Favorite feedback: “Out of body experience.”

We’re honored to be part of the Chicago PD’s wellness initiative, serving 36 recruits, instructors and staff on this visit to the Police Academy.

Our Johnny Appleseed business model includes introducing people to Reiki with tangible, hands-on experiences, and teaching people to work with Reiki themselves. After several events at both the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago and SOS Children’s Villages, staff from each organization were interested in taking a Reiki Level 1 class.

Favorite feedback: “Relieved!”

UCAN Chicago is branching out into the community with Wellness events and invited us to provide Reiki at this first event, and then in subsequent events.

Favorite feedback: “As soon as you put your hands on my head I felt tension, but then it moved out. I didn’t even know it was there!”

We have been trying to work with UCAN for years, and were thrilled when the timing synced up for us to participate in their MLK Day event and offer Reiki to attendees.

We’ve worked with Loyola University, Northwestern University, Arrupe College, U of C undergrad, and U of C School of Favorite feedback: “Can I go again?”

Medicine over the years, so I wasn’t surprised to get an email from the Associate Director of Student Wellness for the U of C Booth School of Business. This prestigious graduate program is putting out tomorrow’s leaders, including folks who will be administrators in healthcare systems. We were happy to help them handle their stress with Reiki sessions.

Favorite feedback: ”Wow, that absolutely shifted the needle—we are down to zero! [stress level]”

We offered Reiki to 37 paramedic recruits and instructors to help them understand that energy healing techniques can be powerful allies in maintaining mental and physical wellbeing

Favorite feedback: ”Thank you, Jesus, for those hands!”

We have offered Reiki at the Chicago Police Academy several times now, and this time we were able to give Reiki to the top brass of that facility. They were very supportive of our efforts—woot!

Reiki is not affiliated with any particular religion, but people often associate a tangible laying on of hands experience with their own background. We also appreciate a good sense of humor.

Favorite feedback: “I felt like you were pulling something out of me. My sinuses are clear. My chest feels clear.”

With midterms fast approaching, we received a number of invitations to offer Reiki at college Wellness Fairs this month. We’ve been to U of C before, serving the medical school. This time it was an all-school Wellapallooza in the Hogwarts-like Reynolds Club.

Favorite feedback: “I dare say, my headache is gone!”

We were warmly welcomed back to Arrupe College to offer Reiki to students and faculty. We had three practitioners and worked with 25 Wellness Fair attendees.

Favorite feedback: ”My neck pain is, like, gone!”

Loyola students and faculty learned a lot about Reiki this past Wednesday! It was our annual visit to the Loyola University Wellness fair where students received flu shots and visited booths with information and activities about diet, stress relief, healthcare services available at the University, etc.

Favorite feedback: ”I felt unconditional love…”

We love introducing Reiki to people for the first time, and we love when officers approach us saying they’ve experienced Reiki from us before, and came back for more. So it was a win/win when we visited CPD’s HQ for the third time.

Favorite feedback: ”Wow. Amazing. I feel so different.”

It’s not difficult to imagine that living in a correctional institution would be… traumatic, to say nothing of the circumstances that landed someone there. We were honored to offer Reiki to participants in INVC’s HOPE program, which provides support for formerly incarcerated individuals as they re-enter society.

—Feedback from a paramedic hours after a ten-minute Reiki session.

Reiki sometimes helps when all else has failed, because Western medicine does not yet consider energetic disturbance to be a contributing factor for pain. We were honored to support the CFD’s E115 members’ physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual wellness. with Reiki sessions.

Favorite feedback: “I kind of had an out of body experience.”

We loved hearing that CPS was hosting a Healing-Centered Conference for their social workers and Social Emotional Learning specialists. We also loved being invited to offer Reiki to the attendees. We provided 61 sessions over three days to those new to Reiki, and to those familiar and thrilled to see it offered at this event.

Favorite feedback: “I love this experience. It always helps.”
Reiki helps regulate the nervous system, moving people from sympathetic, to parasympathetic states, aka “fight or flight,” to “rest and digest.”

The Institute for Nonviolence Chicago works to prevent crimes, and to help individuals heal from crimes that have been committed to break the chain of violence. We worked with the Victim Services staff to familiarize them with Reiki. Next goal: working with victims themselves.

Favorite feedback:
“I wanna take your hands home with me!”

Now that we’ve been to the Academy several times, a common, post-session question is: “When are you coming back?”

Favorite feedback:
“I needed that more than I thought I did.”

Unfortunately, we tend to habituate to stress. Wellness isn’t just reduction of dis-ease, it’s an abundance of peace and joy. Everyone could use more of that, and Reiki can help provide it.