Reiki with Mamta Blog

Feeling low seems to be part of natural rhythm of life. Rhythm of heartbeat is contraction and expansion. Rhythm of birth is also contraction and expansion. So is the rhythm of breath.

To me, depression seems to happen when we get stuck in feeling low phase and cannot move out of it easily. Having support of someone who is kind, not scared, and is willing to accompany me during such times can be amazing. But it may not be always available. What can I do myself, how can I help myself – is a question I love to contemplate.

I cannot help wondering if what is needed during such times is hope and resilience. Reminding myself that ‘nothing stays the same forever’; remembering that expansion follows contraction gives me hope.

Resilience – the ability to bounce back from the low phase, just as grass can bounce back from being stepped on. I cannot help wondering if a simple natural remedy worth trying would be to spend time with the grass, connecting consciously with it, sitting on it, lying on it, lying face down with head resting on the hands may be even better, or walking barefoot on the grass.

If this is not an option, there are other ways to connect with the natural intelligence embedded in the grass. This year I started sprouting wheat and spelt grains. They taste quite sweet and nice. I add them to yogurt and have this for breakfast with some fruit and soaked nuts and seeds.

A few weeks later, I planted some of the sprouting wheat grass seeds in a small container. I was amazed at how easy it was to grow. I want to grow fruit and vegetables like I see so many other people doing. And I cannot. This makes me feel I am not good at growing things. Maybe I just need to grow what I am meant to!

I love watching dew drops or rain drops resting on blades of grass, catching the rays of sunlight reflecting the colours of light when I can slow down. When I can see a simple drop of water light up, shine brightly and reflect gold, silver, red, green and blue, it seems like a rainbow has come down to Earth. Something simple like this can help me connect with joy and feel better.

Seeing a twig lying in the grass made me feel as if it was reminding me to smile, telling me – ‘fake it till you make it’!

What do you find helpful when you feel low?

I am amazed at all these realizations, all these connections happening inside me. I did not even have to take photos of grass for this post. I had been taking photos of grass and not even realized why! I feel very grateful for my daily Reiki practice that has helped awaken this conscious connection with nature. I am teaching small in-person Reiki classes outdoors, please contact me if you would like to learn Reiki with me.

Reiki 1 class

Reiki 2 class

Mamta is offering small in-person Reiki classes outdoors. Please contact her for more information.
You can also subscribe to Mamta’s newsletter email to be kept informed of all her offerings.

“Reiki” (ray-key) is Japanese for ‘universal life energy’, a term used to describe a natural system to help bring about an improved sense of wellbeing and a positive feeling of spiritual renewal. It is a tradition that is open to any belief system and benefits may include deep relaxation and the promotion of a calm peaceful sense of wellbeing.

At this time, I feel the need to share the benefits of Reiki with the wider community – everyone who would like to benefit from Reiki. My wish is to do what I can, to help people feel better. I am offering a free online Reiki session every month to promote wellbeing. Anybody who would like to benefit from Reiki is welcome – Reiki students as well as people who are not Reiki students.

I send remote Reiki treatment to everyone who joins the session. Reiki students are invited to practise Reiki together. Level 1 Reiki students can join in with self treatment. Level 2 Reiki students can join in with the remote Reiki treatment. A strong group energy field is created through the presence of each person in the session where the whole is greater than the sum of the individual parts. And all of us benefit from it.

Every first Thursday of the month, 10 am to 11 am UK time.

Please feel free to invite any friends/family who would like to benefit from Reiki at this time, or any Reiki students who may be interested in joining this experience.

You will need to subscribe to my monthly email, to receive the invitation with the link. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Some feedback from participants:
‘These sessions make my life happier’.
‘I felt peaceful’.
Another participant, a nurse, had an earache, which disappeared after the session.

If you are a hospital doctor, nurse or ambulance paramedic, please know that Reiki Medic Care provides remote Reiki treatments without cost to medical professionals in the UK.

If you are a Reiki student, you can join The Reiki Association (TRA). One of the key membership benefits is Reiki Care Service where you can request distant Reiki for yourself or your loved ones. Reiki Care Service has a team of about 50 dedicated volunteers, who send Reiki to TRA members for seven consecutive days, for a small voluntary donation. TRA welcomes members from all countries.

This session is currently offered through The Reiki Association. Everybody who would like to receive Reiki is welcome.

The Full moon this week is in the sign of Pisces. Pisces is a water sign associated with healing and oceans. It is the last sign of the Zodiac. At this time, it feels as if what has been accumulating within us, over a long time, is surfacing from the depths of our being to be healed. This process is not always comfortable. Healing can happen from being able to meet it, greet it, having the willingness to observe it, welcome it, give it a voice, listen to it, and make friends with it. One of the keys to healing is to be able to accept what is, and allow it surface from the unconscious to conscious level.

Healing can happen very quickly, in the moment of being able to observe, being able to meet what is showing up, with an open heart. Trying to fix it, or running away from what is – seems futile.

In the words of Rumi from the poem Guest house:
‘Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.’

The Ocean of life may seem turbulent from time to time. Just as one would maintain a safe distance from the ocean at such times; it is possible to observe what is happening from a distance, by taking refuge in the present moment with the help of our breath. Breathing consciously can help enormously in moments of overwhelm. Even a couple of breaths with the awareness of – breathing in I accept the present moment, breathing out I accept it with gratitude – can help me feel safe, be present and observe.

Another way to navigate the waves in the ocean of life is to take refuge in a boat. The boat pose from yoga can help when Pisces energy is strong. Resting, being still in the Restorative boat pose can be very helpful when life feels overwhelming.

Being with water in nature can also help – going for a walk near water – a lake, river or ocean. If this is not possible, consider having a bath. Sometimes having a drink of water slowly, mindfully, with presence can help make a big difference. In Thich Nhat Hanh’s words – ‘Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world revolves’.

Sometimes a small raindrop seems to reflect the whole ocean. In the words of Rumi – “You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.” It feels such a blessing to be able to see the colours, the whole spectrum of light in a tiny raindrop resting on a blade of grass or on a leaf. It feels as if a rainbow has come down to meet us on Earth.

Feeling deep gratitude for my daily Reiki and Yoga practice and astrology for these insights and connections.

I have considered the current Government and Public Health advice for my location and work situation. I have also done Risk Assessment for giving treatments safely. As a result, I can offer remote treatments only at this time. While complying with present social distancing requirements and permissible out-door activities, I can offer an in-person/face-to-face option as well.

The treatments are currently offered in one of the following ways:

1. Remotely with a video call
2. Remotely without a video call
3. Face-to-face outdoors. Weather permitting, in a park in Highbury, maintaining a distance of minimum 2 metres at all times for non-hands-on treatment ie distant/remote treatment.
   Please choose the face-to-face option if you can take part without adverse risk to yourself or household.

• It is important that both you and I monitor ourselves and the people we live with or have been in contact with, for main Covid-19 symptoms. We will check-in with each other, on the morning of the appointment, about Covid 19 symptoms and the weather.
• If it is not possible to meet in the park, due to the weather, the treatment will not be face-to-face, it will be done remotely.
• If you or I have to cancel the appointment for face-to-face option at short notice due to COVID-19 infection for ourselves or the people we have been in contact with, there will be no cancellation charge.
• If I am well, I can offer you Options 1 or 2 as an alternative.
• If I am unwell you will receive a full refund of the payment.

For any of the three Options mentioned above:

• You must fill out the consultation form and send it to me in advance.
• I also ask for payment in advance – £50 for Reiki; £111 for Soul Plan Reading.
• For Option 3 (face-to-face), please bring your own drink of water.
• For Option 3 (face-to-face), please bring what you need to sit or lie down comfortably during treatment. Duration of the treatment: 30 minutes. Allowing for some conversation before and after the treatment, please provide 45 minutes for the session.
• If you are in the high risk group, please choose Option 1 or 2, so that you can receive the treatment from the safety of your own home.

If you would like to be kept informed of the change in the situation, when I am able to resume hands-on treatments and teaching, you can sign up to my mailing list. There is the option to unsubscribe if you no longer wish to receive the emails.

More information is available about Remote Reiki Treatments on my website.

I appreciate that this is quite a lot to read and assimilate. I am grateful for your understanding during this strange time in my efforts to support the well being for all – especially yours, my own and our family’s. Please feel free to contact me, if you have any questions or to book a session.

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Even at this time, when in-person support may not be easily available,  it is possible to receive Reiki treatments. I continue to offer Reiki treatments remotely. Reiki practice has always allowed  remote Reiki treatments across time and distance. It is not something new that Reiki practitioners are offering at this time. It is part of our practice and is an advanced level practice. We call it second degree Reiki or level two Reiki practice.

This advanced level technique enables the Reiki Practitioner to help the recipient connect with Reiki, Universal Life Force Energy. This connection enables the recipient to receive the healing that is needed at all levels – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.

I dedicate 30 minutes for being in silence and stillness when doing the remote Reiki treatment. I offer a phone call before the remote treatment to understand the recipient’s need; and after the treatment also – to answer any questions or to offer support, if needed.

Anybody can receive Reiki healing, in-person or remotely, who would like to. You do not have to be a Reiki student to receive distant Reiki treatment.

Please contact me if you would like to receive a remote Reiki treatment.

What is second degree Reiki Practice: Second degree practice is the advanced level Reiki practice that has enabled Reiki practitioners connect with people and situations they cannot place their hands on, for many many years. Just as a Reiki practitioner uses their hands to give a treatment in-person, second degree Reiki practice can be used to give a Reiki treatment remotely, when it is not possible to be with the recipient in-person and place hands on their body. I learnt second degree Reiki in 2001. My motivation at the time was to send Reiki to my family in India, while living in the UK.

As I looked at the mombresia in the garden recently, just as the flowers were beginning to emerge, a thought came – something new is emerging.

The colour of the flowers is so striking, especially against the backdrop of the green of the leaves and the grass, that every time I would go into the garden it would catch my eye. The way the flowers catch the light, especially on a cloudy day is truly mesmerising.

Today, when I went into the garden after it had been raining, the raindrops on the leaves caught my eye. In that moment it felt as if the raindrop was not just a drop, the whole ocean was contained in the drop.

I know that this teaching comes from many different spiritual sources, the one that I felt drawn to was the quote by Kabir, a mystic poet from fifteenth century India: “All know that the drop merges into the ocean, but few know that the ocean merges into the drop.”

Till that moment, I had only known this teaching. In that moment it seemed as if I could feel it, in a way I had not able to till then. It seemed as if the raindrops were there to help me see what wholeness is. In Reiki Shares, in the opening circle, I had been saying – bring the whole of yourself into this moment. I had only been thinking of all the parts of me that are seemingly undesirable, the parts that I often wish to hide, the vulnerable, conflicted parts of my being that I felt I had to welcome and integrate.

Seeing the raindrops today, the concept of wholeness seems to have transformed within me. I saw a butterfly on the same mombresia leaf a little later. It felt as if the butterfly came to help reaffirm the message of transformation/metamorphosis.

I am looking forward to bringing this new concept of wholeness to all the circles I belong to. I trust that it is not just for me, it is for all of us. My wish is for all of us to be able to regain our wholeness, trust in it and let this inner essence flow from our being with every thought, word and action. I trust our daily Reiki practice will continue to help us receive the guidance needed for everyday life – how to live it in the present moment!

Could this be the invitation in the Reiki Principle ‘Earn your living honestly’, I wonder!

Talking to a very good student last week helped me realise that a reminder is needed of the three pillars of Reiki treatment practice for Reiki students –

1. Self treatment to be done regularly, everyday if possible;
2. Giving Reiki treatments to other people, as and when possible.
3. Receiving Reiki treatments from other people, as and when needed.

All three are needed to receive the full complement of Reiki healing. Reiki is an Eastern tradition where it is practised and received regularly to maintain wellbeing. It is best not to wait till one is unwell because a lot more healing is needed to restore wellbeing than to maintain it. Learning Reiki does not mean that we do not need to receive Reiki treatments from other people.

Normally a Reiki student can join the monthly Reiki Share to be able to give and receive hands-on Reiki treatment with other people. A Reiki student can also swap treatments with another Reiki student. Or the most luxurious option to receive a Reiki treatment is to pay for a treatment and allow yourself to simply receive.

At this time of social distancing, while hands-on treatments are not an option, I have been offering online Reiki Shares for Reiki students, every week since end of March, where we practice self treatment with the community. It feels as if we receive the benefits of self treatment, giving Reiki treatments and receiving Reiki treatments, all the three pillars of Reiki treatment practice in that mystical, sacred space.

Even at this time, it is possible to receive Reiki treatments remotely. I continue to offer distant Reiki treatments. Using second degree Reiki practice, I help the recipient connect with Reiki, Universal Life Force Energy to enable them to receive the healing that is needed at all levels – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Second degree practice is the advanced level of Reiki practice that has been helping Reiki practitioners connect with people and situations they cannot place their hands on, for many many years. Just as a Reiki practitioner uses their hands to give a treatment in-person, second degree Reiki practice can be used to give a Reiki treatment remotely, when it is not possible to be with the recipient in-person and place hands on their body. I learnt second degree Reiki in 2001. My motivation at the time was to send Reiki to my family in India, while living in the UK.

I dedicate 30 minutes for being in silence and stillness when doing the distant Reiki treatment. I offer a phone call before the distant treatment to understand your need; and after the treatment to answer any questions or to offer support, if needed.

Just as we don’t judge ourselves for self treating everyday, or for needing it, we do not need to judge ourselves for feeling the need for a Reiki treatment from another person. We do not need to deny ourselves either.

Anybody can receive Reiki healing, in-person or remotely, who would like to. You do not have to be a Reiki student to receive distant Reiki treatment.

Please contact me if you would like to receive a distant Reiki treatment.

Despite being in this strange situation, this birthday seems really special with several synchronicities. I feel as if a new phase of life is beginning. I have been married for exactly half my life now. This synchronicity is helping me sense I have reached a centrepoint in some way. I trust life to continue to reveal, what it may be.

I have been offering Reiki Shares and Reiki 2 circles every week, since lockdown began. At the Reiki 2 circle before my birthday, when the students sent me birthday Reiki, I felt as if I was connecting with infinite abundance. I have known that Reiki, Universal Life force energy is infinite and always available to us. During that Reiki sending I felt as if I could move from knowing to feeling it.

I loved the synchronicity of so many 2s in the date and time of the Reiki Share on my birthday – June 2, 2020, 2 pm. Again, I felt so much love from all of you who joined the Share that day. It felt extra special to be in Reiki with both my birth family and my Reiki family that day. After the Share, one of you sent me a message wishing me Happy Birthday, threaded with gratitude and the words ‘Enjoy the end of this beautiful day’.

One thing that I have been missing during lockdown is long walks in nature. I had been thinking  that the woods and the Heath are quite far. I cannot walk there easily. I cannot take public transport at this time. I had been regretting giving up our car! That evening, serendipity led me to walk to the Islington Ecology Centre. I have been there many times, but I had not really explored it. I knew only a small part of it. That evening, with my husband and daughter, we discovered the whole of this beautiful nature reserve. I loved the walk, being able to walk in the woods, being able to hug a tree with my husband and daughter – yes they humoured me that day! I loved the wild flower meadows, the fragrance of the honey suckle, the pond with the tadpoles, everything… I could even appreciate the flowers on the brambles that evening. It felt amazing to discover this oasis within walking distance of our home.

On the way home, I remembered the words – ‘Enjoy the end of this beautiful day’.  It felt as if your wishes had wings. The day felt even more magical. I read all the birthday wishes with a lot more attention after the walk. I have started wishing people with a lot more presence and feeling ever since.

It felt as if this wish, the walk, was helping me receive a deeper message. What if it could be true for all our wishes! Let us not limit ourselves anymore. Let us listen to our heart’s longings and allow ourselves to wish for what is really needed, in our personal life, for our family, for our neighborhood and communities, for our country and for the world. Perhaps the wishes come true in Divine timing. What if it is easier to manifest the wishes than we can imagine!

Thank you for helping make my birthday so special.

Feeling really grateful, especially for this raw cacao hazelnut cake.

At this time of so much uncertainty it is not easy to know how to be – what to do, when; whether to go out or to stay at home; what to say to people who are grieiving ….

With so many people dying, and so quickly too, it is particularly hard for the families and friends who are left behind, who have not had the time to prepare for their loved ones leaving. It is not always easy to know how to be with them, how to support them, how to hold the space for them.

What if it is okay to doubt oneself, one’s ability to hold the space for people who are struggling/suffering. What if experiencing self-doubt is part of being human, and therefore part of our life purpose.

What if we can remember to trust that if we find ourselves in a situation, we are being supported and guided too. The key seems to be in feeling connected to receive this support and guidance that is available. What if the sense of connection is easier than we can imagine!

What if it is as easy as taking a breath – something we do all the time. What if we simply need to observe the next inhalation – something we can do anytime. The key is to remember this in that moment.

Perhaps another way to feel connected is to bring awareness to the heart and feel the wisdom available there. Connecting with the heart seems to help make heart connection with the other person/people too.

We are in separate bodies and it is not always easy to feel the heart connection.  It may be easier to go to our own heart but sometimes, this does not seem easy either. We may have built walls around the heart in our innocence, for self-preservation, to be able to survive in this realm of separation.

We need to let the walls around our heart come down. We need to allow ourselves to grieve. We need to allow ourselves to feel vulnerable, to experience self-doubt. We need to allow ourselves to have a good cry when we feel over wrought. We need to let the tears flow. Perhaps they are washing away the debris of the crumbling walls.

The Covid-19 situation, when so many people are leaving so close together, seems to be helping the heart to open. Like a lotus blossoming in the mud, opening gently, a petal at a time. We do not seem to have the choice to live as a bud anymore.

It is not always easy to remember to bring awareness to the breath or the heart in a moment of need. I am finding it helpful to practise this at other times too. In moments of quiet and stillness, as and when I remember. It strengthens this spiritual muscle. This strength is helpful in moments where heavy lifting is needed.

I am deeply grateful for my Reiki practice for these insights. I am deeply grateful for the technology that is allowing the Reiki Shares and the Reiki 2 Circles to continue online every week. Practising together with the community is deeply nourishing, especially at this time of isolation.

What is sacred space – this energy field that gets created each time we gather to practice Reiki. I can view this space through the lens of Reiki, although I am aware of it when I practice other modalities too – like Yoga, meditation, or even when gathering with family and friends.

When family and friends come together with the Reiki family, to practice Reiki, the synergy of this experience seems to be way deeper. Thanks to technology, people from different countries, different continents can be together for Online Reiki Shares at this time. Having my birth family join the Online Reiki Shares has helped bring forth these insights…

When many people gather to practise Reiki, we bring our ability to connect with the Source, the healing light of Reiki, to this space. We do not feel alone, even during this time of isolation. Perhaps each person brings in their whole team of supporters and helpers, guides, teachers and ancestors – benevolent beings who would like us to be well and happy. It feels like many light bulbs lit together, strengthening the light in that space.

The light in this space seems exponentially stronger, where two 1s can make 11, where three 1s can make 111…. This space gets created each time we gather for our shared practice, simply through our presence. Like pieces of jigsaw fitting together, each one of us helps complete this puzzle perfectly each time.

The stronger light in this space seems to help illuminate the wholeness of life. Where we can welcome life as it is showing up, trusting that it is serving us, however difficult, distressing or uncomfortable it may seem to be.

It feels easier to receive the light, strength and wisdom in this sacred space, to regain our wholeness, our sense of being, belonging and serving. It feels possible to receive the light strength and wisdom to be with the paradoxes that life can bring our way, where we are able to welcome suffering, with an inner knowing that this is part of wholeness of life. Perhaps hidden within suffering is liberation from suffering, hidden within worry is trust and peace, hidden behind anger is love. Perhaps coming closer to death at this time is helping us to value life more deeply, embrace life more consciously and love life.

I invite you to join the next Online Reiki Share, and help create this sacred space where each one of us can receive the light, strength and wisdom needed at this time, that we can radiate in all the circles we belong to, simply through our presence. Perhaps this Sacred Space exists all the time and it is simply easier to access when we are together.

I look forward to being together with you in Reiki and this Sacred Space.

I love the words of Universal Knowledge on the back cover of Wanja Twan’s last book ‘A Slight Twinkling In the Atomic Structure’. Wanja Twan was initiated as a Reiki Master by Hawayo Takata. Wanja was my Reiki great grandmother. She passed away in September 2019.

Universal Knowledge
Listen to the wind, it talks.
Listen to the silence, it speaks.
Listen to your heart, it knows.

These words seem to hold the key to what is needed at this time of deep uncertainty. The world as we know it is changing and we do not know the way forward. Perhaps one of the best things we can do at this time is to listen deeply – to the wind, to silence and to the heart for it knows. It is not easy to listen though. Perhpas we can strengthen our listening ability with the help of the group energy field, created through our presence.

I invite you to join this energy field at the weekly online Reiki Share – Being together in Reiki. You can join us either through Zoom, or you can be with us simply through self-treating at the same time.

Let us draw strength from our heart, our inner knowing. This is what is needed to navigate this time of so much uncertainty, trusting that we are needed, we have been preparing for this time, strengthening ourselves through the struggles we have been experiencing. Perhaps we have been like a caterpillar trying to break out of its cocoon, strengthening our wings through the difficulties life has been bringing our way.

I am looking forward to being together with you in Reiki.

Ironically, this strange time with the corona virus situation is helping me to feel gratitude more deeply for small things that I have been taking for granted – like being able to go for a walk in the morning!

This morning, I noticed some apple blossoms flying through the air, landing on the grass near my feet, as I stood in meditation. The blossoms made me wonder where the tree was. Eventually I managed to find the tree that was behind me, a fair distance away, hidden behind some other trees.

A little later, while leaning against the trunk of one of my favourite trees, I realized that my back felt really comfortable against it. A wave of bliss flowed through me in that moment. I noticed the leaves beginning to appear as buds on the branches of the London Plane tree, that I was leaning against. In that moment, I wondered about the source of creation, that helps the new growth spring forth at this time of the year, to nourish us, our senses so wonderfully. I felt that I can trust this source of creation that has created the virus, to have also made a solution possible.

Please join me in connecting to this source of creation to be able to receive a solution to this global situation. We have to work together, none of us can do it alone. The virus seems to be helping us to value connection through forcing us to experience isolation.

At this time, I cannot help wondering if we signed up for this time. What if we are made for this time. What if we have been preparing for this. It is time to go deeper within to listen to this inner call from the Source of creation, the Divinity within, feeling the alignment of these two very powerful forces, trusting this connection to help us navigate these times.

Moments of doubt and struggle do show up from time to time. It seems to be part of being human. I am finding it helpful to welcome all these feelings. My feelings are my truth. They help me connect with my Life Force Energy, this is the Divinity within. Remembering to hold this human part of me with tenderness, love and compassion seems to help, just as I would hold a baby learning to walk, each time it falls over.

I have been feeling challenged by the Reiki Principle – Show gratitude to every living thing, wondering how I can possibly feel gratitude for the virus, a living thing, when it is causing so much suffering. Being able to receive a gift from the situation, helps me to move closer to gratitude despite all that is happening. Gratitude being love energy, a higher vibration is more likely to help transform this situation.

I feel deeply grateful for Reiki at this time, and for all my teachers. Reiki practice helps connect the Source of creation, the Universal life force energy with the individual life force energy, with effortless ease, simply through placing hands on the body. Reiki works irrespective of the state one may be in – physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Reiki works irrespective of what may be happening around us. Reiki seems to be perfect for this time.

This is such a strange time. I have been wanting to post this message for quite a few days now, but I haven’t been able to. Perhaps I needed to honour my inner need to pause, to realign with this changing situation, as best as I can! There have been so many perplexing, conflicting emotions… There is anxiety, yet there is gratitude, love and connection too. I feel so grateful for Reiki at this time, an amazing inner resource, that is available any time it is needed. All I need is my hands.

When discomfort arises, I find it helpful to acknowledge it, not wish it away, and hold myself with compassion instead of judging myself. It is not always easy, but I keep trying. I am finding it helpful to connect with the breath in such moments – breathing in, I welcome the present moment, breathing out I accept it with gratitude.

If you are fortunate to have learnt Reiki, please continue to give yourself a Reiki treatment everyday. Reiki can strengthen the immune system while restoring balance at all levels – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. It is such a blessing to have the support of Reiki with its infinite potential, in addition to the medical resources at times like this, when it feels like the rug is being pulled from under our feet.

Even though I cannot offer in-person sessions at this time, please know that I am available to support you remotely. At 9 am every morning (UK time), I am sending Reiki healing to all of you, my birth and married family, my Reiki family, all my teachers, all the people connected with all of us. I invite you to join me with this healing, either through Reiki self treatment, or Reiki sending, or meditation, or prayer, either at 9 am or at a time to suit your convenience, for all beings who would like to, to be able to receive the healing that is needed at this time, knowing that we are all connected, much more deeply than we realise, and we are all in this together. While you are self-treating, perhaps you can consciously connect with all the people who may be self-treating at that time and tune into the power of the group energy.

While we can’t be together in-person, instead of monthly Reiki Shares I am offering online sessions every Tuesday 2 pm to 3:30 pm,  where we can be together in Reiki, and self-treat together. I would love to connect with you, and know how you are doing.  All Reiki students are welcome, whether you are good at self-treating regularly or may be struggling to. Please subscribe to my mailing list to receive the zoom link.

If you need additional support, I continue to be available to send distant Reiki treatments or Soul Plan Reading sessions, as these can be done remotely. If you would like to find out more or book a session, please call or email me. Prices are on my website. Once this situation settles down, I will keep you informed about when I can resume teaching Reiki, and in-person sessions. Please subscribe to my mailing list to be kept informed through email.

If possible, please make the most of this time we have been granted to slow down, to simply be, to be able to see the blessings, the miracles all around us, perhaps connecting with joy in small things, the spring blossoms, and the sunshine, welcoming the present moment, accepting it with gratitude.

Connection is so valuable at this time. There are many more opportunities to gather in Reiki, remotely, with the wider Reiki community. The Reiki Association is offering free Facebook Live sessions on Thursdays 7:30 pm, with guided Reiki healing meditative session.

As a Reiki student, if you are longing to help heal this situation, you might like to know about Reiki Outreach International. It invites all Reiki students to participate in sending Reiki energy as often as possible, as part of a larger group. Currently there is an invitation on The Reiki Association Facebook page to join the group sending from 12 to 12:30 pm daily, your local time.

May this situation help us appreciate what we may have been taking for granted.

Wishing for you and your loved ones to navigate these times with peace, love, good health and prosperity

In Reiki
Mamta

There is plenty of very good advice available already about how to take care of ourselves, how to protect ourselves against the corona virus. Yet there is so much fear in the collective consciousness at this time. I have been reflecting on what else is needed to take care of ourselves and our loved ones.

I feel that in addition to taking care of our physical body and our external environment, we need to take care of our inner being as well. Somehow taking care of the inner and the outer being together can bring about an exponential synergy.

At first I felt that perhaps the virus is reminding us to take really good care of ourselves through proper rest and sleep, eating healthily, spending time outdoors in fresh air, in nature everyday….

I also felt that Reiki protects, as it heals on all levels – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. But I know that practicing Reiki everyday does not mean that illness will stay away. I know that purpose of Reiki is not just to take care of my physical body but my whole being and help me move forward on the path of my life purpose.

I could still feel the fear, fear for my own wellbeing and that of my loved ones. Then I remembered my QiGong Master’s words that illness does not take hold where we are present. I felt that I can bring presence in my being by connecting with the breath consciously, especially in the moment when fear arises. I love the teaching of Thich Nhat Hanh, a Zen Master, to hold the fearful part of me with compassion – like I would hold a baby with love, to allow it to settle and transform by saying these words silently – breathing in I am aware of the fear, breathing out I send it love.

Yesterday when fear arose, instead of staying in the head space, my intuition led me to the heart space. I consciously connected with my heart and the love within. And the fear abated. When fear arises, I feel that I don’t need to push it away, suppress it or run away from it. It is my truth in that moment. I can welcome it and harness the positive from this seemingly undesirable emotion. I can view it as an invitation to connect with the breath, with my heart and listen to the heart for the heart knows what is needed.

I find it helpful to place my Reiki hands on my heart, and listen to the heart. I don’t always receive an answer right away. I have learnt that asking the question is like planting a seed in my consciousness. This seed is nourished by my daily Reiki practice (or any spiritual practice). And an answer comes when it is the right time, like a ripe fruit falling off a branch effortlessly. Answer can come when least expected, while washing dishes, or having a shower, or when I am outdoors, in nature, somehow Mother Earth helps me remember what I may have forgotten. Listening is all I need to do. Being still and silent for a small part of my day, especially in the morning, doing Reiki, or another spiritual practice can make a big difference.

I cannot help wondering if the virus, such a small entity, yet having such a huge impact globally is helping us see that we may be a tiny part of the collective but we can make a big difference.

Perhaps the answer is simple, to connect with the heart and be love, for self and others, unconditionally, every moment with each breath. Or maybe there is more to it. Either way, my wish for all of us is to navigate this journey of discovery with peace, love, joy, good health and prosperity.

Reflecting on 2019, I realised how turbulent the year was, with many highs and lows, for so many of us. For me, 2019 started with deep discomfort while serving on the Board for The Reiki Association (TRA). With time, the discomfort eased and lots of healing, learning and growth accrued. I feel very grateful for the community that TRA provides and for being able to serve the community. The light is definitely stronger in the bigger community that TRA provides. Please do consider joining TRA community if you have not already done so.

In May 2019, I attended my first annual Reiki Alliance Conference. It was profoundly healing to be with nearly 120 Reiki Masters from many different countries. It was so inspiring that I am going to Uruguay this year, at the end of April, to attend the Conference. I have not been to the South of Equator, so really looking forward to this trip. Any travel advice/recommendations would be deeply appreciated.

Just before the Alliance Conference, I went on a tour of some sacred sites in the UK with Reiki Masters visiting from abroad. It was a powerful experience, very grounding. It helped deepen my roots in this country, that has been my home for over 27 years.

2019 also witnessed the passing of Phyllis Lei Furumoto and Wanja Twan. This is a deep loss for the community yet their teachings and wisdom seem to be very present. They seem to continue to teach and guide us from where they are now. I remember Phyllis’ advice – ‘Just think of me and place your Reiki hands on yourself’. Wanja’s writings, her books, especially the latest one ‘A Slight Twinkling in the Atomic Structure’ continue to bring some deeply meaningful insight for me each day as I open it randomly every morning. Losing these two teachers is a poignant reminder to celebrate the teachers who are still with us. I feel very grateful to all my teachers, for valuing Reiki enough in their own lives to want to share it with others. TRA published a special issue of TOUCH magazine dedicated to stories of Phyllis last year. The latest issue of TOUCH is dedicated to stories of Wanja. These issues are still available and would be wonderful keepsakes as each time we read the stories, new messages can come through.

The main highlight of the year for me was, being able to breathe comfortably for the last 5 months. As many of you know, I suffer from asthma. It has been my biggest challenge and also the source of deepest gifts. Many insights come through the focus I have been forced to keep on the breath. Around June, the concept of welcoming the present moment emerged. Gradually it became like a mantra – ‘Breathing in, I welcome the present moment; Breathing out, I accept it with gratitude’. These words have supported me, not just with the breath, also in moments of overwhelm or deep discomfort.

Later in the year I discovered the poem Guesthouse by the mystic poet Rumi. This poem helped me appreciate even more deeply, the value of welcoming the present moment and staying open, to allow what needs to flow through my being in that moment.

2020 is starting with an eclipse on the 10^th January and a meeting of two rather heavy weight planets – Saturn and Pluto, two days later. There may be some emotions, some discomfort arising at this time. My wish for 2020 is to be able to welcome what life is bringing our way and breathe consciously through it; deepen connection with nature and deepen trust in the body – both being powerful sources of transformation. I wish for the peace and stillness I can feel in a Reiki treatment to be present at other times too.

At the beginning of 2020, I am feeling ever more grateful for the daily practice of Reiki. I still can’t believe how blessed we are to have Reiki in our life, this incredibly simple yet profound practice of Divine Sacred healing in our hands. I feel deep gratitude to you. It is an honour and a blessing to be able to serve you.

Autumn is the season of transformation. This year, it feels as if Universe is giving us an opportunity to release what no longer serves us, from the roots. I had a wonderful example of this in my garden. Not wanting to wage a war with the slugs and snails, I have not been planting much in the garden over the last few years. I have been observing what is growing. Every year I keep pruning back the bushes that have been growing and now it seems like they are taking over the garden.

I heard a gardener say recently that these bushes need to be dug out from the root. Her words landed deep in my being. I got out the gardening fork and managed to dig out some of these undesirable bushes from the roots! This not only gave me a wonderful sense of achievement, it also helped me realise that I am finally willing and able to let go of these bushes. This experience feels very symbolic and gives me hope that it is the right time to let go of what is no longer needed, what keeps us stuck in repetitive patterns, and make space for what is needed, what we yearn for, what our heart and inner wisdom longs for.

Transformation is not always easy or comfortable. Being able to welcome what life is bringing our way, seems to help facilitate the process. Welcoming what is showing up with gratitude seems to help even more, letting gratitude transform what is needed at this time. Our Reiki practice helps deepen our connection to the Source and to Mother Earth, letting Mother Earth help with the transformation, just as she helps transform our waste products to fertiliser for nourishing new growth.

For those interested in Astrology, there is a conjunction happening in January 2020, between two slow moving planets – Pluto(transformation) and Saturn(perfection/mastery) in Capricorn (Earth sign). The last time this conjunction happened in Capricorn – was about 500 years ago. The conjunction happens exactly in January 2020. But it has been building up gradually, preparing us for this profound deep-rooted transformation. Whether we are aware of the astrology or not, we have been feeling it. And it is definitely not going to happen like this, again, in our lifetime. So we have to make the most of this present moment.

The mantra – breathing in I welcome the present moment, breathing out I accept it with gratitude – continues to sustain me.

It feels like the right time to deepen our connection with the Earth to be able to transform what we are here at this time to transform, mastering/perfecting the way we live life so that we can step out of repetitive patterns that cause suffering to be in better alignment with love, peace, joy, good health, prosperity and longevity. Feeling deep gratitude for having Reiki in my life that helps me in every way I need.

Are you feeling as if rug is being pulled from under your feet, be it metaphorically or literally! Please know that you are not alone. We are being pushed, yes it can seem as if pressure has been building up. Any knocks, shocks or pressure that seem to be showing up at this time is helping us to remember and realign with what we are here to Master. Each one of us is here to learn and Master something unique. This unique gift is to help us to serve. It seems to be part of our life purpose.

I fell over on Friday. Fortunately, it was not serious. Trying to welcome what happened and reflecting on what it is helping me to see, I felt this full moon in Aries, on October 13^th, is helping shine the light of awareness on what showed up at Aries New Moon in April. Around 5^th April to be precise.

So do try and remember what new seeds/intentions were planted in your being, what was moving/surfacing in your consciousness at that time. There seems to be a definite connection between what happened then and now.

If moon can affect the oceans, it is bound to affect us too. After all we are more than 80% water!

Feeling grateful for realising this connection between the Full Moon, and the New Moon earlier in the Zodiac cycle. Also feeling grateful for my daily practice of Reiki and Yoga that helps make these connections.

Wanja Twan, one of the 22 Reiki Masters initiated by Hawayo Takata, my Reiki great grandmother, passed away on September 3, 2019 in British Columbia, Canada.

In words from her family – “Wanja’s passing was a joyous and peaceful celebration, with family and pets by her side”. There is more, about her very rich and full life in the obituary from her family.

“God did not make us to be sorrowful…” words that Wanja would say, reminded by Anneli Twan, her daughter and successor. Anneli invites us to join in from wherever we are in the world – light a candle, say a prayer, walk in nature, send Reiki, meditate or however we want to remember Wanja…

Wanja was a Mystic, a visionary healer, a wonderful writer. She wrote five books. These books are about her life, her experiences. Reading them can be a profoundly enriching and healing experience. Apparently a sixth one is nearly ready, so we have another gem to look forward to. Even the back cover of her books hold profound messages.

Some of Wanja’s quotes that became quite popular over the years – “We are always together and sometimes we meet”, “Anything is possible”. I feel blessed to have met her a couple of times on her visits to the UK. When I received the news of her passing, I decided to be with her books. Looking at the message she wrote for me, I was moved not just by her words, but with the beautiful flow in her handwriting too. I am wondering if this flow is indicative of the way she seemed to flow through life.

I opened the books randomly and messages started to emerge. In her latest book, A slight twinkling in the atomic structure, I returned to one of my favourite stories about her dream of joining the queue for ‘Grace bestowal seva’, along with her meditation teachers from Siddha Yoga. When I read thsi story for the first time, it felt as if Reiki is bestowing Grace.

‘Looking in boxes’ – the Visions of Jesus – sending Reiki healing and gratitude to Jesus – the message of ‘It is the heart that really hurts for humanity – it is in our heart that it hurts’. I cannot help wondering if this is why we end up with walls around our heart – to protect ourselves – because the pain is or has been too much to bear.

In her latest book, Wanja talks about learning by osmosis. Again, I cannot help wondering, if she was telling us about learning through oral tradition! Perhaps this is why it is so valuable to be together in person, when possible.

Her teachings seem to be more alive at this time. I found my way to a Reiki Talk Show interview with Wanja Twan that Phyllis Lei Furumoto recorded in 2008. It feels amazing to listen to Wanja’s voice. It feels particularly poignant to listen to the love and joy in the voices of both these amazing women at this time, the year in which both of them left this realm. Both of them dedicated their life to Reiki. It is a joy to listen to them talk about Reiki, sharing memories of their Reiki Master Hawayo Takata and their time together in the early 80s.

How I wish that I had asked Wanja about the present she sent for me, a few years ago, through a friend from London who went to Canada to visit Wanja. I want to know more about this intriguing Moose with wings! Perhaps this is the ultimate lesson in surrendering to not knowing, surrendering to the mystery of life. Or maybe she is continuing to communicate from where she is now…

Thank you Wanja for valuing Reiki enough in your own life to want to pass it on to others, for dedicating your life to Reiki and healing, and sharing some of your life experiences through your books.