Fear is an Energy

Fear is an energy. It can save your life, it can also be debilitating. If we didn’t have fear, we would do silly things like jump off the roofs of buildings thinking we can fly, or run in front of a train because we feel invincible. The truth of the matter is, we are not super-heros and so fear keeps us safe. Reasonable fear, healthy fear.

Fear can also be unhealthy, and unreasonable, based on our experiences from life. We could be afraid of ice skating because we fell once and broke an ankle. We could be afraid of going out for a walk late at night because we have decided that it is too dangerous and something bad will happen.

The line that we draw deep inside between healthy fear and unhealthy fear depends very much on how we experienced life. We can take some time to recognise the existence of this line, and then we can actually redefine it. But it can take a lot of hard work.

If you feel called to do this work you can try this idea: Write down a specific fear that you have that you feel is unreasonable. Look at it and remember a time when you felt it before, earlier in life. If possible, go right back to the first time you felt this way. Once you have done this, you can expand on the memory, and trace the feelings to their source.

Take a cold, hard look at the fear, and at the memory you hold. Do they match? Are they reasonable? Can your adult mind rationalise today that what you have been holding onto for so long is actually something that was given to you from another source that was possibly resentful of your talents? Or worried about your safety?

Now you have established where you stand with this fear, write down the benefits of moving through it. For example, think about how much fun you will have being able to go ice skating with friends, or how great you’ll feel after going for a walk, even if it is dark outside.

Breathe out the old fear and let it move through you and into the earth.

Take your power back and let it go.

You can do anything you want to.

Which Level of Reiki do I need?

I had a phone call today about my Reiki workshops, and I thought it would be good to write a piece about the difference between the levels of Reiki.

Reiki Teaching and Reiki Practitioners in Ireland do not undergo any statutory regulation. Therefore there are many different types of Reiki courses (and Reiki practices) avaiable out there, some of which include things that are not Reiki (such as Angels, Crystals, Mediumship, etc).

I've been on the committee of Reiki Federation Ireland for more than a year. RFI are an organisation that promotes high standards of Reiki practice and teaching. As part of my role on the RFI committee, I have helped write Standards and Guidelines for Reiki classes in Ireland.

I ensure to provide my clients/students with the highest possible standard of Reiki practice, I am transparent in how I teach, and if other elements enter the Reiki training due to the nature of the group, we discuss them as appropriate but do not necessarily incorporate them into the classes.

Everyone can bring in their own beliefs, work in their own comfort level, and leave with a knowldege of how to work with energy to heal themselves.

The following is a summary of the Reiki classes that are available, based on Reiki Federation Guidelines. Whether you take your classes with me or with someone else, it is important for you to be clear about what is involved in each level and where you are going, before you embark on any Reiki training.

Reiki Level 1
The first level of Reiki teaches you how to use Reiki for self-care. It enables you to work with people you are comfortable around, such as family and friends. You can stretch your practice to your pets if you so wish, you can use it on plants, and on food. We discuss all of the ways you can bring Reiki practice into your life as a Level 1 practitioner. My level 1 class is a Friday evening, and all day Saturday. During this class you will be initated into the Reiki light (connected), you will learn how to work with Reiki, and after the class you will get a manual and a Level 1 Certificate.

If you wish to continue using Reiki on yourself and your family and friends, it is not necessary to continue with any further Reiki courses.

Reiki Level 2
After you are confident working with Reiki, you may wish to deepen your relationship and your knowledge. Level 2 is taught by me over two full days, and are usually over a weekend. I recommend at least 4-6 months between Level 1 and Level 2 for you to grow in confidence in your ability as a Reiki practitioner.  During Level 2 you will learn the Reiki Symbols, and you will be shown how to heal people from a distance.
After level 2 the Reiki light will become much stronger and more focussed in your body. During this class you will be initated into the Reiki light at level 2 and after the class you will get a manual and a Level 2 Certificate

Traditionally at this stage, people are able to treat the general public and deem themselves Reiki Practitioners, however it is recommended by Reiki Federation Ireland to take the Reiki Practitioner Module before formally opening your doors to the public.

Reiki Practitioner Module
Reiki Federation Ireland has introduced a new class which is of benefit to anyone who wishes to become a professional Reiki Practitioner. In this class you become familiar with the needs of clients, you grow in your confidence as a practitioner and learn about the standards and guidelines set by Reiki Federation Ireland in order to uphold a high standard of Reiki. You will also learn about what is involved in setting up your own business and the legal requirements of being in private practice.

If you are interested in taking this class please let me know.

Reiki Master Level
To deepen your Reiki practice and to obtain the Reiki Master Symbol, Reiki Master level is a beautiful gift which opens further doors of development and discovery in the healing arts.
I teach this class by appointment only, please contact me if you are interested in attending a level 3 class.

Reiki Master Teacher Level
Once you are established in your Reiki practice and feel the call to teach others Reiki, you can take the Reiki Master Teacher class. This can take up to 6 months to complete depending on who you are training with. During this class you should be invited to re-sit all the levels again, as well as undergoing special Reiki Master Teacher Training.
If you take this class with me we will cover teaching training, class planning, and how to give an attunement. An extensive list (compiled by Reiki Federation Ireland) will be given to you so that you fully understand what is necessary to cover in each class once you decide to teach it yourself. And you will get plenty of practice!

For more information on the teaching guidelines, you can visit www.reikifederationireland.com
Contact me if you have any questions, or would like to see my class schedule: abby@abby-wynne.com

How did you come to practice Reiki? What has your practice given you?

Pamela Miles asked these questions on her blog, and it made me really think about what Reiki has brought to my life. I’d like to share my answer here, with you.

I never was inspired by anyone in particular, never had aspirations to be “like” anyone. Many people around me admired political figureheads, businessmen or Spiritual leaders. I never know what all the fuss was about! They were all just people to me, people who did extraordinary things, yes, but they all had to bathe, they all had to go to the bathroom, they all had to eat. I felt there was nothing magical about that.

The first person I ever met that evoked the thought in me: “I want to be just like her” was a Reiki practitioner called Ruth. I went to see her during a difficult time in my life and I was always upset, emotional and unbalanced when I arrived in to see her. She was the antithesis of me – calm, centred, peaceful, she seemed to glide around the room without her feet touching the ground. She had a beautiful smile and when she looked at me she was really there. I mean really – when you looked in her eyes, she was there. Me, I was always racing ahead into the future making plans, I’d loose my temper easily, I would go from being so happy I could cry, to being so sad that I would cry and I certainly was never able to stay in one place for too long.

After I experienced the magic of Reiki with Ruth I decided I needed to be able to do it for myself. My first Reiki class was an experience I’ll never forget (not necessarily for the right reasons but that’s another story – these things make us better teachers!).

I believe that it has been my practice of Reiki over the last 15 or so years that has brought me to the space of being able to be fully present, being patient and tolerant, being empathic and able to hold a safe space for my clients to become emotional and clear their own issues without becoming sucked into them myself. I am finally, now, the way that I perceived Ruth was during that time. It was a long journey to get here and I will always be grateful for the lessons I learned along the way.

I’ll be teaching Reiki level one in February 2012, over a Friday evening and a Saturday. It’s a remarkable experience and one that can really impact on your life for the better. If you are in Dublin, Ireland, and would like to come to class with me, you can email me: abby@abby-wynne.com or visit my website to find out more.

New Year's Resolutions? No Thanks!

I think people make mistakes when they create New Year's resolutions. They always seem to cause pain - what you want to give up, stop doing or begin to do. But in the best of faith, we make too many resolutions, overstretching ourselves to the max, all with good intentions of course. And then by February (or earlier) these new resolutions fall by the wayside, and we're back to where we were.

Resolutions cause pain, pain comes from resistance. Why is this the case? Inside ourselves we are actually struggling against something, against being the best we can be perhaps? (“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. " ~ Marianne Williamson)

I’ve decided not to do resolutions for the last few years now, and I’ve got that “need” out of my system. However I’m looking at the end of 2011 in a different way than I usually do and asking myself –“What energies do I want to invite into 2012?”, “What energies can I leave behind in 2011?”

Everything takes energy, and it takes energy to do this work too. Seth Godin calls it "The Dip" and he says "people that lean into the dip, seek out the dip, and do whatever they have to do to overcome it are the ones that excel in their work". “The Dip” according to Seth, is the difficult period that we have to get through before our path flows smoothly upwards and towards our goals.

I'm quite a private person - I've not really disclosed anything about my personal life in the year and a half I've been in private practice (and on Facebook!). But I'm going to today. Because I'm making this work real for me and it might help make it real for you, too.

So I face my Dip and ask the following questions:

What Do I Want To Leave Behind in 2011?

My tired, self-sabotaging energies, the old ones that don't let me reach my peak, the ones that keep me down in a space of self-depreciation.

What Do I Want To Invite Into 2012?

New, bubbly energies that say "It's ok to feel great", "It's good to be alive and at your peak performance"... Ones that say "Look how many more people you can help when you are fully awake, fully clear and in your Zone". Ones that say “step into your light and be the light that you are”.

That's all. No diets, no exercise regime, no pressure. Just a shift in my internal energy. The rest will sort itself out. Once I believe truly and deeply within, that I do deserve to feel good, to be at my best, that it is OK to be happy and in my peak zone, I will naturally want to look after myself better so that I can stay there. Eating the right food, going for walks, a yoga class or the gym will follow naturally because it feels right, not because these things are something I feel I have to be doing. And I anticipate that this change will be long-lasting.

Why not try it for yourself - instead of saying "I will go to the gym more often" or "I will give up sugar and flour" why not look at what you are resisting? What it is that you're afraid of? That's the hard part, that’s the Dip. And you don't have to do it today. (Phew!)  Even just deciding "That sounds like it might have something in it, perhaps I'll give that a go" could be enough to get a new process starting inside of you.

Have a wonderful New Year. Lots of love to you all, Abby

Have a wonderful New Year. I have a good feeling about 2012. If we made it this far, we're on the road to happiness already!

We're in December Now

When my alarm went off this morning I was surprised that it was so dark. Over breakfast I told my two eldest children that we have to make every effort to stay in a good, positive frame of mind now that the amount of light in the day is reduced. I bought some music yesterday for that very reason, Mega 100 top dance hits of 2011. I will play it in the car, I have it on my iphone and I'll put it on in the kitchen and we'll dance. Rhianna, Britney Spears, Cheryl Cole, in fact even the X-Factor music is good because it's got positive vibrations through and through.

I've just put the new music on as I'm writing this, and it's already bringing my mood up. Dancing now as I write! Shaking off the negative and focussing on the fact that there is only one month of days shortening until the shortest day, December 21st, and then the days start to grow longer again.

What else can we do to bring more light into our lives during this time?

ANYTHING that makes life that little bit easier for us. We'll be setting the heating to automatic over the weekend so that it comes on at 6.30am and will warm the house for when our alarm goes off at 7.30. It's much easier to get out of the bed when the house is warm, and wonderful to have warm water to wash ourselves in. I give thanks that we can pay our bills and know that we may be luckier than some. But this small thing is something that some of you may also be able to do, to bring a more positive start to your day too.

Nice food - food you like that makes your body feel good. Good, hearty soups, hot drinks, spicy orange flavours to warm the heart and allow the heart to open and fill you with heart light. Hot drinks don't always have to be caffeine drinks, there are some amazing teas out there that feel just as good to drink - my current favourite is three ginger tea.

Exercise - I just joined a gym. My last gym membership finished two months ago and I decided I'd not need to join another gym, I can walk every day, and do yoga. I got a yoga app for my iphone and I've used it once. I've not even gone for one walk! So I know what I'm like, and I know I feel better when I have exercise. Rather than feel bad and punish myself for not doing what I said I would do, I say to myself “Ok, that obviously isn’t going to work, let’s go back to the gym!” So I'm going for my first gym visit today in two months and I'm looking forward to it. Do something you love, that works for you. And if it doesn’t work, don’t get angry. What do you LOVE to do? If you are a walker then go walking! A jogger, go jogging, a swimmer, go swimming. If you can't do Yoga without a class but love yoga, for the next two months, treat yourself to a class. You will feel so much better for it.

Have fun – watch movies that you love instead of ones you think you should watch. Stay away from heaviness in the media: switch off the radio if the adverts are wrecking your head or if it is all bad news, don’t watch the documentary on starving children in Africa or the latest state of the economy. Your watching won’t change the situation but it will change you. Stop posting stuff up on your wall or spending time reading articles about adversity and depression and start looking for positive articles to read. Spread those instead. Have a laugh, tell jokes, meet with people that you like and start asking yourself what makes you happy. If it’s do-able, then do it!

Release heavy energy - Do something for yourself to raise your energetic vibration. If you've never tried it, energy healing can sound daunting, but only because you've not experienced how amazing it can be. But for those of you who have had sessions in the past you know how good you feel afterwards. It's like peeling off a layer of tiredness, of exhaustion, and opening up your heart to feel and see the colours of life again. Do it!

The run up to Christmas can be fun for some, lots of food, parties, Christmas lights and of course, the holidays themselves. For some it’s not so much fun, family times are not always happy times depending on your circumstances. But for everyone, no matter how much love they have in their lives, the days after the holidays right up until mid-February can be really, really difficult.

It is so important to look after your health, and that means Mind Body and Spirit. Invest in yourselves. Wrap yourselves in whatever you need to, to look after you, the same way you would look after your child, your best friend, your dog. We need that.

Now is an Emotionally Tough Time

I know things have been rough for all of us of late; it’s not easy when the media is shouting out about economic difficulties, government failures, religious irresponsibility and people being attacked on the streets. In fact, it’s just plain rough full stop. And even worse, the old trauma, the old pain, the stuff you thought you already dealt with? It’s back and it’s biting you bad. You thought you already sorted it out, but it’s caught you in its hook and you’re drowning in it.

It can be even harder when the person you love is upset as well; the ideal partnership is when you feel bad and they are there for you, but when you both feel bad at the same time, wow. There is no reprieve when it feels like you are both drowning together.

What is actually happening?

The whole of human consciousness is shifting right now and raising its vibration. When the vibration is raised, the bad stuff sifts out, and (hopefully) falls away. If you are sensitive to energies you will pick up on it, both the rise in vibration and, unfortunately the lower, negative vibrational energies. And to make sense of what you are feeling you interpret it all through your body, through your personal experiences. We understand how to work with the heavy stuff more than the lighter stuff so we go for that like a magnet and the problem right now is that the bad stuff you are picking up on resonates with your old stuff. “Oh no here we go again”.

This time it is different.

We need to work with the times instead of against them. No more going back with a trawl to dredge through your old issues to find out which stone was left uncovered, which part you have not dealt with. You must believe that you HAVE dealt with you own, old stuff (if indeed you have!).

If you have not done your work already, then now is the time. There is no escaping it –go for it with zeal and the knowledge that the work you do now will be so quick and easy compared to how things worked in the past. Get help if you need it, things can move too fast these days for us to be able to make sense of it alone.

Reassure yourself, and your partner if necessary, that you have done the work and that your body is just picking up on the resonance of the energies around you right now. Those energies resonate with abuse, depression, violence, pain, grief. And of course they do - look at the abuse that is going on around you in the world right now. But it is not yours. Breathe and let it go. You don’t have to go back and do the work again. I promise!

How to get through this:

It’s not always so easy to find the positive things in life. So if you are a couple drowning in negativity right now, hold onto each other and let it all flow through you. Or if you don’t have a special somebody, connect in with the beautiful Mother Earth and Father Sky by feeling your feet on the ground, your head open to the sky and ask to be held. Trust me, this works. Do it and see for yourself.

Make a list of good things in your life and let the old stuff go. Remind yourself of where you have been, what you have achieved and where you plan to go. If you can, make a list of goals for the future and streamline your energies into those, instead of into your pain and grief.
Take some time out to nurture yourself – make a cup of tea, read a delicious novel, go see a movie. Go for a walk and kick some leaves about, jump into a puddle. Call an old friend, bake a cake. Do something that you love, while breathing out the difficult emotions.

Take the day off the computer! Listening to other people can add to you confusion, picking up on their energies can exacerbate you own process, so switch off, and switch off the phone too. Send love to anyone who is pulling on you, either say it to them directly, or do it in your mind, and then shut down for the day.

We’re in a time of quickening, where everything happens faster and this is happening to many, many people. Remember, this is a huge time of change and it is vital for you to focus on the positive and let go of the fear.

Now go pour yourself a cup of tea and smile. You’re doing great!

Calling all Reiki Practitioners

Image by Tara Moorman

I was working on the Reiki stand with my RFI practitioner friends in the Mind Body Spirit show in the RDS when a distressed woman came up to me. She asked me if she could see me for Reiki, and I said "yes of course", as you would.

I brought her over to the chair and she stopped and rustled in her handbag looking for something. I waited patiently, but she took a long time and as well as wondering what she was doing, I noticed that her hands were shaking.

"Are you ok?" I asked? "I just had an aura photograph done" she said as she pulled out a document from her bag and started leafing through the pages "I was told that I was a twin in the womb, my twin died and he is still with me in my energy field - look" she handed me a blurry aura photograph that I couldn’t read, of course, as I'm not au fait with aura photography. "The man just took the image and he said I had to get Reiki straight away to get the twin removed".
I was shocked, disappointed and of course, sympathetic for this poor woman who was obviously shaken by her experience. I said to her "Reiki doesn’t do that - do you know what Reiki is?" She didn’t. And neither did the Aura photographer, apparently.

This is a big lead in to a simple point - communicating Reiki is so important, but before we can communicate we need to have an understanding of it. Pamela says - "I don't encourage my students to take Second degree. I'm happy to teach them if they practice First degree self-treatment every day for 3 months at the very least, but that's only if they feel a draw for it. I'd rather have someone practice First degree every day for life than become Second degree practitioners, feel overwhelmed, and stop practicing because Second degree practice is more complicated."

It's time to really take the time to look at what Reiki is to us. Not to be afraid to separate out the extra things we do - Aura Soma, Massage,  Angel Therapy, and fortune telling, and to say that we also offer them. That we can give a combined treatment with Reiki and Angel Therapy if our client so desires. So that more people like the Aura photographer learns about how beautiful and simple Reiki can be.

And if you are wondering what happened to the woman at the exhibition, I told her that she needed some time to come to terms with what she had been told, that I could help her with her predicament as I am a trained Shamanic Practitioner as well as a Reiki Practitioner. I suggested in my best counselling voice that perhaps she should sit down, have  a cup of tea, and let her energies settle before she decided to do anything else.