Teri Wineland and Laura Caudill know some may see them as “new age” or even witches who practice "black magic" — which really makes them chuckle. They are Reiki masters, teachers of a scientific method for self-healing and maintaining health and well-being.
They strongly feel the method changed their lives and can do so — physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually — for anyone who is open to learning.
Wineland and Caudill, who say they have had a solid connection through Reiki for more than 10 years now, are offering what they call an intensive three-day workshop at the end of the month, which will teach through Reiki III. Degrees of Reiki are referred to as Reiki first, second and finally, the master-teacher degree — or Reiki I, II and III.
Whatever you want to call it
Reiki is a spiritual practice developed in 1922 by Japanese Buddhist Mikao Usui. Pronounced “ray-key”, it refers to universal life energy.
Caudill and Wineland point out the basic life force energy has many names — “Chi” in Chinese, “Ruah” in Hebrew, Hippocrates called it “Nature’s Life Force” and Christ called it “Light.” The women say whatever the name, it is “truly an unlimited force of divine healing energy.”
“A number of people think it has something to do with witchcraft or evil forces,” says Wineland. But she says there’s nothing evil or bad about it.
Caudill says it’s simple.
“We’re all made up of energy. That’s a proven fact,” Caudill says. Tapping into that energy is the secret, they say.
The two, who are certified Reiki masters, say everyone has a key to their own energy — they just have to turn it.
“It’s about body, mind and soul. You can call it whatever you want — you’re connecting to God, or your source. We like to call it ‘source’ because that energy means something different to everyone,” Caudill says. She says massage therapists, nurses, Hospice caregivers and even hairdressers are known to practice the healing method.
