacher certification. Surely, if I didn't end up instructing, I'd at least have a thorough understanding of it and how to incorporate it in my life. This, a practice that encompasses body, mind and elements of emotion, energy, like reiki, finding its genesis back through time indefinite, had managed to speak to me in a rather evident way. It was through many conversations with my father that the evidence became apparent and after his passing I set to honor those words and seek training and certification. He truly believed in what I sensed about adding this practice to my wheelhouse and I am forever grateful for that.
By the time I made it to this path, I found myself well adjusted, well balanced emotionally, mentally and spiritually, if anything it was the body that was asking for its turn and so I dove into my lessons and practice.
Today teaching and guiding others through their practice has become most rewarding and an honor; I leave every class feeling the utmost gratitude for the opportunity to connect and assist those also seeking the relief and overall awareness yoga brings. As an added bonus both the study of reiki and massage therapy have found a home in my awareness of the students who seek my classes, and it is always to their benefit.