Workshops

My local wellness centre ran a reiki workshop last night.  While I have had reiki sessions before - I wasn’t really sure what to expect. The advert for the workshop said the session would include intention setting, focussed journal prompts, visualization and a group reiki session.  Space was limited and the session was 120 minutes. 

For those who aren’t aware - reiki is a Japanese technique which is based on the idea that energy flows through and around us - if it gets stuck we are more apt to feel stress or get sick (reiki.org).

When I’ve been sick with a cold, the flu or strep throat I sometimes feel bits of the “ick” nesting in my shoulders - or at least that’s how I explain it to my massage therapist.  The same is true when I’ve been down with a migraine.  I can often feel residual heaviness in my neck and at the base of my skull.  While deep pressure after a cold feels good - like any residual parts of it are being pushed out of my system … I need a more gentle approach after a migraine. Subtle.  Hence how I became introduced to reiki - and cranial sacral massage, but that’s a post for another time. 

I prefer my wellness to be private.  I’m not big on group massages, sharing my intentions for the year with strangers (irony noted).  I’m also cautious about energy - I pick up other peoples and am not always aware the energy isn’t mine.  It throws my system off and can be difficult and sometimes painful to navigate.  That’s the biggest part of my hesitation for these types of events.  I want to protect my energy.  Of course, I didn’t need to worry. The session started with some context sharing, walking through what to expect and some boundaries.  From there we moved into our four journal prompts: 

1. What has been feeling heavy, stressful or burdensome lately?

2. What am I ready to release or soften as I move forward?

3. How do I want to feel this year?

4. What quality or energy would I like to invite in?

We were then asked to circle one quality that felt true to us from our journalled responses to question four.  We were guided to plant that seed during the reiki session. 

Our hostess then guided us through a 30 minute reiki session.  I felt relaxed, calm and peaceful.  Although I did have some tingling in my fingers near the end.  Everything being let go of was given permission to stay in the space.  It did not need to follow us out of the session.   From there we moved into our visualization and walked through this activity while still lying down, eyes closed and relaxed. To close off the night we were invited to journal, pull an oracle card, have some water or tea and/or ask any questions of our hostess.  

It was two hours well spent.  

I came home feeling relaxed, present, calm and peaceful. 

I had a shower, put on pj’s and relaxed before bed - where I slept unbelievably well and unbelievably deep.  For the first time in a few weeks I woke up feeling rested, feeling ready to take on the day. 

My body has historically resisted letting go.  Shocking.  I know.  I’m being asked or guided to let go of things that aren’t serving me and my body resists.  The devil we know.  Last night was different.  My body didn’t resist.  Didn’t fight.  

I have two possible explanations: One - it was a short session and I wasn’t the sole focus of the session, so my body didn’t feel the need to defend, to protect, to hold on.  Or - and this is the possibility I prefer, two - I’ve already let go.  I’ve spent the better part of two years teasing apart all aspects of myself and working on letting go - that my body knows it can and it’s ok.  It’s safe.  

Safe.  Such an odd word to describe a situation where you aren’t being harmed, you’ve chosen to be in, you are being respected and your needs are being met.  Why wouldn’t it be safe?  The devil we know.  The body and the mind are amazing things. How they interpret data, how they understand safety is such an interesting thing.

Whatever the reason … things I know … that have been worming their way through the back of my mind, I realized I know.  Not just a thought or a maybe.  I know.  

So what now?

I don’t know.  For someone who always wants to boil the ocean - I’m surprisingly ok with that.  Change is coming.  It has too.  What that will look like, when it will happen … I don’t know.  For the first time in maybe ever … I know big changes are just outside my reach.  I have a sense of them but I also have no idea what they will look like, how I'll recognize them, when they will appear … and I’m surprisingly calm.  I’m ok with the unknown. 

Why? How? No - I’m not a pod person - I’m still me!

I think I just know or trust that I’ll know.  I won’t miss it.  I think on some level I’ve always known these changes were coming - they just don’t feel scary anymore … they feel like the next logical step … the step I’m meant to take. 

Why so vague? 

They are still abstract - I still feel the need to protect them, to keep them close, keep them private.  I have a hunch when they come, they will come fast or it will appear to happen fast.  To the outside world they will likely seem random and impulsive - like quitting a job without having another lined up winks - but they will really just be leaps of faith, born from trusting myself, my instincts, my inner knowing. 

Maybe that’s why my body didn’t resist.  It knew.  Letting go opens the door to the next adventure. The next part of this journey.  

All I needed was a little shift in energy …