Sacred Path of Reiki

Reiki Healing: The Missing Link In Cancer Treatment Programs? by Guest Post Contributor, Emily Walsh

2011-07-26T11:44:00.000-07:00

The use of Reiki as an adjunct to traditional cancer treatments has seen an increase over the past several years. Oncologists have become increasingly open-minded regarding alternative methods to help their patients during their struggle with such an unrelenting enemy.

Many cancer patients who have been diagnosed with aggressive malignancies like mesothelioma have been fortunate to be able to employ Reiki during their chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Both patients and doctors have been astonished and encouraged about the positive effects Reiki has on those who use it.

Reiki practitioners throughout the world have been touting the benefits of hands-on-healing to the body and mind. The belief among holistic and alternative therapists and practitioners is that the mind dictates the energy that flows through the body. When the energy is in balance, the body works at its optimal level. However, if the energy is out of balance, disease is likely to take its toll on the body through various types of illnesses, especially those associated cancer or treatment side effects.

The physical benefits of Reiki for cancer patients undergoing treatment for their disease are quite promising and beneficial. Patients report a decrease in nausea and vomiting following a Reiki session. The influx of positive energy that comes from this type of therapy also helps to stimulate the appetite. Many cancer patients have a difficult time keeping weight on during chemotherapy and radiation due to the harshness of the treatments. During such treatments, Reiki has helped to lessen the pain associated with cancer. Pain management is one of the most difficult aspects of diseases such as cancer.

As someone who has experienced first hand the devastation that cancer can wreak on a loved ones’ mental and physical state, I can attest to the fact that the benefits of complementary therapies go far beyond the physical realm. When my grandmother was diagnosed with lung cancer, her oncologists were able to prescribe her a plethora of drugs to counteract the physical symptoms she was experiencing, but they were not effective in addressing the anxiety, fear, and stress that she felt as a result of her diagnosis and the uncertainty of her future. In an effort to ease her mind, she pursued Reiki and EFT as a complement to her traditional cancer treatments, and I observed a noticeable difference in her demeanor as a result. She seemed more relaxed and at peace than she had been previously, which I truly believe helped her keep up the fight against her disease longer than she may have without the assistance of these therapies.

Cancer patients who incorporate Reiki therapy into their traditional cancer treatment regimens have found many positive and sustaining benefits. Feelings of relaxation, calm, and alertness are often felt by individuals being treated with Reiki. The soothing effects of energy work help patients who may be suffering from anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances. Reiki practitioners bring into the treatment a personal and empathetic atmosphere to an otherwise distinctly sterile environment.

While the use of Reiki therapy during cancer treatments holds many benefits for patients, one must remember that this form of alternative healing does not offer a cure for cancer. Reiki is used merely for the positive effects on the mental state of the patient.

This article is by Emily Walsh, guest contributor.

Please view her blog at: em-musings.blogspot.com

Upcoming Reiki Warrior Workshop in West Virginia

2011-07-12T08:14:00.001-07:00

REIKI WARRIOR WORKSHOP

With Katalin Koda, Shamanic Practitioner, Reiki Master and Author of “Sacred Path of Reiki”, and “Fire of the Goddess” (www.katalinkoda.com)

Reiki Warrior is for Reiki practitioners of all degrees and other healers with some experience.
Date: August 20-21, 2011
Time: 9:30 am – 5pm

Reigistration deadline: August 1

Location: 6 miles outside of Morgantown, WV - Private, outdoor location

Workshop fee: $185 for both days
Tentative Itinerary:

DAY ONE
Introductions
Reiki Warrior Initiation
Journey to Lower Worlds to Receive Power Animal
Buddhist Teachings: Mindfulness and Interdependence and Deep Listening
Elements Journey to explore Fire, Air, Water, Earth
Creating Sacred Space exercise using Reiki Symbols
Lunch
Learning to Merge with Power Animal and Elements
Practice Reiki Session with Sacred Space, Elements and Power Animal
Design Group Ceremony

DAY TWO
Sharing and Reconnect
Second Reiki Warrior Initiation
Journey to Upper Worlds to Receive Spirit Helper/Teacher
Buddhist Teachings: Contemplating Death and Tonglen
Finding a Spirit Song in Nature and How to use in Healing
Lunch
Practice Healing work with Combined Sacred Space, Power Animal, Teacher
Practice Distance Healing with Spirit Helper
Perform Group Ceremony
Conclusion

CAMPING IS AVAILABLE ON-SITE FOR THE WEEKEND; $25/night for campers, $10/person for tent camping. Please indicate in your registration if you plan to camp for the weekend, as number of sites are limited.
What to bring for classes: Bag lunch, beverages, notebook/pen, (bug spray, sunscreen if you wish), drums, rattles, stones, your preference of energy tools. Teaching will be held inside a screened porch and outdoors. Max attendance of 12.

For registration by August 1, and directions, send your contact information to:
Cathy Campbell, 304.216.7324 or cathyjcampbell@comcast.net
www.reikiservices.cfsites.org
www.eamega.com/heartofgrace

Creating Ceremony

2011-07-06T08:24:00.000-07:00

First Published by Llewellyn Inc. at www.llewellyn.com, Creating Ceremony.

For thousands of years, human beings have honored our connection to the earth, seasons, and major life transitions through ceremony, ritual, and storytelling. These practices are the sacred technology of indigenous people and are an inherent part of our past and ancestral wisdom. The purpose of creating ceremony is to honor the life-giving forces of our earth, to simply be thankful for our water, our air, our land, and the plants and animals that dwell on the planet with us. In these current times of disconnection, feelings of lack and poverty, and polluted air and waters, the importance of creating ceremony is becoming more apparent. When we perform a ceremony we are creating more balance inside of ourselves that enables us to connect and act in a way that is in harmony with each other and the earth. From the shamanic or indigenous perspective, honoring what feeds us, clothes us, shelters us, and enables us to live is crucial to our well being and brings us into a place of right balance.

In my upcoming book, Fire of the Goddess: Nine Paths to Ignite the Sacred Feminine, I use ceremony as one of the main ways to connect to our soul or spiritual self. In the West, many of us have been estranged from the words "ceremony" or "ritual," as they may be associated with religion and dogmatic practices. Yet we find that we still create community when someone graduates, becomes pregnant, or dies. These community gatherings are the same as ceremony, regardless of religion or belief. Like ceremony, they create a space for people to gather, honor the person or event, and usually have a place for giving offerings. Yet, we can incorporate ceremony and ritual so much more into our lives and, when not constricted by following prescribed ways of connecting to our community and the earth, it can be something spontaneous and joyous. I have found that ceremonies are like seeds of light that are sprinkled in my life. The more ceremony I create, the more I allow myself to dissolve the smaller self into the connectedness of community and earth and the seeds of light expand outward like a web. These seeds then grow and illuminate my daily life, spilling over into the everyday actions. As that happens, we realize that everything is sacred, even the most mundane tasks like cleaning and paying bills, and our entire life becomes a ceremony.

When indigenous people create ceremony, they are actively seeking to dissolve their smaller selves and merge with the larger creative forces like the earth, the spirits, and the ancestors. We can also do this, as we are each indigenous to this earth. Each time we create ceremony, we feel spiritually nourished and align more clearly with our purpose. For example, creating a nature table or altar where we can place objects that inspire us (such as images of our grandmother, a goddess, or Buddha, or flowers or a candle) may be helpful. We are then physically communicating to our soul that these are qualities we wish to invoke in our lives. This also helps us to be more grateful for what we have in our lives, which then develops greater awareness and compassion for ourselves and others.

In Fire of the Goddess I explore several ways to use ceremonies to specifically connect to our inner sacred feminine. When we as both women and men tap into the power, love, and wisdom inherent on our earth and reflected in our bodies, we are able to heal, understand our life purpose, and create connection in our communities. Some examples for women are ceremonies to reclaim menses, croning ceremonies at menopause, and ceremonies to honor a pregnant friend. Men can benefit from creating ceremony to reclaim the transition into manhood and becoming a father. Both men and women together benefit from creating ceremonies to celebrate the earth, to give thanks, or to honor a person who has died.

Ceremonies can be intricate and elaborate (and include many songs, costumes, and instruments, as well as various people playing several parts) or they can be as simple as lighting a candle and giving thanks for our families, the food on the table, or the sunlight. What is essential to ceremony is the act of creating a physical form to represent your intention. Lighting a candle can signify gratitude, clarity, or awakening. Sprinkling water on our faces can symbolize cleansing or purification. Creating a wreath of leaves and flowers may portray connectedness, honoring life and things growing. Building a pile of stones can represent becoming more grounded. We might find that we start with creating simple ceremony and then grow to add different elements to symbolize more than one intention, or creating ceremony for a few reasons, such as purifying and manifesting.

Creating ceremony is the process of setting an intention and then using a form that symbolizes our intention, such as manifesting something into our lives. When we set our intention and then create and perform a symbolic action we are clearly communicating to our soul or subconscious that we are committed to creating abundance in our lives. This is very simple yet powerful because we bypass our conscious, linear mind and allow our heart to speak directly with the universe. For example, if we want to manifest a car or a new job, we could perform a simple ceremony of planting a seed, using the seed as a symbol for our manifestation. We can blow our intention into the seed and then plant it in the earth as a symbolic act; our seed will then sprout and come to life, giving us other gifts of air or food as well. By creating ceremony we are communicating from subconscious to conscious mind the freedom to take action and manifest. We are imbuing our wish or intention it with focused clarity or power, which has an effect on our life. Although the seed itself may not bring a car exactly, our focused intention will tune us in to ways that will help us manifest one in our life.

After setting an intention, we are ready to establish solid groundwork that will create an effective ceremony. I have found the following three aspects of ceremony to be helpful guides: making an altar, giving offerings, and creating sacred space. The first aspect is to create an altar or physical space to place symbolic items that represent different parts of the ceremony. An altar is simply a place that you designate as sacred. It can be a small shelf in your house, a table in your bedroom, an entire room dedicated to sacred space, or a mound of earth in the garden. Once you have chosen the space, you will want to clear it of any clutter, and perhaps but a nice cloth over it if is a table or shelf. Then, simply adorn this sacred space with things you like, such as images of things, people, or deities that inspire you; flowers and candles; incense and sage; and any other sacred objects that are meaningful to you.

The second essential aspect is making an offering. This is one of the most important actions in the sacred technology of indigenous wisdom. When I lived in India, I was surrounded by people constantly making offerings of coconuts, flowers, sandalwood, tikka powders, incense, and chanting. They would create the most beautiful plates adorned with these items and offer them to their ancestors, to the land spirits, to the animals and trees, and to their personal deity (such as Saraswati or Siva). When we do this, we are offering a small token of our gratitude and respect to the earth, water, and air; to other people and creatures that dwell with us; and the unseen world of spirits. This reminds us that we are interconnected with all things on earth and helps us to cultivate an open and thankful heart. Making an offering also reminds us that we take everything we need from the earth; it helps to cultivate right balance when we make an offering back as well. We may also choose to give specific offerings to the spirits that dwell on the land, to our ancestors, and to unseen guides and helpers. The more we offer, the more our hearts open and the more we have the opportunity to receive. Whenever someone in India, or most of the world, goes to receive teachings or healing or to make a prayer or intention, they always bring an offering. This is so important to ceremonial work and our life in general, to cultivate the act of offering and service to our earth and each other so that we can open to power, love, and wisdom within.

Next, we want to create a container or space to hold the intention for the ceremony. This helps to magnify whatever actions you perform and increases the connection to the spirits. Traditionally, many cultures use the elements of air, fire, water, and earth to help create sacred space. You may want to explore these elements and create simple ceremonies to honor each of them. For example, you can light a candle for fire, burn incense for air, fill a bowl of water for water, and sprinkle some salt for earth. Other ways to discover more about the elements is to write each one on the top of a sheet of paper and then make a list of your personal associations with that element. Do not try to analyze or over think this, just spontaneously make a list. For example, under water you may write: cleansing, purifying, ocean, liquid. You can add images, color and descriptions of the element to further connect with it. Another method is to visualize the element and evoke the qualities that you associate with it, such as the smell, color, or feeling.

Once you have visited each of the elements, you can also explore the four cardinal directions (east, south, west, and north). Calling in each of the directions (along with their associated elements) works to both honor these elements of earth as well as provide a potent space to set our intentions. Certain traditions associate specific elements with each of the directions (such air for east, fire for south, water for west, and earth for north). Although you may wish to use these, I also encourage you to explore each of the directions on your own as well, to find out more. Just as you did with the elements, you can make a list of qualities with each of the directions using words, color, and imagery. This creates a unique and personal relationship with the directions and is not bound by certain traditions. The directions and elements are directly influenced by the environment and natural world around us. Often indigenous peoples in the northern hemisphere dedicated fire to the south, while peoples in the southern hemisphere connected fire to the north, indicating the relation of the warmth in response to their location on earth. Where you live will have its own unique qualities with each of the directions.

The steps for creating a ceremony are as follows:

Set an intention. Figure out what kind of ceremony you want to create. Do you want to bring more abundance into your life? Let go of something? Find a healing solution for yourself or a family member? Any kind of ceremony is fine, whether it is a spiritual question or a mundane matter. Some examples of intentions include:
- To honor and celebrate gifts from the earth
- To ask for healing for my daughter
- To manifest a job
- To honor the passing of a friend or family member
- To connect with the element of water
- To ask for spiritual guidance
Design your ceremony. Once you have set your intention, create what you will do in your ceremony. Think about what items will represent the intention for your altar. Gather offerings for whoever is connected to your ceremony as well as offerings or candles for each of the four directions. Think of a way to represent how you can bring your intention into form. If you want to release something, you may want to write it down and then burn it. If you want cleansing, you can sprinkle water on your face. You might want to use song or drumming to magnify or increase the energy once you have created sacred space. Perhaps you want to include a few intentions in one ceremony; however, very simple ceremonies be just as powerful. You can easily add to the ceremony and allow it to be spontaneous and fun as well. Be creative! There is no wrong way to do a ceremony.
Create an altar. Create an altar specific to your intention. If you are asking for healing for someone, perhaps put their picture or something of theirs on the altar. Flowers are a nice addition along with candles.
Make an offering. Before you begin your ceremony, make an offering to anything that has helped you along the way. Perhaps offer to the spirits, Universe, God/dess, whatever feels comfortable. You can also make an offering to the earth. An offering can be a flower, sprinkling water or salt, singing a song, or shaking a rattle.
Create sacred space. This can be done by calling in the directions and/or elements as you have explored above. You can also make offerings to each of the directions specifically. If you want to enhance the energy, add a song, drum, or rattle to help intensify the power that you are connecting to.
Performing ceremony. Do the action you planned. Blow your intentions into a seed and plant them. Pour water on the earth to symbolize healing for the earth. Write down and burn what you need to clear. Perhaps you feel the need to spontaneously dance or add something during the ceremony.
Close the sacred space. When you are finished, make sure to close your sacred space. Thank each of the directions and elements that you have chosen to work with.

From the shamanic perspective, when we make a ceremony we are communicating directly with the spirits. When we choose to make offerings to the spirits and align ourselves with them, we may find that they begin to talk back to us. Ceremonies may come in dreams or visions, and even if they seem peculiar, they often reveal something that needs healing in our lives. Indigenous people have been honoring the earth, her inhabitants, and the spirits for up to 50,000 years. Thus, we have thousands of generations that have evolved working with this earth and we do not have to look far to find that ceremonies have played a crucial role in our connections to this planet. By creating our own ceremony we too can reconnect with the earth, empower ourselves, heal, and transform into more balanced humans.

Reiki Warrior Intensive

2011-03-04T11:08:00.000-08:00

with Katalin Koda, Reiki Master and Special Guest Teacher, Adama ‘Ken’ Doumbia

This is a unique opportunity for students on the healing path to deepen and empower their current healing passion with dynamic, experienced teachers. Combining the ancient traditions of Yoga and shamanism, Katalin and Ken will be initiating students into Reiki Warrior

One and Two. Coursework incorporates African Yoga, Shamanic drum and journey work, and advanced Reiki Warrior techniques including aura scanning, chakra balancing and working with spiritual guides. The course will be held in Mr. Doumbia and his wife’s lovely home overlooking the San Francisco Bay. Because of the intensity of the course, accommodation at the home or nearby is recommended. Students who are new to Reiki must have a solid background in healing. Contact Katalin to find out if you are eligible for this course and for more details: katalinkoda@yahoo.com or 808.769.7645

Course Dates: April 9 & 10, 2011
Location: 5928 Golden Gate Ave, CA 94806 located in Richmond Hills, ten minutes North of Berkeley, East Bay, Northern California
Contact: Katalin Koda at katalinkoda@yahoo.com or 808.769.7645

Itinerary:
7 AM-- 8:15 African Yoga
8:30--9:15 Breakfast
9:30--12 Reiki Initiations and Training (Reiki One, Day One; Reiki Two, Day Two)
12--1 Lunch
1:15--2 PM Shamanic Drum Journeywork
2--5 Reiki Training and Healing Practice (Tea Break 3:30-4)
6 Dinner
7:30--8:30 (Saturday night only) Nighttime Fire, Chanting & Drum

Course Cost which includes Two Day workshop,
Reiki Warrior Manuals and Certificates: $475

Non-refundable Deposit of $100 Required to Book your Space

Separate Food and Accommodation are also available to a Limited Number of Participants
Food (3 meals): $50 per day. Vegetarian meals with meat available on request.

Accommodation Options:
Shared Apartment (can fit up to four) (includes kitchenette with microwave, two burner stove, mini fridge) $65 per person/night (two singles, one or two couples)
Guest Bedroom w/half bath: $50 night (for single or couples)
Guest Bedroom: $35 night (single or couple)
Tent option: $25 night (we can provide up to two tents, no extra charge)

Katalin Koda is a passionate explorer of earth stories, women's mysteries and the mythic expression of our world. A practicing Vajrayana Buddhist, Koda also works with indigenous wisdom and shamanism in her healing practice. Her books include Sacred Path of Reiki and Fire of the Goddess (forthcoming July, 2011). She is a visionary artist, poet and dreamer and has been teaching workshops on women's wisdom and spirituality, Reiki, shamanic journey and chakra healing for over fifteen years. The author resides in Hawaii. Visit her website www.katalinkoda.com for more information.

Adama ‘Ken’ Doumbia is a descendant of the Nyamakala lineage of artists and shamans, belonging to the Mande people of Mali in West Africa. As a professional West African performer, Doumbia has extensive experience working with numerous schools and dance companies, teaching to students of all ages the music, dance and traditions of West Africa. Doumbia is also the co-author of The Way of the Elders: West African Spirituality & Tradition. His unique teaching of African yoga offers a harmonious blend of hatha yoga with African drum, synthesizing sacred movement with sacred rhythms. As a Reiki master and shamanic drummer, Ken employs both African and Asian healing methods in his art and spiritual work. See www.westafricanroots.com for more details.

Puna Meditation Circle

2010-11-08T12:35:00.001-08:00

“Finding the Natural Freedom of the Mind”

Weekly Meditation

Wednesdays 5 pm – 6 pm

Join us for meditation practice in a welcoming and informal setting. We aim to provide a place where anyone, whether completely new to meditation or a practitioner of any spiritual tradition, will feel comfortable.

Our sessions will begin with an invitation to generate an altruistic motivation for our practice. This will be followed by two 20-minute sittings with five minutes of walking meditation in between. At the end we will conclude with a moment of dedication.

Simple instructions will be provided for those new to meditation.

The meetings will take place at Ramashala, 12-7208 Kapoho-Kalapana Beach Rd. (Rt. 137) – on the mauka (mountain) side of the red road between Laau Loke Street and Kehena beach.

Donation suggested.

Chairs and cushions are available but you are welcome to bring your own.

For further information please email: punameditationcircle@gmail.com or call 769-7645.

Reiki in Kathmandu

2010-07-15T20:30:00.000-07:00

I have been fortunate to teach Reiki One this month in Patan, a neighborhood of Kathmandu, Nepal. My dear friend Yogatara, whom I met almost ten years ago on my first trip in India, is now settled in Nepal and runs Isha Institute, a small yoga center. She pulled together a few students in her relaxed, open space and we held a wonderful class, even co-teaching the chakras! I will be teaching Reiki Two a week from Saturday and look forward to more connecting, practice and healing. I have been continuously updating my travels at: www.earthweaver.blogspot.com

Dr. Sarita Shrestha and Women’s Health Clinic

2010-04-09T12:19:00.000-07:00

Rubybleu Foundation is currently raising funds for an Ayurvedic women’s health clinic in Nepal. Ayurvedic medicine is a traditional healing system which uses herbs, yoga and massage for preventing disease, supporting the body and treating illness. In 2003, Dr. Sarita was the first recipient of Rubybleu Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit that supports women and children in India and Nepal. Other projects include scholarships for girls and microloans in South India. More information is found at: www.rubybleu.blogspot.com

Dr. Sarita Shrestha has been practicing and teaching Ayurvedic medicine for over twenty years. She is also a Western trained physician specializing in Ob/Gyn and combines the two methods in her diagnosis and treatment of patients. Dr. Sarita was featured in David Crow’s book, In Search of the Medicine Buddha and continues to teach at Mount Madonna in California.

The Ayurvedic health clinic in Nepal is accessible to six surrounding villages and supports over six hundred patients. The clinic has a staff of three doctors, two birth assistants and a pharmacist. Everyone is treated, even if patients are unable to pay. The clinic provides basic care for sickness such as flu, coughs, and infection. They primarily use natural, Ayurvedic herbs for treatment and some Western medicine. The clinic also provides an invaluable resource for the women, who often have minimal support or understanding about women’s issues regarding birth and proper healthcare. Counseling is one of the goals of the clinic, along with yoga and meditation.

Through Dr. Sarita’s direction, local farmers are growing and harvesting Ayurvedic herbs used to produce natural medicines. The clinic also hosts herbal and Yoga workshops and camps to promote awareness for natural healing, Yoga and massage.

Donations will provide further support for the health clinic by: enabling the expansion of the herbal garden and farming for Ayurvedic medicine, support the creation of herbal, Yoga and natural birth workshops and allow the clinic to buy needed medicinal supplies.

For more information, see www.saritashresta.org You may also contact Katalin directly at katalinkoda@yahoo.com

Mindfulness

2010-04-07T11:15:00.000-07:00

Each day is a constant reminder to practice mindfulness. Too often we are rushing about attempting to get things done, to be on time, to do, do, do... In this rush we often miss the quietness of the day that pervades; the inner silence of the heart which responds to more being and less doing. I am again cultivating my daily meditation (ah, how it comes and goes) and finding such pleasure in the simple act of sitting on my meditation cushion for a twenty minutes or so each morning. In that short time, many thoughts rise and fall away; sounds come and go; smells pass by my nose and disappear; pains hover then dissolve, just as Life currents flow through us and away. We often forget how fleeting the life is as we attach to all our doing. By sitting quietly, we remember, truly there is nowhere to go, nothing to do, really. Of course we have a measure of energy so we do things, but by cultivating the quiet we observe within along with the realization that all things rise and fall away, we can begin to act from a place of mindfulness, rather than a place of madness, irritation, or unnecessary stress. Just as the waves crash the shore effortlessly, just as the cloud breaks and shows us the sun, so we too can allow our creative efforts to become effortless, simpler and more mindful. Mindfulness is a constant reminder to pay attention to each thing that unfolds in our daily life; thus we see the magick...

Eclectic Voices of Spirit: Puna Authors Speak

2010-03-20T10:33:00.000-07:00

I will be discussing writing and my three published books along with two other writers. There will be puu puu's and time to meet with all the authors. This is a free event.

I will be speaking promptly at 2 PM, Saturday March 20, so arrive on time to hear me. The event is in the Hale Aloha at Kalani Resort on the Red Road (Kalapana-Kapoho Rd.) Please call me if you need more information or directions: 769.7645

Hope to see you all there!

~Katalin

Eclectic Voices of Spirit: Puna Authors Speak

Katalin Koda: Reiki Master, Visionary Artist, Poet

Sacred Path of Reiki: Healing as a Spiritual Discipline

❦

Erika Ginnis: Clairvoyant, Energy Healer, Spiritual Teacher,

Essential Mysteries: A User's Guide for the 21st Century Mystic

❦

Steve Bohlert (Subal Das): Spiritual Teacher, Philosopher, Rebel

Universalist Radha-Krishnaism: A Spirituality of Liberty, Truth & Love

Book Signing ... Puu Puu's ... Lively Discussion

Held at Kalani in the Hale Aloha (next to EMAX)

Saturday, March 20

2--4 PM

Love and Compassion

2010-01-15T13:18:00.001-08:00

We are living in tumultuous times; times when we are inevitably and brutally aware of the troubles that are occuring around the world. In this sense, it is up to us to continue our growth as human beings, to perservere in the development of our hearts based in a true kind of compassion. All of us, in the so-called developed nations, are very aware that everything we do impacts everyone else around the world; that we are not separate from each other but deeply interconnected.

Watching Haiti undergo the horrors and devastations following the earthquake is just another powerful reminder that the level of their suffering not only affects us, but has remained in a state of underdevelopment as a result of more powerful nations gaining economic ground. In other words, we are not a seperate, all mighty powerful place, but a wealthy nation at the very dire expense of other nations across the globe.

When a natural disaster on this scale occurs: Katrina, the Tsunami, Haiti we are again deeply reminded of what is important: our loved ones, our health, our food and water...all the other layers of things and more things become increasingly more irrelevant. How many reminders will it take until we get it? Will we ever get it? Can we indeed choose love and compassion over greed, hatred, a power-over dynamic? In the recent wake of Haiti and the strange and irreverent comments by various people in the media, we begin to wonder, how we have managed to survive this long in a state of war and terror, endlessly increasing our own suffering at the expense of mass consumption.

Yet, we all hold both the seeds of terror and the seeds of love within. As a wise person once said, 'We simply need to choose which ones to water.' Yet this takes effort and discipline: to continuously water the seeds of love and compassion. To work towards acting from a place that benefits others, rather than elevates our own self, wealth and status. We can start by simply minding our breath in moments of anger; by practicing healing work on others, to shift us dramatically out of our small self minds and into the Larger Self of compassion. We can work to bring up our creative life force into our hearts, spreading that power (power within, not power over) in a way that promotes very real transformation, healing and Love.

Life is, no doubt, fleeting, relentless, tiresome and often hard. It becomes even more so when we see people suffering so greatly in times of disaster, war, financial crises and social upheaval. If we cannot find that quiet inner center within during these times, we may fall back into the old patterns of defending ourselves to the detriment of the well being of ourselves as humans, our planet, our amazing world. Let us remember, each and every day, that we are indeed empowered, that we do hold the capacity for a very real kind of Love and compassion.

Sacred Feminine Intensive for Women

2009-12-08T12:04:00.000-08:00

Four Activation Meetings: Power, Love, Wisdom and Integration

First Activation Meeting: Stepping Into Power with ceremony and initiation, shamanic journey work, mask making, deconstructing power-over dynamics and rebuilding personal power, symbolism and myth exploration using archetypes: Steerswoman, Initiate, Warrioress.

December 11, 7 PM and December 12, 10-4

Next Three Meetings: Second Saturday of each month: Jan--March

Teachers: Jill Walton has a degree in Psychology and spent the last thirty years as an intuitive counselor and educator. She has worked with Tarot, the chakra system, The Four-Fold Way and the Wheel of the Year Ceremonies. She is currently studying pre-Christian Hawaiian Spirituality with Kahuna Aupuni Iwi Ula. Jill teaches classes including The Seven Chakras: A Journey of Self Awareness, Psychic Development, The Four Sacred Bodies: Physical, Emotional, Mental and Spiritual, Developing a Daily Spiritual Practice, and Accessing Your Personal Guides.

Katalin Koda, author, Reiki Master and shamanic practitioner, has worked extensively with the chakra system, Tarot, Wicca, sacred space and the elements for over twelve years. She authored Sacred Path of Reiki: Healing as a Spiritual Discipline. Katalin is initiated in Tibetan Buddhist practices and the Munay Ki of Peruvian shamanism and currently teaches all degrees of Reiki as well as passing Munay Ki initiations and leading drum journeys. She is currently working on her next book Sacred Feminine, forthcoming Fall 2010.

Intention Circle

2009-11-18T10:36:00.001-08:00

For the past few weeks, two friends and I have been 'meeting' each day and intending things for each other. One friend lives in Brooklyn, the other in Maryland and I in Hawaii so we are not meeting in the physical sense, but we are committing to intentions on the energetic sense. It is a powerful connection and strengthens not only our intended outcomes, by our love for each other. We are old friends, all having known each other for over a decade (creeping up on fifteen years even!) and although we have not always lived near each other, we know one another's pains and joys, loves and sorrows and by staying connected through intention it nourishes our friendship.

In Reiki and any kind of healing work such as an intention circle, we are putting ourselves into a place of compassion. We are letting energy move through us in the noble pursuit of benefiting others which is true dharma. When we are intentionally manifesting others' wishes, dreams and visions, more light and love naturally move through us. We are, in a way, more connected to the Universe and less attached because the motivation is purer, it is for others, not for ourselves. And often times these intentions do come true and manifest for each other as the natural byproduct of such an outpouring of love.

Anyone can try this. Just connect with a couple friends and tell each other your vision; what you want to manifest. Be specific! If you need a better job, state exactly what kind of job you want; if you want a partner, provide details of the kind of person you feel would be harmonious in your world. My friends and I are trading off once a week, so we concentrate on each other for a week, then switch to the next person. It's a lovely way to work with Spirit, bringing that more fully onto the physical plane.

Exploring the Sacred Feminine and Empowering Your Life

2009-11-13T13:55:00.000-08:00

Jill Walton and Katalin Koda are co-leading a Sacred Feminine Intensive for women December 2009 through March 2010. The class will meet Friday evening and Saturday, once a month. This course explores the themes of Love, Power and Wisdom. This training is an intensive and focuses on finding one's path using the Sacred Feminine which will lay a foundation for all aspects of one's life. By using art, Tarot and symbolism, ceremony and sound, healing and shamanic techniques we will reclaim the sacred feminine both for oneself and as a gift to the world.

Jill Walton has a degree in Psychology and spent the last thirty years as an intuitive counselor and educator. She has worked with Tarot, the chakra system, The Four-Fold Way and the Wheel of the Year Ceremonies. She is currently studying pre-Christian Hawaiian Spirituality with Kahuna Aupuni Iwi Ula. Jill teaches classes including The Seven Chakras: A Journey of Self Awareness, Psychic Development, The Four Sacred Bodies: Physical, Emotional, Mental and Spiritual, Developing a Daily Spiritual Practice, and Accessing Your Personal Guides.

Katalin has worked with Reiki, Tarot, Wicca, sacred space and the elements for over twelve years, supplementing her study with the chakra system, shamanism and art. Her book Sacred Path of Reiki: Healing as a Spiritual Discipline was published December 2008. She has also been initiated in Tibetan Buddhist practices and the Munay Ki. She teaches all degrees of Reiki as well as passing Munay Ki initiations and leading drum journey processes. She is currently working on her next book Sacred Feminine, forthcoming Fall of 2010. See www.earthweaver.blogpspot.com
Dates: Second weekend of each month: Friday evening 6 PM and Saturday 9 –5
First Meeting: December 11th, Friday evening/December 12th, All Day Saturday

Cost: $350 in Advance or $400 (Pay as you go, $100 per Class)
Limited to ten participants so sign up now!

Contact: Jill at 965.1824 or jtwalton@hotmail.com
Katalin at 769.7645 or katalinkoda@yahoo.com

Earth Connection: The Grounding Cord Exercise and 8 Other Ways to Ground and Center

2009-09-03T15:51:00.000-07:00

First Published by Llewellyn Inc., at:
http://www.llewellynjournal.com/article/1897

As we develop along the path as healers and magical practitioners, we find that certain tools enhance our practice immeasurably. One of the most important aspects of good healing and magical work is to ground and center. As a Reiki Master, I have found that these are two crucial elements to the practice of Reiki and healing as well as in magical arts such as creating sacred space or casting spells.

To ground is to bring our awareness into our bodies, to draw down into ourselves breathing right here, right now. When we do this we find our center and become better aligned with the continuous and ever-changing flow of life. To ground and center ourselves is like repositioning ourselves at the center of a wheel or mandala. We are reconnecting with being in balance between our feminine and masculine, at the center of the four directions, more clearly aware of our presence on Earth in a particular space. This gives us a clear and potent connection to Earth, which allows our healing work, our magical work, and even our basic day-to-day activities to become lighter and more energetic.

Grounding and centering not only provide a kind of container to hold the energy that moves through us, but they also gives us clear boundaries. In this way it is like we are creating a sacred vessel to hold the energy that is raised up and utilized in our work. In the practice of Reiki, I have found grounding so essential that I made it one of my Reiki Warrior tools as seen in my book The Sacred Path of Reiki: Healing as a Spiritual Discipline. I found that students, when receiving the sky-like attunements in Reiki Warrior classes, occasionally became overwhelmed by the rush of energy. Sometimes they felt light-headed or spacey and could not follow through on all the Reiki techniques. That is when I added certain techniques to aid students in their Reiki processes.

One of the techniques is called the Grounding Cord exercise, which is very useful when practicing Reiki. I teach each student this method and have them do it before a Reiki session as well as after, in conjunction with the Auric Cleanse. This way the student connects directly into the Earth, which aids the practice of healing. Studies have shown that the frequency measured around healers’ hands during times of healing matches the very same frequency at the center of the Earth. This is a clear indication that we are able to directly contact and use the powerful Earth energy as an aid to our healing and magical work. In Hawaii, the sacred dance of hula also mirrors that special Earth energy, but more specifically the volcanic flow. The dancing of Pele, the sacred Goddess of Fire on the Big Island, uses rhythmic rising and falling, swaying, and flowing to emulate the same rhythms of the flow of lava from Halema’uma’u Crater. The ancient people have known about this for millennia, as well as that the direct connection between our bodies and the Earth is crucial for healing and magical work.

When we set up a Sacred Space, we can create as we usually do, giving offering to the four directions and calling in the elements associated with each direction. We then honor the Earth and the Sky, and find our center in that space for a few moments by concentrating on the breath. To ground we can visualize our Grounding Cord. To do this, sit quietly in a chair or meditative position. Focus on the breath for several moments. With each exhalation imagine your consciousness sinking down into the root chakra, located just below the cervix in women and at the perineum in men. Focus for a few minutes on dropping the awareness with each exhalation into the root chakra, perhaps visualizing a red, spinning orb or disk. Feel the warmth and centering of this point in the body. Then, imagine a cord of light, perhaps the same brilliant red color, growing down toward the center of the Earth. It should be a few inches in diameter. Imagine it growing through the floor below you, into the soil of the Earth. Notice the feeling of being connected directly, energetically with the soil, then the rocks, and the water below the rocks. Allow the grounding cord to grow further down through the crystals and minerals of the Earth and finally into the molten core, the brilliant warm energy of planet Earth. Inhale that energy up into the body and exhale back into the Earth center. Allow yourself to feel grounded, connected, and centered. Perhaps the grounding cord stays brilliant red or moves into another color (any color works). If you have trouble visualizing, maybe you can sense or feel that quality of groundedness. Some may associate sound or smell with this exercise. The main purpose is simply to reconnect with your body being right here, right now, grounded on the Earth.

When you have mastered this simple but effective exercise, you can use it every day. Try changing the color of the grounding cord to bring in different qualities or feelings. When you are traveling in a car imagine the grounding cord running along with you, keeping you continuously connected to the Earth. When you are lying down visualize the cord either bending down from your root chakra or simply going straight down, whichever seems simpler.

During Reiki or healing sessions, the Grounding Cord exercise also works to not only anchor us to the Earth, but also to release any unwanted energy that may be triggered by the healing. Ideally, we as healers will not take on anything muddled or stagnant from a client, but sometimes it can happen. By using the Grounding Cord exercise as a way to release excess energy, we can aim to not take on anything from our clients. At the end of a healing session, simply imagine anything muddled or unclear flowing back out of you and your aura and into the Earth’s center, where it will neutralize. For those who are Second Degree practitioners of Reiki, try using the Grounding Cord exercise before sending your distance healing; this can enhance your Reiki practice by bringing even more energy into the healing session because this, in essence, is creating a clear container. Knowing that we will clearly not be carrying our client’s trauma or drama with us, we are able to go much deeper into the healing process.

Similarly, in magical work, when we ground and center we are able to access a much stronger potential of magical energy. For example, when we are doing a Full Moon Ceremony, we can use the Grounding Cord exercise after creating a sacred space. This will bring us more powerfully into the center of our space and provide a very strong energy to use when we then call down the moon, do an abundance spell, or create a magical talisman. The use of visualization is common to most magical practitioners and the Grounding Cord exercise is a very earthy and real way to enhance our creative work.

There are many other ways to ground and center as well, and I encourage you to experiment. Walking barefoot on the grass, in the soil and Earth, is an excellent way to feel our selves in our bodies. Too often our feet are overly soft and sensitive, having spent years in heavy shoes or overly arched in heels. When I lived in India I was often impressed by the feet of the locals, which literally gripped the Earth so naturally, giving them an incredible sense of balance and the ability to walk across any kind of landscape.

Other great ways to ground include:
• Using crystals like obsidian, hematite, or onyx during healing or magical work; these heavier stones will give you a direct connection to the more solid aspects of the Earth

• Lighting incense or herbs to evoke our connection with smell

• Playing an instrument that helps to focus the mind; drumming or playing any kind of rhythmic instrument provides you a chance to connect with the Earth

• Eating heavier foods, such as meat, bread, or potatoes; if this turns you off, try roots like carrots or beets that will nourish the body and give you an extra boost of minerals

• Dancing, walking, hiking, and moving the body will reconnect you with your heartbeat

• Magical work (including chanting, singing, creating a Sacred Space, and casting spells) helps to refocus your energy in alignment with the natural world; practicing these arts require you to be more aware of the rhythms of nature, such as the cycles of the moon, the seasons, and daily shifts

• More Gratitude, Less Attitude; remembering to be thankful for all the abundance we encounter each day helps us to be more present, grounded, and focused

Although this list may seem obvious, we live in a society where watching the day slowly turn to night, witnessing the dawn, drumming to the stars, dancing our feelings of anger or joy, or feeling the soil under our feet are not necessarily daily activities. Too often I have worked on clients whose feet are overly arched in semi-permanent heels and their minds are filled with the restless activity of mental chatter. By taking time out each day to reconnect with the Earth, to ground and center, we are giving ourselves true nourishment. This is essential in our healing and magical work, as well as connecting with those in our everyday life.

Next time you are feeling overwhelmed with emotion, tension, or stress, take off your shoes and let your feet breathe. Open up your lungs with deep breaths and use the Grounding Cord exercise to reconnect with the center of our Mother Earth. Remember, this is a very real and wonderful connection, one that should be honored each day. We so often forget that sense of gratitude as we rush off to fulfill our tasks and by grounding and centering we can reclaim that in a very simple, effective, and present way, one that does not require any special skill or years of practice. It is vital to remember that we are in a physical form, one that will all too soon dissolve. Let us enjoy it while it lasts!

Reiki Warrior: Second Degree

2009-08-08T10:11:00.001-07:00

Upcoming Workshop

Second Degree Reiki consists of four attunements to strengthen the Reiki flow. Students learn three of the five Reiki symbols to enhance their understanding and use of Reiki. They will learn the methods of healing across time and distance to effectively cleanse the past, charge the future positively and heal others from a distance. Students will work more deeply with the chakra system and human energy field learning more advanced techniques such as scanning, chakra balancing and clearing. Each student will practice sending Reiki and earn a Reiki Two degree.
Cost: $250

August 22-23, 2009

10-5 both days

(Please bring a lunch, snacks provided)

Non-Attachment

2009-05-04T13:10:00.000-07:00

The path of the healer is one way to deal constantly with the issue of non-attachment. In the Buddha dharma, or teachings of the Buddha, non-attachment is the concept of not being attached, as this fuels our desire, thus causing suffering. This does not mean coldness or detachment, but, simply put, being so very present in the moment that we are not attached to our desires for the future or longings of the past. Easier said than done!

When I teach Reiki, we always discuss the Reiki Principles. The first one is: "There must be a change in consciousness for healing to occur."
This is integral to the healer's path as we are reminded that healing is synonymous with CHANGE. If a client or healee does not want change, there is not much we can do about it. Yet, when clients come, they are usually open to some level of change, some open heartedness is there as they offer their money or gift as an offering to receive healing, thus leading us to the second principle: "There must be an appropriate exchange of energy, one that honors each."

These teachings seem, for me, to be the most difficult for the ones I love the most. As we all know, it is the dearly loved ones that we are most attached to, the ones that provide the intense mirrors of our deep-seated insecurities, needs and attachments. Some healers recommend not to attempt healing for our families at all, as our own attachment and desire will get in the way of the energy flow. In my book I discuss this in reference to my husband, who I have earnestly given Reiki to over the years, in the attempt to 'heal' his knee. Although it relives the pain for a short period of time, no full healing has occurred. As we say in India, "What to do?"

Nothing. No-thing on a very deep level, that is. Deep, surrender and acceptance. We all know those words and most of us have experienced this on some level, but to really and truly do this we have to just let go. So difficult! We can revisit the times we have done this...when we fell in love, swam or walked through fear of certain surroundings, gave birth, watched someone die. These are some of the most profound moments in our life, when we let go so deeply that the little self, the ego self fell away to reveal the very vast Self that is interconnected to all things. Ironically, it is in these moments, that the most powerful healings occur!

So, in my own life, I have a current reminder to let go, to practice non-attachment and be more present with my Self and my family. With my daughter and her persistent ear clog, my husband and his chronic knee ache. I will continue to dissolve my worries about them, about my own fears; go back and attempt to revisit the pure Mind, the true Nature of Being, the ultimate Rei--Ki (Spirit Guided Energy) and, as Ram Dass says, simply, "Be Here Now."

Reiki One Workshop

2009-04-22T17:14:00.004-07:00

Reiki is literally ‘spirit-guided energy.’ This Tibetan/Japanese method of relaxation can be learned by anyone and promotes healing on all levels: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Students learn how to work with Reiki healing energy for themselves and others, using the Chakra System. Reiki Warrior students also learn the six tools of healing, including grounding and how to create sacred space. The course includes the four attunements, practical time, a copy of Katalin's book and Reiki certificate.

May 15, 2009; 6:30 PM Opening Circle with Sound and Journey Work

May 16--17; 10 AM--5 PM Two Day Reiki One Workshop

Cost: $250

Please let us know if you are kama'aina.

Contact: Katalin @808.769.7645 for more information

www.sacredpathreiki.com

Reiki Two Class

2009-04-13T12:28:00.000-07:00

Last week was the Second Degree Reiki Warrior class. We opened the course with a full moon night of drumming, sacred space, journey and connecting in with our healing guides. The students asked for messages to guide them over the course of the next two days and this was a wonderful way to begin the process of receiving Reiki Two attunements and instructions.

Reiki Two is a deeper commitment to the Healing Path of Reiki. This is the time when students connect to the activation of the Reiki within their aura light body and upper chakras. Often times students feel a stronger healing energy pulsing through into their hands. They also learn how to send Reiki over both time and distance which enhances the Reiki practice greatly. This requires more sensitivity to balancing the ethical practice of healing. We always ask people when we send healing so that all of this goes for the greatest good.

During the workshop, as it rained outside for hours, we sent healing to those we love; to past or current situations that need resolving; to the Earth for increased peace and harmony. Sending to the past is always an interesting experience. When we do that it helps to resolve current tension that can result in negative karma. For example, when we send healing Reiki to a traumatic experience in our childhood, we allow that child to feel healed and whole which can result in shifts currently. This is not unlike soul healing in shamanic traditions, where we track back to a missing soul piece to help reintegrate that part of us that has left us incomplete. This also enables us to better see Time as a Spiral or non-linear reality. We are multi-dimensional beings that have the capability to experience being outside of linear time. Practicing second degree Reiki with the symbols gives us that opportunity.

We also practiced the healing chain, a technique where one healer sends Reiki and another healer, at a distance, joins by healing the first healer. This can increase the energy flow greatly and provides assistance to the healer. I recommend Reiki Two practitioners to try this out and see what happens. Often powerful healings are a result!

The students also learned interesting techniques including aura scanning, chakra balancing and how to use the Reiki symbols to clear and energize both the body and energy field. I always enjoy teaching these techniques to both new and seasoned healers as an opportunity to further explore the dance of energy that is reflected in our form, our bodies.

I am thankful to my students and the continued chance to pass along the magic that is Reiki.

Upcoming Workshop

2009-04-04T10:42:00.000-07:00

Reiki Warrior: Second Degree

Second Degree Reiki consists of four attunements to strengthen the Reiki flow. Students learn three of the five Reiki symbols to enhance their understanding and use of Reiki. They will learn the methods of healing across time and distance to effectively cleanse the past, charge the future positively and heal others from a distance. Students will work more deeply with the chakra system and human energy field learning more advanced techniques such as scanning, chakra balancing and clearing. Each student will practice sending Reiki and earn a Reiki Two degree.

April 10--11, 2009 (10--5)

Upcoming Workshop

2009-01-14T12:30:00.000-08:00

Reiki Warrior: First Degree

February 14—15, 2009; 10-6(Please bring a lunch, snacks provided)

Cost: $350 (Please let us know if you are Kama’aina)

Munay Ki Rites Workshop

February 16, 2009; 10-4(Please bring a lunch, snacks will be provided)

Fire Ceremony on February 18; 7 PM

Be the first to receive the Munay Ki Rites on the Big Island!

The extraordinary Munay Ki rites will be offered as a special addition to students who are taking the First Degree Reiki Warrior Workshop. The process of the Munay Ki begins with receiving the Nine Rites and is followed by the student practicing fire ceremonies for seven consecutive full moons. It requires the simple, yet important commitment to honoring the seven major archetypes of the Laika tradition. During the seven month process the body, soul and heart are empowered and transformed, resulting in the illumination of the Munay Ki.

Cost: $50 (For workshop supplies and teaching only. The Rites themselves are offered free of charge.)

Location: Big Island, Hawaii

Puna Coast on Kalapana-Kapoho Road

Contact: Katalin 808.769.7645 or katalinkoda@yahoo.com

Please call or email to Register now! Space is limited.

See www.sacredpathreiki.com for more info

Setting a Clear Intention

2008-12-22T09:39:00.001-08:00

As the New Year approaches, our thoughts often turn to letting go of the old, making new plans, and forming New Year’s resolutions. The New Year is our chance to reinvent ourselves, to take stock of what we have experienced over the past year and what we hope to welcome in as the seasons turn. This year in particular, with its incredible changes in the political climate, the economy, and encroaching environmental problems, turning within and finding our personal spiritual sustenance becomes all the more important, necessary even, to maintain a balanced and positive outlook as things, materially, may be crashing down around us. One of the best ways to begin our new year, a new project or plan or even one new day is by setting a clear intention. By taking time to do this very simple act, we can start to reprogram our entire lives with a positive outlook and clarity. Setting a clear intention in our day, and more specifically healing, is just one of the concepts explored in my upcoming release Sacred Path of Reiki: Healing as a Spiritual Discipline.

Setting a clear intention is like shooting an arrow into the future. The more precise the intention is, the better the aim to hit your target. The purpose of setting an intention is the final destination and not the way we arrive. The journey usually unfolds in unexpected ways and being open to that makes it all the more interesting. We can set intentions for several reasons: to manifest abundance in our lives, to be more connected to a community that supports us, to change our livelihood, to open ourselves up to a more loving relationship. How this manifests specifically is not the important aspect of setting the intention. Again, thinking of our intention as an arrow, hitting a target, we look at the target, not the flight path. In the same way, once we have a specific intention we want to shoot into the Universe, we are calling that future, that dream towards us, pulling our destiny into the present moment.

When we decide to set an intention for our lives, it is best to do so in a positive, present and affirmative manner. We want to avoid negative intentions, such as ‘I will not eat sugar,’ but instead, “I intend a healthy and nurtured body.” In this way we are affirming a positive existence, not cultivating a sense of guilt or inadequacy. For example, instead of intending more money to flow into our lives, we might try to set our intention in a more present and joyous way, such as: “I am loving the abundance in my life.” This allows us to begin to shift out of a poverty mindset into one of abundance and wealth. Another way to look at this is, if you want more, desire less. Again we are attempting to pull our destiny, our deepest desires into a state of Nowness, of eternal presence that honors all of our being and our capacity to be overflowing with love and peace. We are shifting our way of looking at the world as a place that does not have enough for us, but instead is in a continuous abundance with us.

In my new book, Sacred Path of Reiki: Healing as a Spiritual Discipline, setting a clear intention is the first of six Reiki Warrior tools. The Reiki Warrior philosophy is a way to incorporate deeper spiritual components into the healing practice of Reiki. In this way, the art of Reiki spills over into the rest of our life, promoting a balanced, mindful and inner peace. By working with the first Reiki Warrior tool, we can set clear intentions throughout our daily life. For example, when I wake up in the morning, I dedicate the day to helping sentient beings, or others in a way that benefits them. This immediately gets me out of my head and ego and into the spacious, peaceful aspect of my being. I intend that beings benefit from my actions, my words and my thoughts in a way that promotes an over all sense of ultimate joyousness. Beginning the day with this does not always mean that each and every moment I have is blissful and perfect joy as, after all, we are working out various karmas here on Earth, yet it does become a gentle reminder that if I am not benefitting others, there is not much purpose to my actions, words or thoughts.

As we move through life, often at a hectic pace, we may forget to stop for a moment and be quiet or still. To breathe even, really breathe, let alone set intentions. This is very important to begin cultivating in our life, in order to start accessing that stillness within. Setting aside a mere five minutes a day to simply breathe and be still is the first step to make before setting our intention. Choose a time in the morning or evening when you can be quiet for a few minutes to concentrate on your breath and then set your intention for the day or week or month. Make a habit of this, write your intention down and put it up where you can see it, allow it to become your mantra and then watch how it affects your life positively.

As time goes on, we may find we need more than five minutes a day, that we have the desire for a stronger practice to begin doing the deeper work of true healing. Healing is synonymous with change and often requires a closer look at our traumas, pain and suffering that we hold close to us in an effort to suppress them. When we are forced to strip down aspects of ourselves and let go the old to make room for new, we often fight change, having become overly attached to our habits. Resistance can lead to blockages and intense bodily reactions that can and do happen in the form of stagnation, illness and dis-ease. Although this is often incredibly painful emotionally and physically, this is also a moment of opportunity, a healing crisis as we say in the alternative healing world, a chance to explore what is most meaningful and gives us a true sense of wholeness and power.

As a Reiki Master who spent the last seven years working in India, I have encountered my fair share of people in a healing crisis. Often times when people who have health issues and are in a place of intense pain in their life, seeking healing in India is their last resort effort. I was fortunate to work with many people who had given up on Western medicine and were breaking out of the old system, their culture, and even their beliefs to try something new. Because of this, many of my clients were very open to the alternative healing in the form of Reiki and we were able to travel deeply to find the more significant sources of disease. The hands on Reiki healing, use of symbols, chakra work, aura balancing and revitalizing techniques are all incredible ways to work on all the levels of our being: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. These methods, in combination with the Reiki Warrior philosophy and tools are explored further in Sacred Path of Reiki.

In healing work the primary intention is of course health and wellness. This is accessed in Reiki when we begin our healing session for ourselves or others with our Reiki prayer. Placing our hands together in prayer position is the first step in setting our intention. This gesture also works like an offering, a bow of respect to the Reiki and the Reiki Masters that have come before us to initiate us into this incredible healing art. Pressing our palms together at our heart center also lightly presses points of the ten meridians that run through the body, activating the healing flow or Ki within. We then call on the Reiki Masters and Reiki energy to guide our healing session. This mentally enables us to surrender to the healing Reiki and allow it to pass more effectively through us, into our clients.

Over time, I found that the most powerful tool in the healing session is the action of setting a clear intention. On a basic level, this simply involves the healing practitioner taking the time before beginning the healing work, to intend wholeness, love and clear light. But on a deeper level, as a Reiki practitioner, you can use the Reiki session to intend even more precise outcomes for your client. This must be discussed with your client who will often come up with the intention themselves, when asked, for the session. I have found that the more specific the intention, the more precise the target, the more powerful the healing session. It is as if the words of intention are the power that works to open up the light and love of immense Reiki energy and allow it pour through me and into my client, assisting them in the needed healing transformation.

We must also remember that each person’s journey to gain wholeness is going to look different. By refining our intention into a more precise method, we have a better chance of benefiting the client. This may take a few sessions to determine and requires the effort from the client as well as the healer. For example, the first session may be the general intention of wellness and healing. Afterwards we may discover the client as a particular emotional problem with her father and we will intend working with that in the next session which will most likely unlock the deep pain that is stored in the body. To close the session we may intend grounding and clearing to further the healing process in opening up to peace. We may do further work to intend the reclaiming of power so the client can move into a place of strength and harmony.

Also, it is important to remember that on a deeper level, each of is already healed and whole. We are each just trying to remember that we are indeed a being of light and love and it seems we have to journey rather far at times to remember this, reclaim our own beauty and power and then radiate it outwards to the world. At the end of each and every Reiki session, as well as at the end of my own day, I visualize my client or myself dancing in light, whole and full of love. I am re-membering the aspects of our Self that is ultimately perfect and at peace, that is indeed not separate, not suffering but instead quietly still, immensely joyful and perfectly Reiki.

This season, as change winds her magic through the air, as we face an immense overhaul of our society and the world, let us try to intend a season of beauty and peace. Let us remember that we are indeed whole, that each of us are on that arrow flight path somehow, someway on an intense journey. That although each of us has very different ways of getting to that inner peace, to that ultimate joy, that is indeed the intention of all human beings and the intention of the Universe itself. As the New Year rolls in, as we welcome the turning of dark into light once again, let us sit down with loved ones and make an intention, set a clear intention of positive affirmation to enjoy our lives every single day.

For more information about Sacred Path of Reiki: Healing as a Spiritual Discipline and Katalin Koda please visit her website:

www.sacredpathreiki.com

http://www.llewellynjournal.com/article/1797

Release on December First

2008-11-29T12:23:00.000-08:00

Sacred Path of Reiki:
Healing as a Spiritual Discipline

will be released Monday, December 1st

It is currently available for order at:

http://www.llewellyn.com/bookstore/book.php?pn=H445

Upcoming Workshops

2008-11-19T11:52:00.000-08:00

Introduction to Tarot Workshop

January 3, 2009; 10-4 (Please bring a lunch, snacks provided)

Explore the esoteric wisdom of Tarot and learn the groundwork for doing a successful Tarot reading. Students take an in depth look at the Major Arcana and the inherent consciousness that each of these cards hold; as well as how to work with the suits and numbers of the Minor Arcana. The class will also include information regarding the history of Tarot, personal meditation using the cards and several layouts for doing readings for self and others.

Cost: $75

Reiki Warrior: First Degree

February 14—15, 2009; 10-6 (Please bring a lunch, snacks provided)

Cost: $350 (Please let us know if you are Kama’aina)

Munay Ki Rites Workshop

February 16, 2009; 10-4(Please bring a lunch, snacks will be provided)

Fire Ceremony on February 18; 7 PM

Be the first to receive the Munay Ki Rites on the Big Island!

The extraordinary Munay Ki rites will be offered as a special addition to students who are taking the First Degree Reiki Warrior Workshop. The process of t

he Munay Ki begins with receiving the Nine Rites and is followed by the student practicing fire ceremonies for seven consecutive full moons. It requires the simple, yet important commitment to honoring the seven major archetypes of the Laika tradition. During the seven month process the body, soul and heart are empowered and transformed, resulting in the illumination of the Munay Ki.

Cost: $100 (For workshop supplies and teaching only.

The Rites themselves are offered free of charge).

Location:Big Island, Hawaii

Puna Coast on Kalapana-Kapoho Road

Contact: Katalin 808.769.7645 or katalinkoda@yahoo.com

Please call or email to Register now! Space is Limited.

See www.sacredpathreiki.com for more info.

About Katalin: Katalin is a Reiki Master and has been practicing and teaching for nearly a decade inIndia and the United States. She has given hundreds of sessions and taught dozens of students. She is the author of Sacred Path of Reiki: Healing as a Spiritual Discipline which unites traditional wisdom with Buddha dharma and Reiki healing. She has worked with Tarot, Wicca, sacred space and the elements for twelve years, supplementing her study with the Chakra System, shamanism and art. She has been initiated into Raku-kei and Shambhala Reiki as well as Tibetan Buddhist practices and the Munay Ki.

Welcome!

2008-10-28T11:33:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Sacred Path of Reiki Blog! This site is intended as a complement to the book, Sacred Path of Reiki: Healing as a Spiritual Discipline which will be released in December by Llewellyn Worldwide. It is currently available for pre-order at:

http://www.llewellyn.com/bookstore/book.php?pn=H445

This unique guidebook combines traditional Reiki techniques with chakra healing, the magical arts, and the author's own spiritual and clairvoyant experience. Reiki Master Katalin Koda has studied Tibetan Buddhism, practiced Kundalini yoga, and researched ancient Vedic knowledge of the human energy field in India. The result is a powerful new way to practice Reiki, a holistic spiritual approach that Koda calls the Reiki Warrior path.

Also, if you haven't already, please check out www.sacredpathreiki.com for more information regarding the book, Katalin, healings and workshops.

Over the course of the next months, various aspects of the Reiki Warrior path will be published here including:

Six Tools of the Reiki Warrior

Creating Sacred Space

Connecting to Earth and Sky

The Art of Laying-on-Hands

Building an Auric Vocabulary

The Power of Symbols

These are just a few of the concepts and practical methods found in Sacred Path of Reiki. Testimonials, Reiki stories and the chance for connections to happen here between Reiki healers, practitioners and teachers will also be a central aspect of this blog.

Katalin Koda has been practicing Reiki for ten years and teaching for nine. She has given hundreds of Reiki sessions and taught many students from around the world. She studied and earned all degrees of Reiki with Reiki Master and High Priestess, Rowan Wilson. After learning Reiki One and Two in Spring of 1998, she spent the following year practicing earnestly on friends and family while finishing her B.A. in socio-cultural Anthropology at the University of Maryland: College Park. She volunteered at the Reiki Clinic in downtown Baltimore, Maryland where she experienced the healing art of Reiki with a number of different practitioners of various lineages. A year later she earned her Reiki Master degree with Wilson.

Over the past decade, Katalin has continued her practice and teaching of Reiki supplementing her study with the Chakra System, Hatha and Kundalini Yoga and the Tibetan Dharma. She is a certified Sivananda Yoga instructor from Sivananda Ashram in Neyyar Dam, Kerala. Katalin currently divides her time between Hawai’i and India where she continues to practice Reiki and teaches all degrees of Reiki Warrior. She also provides chakra, Tarot and sacred crafting workshops as well as pursuing her shamanic training, writing and painting.