臨終給予靈氣治療 Reiki for the Dying

當我在迫切需要的情況下使用靈氣時，它會給予我前所未有的力量。我是加利福尼亞州桑尼維爾 巴士威斯 臨終關懷中心 （hospice volunteer with Pathways in Sunnyvale, California）的一名志工，我對分配給我的患者使用靈氣。由於靈氣主要就是在治療，即便它無法治愈肉體的時候，也可以幫助患者在靈性和情感上進行治愈，以緩解往生的過程。我不止一次看到靈氣能夠緩解劇烈的疼痛。我也看過它讓帕金森氏症的顫抖停止了一段時間。我親眼目睹了一位女性，她受限的呼吸和吞嚥能力也因為靈氣的能量而得到緩解。

在臨終關懷中與患者一起工作存在一些挑戰。首先，他們通常會躺在病床上，而不是在按摩床上。這本身就是一個挑戰。通常病床被推到牆邊，因此給予靈氣的時候與能夠在治療床周圍移動和走動的狀況非常不同。需要注意管線和其他儀器的連接。如果這個人不在病床上，則需要另一種方法。有一次，我脫掉鞋子爬上床，因為病人支撐著坐在病床邊的，她的腿離開床放並在凳子上。對此我已經學會了期待意外。感謝上帝，靈氣可以到達任何需要靈氣的地方。我甚至考慮過向這位患者發送遠距靈氣，儘管我在同一個房間。（1）

對臨終者使用靈氣需要敏銳地意識到他們的身體以及如何使用靈氣，同時也要意識到我的身體，尤其是我的頂輪和手，因為這些是我的工具，並藉以告訴我需要知道什麼才能成為一個好的治療師。我還必須傾聽我的直覺。我的“第三隻眼”在讓我知道我的手應該放在哪裡來實現“更偉大的善行 (The Greater Good)”並發揮重要作用。

我的第一個臨終關懷病人是一名 38 歲的腦癌男子。我的靈氣大師-唐娜 Donna Shaffer 正在治療他，她提出讓我一起跟著去。我很快就了解到，關於用靈氣治療臨終的病人需要很多知識。

對一個臨終的病人使用靈氣能量的方式，我們不會對一個相對健康的病人使用。這種能量的使用在本質上需要更靈性，更溫和。當它被用來緩解疼痛時，它可能會變得非常強烈。就如同患者沙漠中口渴多時，欲飲求生一般，它可以強大到令人難以置信。它也可能每天或在同一治療過程中從一種能量轉變為另一種能量。

有一次，當我在他的心輪上治療時，我看到了一些非常美麗的東西，我開始哭泣。我看到了一個完美的球體，其中心是發光的水晶。而球體周圍是一片壯麗的藍色田野，外邊緣變成了淡紫色，在周圍環繞著更多閃閃發光的水晶棱鏡。唐娜問我是否還好。我告訴她我還好，但我剛剛看到了我一生中見過的最美麗的東西。唐娜告訴我，我的描述聽起來好像我看到了他的靈魂。

我清楚地記得在這個年輕人放棄對求生的慾望前不久。唐娜在他腳部工作，而我在他的頭上。她走出了大廳，正在搧風讓自己冷靜下來。我的手、臉和整個身體越來越熱，直到我覺得我再也站不起來了。幸運的是，唐娜也注意到了，悄悄地告訴我把手放在冷水里。過了一會兒，我才能夠回來繼續治療。但上次見到他時，他的能量已經發生了變化，而這一次靈氣非常溫和安靜。兩天后他便去世了。他是一個很棒的年輕人。

我在 Pathways 服務的第一個任務是一位 94 歲的老太太。她患有嚴重的COPD（慢性阻塞性肺病），以至於她的醫生評估剩她不到六個月的生命，並將她送入臨終關懷照護來。她並不知道靈氣是什麼，但決定試一試。在我第一次訪問期間，我花了 30 分鐘試圖解釋靈氣。因為我是新的靈氣研習者，所以我磕磕絆絆地嘟囔著，最後說：“讓我做給你看看。”在她第一次接受治療時，她告訴我，當我把手放在她的左腳上時，她感到左手腕受到了能量的衝擊，幾年前她的手腕已經斷了。另一天，她說她看到了顏色。

三個月後，她出院了。她笑著告訴我，當她在乘電梯到她所在的樓層時（她住在一家養老院），一位女士告訴她，她是鎮上的話題人物。她問這是什麼意思，這位女士告訴她：“你被送到臨終關懷醫院，但妳的情況居然好轉了！”養老院所有的居民都在談論這件事！我私下見過她一段時間，她現在又回到了臨終關懷醫院，並再次康復。我幫她慶祝了她的 95 歲生日。當初被宣判剩下不到 6 個月的生命，現在還差一兩個星期就又過了一年，而她的 96 歲生日就在眼前。

當帕金森氏症影響一個人輕鬆呼吸或舒適吞嚥的能力時，結果可能會非常可怕。 我真的無法想像那種不斷窒息和飢餓的感覺，卻因為無法吞嚥而無法進食。 當我給她靈氣時，她開始更輕鬆地呼吸。 她的丈夫驚訝地看到她的隔膜隨著每次呼吸而上下移動。 他告訴我他已經很久沒有看到她這樣了。 當我離開時，他帶她回到他們的房間休息。她曾經在靈氣的領域中。雖然我只見過這個女人幾次，但我目睹的結果是驚人的。

我發現靈氣對阿茨海默症患者非常有效。當我第一次見到一位患有這種疾病的 87 歲婦女時，她會變得很容易激動，不知道我是誰或靈氣是什麼，即使我以前見過她。她會說：“我認識你嗎？” “靈氣，我不知道靈氣。”她後來變成，“哦，你是靈氣女士。我真的很喜歡靈氣。”這位女士也患有帕金森氏症，右手會不斷顫抖。當我第一次給她靈氣時，她開始變得放鬆，我想知道靈氣是否可以停止顫抖，所以我把手放在她的手上。如果不是我親眼所見，我永遠不會相信帕金森氏病的震顫會變得靜止。有人告訴我，這些顫抖會持續一整天，每天-甚至在睡眠期間。治療結束時她都會睡得很熟，所以我不知道靈氣的效果會持續多久，但她身旁的看護人員不斷對她所看到的變化感到驚訝。她的女兒是一名心理學家，她打電話來感謝我。她說靈氣在她母親身上發生了驚人的變化。她還告訴我，她認為她的母親快要走到最後了。

當我治療一名患有多種癌症的 62 歲女性時揭示了靈氣的強大之處。 她不想要任何止痛藥，因為止痛藥會讓她感到昏昏沉沉和噁心。 我第一次見到她時，她痛苦地扭動著身體。 於是我給了她靈氣，當我完成治療時她已經睡著了。 有人告訴我，她連續睡了 6 個小時，這是她迫切需要的休息時間，而且由於疼痛，她已經有好幾天沒有真正入睡了。 我開始每天見到她，因為靈氣現在變成了她的嗎啡。 她會輾轉反側，試圖找到一個能讓她感到舒適的姿勢，但直到我讓靈氣將我與她聯繫起來，將我作為治療能量的通道，然後將我的手放在她身上， 她會開始放鬆。 我會時不時地看看她的臉，我可以看到疼痛消失了。 我也能感覺到她的身體隨著疼痛的減輕而放鬆和軟化。

每天，她的家人都焦急地等待著我的到來，讓他們的母親能夠擺脫痛苦，並能夠休息。當我進入她的房間時，她會微笑，因為她知道靈氣的治療能量很快就會屬於她。我最後一次見到她時，她正在進入過渡的程序，我最後一次給了她靈氣。當我離開時，她似乎很平靜。

當我告訴一位患有胰腺癌的紳士我每週都會回來給他靈氣時，我希望全世界都能分享他的微笑。他告訴我，在他的第一次治療中，當我的手放在那裡時，他感到腹部有電流。我走的時候他正在睡覺。第二次使用靈氣時，他睡了很長時間。我給他的妻子進行靈氣治療，因為作為他的主要照顧者，她也需要能量支持。他在我離開前醒來，告訴我他感覺自己就像漂浮在雲端。我在他過世前給了他靈氣。他的妻子想讓他乘雲飄走。當我將能量視為顏色時，我看到亮藍色代表和平，薰衣草代表愛，洋紅色代表靈性。知道他對自己的過渡感到滿意，這對他的家人來說意義重大。

這些患者都幫助我成長為一個人。 很榮幸能與他們分享他們生命中的這段靈性時光。 他們改變了我的生命。 我已經學會瞭如何在一個人生命中的特殊時間做到真正的“陪伴”。 更重要的是，我想要“陪伴”他們。

我被賦予了成為一個富有同情心之人的天賦。 經常有人問我：“看到垂死的人是不是會很沮喪？” 我的回答總是一樣的：“不，因為我知道我可以提供一些特別的東西。 我能夠提供靈氣。”

靈氣是送給我的禮物。 靈氣真的是一份禮物，因為我可以用一種溫和、非侵入性的方式給處於臨終過渡期的人帶來安慰。 再多的錢也無法做到靈氣能做到的事。

Never has the power of Reiki been more apparent than when I have used it in situations of dire need. I am a hospice volunteer with Pathways in Sunnyvale, California, and I use Reiki with the patients assigned to me. Since Reiki always heals, even if it does not cure the physical body, it can help a patient to heal spiritually and emotionally to ease the pathway of transition. I have seen Reiki relieve severe pain on more than one occasion. I have seen the tremors of Parkinson’s disease cease for a while. I have witnessed a woman whose restricted ability to breathe and swallow eased with Reiki’s energy.

Working with patients in hospice presents some challenges. First, they are usually in a hospital bed and not on a massage table. That can be a challenge in itself. Often the hospital bed is pushed up against a wall, so giving Reiki is very different than being able to move and walk around a table. Other things to look out for are tubes, wires and other connections. If the person is not in a hospital bed, another approach is necessary. On one occasion, I took off my shoes and climbed up on the bed because the patient was propped up in a sitting position on the side of the bed with her legs off the bed and on a stool. I have learned to expect the unexpected. And thank God that Reiki goes to where Reiki is needed. I even considered sending distant Reiki to this patient, although I was in the same room.(1)

Using Reiki with the dying requires being acutely aware of their body and how they are using Reiki and also being aware of my body, especially my crown chakra and hands, for these are my tools and tell me what I need to know to be a good practitioner. I must also listen to my intuitive powers. My “Third Eye” plays an important role in letting me know where to place my hands for “The Greater Good.”

My very first hospice patient was a 38-year-old man with brain cancer. My Reiki Master, Donna Shaffer, was treating him, and she offered to let me go along. I soon learned that there is much to know about treating a dying patient with Reiki.

A dying patient uses Reiki energy in ways that a reasonably healthy patient does not. This energy can be more spiritual in nature and feels very gentle. It might be very intense when it is being used to relieve pain. It can be unbelievably strong as the patient’s will to live drinks it in with the great thirst of a person in the desert. It may change from one kind of energy to another from day to day or during the same session.

Once, as I was working on his heart chakra, I saw something so beautiful that I started to cry. I saw a perfect sphere with a center of glowing crystal quartz. The sphere was surrounded by a magnificent blue field that turned to lavender at the outer edge, which was surrounded by sparkling prisms of more crystals. Donna asked me if I was all right. I told her I was but that I had just seen the most beautiful thing I had ever seen in my life. Donna told me that my description sounded as though I had seen his soul.

I remember very well one occasion shortly before this young man surrendered his desire for life. Donna was working at his feet and I was at his head. She stepped out into the hall and was fanning herself to cool off. My hands, face, and whole body grew hotter and hotter until I didn’t think I could stand any more. Fortunately, Donna noticed and quietly told me to go put my hands under cold running water. After a while I was able to return. The last time we saw him, his energy had changed, and this time Reiki was very gentle and quiet. He died two days later. He was a wonderful young man.

My first assignment with Pathways was a 94-year-old woman. She had such a bad case of COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) that her doctor gave her less than six months to live and put her into hospice care. She didn’t know what Reiki was but decided to give it a try. During my first visit I spent 30 minutes trying to explain Reiki. Since I was a new practitioner, I stumbled and mumbled, and finally said, “Let me show you.” During her first treatment she told me that when I put my hands on her left foot, she felt a shock of energy in her left wrist, which she had broken several years before. On another day she saw colors.

After three months she was discharged from hospice. Laughing, she told me that during an elevator ride to her floor (she lived in a residential care facility) a woman told her that she was the talk of the town. She asked what that meant and was told, “You were on hospice and you got better!” All the residents are talking about it! I saw her privately for a while, and she is now back on hospice and once again getting well. I helped her celebrate her 95 th birthday. The less than six months to live is now a week or two shy of one year, with her 96th birthday in sight.

When Parkinson’s affects a person’s ability to breathe easily or to swallow comfortably, the result can be very frightening. I cannot imagine the feeling of constantly being suffocated and being hungry, but not being able to eat because of the inability to swallow. As I gave her Reiki, she began to breathe more easily. Her husband was astonished to see her diaphragm move up and down with each breath. He told me that he hadn’t seen her do that for a long time. When I left he had taken her to their room to rest. She was in Reiki land. I only saw this woman a few times, but the results I witnessed were amazing.

I discovered that Reiki can be extremely effective for patients with Alzheimer's. When I first began seeing an 87-year-old woman who was afflicted with this disease, she would become agitated easily and didn’t know who I was or what Reiki was, even though I had seen her before. She would say, “Do I know you?” “Reiki, I don’t know Reiki.” It became, “Oh, you’re the Reiki lady. I really like Reiki.” This woman also had Parkinson's disease with a tremor in her right hand. The first time I gave her Reiki, she started to relax, and I wondered if Reiki could stop the tremor, so I put my hands on her hand. Never would I have believed that the tremors of Parkinson’s disease could become still if I hadn’t seen it for myself. I had been told that these tremors are continuous all day, every day—even during sleep. By the end of the treatment she would be sound asleep, so I don't know how long the effect of Reiki would last, but her caregiver was constantly amazed by the change she saw. Her daughter, who is a psychologist, called to thank me. She said that Reiki had made an amazing change in her mother. She also told me that she thought her mother was nearing the end.

Treating a 62-year-old woman with multiple cancers revealed how powerful Reiki can be. She did not want any pain medication because it made her feel groggy and nauseous. The first time I saw her she was writhing in pain. I gave her Reiki and she was asleep by the time I was finished. I am told that she slept for six uninterrupted hours of much-needed rest and that it had been days since she had really slept because of the pain. I started seeing her daily because Reiki had now become her morphine. She would toss and turn trying to find a position that would give her comfort, but it wasn’t until I asked Reiki to connect me to her, to use me as a channel for its healing energy, and then place my hands on her, that she would start to relax. I would look at her face from time to time, and I could see the pain leave. I could also feel her body relax and soften as the pain was lifted.

Every day her family would anxiously wait for my arrival so that their mother could be free of pain and able to rest. She would smile when I entered her room because she knew that Reiki’s healing energy would soon be hers. The last time I saw her she was actively transitioning, and I gave her Reiki one last time. She seemed to be very peaceful when I left.

I wish the world could have shared his smile when I told a gentleman with pancreatic cancer that I would be returning every week to give him Reiki. He told me that during his first session he felt an electric current in his abdomen when my hands were there. He was sleeping when I left. The second time he had Reiki he slept for a long time. I gave his wife a Reiki treatment because, as his primary caregiver, she also needed support. He awoke before I left and told me that he felt like he was floating on a cloud. I gave him Reiki just before he died. His wife wanted him to float away on a cloud. As I see energy as colors, I saw brilliant blue for peace, lavender for love, and magenta for spirituality. It meant a lot to his family to know that he was comfortable with his transition.

All of these patients have helped me to grow as a person. It is an honor to share this spiritual time of their lives with them. They have changed my life. I have learned how to really “be there” for a person during this special time in their lives. More importantly, I want to “be there” for them. I have been given the gift of becoming a compassionate person. Frequently I am asked, “Isn’t seeing dying people depressing?” My answer is always the same: “No, because I know that I have something special to offer. I offer Reiki.”

Reiki is a gift that has been given to me. Reiki really is a gift because in a gentle, non-invasive way, I can bring comfort to those who are in transition. No amount of money can do what Reiki can do.

This article appears in the Summer 2009 issue of the Reiki News Magazine.

1 Editor’s note: In situations such as these, it may be helpful to use Beaming. Sit at a comfortable distance from the client, allow Reiki to flow, and direct your hands to a specific area or to the entire body.