I consider myself an open-minded skeptic. I fall somewhere between the "only if I can see it" approach of the Atheist, and the "just have faith" beliefs of the religious. I assure you that many years of college education can turn you into a hardened skeptic, but I have always prided myself on keeping an open mind, as there are some things which I think science will never be able to adequately explain.
In 2003 the skeptic in me was first introduced to Reiki. It started harmlessly enough. I attended a self-actualization seminar where 30 adults from all walks of life were thrown into a room together. Over a weekend we shared our deepest, darkest secrets in an effort to expunge ourselves from outdated, confining relational patterns, and adopted a more open and enlightened view of ourselves and each other. It was during this emotionally charged spiritual experience that a woman in the group suggested I try Reiki to relieve myself of negative thoughts and patterns that were hindering my development. When she asked if I had ever been to an energy healer, I had no idea what she was talking about. I must of looked at her like she had crabs crawling out of her ears because I remember her laughing and saying, "Just go! You could really use it, and you'll be glad you did." I can't say why, but her admonishment kept ringing in my ears until I scheduled an appointment with a local Reiki practitioner. I dragged a friend along because I was rather terrified. All I really knew was this person was going to be adjusting my chakras, which had something to do with my bio-energy field. How is a chakra adjusted, anyway? What if she saw my chakras were all messed up? What if she messed them up? I was also quite skeptical that anything I couldn't see (like energy) could be somehow manipulated by someone else, even a trained professional. To my relief, she took some time to answer my questions before we got started. After our discussion it seemed harmless enough, so I dove in (but still skeptical).
Splash! My heart stopped racing as I settled comfortably into the massage table. She was explaining everything as she went, a real relief to the skeptic in me. She began intuitively "reading" me-describing things I had been feeling, clarifying things I had wondered about and were confused by, drawing attention to hopes and dreams I had, and touching on stubborn behavioral patterns in my life that I couldn't seem to break. I was amazed at the accuracy of the information. I remember starting to cry, and thinking, "I will not ruin this session by crying." She only handed me a tissue and continued without skipping a beat. My breathing started to steady. I could not believe someone could know so much about me and yet be so accepting, and speak with such loving detachment. There were moments during the session that can only be described as sacred. Moments when I came home to my heart in ways I hadn't let myself before. Moments so intimate and gentle that I heard myself sighing in a relief I could never describe. Fleeting seconds when I knew that my life, in all its imperfection, had meaning, and that everything was going to be alright...better than alright. I felt as though she were actually touching my body, sending it messages to open, realign, and balance-but when I peeked, her hands were well above my body. How was all this happening? I remember sinking further and further down into the massage table as more information flowed from some unseen reservoir. "Try to believe," the practitioner said, "That the Universe doesn't give you more than one piece of the story at once. You only need to carry as much as you can handle." She's right, I thought to myself. I've been taking on too much...life is supposed to be enjoyed. This table, I told myself, is held up by the floor, which is held up by the building, which is sunk deep into the earth, and she is my mother.
When my session was over I was left with a lingering sense of peace and gratitude. When my friend, anxiously waiting for me in the reception room asked how it went, I put on my sunglasses and smiled. "My skeptical mind doesn't how it works, but I don't care. I'm a believer." I've been a believer in Reiki ever since.
To see all of Devi Nina's books: http://www.amazon.com/Nina-Bingham/e/B008XEX2Z0
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