My journey into Reiki and Healing!

This topic has been on my mind from past few months and I have been feeling strongly to write about it. For much reason – first and foremost reason for my gratitude to Reiki and different healing energies for giving me a different perspective of life.

I keep receiving quite a few queries on Reiki – most frequently asked being “How should I prepare myself for Reiki” or say “How do I know I am ready for it?” and “Does being attuned help us not having any problem in life?”  Well that’s the reason for me writing this. It’s my journey! And how it happened is important.

I would start with the belief “through crack enters light (say wisdom)”

Ok, let me share my journey.  It started in a manner which was a little strange, probably all good things start with some kind of trauma or say some kind of bad experience (reminds me of the Death card from Tarot deck) – I was going through a break up and I was wondering what to do! Am sure most of us have gone through some or other separation, some of us keep them under the wrap and some of us express it openly with courage. I do the later. And there is no shame! Each and every event is here to teach us something. Learn the lesson, move on. Life is as simple as this! However it took some time for me to learn that.

So, like many other broken-heart people I was kind of puzzled and somehow lost! Kind of desperate to patch up. In despair as well.  Don’t remember how but I found someone who is a Reiki Master and Holistic healer – almost 8 years back! That time I was not aware of Reiki or any kind of healing. However, I reached there. He was the first person introducing me to Reiki. No, i was not attuned to Reiki however he had always given me his valuable time and his earns to listen to my problems, be it anything. I got Reiki healing as well.  It has been a beautiful relationship since then. I sometimes used to attend his meditation classes where I started getting to know about Reiki, Chakras, Aura and various other things. However due to some or other reason I could not get attuned to Reiki. I was member of some Reiki group online as well; members there also helped me with distance healing and guided me. I was still though not very clear on what Reiki is and how it’s going to help me! However, i continued my journey with faith.

Time passed by! I had to shift to another city. Well, that I consider being quite a turning point in my life. I was in between jobs. I was travelling. I was a little worried financially as well. However I have always been blessed with some very supportive friends who stood by me under all circumstances. So I was less burdened.

My shifting to the new city was quite smooth. Everything was taken-care by the company who recruited me. However, my journey started after shifting. A completely new city it was for me, Bangalore. The language became a problem till some extent. I knew absolutely no one in the city, and the people I thought I had known became absolute strangers. Have started to dislike many things, was absolutely under stress and thought to leave the city and move back to my old city as I thought everything was going against me in the new city. My friends from Delhi had been my biggest strength then also. Being away, they were with me each and every moment. We have always been in touch, not even a single moment I faced when they were not with me. So in the new city I was not really alone, virtually together.

And gradually I started enjoying my own company; it was another big learning for me. I kept asking myself, why I am here in the new city? Almost alone without friends, family! No I didn't really get the answer immediately why I was there! I got it gradually.

When we become comfortable in our own company, we start to introspect and rediscovering ourselves – who we really are. Being in the new city gave me enough time to spend to myself, reading, writing and knowing what I want. I started to travel solo, more frequently, started preparing new cuisine and stated reading again. As I child also I used to love reading. I was back with my hobbies.

As I was not going through a very happy and smooth time, and all I wanted was to heal the situation I started looking for a way out! That was the time I ended up ( or say stared my new journey) with Reiki. I found my Reiki teacher and another holistic healer. Both happened with me simultaneously. I went my healer for Theta healing and I went to my Reiki master for my level 1 attunement. The change started there.

So here am going to answer one of the questions that many people asked me, does Reiki help eliminating the problem or tough situation? My answer, NO. Reiki and any other healing practises guide us to see the entire situation in a new perspective.  We see the tough situation as an opportunity to learn. I started having much more patience, much more compassion, unconditional love and much more faith, less judgement and less doubt. My relationship improved gradually with many. I gradually have developed many healthy habits. I started having more vegetarian food, less unhealthy food and beverages. My going out and partying out became less frequent. Suddenly fair weather friends stopped showing off. I was surrounding by less people then – however the people I was surrounded by were people who loved me unconditionally and were my true well wishers. I started getting in touch with people from the healing field – somehow I have started having my own comfort zone with like-minded people. Not everyone does Reiki – some practises Buddhism, some Angel Therapy or something else. However the common factor was love and compassion.

So here comes my second answer, so how did I prepare myself for Reiki? My answer, I didn’t really prepare anything I reached there when I was supposed to be there. My Reiki level 1 happened and then happened Reiki level 2 and finally I have done Reiki Master Level.

My Reiki Teacher was also asked “how would I know if am ready for Reiki certain level?” she answered “if you have reached my place today, you are ready for Reiki certain level”

For me it was one point connecting to another. Simultaneously I started getting drawn to various inspiring books! And all of a sudden, books on Angels. Being a Hindu, no family member or friend discussed on angels with me before. Surfing through net, unknowingly I found Doreen’s books and I started reading one by one. It didn’t just stop there. I was drawn to Angel Oracle cards as well, I started reading for myself or close friends on my intuition. Started having some of my favourite Decks! When I was looking for a angel therapy course, one fine day I heard in Radio one Angel therapy workshop in Bangalore! That’s what I was waiting for so quite obviously I jumped at it and enrolled myself. I have done quite a few similar workshops which helped me having a better understanding! Probably that’s what I call synchronicity – meeting like-minded people, drawn to books and workshops which help me developing my interest and knowledge in this field.

Coming back to where I started my relationship. So did I get him back? No. I didn't. Then how did Reiki and other healing energies help me? Eventually I could forgive him. Healing starts when you accept the situation and forgive. Forgiving is quite a big thing and it indeed need courage! Rather than forgiving him, I choose to forgive myself first. I let go the guilt, I let go the need of chasing him and chasing love, I let go the need of having a guy. Rather I fell in love with things I love say reading, music, movies, travelling and photography. And one day when I looked back, I realized he (my ex) was just a medium for pushing me where I am today and indeed am a much evolved person today. He was the way for me to reach Reiki and other healing methods. Imagine being in a happy relationship, being settled with him, I would probably not been able to be where I am today. I finally thanked him for bringing a better me! Or say finding another side of me.

And one day, we spoke. All bitterness, rudeness disappeared. He spoke with much love, compassion and good intention. He apologized and we realized both of us eventually had forgiven each other. We closed the chapter wishing each other a happy life! Say sweet ending!  

So in a nutshell, I can say Reiki has been my journey. Not the destination. Since am still on my journey, I am not sure what the destination is. Probably to find out my higher self towards more healing and helping them who are in need. Yes, most of us need healing – more and deeper understanding of life rather than cribbing and complaining over every difficult situation. So, I can wrap up how it helped me:

•  I have become much calmer person than I was before. Situation, people or anything doesn’t really worry me. I still have difficult situation and I know I will be taken care of!
• In every difficult situation or when I come across difficult people, I just ask myself what lesson am I supposed to learn here? Keep the intention right, the answer will eventually come!
• I don’t rush into things. I know, things will eventually happen. However, it will happen when the time is right. Like I was attuned to Reiki much after I got to know about Reiki.
•  I have realized no one is really a bad person. Everyone is here having their own journey and teaching us something. So i don’t curse any one anymore. I send love, I thank everyone and I move on.
•  I have quite detached. It doesn’t mean being indifferent. It only means being compassionate without encouraging drama. I don’t encourage drama!
•   I have learnt to love and accept own self first. Most of us or say all of us wait for other’s approval. We try really hard to be approved by family, friends, teachers, partners or society! What about the authentic self? The way we are supposed to be? Probably sometime soon I will write another article on my journey on self love!
• I have created a protection wall for myself. I no more let others to insult me! I don’t need their approval! Be it anyone. I am perfectly fine the way I am!
•  I have become less tolerant to non sense.
•   I have more faith.
•   Now I know I attract only those people who will help me enhancing my journey into a richer one!
•  I have truly started appreciating and have started attitude of gratitude meaning being thankful not because someone has asked me to do so but because I am blessed enough to be thankful.
• I can enjoy just being! I mean can enjoy in the very present moment. I don’t rush to the past or worry about future! I have seen most of us are so busy either in past or in future we forget that we belong to the past!
• I have learnt to be patience.
•    I have learnt to let go (most of us find it very difficult, we hold on to things too tight without the need of holding it too tight)

These are very basic things which we either take for granted or ignore. And these are the things which really help us growing.

I thank everyone whom I have come across in my journey and whom I will come across. To mention a few names whom I can’t really afford to miss, I thank my parents and brother for their support, I thank Dr Jarrel who introduced me to Reiki and who has been there for me always with unconditional love and support, I thank my soul friends Kalpana, Marisha, Richa, Barnali, Munmun, Sridhar for their unconditional love – they completely stood by me no matter what! I thank Shweita, my soul sister for her guidance almost anytime I needed. I thank Ashwita for being my Reiki Master and guiding me whenever I needed, I thank Sushmita for my Theta Healer and I thank Ananya for being my Reiki teacher for Reiki Master Level. And many other people who taught me something or other through various situations!

P.S. It’s my journey that I have shared. You might have a different view point, which is completely Ok!

The Making...

My quick visit to Kodaikanal

You know you have an awesome trip when you can think about it and smile when you are alone, when you can proudly tell the story of your trip to others.

Also, most of our memorable trips are those unplanned crazy trips! My last minute planning.  Everything uncertain! It’s just the passion to travel, to see more, to explore more keep the travel enthusiast like me going!

It was a sudden and solo trip, the destination was unknown even 24 hours prior to my journey. That’s typical me. However, luckily I froze on Kodaikanal as that’s the only place I got a ticket available for my journey. The much awaited long weekend caused all the tickets sold for almost every destination. Everyone had planned their trips much in advance. However, I was lucky enough to manage my tickets and stay as well.

It was a mad evening. Seemed everyone in Bangalore just wanted to rush out of the city! To have fun, I guess nature added some heavy rain to it! The traffic didn’t seem to move after a point of time. I booked my ticket with KSRTC. Well, the rain caused a stagnant traffic for hours! I had no other option but to get down from my bus and start walking towards my bus stop. Needless to say, it was an ultimate chaos! So many people, drenched, confused – looking out for their respective buses! The whole road was jam packed and all the buses reached late to the stand! Amidst the huge crowd and chaos I thought I was lost and almost missed my bus. However, I thank my angels to delay the bus till I reached. I boarded the bus pretty much on time, taking my comfortable position at a window seat and cherishing each droplet of rain outside the window.

So my journey starts with a rain drenched window seat!

The bus travelled smoothly. Stopped in between for food.

When I got up in the morning, I was at Dindigul. The fresh breeze was so refreshing that I almost forgot the delayed tiring journey!  I could smell only peace and serenity in the air, away from the hustle bustle of the city. I could see the clouds, I could see the greens and I could see happiness!

I reached Kodaikanal around 11am. Had booked a budget guest house, almost 3.5km away from Kodaikanal. I prefer budget trip than a lavish one. Well, during the bus journey I met a stranger who became an acquaintance. We shared the seat next to each other so yes we did chit chat a lot! He knew the local language so helped me in talking to my guest house, fixing up a cab for my guest house! Usually when we travel alone, we get to meet people with kind gestures. 

Well, I reached my guest house – far from the city, amidst mist and greens. I somehow liked it. A small room with basic amenities! It was cold enough to let me get into my woolens. I saw many bikers from Kerala staying there. Most of them were college students coming from in and around Munnar for a biking trip. Amazing, aint it?

Few hours later another friend of mine joined me from Chennai! Had a quick lunch– some porotha and fried chicken. Tastes average, however, when hungry everything seems heaven. After a happy tummy, we started towards Kodaikanal, it was raining – how beautiful it was to see the floating clouds and the rain and in between the mist! The green hills covered with mist looks so mysterious, calls us to discover some unknown treasury. Calls for some imaginations and fantasies from my childhood indeed.  

The walk till Kodaikanal was beautiful – rain drenched road, rain drenched flora and fauna, and the fresh, soothing freeze – for that very moment it seemed if there could have been the moment of absolute peace and happiness, this is the moment! Being a photo enthusiast, I could click some nice picture of the rain drenched flowers. We saw some local vendors selling local fruits – it amazed me to see the vibrant colors of the fruits starting from litchi, passion fruit, castor apple and many more. I believe, the vibrant visual of the fruits made me hungry for sure!

We walked till Cockers walk, St. Peters Church and then to Kodai Lake. And guess what did I see there? Cycles! Yes you can hire a cycle and roam around the lake. Quite fascinating for me, reminding me of my childhood days of cycling freely, happily – no rush, just to enjoy the breeze.  Well, before we could take a complete walk of the lake, it started raining. A very heavy rain!!! So we took shelter under a shop there. There are many Tibetan shops of homemade chocolates, spices, woolen clothes and food, of-course! We bought a big and beautiful, colourful umbrella and started walking in the rain. It’s fun to walk in rain, half drenched and somewhat trying not to get drenched. We had food in the local shop and bought some fruits in case we feel hungry later! While walking, I found a shop near Dominos / HDFC which had dream catchers too. I have been looking for them for quite some time however didn’t find any! Well, I didn’t buy it as I didn’t like the colors. Never mind.

While returning it was almost 6:30pm and it was dark. The smell of the rain, the chill in the air and the mist was still there in the dark. We started walking and as we crossed Kodaikanal market / bus stop, it started becoming dark – pretty dark! Then came a point where we could not see any light so with the help of mobile we kept walking knowing any wild animal might just cross the road, can be anything! Heard some wild animals usually take a stroll in the dark! Scary, yet adventurous! However, managed to get a lift from a kind couple in a while so my heart beat came to normal!

The night was cold enough – it was still drizzling outside. Somewhat mysterious – a layered silence and the hush hush drizzles! Anyway, a sleepless previous night and quite some walk made me sleep like a baby.

The next morning was beautiful. Got up earlier than expected!! Not quite me who is a late riser. However the enchanting sun and its warmth kicked me out of my bed filled with some enthusiasm. The day started with the some at the local shop. Trust me, the tea there is quite good, my kind of tea, more milk! I like tea that way.

My trek enthusiast friend guided me towards Dolphin Nose through the curvy roads – the hills, the water falls and the pines! The morning mist made everything look like a pure bliss. The last night’s rain drops were fresh on the pine leaves, the wild flowers and on the grass as well.  The chirpy birds surely can make anyone’s heart sing out loud. So did mine.

We walked approx 4.5km to reach Dolphin nose. It’s called Dolphin nose probably because of the shape of the rock.  It’s some 6600 ft deep. The view can just take anyone’s breath away. The lush greenery, the floating happy clouds and some distant village – a complete fairy tale panoramic view of life, of peace, of silence.  A moment to live within.  A moment to live for. A moment to cherish forever! It made me felt calm like Buddha. Spent quite some time just breathing. What a beautiful feeling to do so. The best part that we reached early morning and could spend some time there. It rains usually post 10:30am. Usually!

Another thing that tempted me the most is the colourful fruits there! Starting from litchi, passion fruits, apples, oranges, carrots so on and so forth!!! Without giving it a try how could I come back? It’s a sin! Yes, tried passion fruits! It’s fun!

After returning to out accommodation, we hogged as if we are starving for quite a few days! Nothing like crispy and hot dosai, tea and alu puri! Yes, all that we ate in breakfast. After freshening up, the walk started again for upper lake, pillar rock and suicide point.  Few kms walk and then we realized somehow we had lost our ways! Less time as I had to catch my bus that evening and it’s just few hours to go! Walked and walked, by then I was kind of tired and more than that lazy!

Upper lake to me was not that impressive, I had better view of Naini Lake at Nainital! That is always in my mind. However, we could not trace a single cab to hire for rest of our so called sight seeing! And then came a point that we found a cab who agreed to help us completing the rest of our journey. Well, another young solo traveler was traveling in the cab, same purpose! Made me quite happy to see there are some crazy people like me who can travel alone for their passion to see a new place! And it took few seconds to start a conversation with him! Best part was he was form Delhi who is working in Chennai! So I could connect well so as my friend! The rest of the journey we made together – suicide point, Guna Cave and Pillar Rocks. Guna cave again had nothing to see! The cave is now well covered for safety reason. It looks very ordinary! We went to pine forest and I could click some baby monkeys with their mothers! Protective, loving and caring mothers. Doesn’t matter a monkey or a human or anything – the motherly feelings I guess the same everywhere – its universal. The best view till now was at Pillar Rocks! Three giant rocks standing – covered in mist and clouds. I was happy clicking. The place was crowded and I found my stranger friend whom I met in bus while coming to Kodai! Well stranger because he still was stranger and friend because we had by then grown a little bit of feelings of friendship. Thank you advanced technology!

Well, we faced a real great traffic – due to long weekend, seems half of the southern India population was in Kodaikanal! Phew! Anyway, thankfully I reached my bus stand on time!

It was a beautiful bus with big and clear glass window making the outside view so clear and beautiful. I sat happily! My next seat was vacant so more space for me and my bag! It was time to bid my friends bye for the time. It was time to leave the beautiful serene princess of hills! The setting sun spreading its orange hue all over the sky bid me good bye too!

I returned as a happy soul making two more new friends and enriched with some happy travel memories.