What is Reiki?

Reiki is an ancient Japanese healing modality.  The expression, "reiki," is actually two Japanese words; "Rei" meaning God's wisdom or higher power, and "ki"meaning life force energy (also known as "chi" or "qi").  An accepted definition or translation of Reiki is "universal life energy."

Reiki energy is inherent in all living things.  When this energy is our of balance we experience physical illness, negative thoughts and feelings, and self-destructive or toxic behaviors.  Imbalances may be caused by external forces like emotional trauma, injury, or side effects from medical treatments.  Often, we throw our balance of energy off by failing to invest time in the proper maintenance of mind/body/spirit.  The foods we eat, the way we feel about ourselves and our lives, the stimuli we take in from mass media all have an effect on some part of our whole being.  Reiki helps to restore balance needed to function as our highest and best selves.

Wellness Uprising Reiki sessions are conducted in a quiet, serene setting.  Aromatherapy, music and pendulums may be added to encourage deeper relaxation and healing.  Recipients lay fully clothed on a Reiki table.  They may set a specific intention for the session or simply allow energy to flow where it is most needed for their greatest good.

Because it originates from the universe, Reiki energy is not bound by time or space.  It can be administered by a laying on of hands or the practitioner may send it to a future time and place.  Reiki recipients may beel tingling, warmth, coldness, gurgling or gas in the abdomen, or nothing at all.  It is reported that the practitioner's hands may be felt on different parts of the body when, in fact, the practitioner is not touching the recipient at all!  To date, 100% of all Wellness Uprising Reiki recipients have slept peacefully during their sessions.  This is an indication of great trust and deep relaxation.

Reiki is a loving and peaceful energy.  It is not associated with any religion and is complementary to any medial treatment plan, therapy or procedure.  It continues to work for 21 days following a treatment.  During this time, recipients may experience detoxification symptoms as toxic substances and negative emotions are flushed from the body and energy field.

To schedule a Reiki session with Wellness Uprising, contact Rhonda Kuykendall-Jabari at (323) 201-2193, or email Rhonda@WellnessUprising.com.  Hands-on appointments are conducted at Lucy Florence Image in PicFair Village, Los Angeles, CA.

Wake-up Call

"Wake up. Wake up right now. Everybody get out of bed and clean the kitchen!" Mom's voice aroused us from deep states of sleep many-a-night demanding that we get up and clean her kitchen. After 12 - 16 hours on her feet at work, she was not happy to see dishes stacked in the sink and her five lazy-butt children snuggled in bed. She didn't care whose 'turn' it was, everyone had to get up. If it wasn't your turn you had to watch (as punishment for not encouraging your sibling to be more responsible). To this day, she hates coming home to a "nasty kitchen," as she calls it. Her anger seemed disproportionate at the time, but I later realized there was something important about cleaning house that she wanted us to get.

Fast-forward 37 years to 2009. I find myself saying, "wake up. Wake up right now. Everybody get up and clean your kitchen." I'm talking about the 'kitchen' that houses your being. You see, I am not a fan of housekeeping of any kind. I prefer relaxing in front of a classic movie snacking on homemade tofu and soy cheese nachos, to mopping floors and scrubbing walls. But I am a great fan of physical and spiritual cleansing. I bear personal witness to the clarity of vision and purpose that comes with eliminating waste, balancing energy, resting and restoring the body, and consuming live foods. For me, getting clean is the first step to connecting with God. When I'm clean, I hear God's voice inside my head, feel her desires in my heart, and know the right steps to achieve my goal of living on purpose and being of service to myself and others.

There are many ways to detoxify and restore the body. There are tons of products and programs. Here are a few things to consider when selecting a cleansing program:

1. Your state of health. If you have a chronic illness or condition, or if you're under a doctor's care, you should check with your physician before starting a modified eating program or adding dietary supplements. Ask about substances that may conflict with your prescription meds or scheduled medical procedures.
2. Your daily routine. Consider your typical work day when selecting a detox program. Do you have access to a private restroom? Are you on the road all day with limited, public, or no toilet access? Is brown-bagging a reasonable option for you or are there restaurants nearby that serve foods within your modified eating plan? Do you have plenty of time and opportunity to consume water? Select a plan that works with your work life or that you can administer while taking planned time off.
3. Your level of discipline. Some people thrive on challenge and achievement. Others just want to get things over with so they can move on to the next step. Most fall somewhere between these two extremes. Detoxing is an important wellness component and finishing is as important as getting started. Most require you to refrain from salt, sugar, flour, meat, dairy, tobacco and smoking, caffeine and carbonated drinks for some period of time. Choose a program that is realistic for you. This is not a time to be too lofty. Plan to start and complete your chosen program.
4. Affordability. Choose a program that meets the above criteria AND fits your household budget. It's great if you wish to sacrifice luxuries and frivolities in the name of getting well, but don't fool around with your mortgage or car payment!

Today, I know the dishes can wait while I catch up on some much needed zzzzz's. But from time-to-time Mom's voice still rouses me out of a deep sleep at un-Godly hours shouting, "wake up and clean your kitchen!" It's my inner-alarm telling me to clean up my act and get clear so I can hear God's divine instructions.

©2009 Rhonda Kuykendall-Jabari

Join Rhonda and two other wellness practitioners on a free conference call. They'll discuss different approaches to detoxing and help you identify and select a method that will work with your lifestyle. Thursday, March 12, 2009 - 6:30PM to 7:25PM Pacific.

Register Online to receive conference call number and access code.

Trying to Get You free

This message was inspired during Christine Kloser's and Fabienne Fredrickson's recent teleclass, The Freedom Formula.

"People without a college degree will never have shit, and they'll never be shit." ("shit" being a respectable profession, home ownership, financial success, etc.)

In 1976 Mom's firstborn graduated from college. She had chaperoned her daughter to the safety of a prestigious private university campus in 1972. She briefly exhaled and then repeated the task --- four more times. Mom didn't rest until each of her five children were deposited from the hard streets of South Central Los Angeles (a.k.a. Watts) to college campuses. There was no talk of community college, the military or trade school. This was long before passion was associated with income or life's work. Without regard for individual talents, interests or abilities, we were placed on a narrow path to employment and financial security. Getting educated was a duty having nothing to do with self-discovery or personal growth. We were groomed to be excellent employees and productive, responsible adults. We don't haggle over pay or sweat performance reviews. A job is what it is. Extras like wealth, happiness and passion are pursued outside the traditional workplace, often in secrecy to sidestep family criticism. This is part of my family legacy which began 36 years ago.

My brother, sisters and I continue to create alternative, more rewarding lives. Some opted out of college, and some have gone on to earn post graduate degrees. The choice to opt out was met with consistent and harsh criticism. "People without a college degree will never have shit and they'll never be shit." The words spoken at holiday dinners and family gatherings year-after-year-after-year floated into my subconscious and planted seeds of self-doubt and low self-worth, which I continue to uproot to this day. Without a degree from a four-year university, I thought I didn't deserve success, comfort or the respect of others. My mother still looks into my eyes and says, "you were the smartest of all my children," as if I died when I chose not to complete my degree in 1982. I allow her to mourn that loss alone since she seems determined to suffer. I have better things to do with my time and energy.

One-by-one, I watched my nieces and nephews walk on eggshells as they fought to discover their authentic selves under the weight of the family's narrow thinking. But they have something I didn't have... someone in the family to talk to about taking a different path. I hope they feel my eternal love and support as they come to know, as I know, that they are divinely perfect and worthy exactly as they are. Their parents' eyes and hearts are opening more each day.

I'm a tough old chick who cherishes my right and my duty to live the life The Creator has assigned. As I work toward a bachelors degree in spiritual healing, I realize I am not who I am in spite of my family; I am a compassionate Reiki practitioner and healer because of them. I embrace every life experience as part of my journey to becoming the universal conduit I am meant to be. My spiritual assignment is to share this empowering energy and knowledge with others through healing work and intuitive workshops, and I am worthy of monetary compensation for the services I provide. The universe is calling, supporting and rewarding us for fulfilling our spiritual assignments and helping others discover theirs. And I am inviting each of you, dear readers, to consider, explore, research and accept how being true to yourself will lead you to the life, joy, success and prosperity your heart craves.

Personal Healing Bath Ritual

Water is ancient and powerful. Also referred to as the "universal solvent," water carries nourishment, waste and decay to and from earthbound organisms. It is healing, cleansing and possesses an uncommon wisdom of the ages. This ritual will add a healing benefit to your bathing experience, infusing the water with personal and planetary healing powers:

• Run a tub of water and adjust temperature for your comfort.
• Before stepping into the tub, ask (aloud or to yourself) Water to purify and heal your deepest physical, mental and emotional pain.
• Step into the bath and relax. Ask your subconscious to speak to you about your pain to reveal the source. The answer may come to you in the form of a song, a feeling, a memory, or a story. Listen and don't second guess yourself. Perhaps nothing will come to you while in the tub, but the healing energy will remain with you during the remainder of the day or longer. Continue to listen to your higher consciousness for answers.
• After app. 20 minutes, thank the Water for healing and helping you. Step out of the tub.
• Drain the bath immediately to allow Water to carry the negative energy away.

Recommended Product - Wellness Uprising Therapeutic Bath Soak [$15]: Eucalyptus, and other healing essential oils work with Dead Sea salt and Epsom salt in the bath to cleanse and purify the spirit while relieving stress and promoting relaxation.

To order click the picture to shop Online or contact Rhonda: Rhonda@WellnessUprising.com

Singing For Good Health

For some (like me), singing is a natural reaction to stress and sadness. When I was 33, my husband of less than three years died unexpectedly. As if death of a loved one were not enough, unusual circumstances caused a delay in the release of his body. The coroner took two weeks to determine a cause of death. TWO WEEKS! I was devastated and unprepared to cope with the barrage of phone calls and questions from well-meaning friends and relatives. There could be no funeral until the body was released --- so I waited and I sang. It somehow brought me comfort and lifted my spirits.

Realizing that the doorbell had been ringing for several minutes, I ran to answer. I didn't hear it at first because the music was loud. I still remember the look of shock on the faces of my husband's co-workers who dropped in to check on me. I stood before them drenched in sweat, smelling of funk and pine cleaner. That morning during meditation, my spirit guides said simply, "sing." So I did. I sang and I cleaned house from top to bottom. I danced and I sang some more. I scrubbed and I sang louder. I felt great for the first time in nearly two weeks!

Singing is fun, it feels great, and there are tons of health benefits! Singing

• releases endorphins (pleasure hormones) that make you feel energized and uplifted
• strengthens the immune system
• reduces muscle tension and improves coordination
• improves oxygen flow to the blood system and brain
• increases breath control (can be good for asthma or panic attacks)

In addition to physical benefits, singing opens and balances chakras (energy centers). It sets the stage for deeper meditation and a stronger connection to the universe. Breathing stimulates the second and third (sacral and power) chakras as you inhale, and the fourth and fifth (heart and throat) chakras as you push sound from your diaphragm. When you sing your vocal chords resonate with sound causing the head to vibrate, and the brain is stimulated as it processes the mathematical aspects of music. This activity opens the sixth and seventh (third eye and crown) chakras, empowering you to more clearly self-reflect and draw upon wisdom from the universe. Talk about removing a creative block! Singing is an excellent way to align mind, body and spirit.

Commit an act of radical self-care today by singing a favorite song. Your whole body will reward you with a heightened state of well-being and joy.

More information:

Chakra Test
Singing Therapy
Bio-Medicine: Singing Leads to Better Health