Thank you, Reiki!
It has been 3 years since I joined an already existing program of Healing Touch and Reiki (HT/R) volunteers who offer treatments to patients at the Kapiolani Women’s Childrens Hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii. We offer daily treatments to patients in the Surgi-Center (pre/post), women in the Cancer Center receiving chemotherapy, babies in the NICU and PICU and women and children in private rooms of the hospital.
So, it was on Sept. 24, 2008, on my regularly scheduled volunteer day that I experienced something unforgettable. When I was checking in at the nurse’s station and confirming our referral list and room numbers, a nurse approached me and requested treatment for a young mother of 32 yrs. who was going to be discharged that day. She went on to tell me this was a very delicate situation in which the patient had just lost her newborn.
Upon entering the room, I asked the young mother whether she wanted a Reiki treatment. She nodded, so I proceeded with my routine of setting up the cd player, washing my hands and asking her the standard question of whether she was in pain or discomfort anywhere.
She answered softly, “Yes”…my heart…it is broken.”
Then, with tears in her eyes, proceeded to describe the events of her situation and the subsequent pain she was feeling. She said, “ if my baby was alive, I would have come to the NICU every single day for 3 months, but instead, we will have to bury the baby next week”. Her incredible pain and grief was felt as she cried through her discourse.
I proceeded with the treatment by placing my right hand on her abdomen and my left hand on her right shoulder. We stayed quietly like this for a few minutes. I soon noticed that her breathing was slowing down and a few minutes later, gentle snoring. I felt her becoming more and more relaxed with Reiki.
As I stood at this place of silence, I suddenly heard myself talking to her baby, asking for help so this mother could deal with her pain. My hand physically moved to the right side of her belly and the baby said, ”this is where I was and I want to say thank you to my mother for protecting and caring for me for the past few months. Tell her that I love her.” Then the baby who was filled with light and complete joy snuggled onto the mothers heart, with its’ head tucked under her left chin. I could almost feel the comfort that the baby was extending to this pain stricken mother.
I then opened my eyes and saw that the mother was peacefully sleeping.
So now I was faced with a dilemma on what to do with what I had just experienced. It is hospital protocol that the HT/R volunteers say very little to the patients to avoid misleading them with inappropriate suggestions, false hopes or unwanted diagnosis. Yet, this experience was so real, that there was a part of me that wanted to tell her about it.
I struggled with this situation for the next 10 minutes and finally decided that if she is sleeping when I leave the room, I will not say anything to her. But, if she wakes up, I will tell her what I had experienced with her baby..
So, upon completing the treatment, I quietly packed my things and was tip-toeing out of the room.
Suddenly, I heard her say, “Excuse me…I need to tell you something.”
I walked back to her bed and she shared her experience of seeing colors for the first time. She saw blues and purples and repeatedly said she never experienced anything like this before. She asked me what it was and I told her it is the Reiki energy…some people experience it with color. She went on, now talking in an animated and louder voice as she further explained the fantastic “color show” that she saw and how beautiful it was.
When she finished, she looked into my eyes and I knew it was time to reveal the message from her baby. I shared what happened and we both cried together. She thanked me for telling her the story and said it had helped her tremendously.
As I was leaving the floor, the same nurse that referred this mother to me approached me to check whether a Reiki treatment was done. The story that I shared with her brought her to tears, as she commented that it is still difficult, even if she experiences situations like this almost daily.
As I walked away, I was reminded of how Reiki has shown me another aspect of healing and human caring. Reiki has been my teacher, showing me, guiding me and exposing me to the richness of life. Yes, I am so very grateful to have Reiki in my life.
Thank you, Reiki!!
