Jacqueline: Hi Cynthia! Thank you for participating on the Share Your Enlightenment site as our Reiki expert. You have an interesting background, since you started in a pretty left-brained career. Can you explain what your background is and what made you decide to enhance your right-brain instead?

Cynthia: Hi Jacqui! It’s my pleasure and honor to be here with you and this site is a great idea. Thank you for inviting me!  I taught at the college level for many years.  I taught in Asia and the U.S. and got my Ph.D. from Ohio State, where I studied English Education, Linguistics, and Anthropology.  I moved to Chicago to be a professor at Roosevelt University, but as time went on I felt more and more disillusioned with academia and other parts of my life.  I literally made myself sick – an ulcer, hormonal issues, etc.  I took an intensive meditation class at a Buddhist Temple.  In meditation I got the idea to become a massage therapist.  I enjoyed a successful massage practice for many years, and then during a class in Ortho-Bionomy, a very gentle movement that focuses on unwinding and release, I experienced a spiritual/energetic awakening.  That’s when I began to study Reiki and other energy work.

Jacqueline: How would you explain Reiki to the everyday person? Particularly what the attunements are?

Cynthia: Reiki is a way to access the healing energy available to all of us.  Reiki is a Japanese word, combined of “Rei, ” which means Universal, and “Ki,” which means energy.  The Chinese word for energy is “chi” or “qi,” such as in the word Taichi.  When you take a Reiki class the teacher gives you an attunement.  An attunement is adjusting the vibration of your energy field.  I like to compare it to tuning a violin – as you adjust the string the sound changes due to the change in vibration.  A Reiki attunement changes your vibration in the same way.

Jacqueline: What do you say to a Reiki student who complains that they aren’t feeling any energy or anything during the attunements?

Cynthia:  Some people feel the Reiki attunement as warmth, others as cold, and others not at all.  It doesn’t really matter – all students have the ability to channel Reiki after their attunement.  Like anything else, the more you practice, the stronger and more adept at feeling and using the Reiki energy you become.

Jacqueline: I’m naturally a big practitioner in long-distance healing. How do you explain that long-distance healing actually does work?

Cynthia: I compare it to a radio wave – how does a the music know how to come in my house and come out of my radio? When a Reiki practitioner practices long distance healing, he or she is sending the energy waves (like the music) and the recipient is like the radio.

Jacqueline: Can you provide what your Reiki technique is when working on a new client?

Cynthia:  I first ask why that person came to see me.  I then explain what Reiki is and how it may help him or her.  I then ask the client to lay down, fully clothed, and I make an energetic connection from my heart to theirs.  I then proceed, paying attention to both what the client says is bothering them and intuitive guidance.

Jacqueline: What do you advise a client who feels that Reiki isn’t working for them?

Cynthia: I’ve never had that happen!  At the very least, Reiki is a very relaxing experience.  Being relaxed allows healing to take place.  Some people are a little impatient and expect instant results.  While I have had that happen, I remind most people that Reiki takes a little time, like most other alternative therapies.

Jacqueline: Can you share an unforgettable moment you had with a client? Both in-person and long-distance?

Cynthia: I saw a woman who was injured as a child and had about 80o movement in her arm.  Almost thirty years later, she still couldn’t even raise her arm as high as her shoulder.  After one session with me she could raise her arm over her head!  I still see her from time to time.  She’s a yoga instructor now!  As far as a distant client, when my father was ill, I did distant Reiki on him every night, which greatly helped relieve his pain.

Jacqueline: When a Reiki student feels different things – tingling, heat, pressure – what do you tell them if they are questioning what each means? How can you tell if it’s good or bad?

Cynthia: Reiki is Divine, healing energy and as such any feeling that is felt is always good, although it may take time to get used to.  Those are just signs the Reiki is working!

Jacqueline: Besides Reiki, are there any other energy modalities you provide or teach?

Cynthia:  Yes, I practice and teach Akashic Record Reading, and I practice Regeneration Therapy, which is similar to Reiki but works at a skeletal level.  It is very, very relaxing.  Most of my work now centers around Heart Living. In our internet radio show, Wake Up Sunshine!, Nicole Fairchild and I talk about the deep peace,  gentle joy and profound love that is Heart Living.

Jacqueline: Could you tell us about the latest book “Extraordinary You” to which you contributed?

Cynthia:  Two years ago I decided to go on a Hay House cruise called Writer’s Workshop, and I got to meet many fascinating people.  One woman, Vanessa Talbot, was a Success Coach and she wanted to start coaching writers, so she asked for volunteers.  I volunteered, and we really hit it off and she helped me immensely.  She invited me to write a chapter in her book, so I did.  My chapter is about how I came to Heart Living.  The book is full of amazing stories by eleven other women who are truly inspiring!  The book is doing incredibly well in Australia and the US.  I feel extremely blessed to be invited to contribute.

Jacqueline: Thank you so much for sharing your expertise!

Cynthia:  My pleasure, and if any of your readers would like more information, I welcome them to contact me.