I’ve had a few inquires about Reiki during the childbearing year from both pregnant and postpartum women, so I wanted to write a few words about how I came to practice Reiki and what a typical Reiki session could look like.
I was receiving Reiki from a husband and wife healing team for several years before I learned the art. For me, Reiki was always more relaxing and longer lasting than a massage and had a more intense quality to it. I would leave a Reiki session clear -eyes (literally) and walking on air. I’d also be in a highly sensitive state and the smallest thing could sometimes knock me off balance and make me upset or sad. Most of the time I woke the next day feeling completely refreshed, balanced and grounded.
I learned Reiki from Molly Fitzpatrick, a local Reiki Master and Acupuncturist at Nurture in 2007. My husband Dave, started on the Reiki learning journey before me and when he came home from his first learning session I wanted to experience what he did. So a few months later I signed up to learn how to share Reiki with others.
A year after becoming a Reiki Master I became very sick, experiencing what I call a mystical health crisis that lasted several months. The only thing that made me feel like I could make it to the next day was Reiki. Reiki provided a space for me to breathe and gather strength. Reiki prevented me from falling into total despair while I was in the midst of shedding many layers of skin.
I began offering Reiki to friends and family and then to women. I love sharing the Reiki energy with pregnant women most of all. There is a beautiful energy exchange that happens when you enter into a healing session with a mom and her baby inside. It’s a very special experience that I am grateful for at every session.
A typical Reiki session with me would be between 60 and 90 minutes, just depending on the conversation, intentions and what comes up for both of us. I like to begin each session by talking about why mom is seeking Reiki – which could be for any number of reasons – just to try it out, back pain, to connect more with baby, looking for more energy, trying to relax, help turn baby, help build immunity, etc.
After settling in with each other and understanding mom’s intention, we may begin the Reiki session or, if it feels right, talk about using crystals, aromatherapy oils, flower essences or oracle cards to facilitate the session.
Depending on where mom is in her pregnancy, she may lay on a massage table on her back or belly, on her side in a bed or sitting in a chair. Reiki can be performed in any position, it’s all about what is best for mom.
If I am working with a postpartum mom, ideally baby will be in mom’s arms or in the same room so baby can receive the benefits of Reiki as well. Children respond very quickly to this healing energy and it’s fun (and informative) to watch their reactions when mom is receiving Reiki.
Mom’s stay full clothed during the session and I may lay my hands directly on mom or hold them a few inches from her body. During the session mom can close her eyes and simply relax. I’ll be placing my hands in various positions on her body, from head to toe. The Reiki energy goes to where it is needed most, so there is no wrong way to give Reiki. I use symbols and techniques that I learned during my training, which help facilitate the energy exchange. After the session mom and I talk about how she feels and end the session together.
To find out more about the logistics of a Reiki session, check out my Services page: http://fullmoonsdaughter.com/services/#reiki-healing
Read an article I wrote in Feb ’09 to learn more about the basics of Reiki: http://fullmoonsdaughter.com/blog/category/reiki-during-pregnancy
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