Reiki Art ACEO original mixed media paintings

Cho Ku Ray

As I am doing a series of blog post about Reiki, I thought it only fit to add some of Reiki artwork!   These paintings are based on the symbols learned in Level 2 Reiki.

 

 

 

 

These paintings are original mixed media works.  The symbol itself is raised, which is a cool effect which I was really happy with.  It is painted with watercolor and Unryu rice paper is collaged over the top.

The Cho Ku Ray symbol is known as the power symbol.  By drawing or visualizing this symbol Reiki's healing energies can  be increased.  It can also be used for protection.  It is like a light switch that can boost your ability to channel Reiki energy by intention.  Here is another Choku Ray in green, the color of healing.

Another symbol is  the Sei He Ki, which has the general meaning "God and man become one".  It is known as the Mental/Emotional symbol and helps people release mental and emotional causes of problems.

Sei He Ki

Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen is the third symbol.  It is used to send healing Reiki energies over a distance or even to a time in the past or future.  It actually means "No past, no present, no future" or it can have the meaning "the Buddha in me contacts the Buddha in you".

Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen

ACEO stands for Art Cards, Editions and Originals. They are miniature works of art, 2 ½ X 3 ½ inches that can be matted and framed to hang on the wall.  They are small enough to fit inside standard card-collector pockets, sleeves or sheets if you choose.

ACEOs can even be put into a greeting card as an extra surprise for a birthday, anniversary, or Christmas.

These Reiki ACEO cards would make a great gift for somebody who needs healing.  They can help if you are just starting to learn Level 2 Reiki.  These paintings are available in my Etsy shop, just click on the images above to go there.

I'll be posting more artwork and more information about Reiki soon!  Follow me!

Thanks for stopping by, and Please leave a comment!

Jo-Ann
www.jdmstudios.com

Reiki Part 2...Relaaaxxxx and Enjoy

Human touch is used constantly as a form of healing, and most times we do not even realize we are doing it.  What do we do when we have a headache?  We touch our head.  If a child gets hurt?  A mother will touch, hug or kiss it better, right?  Dogs and cats will lick a wound for the same reason.  Instinctively we know that touch will help it to feel better!

So what is it like to receive a Reiki healing?

Receiving Reiki is a peaceful, beautiful, relaxing experience.  You receive the treatment while lying down, usually on a massage table.  A massage table allows the healer room for moving around to work on different areas of the body.  If for some reason it is not possible to lie down, a Reiki healing can also be done while sitting, as well. 

You remain fully clothed at all times.  There is no reason ever to remove clothing during a Reiki session.  It is preferable to remove your shoes, however and some healers prefer if you remove jewelry, or at least large pieces that might get in the way.

I like to begin a Reiki session by have the person being treated lie on their belly.   I personally find this to be a very relaxing position and tends to put people at ease right away.  Others may start with their client lying on their back.  I keep the room somewhat darkish (subdued lighting) and have some relaxing music playing.  Most practitioners keep conversation to a minimum.

So...there you are...laying on your belly,  in a darkened room with soft music...what next?

The Reiki practitioner is going to place their hands on specific areas of your body.  He or she will rest his or her hands in the same position for about 5 minutes before moving on to the next position.  A Reiki practitioner will NOT touch the breasts or genital area!  And will carefully accommodate should you feel at all uncomfortable with any hand position..  Reiki can also be done with no touching at all, and the hand simply hovers above the area that is being treated.

The area where the healer lays his or her hands is usually a chakra(or energy center) but it can also be an area that simply needs some healing energy.  Healing work tends to be very intuitive by nature and Reiki works beautifully with this.  Here is a great website if you would like more information on the chakras and where they are located on the body.  
http://www.eclecticenergies.com/chakras/introduction.php

Before I begin Reiki, I like to do a "scan"  I float my hand about 4-6 inches above the body, and I am going along, I note where my hand dips or rises.  This give my and idea where there may be energy highs or lows in the body.  I sometimes also may sense heat, cold, tingling or buzzing sensations, sometimes even an ache and I will give these areas a little extra Reiki love.

There are several positions on the head that may get worked on.  These include over the eyes/sinus area, over the ears, the top of the head and the back of the head. 

Occasionally, some people may find an emotional issue that had been troubling them, such a grief or anger may float to the surface.  This is good!  If you can, stay with the emotion and allow it to release.  This is part of the healing process for you.  If you do not feel comfortable dealing with it at the time, that is okay, too.  We will talk more about physical dis-ease and their emotional root cause another time!

Some people will notice nothing at all in the area that is being worked on but most seem to notice something, whether it is heat, coolness or tingling.  Some people fall asleep.  Each Reiki experience and treatment is unique and almost all will feel a profound sense of well-being and relaxation at the end of a Reiki session.

Any questions about Reiki?  Please feel free to email me or make a comment below.  I will be talking about Reiki attunements next...the various levels and what one might experience.  Follow my blog to stay tuned!

Reiki...what is it?

I had heard of Reiki many years ago but never really knew what exactly is was or how it worked.  I was always curious about it and wanted to learn more.  So I  did a bit of  research on the internet.   I learned that it was a healing energy, a laying on of hands, so to speak and that it started in Japan.  I was able to learn the history of Reiki beginning with Mikao Usui and how it was brought to America by Mrs. Takata in the 1930s.  This was all interesting, but I still was not able to experience this amazing healing energy over the internet! Living in a relatively small community, I wasn't aware of anybody who knew how to do Reiki, let alone anybody who had ever heard about it!

Well, the Universe has a way of responding to these things.  And, several months after my curiousity had been piqued by Reiki, our local paper had an ad offering Level I Reiki.  Here was my opportunity!

Traditional Reiki consists of three levels: 
Level I, Level II and Level III. 
Level III is also known as the Master Level or for some, the Master/Teacher Level.  

I felt a profound connection with Reiki and it truly did change my life and my way of thinking.  In June 2010, I received my Master/Teacher level of Reiki.

By the way, you do not need to have any of these levels to experience a Reiki healing treatment.

So, what is Reiki, exactly?  Where does this healing energy come from?

At all times we are surrounded by countless differenty forms of energy. Some of these energy types we are aware of, like heat energy, light energy or electricity. There are also other energy forms that are not quite part of our awareness like xrays and  radiation, for example.


Picture a giant harp, the size of the entire universe. Every string on that harp vibrates at at different frequency when plucked. Picture again every one of these strings being representative of a different form of energy, all vibrating at different rates and frequencies.  Picture light and color having their little section of strings, sound being another section.  Some sounds can be heard as low and some high.  Some the pitch too high for human ears.  Further along these strings are emotions.  Love, joy, happiness, fear, anger and hate all resonating their own frequency.  Did you ever walk into a room and you could feel the love?  Feel you could cut the tension with a knife?  Hope has its own frequency and perhap even prayer does, too.

Reiki is its own form of energy.  It is percieved as a very loving, gentle flowing energy that is believed to be intuitive and goes where it is needed for healing.  It is always surrounding us and available to us.  Once attuned to Reiki, you are more able to tap into this energy.  It flows through your crown and out through your palms where it can be directed to different areas of the body.  It is believed that Reiki goes where it is needed. 

When giving a Reiki treatment, you can feel the energy as it is moving into the body.  Sometimes it is felt as a tingling sensation or heat and sometimes even cold thought not as often.  Sometimes I might even feel an ache in my hands if I am working over a painful area.  This sensation is called byosen.  The sensation will usually peak and then dissipate.  When it disspipates I move my hands to another area for healing.
I will be posting more about Reiki in the next several posts.  I am also in the process of creating Reiki art with watecolor and mixed media.  If you are interested in learning more, follow my blog.  I would love to hear your thoughts, leave a comment and let me know what you think! 

Thank you for stopping by!
Jo-Ann
http://www.jdmstudios.com/

Latest Painting, Mixed Media Abstract

Yesterday, I said to my oldest son, "watch this..."  I brought my newly completed painting to my yountest son, who is 6 and a half.  "What do you think of this, Ethan?" I asked, expecting for certain that he would make a screwed up face and say something like, "weird" or just simply shake his head at me.

What I got was the complete opposite...His eyes popped, his arms flew up in the air with the exclamation, "I LOVE IT!!!!  That is soooooo beautiful, Mom!  I can't believe you made that, WOW!!!!"   Kids never cease to amaze me, and as I learned for myself, you just never know what reaction you are going to get!

You can click on the image to see more views of this painting on my Artfire site.

My Sweet Kitten, Jingles

Yesterday morning I spent working on a watercolor of my kitten, Jingles.  I did it on an 1/8 sheet of 140 lb watercolor paper.  What do you think?

Funky Handpainted Wine Glasses

I had fun creating these wine glasses.  A coworker and friend of mine made the suggestion to me that I just absolutely HAD to create these wine glasses.  Well, I just had no choice but to make them...hand painted, with funky designs on the stem...I loved the idea right away.  I ran to Michaels, did some research, bought the best materials (of course, nothing but the best!) and began to paint.  I hope you enjoy them, too.  Tell me what you think!

Greeting Cards, anyone?

 

My Artfire Shop

One of my favorite things about Christmas and the whole holiday season is receiving Christmas cards. I love it...I get so excited when I go to the mailbox and, there it is. A perfect crisp envelope addressed to the MacDonald family. The excitement builds as I try to guess who sent it. Sometimes it is obvious, by the return address, but sometimes, the sender can be quite mysterious! Putting only their address or no return address at all.

Sometimes cards are from far away, with long letters of their events of the past year, sometimes just a signature. Some cards are from people who live reasonably close by but don't see too often. And some cards are from people I see every day. They are all beautiful and it means so much to hear how loved ones, family and friends are doing. It is such a thoughtful thing to do, to send a card. It is a time of year when there is constant hustle and bustle. "Time! I don't have enough time!" is a common complaint. But, somebody took the time to send a note, in a simple card and say, I am thinking of you. What a beautiful gift.

And here is Snow in the Birches

 

Snow in the Birches on Artfire

So, on that note, if you happen to be looking for Holiday cards, I just so happen to have some for sale on Artfire.  Both images here are prints of my most recent watercolor paintings. I was especially happy with the poinsettia, I hope you like them, too.  You can click on either one to see my shop.

I certainly hope your holidays are warm and joyous and thank you for reading my blog.  Please feel free to drop a note and share your thoughts, I would love to hear from you.

Jo-Ann

www.jdmstudios.com

jdmstudios on Artfire