NU-REIKI Oneness - JuliaCarroll1.com
Transcription
NU-REIKI Oneness - JuliaCarroll1.com
NU-REIKI TM An Affiliate of the Reiki Touch Institute of Holistic Medicine ® Author of Reiki Touch Twentieth Anniversary Edition, Healed By Light & Healing H’Arts Distinguished Reiki Master Julia Elizabeth Carroll BFA • MA • PhD (abd) • Post-Graduate Art Therapy Degree • Pastoral Counselor Certification NU-REIKI Oneness The Enlightened Reiki Registered and Copyrighted by: Reiki Touch Institute of Holistic Medicine® Publishing P.O. Box 270957, Houston, Texas 77277-0957 Email: julia@juliacarroll1.com Web: www.juliacarroll1.com Skype: juliacarroll11 Protected by Federal Copyright laws. All rights reserved. No part of the contents of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the express written permission of the author. Copyright © 2011 by Julia Elizabeth Carroll (aka: Judy-Carol Stewart) ISBN: 978-1-4507-4566-6 Library of Congress Control Number: 201096634 Cover and Book Design by Valentine-Design.com Original Art by Barney Wan Technical Support by GailsGraphics@comcast.net Editor: BarbaraLynnSilberg@msn.com Julia Elizabeth Carroll’s photos by Gittings® Intellectual Property Attorney: Delphine James, PLLC This book was typeset in Palatino Linotype and Viking Fonts Printed in the United States of America Other Books by Julia Elizabeth Carroll Reiki Touch: A Reiki Handbook (aka: Judy-Carol Stewart) 1988 Reiki Touch: The Essential Handbook (aka: Judy-Carol Stewart) 1995 Healing H’Arts: Spiritual Shaman Secrets 2005 Reiki Touch Twentieth Anniversary Edition: Professional Touch Mysteries 2008 Healed by Light: Professional Art Therapy – Guided Survivor Journal (Revised Edition) 2009 Dedication ~ We seek until we find. ~ Oneness is the culmination of the search. ~ May we all experience “Oneness”. ~ Julia Elizabeth Carroll Table of Contents Endorsements_________________________________________________________ vii Foreword: Stanley Krippner, Ph.D._ _______________________________________ix About the Author______________________________________________________xiii Julia’s Journey_________________________________________________________ xv NU-REIKI History Lineage Photos_______________________________________________________xxiv Five Spiritual Precepts_________________________________________________ xxv What is NU-REIKI______________________________________________________ 3 NU-REIKI Tools & Considerations________________________________________ 7 Hawayo Takata’s Story of Usui’s Reiki_____________________________________ 13 NU-REIKI Techniques Protection Method_____________________________________________________ 25 NU-REIKI Distant Healings & Lineage Symbols____________________________ 27 ADVANCED NU-REIKI Situational Healing & Cell Memory Process__________ 36 Reiki Systems Overview________________________________________________ 41 NU-REIKI Support Spirituality & Meditations_ _____________________________________________ 49 Case Histories_________________________________________________________ 59 Published Research & Procedures________________________________________ 71 Gratitude Endorsements & Acknowledgements_____________________________________ 83 Afterword_ ___________________________________________________________ 93 Professional Affiliations_ _______________________________________________ 95 NU-REIKI Oneness Endorsements “Medical research has demonstrated that touch is therapeutic. Those who have experienced Julia’s energies are convinced that she promotes physical healing as well as spiritual growth and inner peace.” – Houston Chronicle ~ “Julia Carroll conveys a motherly aura, and a peace that characterizes the sage healer. Julia’s clients and students state that they feel ‘empowered, acknowledged and complete.’ In one year Julia received 110 requests from 16 countries to teach and lecture.” – Hong Kong Standard, Hong Kong Sunday Magazine ~ “Muchos son los estudiosos que se han dedicado a examiner dicho fenomeno, y entre ellos surge la maestro Julia Carroll expert en metodos revitalizadores de la salud.” – El Universal – El Gran Diario De Mexico – Mexico, D.F. ~ “Julia Carroll’s innovative approach to healing will feed body, mind and heart. A great opportunity to experience Ms. Carroll’s NU-REIKI mastery. Read this book!” – Merrie Lynn Ross, Filmmaker, Comedienne, Author, Bounce Off the Walls-Land on Your Feet ~ “Reiki is surely a healing process that has undoubtedly helped lots of people. All my best wishes.” – Helen Gurley Brown, Cosmopolitan, Editor-in-Chief International Editions ~ vii NU-REIKI Oneness Foreword Stanley K rippner, P h.D . R ecent surveys indicate that six out of ten Americans use alternative or complementary health care each year, and that seven out of ten use them at some point in their lives. The figures drop to 40% and 50% if prayer is excluded from the survey, as “healing prayer” is often used as an alternative or an adjunct to conventional medicine. Alternative health care, such as homeopathy, is typically used in place of conventional Western medicine, while complementary health care, such as acupuncture, is used to supplement Western medicine. About 15% of Americans use complementary health care in conjunction with Western medicine, even though many of them conceal this fact from their physician. Reiki, the focus of Julia Elizabeth Carroll’s remarkable book, is typically used as a complementary health care practice in the United States, but is considered to be conventional or mainstream in some parts of the world. Hence, what is “alternative” in one place and time might be “conventional” in another place and time. Because of its age, it is only natural for Reiki to have developed differently in various parts of the world. When contemporary Reiki clients discovered these differences, they were often dismayed, including Julia herself who felt that her teachers had betrayed her because they had not admitted the plethora of Reiki practices. Perhaps her teachers were unaware of the several Reiki lineages, or maybe they ix Julia Elizabeth Carroll simply did not want to confuse their students by introducing variations of this healing art. In any event, vital information of this nature cannot remain hidden in an era of mass communication, especially in the advent of “energy medicine,” which delights in categorizing the variety of hands-on, hands-off, contact, noncontact, meridian-based, and/or chakra-based practices. Some practitioners of “energy medicine” use the term “energy” as a metaphor, feeling that it conveys a useful description of how a practitioner and a client can work together to galvanize the latter’s healing capacities. Tapping into these capacities often results in the restoration of a smoothly functioning balance to a body that has been disrupted by a loss of equilibrium through one sickness or another. Other specialists speak and write about “body energy,” a “subtle energy,” or “biological energy” that can be augmented, transformed, and even measured when a practitioner and client work together. In any event there are dozens of Asian medical systems, yogic and breathing exercises, movement meditations, and touch modalities that are accompanied by their own collection of therapeutic images and symbols that can be visualized, conveyed by gestures, or graphically portrayed in various media—sometimes in works of graphic art that enhance the healing process. Julia has provided a useful model for those people who are bewildered by the vast array of energy healing resources that dot the landscape. Once she discovered that there were scores of Reiki lineages, she was inspired by her dreams and meditations to create a mega-lineage called “NU-REIKI”, that would consolidate the various forms of Reiki while allowing individual Reiki practitioners and Masters to choose the type that best suited their personal and spiritual style. Some lineages are more Western than others, while some are more Eastern. Some emphasize a hierarchy of levels while others are less structured. Some highlight love and compassion while others focus on “vibrations” and “healing rays.” All of the lineages described in this book date back to the work of Mikao Usui, a Zen monk, who founded an organization for practitioners in Japan in the 1920s. The Buddhist origins of Reiki predate Usui but have been lost in the mists of time. Usui’s word “Reiki” can be translated as “mysterious atmosphere,” as that is the innate energy (often called “ki” or “chi”) that he felt was at the core of this healing process. x NU-REIKI Oneness In reading this NU-REIKI Oneness book, I was reminded of research on the “relaxation response,” which found that meditation and similar activities led to a decrease in blood pressure, oxygen consumption, metabolism, carbon dioxide production, breathing rate, and general stress, while leading to improved concentration and feelings of well-being. I was also reminded of research supporting the effectiveness of mental imagery, and how symbols, once internalized, can revitalize the psyche, help cleanse the body of toxins, and accelerate the rate of healing from a variety of ailments. This book also underscores the benefits derived from one’s spiritual connections or “oneness” with a “divine source,” a “higher self,” or however one wants to describe something beyond oneself that is worthy of reverence and devotion. The care of one’s soul can lead to a longer life span, a healthier body, and enhanced physical and mental health. All of these treasures are available in Julia’s NU-REIKI Oneness book. And the “oneness” available in NU-REIKI is a type of unity that can be practiced on others or on oneself in a variety of ways. The readers of this book will be challenged to find their own way of manifesting this “oneness” and will be rewarded by the results. Stanley Krippner, Ph.D., holds global faculty appointments as well as being a Fellow for four American Psychology Associations; Member of the editorial board for the Journal of Indian Psychology and countless other international honors and achievements. An author of many books, Dr. Krippner’s latest is: Haunted by Combat: Understanding PTSD in War Veterans Including Women, Reservists and Those Coming Back from Iraq. xi NU-REIKI Oneness About the Author J ulia Elizabeth Carroll is the 35th Reiki Master in the world, trained in the direct lineage of Hawayo Takata, trained by Dr. Chujiro Hayashi, trained by Dr. Mikao Usui. Julia was the first Reiki Master in the state of Texas. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Art, Master’s Degree in Behavioral Science, Postgraduate degree in Art Therapy and a PhD (abd) in Holistic Wellness. Her pastoral counseling certification underscores her unique ability to connect with her students and clients. Julia is the author of several Reiki books: The Reiki Touch: A Reiki Handbook (1988), Reiki Touch: The Essential Handbook (1995), Reiki Touch Twentieth Anniversary Edition: Professional Touch Mysteries (2008) and the current book, NU-REIKI Oneness: The Enlightened Reiki (2011). Her other books are Healing H’Arts: Spiritual Shaman Secrets (2005), Harmed by Night – Healed by Light (2005), and Healed by Light: Professional Art Therapy (2009). In addition to Julia’s active NU-REIKI practice, she teaches psychology at the University of Houston – Clear Lake and does art therapy with severely maltreated children and international adoptees struggling with socialization issues. xiii NU-REIKI Oneness Julia’s Journey A round 1980, I was in the Orient studying various holistic healing methods; Chinese medicine, herbs, acupressure and other modalities. I traveled to some ancient villages to observe healing traditions handed down for 4000 years – or so they told me. One eleven-hour journey was up a steep mountain on a one lane dirt path. These villages had no electricity, water or any modern devices at all. One particular place had the dwellings up on platforms and each night they would bring their pigs and chickens into this one-room abode with the rest of the family. This was to prevent wild animals from eating them. Rice was the primary source of food with the rice paddies layered on the mountain side, having been passed down for generations. Some say these spectacular rice paddies are known as the 8th wonder of the world. The people were sweet and innocent; very happy and willing to show me their ways of healing. This village used herbs: some ground up, some heated and wrapped in leaves as a poultice and some were like a watery, smelly liquid in which the ill or injured area was placed. This liquid was very, very hot! But getting back to civilization was always welcome. In one upscale hotel I visited, a little Chinese lady came over, saying her eyes were bothering her. She asked if I would heal them. She had no way of knowing I did healings, so I was xv Julia Elizabeth Carroll rather surprised. I didn’t have any experience with eyes – very sorry. She was not deterred and persisted, intent on her eyes being healed. I invited her into my hotel room having no clue as to what I would do, but did perceive that this incident must be karmic and I should do “something.” I placed my hands on her head, then over her eyes and prayed out loud during the entire process. I took some water from the bathroom lavatory and brought it back to where she was serenely sitting. I blew on the water, then dripped it from my fingers into her eyes. I asked the “gods of healing” to restore her sight. After a half-hour or so, I asked her how she was. She got up, looked in the mirror and smiled from ear to ear. Bowing, she thanked me over and over. She began digging into her purse and I placed my hand over hers and said, “No – no pay.” She brought out an elegant jade heart encased in gold, pressed it into my palm and said, “I can see now – I knew you could do it.” I put the jade heart back into her hands but she said, “If I do not pay you, the healing will not last.” That is the oriental belief system of exchange of energy. Very Reiki-like – but I did not know of Reiki at that time. Soon I was in a different hotel to study some healing methods and walked into a room where the group was gathered to begin the seminar. A man was lying on a treatment table and a lady had her hands gently resting on his back. She was talking, the man was talking, and others in the room were talking. Concerned because it did not appear to be a proper healing setting, I told her to stop. She explained that she was doing Reiki. I argued with her because there was no focus, her hands were not moving, and they were both talking. The man assured me that his back had been hurting and some energy was coming out of her hands and he really felt better. That was the first I heard of Reiki, this ancient, revered healing art. xvi NU-REIKI Oneness A year later, when I had returned to Houston, I was sitting at my desk when the phone rang; a lady was coming to teach this healing art called Reiki and did I want to take the class? Did I ever! I wanted to prove that this so-called healing art was a hoax. As I skeptically entered the classroom I felt energy emanating from the teacher. That was a little curious, but I put it out of my mind. Then, she noticed my energy and that made me even more curious about her. She asked me if I would please go and energetically bless the room where she was going to work. I thought someone must have told her of my healing work. No one had. After two days of studying this Reiki healing art I had to admit there was something to it. In fact, within a few days of taking the class I had business cards printed up advertising my new business as a Reiki practitioner. Karma. A medical doctor from my class called and asked if I would set up my Reiki practice in his office. Yes, indeed. This was very good fortune. He referred his allopathic patients to me, thereby fulfilling his desire to increase awareness in holistic modalities. His reception office scheduled my clients and his waiting room was my teaching space. This timely blessing became a professional base from which to practice and teach Reiki. He was a great teacher as well as a fine doctor of medicine. xvii Julia Elizabeth Carroll My training was from the Usui Shiki Ryoho system and there were many disciplines to honor and practice for it to be successful. I was a good student, so I followed all the rules to perfection and my practice grew very large. I was the first Reiki Master in the state of Texas and the only one for over 10 years. During this time, I met an Indian Guru and became involved with the custom of meditation. My Guru was interested in this sweet, gentle healing art and asked me to write a book about it. I had incorporated my company as Reiki Touch, so the first book was named Reiki Touch. I traveled the globe teaching Reiki, in the USA, Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, also going back to the oriental countries where I had studied previously. This time, the only method being taught was Reiki, and I trained hundreds of students in each location, generally traveling back to each location about five times. I was blessed to be able to teach Reiki to Dr. Andrew Weil’s fellows and research staff, University of Texas Health Science Center, Harvard Medical School’s teaching facility, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and other renowned medical establishments. The Reiki Touch Institute of Holistic Medicine did the first university-based researches, resulting in published articles in major medical journals. These studies provided the basic research format for alternative and complementary medicine for the National Institutes of Health. I traveled internationally with my Guru and lived in Her ashrams for many years. Her auspicious grace continues to bless me. Once, on a plane headed for a meditation retreat, my Guru beckoned to me and said that when we landed I was to turn around and immediately go to the Dominican Republic to teach Reiki. In my lack of understanding, I protested, saying that they were not expecting me, no publicity had been done and expressed other useless pleas. xviii NU-REIKI Oneness But the Grace of the Guru provides all answers. I was to go and stay for three weeks. After landing, I made a phone call, telling a friend in the Dominican Republic that I was coming, had my luggage transferred to the next flight and was on my way. I arrived and my host began to arrange classes. My habit was to meditate several times a day, and I was receiving messages to heal the “street people.” There certainly were a lot. I passed this message on to my host and we began to figure out how to make this happen. As all things that are meant to be, the answers appeared rather quickly. On the designated day, I had another meditative message. “Feed the people.” My first thought was that Reiki was a form of food. However my host, who owned a bakery, immediately brought out several huge trays of brownies. They were pre-cut in 4” pieces, but she cut them into another four to ensure everyone would have a brownie. Off we went to the poorest part of the city. One family offered their little hut as the site for me to heal these wide-eyed and expectant natives. The message went out that the healing was for the elderly and small children. The streets were lined with over 200 people. Six at a time entered this dirt floor hut. We had only candles for lighting and a few crudely made stools. The elderly held the children in their laps as I performed Reiki on them. In this high energy state, the healings can go very fast. After the healing every person got a parchment certificate inscribed with their name – and a brownie. We worked well into the night and people kept coming. Finally, we asked them to come back the next day. Over two hundred people lined the streets the next morning. We were ready for them. xix Julia Elizabeth Carroll One little boy had been put on the streets “for sale” by his parents. Unfortunately, this was all too common. Someone told him to come in and get some energy so he very shyly entered the hut. After his healing, he was given his certificate and a brownie. The proud look on his face swept over his little body as he grasped his certificate. After a few minutes he rushed back in, tears flowing down his face; the rain had faded his name. He was devastated. I made him another and he tucked it safely underneath his shirt. My host said that this was very likely the only piece of paper he would ever receive in his whole life. Dr. Mikao Usui trained Dr. Chujiro Hayashi in the Usui System of Reiki, who trained Mrs. Hawayo Takata. I was trained in Reiki Mastery by Barbara Lincoln McCullough, one of the twenty-two masters trained by Takata. After 15 years of study and training, I returned to Houston and found out that there were a plethora of Reiki lineages that were unlike the Usui System. I only knew the Usui time-honored lineage, therefore discovering others challenged my base of understanding. I felt blind-sided. In order to assess and process this new information, I took a professional break from Reiki altogether and entered graduate school. After a few years, I had a degree in Behavioral Science, a Post-grad degree in Art Therapy, began a doctoral program in Holistic Wellness and had written two more books. During these academic years, the information from other lineages kept entering my periphery, and in January 2009, I learned that there were other lineages of Reiki which existed in Usui’s time. My Reiki world was shaken. I felt betrayed by my teachers. Other lineages had existed all along. With skepticism, I entered into another mission. What was the origin, the source, the practice and the philosophies xx NU-REIKI Oneness of these other lineages? I began a wide search, interviewing, consulting and studying with other lineage masters, all the while protecting the Usui system. This research yielded profound insights: a puzzle with many pieces – yet my vision was nowhere near complete. I was still protective of what I had learned and practiced for almost three decades. It was now June 2009, and the occasion of my Guru’s birthday. My practice on this auspicious day was to be in a state of grateful worship to my Guru and to all related Incarnations. After a blissful evening of meditation, I fell into a deep sleep. The dreams began. Gurumayi®, in all Her wonder, seated upon Her Chair of Shakti, brought me into Her presence. I respectfully pranamed, then looked up and into Her eyes. Such bliss; a merging with profound love. From center to circumference. From microcosm to macrocosm. Heart love emanated from Her heart to my heart and surrounded me with ecstasy. Gurumayi’s eyes were on fire; blazing and penetrating into my very soul. She spoke, “Get back into Reiki!” And, She disappeared. I was not ecstatic after that message for I had been confused with all the Reiki philosophies and did not, at all, know how to “get back into Reiki!” Fortunately, there are many Siddha Yoga® holy days during the summer months. As it happened, during the entire summer of dreams and meditations, supported by the holy days, information as to how to “get back into Reiki” took form. The name was first. It was to be NU-REIKI. That made sense as this was surely a new journey with Reiki. Little by little, meditations and dreams provided me with the direction of how to proceed. Many lineages are public regarding the information, symbols and practices of Reiki. This is manifested by displaying them on t-shirts, stationery, jewelry and other items. These lineages also speak the names of the symbols out loud, as in xxi Julia Elizabeth Carroll regular conversation. The Usui System of Reiki holds this information as sacred and confidential. Other lineages, one being Jikiden, also maintain confidentiality. Arguments exist for both. The public display serves those who might not otherwise find Reiki and may be curious enough to study it and to possibly receive healings. The stance of confidentiality offers sacredness to the symbols and practices that are housed within the body, mind and spirit, which channels through the 3rd eye and the initiated hands. Another belief professes that not dispersing the symbols or information increases the power of Reiki. The 3rd eye is opened with the Reiki II initiations and continues to open with regular practice of sending the symbols through the 3rd eye to the individual’s area of concern. The systems practicing confidentiality do not repeat the name of the symbols out loud, nor display the symbols on anything not connected with specific healings. In the Usui System of Reiki, the names and uses of the symbols are only discussed with the Initiating Reiki Master who initiates you into Reiki Mastery. One may take Reiki classes with other Reiki teachers but your Initiating Reiki Master is your final teacher. In the Usui System, great loyalty and respect is given to the Initiating Reiki Master and a lifelong teaching relationship is offered. xxii Dr. Mikao Usui Dr. Chujiro Hayashi Mrs. Hawayo Takata Five Precepts of Reiki Just for today, I shall not anger. Just for today, I shall not worry. Just for today, I shall count my many blessings and show gratitude. Just for today, I shall do my work honestly. Just for today, I shall respect and be kind to all Beings. NU-REIKI HISTORY What Is NU-REIKI? The Japanese character “Rei.” “Rei” means spirit, air, essence of creation. The Japanese character “Ki.” “Ki” means power or energy. R eiki translates into Universal Life Force. “Rei” is the essence of the source of life. “Ki” is the energy or power that brings it into form. Reiki is gentle but powerful, simple but effective. It is unique in that it is one of the rare healing forms that can be used on oneself as well as on someone else. By simply placing one’s hands on oneself or another, the Reiki energy flows, creating harmony and restoring the body, mind and spirit to its perfect, innate state of wellness. With the hands on the body, Reiki is “on.” With the hands off the body, Reiki is “off.” Our energy is not being used, but this universal life force moves through us so we are constantly energized. NU-REIKI merges with other Reiki systems to create an inner “Oneness” for the body, mind and spirit. With the original Reiki I initiation, the energy centers or chakras are aligned, the hands become awakened and respond with warmth and/or tingling. With NUREIKI, the same thing occurs but with a stronger impact because the Reiki II initia- Julia Elizabeth Carroll tion is united with the Reiki I initiation. Additionally, the power symbol is taught with Reiki I instruction instead of only using it for Reiki II. This produces quicker and more profound healings. As long as the area of imbalance desires the energy, the hands will respond accordingly. When the imbalance is eased then that area has received a “fullness” of Reiki and our hands will cool and lift off the body. In some critical instances, after the body has assimilated the energy, more Reiki may be needed. The Reiki flows into the top of the head, down to the heart, and then out the arms and hands to the person receiving the energy. Reiki is unique in that it is one of the rare healing forms that can be used on oneself as well as on someone else. The Reiki II initiation accentuates the Reiki I initiation energy for faster and deeper results. Imagine the results when NU-REIKI merges the Reiki I and Reiki II initiations. Very powerful, indeed! NU-REIKI also fuses Reiki I and Reiki II techniques for distant energy healings. With this technique, the energy is more focused and empowered, therefore produces amazing healings. Plus, NU-REIKI reduces the amount of time for a distant energy healing, so more individuals can now receive and benefit. The distant energy healings remove the element of time and space so anyone, anywhere in the universe, alive or in spirit, can receive the energy. Often the recently deceased experiencing trauma. Reiki can address the trauma and support them in accepting their new existence. NU-REIKI requires permission from the individual prior to offering handson or distant energy treatments. If the person is deceased, contact the soul or Higher Self. The same is true if the individual is in a coma, has a respiratory or feeding device in the mouth, preventing communication. The Higher Self always 4 NU-REIKI Oneness knows what the individual needs. When you ask, if the response is a “yes,” you will experience a warm, loving feeling in your heart. If the answer is a “no,” you will have the sense of a door being locked or running into a wall, thus preventing the energy flow. Obey these, for the soul knows the patient’s karmas. NU-REIKI offers a plethora of symbols so the healer may choose the ones with which they resonate. Most Reiki systems use a few basic, time-honored symbols and the meanings are similar, thereby offering the recipient a universal system. An additional component of NU-REIKI is the offering of re-initiating an individual. This is a regular practice for the purpose of building more and more strength and energy. As the hands are tools of discovery, knowledge of anatomy or physiology is unnecessary. Reiki has innate intelligence and will discover and fulfill the body’s requirements for this healing force. Virtually anyone - infants in the delivery room, elderly, those with disabilities and your pets, too - can receive Reiki energy and when initiated, or attuned, will have this tool for life. Reiki is powerful and consciously transformational, allowing individuals to become aware of their ability to be the best they can be. Reiki is used by professionals in almost every major hospital in the nation and across the globe. The NU-REIKI Professional degree is offered to anyone: for use in their profession, to augment and enhance their health, relationship or family situations. The NU-REIKI Mastery program is designed for those who have a deep desire to perpetuate healing on the planet for the good of all. Choosing mastery integrates your body, mind and soul as it serves your enlightened path. Enjoy NU-REIKI and experience “Oneness.” 5 NU-REIKI Oneness NU-REIKI Tools & Considerations T he Reiki practitioner’s hands are the primary tools. It is important to have a calm, restful atmosphere, such as meditative music on low volume, soft lights, and fresh flowers. Remember to unplug the telephone and place an “In Session” sign on your door. Have set appointment times to promote professionalism. Have a treatment table on which your client can be fully relaxed. You might add soft sheepskins for more comfort. Another thoughtful touch is to have various sizes of pillows to tuck under knees, shoulders, neck, and ankles. Be professional, well dressed, and organized at all times. Whether your client is someone you do not know, a personal friend, or a family member, always remember that they are putting complete trust in you. Have an attitude of listening, and when the client is on the treatment table, allow talking if he or she chooses. When questions are asked, answer the question—and only the question. Your client will hear the answer to that question and may not be interested in everything you know. We all have our life choices and Reiki allows us to move through these choices in a subtle, gentle way. Reiki can be given to someone with a headache as well as someone with a life-threatening illness. The one receiving the energy determines how little or how much Reiki is received. As practitioners, we need to put ourselves into a non-judgmental mindset. Note: Often a client feels an urgency to verbally express a concern. If possible, allow a few minutes for conversation prior to the client getting on the table. If time only permits conversation while the client is on the treatment table, try to limit it to the first half of the session; afterwards have silence with soft music in the background. 7 Julia Elizabeth Carroll M any Reiki practitioners are frequently asked if anyone has been cured with Reiki. The answer is that Reiki is an energy which brings the body, mind, and spirit into balance and harmony. Even in traditional medicine, it is difficult to use the word cure or to guarantee any kind of absolute result. In Reiki, we use the word holistic, which means to bring into wholeness on all levels. As we work out our life choices, which often include physical imbalances, we are given the opportunity to understand ourselves better. Sometimes we can have great understanding with a stomachache and resolve situations that caused that stomachache. And if we don’t learn from that simple imbalance, then sometimes a more serious situation, such as stomach ulcers, may slow us down in order for us to take the time to think about our lives. Many people have been radically changed on many levels with applied Reiki, the Reiki lessons or both. Not only the ones directly experiencing the energy, but those around them can also be positively affected. Children who have had the Reiki initiation seem to have an increased compassion for other children. They become more kind and considerate. They love to offer Reiki to a friend who has a cut or bruise. In addition, they become more selfsufficient by giving themselves Reiki when they are hurting. 8 NU-REIKI Oneness Hand Placement Illustrations T he hand placements that follow are the traditional patterns taught by Reiki Masters to their students. When one receives a complete Reiki session by a Reiki practitioner, these are the areas touched. Usually the hands are on each part a minimum of five to seven minutes—unless the patient’s body signals the hands to remain longer. A Reiki session will usually last about one hour. If the client has a specific imbalance, there may not be time to go over all the placements. Instead, go to the head for five to fifteen minutes to calm the individual. This can provide intuitive thought forms as to what created the physical imbalance. Then go to the area of the body that the client requests. Your priority is the physical imbalance, not the placement patterns. Maintain an attitude of awareness and compassion. The hands rest very lightly and gently on the body. There is no pressure, manipulation, or movement of the hands. The body is generally fully clothed and there is no need to remove watches or jewelry. Maintain a relaxed but proper posture. Align your body comfortably with the area being touched. Do not put your body into stress in order to relieve stress. The comfort of the client receiving the energy should be foremost at all times. When the head, the front torso, and the back torso have received Reiki, a complete session has been given. There is no need to touch the legs and arms unless there is a specific imbalance. 9 Julia Elizabeth Carroll 10 Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 The individual is lying face down. Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 NU-REIKI Oneness Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9 Figure 10 Figure 11 Figure 12 11 NU-REIKI Oneness Hawayo Takata’s Story of Usui’s Reiki O n May 7, 1978, Reiki Grand Master Hawayo Takata sat at the dining room table in the Chicago home of my Reiki Master, Barbara Lincoln McCullough, and told her this story of the origins of Reiki. With great humility I present this to you. This is the story of Dr. Usui, as told to me by my teacher, Master Hayashi. I’m very sorry that I never met Dr. Usui in person. Dr. Usui was very positive and intelligent. He was a perfectionist. Dr. Usui’s real profession was as a scholar, Christian minister, teacher, and principal of the DoShiSha University in Kyoto. On Sundays he went to the chapel to deliver sermons. He was a very admired and adored teacher and minister. One Sunday, he noticed six students in the congregation. When he started to read passages from the Bible, their hands went up. Dr. Usui said, “Yes, what is it?” One of the students replied, “Dr. Usui, we are here this morning because in a few months we will graduate. Do you have absolute faith in the Bible?” Dr. Usui was surprised, but he said, “Yes. I am a minister, a teacher, and a student of the Bible. I accept the Bible. I have faith in Christianity.” The students said, “Dr. Usui, we would like a demonstration.” Dr. Usui asked them what kind of demonstration they needed. They said, “We believe that Christ walked on the water, Christ was able to heal the blind and the lame, and all these things that are in the Bible. So, if you can show us that you can walk on the water, or heal the blind or the lame, we will be willing to accept it. 13 Julia Elizabeth Carroll You are the teacher. We expect you to be able to demonstrate so that we have more faith. Seeing is believing.” Dr. Usui said, “As much as I have studied and read the Bible, I am not able to do these things.” And that very day, Dr. Usui resigned his positions and walked out of the church. Dr. Usui applied to go to America. After the visas and passport were prepared, he came to the United States and entered the University of Chicago. Dr. Usui did research work in the subject of Christianity, but he found that the Christianity he had studied in Japan and here was the same. The Bible he held in his hand in Japan and the Bible he used here were identical. Therefore, he did not discover how Christ healed. He didn’t lose faith, but he was disappointed. In Japan, Shintoism was the primary religion, then Buddhism, and then Christianity. He had thought his studies would be advanced in a Christian country, but he was disappointed. He began to look into the different philosophies of the world. When he studied Buddhism, he found a passage in the Buddhist Sutras, which stated that Buddha healed the blind, the crippled, those with tuberculosis and even leprosy. He pondered this and said to himself, “Ah, this is wonderful. Others have done the healing. For me to study Buddhism in this country is not right. I should go back to Japan, go to the old monasteries or to the Buddhism centers, and find out from the monks or the priests whether they can prove that Buddha healed.” After seven years of studying philosophy in the United States, Dr. Usui went back to Japan. Because Kyoto is a seat of religion, it has many temples, shrines and churches. The first one to which Dr. Usui ventured was the oldest Buddhist temple. He knocked at the door and asked to see the head monk. He was allowed in and asked what he wanted. He explained, “I am a student of Buddhism, and I want to 14 NU-REIKI Oneness know if what is said in the Sutras about Buddha’s healing is correct.” The monk replied that it was. So, Dr. Usui said, “Since you are a very high monk, can you do healing? If you can, I would like to study under you. I would like to see a demonstration of the healing art.” The monk answered, “In this temple we do not do healing of the physical body. We think that the mind is more important. The work of all these priests and myself is to train the young monks and priests who are to carry on our spiritual work. For aches and pains, we have doctors who have medicines, herbs, and techniques to heal the body. The body is secondary. The mind comes first. We are trying to teach how human beings can be better, happier, more honest, kinder, more loving—people who would aid humanity. We have to prepare them from within, so they are better qualified. We are too busy with the churches, ministering, and the teachings of Buddha. We do not have time to tend to the physical needs of the people. So Dr. Usui said, “Thank you, I’ll move on.” He went to another temple. At all the temples, all the monks and priests gave the same answer: That soul saving was more important, that the stem of the physical self comes from the mind. Each time, Dr. Usui would thank them and move on. In this way, he covered all of Kyoto. Finally he came to the last temple, a Zen monastery. He knocked at the door, and a page came out. Dr. Usui asked to see the head monk, and the page invited him in. The head monk was about seventy-two years old. He had a lovely face with very beautiful eyes. He was kindly-looking and very enlightened. He graciously welcomed Dr. Usui, and asked what he could do for him. Dr. Usui said, “I am searching. I would like to learn whether Buddha really healed illnesses of the body as well as of the mind.” The monk said, “Yes, that is true.” When Dr. Usui asked the monk if he had mastered the art of healing, the monk replied that he had not. “Our temple is very busy, giving sermons, preaching, giving lessons, teaching common men how to better themselves and earn an honest living. All this takes time and training. Yet we also believe in the importance of the physical because Buddha has said that all life is one, and that the body should be part of a complete whole. Therefore, our 15 Julia Elizabeth Carroll work is incomplete. True meditation in the Zen system requires hours and hours of purification of our soul and body. But someday we will be enlightened. We will be granted and surrounded by this great force—the light. Then we will be able to heal the physical body. With Zen, we do not say this is the end. We have patience. We are still learning. We are trying to gain not only knowledge, but wisdom—and it shall come to us. We have hope.” When Dr. Usui heard this, he asked to be accepted as a student so that he could learn all about Buddhism, meditate with these monks, and become enlightened. Dr. Usui took about three years to go through all the studies. Since he was highly educated, he had no trouble reading the Sutras, which he quickly understood. He meditated with the other monks and priests. He said, “This is not enough.” Since Buddhism came from China to Korea, then into Japan, he decided to study the original Chinese characters. He thought that if he mastered the Chinese characters, he might be able to interpret the Sutras better and find the formula. When he did master the Chinese characters, again he said, “This is not enough.” Since Buddha was born in India, received his enlightenment, and became the Buddha in India, Dr. Usui decided that he should study Sanskrit. It was, among the Sanskrit writings of Buddha, that Dr. Usui finally found the formula for how to heal—how to contact the great Universal Life Force of Reiki! Dr. Usui thought, “I find this to be just as clear as daylight. This is not hard, not complicated, but very ancient. I should really test it to see if this works.” He talked it over with the head monk and said, “I should go up to Mount Kura Yama and meditate for twenty-one days. After the meditation I will come back here.” He started out early the next morning. He had no timepiece. He took only water. When he went up into the mountains, he found a spot. He said, “This is where I am going to sit.” Before he sat, he picked up twenty-one small stones and laid them in front of him. Each day at sunrise he picked up a stone and threw it away, saying, “Ah, this is a new day and now I shall continue my meditation.” He meditated; he sat and he sat. 16 NU-REIKI Oneness Finally, the twenty-first day arrived. When he picked up his stone he said, “This is the last day of my meditation.” With that thought in mind, he started his meditation. It was before dawn, before sunrise, the darkest of morning. For a time he could not see the stars, not even dark clouds. Everything was so dark, he could not see his hands in front of his face. But as he sat in meditation, with his eyes closed, he saw a light the size of a candle flame. He thought it was only his imagination. Then he opened his eyes and still saw the light. When he stared at the light, it began to move towards him. He thought, “It is beginning to move faster and faster. It might strike me! If it strikes me, it might destroy me. It might burn my forehead.” Then he thought, “I expected something, and now that it has happened, why should I run away? I will brace myself and receive this strike.” Soon the light hit him right in the center of his forehead. It knocked him down backwards. He thought he had died. He didn’t remember what happened after that for awhile; everything was absolutely blank. When he came to his senses, he slowly opened his eyes. He saw bubbles, bubbles, bubbles, a million bubbles floating from the right to the left. These bubbles had colors—fuchsia, purple, green, yellow—all the colors of the rainbow came one by one. They floated from the right to the left and passed. Dr. Usui was staring, not even batting an eye. Finally, came a white light that was very powerful and bright. As he looked and looked, he saw the golden letters he had studied in the Sanskrit and in the Sutras—the secret formula of the Reiki and how to contact it! The golden letters came in front of him, one by one, as if to say, “Remember this. Remember, this is the truth.” He just stared and stared and tried to remember. And he remembered. When all this phenomena ended, he found himself vitalized. He felt no thirst nor hunger. He stood up and stomped his feet, saying, “My legs have strength; they are not weak.” He brushed off all the leaves, the pine needles and the dust from his robes. He shook himself and thought, “Ah, I feel very, very vitalized and very light—as if I could float. This is the first miracle. I am so happy that I am all in one 17 Julia Elizabeth Carroll piece. I know I can walk back seventeen miles to the temple. I must hurry.” It was now daylight and the sun was very high. He thought, “I could almost run down the mountain,” which he did. When he came to the foot of the hill, he stumbled against a little rock. He hurt the big toe of his left foot. He saw that the nail had turned upward, the blood streaming out from both sides. He said, “Ah, I have hurt myself,” and he grabbed the toe with one hand. As soon as he grabbed the toe, he felt something moving, vibrating, or pulsating. He said, “Ah, the pain is going away, and I feel as if the blood has stopped flowing.” He covered the foot with both hands and held it. He then felt this vibration or pulsation in both hands. He held the toe until the pulsation stopped. He took his hands off his toe and saw that his toenail had come back to its normal position. There was no ache or pain. It had healed completely. All the blood had dried up. He stomped his feet again on the ground and said, “Ah, there’s no pain. This is the second miracle!” He went a few yards and found a bench with a red blanket, so Dr. Usui sat down and looked around. To the right he saw an old man just starting his charcoal stove with a fan, trying to raise the fire. On top of this charcoal stove was a kettle in which he was trying to make hot tea. The old man walked over and said, “Good morning, my dear monk. My dear monk, according to your dirty face and the growth of your beard, you have been up the mountain for twenty-one days for meditation.” The 16-year-old granddaughter came out with a rice bowl, chopsticks, tea cup, and a pot of tea, plus all the breakfast food that goes with it. She said, “Good morning, my dear monk.” Dr. Usui looked into her face and asked why she was crying. She had a large towel wrapped around her jaw and tied into rabbit ears on the top of her head. She answered, “My dear monk, I have an awful toothache. For three days and three nights I cannot stop the pain nor my tears. I have suffered and suffered, but it is too far to walk seventeen miles to Kyoto to go to the dentist, and I cannot afford a car.” Dr. Usui stood up, put his right hand on her jaw. When he did, he said, “Is this the tooth that is hurting you?” She nodded. He said, “Yes, that is the one! I shall 18 NU-REIKI Oneness hold it for a few minutes.” Dr. Usui held her face for a few minutes until the pain was completely gone. She was so happy that she ran to her grandfather and said, “Grandfather, this monk is not an ordinary monk. Through magic he treated my toothache. It’s all gone now.” The grandfather was so happy. He walked toward Dr. Usui, wiping his hands on his apron, bowing very low, he said, “My dear monk, I want to thank you for stopping that toothache. You have made both of us very grateful, very thankful. We offer this breakfast as gratitude. Please accept this small thing.” Dr. Usui stood up, put his hands together and said, “Thank you. I accept your gratitude. I am very fortunate that this stand was here. I could fill up my stomach, and now I can go back to Kyoto because I have the strength to walk the seventeen miles.” He then opened his wallet and put thirty-five cents on the tray for the breakfast saying, “I accept your gratitude, but you need this more than I do. You are away from the city, and I may be your only guest for today. Now I have to rush to reach the temple before sundown. Good-bye and thank you.” This was the third miracle. As he arrived at the gate, the young boy came out and said, “Ah, Dr. Usui, we are very glad to see you. Welcome home. If you had not come home by the morning of the twenty-second day, we would have sent out a search party to pick up your bones.” This was the fourth miracle. Dr. Usui went for his hot bath, had his dinner, changed his clothes, and went to pay his respects to the monk. After the salutation the monk asked him how his meditation had been. “Success, success, and success,” responded Dr. Usui. “I have accomplished what I was searching for.” All this time Dr. Usui had both his hands on the monk’s neck and shoulders, down the spine, to the hips where the monk had complained of pain previously. During their conversation, the monk was completely healed. He was delighted! He suggested that they both rest and continue their conversation in the morning. 19 Julia Elizabeth Carroll The next morning, Dr. Usui woke up fresh from a good night’s sleep. He was ready for breakfast when the monk came to sit with him. He said, “Thank you, Dr. Usui, I slept well. All my aches and pains have disappeared, and my legs seem to function better.” They then discussed how they could best use “Reiki” for the advantage of mankind. After much discussion, they decided that Dr. Usui would enter the large slum in Kyoto. Dr. Usui disguised himself as a vegetable peddler. He went to the beggar’s compound and said, “Good morning. I am one of you, and I would like to stay here.” They replied that he would have to see the Beggar Chief, whom they fetched. The Beggar Chief looked over Dr. Usui from head to toe. He said, “Tell me, what are you going to do here? You don’t look like a beggar.” Dr. Usui said, “I am a healer. I will try to wipe out all the illness in this camp. As soon as I get settled, I will start my work. I will work from sunup until sundown. I need a room by myself so people can come and take treatment.” The Chief said, “Very good. We need a man like you. “Now we will have the initiation.” He turned around and told one of his men, “Bring the initiation clothes.” They were brought: rags and more rags. They took off the Dr. Usui’s clothes, the skirt, and his underwear—where they found his money belt. “Ah, just as I suspected,” said the Beggar Chief. “In this camp you do not need money.” Dr. Usui started with the young beggars, in their twenties, because he felt their cause was not so deep. In a few days their aches and pains were gone, and they were sleeping better. Dr. Usui told them, “Yes, you are young and your sickness is not chronic. When you are well, I will send you to a Zen temple in a certain district. Go there, and they will give you a new name and a job.” Dr. Usui acted according to what he had read in the Sutras: “Remove the cause and there shall be no ill effects.” Dr. Usui was very successful in healing the physical illnesses. 20 After seven years, he began to have a little spare time. At twilight, he would NU-REIKI Oneness walk around the compound. As he was walking, he found familiar faces. He stopped in front of one person, pointed his finger and said, “I know you. Somewhere I have met you, but I do not know your name.” While Dr. Usui was talking, he saw another face that was familiar, and another, and another. He asked what they were doing back in the beggar camp. Each stepped forward and said, “I would rather be a beggar.” When Dr. Usui heard that reply from all the young people, he prostrated himself in the mud on the ground. He cried like a child, as if his heart was broken. “From this time on,” he said, “I shall refuse all beggars. These people have failed because they have no sense of appreciation for gratitude.” This was the fifth miracle. While Dr. Usui had his face in the ground, the five principles of Reiki were born. When he finally stood up, he wiped his tears and walked out of that beggar’s camp back to the temple. There he told the head monk, “I have learned.” The monk asked, “What have you learned?” Dr. Usui replied, “Wisdom.” “And what is the wisdom?” asked the monk. Dr. Usui responded, “I have ideals, and they are five: One—Just for today thou shall not anger. Two—Just for today thou shall not worry. Three—We should count our blessings and show our gratitude. Four—Do an honest day’s job, earn an honest living. Five—Be kind to anything that has life. 21 Julia Elizabeth Carroll “Beggars will never realize the ideal of Reiki. We should show our gratitude to God and never waste this God-given gift. This is the way the law of truth reigns. We have to show appreciation.” From that time forward, Dr. Usui refused all beggars. When he returned to the temple, Dr. Usui went out with a torch into the city. A young man tapped him on the shoulder and said, “My dear monk, this is broad daylight and the sun is high. You do not need this torch.” Dr. Usui said, “I am searching for people with hearts full of love, people who have enlightened hearts but who also need help. If you wish to hear my lecture, come to this temple at seven o’clock tonight.” As the time of Dr. Usui’s death drew near, he passed his teachings and energy of Reiki onto Dr. Hayashi, a retired naval officer. Hawayo Takata met Dr. Hayashi and through her perseverance and training with him became a Reiki Master in 1938. Hawayo Takata brought Reiki into Hawaii, then, in the 1970s, into the mainland United States. At the time of her death in 1980, there were approximately twenty-one Reiki Masters in the world. 22 NU-REIKI Techniques NU-REIKI Oneness Protection Method I am the UNIVERSE, I am. I am the SPHERE, I am. I am the LIGHT, I am. I am the FLAME, I am. I am the SWORD, I am. I am the REFLECTION, I am. I am the UNIVERSE, I am. 25 Julia Elizabeth Carroll W e were created in order to serve mankind. Our reason and purpose for being on this planet is to serve one another. A way we can do that is to protect our own energy so we can use it to help ourselves and others. How many times, either in a crowd or after a conversation with someone, have you felt drained and tired? If our energy is not contained or protected, we are basically putting our mental, emotional, and physical energy on a silver platter and serving it as hors d’oeuvres. Observe the protection design. In the center you see a human form (you) surrounded by various spheres or balls. At the top is the word “Om”—the primordial sound of creation. It correlates with the first verse, “I am the Universe, I am.” When this is spoken you are claiming your birthright, your existence. You are part of the whole, and the whole must have all of its parts. The next line is, “I am the Sphere, I am.” Look at the second from the outermost sphere. This one is your own design. In what do you feel protected? A sphere of gold? A sphere of rainbow colors? Create a safe sphere for yourself. The verse, “I am the Light, I am,” acknowledges that you are the light, love, and energy. Claim it by saying it. “I am the Flame, I am,” acknowledges the ancient God of fire, Agni, who transmutes negative energy into positive energy by burning up whatever is harmful. The ring of swords invokes St. Michael, the protection angel, by saying, “I am the Sword, I am.” We are all spiritual warriors. “I am the Reflection, I am,” can acknowledge the rays of light shining from your being, or you can visually imagine a mirror reflecting out on the outermost sphere. Close the gratitude, repeating, “I am the Universe, I am”—with the confidence that you are protected. Do this every morning (for the day) and every evening (for the night) for the rest of your life. You may also repeat it anytime you feel the need. 26 NU-REIKI Oneness NU-REIKI Distant Healing & Lineage Symbols W e may be familiar with the term, “keeping a secret.” And, we would discover if we did keep that secret, a certain energy would build up within us – a sense of power, if you will. A precious few Reiki systems honor the design and use of the symbols and are kept “secret” – sacred and confidential. In this way, the energy is held within our body, mind and spirit. Thus honored, it becomes very powerful. These symbols all have a specific purpose designed to bring healing – balance and harmony within the body, mind and spirit. Some of these symbols are used for a “hands-on treatment” and some are used for “distant healings.” And, some may be combined. You will find, in sacredness, the NU-REIKI energy will build to a powerful state, allowing profound healings. Primarily, with the NU-REIKI system of Reiki, we respectfully request that you maintain a sacredness and confidentiality. The primary names and designs are herein shared to maintain accuracy and integrity, with the understanding that the utilization is honored in confidence. Many systems begin with an empowering statement, chant, symbol – or a combination of same. The Cho Ku Rei is often recognized as the power symbol. Even though this symbol will take different forms, the intention is the same. In the Usui system it is called the “empowerment” symbol, as it does just that – empower. It is used to expedite the healing process. Other lineages acknowledge it as “bringing into manifestation,” “increasing the power” and “a catalyst.” Obviously, this is a powerful symbol. In the Usui method it may be used independently, for handson or distant or combined. When spoken by your Reiki Master in a seminar it is done with a great deal of force. After the class is over, in private use, it is “silently thought” — very powerfully. 27 Julia Elizabeth Carroll What do I mean by all this? We will start out by calling it the “empowerment symbol.” That is accurate. This symbol can be structured to be any size; the size of a molecule or the size of the known and unknown galaxies. It can be used any number of times and on any location on the body. Last, but not least, it can be used to empower yourself or others. In comparison, the other symbols are fairly limited in their mission. When I am about to begin a distant healing I first empower my hands. I do this from my 3rd eye to my left hand, then from my 3rd eye to my right hand. Now, both hands are empowered to begin the session. Next, the symbols go from my 3rd eye to the 3rd eye of the client. The first one is the empowerment symbol. Why? To empower the complete distant healing session. The other symbols follow, and each symbol may use the Cho Ku Rei to empower it. The Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen removes time and space in order for you to go to your client, bring them back to you and proceed with the distant healing procedure. You have heard the phrase, “heart of hearts” – in this same way this symbol bestows the “truth of truths” upon the recipient. This symbol primarily has one purpose – distant healing. It can be used for past, present or future issues and provides a connection between you and your client. The primary known Reiki systems use this name and procedure for distant healings. You may choose to do a distant healing for someone in a protected hospital environment, someone who contacts you for energy and balancing - even someone who is deceased. Remember we have one physical body and many invisible bodies. Use the date of death as the individual’s new “birthdate.” Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen is lovingly and compassionately chanted in the class. You will learn this and after the completion of the class you will use it in a silent manner – thinking the symbol name. The next symbol often used in distant healing is the Sei Hei Ki. Some say this symbol is known as the “key to the universe” because it has the ability to address the mental thought forms and the emotional feelings. If you consider it, the mind and the emotions are a universe within themselves. It is known to support cleansing and purification of these areas. In exploring the mind and body the healer states the Sei Hei Ki in a questioning chant. In this way the symbol carries 28 NU-REIKI Oneness the question to the mind and body, allowing it to release information for a healing to occur. Some systems only use this symbol for a mental condition, but the ones I know use it as part of the distant healing process. The Master symbol, Dai Ko Myo, is only used for training and initiating / attuning Reiki Masters. You can imagine the significance of a symbol so rarely used. Some lineages only teach this symbol to a new Reiki Master. It is revered and held highest in sacredness and confidentiality. It is known as the “great light gate,” “oneness,” “bringing soul purpose,” and represents “all that is Reiki.” The following pages have illustrations and instructions for the symbols. There are specific, structural instructions for making the symbols and these are taught in NU-REIKI or other Reiki lineage systems. 29 Julia Elizabeth Carroll Distant Healing Instructions CHO KU REI - Empowerment 30 NU-REIKI Oneness HON SHA ZE SHO NEN - Distant Healing 31 Julia Elizabeth Carroll SEI HEI KI - Balancing Mental & Emotional 32 NU-REIKI Oneness DAI KO MYO - Master 33 Julia Elizabeth Carroll Hand Placement Positions Distant Healing A. Procedures prior to the healing 1. Obtain permission 2. Protection - you; client (2) 3. Complete name 4. Approximate age 5. Location (where is home?) 6. Healing date: Day, month, year. B. Procedures prior to the healing 1. Empower your hands 2. Draw symbols: 3rd eye to 3rd eye C. Procedures prior to the healing 1. Introduce yourself 2. Ask what the problem is (answer will be physical) 3. Ask what the solution is (answer will be spiritual) 4. Practice, patience, perseverance 5. Ask, ask, ask throughout the session 34 1. NU-REIKI Oneness 2. 4. 3. 5. CLOSE 1. Healer closes hands together SLOWLY while addressing the client sweetly. 2. When healer’s hands are completely closed the client is back in their body. 3. To finish, rub your hands together to signal your closure. You may do another distant healing or pursue some other task, healing or mundane. 35 NU-REIKI Oneness ADVANCED NU-REIKI Situational Healings™ & Cell Memory Process™ S ituational healings are healings for more than one person at a time and for longer periods than a regular one or two hour Reiki session would take. Situational healings can have as many individuals as you like, as long as they are properly identified with complete name, age, location, date, including the year and situation desired. After inserting the information, draw the distant Reiki symbols inside the boundary area and trace the outline of your hand over them. Place your initiated hands onto the diagram for 10-30 minutes each day until the situation is complete. 37 Julia Elizabeth Carroll T he Cell Memory process is taught in an ADVANCED NU-REIKI Seminar along with the Situational Healing Seminar. These are not taught within the format of NU-REIKI I & II. Cell Memory process is designed to retrieve information that has been stored in cells for perhaps lifetimes. Once this information is retrieved, affirmations are created to re-program the cells to act on the new information rather than the old information. Most of us have certain karmas which have caused patterns of behaviors that are not serving us well – in fact, are preventing us from our optimum function of fulfilling our path on Earth. When a client says they cannot understand why the same patterns of people, places and things keep repeating over and over and over again, I know they will benefit from a Cell Memory process. I have an in-depth counseling session with the client to discuss the repetitive patterns, then ask them to go home and contemplate these and to write 5 -6 questions for me to ask his or her cells. The questions must be specific and succinct. One question at a time, without explanations as to why the question is being asked. The subconscious knows and the cells know, too. The questions are formatted thus: “What is the nature of my fear of heights?” “What is the nature of my cigarette addiction?” “What is the nature of my home not selling?” Basically, questions are not asked that would require a “yes” or a “no” answer. There are too many variations the subconscious would have to muddle through and even when the cells respond with a “yes” or “no” answer, there is no supportive information. After the client has had the question section of the cell memory process they go home and allow this to process; to find a balance in the body, mind and spirit. Sometimes within a day or two or sometimes within a week or two, it will be time for the second section of the Cell Memory process. Either in another counseling session, an email or phone communication the client creates 10 – 12 affirmations, providing the cells with new information to replace the old information and old patterns. The basic criteria for the Cell Memory process includes: 1. Ask the client to bring in 5 – 6 questions for the NU-REIKI practitioner to ask of 38 NU-REIKI Oneness their cells. The questions, as mentioned above, must be clear, concise, succinct and very specific in nature. The client must formulate their own questions with no input or advice from the practitioner. This is not an easy procedure and the client may try to persuade you to assist them with the questions. Please do not, as it may cause delays and could provide inaccurate information. 2. Discuss the questions with the client just prior to the client being on the Reiki treatment table (or in a distant cell memory process). 3. Invite the client to rest, face up, on the Reiki treatment table. You place the paper with their questions on the table, next to their head, so you can easily read them during the session. Have a pen with the paper in the event you want to take notes. 4. The client is instructed to close their eyes and to refrain from conversation or questions. One hand is positioned under the head and neck. The other hand is positioned over the top of the head – the crown chakra. 5. The Sei Hei Ki goes from the practitioner’s 3rd eye to the crown of the client’s head and envisioned on every cell all the way to the bottom of the feet. Now, silently repeat the name of the symbol as it travels down the body. This imprints this symbol on virtually every cell in the body. All 72 trillion. Next, the Cho Ku Rei goes from the practitioner’s 3rd eye to the crown of the client’s head and is envisioned on every cell, all the way to the bottom of the feet. The name of this empowerment symbol is silently repeated as it travels down the body. The Cho Ku Rei symbol is now positioned on top of the Sei Hei Ki symbol for the cell to powerfully release old and stored information from the mental and emotional bodies. 6. The practitioner (you) silently read the first question. Then, you wait. The information is received intuitively. The hands must remain in position while receiving answers. Your hands have been initiated, your third eye is open and the NU-REIKI practices have equipped you for this. The answer to the question may come in as a vision, or words you hear or some kind of feeling in your body. Everyone receives information in one or all methods. Trust your infor39 Julia Elizabeth Carroll mation. This is the client’s body, the client’s cells and the client’s questions. Often, the answers will be symbolic. You are not imagining or making it up. The answers are generally so vivid and profound that you will not forget them. However, if you think you might, then briefly remove your hand from the top of the head and write down a short reminder of the information received. 7. After all questions or affirmations are complete, the practitioner moves and places the hands over the client’s solar plexus (stomach). At this time, gentle conversation regarding the session can take place. CASE HISTORY Carol came in with a physician’s diagnosis of Epstein Barr Syndrome, a form of Chronic Fatigue. She had suffered with this for at least six months, with many allopathic medicines, psychotherapy and now she wanted to see if NU-REIKI would have any effect. After explaining the Cell Memory process, I asked Carol to bring in 5 – 6 questions to retrieve information from her cells. When she arrived we discussed the questions, making sure they were succinct and specific. Carol was invited onto the treatment table and instructed to maintain silence. Following the procedures I asked Carol’s cells to release the desired information. The information came in as a visual of Carol being very happy at her 7th birthday party because her family and friends brought her favorite gifts – art supplies. Another image was of Carol sitting in a darkened space with a flashlight attached to a clothes hanger, and Carol was drawing and painting on tiny little canvases – about the size of a postcard. The drawings were of nature subjects – trees, flowers, a lake and some other greenery. The feeling I had was a mixture of resignation and sadness. There was some yelling in the background. After the questions were complete and I moved my chair to position myself to do Reiki on Carol’s solar plexus, she asked what the cells had revealed. As I related the information Carol’s eyes got very large and a sense of panic came over 40 NU-REIKI Oneness her. She asked to leave and she quickly put on her shoes, picked up her purse and left. It is a policy to check up on the clients, so I called and asked how she was. She said that she was fine and she would call me. After a couple of weeks, she called and we scheduled the second part of the cell memory process. I asked her to bring in 10 – 12 positively worded affirmations to re-program her cells. The affirmations were discussed and I invited her onto the treatment table. Following procedure, the affirmations were placed into the cells, and afterwards, I finished the session by doing Reiki on her solar plexus. Carol’s story: The reason Carol’s eyes got very large and a sense of panic overcame her was as her cells released the memories, she was taken back to that childhood experience. It seemed her father did not want his daughter to “play” with art supplies as he wanted her to be a serious math and science teacher like himself. Carol’s mother was deceased and there were no other siblings so she endeavored to please her dad. Whenever Carol was given art related gifts, her dad would toss them into the trash. Later, when he was not around, Carol would take them out of the trash and hide them in a large closet, where she secretly had set up a tiny studio. However, she was now 37 years-old and still drawing in a closet. Her marriage was in shambles, her health was failing and her “inner child” was crying to come out. The Cell Memory process was the perfect solution. Within two months her life radically changed. She called to schedule a regular hands-on Reiki session. I opened the office door and a completely changed woman stood in front of me, holding two large canvases, beautifully painted in nature scenes. Her face was bright and happy. Carol explained that she and her husband had moved to the country so she could have easy access to her beloved nature surroundings. In addition, for her birthday, he set up the dining room as a studio, complete with easel, canvases, paints and brushes. Carol’s Epstein Barr Syndrome was completely healed – body, mind and spirit. Another Reiki miracle. 41 NU-REIKI Oneness Reiki Systems Overview USUI SHIKI RYOHO Dr. Mikao Usui, a Zen monk, discovered Reiki in the early 1920’s, after meditating and fasting on Mt. Kuru Yama, a holy mountain near Kyoto, Japan. Dr. Usui founded the first organization for Reiki, called The Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai, which still exists today. He trained approximately twenty masters, one of whom was Chujiro Hayashi. Usui died of a stroke at age sixty in 1926. Just prior to his death, he passed on all the Reiki information to Dr. Chujiro Hayashi, a medical doctor, who established the Hayashi Reiki Institute. Hawayo Takata traveled to Japan from Hawaii seeking a remedy for a chronic illness. Good fortune would place her in the capable healing hands of Reiki Master Dr. Chujiro Hayashi. Takata stayed in Japan as one of Hayashi’s faithful students and in 1938 they traveled back to Hawaii for Dr. Hayashi to administer the master initiations. Takata was a Japanese-American who “westernized” some of the teachings in order for it to be accepted in the primarily Christian nation of the United States of America. Grand Master Hawayo Takata trained about 20 Reiki Masters and died in 1980. Her granddaughter, Phyllis Lei Furumoto, became the heir apparent and is the current Grand Master of Reiki. JIKIDEN REIKI Jikiden Reiki was founded as the direct lineage from Dr. Mikao Usui and Dr. 43 Julia Elizabeth Carroll Chujiro Hayashi. Jikiden did not go through Takata so it has none of the westernization as taught by Takata. The definition of Jikiden is “directly passed down.” The lineage is from Dr. Mikao Usui to Chujiro Hayashi to Wasaburo Sugano to Chiyoko Yamaguchi to Yamaguchi’s son, Tadao Yamaguchi. Tadao is now the director of the Jikiden Reiki Institute, his mother having died in 2003. Even though Tadao was taught the Jikiden initiations at the very early age of seven, he did not begin teaching until the 1960’s. He began teaching Jikiden outside of Japan in the early 1990’s. Jikiden, in its preservation of the original Usui method, uses Japanese terms for the various levels and aspects of teaching. For example, Level I is called Shoden, Level II is named Okuden, Level III is Shihan, Another level, Shihan-Kaku precedes Shihan, and for a teacher of Shihans, the title is Dai-Shihan. The Reiki initiations or attunements are identified as Reiju. The Japanese name for symbol is Shirushi and the mantras for the symbols are called Jumon. KARUNA KI REIKI Vincent Amador created Karuna Ki. This highly developed intuitive system focuses on the elements of compassion and unconditional love. The meditations, symbols and mantras support understanding and development to further compassion in a universal fashion. It has many symbols, mudras, and varied processes of attunements. Karuna Ki has symbols accompanying each level, as there are specific utilizations for each. Karuna is a Sanskrit word meaning compassionate action. The primary principle of Karuna Ki is to connect to and become the embodiment of compassion for healing all, the self and others. TERA-MAI REIKI 44 Kathleen Milner has the trademark for Tera-Mai Reiki, which is said to have NU-REIKI Oneness symbols and attunements which have a raised vibrational frequency. She promotes the Seichem Reiki healing system; in addition to hands-on, Seichem Reiki works within the aura, or the electromagnetic field surrounding the physical body. The Tera-Mai attunements connect the student with earth, fire and water, or Tera, Sakara and Sophi-El. There are four elemental healing rays which can allow, or cause, profound changes for the practitioner and client. The Tera-Mai trademark is to protect and maintain integrity of the Tera-Mai attunements. Kathleen Milner advises her registered Tera-Mai masters to adapt to changes as she receives them from Spirit. TIBETAN REIKI Tibetan Reiki provides energies for balancing and harmonizing. The Tibetan Reiki does not claim to have originated in Tibet and the symbols are not from the Tibetan Sanskrit but are similar to those found in many eastern philosophies. Tibetan Reiki attunement is only given to Usui Reiki Masters who can provide a master level certificate or take the Usui Reiki classes. Tibetan Reiki has eighteen symbols and is said to take thirty minutes to receive the attunement. RAKU KEI REIKI – THE WAY OF THE FIRE DRAGON Raku Kei Reiki is one of the systems requiring a Usui Master certificate before being attuned into Raku Kei Reiki. Arthur Robertson brought this system to the west after studying with Takata-trained Virginia Samdahl and Iris Ishikuru (Hawayo Takata’s sister). Raku is a vertical energy flow and Kei is a horizontal energy flow, intersecting at the “Hara” or the solar plexus. This “cross” represents the four cardinal points and the four elements. The dragon, in its highest sense, has inspirationally guided leaders to use the dragon symbol to indicate strength. With its fiery breath it is said that the dragon invokes the Raku and blasts away any ob45 stacles to the mind, creating understanding for the student and providing an open channel for the attunement. There are dozens, some say hundreds, of different Reiki systems. Each has its own significant approach to understanding this ancient and beautiful healing art. It is my belief that individuals are karmically guided to study and teach the method to which they resonate. It appears that most honor the basic Usui system as the origin of Reiki. Therefore, the NU-REIKI system offers popular and known systems from which to use according to your soul choices. NU-REIKI Support NU-REIKI Oneness Spirituality & Meditations Spirituality “We are all on the spiritual trail, re-awakening to the realization of our oneness with the Divine Presence. God is in us and we are in God—a Holy Union. Let us wrap our minds and hearts around this awareness and thereby discover the peace of God.” I In Oneness, Howard E. Caesar, Unity Minister t is impossible to separate the body from the mind and from the spirit. We are holistic. We are whole. The total is a composite of the body, mind and spirit. It is said that there is a divine heart, which carries the component of loving, caring and nurturing; also the connection to the Higher Self, the Soul or an individual’s relationship with God. Dr. Larry Dossey’s studies reveal that if prayer is used a person will get well faster than one who does not utilize the principle of prayer. In other studies the study subject is asked if they attend church, how often they attend, if they pray and how often they pray and other such inquiries. The reason these studies exist is due to the growing element of a faith system overarching into a belief system of wellness. It is interesting that both prayer and science are combined in studies and the results provide information to support the spirituality of the individual in the wellness process. 49 Julia Elizabeth Carroll Meditations M editation is centuries old in the eastern countries and clinical studies began in the United Kingdom in the early twentieth century. Meditation is now utilized in many Western psychology studies, seminars and university classes. The results support findings of managing stress, hypertension, heart disease, migraine headaches, sleep disorders and many, many more. Carl Simonton, M.D., an oncologist, successfully uses visual imagery to minimize the effects of cancer. The hormone, cortisol, is affected by stress and causes, among other things, memory loss. Meditation combined with visualizations, affirmations and other positive thinking components bring a peacefulness and relaxation to the body, mind and soul. This calming effect allows the individual to breath more deeply, bringing oxygen into the blood stream, thereby promoting clearer thinking and improving memory. Meditations are offered before the initiation ceremonies as a means to provide centering and balance for the body, mind and soul. To prepare: t Fresh flowers (Takata enjoyed white gladiolas). t Soft background music. t Candles. If incense is used, put it out 20 minutes prior to beginning the seminar. t Indirect lighting. t Other photos of lineage bearers and/or spiritual leaders. t Any special energy items such as crystals and/or revered books. The books may be opened to a specific passage and the crystals may be placed on an altar or beside or underneath the student’s chair. t Students remove shoes from the initiation area (shoes carry karmas). t Six initiations are given in a NU-REIKI Seminar. 50 NU-REIKI Oneness t The first is a Level 2 initiation designed to provide higher energy for the student to begin the seminar. Level 1 has four initiations. The last initiation returns to a Level 2 initiation for closure. 1. NU-REIKI Level 2 - Meditation #1: Get into a comfortable position and close your eyes. Gently rest your hands in your lap. Take two deep breaths, breathing in deeply and letting each out slowly. Imagine that it is just before dawn and you are on a dirt path in the country. The sun is just beginning to crest on the horizon and you reverently acknowledge this profound energy. As the sun continues to rise, you walk closer and feel its warmth. The sun has now reached full circle, resting on the earth’s horizon. Move into the sun with your right foot. Now, fully stepping inside, observe its mysteries. Becoming one with the sun’s heat, you soon come to the center of the sun where the heat is “white hot.” A magical calm surrounds you. In front of you, you notice two places to sit. Take the seat on your left. After getting comfortable, invite a Great Being of your choice to join you. As the Great Being is seated, turn and ask for a message for your life. Listen as your Great Being speaks to you. Now, contemplate the message, keeping your eyes closed and the initiation will begin. INITIATION/ATTUNEMENT CEREMONY After the initiation, allow a few minutes for the students to reflect, then gently, with a soft voice, instruct them to take a deep breath and to open their eyes. If they are in a deep meditative state, ask them to wiggle their toes with another deep breath. 51 Julia Elizabeth Carroll 2. NU-REIKI Level 1 t Meditation # 1: Prepare the students as before. As their eyes are closed and they have taken a couple of deep breaths, ask them to resume their normal breathing pattern and to be aware of the breath as they inhale and exhale. Acknowledge the breath as prana, a life-giving force for which we are grateful. Instruct the students to increase their awareness and follow the breath, the prana, as it travels throughout their bodies. Know that the breath is bringing life and gratitude to every area of the body, mind and spirit. Be in a state of gratitude for our breath, our prana and keeping your eyes closed, stay in this place. INITIATION/ATTUNEMENT CEREMONY Bring students back into the conscious setting. t Meditation # 2: Prepare the students as before. After their eyes are closed and they have taken a couple of deep breaths, ask them to envision moving water. The water can be from a fountain, a river or the ocean. Know that water is a feminine energy that brings good fortune. Have them imagine they are using this water to cleanse and remove any obstacles preventing them from receiving good fortune. Experience a special wish coming true. INITIATION/ATTUNEMENT CEREMONY Bring students back into the conscious setting. t Meditation # 3: Prepare the students as before. As their eyes are closed and they have taken a couple of deep breaths, ask them to imagine a clock before their eyes. This can be any style clock they choose. After they have a clock in mind, ask them to notice what time it is on this clock. Now inform them that this is the “clock of their life” and the time they see is where they are in life. Ask if they have accom52 NU-REIKI Oneness plished or achieved what they planned on having done by this time. If they are comfortable with their time span and accomplishments, ask them to go inside their hearts and ask what is left for them to do to fulfill their life. If they are not comfortable with what they have accomplished, ask them to go inside their hearts and ask what they should do. Also, let them know that they can go back in time and “undo” any harmful words, thoughts, actions from the past. Just acknowledge these and ask that they be forgiven. Give the students time to contemplate this. INITIATION/ATTUNEMENT CEREMONY Bring students back into the conscious setting. t Meditation # 4: Prepare students as before. As their eyes are closed and they have taken a couple of deep breaths, ask them to imagine that their breath is emerald green. We know that Reiki is on the emerald green ray. Have them deeply inhale this emerald green breath in order to experience a fullness of this in their body, mind and spirit. Now, have them exhale the emerald green breath directing it to a particular site on the planet, bringing healing to the area. Take another deep breath and exhale once again to cover the Earth. Inhale once again and exhale this healing emerald green Reiki breath out into the Universe. Know that this is an integral part of healing our planet and our Universe. INITIATION/ATTUNEMENT CEREMONY Bring students back into the conscious setting. 6. NU-REIKI Level 2 - Meditation # 2: Inform the students that we are finishing with the second Level 2 initiation. This is the last initiation before we move into the distant practice section. Prepare the students as before. Instruct them to close their eyes and take a couple of deep breaths. Then, ask the students to go within, and see 53 Julia Elizabeth Carroll the chakra system in their body. Though the word “chakra” is not a Reiki word, per se, the chakras are known as energy centers, and we want to align these energies in order to integrate our Reiki healing powers. The base of the spine, the root chakra, is the color red and has the properties of power, determination, pioneering – it is where the kundalini, the energy of the consciousness, resides as it rises to the crown chakra. Honor this chakra for a moment, with gratitude for the kundalini energy. The next chakra, in the abdomen area, is the sacral plexus and is the color orange. This is the creative chakra. Women carry fetuses in the womb in order to create children. But everyone creates whatever is needed to fulfill their life path. Take a moment to offer gratitude to your creative chakra. Just above the creative center, in the stomach area, is the bright yellow solar plexus. This is the emotional power center. Take a moment to acknowledge your solar plexus chakra with gratitude. Now, we come to the heart chakra. It is the color of Reiki, a healing emerald green. The physical heart supplies blood and oxygen to our bodies. Our divine heart gives us nurturing and love. Acknowledge both the physical heart and the divine heart for providing us with physical and spiritual attributes. The chakra of expression is the throat, which is the color blue. Expression of our thoughts and feelings come from this chakra and we generally know when it is operating at optimum level. It might manifest as a lovely singing voice or a bad sore throat. Be grateful now to your throat chakra asking it to only speak words of wisdom and compassion. The third eye is located between the eyebrows. The color assigned to it is either indigo or purple. The third eye works as the intuitive “eye” and provides you with information that is not readily seen with the physical eye. It also has what can be called “second sight” and comes in the form of imagination or fleeting thoughts. Ask your third eye to be open to all things wise and good. Be grateful. 54 The crown chakra is the 7th energy center and the color generally attributed to NU-REIKI Oneness it is gold or white or a combination. Purple may be mixed with the white or gold. The crown chakra is our transformational center. The brighter the color, the more karma has been completed. Be grateful to your crown chakra for all it has done for you. Now, contemplating the chakras, have gratitude for all and asking for the integration for the highest and best good for all. INITIATION/ATTUNEMENT CEREMONY Bring students back into the conscious setting. Meditations for Professional and Master Levels Meditation Get into a relaxed and comfortable posture, feet flat on the floor, the back straight but not rigid and the eyes gently closed. The hands are softly folded in your lap or in a chin mudra position at your knees. Take a couple of deep breaths and let them out all the way. Imagine yourself now in the land of Tibet. This particular area of Tibet is called Shambala, a lush, green area with blooming flowers, beautiful trees, birds and butterflies in the air and animals grazing on the mountainside. You are standing on top of a very high mountain and gazing down into a vast valley. As far as you can see to the left and as far as you can see to the right it is pleasing to the eye and to the soul. Again, as you gaze to the right, you see a mist lifting off a lake, revealing a majestic Tibetan temple. Your heart leaps for joy and you race down the mountain, through the forests, the villages around the lake and finally, you reach the temple. There are seven stairs. With your right foot, you begin to climb the stairs. One, two, three, four, five, six and seven. You are now in the Grand Hall of the Tibetan temple. Your eyes immediately see a vision of beauty: precious gemstones embed55 Julia Elizabeth Carroll ded into the walls, different colored woods with ancient carvings—so incredibly beautiful. With respect you carefully touch your fingertips to the walls, running them ever so lightly over the gemstones and carvings—and you remember. You continue your journey wandering through the temple, passing rooms with monks sitting in rows doing their daily chants: monks doing meticulous gardening with great reverence and focus. You allow this ambience to enfold you. Then, you see an open doorway, with a bright light shining out. You walk over to this doorway, but do not enter. Standing just outside, you observe that it is a room full of books: shelves and shelves full of books, from the floor to the ceiling and on every wall. There is a long wooden table in the center of the room with chairs all around it. Over to your left, a little monk sits, his chin resting in his hands. With a twinkle in his eye, he beckons for you to come in. With your right foot, you step into the Hall of Records, where all the Reiki records have been kept since the beginning of time. On the shelves is your very own, personal Reiki book. You will find it right away, as it will either be your favorite color, may have your name on it, be nudged out of the shelf a bit or it may even fall on the floor at your feet! Take your book and with great gratitude, clasp it to your heart. Thank it for coming into your life at this time. Really experience the gratitude. Now, take your book over to the table, pull out a chair, place your book on the table and sit down. Gently rest your hands on your book and silently ask it to reveal a message for your life. Be in silence with your book for a while. The little monk is the librarian, so if you have any questions, he is there to serve you. When you are ready, you may rise from the chair and with serene honor, place your book back on the shelves in its assigned place. Now, go over to the little monk, bow to him and ask him for blessings for your life. He may give you messages so allow time for that to occur. Then express your gratitude to the monk and bid him goodbye. Become aware of your breath. Focus on the inhalation and exhalation. Allow your breath to bring you back into this time and space. Take your time. When56 NU-REIKI Oneness ever you are ready you may open your eyes. Be gentle with yourself whenever you come out of meditation as you have entered other levels of consciousness and it takes a while to merge with the world energy afterwards. MORE MEDITATIONS TO ENJOY t Visualize love as a gentle pink hue in your heart. Experience this pink throughout your body; then expand its reach to the person to your right; now fill the room with this heartfelt pink; out to the city, the state, the nation and into the world and the entire Universe. Notice your thoughts and your feelings as this heart-love pink brings peace and love into all people, places and things. t Envision yourself with many arms and hands. Allow divine guidance as to wherever and whatever your hands touch. Accept this divine guidance to get a sense of the healing energies moving through you. Acknowledge your greatness. t Remembering Dr. Usui’s meditative experience atop the holy Mt. Kuru Yama. Go there now and sit, facing east as he did as he received the light. Feeling very centered, what are you experiencing now? t Contemplate the Cho Ku Rei. Examine it – study the structure and the design. Let it speak to you. Listen – what is it saying? Ask this power symbol for a personal message. Listen. 57 NU-REIKI Oneness Case Histories Cancer – A Gift? M y phone rings with death and dying calls. Years ago, physicians and friends asked about this tendency, wondering why my calls did not concern common headaches or simple sprained ankles. I can only attribute this to karma; karma with the individuals and karma with the imbalances. Ninety percent of my clients have a terminal diagnosis of cancer, some lifethreatening disease or injury. Over the years, observing the individual’s spiritual growth, the clients evolve into a space of truth, a oneness with God and a sense of contentment and peace. Fear dissolves into trusting the process. The gift of life, with its precious and multifaceted moments, brings a greater awareness within and without. I have come to see this as a gift. If one suddenly loses their life-breath in an automobile accident or a heart attack, there has been no “real time” conscious opportunity to explore or to correct any aspect of this life. When someone is diagnosed with cancer, all the denial, anger, grief, acceptance and other processes are addressed. In my experience, this is an invaluable gift; the gift of time to assess, correct and make amends prior to leaving the body. Once I asked a cancer client about her relationship to God. She was embarrassed and defiantly replied that she was a Methodist. A few weeks later, arriving for her Reiki appointments with the radiation red marks and ill from chemotherapy, she humbly asked me how to establish a relationship with God. When one is faced with mortality, whether they invite it or not, they definitely want to know what is next and appreciate any information you, as a healer and counselor, can offer. 59 Julia Elizabeth Carroll Kevin A few years back, Kevin, at age thirteen, was diagnosed with an aggressive brain cancer. His doctors stated that he would be blind in two weeks and dead in one month. His parents, in shock, raced to a psychologist for assistance in dealing with the emotional aspects of this information. The psychologist was a client of mine and immediately telephoned to tell me he was sending this family to see me. An hour later, my doorbell rang and the stunned mother, father and son walked into my Reiki office. They were quick to tell me they were only in my office at the encouragement of the psychologist and did not know or necessarily believe in what I did. I invited them in, offered some refreshment and we chatted for a while. Kevin, was silent. His mother did most of the talking. I explained a little of what I do and what I would do that day – then, we would take it a day at a time. After requesting the parents to observe in silence, I invited Kevin to lie on his back on my treatment table. He was made comfortable with pillows for his head, under his knees and a light blanket over his body. I positioned my chair at his head, resting my elbows on a wedge-shaped pillow in my lap, so only the weight of my hands would rest on his head. I placed a tissue over his eyes so he would not be bothered by any light and also to support him in relaxation. Now, I placed my hands, palms down, over the top of his head for about 15 minutes. Then, I placed my hands over his eyes for another 15 minutes, followed by a placement over his ears for 15 minutes. Moving around to his side, the next hand placement was over his solar plexus, or stomach area. This latter placement is the emotional power center and the responses in my hands inform me of existing energy changes there. 60 At the end of the hour I was able to tell them the size, location and a descrip- NU-REIKI Oneness tion of Kevin’s tumor. It was exactly as the tests had revealed. My next requirement was to initiate the rest of the family into the Reiki energy so they could maintain Kevin’s energy in between treatments with me. The compassionate atmosphere of Reiki had calmed them, establishing a level of trust. Andreé Almost 30 years ago, a petite, middle-aged lady from England came to hear my Reiki lecture. During the lecture, I walked around, fielding questions and putting my hands on people’s heads or shoulders for a few seconds. After the lecture this proper English lady came up and said that she had suffered back pain for years and now, after a few moments of Reiki, it was gone! She went on to say that she had a grown daughter who suffered with a severe heart and lung problem, and asked if I would see her. Over the next week or so I met and treated her daughter, Andreé. She had been born and raised in England, was married, had a toddler and now lived in Houston, Texas. Before the Reiki sessions Andreé’s hands and feet were cyanotic, blue due to a lack of oxygen in her blood. Her hands were also somewhat atrophied due to lack of circulation and activity. She could not stand for over twenty minutes, could not pick up her toddler. Her legs would collapse if she tried to make up her bed or do any kind of ordinary housework. Many readers may have heard of Texas Children’s Hospital and “David the Bubble Boy.” David, due to an immune disorder, was in a protective plastic “room” for his entire life. Andreé was in the bubble next to David. Her disorder was not as severe and she was able to go home and live a quasi-normal life. Andreé had an open heart valve and just one lung. After only five Reiki sessions, Andreé began to hit tennis balls with her hus61 Julia Elizabeth Carroll band. Soon she was regularly playing nine holes of golf with friends. In addition to the Reiki, I taught her to meditate and to use affirmations to support her positive changes. Soon, she was able to pick up and carry her child and also participate in her child’s school activities. Andreé became active in her church, doing volunteer charity work for the homeless. She was fiery and political in this endeavor – indeed, she was, for the first time, living a normal and active life. Andreé kept up with her Reiki treatments and furthered her Reiki training as well. Kay My practice almost always has a client with a diagnosis of breast cancer. This is a report about Kay, an intelligent, practical and action-oriented individual. Kay was trained in advanced degrees of Reiki and was working toward the mastery level. The phone rang as a friend and I were having afternoon tea. I cheerfully answered the phone and, at first, thought no one was on the other end of the line. What I was interpreting as silence was a voice, a whisper, calling my name. It was Kay. Her voice did not convey the usual articulate, analytical communication. Kay’s world took a sudden jolt as her life passed before her eyes. What had she done to cause this? Was there guilt? Had her diet not been proper and supportive of her health? Did she not rest enough and have enjoyment of life? These questions and many more filled her head. After I took a couple of deep breaths, internally calling upon my Guru to guide me, I asked her what was wrong. I pressed the receiver into my ear as she, robot-like, murmured the diagnosis. She had just come from her annual physical examination and a lump had been discovered in her breast. 62 She had about three days for the test results to come in, and before then, she NU-REIKI Oneness wanted to pack in as much Reiki as possible. Of course. I asked her to come right over and to stay as long as she wanted – even overnight, as she lived alone. I set up the treatment table with comfortable sheepskins, lots of pillows and soft blankets. I was preparing for an infant-like setting because of the vulnerability of a breast cancer diagnosis. Soothing music was playing on a low volume, a scented candle was lit and I brought in some fresh flowers from the garden. In addition to providing beauty, flower petals absorb negative energies. I took the phone off the hook and put the “In Session” sign on the door to ensure quiet and privacy. The teapot was heating water for tea and I selected some chamomile for calming and added a little fresh mint for vibrational lifting. Kay arrived with a look on her face that will forever be in my mind. She was surrendering to whatever it took to get well. This was less than an hour after hearing the diagnosis, but as previously stated, Kay is intelligent, astute and action-oriented. We shared a cup of tea as she related the events of her doctor visit. Her eyes mostly focused on the floor because eye contact with me would have made her situation too real to bear. Our mutual friend was there and Kay and I invited her to offer her energies to the healing session, too. A Reiki session always begins with the head. Mental thought forms can create a physical imbalance. We create our own reality–as much as we would like to think otherwise. After Kay was comfortable, I placed my hands on her head and checked out the energy patterns in her body. They were even except around the designated breast area. I put a white light in this area and followed it by wrapping what I call a Reiki “bandage.” This is actually made of ectoplasm, which contains the elements of life force. Ectoplasm is usually white, but I added Reiki energy, which is emerald green, to combine for stronger healing properties. Reiki brings balance and harmony to the body, mind and spirit; Reiki addresses the imbalances and many unseen healings occur. Kay had surgery with a Reiki healer present in the operating room. She fully recovered and also radically changed her life to prevent a repeat occurrence.Reiki brings balance and harmony to the body, mind and spirit; Reiki addresses the imbalances and many unseen 63 Julia Elizabeth Carroll healings occur. Kay did have surgery with a Reiki healer present in the operating room. She fully recovered and also radically changed her life to prevent a repeat occurrence. Carl Simonton, M.D., an oncologist and cancer visualization therapist, cites several vital changes one must make to heal. One is to radically change your life, which Kay did. Dr. Simonton also suggests that you stop doing what you have been doing and begin something brand new. He says to thoroughly enjoy everything you do – before you do it – while you are doing it – and after you complete it. If any component is not enjoyable – then do not do it. He furthers this by saying not to do anything you do not want to do. This involves an attitude change because sometimes life presents us with something unavoidable. When this happens, adopt the “this too, shall pass” theory. Kay was a disciplined patient for both allopathic and holistic medicines and is well and happy in all ways now. Dan The ringing of the telephone challenged the reverie of a beautiful spring day. It was the husband of another client – a husband who had not been supportive of these holistic healing practices. This time, however, it was he who had the emergency. If his situation was not handled with expediency he could be blind in a very short time. At the moment it was just one eye but his ophthalmologist assured him that this condition could indeed spread to the other eye. Dan nervously entered my office. I think he expected to see skulls on the walls or to be overcome by the smell of incense, but when he observed that the office was professional, clean, serene and welcoming. He relaxed a tiny bit. 64 I offered him some water, juice or tea; this surprised him – I might just be NU-REIKI Oneness human after all. We sat and I asked him to share his experience of his condition, the diagnosis and plan of treatment. Dan’s words tumbled out of his mouth, incongruous, out of context. I took notes and read them back to him. After a while, I understood enough to begin his Reiki treatments. Dan’s right eye membrane was deteriorating and fluid was seeping through this membrane. The prognosis was loss of direct vision and the physician advised emergency surgery. Dan chose to see me first – at the urging of his wife. He came for three consecutive sessions. In addition to the treatments, I initiated him into the first level of Reiki, advised no television, reading, avoiding most lighting, plus some affirmations and breathing exercises. One unusual, but amazingly healing process, was a folk remedy of one teaspoon of milk placed on a cotton pad, taped to his eye and left on overnight. What did he have to lose? Nothing. What did he have to gain? Sight. Dan followed all instructions to the letter. On the fourth day, he was seen by his physician who thought the eye he examined was the other eye - not the eye at risk. After the doctor’s misunderstanding had been cleared up, the doctor asked Dan to return in a week. We did more Reiki sessions and Dan continued with the milk-infused eye pads. At his next doctor appointment, the physician exclaimed his amazement but advised Dan to return in a month. At that appointment, the membrane was intact, secure and no lymphatic fluid was seeping through. After twenty years, Dan’s eyes are just fine. Dylan The body is a complex mechanism. What is important for me is the consciousness of each component…the cell, the mitochondria in the cell, which provides the cell with energy, the respiratory chain, the type I pneumocytes and many other elements. In my experience communication can be established to find precisely what and how to utilize them in a body to optimize the wellness process. Now, I will go and get Dylan with the distant Reiki processes and present 65 Julia Elizabeth Carroll this information to his body, mind and spirit. I will then break that down into smaller parts and go to the etheric grid previously prepared and investigate how this information can be used for his cancerous lungs. One of the mysteries of the mitochondria is that their enzymes catalyze the citric acid cycle of reactions which provide about 95% of the cell’s energy supply. This greatly enhances the cell’s capability to do the job it is designed to do. Additionally, the mitochondria design supports the principle that organization is a foundation stone and a vital characteristic of life. The more I work with this mighty mitochondria, I believe that when we empower anything with a purpose, then that entity is infused with this endowment and functions accordingly. I instructed the mitochondria to form a fence around Dylan’s lungs, adding a spiritual element and endowing them with higher powers. I performed initiations on the mitochondria to connect with the healing powers of Reiki. I thanked the mitochondria for previous works, surrounding his lungs, individually and together, literally covering the splotchy patches. I praised the mitochondria for their work and instructed them to stay in position until further notified. They are very dutiful, very matter of fact and know their job. At the end of the distant Reiki session, I placed my hands on his etheric lungs, back and front. My hands were just vibrating and pulsing with new energy. I could both physically feel and energetically sense the healing. Pretty great! Anne Sometimes death is also a healing, a release from a difficult life. Anne had been diagnosed with a rare form of stomach cancer. She was in her mid-seventies, married, four grown children, grandchildren and an active social and business life. 66 NU-REIKI Oneness She was well-known and a beloved member of the community. The doctors sent Anne home saying they could do no more for her and gave her two weeks to live. Anne’s husband felt otherwise and called me. I frequently make home calls when the patient is unable to come to me. With flowers and a sweet card in my hands, I rang the doorbell. Her husband and daughter answered the door and walked me to Anne’s bedroom. Her husband helped me set up the Reiki table at the end of her bed and he carefully lifted and gently placed her on the treatment table. When the pillows and blankets were arranged for optimum comfort, I rested my hands on her feathery, hairless head. She was so very weak and on heavy doses of morphine so she slept during that and the first few sessions. It is my practice to provide 21 consecutive sessions for someone with cancer, so I was there every day. Every day for about a week, she was lifted onto the table by her husband and slept during the session, then lifted and put back to bed. Anne was not eating much of anything and the feeding tubes had been removed. The end seemed very close. At the beginning of the second week, her husband, Will, opened the door with a big smile. I had trained him in Reiki and he had diligently been practicing it in my absence. I walked in, and, to my amazement, Anne was sitting up and had eaten strawberries for breakfast. She had also walked from the bed to the bathroom to go to the toilet by herself. She came around to the Reiki table and hoisted up her tiny body and positioned herself for the treatment. She chatted and chuckled during the entire hour. The entire week was like this and at the end of the week she attended a special ceremony for her grandson. No one could believe it – not even Anne. As often as I had observed Reiki’s miracles, I was also astounded. Now, Anne had lived a full life, and in her view, not a happy one. She had to survive and do everything for her children. Anne could not “stomach” life. And, her stomach got the message and shut down. With the success of the Reiki treatments, Anne suddenly realized she could live. This was not her plan. She wanted to leave this earthly plane. She was determined that Reiki, no one or no thing was going to take this away from her. She informed her husband that a new pain had developed and to take her back to the cancer hospital. This set everyone back and 67 Julia Elizabeth Carroll all began to question me, Reiki, life, all of it. The doctors obeyed her wishes to have a complete battery of tests done and to, again, declare that she was terminally ill. I was there every day and Anne delighted in introducing me to her doctors and friends. However, she also managed to schedule her tests at the precise time I arrived. Anne had readjusted her plan and Reiki was no longer a threat to keep her alive. She asked to sign up with hospice, knowing that they only came on the scene when nothing else could be done. Toward the end, she put her hands up and held my face and said, “You have such a beautiful face, just like an angel’s.” She said she was ready to go to God and for me not to return for any more treatments. She applauded me for my healing abilities and said she was leaving this world in a better place because of Reiki. She did not want me to come by or call, so I did not. In a couple of weeks Will called to inform me that she had left this world, peacefully leaving in her sleep, with a sweet smile on her face. Will and her children thanked me for giving Anne a quality life before her passing. Goodbye, dear Anne. 68 NU-REIKI Oneness Reiki Touch® Research T he Reiki Touch Institute of Holistic Medicine® has designed and managed two studies at the University of Texas Health Science Center: The “Triangulated Evaluation of Reiki Healing” and “Reiki Touch® Study on TMJ (temporomandibular dysfunctions).” Julia designed and organized the research study in association with Dr. Andrew Weil’s Program of Integrative Medicine on the “Efficacy of Reiki Touch® in Reducing Pain, Nausea and Anxiety associated with Radiation and Chemotherapy Treatments for Cancer.” Julia trained Dr. Weil’s research staff in Reiki Level I. In addition, Julia was the Reiki Touch® consultant for the Kessler Rehabilitation Research Education Corporation (New Jersey) study, entitled “Effect of Energy Healing Treatments on Post-Stroke Rehabilitation Patients.” The Principal Investigator for that study was Dr. Samuel C. Shiflett, Director. The data from the studies have been published in numerous nursing and other medical journals in which Julia is acknowledged, quoted and cited. These include the following: Conceptual Models of Healing and Health: An Ethnography of Healers and Nurses; Qualitative Health Research, An International/Interdisciplinary Journal; IMAGE Journal of Nursing; Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, A Peer-Reviewed Journal and Journal of Advanced Nursing, Blackwell Science, Ltd. “The findings of a single Reiki session has an effect on decreasing perceived anxiety, increasing signs of relaxation and increasing humoral immunological individual’s biochemical and psychological responses.” Blackwell Science Ltd., UK 2001 (“Triangulated Evaluation of Reiki Healing,” Reiki Touch® Study at UTHSC) “Results: Comparing before and after measures of the quantitative data, anx69 Julia Elizabeth Carroll iety was significantly reduced (t22=2.45, P=.02). Systolic blood pressure dropped significantly (F2.44=6.60, P=.003). Salivary IgA levels rose significantly (t19=2.33, P=.03).” Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, A Peer-Reviewed Journal. (“Triangulated Evaluation of Reiki Healing,” Reiki Touch® study at UTHSC) University Research Findings Conclude Benefits of Reiki Touch® • Boosts immune system • Significantly reduces anxiety • Reduces pain (less pain medications required) • Significantly lowers blood pressure • Raises hemoglobin levels of the blood • Promotes relaxation • Maintains health and vital energy • Accelerates healing • Integrates body, mind and spirit • Relaxes muscle tension 70 NU-REIKI Oneness Published Research & Procedures O ver the past two decades there has been an increasing interest in complementary therapies, or generally referred to as Complementary/Alternative Medicine (CAM) by both the general public as well as among health care providers. It is difficult to walk through a bookstore, read a newspaper or magazine or tune in to TV or radio or get on the internet without some references to CAM. These CAM therapies are more aptly named complementary than alternative, as they are most often used in conjunction with biomedical care. While some seek out these therapies to treat specific diseases, the majority of people use these to promote health, prevent disease and promote healthy aging, reduce symptoms of disease and reduce side effects of treatment. Therefore, it may be more accurate to refer to them as therapies or modalities than medicine. As their use has become more popular, the need for research and a better understanding of these modalities has been recognized. Over the past decade, research in CAM modalities has skyrocketed with publications in a number of professional journals. Reiki as a Complementary/Alternative Modality These healing arts are among those that embody a holistic practice that approaches the individual within a context and involves a dynamic interconnectedness of all aspects of an individual’s life and environment. In contrast, Western biomedical practices tend to focus on diseases and disease mechanisms with the intent to cure, repair or modify the course of the disease. This leads to a focus on parts of an individual and a view of their symptoms independently. Reiki and other energy practices using human touch and/or distant healing are included in the categories of CAM. Interestingly, touch therapies are classified as biofield modalities in the United 71 Julia Elizabeth Carroll States, while in the United Kingdom they are classified as spiritual healing. Reiki Touch® research fits into the genre of touch therapies and many of the challenges to research design and to some extent the findings may apply to all. . A number of types of touch therapies have been researched and discussed in the professional literature, the most popular being Reiki Touch®, Therapeutic Touch, Healing Touch and laying on of hands. In order to best understand the research on Reiki and other touch therapies, it is important to understand some of the basic types of research designs as well as some of the criteria used in evaluating the quality of research study. Reiki and touch therapies present some unique challenges to health research. Some of these challenges will be discussed in relation to specific types of designs. The research findings for Reiki and other touch therapies suggests that these healing modalities may have efficacy in reducing anxiety, muscle relaxation and stress reduction, wound healing and reducing pain. The findings are quite encouraging when it comes to reducing stress and anxiety and pain. Other research has begun to unravel the complex psycho-neuro-biological mechanisms in stress, pain and immunity. This is important because chronic pain is a major problem that will likely continue with the aging of the population. Management of chronic pain is difficult and challenging. More recently, studies have begun to target biological and behavioral markers. One Reiki Touch® study used a before and after Reiki treatment of essentially healthy adults, measuring anxiety, salivary IgA, an immunoglobulin, and cortisol, the hormone released in response to stress, along with blood pressure and biofeedback data. Anxiety was significantly decreased, salivary IgA was significantly increased and systolic blood pressure dropped. These indicate physiological changes associated with a more relaxed state and increased function. The outcomes indicating relaxation, the links between Reiki treatment and the autonomic nervous system were examined. In this study, with two control groups (one with no treatment, and one with a non-Reiki person mimicking Reiki 72 NU-REIKI Oneness hand positions), heart rate and diastolic blood pressure dropped significantly more in the Reiki group than the in either of the control groups. The difference between Reiki and the control groups indicate that Reiki has some effect on the autonomic nervous system. 73 Julia Elizabeth Carroll ROLES a.) PRINCIPLE INVESTIGATOR (P1). The person directing the study. b.)CO-PRINCIPLE INVESTIGATOR (CO-PI). A partner of the P1, may have separate responsibilities or share the management of the study. c.)CONSULTANTS. Additional people who are asked to consult with the PT for their expertise. Common in areas of consultation are experts in a treatment modality, research methodology or interpretation of the findings. d.)PROVIDERS. These may or may not be involved in the study. Healers practicing a nonbiomedical modality are often in this role. e.)RESEARCH ASSISTANT(S). These are additional people hired to carry out the study. In academic settings, students often play this role. They may participate through course work or as a supplemental job. They may be involved in any or all of the following tasks: f.)Manage the study including recruitment of subjects, scheduling and managing the implementation of the study g.) Collect and/or manage the data h.) Enter the data into analysis systems i.) Work on data analysis. j.)PROJECT MANAGER. May do all of the above tasks of the research assistant and be responsible for the maintenance of the study. k.)STATISTICIAN. An expert in statistical analysis who consults with the investigators regarding appropriate analysis and interpretation of the data. l.)SUBJECTS/PARTICIPANTS. Individuals or groups who agree to participate in the study. 74 NU-REIKI Oneness FUNDING RFP (REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS). Large funding agencies periodically send out a request for study proposals. These requests generally specify what type of research the agency is looking for, and have a specific time frame. Submitted proposals are then reviewed by experts for feasibility, scientific merit, and alignment with the mission of the agency. TYPES OF FUNDING a.) PRIVATE. Funding along specific interests of an agency. b.)GOVERNMENT. Federal and more local levels. NIH (National Institutes of Health) is the major funder for health related studies. The CAM (Center for Alternative Medicine) is a center within NIH which has funded centers around the country to study aspects of alternative/ complementary healing. c.)SMALL STUDIES. These are generally under $50,000, and usually do not include salaries. These studies are generally necessary for successful application for larger studies. Depending on the size and complexity, they may be referred to as “pilot work.” d.)MAJOR OR LARGE STUDIES. These are generally over $100,000 and include salary coverage for investigators, consultants and providers. These studies involve larger numbers and greater complexity and may be at multiple sites. APPROVALS e.)UNIVERSITY. If the P1s are faculty, the grant is run through the University system, expenses for running the study will generally be taken out of the total funded amount. This adds additional expense, but also lends to the credibility and the assurance that the funds are well managed. 75 Julia Elizabeth Carroll f.)IRB (INTERNAL REVIEW BOARD, alternately called COMMITTEE FOR THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS). Reputable institutions have an IRB committee that reviews all research to assure that subjects are not harmed. If any intervention is performed on them, the investigator provides a Consent Form to be completed by the subject and assure that the subject is informed about the study and agrees to participate. g.)OTHER APPROVALS. Depending on where subjects are recruited or the setting of the study, hospitals, clinics, physicians, etc., may need to give permission as well. DESIGN a.)NATURALISTIC OR OBSERVATIONAL/PARTCIPANT-OBSERVATIONAL. These are studies in which an investigator studies what is happening in a normal setting. For example a researcher might want to study the practice of a healer or conduct an epidemiological survey of the use of alternative medicine. b.)EXPERIMENTAL. These are studies that, unlike naturalistic studies, attempt to control the variables of the study. c.)CLINICAL TRIALS. These studies are designed to investigate the efficacy of a particular intervention on specific outcomes. d.)RCT (Randomized Controlled [Clinical]Trials). This is the most rigorous of clinical studies. e.)RANDOMIZATION. Subjects are placed into groups through random selection to avoid bias. Specific procedures are used to assign subjects into groups. f.)EXPERIMENTAL OR CONTROL GROUPS. The most common randomization is into a group that gets the intervention (experimental) and a group that gets no intervention (control). g.)BLINDING. Either the researcher or the participant or both (double- 76 NU-REIKI Oneness blinded) do not know who is in the experimental or control group. This reduces bias and the placebo effect. This is not always possible depending on the intervention. h.)QUALITATIVE. This refers to the design of the study and the type of data gathered and the way it is analyzed and interpreted. Narratives or experiences of the participants are gathered and analyzed without a hypothesis or interpretive theory. i.)QUANTITATIVE. This refers to the design of the study that focuses on measurable quantifiable types of data, which is usually interpreted through statistical analysis. COMPONENTS OF A PROPOSAL a.)PURPOSE. The general goal of the study, generally a statement that focuses the study. b.)RESEARCH QUESTION OR HYPOTHESIS. This is the question you hope to answer. c.)REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE (ROL) AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY. Demonstrates knowledge of the scientific work in the area of study, critiques the knowledge base and states how the knowledge gained from the proposed study will add to the general understanding. A strong case must be made for why the study is important/necessary. d.)SAMPLING/SETTING. This tells where study will be done, who will participate and how participants will be recruited and retained. e.)METHODS OR DESIGN. What type of study design and how the study will be conducted. f.)PROTOCOLS. This outlines in detail all procedures for entering subjects, collecting data, and analysis of data. Adherence to protocols is especially necessary to control variables. 77 Julia Elizabeth Carroll g.)DATA ANALYSIS. This describes how data (either statistical or qualitative ) will be analyzed and interpreted. h.) BUDGET/JUSTIFICATION. All expenses need to be stated and justified. i.)IN-KIND SUPPORT. This means that the University (or other agency) is providing support, generally in the form of space, materials and human resources. (Often the University may provide in-kind support with faculty time. DISSEMINATION OF THE FINDINGS a.)PROFESSIONAL REFERRED JOURNAL OR POPULAR LITERATURE. Professional peer-reviewed journals are the best place for credible research. The referring process adds another aspect of rigor. b.)COPYRIGHT ISSUES. Generally, material can be paraphrased from any source as long as it is appropriately referenced. The author is responsible for accuracy. Models, pictures, tables, or large parts of an article need to have written permission from the publisher or whomever holds the copyright to reprint. c.)AUTHORSHIP. Generally the investigators are the authors. If others are actively involved in the design of the study and writing of the manuscript, their names may be added. This is generally established early. Funding agencies, consultants or providers may be acknowledged. Many journals have specific formats for this. d.)SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS. This term usually refers to statistical tests that indicate the findings are not attributable to chance. e.)GENERALIZABILITY. This refers to how the findings can be applied to larger populations. One cannot generalize the findings of small studies on specific populations. f.)OWNERSHIP OF FINDINGS. Apart from the military (classified research) or private industry (research and development departments) most 78 NU-REIKI Oneness academic research findings belong to the investigator. There are a number of incentives to publish findings and disincentives not to publish. TIME VARIABLES a.)AMOUNT OF FUNDING. Small studies may take over a year as faculty are generally conducting the research without release time. Also, there is less money for assistance. b.)AMOUNT OF PREVIOUS WORK DONE IN THE AREA BY INVESTIGATORS. Reviewing literature and initially instituting protocols takes more time. c.)COMPLEXITY OF THE DESIGN. The amount of data and complexity of analysis is more time consuming. d.)AVAILABILITY AND RETENTION OF SUBJECTS. If specific types of subjects are needed or if they have to travel to participate in the study or return for more than one data point, these factors all add to the complexity of the study and likelihood of participant drop out. e.)TYPE AND COMPLEXITY OF DATA ANALYSIS. The amount of data and the difficulty of the analysis can make the study take longer. Qualitative analysis generally takes longer than quantitative. Some studies allow for secondary levels of analysis. 79 Gratitude NU-REIKI Oneness Endorsements “I am writing to express my appreciation to you for your help in beginning the healing through Reiki group that we offered our patients. The Reiki practitioners showed a high level of professional care, concern and understanding for the patients, all of whom had severe chronic pain. The ten patients whom we treated seemed to enjoy the group and some of them experienced clear symptomatic relief. We are in the process of making a decision as to how to use Reiki further.” - Leslie Fishelman, M.D., Director, The Harvard Community Health Plan Pain Program “Reiki Master Julia Carroll has served as a consultant for the Reiki Touch® component of our CIVITAS Healing Arts Project, with clients who have experienced chronic maltreatment. Clinicians at the ChildTrauma Clinic believe that children who have experienced trauma benefit from structured, predictable experiences provided to them by nurturing caregivers. We recognize that Julia Carroll utilizes many of these properties, such as the gentle, patterned touch through Reiki Touch® and appreciate her participation in the Healing Arts Project.” - Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D., Baylor College of Medicine; Texas Children’s Hospital “We are writing to express our appreciation to the Reiki Touch Institute of Holistic Medicine® for its efforts in providing Reiki lectures, Reiki I training and practice sessions for our staff. You have provided us with a most enlightening path on our journey of complementary health care exploration.” - Dana Farber Cancer Institute: A Teaching Affiliate of Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, Cynthia Mederios, MSW, LICSW, Director Patient and Family Support Services, Maureen Lynch, MS, RN, CS, AOCN, Pain and Symptom Management Service 83 Julia Elizabeth Carroll “The Center for Research in Complementary and Alternative Medicine was established in October of 1995 and functions under the auspices of two agencies within the NIH, OAM, and NCMRR. The purpose and goals of Kessler—UMDNJ Research Center are primarily educational and research oriented. This project is entitled “Effect of Energy Healing Treatments on Post-Stroke Rehabilitation Patients.” This study is designed to test the effectiveness of Reiki Touch® treatment. Our advisor in Reiki Touch® is Julia Carroll, a Reiki Master in Houston, Texas.” - Samuel C. Shiflett, Ph.D., Director and Principal Investigator: Kessler Medical Rehabilitation Research Education Corporation “Research on the Efficacy of Reiki Touch® Therapy in Reducing Pain, Nausea and Anxiety associated with Radiation and Chemotherapy Treatments for Cancer, in conjunction with Reiki Touch Institute of Holistic Medicine® and Reiki Master Julia Carroll (study incomplete). We thank Julia for her expertise, consultation and training our staff into Reiki.” - David Rychener, Research Director for Andrew Weil, M.D.’s Program in Integrative Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ “Problems cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them.” – Albert Einstein. Julia Carroll’s NU-REIKI takes Einstein’s advice and has eliminated worlds of controversy. She has healed the decades-old split in the Reiki world by creatively combining the best of all known systems under one inclusive roof. No longer will serious Reiki students and practitioners be distracted by the turf wars of the past. NU-REIKI is the one definitive source for all camps. This is the “go-to” document for your every Reiki question or need. – Linda Starr, “Probably the world’s most senior productivity coach” ~ 84 NU-REIKI Oneness “Oneness” is the sign of our times…the evolutionary impulse to wholeness and acceptance. Julia Carroll’s commitment to healing is evidenced in her new book, NU-REIKI Oneness, a breakthrough in healing the separation and confusion that existed among the Reiki traditions. Thank you, Julia, for your part in evolving this powerful ancient healing modality.” – Terri Barnes, LMT ~ “Julia, I am absolutely thrilled for this NU-REIKI endeavor. The information is fascinating; thank you for your talents and the sharing of your gift.” - P.L.J., Actor, Author ~ “Twenty years ago, Julia trained my sons in Reiki when they were young boys. One son recently suffered a concussion from an electric scooter accident where he went flying across the pavement. Julia offered, with my son’s permission, to treat him with NU-REIKI. I was amazed to hear her accurate assessments of his symptoms from thousands of miles away and grateful for her “NU-REIKI touch.” – Linda Mikkelsen, Seattle “Julia Carroll takes Reiki to another level with the introduction of her NU-REIKI Oneness book, which has the potential for the serious “initiate” to find themselves on an accelerated path to becoming a more powerful healer.” – Margaret Sweet, Astrological Counselor ~ “Like a frontier stagecoach driver, Julia Elizabeth Carroll has taken the reins of numerous Reiki “wild horses” and brought them firmly under control. For the confused Reiki student, the clarity and wisdom Julia has shared in NU-REIKI Oneness 85 Julia Elizabeth Carroll restores confidence in and renewed commitment to a powerful healing tradition. No longer does a student feel “pulled in many different directions.” There is “One” direction and Julia explains this “oneness” from her inner reservoir of love and experience.” – Sheela Hewitt, Teacher, Healer and Writer ~ “NU-REIKI is the compendium of Reiki modalities with Julia’s very special touch of understanding and loving each individual’s process. I love the concept of NUREIKI!” - Frank M. Don, Astrologer to the Stars, Author and Radio Show Host ~ “Julia’s life journey has endowed her spirit with compassion, insight, generosity of heart and remarkable resilience. She brings all of these qualities to her NU-REIKI, making her a singular Master Teacher and practitioner among the many.” – Anandi Cullaty ~ “The eruption of all the new Reiki lineages was so confusing that I turned my back on Reiki, with the exception of it in my own private life as it supports my happiness and health. Julia, I have to hand it to you, you sorted out the lineages and created a system to enlighten Reiki – NU-REIKI!” – Melissa Abbott, Author – The Legacy of Three Melissas ~ Le Reiki as été une revelation pour moi. Je croyais que cen’etais accessible que par un Maitre Reiki. Lorsque j’ai été initie, j’ai vu et compris que ce pouvoir de guerir m’etait accessible. Quel cadeau d’etre guide par un Maitre tel que Julia. Je recommande le NU-REIKI a tous et toutes! – Mukti Garceau, Artiste Voice Over and Chanteuse ~ 86 NU-REIKI Oneness “Julia Carroll is a walking miracle and her depth of experience makes her uniquely qualified to weave the threads of all Reiki into the tapestry of NU-REIKI. As you examine the tapestry pay attention to the shining golden threads, as they are pieces of her heart.” – Jennifer Pratt Linguri ~ “Julia, I was worried about Dukie, my cat, who was scheduled to have dental cleaning and extractions. I called you, you took matters in hand, and kept me informed as to his discomfort. You were ‘spot on’! Dukie was so disturbed when we brought him home and your suggestions as to how to help him were perfect. Your NU-REIKI intervention was incredibly supportive and uplifting. I am forever grateful.” – Katy Jennings ~ “Julia Carroll’s NU-REIKI Oneness explores groundbreaking healing techniques, allowing the reader extraordinary insight into their own capacity to heal. As a pioneer in the holistic healing sciences, Julia has no equal, and this long-awaited book will delight her readership. I cannot recommend her books more highly!” – Kim O’Neill, Channel, Author, How to Talk With Your Angels ~ “NU-REIKI Master Julia Carroll has revealed a new and more beautiful world to me through her NU-REIKI teachings. My sense of connection to others and to the world itself has been amazingly heightened through the giving and receiving the NUREIKI positive, loving and healing energy.” – Ethel E. Hutcheson, NU-REIKI Master ~ “Julia is the perfect example of, ‘Let the beauty of what you love be what you do. Rumi.’ Her desire to give back and help others through her NU-REIKI healing and instruction is contagious. Julia is a powerful healer and a wonderful person. She 87 Julia Elizabeth Carroll emulates, ‘Be the change you wish to see in the world.’ – Gandhi.” – Gabrielle Welch, Welch Wellness ~ “Julia Carroll truly has the gift of a strong healing energy which affects and transforms the energy of the sick. During my recovery of a serious illness she worked with me, on the phone and with distant Reiki. NU-REIKI influenced my mental state, affecting my dreams and triggering old memories which needed to be looked at and released. As a result, my sleep improved. Julia’s loving energy exudes a ray of happiness. Thank you, Julia.” – Syliva Faddis, CCH, President, New York Kailash Foundation ~ “NU-REIKI’s benefits are fabulous! Being a jewelry designer and daily slumping over my work table kept my back in constant pain. NU-REIKI’s distant sessions enabled me to sit and do my work painfree. I am amazed and grateful for this noninvasive healing method.” - Lindalou Richards, Epie Designs ~ “If we could take Julia’s spirit and bottle it, none of us would ever suffer again.” Linda Callanan, Vedic Astrologer “I am impressed with how meticulous you are with your attention to details.” - Julie Heyman, Shaman ~ “You have so much to share as you are gifted and connected to the global world.” - Mary Elizabeth Marlow, Author ~ 88 NU-REIKI Oneness “This is the lady who takes care of all my problems.” – Conner, age 9 ~ “Julia, I am totally impressed by your work. Mainly because I have never seen such magic power radiate from anyone I’ve ever encountered.” – S. K.~ “It is your love and commitment that are so striking…not to speak of your amazing mastership of your healing arts. I find what you do is so amazing.” – Sally Kempton, Author, Meditation for the Love of It ~ “You are a magnificent presence and I am very grateful to have you in my life.” – Phil Rothenburg, MD. ~ “Julia, I am touched by you and your works and through them, I am able to see your heart and soul. The torch you carry will light up hearts and will shine throughout all the world.” – Niloufer ~ “Julia è come il vento di primavera, infonde vigore e fresca linfa nella vita delle persone e non smette mai di portare buone ed importanti notizie sull’arte del Reiki, nella sua vita e nei suoi scritti. Auguro grande successo a questa opera che viene dal cuore.” - Reiki Master Edwina de Linares ~ 89 Julia Elizabeth Carroll “Julia has the amazing gift of not only being a master healer in REIKI but also a teacher and a guide of REIKI. I had the great opportunity to be initiated into Reiki, and also to experience a powerful healing from Julia which was transformative and unforgettable. Thank you, Julia, for your dedication to healing and transforming the world around you. We are blessed!” - Akka Pratt, E.L.C. Life Coach ~ “The blessings in life are many indeed. I count your friendship and instruction among them. I look forward to seeing you again.” - P.R. ~ “Julia, the first Reiki Master in Texas, has been through many life experiences with her clients and students. If there was ever a true MASTER in the healing arts of Reiki, she is a living legend in the field. It would be in your best interest to experience wisdom with her in your lifetime.” – Dr. Patrick Price, D.C., “The Body Detective” ~ 90 NU-REIKI Oneness Acknowledgements W ith perpetual honored memories of Dr. Mikao Usui and the esteemed heirs of Reiki, including Chujiro Hayashi, Hawayo Takata and Tadao Yamaguchi; with respected and humble pranams to Gurumayi® and all Her Incarnations. Gratitude to the renowned London artist, Barney Wan for the original illustrations; accolades to Kathleen Valentine for her expertise in creating the cover and book design; love to my gifted graphic designer daughter, Mandy, for the Protection graphic. Gratitude to my grandchildren, Bryn, Gabi and Will for constant reminders of “oneness;” ongoing thanks to longtime tech supporter and graphic artist, Gail Dorsett, and to expert editor Barbara Silberg. Deep thanks to Beverly Miller for web design to market this and other books of mine; special recognition to Arnaz Marker for her global devotion to Reiki and to me, her teacher; humble honor to John of God for healings. High praise to teachers and protectors, author Suze Orman, Ph.D., television producer, Kathy Travis, estate attorney, Janet Dobrovolny, J.D., and Suzy and Jack Welch who support me in entrepreneurship. Happy smiles to Linda Starr and Elizabeth Berryhill who shine their light for me; Howard Caesar who lives and breathes oneness; applause to Donna Fisher and the C3 group for alignment in spirit. To #1 Body Detective Patrick Price, D.C. for excellence in healing; kudos to astrologers Margaret Sweet, Frank Don and Linda Callanan; respect to Harvey Aronson, Ph.D., Donald Riefer, D.C., and Nellie P. Grose, M.D., for timely healing and counsel. Sweet thoughts to Kim O’Neill, Ginger McCord, Ed, Phyllis and Dawn Sabo for publicity support. Friend support thanks to attorney Dick DeGuerin; gratitude and love to New York City’s homeopathic practitioner Sylvia Faddis, Akka Pratt, E.L.C. Life Coach, Donna Holliday Wesling CPA, friend and supporter Dana Nellen, Trudy and Victoria who always call on holidays, Aries buddy Gail Brittain, and many others who keep my body, mind, spirit and heart 91 Julia Elizabeth Carroll happy. Kisses to Giovanni, my longtime Swiss hairdresser, hugs to Luisa for photo shoot make-up, happy thoughts to Susie, my superwoman housekeeper of 25 years and to William, my faithful driver who brings hot coffee and a newspaper for early airport trips. Hearts to the many Facebook friends for added renewal of friends. From my heart, deepest gratitude to my Reiki clients, students, promoters and supportive friends who, for over 30 years have provided love, trust, faith in humankind, and are always there for me – my prayer is that it continues as “oneness with NU-REIKI” touches and heals all ~ Thank you so very, very much ~ 92 NU-REIKI Oneness Afterword Oneness is what we seek, and in seeking we find. There are many roads to oneness, and in this Aquarian Age, oneness and transparency are merging. This book, NU-REIKI Oneness: The Enlightened Reiki, began as acts of trust, faith and courage. Trusting my guidance, faith in following this guidance and courage to share it. The many months of research led to unexpected discoveries which are presented herein. No one was more surprised than I. In the spirit of oneness and transparency other Reiki lineages and their techniques were explored. Even though my lineage, the Western Usui system, held most of the information as sacred and confidential, many others did not. Therefore, you will find images and explanations of the symbols and other uses of them. The presentation of this sacred information took the most courage for me, as I have kept all these teachings secret within my heart for almost 30 years. Please do understand that these symbols and explanations have no power unless and until you are initiated or attuned to the energies of Reiki by a Reiki Master. Reiki Masters of all lineages honor and take the teachings very seriously, with many taking vows to protect and to perpetuate the Reiki systems. In summation: Data = Information = Knowledge = Wisdom = Choices = Making a Difference = Oneness. My sincere prayer for this book is to provide information for you to make a difference in bringing oneness to our universe. “May the touch be yours” ~ 93 Professional Affiliations American Association of University Professors American Association of University Women Adjunct Psychology Professor University of Houston-Clear Lake Texas Counseling Association American Institute of Stress Management Other Art Therapy Related Organizations