- Share This Post
- Pin It
- 0
- 0
-
Sparkle (0)
Dr. Ruth Mayeux Allen is author of the just released and greatly anticipated book The Holy Spirit and the Spirit of Reiki.
Dr. Allen is a retired college professor who has worked in the interdisciplinary fields of cognitive psychology, biology, and education. She is also a Reiki Master and a hospital chaplain. Having earned a Master of Arts degree in theology in 2009, she has adapted her Master’s work to produce her first book. In The Holy Spirit and the Spirit of Reiki she emphasizes the fact that Christianity, science, and Reiki do not need to be mutually exclusive.
Q: Dr. Allen, what exactly is Reiki therapy?
Reiki therapy is a form of hands-on healing and a method of stress reduction and relaxation that promotes healing at the spiritual, emotional, mental, and/or physical levels. It is a non-invasive technique of gentle touch that restores the flow of the Ki, or Chi, or Prana, i.e., the human energy field. Reiki therapy releases both physical and psychic blocks as it concurrently reduces pain and stress while accelerating the process of healing. It revitalizes and rebalances the body, mind, emotions, and spirit in bringing about an overall sense of well-being and relaxation.
Q: How did you first encounter this practice and become interested in it?
Prior to 1997 I was, I was a stereotypical, analytical, very skeptical scientifically-oriented biologist who was a researcher and educator. I would have covertly laughed at any mention of someone being a “healer” or practicing energy balancing.
When my car was rear-ended twice, I sustained neck, leg, shoulder, and hand injuries. At this time I was teaching full-time and very actively doing research. A surgeon operated on my right index finger so that I would not lose the use of it. After the operation the fingers on my right hand were bandaged together and then covered with an overall bandage from my fingertips to near my elbow. Although I normally heal very quickly, after six weeks there was no sign of healing. One day on campus as I hurriedly turned the corner of a building, I literally ran into a colleague from the art department. She asked about my finger, and when I told her it was not healing she offered to do energy work on it. By this time I was desperate for healing so that I could resume working on my research and be able to use a computer. I accepted her invitation out of curiosity never expecting anything to actually happen. I went to her office that afternoon. My colleague told me that she would not charge me if I would teach her the anatomy of the hand. It was a deal. She did Reiki therapy over my finger for three consecutive days, and two days later I went to my surgeon for a regularly scheduled check-up. To the total surprise of the doctor and myself, the finger was healed! My biological world of reality was turned upside down. I wanted to understand how Reiki worked and learn to be a Reiki practitioner in order to help my elderly arthritic mother. Six months later I took three days of classes and was attuned to Reiki Level I, the lowest level for a Reiki practitioner. Many months later I was attuned to Reiki Level II and six years later to a Reiki Master and Teacher, Reiki Level III.
As quoted in my book, “My call to the healing ministry was a journey punctuated with events that challenged my science-based view of reality, frustrated my analytical skepticism, and initiated a burning desire to understand my newly emerging vision of an unknown world into which I was being pulled.”
Q: Would you share an example you have witnessed of how someone has experienced healing after having Reiki administered?
The following story is an example of healing not mentioned along with many other examples in my book. After my constant companion and beloved little dog died suddenly, I was grieving deeply. About two weeks later my niece, who was only eight years younger than I am, was found dead –spontaneous heart arrhythmia. I was in shock and my heartache was overwhelming. I attended a grief workshop hoping to find some degree of solace. During the workshop we were asked to choose a partner we did not know for an exercise in praying for one another. A lady came from the back of the room and asked me to be her partner. We chose who would go first, and we sat facing each other and holding hands until we
