The first experience I had with Spirituality was as the recipient of a Reiki distance healing. At the time, I was experiencing a tremendous amount of grief from the recent death of my brother due to a drug overdose. He was 38 years old and my younger brother. His death sent me into a downward spiral that I could not seem to get out of. I had always been a pretty optimistic person who was able to work through some difficult circumstances and grow and evolve both personally and professionally. But this experience was different. My brother’s death called into question the very nature of the purpose of my life and of my relationships. We had been so close, but over the years we had drifted apart and by the time he died, we were estranged. I felt completely at a loss as to how to move forward with seemingly no opportunity to ever heal or resolve the conflicts I had felt in my relationship with my brother. I was in a dark place.

After his death, I spoke frequently with my best friend and with my close relatives. Everyone was concerned about my mental and emotional state. Indeed, I was too. Just getting out of bed and through the day without a complete breakdown was difficult. It was hard for me to be a mom to my son. Everything suffered. My best friend finally confronted me. She told me she was concerned about me, that I was sinking further out of reach and she was worried that nothing she or anybody else said or did to try to help me climb out of my grief was helping. She even told me she was beginning to dread talking to me, as she felt so helpless and frustrated at how I was getting on. She told me she had bought me 6 distance Reiki sessions and basically begged me to try it.

Her words were difficult for me to hear. But I knew she was telling me the truth. At that point I knew had a decision to make - I could either shut her out or listen to her and try something different. Believe me, I wanted to just hang up the phone and add her to the list of things that were working against me. But I didn't. I listened and I took it in. I sat with her words for a couple days then I called her back and said I would try it. After all, I really had nothing to lose. I had never given any thought to Spiritual healing or energy work; in fact I had never even considered having a psychic reading or anything else of that nature. So, this was new for me.

I spoke with the healer briefly on the phone prior to our first session and I could feel her honest and open intention to connect with me on a deeper level and help me heal. She only asked me my birthday and my home address. She did not ask any questions at all about my history or issues. She told me she wanted to do the session when I was asleep, as that would be when I would be most likely the most receptive to the energy work. It made no difference to me, as I had no expectations. The morning after my first session, I could immediately feel a difference in myself. I felt that clouds had been lifted, that my chest was lighter, that the heaviness and darkness surrounding me was starting to lighten. I felt these changes both physically and emotionally. I am pretty well in tune with my body as a professional dancer and I am really used assessing my physical state in a detailed and deep way, so I was absolutely surprised, excited and intrigued with how profoundly I felt things had shifted within me after this first session.  I could not wait to hear what the healer had to say about the session.

We had a phone consultation that day and my healer went into great detail about the issues I was indeed experiencing in my life. She spoke to me about toxic relationships, baggage from the past and how my Spirit was in serious need of some attention. She went on to discuss how I needed psychic and spiritual protection because of my abilities. Then she began telling me about the "helpers" I had in Spirit and how "Archangel Michael" wanted to work with me. I had never heard of an Archangel before – these terms were completely new to me and I seriously had no idea what she was talking about. But I could feel that I was standing on the edge of something truly amazing. Her words rang true to me at a depth I was not aware that I had. My Spirit actually had been longing to have this healing experience and just hadn't realized it. In fact, Throughout my life I had always kind of secretly hoped someone, like a doctor or something, would be able to see past the surface of me and into who I really was, to my inner self. This Reiki treatment was that experience, but with a Spiritual healer instead of a medical one.

My healer began walking me through the basics of Spirituality. She gave me books to read and affirmations and exercises to do to release and cut cords, to clear myself of images, thought forms events and situations that I was still reliving in myself. I began a regular meditation practice. The more I released the past, the more clarity I began to find in myself. I began to understand more about soul growth and what the nature of my relationship with my brother truly is. Many things suddenly began to make sense in a way I didn’t expect.  I began to release the old images I had of myself as a victim, and in doing this I began to step into my true power.

When my 6 sessions were up, my healer encouraged me to find my own path and told me that I was ready. All I wanted was to figure out how I could do what she was doing. I wanted to be able to work energetically with people, to see their energy systems and help them identify and release what no longer served them.  I wanted to open my clairvoyance in order to see beyond the physical into the truth existing in the unseen Spiritual and energetic levels. So, I found a Reiki teacher in my area and got my first attunement. The ceremony was a sacred experience for me and I could literally feel my crown chakra open to receive the Divine energy flow. I began practicing regularly and went back for my Level II certification a couple of months later. It was after this that things really started to change for me.

I got a bad cold after my second attunement, which I could feel was actually my body adjusting to the new energetic vibration the attunement brought into my system. In my meditations, I began to notice my experiences with Spirit becoming clearer and more regular. I began connecting clearly with Angels, Archangels, Spirit Guides, Power animals and Loved Ones. I saw my brother in Spirit on a regular basis and I began receiving information from him and other Loved Ones. The information became more detailed and I had to take the leap and start sharing what came through. I kind of dipped my toe in and started testing it out. In one meditation, my brother came to me with very specific information about my Dad's house, which I have never seen. My brother gave me furniture placement, where his ashes were placed, what chair my dad liked to sit in while watching TV and where the bathroom was. I was nervous about sharing this with my dad, as I was afraid that somehow it wasn't real and I had made it all up. But I gathered my courage and told my Dad what my brother had shown me. It was all correct. Every detail. This was incredible validation for me, and it gave me confidence to expand and develop my mediumship. Soon, I began communicating with Spirit for others.

Reiki was the door opener for me on my Spiritual path. I feel the energy attunements were necessary steps in the path toward becoming a medium. This is how Spirit often works-it gives you one step at a time and it's up to you to follow the breadcrumbs. My path began with Reiki, but soon led me to a path in mediumship. This works differently for everyone. I believe that each person's Spirit will align the circumstances that will help each of us to open to our inner selves and begin to consciously engage in our spiritual journeys. In Spiritual growth, there is no one way, there is no right way. There is only your way. Trust it, follow it and know you are loved every step of the way.

With love,

Ashley