ABOUT ME
A warm welcome to Within The Space. I am a Certified Reiki Shihan (Teacher) and am a trained End of Life Doula. I practice and teach Usui System of Reiki (based on Komyo ReikiDo), a Japanese form of Reiki which specialises in Traditional Japanese Reiki practices.
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JOURNEY INTO REIKI
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My story and journey that lead me to practising Reiki and End of Life care, like so many others who find themselves in these heart-filled spaces, is essentially a story about life. How life and all our experiences and challenges, lessons and growth lead us into our calling.
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By the time I came to Reiki, I had already embarked on a profound journey of healing and self-discovery after leaving my career as a Commercial Lawyer in my early 30's . It was a career chosen not based on interest or passion, but based on the need for external validation and as a result, it caused me to lose connection with myself. I experienced acute/chronic depression as a result. In the years that followed leaving law, I went deep into a healing and growth journey. With the help of a clinical psychologist, I overcame the depression and embarked on a new journey of discovery to find my vocation. On this path, I began to choose new pursuits based on my heart not head. Ans even when I didn't, and fell into old habits of choosing jobs out of some for of fear or need for approval, I learn what I didn't want and was reminded not to make the same mistakes I did with law. Each choice I made informed the next as I began slowly, over time, to forge a clearer picture of who I authentically was...what made my heart sink and what made my heart sing.
Wanting to move deeper into healing than what mainstream psychology typically addresses, I then began seeing a holistic Therapist who, amongst other things, introduced me to meditation. She couldn't have known it at the time, but that introduction would come to change the course of my life. After having some extraordinarily transcendent experiences in meditation, my eyes were opened to a whole new world of possibilities and my curiosity was sparked...what had I connected to, what else was there beyond this life we knew? Determined to find answers for my experiences, I immersed myself in reading and research. I deep dived into a seemingly endless catalogue of spiritual texts and philosophies in a quest to discover the answer to life's big question and beyond. Each book would lead to many more and many more after that, each step of the way answering some questions but giving rise to so many more. Each text I read, opened my eyes and heart to new yet familiar Truths and fostered changes within me, and without consciously deciding it, I had embarked on a spiritual path.
As time progressed, I moved deeper into my healing, growth and spiritual path. I was fundamentally a different person from when I left Law. When I finally came to meet Reiki, although I really didn't know what Reiki was, there was a deep knowing that felt to me like my entire life had prepared me for that exact moment of meeting. It felt like a calling and a strong sense that I needed to have a whole life before it, to experience suffering, pain, disconnection and go on a whole journey of healing, growth and awakening before Reiki would be ready for me, or rather, before I would be ready for Reiki.
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People are often intrigued by my path, perplexed as to how it can be that a Lawyer, trained in evidence and facts, could end up in a career based on something that can't be seen and is hard to prove. I smile every time because firstly, it definitely wasn't a linear path from Law to Reiki and secondly, I was born with a curious and questioning mind and this made for an interesting and not always easy journey with Reiki but at the same time it is what propelled me deeper into pursuing it. In a way, I required Reiki to prove itself to me. Also, I was always highly intuitive and empathic, even as a Lawyer (which was a kind of superpower particularly when it came to mediating disputes), and I began tapping much more into that part of myself along my journey with Reiki which helped balance out the mind in many ways. I had a deep knowing that came from that intuitive place and in time, Reiki continued to reveal itself over and over again, until one day, any doubts my mind may have once had, naturally dissolved. The integrity of its offerings, over time, prevailed.
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Over time and with daily, committed practice, Reiki facilitated remarkable changes, leading me towards greater balance and harmony. It addressed past traumas, inviting joy, inner peace, and a growing sense of confidence, self-love and self-discovery. Reiki also deepened my spiritual connection, strengthened my relationship with my intuition and awakened my Psychic awareness. These connections allowed my Inner Guide's voice to take the reigns, always having my Highest Interests at heart, guiding me to a much more authentic and nourishing life.
Whilst I never intended to practice Reiki Professionally, I was organically led down that path just as I was with Teaching Reiki. Now looking back, I'm quite certain that it was always my life purpose and was Destined. If you are interested to know more, I invite you to read the full story of my journey from Lawyer to Healer, "Unveiling the Path Within: A Reiki Journey of Healing to Self", below.
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REIKI AS A PRACTICE
Whilst Reiki has, much like Yoga, become Westernised in most cases, the way I practice Reiki is very much based on the original Eastern Practice of Reiki and the discipline that underpins all Eastern Practices. I have studied and practiced numerous systems of Reiki (including Western Reiki or Usui Reiki Shiki Ryoho) over the years until settling on Komyo ReikiDo, a Japanese system of Reiki that I felt retained the depth and integrity of the Traditional Reiki practices (combining both spiritual and healing practices). The foundational principles and practices that existed in the original system (that had got lost in the Western systems) was taught in Komyo ReikiDo and that was a vital distinction for me.
With the benefit of an incredible mentorship with my Qi Gong Master for the last 6 years (and continuing), the importance of committed and dedicated daily practice and personal integrity as an essential foundation of Professional Practice was deeply instilled in me. It is my responsibility, as a healer, to work on my energetic and spiritual health, to continue deepening my practice and to walk a path of integrity as a healer. This is a lifelong pursuit. Reiki is not a 'job' as such, it is a way of being. On a typical morning, this entails around 3 hours of a combination of Reiki and Qi Gong practices before seeing clients, followed by some evening practices. Over the years, this has been absolutely transformative, not only for me personally and spiritually, but also, for clients (as evident from the intensity of the Reiki they report experiencing in sessions and the shifts and changes that result for them).
REIKI'S OFFERING
Practicing Reiki for me is truly a vocation rather than a job. I feel blessed every single day to be doing this work. I feel blessed for the extraordinary clients who come with open hearts and a willingness to give Reiki a go. To take a leap, sometimes even with skepticism or uncertainty about what Reiki is or how it could possibly help them. I feel so grateful that they allow me into their lives and allow me to witness their amazing shifts and transformations through their union with Reiki.
Throughout my practice I have witnessed many an extraordinary thing with Reiki and it continues, to this day, to have me in awe of its beauty and power. It is my mission to spread the word about Reiki and it is my greatest hope is that one day, Reiki will be commonly utilised by everyone all around the Globe.
I thank and acknowledge you for seeking out Reiki in your own life and for the Gift you are considering giving to yourself with Reiki Therapy. What an extraordinary Gift of self love!
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If you are interested in knowing more about Reiki Therapy, booking in a session or perhaps learning Reiki yourself here in Melbourne, please contact me. I look forward to connecting with you.
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Warmest,
Fiona x
Unveiling the Path Within:Â A Reiki Journey of Healing to Self.
A Pivotal Question of Awakening
In my early 30s, I found myself on a profound journey of healing and self-discovery. Leaving my career as a Commercial Lawyer I was overcoming acute and chronic depression (the side effect of living a life that I never really wanted). I realized my life had been shaped by fear and the need for external validation and had given up so much of myself in the process. It was now time to rebuild myself from scratch.
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During a pivotal session with my psychologist, I was asked, "What would you do if you had no limitations? Where money or failure was not possible?" This question left me speechless, I couldn't find an answer. The silence of that session and the days that followed, revealed how disconnected I had become from my true self. So much had changed since embarking on my Legal career, I had no idea what I loved and was passionate about anymore. That realization shook me to my core, but it was also an awakening. It was time to plug back in to myself again.
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Embracing a Journey of Unknowns
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Determined to rediscover my authentic self, I committed myself to a journey of self-exploration. I vowed to try anything that even remotely interested me, trusting (and hoping) it would lead me back to myself, starting with my long-lost passion for art, the pursuit I abandoned (along with myself) when making the decision to pursue law instead. From there, I let each step inform the next, guided by what made my heart sing and what made my heart sink in each pursuit I tried.
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As I progressed, I grew more conscious of my decision-making, noticing decisions based on fear, practicality and externally validation versus those guided by my heart. Authenticity of my choices wasn't always immediate, and self-discovery wasn't a linear path. Over time though, a clearer picture of who I was began to unfold and I noticed that my heart started leading more and more. That was progress.
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Amidst this journey, a major health event further redirected my focus towards conscious healing. This event prompted me to examine my lifestyle, eating habits, and how I treated myself and my body. Although I didn't immediately connect these aspects to self-love, it marked the beginning of my conscious efforts to nurture my well-being, which, in hindsight, was vital for the path I was unknowingly moving towards vocationally. As Steve Jobs famously said, "You can't necessarily connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking back."
Beyond the Physical: Unveiling the Realm of Meditation and Spirituality
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Now fully recovered from depression and with a yearning to delve deeper into aspects beyond what mainstream psychology typically addresses, I sought the guidance of a holistic Therapist who focused on the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit in her therapy. She introduced me to meditation and that was pivotal to leading me on my true Path, it was a game changer.
Although I wasn't a frequent meditator, each session brought profound experiences. On each occassion, my awareness transcended this physical world, and I connected to some other realm filled with warm golden light, the atmosphere, pure, loving energy. My own energy felt like it expanded into the infinite and strangely, It felt like coming home, opening something new up for me.
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These extraordinary experiences sparked a dormant curiosity within me, fuelling an insatiable appetite to explore life's profound questions and what lies beyond it. I delved into books on spiritual philosophy, Buddhism, and spirituality, immersing myself in topics like life after death, past life regressions, and controversial spiritual works that, though shrouded in sceptisism, fascinated me.
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Though my 'lawyer-questioning' mind remained, I noticed energetic shifts when certain concepts deeply resonated with me. Connecting to what I now believe are Universal Truths felt like a waking up, not just acquiring new knowledge. As these Truths came to light, I experienced shifts in my way of being, perceptions, and responses to the world. This inner transformation replaced reactivity with more joy and reduced the influence of external forces. While I still had much of the old to work through, I knew I was walking a path towards something new.
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As I journeyed, one thing stood out - my insatiable hunger to learn and experience more. Incredibly, I could feel myself being led down a path towards my life's purpose by virtue of my natural drive, effortlessly investing time and energy in this field. It was like an inner compass guiding me to a secret, yet right destination—a strong calling drawing me in, despite uncertainty of the path ahead.
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This phase proved to be the most challenging as I confronted immense external judgment and pressure to make 'real' decisions about my life and career. Despite not knowing where my path would lead, I was certain I was on my way, which was a difficult thing to convince others of, so I didn't try. This time, I simply stood my ground, unwavering in my determination not to repeat past mistakes like I did with Law by yielding to pressure. Instead, I chose to follow my heart and trust my path like never before. Again, progress.
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Reiki's Whisper: An Inner Light Awakens
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Having continued to make great progress in my healing and with a deepening of my spiritual path, I stumbled upon the word 'Reiki' while watching an alternative healing TV series. In that moment, something profound occurred within me – it was as if a radiant beacon of golden light ignited inside me. A voice in my mind's ear encouraged, "You need to have Reiki. This will be important for you." Despite not fully grasping what Reiki entailed, I felt an undeniable call to it and although the timing didn't seem right, I trusted my intuition and knew I would pursue it eventually. For now, I would park it in the back of my mind.
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Upon reflection, I realize now that I needed to undergo further healing and growth before I would have been able to fully embrace what Reiki had intended for me. At the time I thought it was just about having a few sessions for my healing, but now know it was much greater than that.
In the time that followed, I continued along my path; reading, learning, healing, shifting, changing, growing and deepening my spiritual connection.
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After a few years had passed, the term ‘Reiki’ finally resurfaced again during a conversation at a party when a friend of a friend began speaking to me about her recent Reiki sessions. I had all about forgotten about Reiki until that moment in time, and as soon as I heard the word ‘Reiki’, again, just like it did several years earlier, it felt like a Golden beacon of Light had been lit up inside me, even brighter and more intense now and the words echoed in my mind's ear, louder and more determined: "You need to have Reiki. NOW is the time."
The pull and certainty were undeniable and so unlike a few years earlier, this time without delay and though still not really having an understanding of what Reiki actually was, I found a Reiki Practitioner through recommendation of my holistic Therapist, and without hesitation, I arranged to have three initial sessions with her (on the Reiki Therapists advice that it is wise to have three sessions in a ten day period for maximum benefit).
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Igniting Curiosity: Unraveling a Profound Reiki Encounter
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What captivated me during my initial experience with Reiki was the remarkable diversity of each session as though there was a start, middle and end to the Trio. The first session was seemingly unremarkable, the second one was energetically uncomfortable (pushing me right to my emotional edge), while the third transcended me to a euphoric state beyond our physical realm and connecting me with a profound energy greater than anything I had ever known.
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Most remarkably, during the second session, an issue I had buried deep within me for eight years (which felt insurmountable at the time), surfaced on its own during the session and was resolved entirely by the third. That for me was extraordinary. I had sworn never to look at that issue again in this lifetime, and yet here it was, resurfaced and healed without my intention or effort. Though I couldn't have known at the time, the opportunities that healing opened up for me over the next year were nothing short of life-changing. But what I did know at the time, was that Reiki facilitated healing of something I never anticipated nor intended to ever address in my lifetime, piquing my curiosity even further.
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The profound nature of my Reiki experience left me pondering its essence and how the simple act of the Reiki Practitioner's hands on various positions could yield such transformative outcomes. Although initially skeptical when the Practitioner mentioned that anyone could learn Reiki, the undeniable impact of my sessions compelled me to dive headfirst into learning it myself. I craved a connection with that incredible energy, longing to tap into its power and understand the Practitioner's experience. Without hesitation, I eagerly signed up for classes.
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Embracing the Path: My Journey into the World of Reiki
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And so began my journey with Reiki. After learning it, I was a dedicated student, practicing self-healing Reiki for 1½ to 2 hours daily in the initial two years (and have continued my self-healing practice every single day since). Over time and with healing, I gradually developed a deep connection with this incredible Energy. As time passed, Reiki slowly began to reveal itself to me, guiding my healing and expanding my heart.
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Over this period, Reiki facilitated remarkable changes, leading me towards greater balance and harmony. It addressed past traumas, inviting joy, inner peace, and a growing sense of confidence, self-love and self-discovery. Moreover, Reiki deepened my spiritual connection, strengthened my relationship with my intuition, and awakened my Psychic channels and awareness.
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Becoming a Dedicated Reiki Practitioner: Navigating the Reiki Calling
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Practicing Reiki on others was never part of my original plan, yet in retrospect, I see how everything in my life had been leading me towards this path. It was as if my life itself was an Initiation, molding and preparing me to hold loving space for others in their healing journeys and life challenges. It took time for me to fully grasp the profound calling that Reiki had in store for me, including the unexpected path of practicing Reiki Professionally and then teaching Reiki to others. In both cases, I was lead there organically, all I had to do was see the path for what it was and agree to walk it.
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In the very early days of learning Reiki, feeling helpless to support my friend and her Mum who had end stage lung cancer, I offered the only thing I had, Reiki. To my surprise, she accepted my offer and nothing could have really prepared me for what I would come to experience from her acceptance. It was one of the most foundational and profound experiences of my life (both with my friend’s Mum and with the Reiki).
I had barely just learnt Reiki and over the next six months, I would come to visit her every week, sometimes twice a week, facilitating her Reiki sessions until literally the day she died. Those 6 months of sharing Reiki together were such an incredible honour and an incredibly precious time.
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In the first 5 weeks or so, she didn't really experience noticeable benefits of Reiki and yet she loved our sessions from day one. She reported feeling different, in a good way, but she couldn't quite put her finger on why or how. As time went on however, she began to experience much greater and obvious benefits. Over time she came to experience that Reiki afforded her a quality of life nothing else could, providing a sense of well-being, symptom relief (that her medication wasn't) and inner peace that supported her right up until the end. She came to rely on Reiki and would organise her social gatherings around our Reiki sessions, because she had the most strength and energy in the days immediately following our sessions.
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In the last few weeks before her passing, she urged me to pursue a career in Reiki. At that point, I had never considered taking my practice to a professional level, as I had initially learned Reiki for my own healing and spiritual growth. She expressed deep gratitude for our many candid conversations and the compassion, guidance, support and understanding I offered her during our time together. She shared with me her belief that I had a gift that needed to be shared with others and she wanted more people to experience the transformative power of Reiki through my care.
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Her incredibly generous words and belief in me left a lasting impact on me, and to this day, I carry her message in my heart.
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Throughout the remarkable six months we spent together, she showed me the true potential of Reiki and its capacity to heal and uplift. While she believed that I gave her a gift by offering her Reiki, she also gave me one of the greatest gifts, as our time together allowed me to witness her transformation and the positive impact of Reiki in her life which inspired me beyond measure. It was this pivotal experience that ultimately led my decision to pursue Reiki as a professional path. She was also the reason I decided to study as an End Of Life Doula, to help me best support my Reiki clients at end of life.
I am forever grateful and indebted to her for sharing that significant journey with me, my first Reiki client, as it undeniably shaped the Practitioner I am today, and her legacy lives on through the healing work I do. I carry her with me every step of the way.
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Sharing the Light: Guiding Others on a Transformative Journey
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Once I made the decision to open my heart and door to anyone seeking Reiki, I was blessed to undergo an incredible apprenticeship with my Reiki Master. Through a continuous stream of client referrals, I had the rare opportunity to work with a diverse and significant number of people in a short period of time, early in my Reiki journey, a rare and exceptional experience not often encountered by most.
My Reiki Master had unwavering belief in me and encouraged me to push beyond my perceived limits which, together with the exposure and practice with clients, shaped me into a skilled, experienced and confident Reiki Practitioner. These formative years were a steep learning curve that fostered tremendous growth, leading to a deep confidence in myself and the power of Reiki. Bit by bit, my initial skeptical doubts were dispelled as Reiki consistently revealed its profound capabilities through the experiences of my clients and my own learning.
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Today, I hold a deep reverence for Reiki and embrace those who approach it with skepticism, just as I once did. Having walked that path myself, I understand their reservations. My approach mirrors the one I had with myself—to honour their doubts while inviting them to open themselves to the potential for true transformation. I believe in maintaining a healthy skepticism and encouraging questioning until doubt naturally dissipates, allowing the integrity of the practice to shine through. I've witnessed that, over time, Reiki reveals its essence, both in my own journey and in the experiences of my clients.
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The Essence of Healing
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From my personal journey of healing and back to self, Reiki has transformed my life and how I experience it. Reiki has continued to procure profound changes in both myself and my clients and I stand humbled and grateful to share this empowering practice with seekers of healing, self-discovery, and authenticity.
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Through Reiki, I've learned that true healing resides within, awaiting the gentle embrace of Universal Energy. With an open heart and unwavering dedication, I am honoured to guide others on their transformative journey.
I look forward to clients joining me in Reiki Sessions or in Reiki Classes, to embark on their path of self-discovery, healing, and spiritual growth and beginning their journey of unlocking the boundless potential that Reiki holds.
