Part One: The Day I Met Azrael, The Angel Of Death.

Not long after I split up with my Fiance and while I was still feeling incredibly vulnerable, it was time for me to go for my Reiki 1 training and the first part of four attunements. This was a test for how much I wanted it, as to get there I needed to drive past what would have been our wedding venue. When you state an intention to The Universe you'll often find it throws up tests along the way...I managed to drive past it, but as I watched what would have been our venue dressers for the day, drive into the venue, I didn't manage not to cry.

By the time I reached my destination of Ulverston I was struggling to hold it together. I had no idea what to expect from the day and I was decidedly unsure that I was in any state to learn anything. I needn't have worried - if you pass the test for how much you want something, The Universe usually responds with a reward to keep you going.

In I went, determined, yet clueless as to why I was so determined - why was I doing this? I could drive back home and get a 'normal' job? I was greeted by Jane, my Reiki Master Teacher (RMT), who is beyond lovely and put me straight at ease with a tale similar to my own break-up. This was when I first started to truly understand and see that life mirrors you all the time. What you see in others is actually a reflection of what's inside you - even if you don't like what you see (if that's the case, use it to teach yourself / change something).  You see, we are all one, even if we hate to admit it. 

We drew cards to help us determine how the day would go. I picked 'healing sounds', 'sacred union' and 'sorrow'. This was interesting as I learnt that my RMT uses healing sounds, I felt I would have a sacred union that day but wasn't sure who or what with...I was right! Hmm...sorrow...I guessed I was grieving my relationship and even to some extent the excitement and emotional energy spent on planning our 'Big Day'.

For the attunement part I sat on a chair and closed my eyes fully relaxed from the deep meditation I'd been in. I can't say for definite what happened next, I can only tell you it was one of the strongest experiences of my life.

The feeling of the emotion of fear came over me, not our every day earth fear, no, something else, like a force. I've never felt fear like it and I doubt I ever will again (I bloody hope not, anyway!). I didn't know what I was frightened of - it was no one thing. I wanted it to stop, but it didn't...it carried on like it was being drawn out of me. I sobbed uncontrollably on my chair - like an infant in serious trouble at school. Sorrow descended on me and I felt it ricochet through my entire being. A cold, dark shadow came over me and a great angel with jet black intricate wings stood before me. The angel snatched fear from my left hand and sorrow from my right hand. In my mind I called out for angelic assistance as Azrael felt different to the other angels I knew. Chamuel came to my right and held me, Raphael was floating by my head, Uriel was on my left-hand side and Michael was in front of me, not to protect me but to comfort me, Zadkiel was behind me with his hand on my shoulder. 

Azrael, Angel of Death

My body was shaking so bad the chair I was on was knocking the floor, but I couldn't stop that or the pain that flowed out of me like a river floating away from me forever. I saw a Goddess rise up before me she said "Sha...something". I thought there was a good chance I may have sha...something myself and I tried to regain human semblance to check. 

At the last part of the attunement I heard Jane channel a message to me "remember what it was to be free?", "open your wings and soar", at this precise moment in time I felt the whole of my spine crack and wings burst out from my back, I could even feel the draft from them and everything.

Finally, I saw a rose stem with two snakes coiling round it. The stem led up from my base chakra (lower back energy vortex) and it fired all the way up my spine to my crown chakra (top of the head energy vortex) and burst open into a violet bloom. I realised the attunement was over and I had survived. Phew! Once I'd calmed down I felt on top of the world and freed from the grief I had arrived with.

So there you have it, the day I met Azrael, Angel of Death. I'm glad he didn't wink at me as legend says this is what he does before he snatches your soul from your body when you die. He is also the angel of transformation and I believe this is why he was at my attunement.

This was the start of my many beautiful life experiences with reiki. It's been a rollercoaster and this story leads into another of my Shaktipat Initiation, which I hope to tell you about next time. 

For part two visit here Part Two: The Shakti Sign

I had another three attunements after that first one. Each brought their own gifts. I still can't believe I went back for more. Brave or crazy? You decide!

Jane is a brilliant Reiki Master Teacher and if you'd like to become her pupil or have a treatment from her (highly recommended by me) then you can contact her here:

http://www.sacredspace-reiki.co.uk/reiki-courses.php

What Is Reiki? Who On Earth Knows?

What Is Reiki?

This is a common question and one that, in my opinion, there isn't a right or wrong answer to. 

I'm going to answer the question purely from my point of view and from my heart, based on my own experiences.

I am, of course, a novice at it's practice, having only completed Reiki Level One in May this year, yet I feel an affinity with this wondrous Source, like many others, and as an Enthusiast, I'd like to share my beliefs about it.

There are some who claim to be experts of reiki, which I disagree with - you can be an expert reiki practitioner with many years vast experience but you'll never be an expert on reiki itself. Why? Reiki is not something that can be controlled, you can channel it but you can't second guess what it will do or how it will do it. For this reason a level of faith is required to practice it.   

The Meaning of Reiki

As the Japanese word 'reiki' does not translate directly to English, it can loosely be translated as this Rei (Ray) = Universal , Spiritual Consciousness/Guidance, All Knowing, Soul - I take this to mean wisdom from your Higher Self (or God) e.g. knowing what the root cause of the issue is/knowing the real you... and Ki (Key) = Breath, Life Force, Vital Radiant Energy - I take this to mean the invisible energy that powers our lives and can heal us. Others refer to it as Life Source, Light Source, God, God's Blessing, God's Love, Universal Energy, Source Of All Manifestation, I could go on...it transcends words and I still have no real idea what it is to me yet.

It's invisible to most, though with practice you do get a sense of what it looks like or you may be lucky enough to see its energy. Practitioners (and sometimes clients) can feel it, for some the effects are quite strong, like myself, I shake uncontrollably and I do have to 'ground' myself a lot. I can also feel it 'bubbling' or 'sticking' at certain points in the healing, which can be an indication of a blockage in the persons energy system.

You see, if you think about it we are all made up of atoms and electrons, which vibrate and give off 'energy'. This isn't the science bit, by the way - I am a lover of science but this is not a scientific practice, rather, an ancient sacred practice instead. If you think about it, hands-on healing has existed in stories for many years. I imagine it's what Witch Doctors and Shamans used to do to their tribes. So, if we are all giving off energy of some form, this means we have an energy field around us (aura), which can be affected by traumas and other such life events, leaving us feeling drained or 'out of sorts'.

An example is: Think about when you're happy and you meet someone who is sad - you're energy has mixed with that persons and you now don't feel as happy. You probably feel lethargic and have less energy. Right?

The picture above is the closest I can find to illustrate what it feels and looks like to me when I give/receive energy-healing. As I can't draw very well, it was taken from Google Images (energy-magic.com).

Reiki is the practice of connecting to Life Source and channeling it via set hand positions through the clients' energy field to help get everything as it should be again.

The beauty of reiki is that it always works for the greater good and can never and will never harm anyone. It works on a deep level and can't always be felt. Sometimes, if the person is not ready for necessary change, it will bury itself and come out when the person is ready - creating a shift in the persons' belief system, personality or even life.

This picture of the sun rays piercing the clouds could be representative of reiki energy being channeled through the many layers that make us up.

A lot of people consider it relaxing, but it depends on the session, I, for one, have never had a relaxing reiki treatment. For me, it knows I am all about spiritual growth and to do this I must face deep routed doubts and fear until they no longer block me - so this is what I get. 

You can't decide what you want it to to do and nor can the practitioner - reiki knows best.

The best way I can describe it to you all is to say that it is like pouring the real you back into you and bringing you back to your true life purpose/dharma. Once you do that you'll be truly happy (not the artificial happy that many feel and is so easily effected) and as a consequence healthy. So this is why it is a holistic healer - it helps with mind, body and soul. It can be, and in my opinion, should be used on babies and children; all age groups and animals too. You can also reiki things and problems. 

In a short space of time I have seen it create changes in people I have practiced on, that no Dr has been able to do. That's not to say that Drs aren't wonderful - they are and should be consulted in conjunction with your reiki practitioner. Even without miraculous results it is a miracle that this 'thing' exists and is open to all.

I've had many strong experiences during reiki and I plan to share these with you all at some point. Including, my reiki attunements (which you must have in order to practice) - these were Out Of This World moments in my amazing life.

For now, I'll leave you with the thought, that if we were all doing what we were put on this earth to do; all truly happy in the knowledge that we are on the right path; wouldn't the world be a better place? I particularly think children are taken away from that these days and distracted by the material world around us. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we gave them back the gift of being at ease with themselves and their reason for being on this planet, instead of following the crowd and the adverts? It's for that reason I believe the world would benefit from reiki in schools. I want to make this happen.

If anyone who knows me personally face to face, would like a free one hour reiki treatment, then please get in touch.

I'd like to thank those who helped me write this with special thanks to Jane Swales, my Reiki Master/Teacher, who introduced me to the wonder of reiki and has taught me lots. And to Ros and Jayne who introduced me to the wonder of Jane Swales! Also, Jayne Morrisey who has taught me about energy-work. They can all be booked for treatments or courses at their websites here: 

http://www.sacredspace-reiki.co.uk/

http://www.complementary-healthcentre.co.uk/

Curious? Why not try it, be open to change and watch it work it's miracle gift for you.

This is Hilarion, born of Pagan parents, said to have gone to the desert at 15 years of age to live an incredibly modest life and who is said to have performed miracles of healing on many. 


More like this:

What it Means to Heal

The Energetics of Illness

Channelled Healing Songs and Poems