Reiki Mantra: Just for today, do not worry. Just for today, do not anger. Just for today, honor your parents, teachers, and elders. Just for today, earn your living honestly. Just for today, show gratitude for every living thing.

Reiki is a healing touch therapy I find incredibly helpful to those who are open to it. Especially in the end stages of life, reiki can alleviate pain, move energy in the body, and help generate peace and calm.

Reiki teaches me to cultivate loving-kindness and live within a state of grace and openness. My personal practice and study of Tibetan and Zen Buddhism helps me understand and practice mindfulness and present awareness. To me, death is something be honored and understood rather than feared and avoided. My spiritual beliefs are deeply interconnected to my life’s work. I feel strongly called to death midwifery in this lifetime.

Someone once asked the Dalai Lama: “Is it possible for an ordinary person to transform his or her fear and despair?” He answered, “Oh yes, it is very possible.” For example when I was young I was always afraid of dark rooms. As time went by, the fear went. Also, with regard to meeting people, the more your mind is closed, the greater the possibility of developing fear or feeling uncomfortable. The more open you are, the less uncomfortable you will feel. That is my experience. If I meet anyone, whether a great man a beggar, or just an ordinary person, to me there is no difference. The most import thing is to smile and show a genuine human face. Different religions, different cultures, different languages, and different races – these are not important. Educated or uneducated, rich or poor, there is no difference. When I open my heart and open my mind, I consider people just like old friends. This is very useful. On the basis of that kind of attitude, if the situation is something different then I have the freedom to act according to the circumstances. But at the beginning, from my side, I must create the ground. Them often there is a positive response from the human level. So I think fear is one thing to clear away.”