Reiki Guardians of the Capital Region

spirit_guides-2

We are a group of diligent and dedicated Practitioners who wish to walk our talk by nourishing and nurturing the Capital Region of NY State.

We are a circle of healers, holistic practitioners, social workers, shamans, healthcare staff, caretakers, peacemakers, students and teachers who have realized that we have a duty to our community. We meet every two weeks to discuss Random Acts of Kindness and community service* that benefits the entire Capital Region.

*[VISIT OUR FACEBOOK PAGE BY CLICKING THE BUTTON BELOW]

We want to show people that being a practitioner is more than just the act of practicing in a temple or healing room. It is practicing in your every day life, in every situation, in every moment that you are being a force for healing to all Beings. That means the lawyer in line at the cafe, AND the homeless person by the door. That means the hungry stray cat, AND the squirrel in your backyard. That means the young woman at Planned Parenthood, AND the protesters picketing outside. That means the earth you walk and drive on; the air you breathe in and out; the sunlight that keeps us warm and healthy; and the waters you drink and bathe with.

We follow a code of Integrity, Respect, Heroic Courage, Honour, Compassion, Honesty, Sincerity, Duty and Loyalty. We live this sacred credo based on the Gokai Principles. It means that we do not allow toxic anger and fear to control our lives, and it means that loving kindness can remedy all dis-ease. This is what we have dedicated our lives to learning and sharing.

We focus on our true essence and our place in the world, and the Truth is that our true essence is Love, and our place in the world is to shine it in all directions for the good and health of all!

So we vow to help those in need. We vow to visit and hold space for those in their darkest hours. We vow to aid the hungry, dis-eased, and poor of spirit. We vow to be peaceful warriors for our brothers and sisters. We vow to do all of this and more.

So many forget that this was what the original Reiki teachings were all about: focusing on one’s true essence and our place in the world. The truth is that our true essence is Love, and our place in the world is to shine it in all directions for the good and health of all.

Many people are still unsure of what Reiki is, and much less want to take the time to know. Many see it as woo-woo or just a scam, no matter if it has been scientifically proven and is gaining more and more standing with the medical community.

1396991226409475

The thing is people don’t have the time, it’s the way they live and the way they love themselves.

Many know they should eat organic, exercise, read, play, speak truthfully, and act kindly; but so many dictate their lives around a schedule, a clock, a fixed “this is the way it is and there’s nothing I can do to fix it.” Many don’t make the time for a massage, much less an hour long Reiki treatment.

They’d rather spend their money on drinks at the bar or the prostitute down the block. They’d rather self medicate with drugs like processed sugars, fast food, cigarettes, marijuana, promiscuous sex, cocaine, and blood diamonds from Africa.  They’d rather “save” money now but pay later at the expense of their health. They’d rather focus on their materialistic lifestyle rather than charity. They’d rather buy the $2000 designer shoes or bag instead of $200 on food from the farmer’s market. And then they go to church or temple or what have you on Sunday to “cleanse” themselves to just do it all again. They do this and wonder why they are still unhappy and unhealthy?

The thing is that They need Love. They need random acts of Kindness. They need to feel Connected.

They need to feel like They Matter.  They need to not feel Alone. They want to be Seen and Heard. They want to be able To Love and Be Loved. They want to be able to not be judged. They want to be able to talk Soul-to-Soul, but their tongues have forgotten how to speak from the heart. They are afraid to confront their Fear and Their Mirrors.

We can help. As practitioners this is Our Work.

santa_monica_photo_by_nancy_smith

This is Our Spiritual Warrior Call

To just for today,

  • Make a stand for peace and love.
  • Say “No” to that which no longer serves us and others.
  • Be there, to show up, and to have each other’s backs.
  • Be gentle to ourselves and others.
  • Be spiritual and peaceful warriors for our brothers and sisters.

To just for today,

  • Be the best Reiki Superheros that we can be.
  • Own our anger and to know the nature of our fears.
  • Fail, and fail again until we succeed with grace and humility.
  • Come into our own power and believe in our strength.
  • Embrace our courageous vulnerability and meet our challenges head on.

To just for today,

  • Stay silent and hold space when need be.
  • Protect others and each other from all forms of abuse, even if it is from ourselves.
  • Help others achieve their personal happiness.
  • Go to others and be in their moment of need.
  • Visit others and support their families during hard times.

To just for today,

  • Give and ask for forgiveness of our mistakes.
  • Show gratitude and appreciation for our many blessings and sufferings.
  • Work hard and diligently, but to also laugh, play, and smile.
  • Work together towards these common goals.
  • Work together for change in our communities.

To just for today,

  • Make an effort for your own mind, body and soul growth.
  • Treat our mind, souls, and bodies as the sacred temples that they are.
  • Aim at keeping “health the primary duty of life.”
  • Aim at increasing understanding, prosperity, and happiness in our families, neighborhoods, society, nation, and world.
  • Aim at being kind to all Beings regardless of age, gender, creed, tribe, nationality, language, culture, religion, or orientation.

And to just for today,

  • “Burn as brightly and radiate Reiki light-healing energy” into this our community and Home.

A Reiki Guardian aims to be an example of the Seven Virtues of Integrity, Respect, Heroic Courage, Honour, Compassion, Honesty and Sincerity, Duty and Loyalty.

7384958_orig

A Reiki Guardian Does No Harm:  She or he does no harm and serves humanity with the objective of cultivating goodness and wholeness.

A Reiki Guardian possess Unconditional Love:  She or he offers care from an infinite field of love and compassion.  They strive to adopt an attitude of unconditional love for clients, other practitioners, and all of life.  Unconditional love describes the ability to love without reservations or agendas.  This type of love rests on a firm foundation of intentionality.

A Reiki Guardian Models Healthy Behaviors:  She or he models healthy behaviors and engage in practices that support wholeness.  They have a responsibility to identify and integrate self care strategies to enhance their own well being and assist others in their efforts to do the same.  Reiki Guardians recognize that self care practices can support and enhance healing capacities for every client.

A Reiki Guardian Forms Quality Relationships:  She or he maintains cooperative relationships with other professionals whether holistic or allopathic. They have a responsibility to nurture each other, and to support other healers to work as a team in the interest of all citizens.  They make referrals to other qualified professionals when appropriate.  They do not make medical diagnoses nor prescribe medications without appropriate training and licensure; neither do they suggest that the client change prescribed treatment or interfere with the treatment of a licensed health care provider. The Reiki Guardian strives to see everyone as a whole person—body, mind, and spirit—and provides care that is culturally appropriate and consistent.  The Reiki Guardian is sensitive to the boundary needs of all people.  They hold in confidence all information, stories, confessions, and personal information given in good faith.

A Reiki Guardian Pursues Wisdom:  And acts wisely. They cultivate awareness and understanding concerning individual consciousness and one’s relationship to Universal Consciousness. They recognize that people may bring lessons to the healer; illness, pain, and the dying process offers learning opportunities for both the dying and the healer.

A Reiki Guardian is Competent:  carries personal responsibility for their own practice and for maintaining continued competence.  They provide services commensurate with their training and perform only those services for which they are qualified.  They pursue continuing professional education and training to maintain and enhance their competence. They have the obligation to determine the efficacy and safety of all healing actions.  Wherever applicable, Reiki Guardians utilize research findings in directing their practice.  They observe all applicable laws, and uphold the dignity and honor of their profession.

A Reiki Guardian has a Responsibility to their Profession, Society, and Environment:  They play a role in determining and implementing desirable standards of holistic practice and education.  They work with others in their field and other fields to guide these healing professions toward holism, and to maintain and monitor high professional standards of care.  Reiki Guardians support holistic research and the development of holistically oriented healing theories.  They participate in establishing and maintaining equitable social and economic working conditions in holistic healing. They along with other humans, have a responsibility for initiating and supporting actions to meet the health and social needs of society.  Above all, they serve humanity with full respect for the dignity, autonomy, and sensitivity of their fellow human beings. They have a responsibility to establish environmental harmony so that planetary healing may take place.  They consider the health of the ecosystem in relation to the need for health, safety, and peace for all citizens.  Reiki Guardians view all of existence as sacred and interconnected and serve with reverence and respect for all.  Healing relationships occur within all of existence and include not only people, but animals, plants, and the local, global, and cosmic environment.

c698e36d3b53bd6419e34391e2c6f15f

Now, just for today, I understand that not every Reiki Practitioner or healer wants to hold themselves up to such high standards. Or at least not yet. And that is okay, for now.

But if you are interested, but also a bit daunted- know that all of these will not be asked of you Now. These virtues of the Reiki Way take a life time to master. We all make mistakes and fail. It is through failure that we learn.

I expect my students to fail. I expect myself to fail as well. Because it is important to know that we are all human, and we do fail, but we can fail, and fail some more, and fail again better.

I may not expect my students to measure up to all of these, however I do expect my students and fellow Reiki Guardians to embrace their inner Reiki Samurai, their inner Spiritual and Peaceful Warrior. I expect us all to set higher standards for ourselves, and to live with honour.

When you are ready to answer the call, and my guess is that you already have by reading this, then contact me and join your fellow Guardians.

There is much work to be done.

facebook button (111x111) Find us on Facebook

Bowing to You in Gassho, Hands over Heart.

Dōmo arigatō gozaimashita. | どうも ありがとう ございました。

Thank you very much for what you have done, and thank-you very much for all that you will do.

Namaste~

REFERENCES

  • Gratitude to Creative Commons Photographers BK, Wisdom Warrior, Roseville Crossfit, and Hands Across the Sand.
  • Holistic Arts Institute Code of Ethics for Holistic Healers

Reiki Hands For Hope

14020296872_34e7cc8b3d_k

Recently, many of us at CHC have wanted to reach out to the larger Capital Region and provide free services and random acts of kindness.

Our Objective

Our Mission is to bring a larger awareness  of what it truly means to be Reiki Practitioners. We live the Reiki Way. We bring awareness to how compassion and love can remedy all anger and fear.

We vow to embrace our duty for “Hands of Healing, not Harm.”

Some of our “Reiki Activism” focuses on:

  • Abuse Awareness: Self, Physical, Physicological, Emotional, Spiritual, and Environmental
  • Group Hugs or Free One-to-One Hugs on street corners
  • Handing out Free Flowers with Love Notes
  • Cleaning Roads of Litter and Debris
  • Handing out Free Sandwiches and Water during the warm months
  • Handing out Free Tea and Soup during the cold months
  • Interfaith Caroling during the Winter Holidays
  • Playing with Rescue Pets at Animal Shelters
  • Visiting local Homes for the Elderly

Our circle is a group of diligent, and dedicated Reiki Practitioners, Massage Therapists, and other Healers who wish to be the change they wish to see in the world. If you are interested in helping us, feel free to contact me via derek AT completehealthcircle DOT com

Gatherings

3210477963_7e411cd644_b

Saturday, October 25th, 2014 – Project “Reiki Hugs”
Corner of Lark Street and Madison. Albany, NY.

GRATITUDE to Creative Commons Photographers Tim Brockley and truthaboutit

 

Expanding Your Happiness Day 11: Living Kindness

expandinghappiness11

“Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.” —Lao Tzu

Kindness is the gracious gesture of a loving heart. Genuine kindness can’t be faked or forced. It must come straight from one’s center of being. It is the soul’s recognition that another person deserves the same love you give to yourself. Kindness bridges our isolated individuality and shows us we are connected at our core. This is how our happiness expands beyond our ego boundaries and transforms our sense of self.

Meditation today will enliven our core of love and encourage its movement out into our lives as kindness and joy. Every loving gesture is an expansion of our happiness.

Our centering thought for today is:

Kindness expresses the gentleness of the soul.

Our Sanskrit mantra for today is:

“Om Mitraya.” I am kind and friendly to all.

“Dr. Angelou said, ‘I have found that it’s among the benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver. When you learn, teach. When you get, give.’ Giving liberates the soul. I know that, I feel that, I live that. From the smallest random act of kindness to the biggest giveaways on television, everything is better when you share. Think of a moment when you gave someone the perfect gift,  or said something that was comforting, or you just showed up in a way that really made a difference. I believe that moment created as much joy for you, as it did for the other person. Maybe even more. That’s because when you reach out in kindness, you put into motion an energy that expands exponentially. The generous energy of love, connection, and joy. And that absolutely comes back, always. It is a spiritual law. So let’s expand on the spirit of living in kindness and meditate, together.” ~ Oprah

Today’s Notes

It’s inspiring to meet gentle people who open their hearts with generosity. There a phrase for the quality that they emanate: courtesy of the heart. 

The flow of loving kindness comes naturally. When you are loving you are expressing an aspect of universal consciousness.

“Love is the only reality, and it is not only a mere sentiment, it is the ultimate truth that lies that the heart of creation.” ~ Rabindranath Tagore

This gives us a new awareness of not only love, but of every aspect of universal consciousness.

Duality is a set up, everyone is worthy of our kindness and love. Those we reject to give our kindness to is nothing but separation and disconnection from your true self. Love is a steady state, like breathing, even when you don’t pay attention to it. An act of kindness is a natural extension of who you really are. To be kind means you set aside the ego’s fears and boundaries that a separate self is forced to live in. Nathaniael Brandon has written that there is overwhelming evidence that the higher the level of self esteem, the more likely one will be more apt to treat others with respect, kindness, and generosity.

In wholeness, territory expands, the world becomes family. Love becomes boundless because you are the universe.

Consider our centering thought, “kindness expresses the gentleness of the soul.”

Now, prepare for meditation. Make yourself comfortable and close your eyes, and become aware of your breath. With each breath, allow yourself to become more relaxed. Then introduce today’s mantra, “Om Mitraya.” This mantra evokes feelings of kindness and friendliness. Repeat it silently to yourself. Feel your mind, body, and spirit open and receive just a little bit more.

My Thoughts & Experience

random act of kindness

Physical: Tingles in fingertips, gooseflesh, gentle ringing in my ears.
Mental/Emotional: Not kind enough to everybody. Snappish.
Spiritual: Feel I could do more. But also know I shouldn’t be so hard on myself.

We cannot be kind to everyone all the time, until we reach that place that Deepak spoke of where we are able to be kind, to everyone, all the time, without even thinking.

Sometimes, irritation gives way. Sometimes, when met with counter energy, we push back, so determined to finish what we started. Sometimes, stress triggers impulses that are not so kind. Sometimes, trauma comes back to bite us in the ass, and we feel so guilty and sorry for what we have done.

But we must also be kind to ourselves as well as others.

It is not as if we go around with the intention to do something unkind. So in those moments where we do find ourselves being not so nice, we can stop, hit the pause button, and apologize and learn from our mistakes so as to not repeat them. We can learn a great deal by analyzing our triggers, especially if we have PTSD or other psychological scaring.

And we can tip the scales. We can realize and act from the heart. We can be and breathe, and live, and be kindness itself. We can do random acts of kindness, not only to make up for what we have done, but because we sincerely do want to do good and do wish to make amends. We can and we must.

Namaste

Desire and Destiny Day 15: How can I serve?

serving others serves me

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”  —Anne Frank

Today we delve more deeply into what it means to be of service. When we serve others from a place of love, we are also serving ourselves.

For many of us, when we think of service, we envision great feats, sacrifices, large philanthropic donations, and other grand gestures. While service can be all those things, service can be much more accessible in our daily lives. Giving to others through service is simply recognizing what you do best in any given moment and offering that as a gift to someone else. For instance, in this moment, you may be sitting in a coffee shop across from someone who looks like she could really use a warm smile and, in this moment, you offer a smile in service to brighten her day. Giving can be that simple.

Think about how good you feel when you give someone a gift in this way and notice how serving someone else is a gift to yourself as well.

Our centering thought for today is:

“Serving others serves me.”

Our Sanskrit mantra for today is:

“Om Vardhanam Namah.”I nourish the universe and the universe nourishes me.

MINDFUL MOMENT

Let today be your day to share random acts of kindness with generosity and joy. If you encounter someone in need offer a gift from the heart, be it a kind word, a joke, or a cup of tea. Hold the door open for someone, just because. Call a friend and share a kind word. When you are engaged in activity, give your full attention to it, knowing that when you are fully present, you are doing something with love and serving the world with your time and talent. Enjoy the energy that comes back to you as you walk through each moment with a giving and caring heart.

How can I serve? How can we all serve, each other, ourselves, and the planet?

With love.

Like it says above, service can be something as simple as smiling at someone who looks like they could use a pick-me-up, or holding a door open for someone behind you.

Of course, it could be about volunteering your time at an animal shelter, nursing home, hospital, homeless shelter, or soup kitchen.

It could also be about just helping your neighbor with the groceries, or tidying a lawn.

It could be about picking up trash on the side of the street or while walking a trail.

It could even be giving your friend, family member, or partner a massage or Reiki.

The possibilities are endless! Random acts of kindness can be around every corner, as long as we make them happen and appreciate them when they happen to us.

“Service needn’t be grand gestures. The universe is all about flow and dynamic exchange. giving and receiving which are are different aspect of the same flow of energy therefore when we freely share our gifts with others we really give back to ourselves. it feels good to give and giving comes back to us through appreciation, love, smiles, and hugs, the god things in life.” – Deepak Chopra

This is a perfect time of year to help others.

I mean, we should be inclined to help all year long, but the holidays can be especially hard for people who do not have anyone to share it with.

Bringing in the warmth of spirit during these cold holy days and nights can sometimes be a formidable challenge. 

But as I said earlier, it doesn’t have to be grandiose.

“Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

Not everyone has to work for a nonprofit, join the Peace Corps, or military.

There are multiple ways to serve humanity.

What’s yours? How will you serve others, your Self, and the planet?

We can create harmonious homes, harmonious neighborhoods, harmonious communities, and a harmonious planet.

Serving others, serves me.
I nourish the Universe, and the Universe nourishes me.
You can nourish the Universe, and the Universe can nourish you.
Namaste. We are all one.
By healing myself, I heal others.