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THANK YOU…

Speaking about and healing trauma is very important to me and has become a life mission for me. Here is just some of the feedback from today’s Healing Trauma Through Spiritually Based Practices at the Hingham Public Library: ..”Laura’s unique combination of life experience, training, understanding and her ability to present combined to facilitate a warm and gentle introduction to when, why, how and what to do to begin healing from past trauma”…” I highly recommend anyone with trauma who wants to heal attend Laura’s class ♡”…(Liked best) “How to deal with fear and worry. I will use the bubble practice. Thank you”Thank you all who came out today. I hope what I shared with you gave you a glimpse into trauma and ways to heal it. My heart is filled. With love and appreciation, Laura

www.laurahealingwithspirit.com

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Thoughts During Trying Times in American Health Care System

Lately, I have been seeing lots of posts on social media with people having long bouts with illness, frustrations with care, and procedures galore with many times experiencing harsh side effects or complications. This is not to mention the uncertainty of the quality of care under the current political climate.

This is just a thought as I see so many people put on drugs or “needing” procedures …

My Story
I was told i needed a root canal about 9mo ago. I drank turmeric tea and gave myself jikiden reiki and never ended up needing root canal.
I also cleared up 2 bacterial infections last year without use of antibiotics.
I was also told I needed a hysterectomy too 2 years ago. I employed spiritually based therapies such as Jikiden reiki and happy to report no hysterectomy needed.
My point I’m trying to make is why NOT try holistic therapies FIRST before putting something into your body that carries a host of other issues or a procedure that carries risks or complications.

Or is what you are doing REALLY going to “fix” the underlying cause of your problem? If not, then pause a moment and listen to the body as it holds a wealth of information and knowledge.

Our western culture has become numb and has forgotten that our bodies have everything we need built in and are designed to heal themselves. We just need to sometimes help the body remember.

I’m not saying in some cases drugs or procedures are not necessary, but in my own journey I have assisted my body in healing and therefore, averted unnecessary drugs or procedures as listed above.

A drug or a procedure in SOME cases is NOT necessary.

This is not to mention, imagine if ALL Americans began to reclaim their health, and employ spiritually based holistic health therapies into their life, the savings to the sky-rocking health insurance premiums could theoretically begin to significantly drop.

GOT PETS?

My 11yo dog who had a punctured salivary glad due to being attacked by another dog that caused what is called a salivary mucocele. I was told she needed surgery to remove the gland. I employed jikiden reiki therapies, and happy to report NO surgery needed.

I wrote a blog post on this for anyone interested in reading titled “Effectiveness of Reiki For Wounds on a Dog; Zygomatic Salivary Mucocele”.

I hope this short but brief post guides you to be more self empowered and more in control of your own health.

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A Mother’s Story: How Reiki Healed Her Son’s Injury Preventing The Need For Surgery

There are days where you receive amazing news from one of your students. Then there are days where I question myself, as to whether I feel more like a mother bear watching her cub bloom or a teacher watching her student flourish. Either case, this was a story that made me smile when I heard it for the first time.

This is a story by one mother, who just happened to sign up to learn reiki when her son got injured playing hockey. Could this have been some divine intervention? The timing of everything could not have been more optimum.

When this mother came to us on the first day of class and told us about her son’s injury, we guided her on how to administer reiki for his shoulder injury. By the next day, she was elated that not only was he open to receive reiki, but that he loved it and asked for more daily.

After a few months had past, we happened to see Suzanne, the mother, and she told us how her son went from needing surgery and out of playing hockey for the season to no surgery and playing hockey. She believed this was the result of the reiki she administered to her son. Here is Suzanne’s story in her own words:

I was blessed to have the opportunity to earn my Shoden Level of Jikiden Reiki during a weekend Seminar with Laura Joseph September 23-25, 2016. My youngest son had suffered a complex shoulder injury playing hockey the weekend before on September 18. He was hit from behind into the boards sustaining a left shoulder dislocation, humeral fracture with a floating fragment and was found to have a torn labrum. He was seen in the ER that same day and we were told he would most definitely require surgery but with the amount of swelling he had, we were advised to follow up with the orthopedic surgeon in 10 days. My son had considerable pain, bruising and swelling with severe limitations in his mobility. He was also informed he would not be able to return to play hockey for the rest of the season.

After having been attuned I could not wait to go home and practice Jikiden Reiki on him. He was very open to receiving and I practiced on him nightly. We were seen by the orthopedic surgeon on September 26th who ordered a comparison x-ray from the original done in the ER on the 18th. He was amazed at the alignment of the bone and how the fragment had settled back into its original place. My son still had bruising, pain, swelling and mobility limitations. The surgeon was still recommending surgery but wanted an MRI to be sure of the extent of the injury. We had the MRI that weekend and we were seen by the orthopedic surgeon a few days later. All the while I continued to perform Jikiden Reiki on my son each night. His swelling decreased as did his pain and bruising. We returned to the orthopedic surgeon on October 6th and had a repeat x-ray done and were informed of the MRI results. The surgeon was “optimistically pleased” with the x-ray results commenting again at how nicely and quickly the bone was healing. He informed us of his concern with the result of the MRI and the revelation of a labrum tear. However, for the first time, said he was willing to hold off on the surgery to see how the healing progressed. He did warn us that surgery might still be a reality.

We continued with our nightly Jikiden Reiki sessions and my son continued to report that his shoulder felt better. We returned again to the orthopedic surgeon on October 27th. At this time another x-ray was done. The surgeon was again “pleased” with the healing process and my son’s mobility even though very limited. The surgeon decided to allow my son to begin Physical Therapy in 2 weeks but reinforced that this did not mean a return to hockey.

My son was evaluated by a physical therapist on November 14th who reviewed the original ER X-ray, and MRI and stated he was “shocked” that with this type of injury, surgery hadn’t already taken place. He also informed us that my son assuredly would not be playing hockey again this season. My son participated in physical therapy 2-3x’s per week and we continued our nightly Jikiden Reiki sessions. We were seen again by the orthopedic surgeon on December 15th. This time the surgeon was more than pleased with the progress my son had made. He actually allowed him to return to the ice to skate without contact with his hockey team. We continued with our reiki sessions and continued with PT. His physical therapist was amazed at the progress he was making with his strength and mobility. We returned to the orthopedic surgeon on Jan 4th and to everyone’s amazement my son was cleared to return to full contact hockey. He played in a tournament the last weekend in January and finished the season.

I truly believe my son was able to avoid surgery and heal so rapidly as a result of the gift and practice of Jikiden Reiki.

With Gratitude,
Suzanne McCarthy

For more information about reiki classes by Laura at Healing With Spirit, please visit her website.
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Effectiveness of Reiki For Wounds on a Dog; Zygomatic Salivary Mucocele

Have you ever wondered if reiki could be used on your pets or even if it would be an effective treatment option?I am sharing with you my story and personal case study using reiki to heal my 11 year old sheltie, Ava, after she was attacked by another dog that resulted in two lacerations on the head and one puncture wound to her salivary gland in her face.

Sometimes when bad things happen, something magical may come out of it. In this case, despite all I already know, I learned to trust more in the power of healing within.  By writing and sharing this experience, I hope to accomplish a few objectives:

  • My hopes is to shed light on the benefits of reiki as a viable treatment option especially in the area of wound care.
  • Many times I encounter loving pet owners struggling with the health of their pets spending thousands of dollars of medications and procedures. So my goal here is to show how beneficial reiki can be for our beloved pets on many different levels without the heavy cost. Reiki is complementary to traditional medical and veterinary care.

The Story 

Ava one day after attack

So just before the holiday, my small dog, Ava, that I use periodically as a therapy dog was attacked by another dog. This stunned me and shocked me on many levels as I did not see it coming. Usually my intuition kicks in any time I feel a dog nearby has aggression or dominance issues. Not this time. There were no warning signs.

I just happened to be talking with the other dog owner about coyotes and how to watch out for them, protect their dog, while living in harmony with them when this attack happened.

There is some irony here. The night before while taking Ava out for her final walk, we came within 15 feet with a coyote, but with no incidence. The coyote who trotted past did not have a care in the world or take interest in my dog. I live in an area abundant with wildlife of all kinds. So learning to live in harmony with awareness is key.

Above:  Ava’s head wound one day
after attack.  Below: Puncture wound
to the salivary gland

We have come in contact with a coyote by itself at least a dozen times and on at least two occasions with a pack, with no incidence. I have chosen to learn to live in harmony with these magical beings that some would like to call vermin. Coyotes are omnivores whose diet vary primarily of deer, rabbits, hares, rodents, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates. Since I live near the water, we tend to have a pest issue too. So I welcome the coyote who naturally take care of the problem.

I am not naive as I take precautions when I am out especially at night and take added measures to protect my pets. It starts with awareness and vigilance. I do not fear the coyote so it does not smell fear on me. There was one occasion where a coyote stopped and stared at me as if he was going to challenge me. I picked Ava up in my arms and chased him yelling just to let him know who the alpha dog is around here.

So, I was stunned that what appeared to be a nice domestic dog would just attack and rip my dog’s head open with no warning or signs. Everything I ever knew and trained for came into question.

If you recall how the year 2016 ended, you might recall how chaotic the energies were then too. The cosmic energies and planetary alignment were quite intense and people were feeling it, I wondered if this seemingly nice dog did too. I am not sure as I can only presume.

So instead of getting mad or upset at that moment, I stepped into action for immediate medical care for her. I chose to step back emotionally and reflect on what happened which was hard for me to grasp. I even felt a sense of sadness for the other dog and could not only get the image of the attack out of my head, but when the other dog sniffed my hand with blood on it, it had the look like “Oh crap. I did that?” with the ears back and eyes saddened.

THE CARE

Christmas Day – 5 days after attack

After the initial emergency veterinary care, it was discovered the puncture wound in the mouth area could not be closed since it punctured a salivary gland.  Ava was sent home with the instructions of  frequent warm compresses and medications.

At one point, I was extremely emotional due to the ongoing ever changing wound care needs questioning every moment whether or not I was giving enough to this dog who has done nothing but give unconditional love and healing to me and so many.

A mucocele that developed
about the size of a walnut

At first, I did not initiate reiki for the simple reason that the puncture wound of the salivary gland needed to drain and was concerned it would seal faster than needed in this case.

I know how effective reiki can be, especially the Jikiden Reiki®, in healing wounds. However, in this case I struggled with the decision to refrain because in one hand, we want the wounds and the gland to heal, but on the other hand, we want the puncture wound to remain open and not close.

Everything using traditional veterinary care was working up to this point and she finished her medication. However, one week post attack, things began to change. The puncture wound became harder to drain and she developed a zygomatic mucocele.

At one point we were wondering if she would need surgery to repair a salivary gland and even consulted a surgeon on day 8. Upon further research, we discovered that there are only two options for her situation.

  1. To surgically remove the entire gland. This would prevent the mucocele from returning. However, despite no veterinary research to validate, I was concerned about digestive, teeth, and gum issues. How can there not be any secondary problems if the salivary gland is removed? If you understand physiology, it is a logical concern.
  2. To aspirate the mucocele to get it to drain. To do this showed benefits that could last months. However, from what I discovered, these results were temporary according to the veterinary medical articles I read.

Day 7, I began adding a holistic regimen which comprised of the following:

  • I began adding turmeric to my dog’s food 2 times a day – once in the morning and once at dinner time.
  • We all know the power of prayer so I called upon the community for prayers.

Within one day, day 8, her wound is suddenly improved and the surgeon opted to “wait and see” since the wound was draining fine. It was recommended to continue the warm compresses every 2-3 hours and holistic remedies. At this time I still have not administered reiki. The turmeric seemed to be helping keeping the mucocele down.

However, by day 12, the puncture wound sealed and the mucocele returned preventing the accumulation of saliva to drain. THIS IS WHEN I ADMINISTERED REIKI as I was determined to not put my dog through something more traumatic of having surgery.

Day 12 – The Administration of Reiki

I initiated reiki treatments as follows:

  • 20-30 minutes in the morning
  • 20-30 minutes in the evening

Reiki never ceases to amaze me, yet I was still astounded at the level of toxins I felt in the wound site. There is a technique we use exclusive in Jikiden Reiki to help move the toxins in the body. I was trying to figure out how to adapt the technique suitable for a 25 pound dog.

Day 15 – Jikiden Reiki

By day 15, her mucocele was stable, and not increased in size. Redness had also diminished greatly. I then decided to do an abbreviated version of this technique seen in Jikiden Reiki to see if we could help Ava enhance her healing process.

Results

  • Within 24hrs, the mucocele was more than 50% reduced.
  • Within 36hrs, the mucocele opened and completely healed.
  • One week after initiation of this technique (day 22), still no mucocele.

Today’s plan:

  • Reiki 20-30 minutes daily
  • Turmeric once daily in her food
  • Warm compresses as needed
18 days post attack running and playing the recent 2017 blizzard

Because of the medical research showing chances of relapse, I am choosing to continue this routine as long as necessary. At the bottom of this post, you will find links for more information regarding the mucocele and reiki.

Despite my years as a reiki professional with over 10+years of experience, I find what happened here with Ava in regards to the Reiki was undeniable.

So right now, I take it one day at a time with NO SURGERY or gland removal or aspiration of the mucocele planned in the future. That makes for one happy dog owner and hopefully for one happy senior dog.

I hope you will consider reiki as part of your wellness and health not only for yourself, but for your beloved pet. After all, they give us such unconditional love.

If you are a reiki practitioner, I hope this personal case study helped broaden your view of the reiki practice. If you are new to reiki, I hope this inspired you with options. In the end, I hope your eyes have been opened to possibilities.

Remember, just because someone suggests surgery, keep in mind the following:

  • That individual may or may not be schooled or taught in the methods of holistic healing options or alternatives.
  • Procedures and surgeries are costly and may or may not be necessary. So please trust your instinct and when in doubt, get a second opinion.
  • Also, as the medical literature alludes to, procedures and surgeries seem to be the easy option many times. Hence, more convenient. If you are too busy to give your pet the care it needs, then maybe you ought consider what it would feel like if your loved one was too busy to care for you when you were hurt or sick. I apologize if this offends some of you, but it is a sad reality in our culture. All you have to do is look at the filled animal shelters to see. I am hoping this brings awareness so we can change our own behaviors. It begins within.

If you would like to learn more about obtaining reiki, learning reiki, or just more information about reiki, please visit the various other posts on this blog or visit my website.

With love and appreciation,
Laura  Joseph

Usui Reiki Master Teacher, Shihan Kaku Jikiden Reiki® Practitioner and Teacher, 
Public Speaker, and Teacher

RESOURCES:

  1. Zygomatic salivary mucoceles in the dog; Schmidt GM, Betts CW.; PubMed; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/649488
  2. Swelling of the Salivary Gland in Dogs – Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, Recovery, Management, Cost; Vetary; https://www.vetary.com/dog/condition/swelling-salivary-gland
  3. Learning Jikiden Reiki in a Western Reiki World; Laura Joseph; All About Reiki;  http://hwsreiki.blogspot.com/2016/07/learning-jikiden-reiki-in-western-reiki_5.html
  4. What is Reiki; Jikiden Reiki Institute; http://www.jikiden-reiki.com/en/info/info0.html

Disclaimer:  Reiki is not a substitute for medical care or veterinary care. Please note: Seek medical attention when necessary. These are opinions based on a personal case study and Laura’s alone.