Chinese Medicine can deepen and support your Reiki Practice

Next week I will be hosting "Chinese Medicine for Reiki Practitioners" at Sacred Waters Sanctuary. This 3-day workshop is crafted for Reiki practitioners to deepen their understanding of what Qi is, how it manifests in health and illness, and how Reiki, or Heavenly Qi, can be used to nourish and regulate its functions. This workshop can be considered a survey of key topics from the basics of Chinese medical theory imbued with Daoist wisdom including Yin & Yang theory, 5-element theory, an overview of the organs and channels of Chinese medicine, and a focus on how these theories can be used to elevate your Reiki treatments.

Beyond its benefits to your Reiki practice, this workshop will explore how Chinese medicine gives language to aspects of the human experience that all of us know at a deep level but do not have the words for. Towards this intention, class lectures will be paired with Qigong practices chosen specifically to bring to life the theory that we will be discussing. This will include Qigong self-massage to connect to our channels, movement practices to develop our awareness of the subtle movements of Qi in our bodies, vocalising mantras that connect and nourish specific elements and organs in our bodies, and learning practices to help us cultivate our Qi and develop proper "Qi hygiene."  Expect many "EUREKA!" moments as the theory and practice mix and illuminate concepts that are simultaneously obvious and ethereal. 

One of our key focuses will be on how Chinese medical theory can improve the intentionality of our Reiki treatments. In addition to exploring how Chinese medicine thinks about health and pathology, we will study the art of determining patterns of disease and developing treatment principles based upon our findings. A pattern in Chinese medicine represents a holistic view of how disease manifests and a treatment principle is the intention that a practitioner sets to restore balance in their patient. One tool that we will learn about is the 8-principles, which is a great first step in determining a pattern in a patient. Those who have taken this class in the past have highlighted how these lessons specifically have improved their treatments.

We will also learn a few medical Qigong inspired techniques that I have used in both Reiki and acupuncture treatments to regulate a person's Qi. We will explore the intent of each of these techniques and how they can be specifically chosen to compliment our treatment principles. On the last day we will have time to practice both developing treatment principles and using these techniques in a treatment.

There is a lot more that I could say about what to expect and what you will gain from this workshop. My biggest hope is that you walk away from this class with new ideas and a burning desire to learn more. I hope to plant seeds in your heart and mind that will grow through the years and benefit not only your Reiki practice but your life as a whole.