Massage Trade
A week ago I gave my friend a massage as a trade. My girlfriend set this trade up when she realized that her best friend and her boyfriend both do massage on the side and neither ever get massages themselves.
Tonight was my turn to receive.
In the middle of the massage I ended up telling a story about the day I was attuned to be a Reiki Level 1 Student. If you don't already know what reiki is, it's basically the practice of healing people with your hands. Quite honestly I was one of the skeptics just because it seems so bogus, that's why I decided to take the class. (I like to challenge my own boundaries and judgements).
The Story
To start off the class we were all attuned - being attuned was basically witchcraft; I don't recall exactly what my Reiki teacher did did but she might as well tapped me on the forehead and my neck, flicked my nose, then moved her hands around like Benedict Cumberbatch was conjuring a Dr. Strange weapon and then said "You're Attuned!"
Afterwards she went over a few important things (that I don't remember because it was years ago) and we all would take turns healing each other.
One of us would lay down on a massage table while the other 6 people placed their hands on the person laying down to practice healing them. One lady, I will never forget, was laying down while I was by her right shoulder. After putting my hands on her shoulder I moved my hands to get more comfortable. Then I started to use my imagination. I asked myself, "Well, basically, we are moving energy, so if I could see what she's experiencing what do I think that would look like?" I looked at her body laying the table and I saw a bright light blue color of energy swirling around in her abdomen. Then it moved up to her chest around her heart chakra and started to spin wildly faster and faster. After a moment the light just shot straight out her feet with no end. It just kept going.
What and odd thing to imagine right? It gets better.
Afterwards we all sat and talked about our experiences. When it was her turn to speak the first thing she did was look at me and ask, "Why did you move your hands?" I had no good reason other than that it felt move comfortable for the both of us. She explained that I had move my hand exactly on an old injury from a car accident that had been bothering her that day. Then to the rest of the group she simply explained that she felt a light blue electric light swirling faster and faster, spinning in her chest then shoot straight down out her feet.
Of course, like anyone who doesn't want to be dubbed a crazy man, I didn't say anything.
Looking back on this though I know this is just one of many similar experiences I've had. If you're reading this and know a good direction for me to go in to look more deeply into this... ability? ...then please do comment.
The reason I'm adding this to my posts about quitting smoking is that I realize that my biggest struggle is how sensitive I am to substances, the things that happen around me and the things the people around me feel. I'm almost too aware of these things, get overstimulated and get stressed out trying to process all of it.
Truth - my sensitivity started the day I was Attuned. Even more so, I was warned of this that day. Maybe it's time I take off the hat of skepticism and denial and start looking at this more deeply. Seems I've dedicated myself to a life long practice prematurely. Damn energy work. What a burden to be attuned!
Why am I quitting
Smoking prevents me from seeing the beauty in life. The effect it has on my body is subtle but I see it. I'm agitated and my disposition is negative. It's preventing me from gaining out of life the joy that is offered every day that I spend with my children, my future wife and the amazing job I have at my favorite hotel in downtown Napa.
If you're a smoker and want to quit I invite you to join me by simply commenting each day that you have also gone without a cigarette. If you don't want to quit and it doesn't have a negative impact on your life, then god bless you. I'm jealous. I wish I weren't so sensitive to the chemicals that I take in.
Here's to goal number one, 100 days!
Steem On!