I‘m gonna keep this one kind of light as I’ve had a few experiences far too near and dear to my heart to stir up at this point in time. I’ll go a little deeper when the time is right.
What is Death?
For all intents and purposes, death is merely a transition form one stage of our existence to another. What exactly the next stage involves has been the subject of endless debate for thousands of years. Shakespeare (or was it Hamlet) perhaps summed it up best with his immortal:
To die, to sleep;
To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub;
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause: there’s the respect
That makes calamity of so long life;
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
The oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely,
The pangs of despised love, the law’s delay,
The insolence of office and the spurns
That patient merit of the unworthy takes,
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscover’d country from whose bourn
No traveller returns, puzzles the will
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of?
In other words… it is often the sweet mystery that keeps us going. In the Shamanic Toltec tradition one is encouraged to befriend death (who is always lurking over your left shoulder anyway) so that when it comes time to formally meet, you are not total strangers. Interesting concept…
Most traditions concur that there is something after death… whether it be heaven (or the somewhat warmer alternative), reincarnation, or any of a number of other options. There are also those that believe you create your own afterlife depending on what beliefs you die with. We really don’t know, and again… there’s the rub!
Reiki & Death
So where does Reiki fit into the big picture as far as death is concerned? Can it ward off the reaper? Can it relieve the suffering experienced along the way? Is it more beneficial for those making the transition… or those left behind? Does a spiritual life matter at all when hitching a ride with Charon? I believe the answer to all of these questions is an emphatic and resounding “maybe”. You didn’t really think I was going to answer that, did you? Really??? Well, maybe another time…
It has been my experience that Reiki eases the suffering for both the departed and those left behind, although there is no scale to measure the difference on so its difficult to measure. I believe the four levels upon which Reiki operates (i.e., physical, mental, emotional and spiritual) are all impacted to some extent… enough so that there are few things I know of that would hold a candle to it in terms of results. On a physical level, pain is reduced. On a mental level, understanding and peace of mind are achieved. On an emotional level, suffering is reduced. And on a spiritual level, a greater understanding of our own existence as well as a healthy dose of enlightenment are often bestowed.
It has also (repeatedly) been my experience that in every situation where death was involved, Reiki lent vital support and while not completely alleviating the suffering of all those involved… added a welcomed component of peace that was noticeably missing beforehand. The bottom line is… it can’t hurt… and more often than not it has substantial and dramatic results.
For further explanation or discussion, your thoughts are most welcome and highly encouraged, please feel free to comment below!!!
