by Michael McCarty
When I first took Reiki Level 1 & 2, I never dreamed I would be using it extensively on myself.
My wife Susan, a Reiki Master, and I had used Reiki on each other to help with small ailments, such as sore back, headaches, and nausea with good results. Little did we realize a more serious reason for using Reiki was at hand.
In February of 1999, I developed a large inflammation of the left lymph node and after repeated doses of antibiotics was sent to an ear, nose and throat specialist. Within two weeks I was scheduled for surgery to remove the node and determine what the problem was.
During the pre-surgery wait, Susan performed Reiki on me every day and I began using Reiki on myself whenever I felt pain or depression.
It seemed to lift my emotional level each time and reduce the swelling. The day of my surgery I sent distant Reiki to the hospital staff and the operating room. I went in anxious, but not nervous.
The surgery went well and the lymph node was removed and a scope procedure was done. We were told by the surgeon that the preliminary pathology report from the hospital looked good. We left the hospital that day, I'm sure with relief on our faces.
Two days later we received a call from the doctor's office for us to come in immediately with no reason specified. We were told that one of the biopsies came back with signs of cancer cells and they were going to have to take another exploratory from my throat.
Five days after my first surgery, I was back in for another. Reiki was again sent to the hospital and staff. Since this was an exploratory "look see" operation I had no idea when I woke up that I would be accompanied by some of the most severe pain I had ever had.
The operation went well and the doctor had taken more biopsies and found a lesion with cancer cells. These were surgically removed by laser. Since this was an outpatient procedure, I went home in a few hours and was home by late evening.
A few hours after arriving home the main anesthetic wore off and I became aware of severe pain and swelling in my throat. The swelling had made it impossible to swallow anything but water and the first of the pain pills prescribed I had to crush and wash down. Each time I swallowed, it was like rubbing sandpaper across an open burn. Even swallowing my own saliva would wake me if I had managed to doze off.
After the second day, we found that the pain pills would only knock me out for a couple of hours and then I would be in pain again. I discontinued the pills and switched to homeopathic medication and Reiki. The best rest I had, was after Susan did a Reiki healing treatment. Each time the pain increased I would do Reiki on myself and within a few minutes the pain would subside and I could rest again. By day five I was much in control of the pain. The Reiki allowed me to accept the pain as part of me and then let it go.
This experience strengthened my belief in Reiki as a complementary healing technique when used with contemporary medicine. The power of Reiki and positive thought was especially valuable as soon I would need more with the next stage of procedures.
One week later we went to the radiologist who showed us the cat scan with the tumor at the base of my tongue. It covered just over half the left side base area. To stop the cancer cell growth, radiation treatments were my next step. These were started the following week.
We had heard many negative things about radiation. My surgeon advised us that being positive and taking control was very effective in all cases. He felt that attitude was 90% of getting well and we agreed.
I had been using visualization techniques similar to psychic surgery which is taught in the Center's Advanced Reiki Training. This allowed me to form a description of the cancer and work to visualize change of the negative cells to positive.
We also applied the nutritional methods of moving the radiation through and out of the body to lessen any side effects.
Every morning before we would drive to the hospital, we would send distant Reiki to the staff and I would give myself Reiki during the 45 minute ride to the radiation clinic and usually after my treatments.
It was amazing the difference in attitude. Most of the time the office ran on time and everyone was in good spirits. On the two times we forgot to send the Reiki, we had to wait over two hours for my appointment.
During the 37 days of treatments, (7 1/2 weeks) I was never sick and had virtually no side effects. The taste buds and saliva glands the doctor warned me that would be destroyed are still functioning fine. My post treatment check ups have been looking just fine.
I still use Reiki on myself almost every day. It helps not only heal my body but keeps me much more in touch with it.
I would recommend anyone with Reiki experience to explore working on themselves. It helps one gain understanding of how Reiki works on others when you can be aware how it works on you.
