• July 13 (Saturday) 10am - 5pm  Confirmed
• August 10 (Saturday) 10am - 5pm
• August 14 (Wednesday) 10am - 5pm
• September 14 (Saturday) 10am - 5pm
• September 18 (Wednesday) 10am - 5pm
• October 12 (Saturday) 10am - 5pm
• October 16 (Wednesday) 10am - 5pm
• November 9 (Saturday) 10am - 5pm  

The following is a list of currently scheduled classes.  This class is a two-day class worth 12 CE hours for Florida massage therapists.  Each class (unless otherwise marked) currently has a status of 'Scheduled'.  This means that a date has been set, but no one has signed up for it yet.  Once a deposit has been received for a class, the status will be 'Confirmed'.  The current schedule is as follows:

• August 3 - August 4  (Saturday 9:00am - 5:00pm and Sunday 10:00am - 4:00pm)
• August 20 - August 21  (Tuesday 9:00am - 5:00pm and Wednesday 10:00am - 4:00pm) 

All classes are scheduled to be held at either The Noble School in Jacksonville Beach, FL or the Caring Palms studio.  Should the location change, that change will be on the website and students will be notified. For details on the school, and directions, see the Class Registration page on the website.

Now that I think I've caught everyone's eye with a 'what the frell is he talking about', I will elaborate.

Let's talk about women's breasts (and no, I'm not trying to be sexist here). Over the years, I have found a comical anecdote when scanning women (and I'm not making any blonde jokes here). Generally, before I work on a subject, I will sight scan them first (this is when I stand them across the room, close my eyes, and tell them where their problems are). Then I might go back over and hand scan them (this is where one runs their hand a few inches above someone looking for either temperature changes, or to be drawn to an area).

When I hand scan, I know that (to me) cold areas are where a problem is (this differs with every person). I have many times in scanning a woman's chest area found her breasts to be cold. Sometimes only one is cold, sometimes both, sometimes neither. When I sense cold in one, then I believe there is a problem. When I sense cold in both, I have one question that I ask... "are you wearing an underwire bra?"

Go on laugh. It's true. Underwire bras have metal (and I'm now told plastic) in them to support the breasts. Now, I don't believe that I am sensing the metal. I think this because I get the cold sensation over most of the breast, not just where the wire is. I believe that the wire, in keeping the support, does hold the breasts a little differently, which makes them irritated. After long hours, I can believe that the breasts hurt. (Ladies, you will have to tell me this as fact or not, seeing as I don't wear a bra that often, and never an underwire.)

I just find it funny that about 99% of the time that I have sensed 'problems' in both breasts, it has been due to an underwire bra. And this is true in cases where I didn't think my subject was wearing an underwire bra, or a bra at all. You should see some of the looks I get from subjects when I ask them that. It's like "I'm here for energy and you're asking what I'm wearing?" or "what are you using, x-ray vision?" Once I explain, and they answer yes, then they think I'm either very psychic, or very good. Now who am I to argue with the opinions of a client?

So, laugh if you will, but if you're a practitioner, and you sense problems in both breasts, ask your subject. You may be surprised. If not, then it is a good anecdote, and you can have a good laugh.

by Brian Dean

Recently, there have been a lot of questions coming in about Reiki and why it does some things and does not do others.  I thought I would clarify some things to hopefully make them clearer.

First thing, Reiki comes from the universe and is passed through a practitioner into someone in need.  The Reiki energy does not come from the practitioner.  They do not create it, add to it, or subtract from it.  They are nothing more than a hollow pipe or the electrical cord from the wall to the lamp.  The energy comes in one end and out the other unchanged.  While that has been said, there are things that can affect this process. 

The amount of energy coming through is dependent on the practitioner's clarity, and the subject's need.  If the subject does not have that great a need, they will not 'pull' much energy into them.  If the practitioner has his/her mind on other things, they can limit the amount that goes through them.  A practitioner must be aware of the energy flow at all times and not be super involved with some issue going on in their life (this is true for massage therapists as it creates negative energy that can affect a session).  I prefer to think of allowing the energy to flow as it needs to in whatever strength it needs to.  I start the flow and monitor it, but pull my concentration from it so I allow it and not control it, as if I control it, I limit it.

The subject's mental state can also affect what Reiki does to them. 

 They can block the energy and keep it from working. 

There is a well-known medical phenomena called the Placebo Effect.  If someone has a headache, and you give them an aspirin, if they believe that this aspirin will not get rid of their headache, it will not.  They block the effect of the aspirin even though it is a real physical, proven drug.  On the other hand, if someone has a headache and you give them an M&M, if they believe that it will get rid of their headache, it will (well, it is chocolate).  If I approach someone and offer Reiki to help with whatever problem they have, and they tell me "that stuff won't work", well, I am just going to walk away.  At that point, they have blocked anything the energy could have done for them.

I am not saying that someone receiving Reiki has to be a believer.  They are allowed to have their doubts.  They are allowed to be skeptical.  (With all the things I do, I approached each with skepticism, saying prove it to me.  This is not disbelief, but open-mindedness looking for proof.)  As long as someone is open-minded, Reiki has a chance to work.  As long as someone is not actively disbelieving, it may work.

One of the things that is different about Reiki from other methods of healing is that Reiki goes where it needs to go most, rather than where it is sent.  And that place that it goes could be on a physical, mental, or even spiritual level.  Practitioners have been taught that Reiki is guided by spirit, and therefore knows what the greatest needs are.  Another theory is that the subconscious of the person receiving Reiki sends it where it needs to go.  Either way, it goes where it needs to go most.

I have seen many cases where massive amounts of Reiki went into a subject for them to still have a sore back or other problem.  It is possible that the Reiki had other plans.  I personally have seen it ignore a physical issue so that it could work on mental issues that the subject had buried away.  In this case, it made her work through her problems instead of leaving them buried.  It took time, but this person was better off for it.  So, it may not do what is expected.

Also, it may not work immediately.  Sometimes, the Reiki will work over a period of a couple of days making the person feel better a few days after the treatment.  And in these cases, they will probably not even realize that it was the Reiki energy that helped them.

Basically, the rule is that once the energy leaves my hands, I have no say in what it does or where it goes.  I simply trust that it is for the highest good as Reiki can do no harm.

Reiki is an excellent method of energy medicine.  It can do things that seem wondrous.  If ever you had a thought to try it, it is a very relaxing, healing feeling.  Book a session today.

At Caring Palms, we pledge to do the best work we can at every session.  We not only do this to continue to earn your business, but because we believe that you deserve the best care possible every time you are here.  This is true whether it is massage, or energy work, or classes. This is our promise.  This is what we will continue to do.