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Additional Supports During the Pandemic

I would like to announce some temporary additional supports within the Distance Energy Club, in light of the current uncertainty around the COVID-19 virus. 

We are experiencing a time of accelerated change, and this can feel unsettling and scary.  But at the same time there is great potential in change.  There is the opportunity to learn about ourselves, to grow and to connect to our fellow humans on a deeper level.

The work that we have been doing in the Distance Energy Club has been supporting this type of realization of potential, and I feel it takes on even greater importance during these challenging times.

To support this and to try to bring healing to all of those who need it during this time the energy club will be, starting today:

  • Donating half of all revenues from the club to organization(s) providing support/relief for COVID-19 related issues
  • Providing membership cost relief to those who are unable to afford to pay the fees to be a part of the group

These measures will be kept in place as long as it seems that they are necessary.  If you have tried out the club before and feel like you’d like to try it again feel free to sign up for the free trial.  For any of you who would like to continue to be a part of the group but can no longer afford the $22 monthly fee, just send me an email and we can make arrangements to reduce or eliminate your payment temporarily. I really want anyone who feels the call to be a part of what we’re doing to be able to access it, especially during this time of accelerated change.

In addition to our work within the energy club here are some other suggestions for keeping your body and mind healthy:

  • Try to get regular (daily) exercise – especially outdoors in nature if it’s possible where you are, while keeping your physical distance from other people of course
  • Eat healthy food, drink enough water, and try to limit your intake of junk food and sugars
  • Try to keep yourself in the moment.  Focus on your breathing, meditate, get into a project.  Any future that we can imagine isn’t real – it’s just one of many potential outcomes, so live in the present as much as possible.
  • Be gentle with yourself and others.  Stressful times will cause many of us to regress a little bit – maybe we’ll take on old unhealthy habits or do things we know aren’t really in our best interest.  We are human and we make mistakes.  Simply recognize these actions as something that you don’t want to repeat and try not to repeat them over again.  And forgive enthusiastically.

Together we will overcome any adversity we encounter.  It has always been that way, and will always be that way.

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Monthly Theme for March – Climate Change and the Environment

lake, water and trees

I thought we’d try something a little different for March. The environment and climate change is something that is a major issue of discussion in the world these days and I feel it could user extra energy focus for a number or reasons.

As with many issues these days, the opinions about climate change are very divisive, especially here in the western hemisphere it seems. There are the “climate change deniers” and the “climate change believers” and people on both sides are vociferous in their claims. This same type of divisive (and often negative) chatter plays out across social media on a seemingly endless array of issues these days. This is a key area that I believe we can encourage healing and thoughtful/constructive discussions about key issues, as opposed to digging in our heals and stubbornly defending our own position without considering the motivations of those who oppose our opinions. Insulting or belittling those who disagree with us doesn’t help anyone.

Then there are the environmental issues themselves and the people who are doing all they can to make positive changes in our world. Those who are attempting to clean plastics from our oceans, ensure that pollinators continue to flourish so that we are able to grow food, and yes, minimize fossil fuel usage. All of humanity needs the energy to keep going strong, and those who are trying to make a difference need the energy to continue to push forward and maintain a positive viewpoint despite setbacks and the barrage of naysayers they encounter.

So for these reasons, and many more we will add a component for our climate and environment to our group sessions this month.

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Monthly Theme for February – Physical Health!

person on the beach

It’s February, and for many of us that means we’re in the middle of winter! It’s a time of year when the weather can be frightful, and we might end up spending less time outdoors because of it. If you find that’s the case with you I would encourage you to try to get outside more often, even if it’s cold and blustery! There are many health benefits including getting additional exercise as well as the documented benefits of simply spending time out in nature. Being among the trees, even in the dead of winter, is regenerative for the body and soul. So get out there for a walk, ski or snowshoe on a forest trail if you can!

Reiki can also help us improve our health in many ways, including helping with lowering heart rate, blood pressure, and stress hormones, as well as increasing immune strength. It can also help with many specific ailments you might have. This month we will be adding intention to our sessions specifically for our physical health, in addition to our specific requests that each of us can make each week, and the healing that is always provided for our greatest good by the wise energy.

For our greater health!

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Monthly Theme for January – Creativity!

Creativity is near and dear to my heart, and something I believe is important in every person’s life. Many think of creativity being the domain of artists, musicians and the like, but in fact creative thinking is important in so many areas: science, entrepreneurship, politics, health care, engineering – anywhere critical thinking is important, creativity will enhance those ideas.

For ideas on how to “stretch your creative mind” please check out my Rogue Artist page and try out some of the suggestions found there.

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Monthly Theme for December – Money

This month we’ll be adding a little extra focus in our sessions on our new theme – money and finances.  With the holiday season coming up quickly and the strain this puts on many people’s bank accounts, it seemed like a great time to address it.

Money is an important part of who we are in our society. It’s one of those things we often don’t talk about but many of us have issues with money that can take away our focus and allow us to lose track of our true purpose.  Some of us don’t have enough, or think that money is the cause of problems, or that the pursuit of wealth (whatever your definition of that might be) is somehow incompatible with your morals and ideals. It doesn’t have to be that way, and the additional work we do in our sessions this month will provide some extra energy to the areas within ourselves that are linked to these beliefs.

Here are some other things you can do to work on your relationship with money:

  • Practice being aware of what it is you spend your money on – think about how much you are spending on something and how much that particular item costs relative to your entire income
  • Before purchasing something extra think about whether it brings you joy or not. If it doesn’t then maybe you should reconsider the purchase
  • Take note of any changes that may take place during the month related to your money – try to notice small changes in your feelings or beliefs related to money
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Monthly Theme for November – Relationships!

I’d like to announce that we’re going to be trying out something new as an addition to our club! Everything will still be happening exactly like before, but in addition each month there will be a specific theme that will be included in the intentions for all of the sessions that month. The energy will still work for your greatest good in whatever way you need at that time, and you can still make special requests each week. We’re not going to be focusing on the theme directly every session, but overall there will be an extra dose of energy specifically for things in your life related to that theme. The themes are quiet, but they’re always underneath everything that we’re doing. For November our theme will be relationships!

Here are some items that would good to watch out for and take note of during the month, related to relationships:

  • Take special note of any improvements that you may have noticed in your relationships
  • Watch for an extra smile or even eye contact from a person you know, or even someone you don’t yet know, who may be someone whose presence will enhance your life or you theirs
  • To further enhance a relationship you have with someone, try creating a list of all of the things you like about the person – even (especially!) all of the little things – which will help further the intentions of the relationship

I hope you’ll enjoy this new addition to the Distance Energy Club! I’ll be announcing the upcoming monthly themes for December and beyond soon!

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What the Heck is a Rogue Artist Anyway?

If you’ve been looking around the website for the Distance Energy Club you may have noticed the tag line on the header of each page: “from Rogue Artist Andrew MacKay”. And if you did notice that you may have thought to yourself – well that’s a bit peculiar – what the heck is that all about! Let me explain 🙂

I have been working with Alex Baisley through his Big Dream Program (more about that here) and one of the earliest ideas we came up with together involved the combination of a bunch of things I like to do and believe in, rolled up into a “life philosophy” which has continued to weave its way into everything that I do. And here it is showing up in the Distance Energy Club as well!

Behind the Rogue Artist movement is a set of ideals and activities, the primary purpose of which is to encourage everyone to see the world in new and different ways. To shake up your viewpoints and provide a richer perspective on everything you encounter in your life. It is a set of principles and (ever-expanding) list of mind-opening activities (simple art projects, life hacks)- things that anyone can use to help them come up with creative solutions within their own lives, and ultimately help improve the world.

Out of our discussions of the Rogue Artist came the idea of using energy healing to help increase creativity and help remove “creative blocks” for artists. This lead to exploring the idea that, in many cases, when an artist experiences creative block (has trouble realizing their life work) there is something else behind that blockage – there is something else in their life that needs unblocking (a relationship issue, health issue, money issue etc.) in order allow the person to fully realize their potential. And it’s not only people who consider themselves artists who get these creative blocks. Anyone who is struggling – feeling like they aren’t living their true purpose, feeling stuck – is dealing with essentially the same thing.

And so, in many ways the Distance Energy Club is intertwined with the ideals of the Rogue Artist. And it is why the healing that comes out of it has a unique flavour all its own – one that nurtures the artist in all of us. Because we are all artists/creatives when it comes to designing our lives, and displaying our true selves.

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Clearing Energy Blockages

I wanted to share a little insight into the healing process in general.  Sometimes when we receive energy through a Reiki session we feel things getting better right away – we feel calmer, more relaxed, generally at ease.  But other times there can be a temporary uneasy feeling that comes over us as our body goes through the process of working on the issue that needs to be dealt with.  It can be an uncomfortable feeling, one where you might have trouble maintaining a positive viewpoint about your progress. But, with training and experience I have learned to recognize these things for what they are – a necessary step in the healing path – and one that will provide personal growth. So if you ever feel this way after a session, please know that it is temporary and is leading to amazing things coming your way! 

If you would like to encourage healing the best thing you can do is try to quiet your mind and explore within yourself to try to discover what part of your body is “active” when you are experiencing that uncomfortable feeling.  By “active” I mean a spot that you feel tension, pain, tingling or some other sensation that is a bit out of the ordinary.  Then spend time focusing on and feeling that spot out, while noticing everything you can about it (size, shape, colour, temperature etc.) The more attention you can give to the spot, the more likely the blockage will be released.

In more extreme instances of energy blockage clearing you could experience something that some people call a “healing crisis”. This is where your body goes through a major energy shift and it can be accompanied by physical reactions to speed up the detoxification of the body. This can include sympotoms such as upset stomach, light-headedness, fatigue, gas etc. There’s a good article here with more details about the healing crisis.

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My Reiki Journey

My first experience with Reiki was having a hands on treatment from a Reiki Master. That was over 15 years ago, and just before that time I had decided to make a drastic career shift, giving up the security of full-time employment and launching a business in an entirely different field. It turned out that I wasn’t ready for the change – my body, my mind, my whole self. I became very anxious and felt like I was having a nervous breakdown. I had trouble sleeping, and felt truly awful. Until then I didn’t know it was possible to feel that much pain without having some sort of physical trauma. My doctor prescribed anti-depressant medication to help with the anxiety/irritability, as well as sleeping pills to take as needed. The anti-depressants became something I relied on for many years, but more about that to come.

The new business I had attempted was very short lived because of this. At that point I decided to take a few months to just try to recover. I had met a Reiki Master (Alex Baisley) through a business networking group I had been attending where I was living at the time (in Guelph Ontario), so I decided to make an appointment. I had no experience with this type of thing, and was pretty skeptical, but I figured I didn’t have much to lose in giving it a try. I felt pretty desperate after all.

After just one session I was already convinced of the value that Reiki healing was providing to me. By the end of the session I felt much more relaxed and had experienced something that I knew deep down was very special. I didn’t know exactly what it was yet, but it felt great. I attended many more sessions over the months, and Alex also sent me distance energy at times between our in-person sessions. I remember sitting at my desk in my home office and suddenly feeling sensations through my body – often like the feeling you might get when seeing something wonderful (taking your breath away!), or tingling/movement in the body. It felt amazing and I knew instinctively that Alex was sending distance energy.

Since that time I have moved to Northern Ontario, but I’ve continued working with Alex on various projects over the years that he does through his Big Dream Program (highly recommended by the way!!). I’m now settled in Sault Ste. Marie and one day, while visiting a local mall, I noticed a poster advertising Reiki training. It really stood out to me and I knew that I needed to sign up and take the course. Since then I’ve taken 3 levels of Reiki training, becoming a Reiki Master Practitioner, as well as numerous energy related workshops and Reiki Shares through The Healing Loft with Anne-Marie Caicco (also highly recommended for those in Sault Ste Marie!!). In addition, for the past year I’ve been working closely with Alex, reaping the benefits of his combination of energy work and coaching through online sessions. All of these experiences, as well as daily meditation and self care, have added up to big changes in my life.

Here are some of the things I’ve noticed that have happened since adopting regular Reiki practice over the last couple of years:

  • Better sleep – Previously I would wake up at 3 or 4 am and have trouble falling back asleep – this rarely happens any more
  • Clearer thinking – I can accomplish more at work in a shorter time and memory is improved
  • Back pain and misalignment issues in back reduced
  • Reduced irritability and eliminated the need for anti-depressant medication
  • Get sick much less often
  • Over-all feeling of well being and connection to community

So that’s my story! I’m so grateful for everything I’ve experienced (yes, even the hard parts!). It’s been an amazing journey so far and I know that it will only continue! I look forward to sharing what I’ve learned with others for years to come!

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The (ancient) History of Reiki

The story of Reiki and its origin is an ancient one. The traditional Reiki story begins in the 1800’s with Mikao Usui’s quest to discover how to heal the body. His travels eventually led him to Mount Kurama-yama in Japan where he went to fast and meditate for a 21 day retreat. There he received visions of the sacred symbols he had found during his studies. He was attuned to this powerful healing energy and had gained an understanding of how to transfer this gift to others.

But the story of this healing modality, later called Reiki, goes back much, much further than the time of Usui. It is thought that Reiki originated with the planet, and the Indian god we know as Shiva was responsible for bringing Reiki here. It is a part of every one of us, and was once universal. In early civilization all people were attuned to Reiki, but over time changes on earth resulted in cultural disorganization and caused the healing system knowledge to be lost to most people.

The story continues with Buddha and many of his disciples who were known as “The Great Physicians”, healing body, mind and emotions. Later Jesus was said to have the same ability to heal and he trained his disciples as well. Unfortunately over time the healing methods only remained active with Buddhist adepts who used it but kept it within themselves.

And that brings us back to the “discovery” of Reiki by Usui. I’d recommend reading “Essential Reiki” by Diane Stein to get a more in depth understanding of the story.