My Journey to Reiki

I'm often asked how I started my Journey to Reiki Energy Healing.

Here is my story.

The truth is, I had no idea what Reiki was until I took a Reiki course a month after discovering this powerful natural healing method. 

I experienced health issues for more than three years, and these health issues not only consumed my body, but more so, my mind. 

I had candida overgrowth, which was triggered in February 2012 when I started taking the birth control pill. These strange red rashes and odd-looking hives started showing up on my body a few days before my monthly cycle. My face would flare up in such a bright shade of red that it look like my skin had been burned in a fire. 

I had frequent doctor visits and trips to walk-in clinics and hospitals during the following three years, however, no one had a clue as to what was going on. Ironically, I would visit my doctor after a bad flare-up and she would order more blood tests at the same time she was handing me more boxes of birth control, the very thing  my body was reacting to.

The hives went from monthly flare-ups to an every day occurrence. My skin was so dry and itchy, especially at night, I had to sleep with gloves pinned to my pajamas. I would wake up in the middle of the night to find I had tore off the gloves and scratched my skin until it bled.

I had started to react and have allergies to almost everything, from grass and leaves to apples and alcohol. It was so bad that I started to develop a fear of food. I was scared to eat. Every bite I put into my mouth caused  anxiety.

My health issues not only effected me, severely, they also effected my family. I was in a new relationship at the time and dealing with my monthly flare-ups, which left me feeling and looking like a "monster" in my mind, and it was extremely difficult to deal with. I was consumed and fixated on getting better, I needed to get better. Unfortunately this left me isolating myself and spending hours on Google. I searched anything and everything. I soon developed health anxiety and every  symptom or flare-up I experienced left me in a state of fear. I was convinced I was going to die.

Besides having hives, the symptoms I experienced were eczema, allergic reactions, extremely dry skin, itchy ears, vertigo, headaches, hot flashes, blurred vision, social anxiety, digestive issues (including bloating even after a small meal), insomnia, lack of energy, and many more.

I needed to get better, I needed to heal myself, and I was determined to do it naturally.

I was sitting on my couch one day and I took a drink of a hot chocolate I had just purchased, and soon after came the hives. I said to myself, 'wait a second, this hot chocolate is full of sugar, could it be the sugar causing all of this?' I started to recall my other major flare-ups and when they occurred. Wine, lots of sugar, bread, more sugar, chocolate...definitely sugar. I knew I was onto to something.

I immediately grabbed my iPad and started Googling 'sugar and hives'.  Sure enough, up pops an article on Mind, Body and Green about something called Candida, a yeast over growth. I read the symptoms and discovered I had almost every  one of them. For the first time in more than three years, I became hopeful. 

I can't recall exactly how I met my friend, Julie Tibbles, but she does something called BIE, a form of energy testing for various conditions in your body. I contacted her and we booked an appointment. I was so excited to meet her and to get some answers. I knew intuitively that Julie was going to be able to help me, I could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. Julie tested me for many things and, as suspected, Candida was the culprit. I learned I also suffered from Adrenal Fatigue from past and current stress. From there, Julie set a plan for me, which including following a 30-day cleanse. I followed the plan precisely without cheating once, and within 30 days, I lost 25 pounds. While the weight loss was a pleasant surprise, I was overjoyed when all of my allergies disappeared and my skin looked younger then it had in years. I had bounds of energy again. I had forgotten what it felt like to feel well.

So, how does Reiki fit in here? During the time I experienced my health issues, I was led down the path of natural healing and drawn to the aspects and many benefits of Reiki. However, I didn't feel I was ready to help others on their healing journey until I healed myself. 

Six months after taking the Reiki course and finding answers to my health issues, I opened Soul Alive Barrie. I was ready and set with the intentions of helping whomever walked through my door. 

Almost three years later I have treated more than 200 people. I have helped woman who were having difficulty conceiving become pregnant by relieving their stress and putting their body back into balance. Clients who were told they 'need' anxiety medication come for regular treatments, as it's the only way for them to find relief without resorting to the medication. I have treated people with broken hearts and stories of past trauma and death, as well as children as young as five years old who experience anxiety and other conditions.

Before my journey to Reiki I knew deep down inside I was supposed to be of service to others, helping others find their joy again, and to assist them on their own healing journeys. So here I am, doing what I know I was meant to do.

There is nothing more satisfying then knowing you have helped someone feel alive again, that you have helped them feel happy, healthy, and healed.

I'm truly thankful for my past health issues. If I didn't experience my own pain and healing, I truly believe I would not be doing the very thing that I love - helping others.

My passion, is my purpose.