Reiki, which is Japanese, and could loosely be translated to "higher spiritual awareness of vital life force", is something that Maia Lynd, who is originally from Sweden, has been doing for four years now. Last fall she decided to become a Reiki Master. "With that I made the commitment to not only work with people in the healing aspects of Reiki, but also in the teaching and the passing on of Reiki," said Lynd.

She is now starting her first Reiki practice in Norwalk. "The moment I stepped into the old colonial on 51 East Avenue, I could tell it was a haven, a refuge from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Just the kind of place where people can open themselves to the healing energies. This place is enchanted and I am pleased to have found such soothing atmosphere where I can share my Reiki," said Maia Lynd.

Reiki is non-denominational. It is a healing art, which has been perfected by the Japanese over the past centuries. It is based on the notion that energy can be redistributed through the body with the help of a trained guide, so a person can best use the self-healing aspects of their energy. Reiki is working with the understanding that all is energy "Everything-- you, me, this table, the weather, colors, smells, emotions and thoughts," said Lynd. And so it is that our emotions affect the state of our health just as much as our health affects our emotions. She feels that there are currents of energy going through us all, as a river if you will, a river of life-force energy.

Sometimes blockages are created, from events in our lives or from beliefs about ourselves that we harbor. These blockages create ill-health. What Reiki does is increase the flow which helps remove these blockages. Reiki is a teamwork between the recipient and the practitioner in that the recipient needs to be open to the energy. It is not necessary to understand Reiki or even believe in it, but one needs to believe that it is possible to feel better.

"Good health is our birthright, it is for us to claim. The gift of healing is not something I can give to someone. It is something we give to ourselves," said Lynd.

Lynd's original education was in Chemical Engineering. "It was my thirst for an understanding of how things work, that attracted me to Chemistry. However I did not find the answers Chemistry had to give me quite satisfying, and it was not until I encountered metaphysics, that I was given a fuller understanding," she said.

So what is a Reiki session like?

"When you come for a session with me, we will first sit down and get acquainted over a cup of tea. Then you will lay down on a massage table, fully clothed. The energy flow is not hindered by clothing or even by plaster, should that be the case. I work primarily in the aura, which is an energy sphere that surrounds us, and I work mostly on the chakras, which are energy centers that expand out from the body. This means that my hands will be about an inch over your body"

Reiki heals on an emotional, spiritual as well as physical level. You do not have to feel as if something is wrong and needs to be taken care of, to benefit from Reiki. Even Reiki practitioners meet and give each other Reiki. A complete session takes about an hour.

It is also possible to do distant Reiki. The energy is not hindered by time and space, any more than by clothing.

The key is to have the recipient's consent and agree on a time when the person will be resting. "When I do distant Reiki I use a three foot stuffed "Piglet" to aid me. This helps me focus the energy on different body parts. I usually close my eyes to help turn my attention inward, and one time when I was working on someone, I look down to find that I was pressing hard against Piglet's chest. I pulled away instantly and did not know why I had done that. Later the recipient told me that during our session he had felt great pressure against his chest. It felt good and he did not get scared, but just as he thought he really could use some air, the pressure was off. It turned out that he had stopped a fifty year smoking habit, only a few months previously and after the session he felt himself breathing much more freely."

To become a Reiki Master, one must first find one. "Someone that you feel you have a nice rapport with," said Lynd. There are several steps to becoming a Master and it is fine to stop at any of the levels. Each step is initiated and people can go years between initiations. Reiki I means that you have become familiar with the energy and can use it to promote healing. Reiki II that you wish to have the option of practicing it commercially, a good Reiki Master will advise you on how to get started. The last step is becoming a Reiki Master which means that you now have the tool to teach others.

"The initiation process is pleasant. At least that was my experience," said Lynd. What the initiator does is to expand your receptiveness so the energy can come through more efficiently and be more focused. You become, in a sense, an antenna. With each initiation the antenna becomes more efficient and thus more powerful.

There are also other forms of healing that Lynd works with. "I have found myself becoming increasingly attracted to gem stones and I enjoy using them together with healing. That is, if the participant feels comfortable with this. I like using my intuition in a practical manner, If it feels right and it works, use it! When I pick up a stone I can feel the energy in it. Some stone's energy is invigorating, some calming, some clears the mind. The molecular structure of gem stones lends them to storing and transmitting information, which is energy All is energy, remember?"

In the future, Lynd says "I would like to share my experience of the life force with others. The force is all right here. It's all around us and in us. Becoming aware of it means getting in touch with a truth that is exceptionally basic and empowering and life-giving. I plan to conduct workshops and Reiki Circles as well as continue with healing sessions. Reiki is hands on, it needs to be experienced. To give people more of an opportunity to try it, I charge a minimum fee the first time they see me."

She also declares that, "Every moment when I am present in the moment, is my greatest achievement. To find joy in tying a shoe... that is true success!"

Reprinted from The Hour.