In 2004, while living on Long Island, I took classes in KaliRay Tri Yoga, and one evening I showed up for the class unaware that the time had been changed. There were two women in the waiting area who said they were about to take a Reiki and meditation workshop and invited me to join them. I had heard of Reiki before and was intrigued by the idea of energy healing. The workshop was amazing, and within a year I completed training and became a Reiki Master.

In May 2005 I moved to Charlotte after receiving my B.S. in Business Administration from Fordham University. I became very busy with work, and lost touch with my yoga and Reiki practices. I missed it, but was worried that people in the finance world wouldn't take me seriously if they knew I was an energy healer. The longer I lived here, the more I began to meet like minded people who embraced energy healing, which encouraged me to get back into my practice. In February 2008 I found Yoga One Wellness and knew I had come across a very special place. I have been truly inspired here, and hope that I can pass that inspiration on to others.

What is Reiki?

Reiki is a secular enlightenment system and healing system. In the west, it is primarily taught as a healing system. It allows you to heal yourself and others by laying-on of hands. It was developed by Mikao Usui in Japan in the early 1900's. Reiki is very easy to learn and easy to use, and anyone can do it. Reiki Healing is a process of being connected to the Reiki (universal life force energy) through an attunement or empowerment. Using Reiki is simply a matter of awareness of Reiki and the expression of it is "Being" Reiki. Healing is done either hands-on, or by distance work.

Reiki is pronounced "ray-key". The word "Reiki" is made up of two separate kanji. "Rei", which means Universal and "Ki" which is spirit, energy or life force. The most common definition of Reiki is therefore "universal life energy". Some say that it is life force energy that animates all life. This universal life energy is indescribable, in all things, everywhere. In doing and being Reiki our awareness of it in the moment is the expression of Reiki in healing, being, in whatever we are doing in that moment. The two Kanji taken together can also mean enlightenment. They represent the universal spirit coming together with our own.

-excerpted from First Degree Reiki by Maggie Kalas

What should I expect during a treatment?

One can expect to feel very relaxed during a treatment, and may also experience sensations of hot, cold, swirling energy, or other feelings in the body. Clients remain fully clothed, and should dress comfortably.