— Reiki is a gentle yet powerful Japanese method of natural healing, which promotes stress reduction, relaxation, restoring ease and clarity, emotional release, creative flow, and support for physical healing, amongst other benefits. Translated as "Universal Life Force Energy," Reiki (pronounced ray-key) involves the light laying of hands on or over the body to help shift, strengthen, and/or restore more balanced energy throughout the body. Reiki can also be sent and received from afar. A practitioner acts as a channel or conduit for Reiki with the intention to support healing; in this sense, Reiki can never harm - it can only do good to support any person of any age, animal, or intention.
(Re)Discovered in the early 1900s by Dr. Mikao Usui (of whom the Usui System of Natural Healing is named), Reiki has been passed down from practitioner to practitioner through trainings/attunements.
While Reiki does provide many healing benefits, it is not meant as a substitute for medical advice/diagnoses or medication; rather, it can be practiced in complement with a medical practitioner, as needed. A session involves the client lying down on a table (similarly to massage), open and receptive. Light touch or no (auric) touch is used, based on personal preference. A one-hour Reiki session can produce the effects equivalent to 4 hours of restful sleep. It can: help remove blocks in the body - physical, mental, emotional, creative, and spiritual; foster peace and compassion; relieve tension; empower goals and intentions; and support healing of past or present conditions. Sometimes one will experience physical sensations, abstract or vivid visuals, messages, memories - all connected with the intention guiding the practice. You do not have to "believe" in Reiki in order to experience the value/benefits from it, although a willingness to receive allows for a strengthened energetic connection. Reiki does not have a specific attachment to any religious affiliation; it can only enhance your current spiritual/belief system.
Valeria Teles interviews Steven Todd Smith — He is a Certified Usui/Tibetan Reiki Master Teacher & Practitioner, based out of Los Angeles, with his energy healing practice, Reiki For Creative Minds.
Immersing himself in a Reiki-guided lifestyle back in 2012, he has had the privilege of supporting thousands of individuals, people and animals, both in-person and remotely.
With a BFA in Drama from New York University, Holistic Health Coaching Certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and Plant-Based Nutrition Certification from Cornell's T. Colin Campbell Foundation, Steven takes a whole-istic approach to life, connecting with others heart-to-heart, infusing creativity and playfulness, and embracing a grounded simplicity that helps to make Reiki accessible and relatable to anyone and everyone.
His mission is to help others reconnect with a more balanced and aligned state of body, mind, and spirit, release unnecessary stress, and fill up every day with greater direction, inspiration, gratitude, love, and light. In addition to providing support with Reiki treatments, he also teaches classes for those who are interested in incorporating Reiki more directly into their lives for their own well-being and sharing the gift with others.
To learn more about Steven Todd Smith and his work, please visit: reikiforcreativeminds.com
— This podcast is a quest for well-being, a quest for a meaningful life through the exploration of fundamental truths, enlightening ideas, insights on physical, mental, and spiritual health. The inspiration is Love. The aspiration is to awaken new ways of thinking that can lead us to a new way of being, being well.
