Welcome to massage and energy work united.

PLEASE when you join this group go to the dicussion forum and tell us how long you have been combining the two.

Please also tell us what special benifits you think the client receives by this. IN THE DISCUSSION BOX.

Wow, Stephen, these are loaded qustions! It's a longer expnanation than I can go into at the moment, but I generally don't "combine" the two modalities...to my way of thinking, it's two different things. Beyond balancing my client's energy field at the end of a massage session, and occasionally smoothing it out, I prefer to just focus on massage technique and soft tissue manipulation when I give a massage, and just focus on the energy field (I like to use Reiki) in a separate sesson because it allows me to focus entirely on those different perceptions.

I joined to learn what energy workers would like to take in classes as well. I will have an Energy Conference at the 2011 World Massage Festival. I need teachers, therapists and speakers.

Dear Stephen: I have performed massage and shiatsu for over a decade. I don't perform massage anymore as my hands won't let me do this work. They ache afterwards. But this is great, it helps me to focus more on my Reiki and my Aromatherapy. I am the Regional Representative of Canada for the Alliance of International Aromatherapists and I am a Certified Aromatherapy Teacher. I have been a Reiki Master/Teacher for 15 years. When you massage a client, you can't help it when the Reiki flows, it flows. But as I have noticed for many years, some clients don't understand Reiki and are somewhat skeptical. As a massage practitioner you generally know what clients these are. This is o.k. for these clients to feel the way they do. These clients have mentioned to me, Gee your hands are so hot! I then have said to these clients, "It is the friction of the massage." I have always separated my massage with Reiki. But then with some clients, they want them both combined. So in this case I have done so.

I always have noticed that it is a wonderful miracle when you combine massage with Reiki because the Reiki improves the massage oh so much. The combination of both of these therapies helps the client to relax even deeper than just miraculous massage.

Aromatic Reiki Blessings,
Marlene Mitchell
Certified Reiki Master/Teacher,
Certified Aromatherapy Teacher
Representative of Canada for
the Alliance Of International Aromatherapists

I get amazing results from combining massage and energy work. The healing goes much deeper than the physical body and the results are more profound and lasting. I too am a Reiki Master/ Teacher and feel that the therapist can work with less effort when combining massage and energy work. The therapist can walk away from the session refreshed instead of drained. I feel that energy work is a gift for the client as well as the therapist.

Thanks for the invite Stephen. I would love to learn Reiki. I have had Reiki done on me and loved the results to a back injury and blocked hip.

I joined this group to perhaps learn. My association with energy work has been a negative, meaning it has not worked on me. When I was in school, I was going thru chemo as I have lupus and scleroderma. The whole group of instructors who did energy work wanted to work on me. I had reiki and accupressure and cranial done. I wore magnets. And nothing worked. I later had another reiki session with a different therapist and again...nothing. I was told that I was the reason that nothing worked....that I was somehow blocking energies...or something to that effect. Excuse me? When I was first diagnosed with scleroderma, I was given less than a year to live. It's now been 27 years. I've learned how to control my mind and negative thoughts and try to find positives at each turn. If anyone has an open mind it's me. So I'm in this group, not necessarily to participate, but perhaps to learn. I'm on the fence here.

you are getting a good response,should make for interesting reading.
Thanks Steve,E-

OM Choice ~ not every thing works every time with every one. positive thinking is a great practice.

Hi Choice, you wont be alone on the fence here I assure you, thankyou for commenting, it sounds like you have an amazing energy of determination and positive thinking all of your own! Thankyou for sharing

I do practice Reiki and Massage together some of the sessions. When you make contact with someone in real pain, you almost can't help it cause as a "healer" you open up to give to them what you can with massage and in turn by opening up if you're a energy worker- that naturally funnels through you as well. I am a Christian, but I DO believe in energy work in a way that is unexplainable. I think if it's needed, your inner self kinda connects and senses that and starts opening up. I know that sounds kooky, but it's not. I feel quite a lot for my clients as I work on them and often sense which modality will do the best work for their whole system. I would love to have a therapist that did both work on me, but there aren't any in my area that I know of besides myself. Bummer. I will have to visit someone else joined in this group and live it up!! Have a great day all!!

I can understand that reiki did not heal you but please understand that energy work does clear energy on all levels. I completely understand and feel I can speak here because my legs and both feet have been tingling and numb for 2 1/2 years. I have searched for doctors that could help me and finally found the help at john hopkins. I have utilized reiki acupuncture, craniosacral, and shamanistic healings. Can I say it healed my structural problem. No, but I can say it helped with the symptoms and cleared a lot of energy that could have turned into an energetic illness. I will now have surgery this Friday. I have struggled and had to forgive myself because I could not heal myself and needed assistance from the outside. Also, some people "healers" would judge me and think I was not trying hard enough to help myself but in actuality I was trying too hard and got in my own way. Energy work helps in conjunction with other therapies and I feel every individual can find the unique combination that can at least relieve the symptoms, relax your central nervous system, and make you feel more at peace. Good luck with your journey!

The use of Reiki is certainly beneficial, agreed, and works on all levels...I think it is important to remember that one must not be attached to the outcome. Sometimes the problem we think needs "fixing" is not physical, but the session may enable us to cope and heal in other ways.

In my fifteen years of working with Reiki energy, I have found that the most effective way (for me) of getting good physical results is to do one-hour sessions four days in a row, if something does not respond within twelve hours. This is what my Reiki master taught, and I have seen it proven many times over. Of course, rather spontaneous healing has also taken place from time to time. "The power that made the body, heals the body. It happens no other way."

This is what gets me....If the energy work works, great. If it doesn't the answer is....it doesn't work every time with every one...or....I, the client was not trying hard enough to open up....or....I, the client was trying too hard and got in my own way. Seems to me, there is a built in excuse. If I was paying for an energy session(s) and could not tell any difference, I would be upset about how I spent my money...the same as if I received a bad massage or had a doc give me the wrong advice.

Simply stated...Different therapies work for different people. Energy work does work it just works in a subtle manner. If one therapy doesn't work as well for a certain person then there is certainly more out there.
We all have different journy's and various ways to get to where we need to go.

I was truly trying to be understanding in my last post. Have a nice evening.

However, the outcome was what was promised. In my case, the physical IS what needs fixing. Who is to decide what needs fixing, the client or the therapist? I think it is wrong for the therapist to determine what I need to have done. These sessions did nothing to enable me to cope and heal. What I have learned to do for for myself has already done that. I know how to cope. I have learned how to live with the discomforts and pain..and I can do it indefinitely if need be. I was promised a way to be clear of the pain. Much as I've been approached by religious "healers". And I was disappointed by both.

I can understand that. Only you know what's best for you. I had to learn what worked best for me and no one knows that better than me.

I agree Karina. It's just I have seen some energy healers (and massage therapists and docs too for that matter) if this is the right word, "prey" on people who are looking for that miracle answer to their problems. I have seen it many times overs the years of my illness and the years I've been doing massage. Sometimes people will grasp at anything put in front of them...whether it's legit or not. This by no means diminishes what has worked for you. Good luck Friday. I hope it turns out well for you. And please, continue these discussions. I find them fascinating and might even learn something.....and maybe someone will learn something from my journey.

Stephen....good group.

I certainly hope I didn't sound disrespectful about your experience with this, Choice...it wasn't my intention to disparage it. Like Karina said, different therapies work for different people--who knows why? It happens to be one of my pet peeves when a therapist says they're gonna "heal" somebody. As far as I'm concerned, a therapist (any kind) is simply a facilitator with a boxful of the best tools known to them at that time. With luck, they know how to use them. That said, I believe that any healing facilitated by a therapist (any kind) can only be accomplished if they put their own ego aside and let it happen. We can nudge the process, amplify the process, even intend the process...and all of us are still at the mercy of variables we can't expect to control (although there is research being done.) We do the very best we can with the clarity we are given, and the tool--in this case energy-- when used correctly, can be more powerful than a single individual can muster. The matter of "expectations" can lead to a whole other discussion, but it doesn't seem appropriate here.

Just wondering if any of you do energy work on yourselves on a regular basis? I do reiki daily and while it has certainly helped me learn (many of) the dimensions of energy work, it also has provided me with better ways of approaching massage therapy...

The only thing I do EVERYDAY is eat and Meditate.

I think that it is great to have discussions as we learn from each other. It important for us all to remember that when one calls themself a healer they are putting a lot of responsibility on his/her self. We as therapists are assisting with healing and the body on the table will accept what it needs to at the time. We step into our ego when we think we can heal someone. When we work with our hearts we let the energy flow through and are facilitators.
I believe in what I practice and I practice reiki on myself at night before I go to sleep.

I agree with you Karina.I feel With the right intention of working from the heart I am a facilitator of healing. I don't like to ever say I am a healer.
You must sleep sound every night. maybe I should try doing some reiki on myself at bedtime, I don't always sleep sound.

Noreen - Get Karina's Book! It's fantastic on self care!

Mike, where can we get her book...and the title?

I have read through the many comments from the discussion involving Choice and Karina and others, it sounds as though it's a debate. Why? It can't prove or disprove the value and ability of energy work. I don't think that it is someone's "fault" if energy work doesn't do what they want for them. If someone has "promised" a certain outcome from energy work or any kind of manipulation, that is wrong. We can't promise things to people, other than that we will give our very best and be open to help any way we are able. Plus, we are therapist- not M.D.'s. I ALWAYS suggest that if someone has recurring pain and the session does not help, to please see a physician because I am not a diagnostician or doctor. I am willing to do what I can, but if they have a serious injury massage may be contraindicated. Energy work may not be seen as a regular massage form, but it does cause in most people physiological changes. On a separate note, hope everyone is staying warm. We are in very low temps where I live. Peace!

Thanks for the suggestion Mike. What is the title of Karina's book?

"Creating Peace With Your Hands" is the title. You can get it at Amazon.com (not allowed to quote prices) ISBN # is 978-0-9816199-0-3

Tricia, very well said. We should never promise outcome.

You can also see more about the book at www.igetintouch.com

Tricia, I haven't looked at our discussions as a debate. We are ......discussing...... sometimes vigorously, sometimes not, but always respectful. I am trying to glean some kind of understanding about a type of work that I haven't seen results from. Others are trying to help me understand. I only have the perspective from the lack of results from the energy workers I have encountered. I have no doubt it works on a lot of people and have never found fault or tried to disprove it.

I have given many talks on positive thinking, from my point of view, to a lot of scleroderma groups, and how it works in my life. The majority of people with this disease don't do very well physically and absolutely don't have positive outlooks on anything. They don't understand how I (someone who has gone thru a hell of a lot with this disease) can be so positive in the face of all of my obstacles. I try to teach them how and they try to understand. Doesn't mean they'll be able to do it, but at least they're listening.

Same thing here. That's all. On another thought, I certainly understand your views on recurring pain. That doesn't apply here. I've been in pain for 27 years. I've learned to embrace it. It means I'm alive. But this doesn't apply to everyone, so, of course, err on the cautious side.

On a another side note, here in Utah, once again we're going to around 6 deg. tonite. I don't mind living in a refrigerator, but a deep freeze is another thing :)