What Led Me To Do This Work?

Clients and students often ask me how I ended up doing this kind of work.  When you ask kids what they want to be when they grow up, I doubt any of them say hypnotherapist or Reiki Master!  As a child, I certainly didn't know this profession existed.  I used to say I wanted to be a baker when I grew up.  For this, I am periodically teased by my family, because as an adult I don't really enjoy cooking.

I wasn't raised in any spiritual tradition.  As far as I know, my parents are atheists.  In fact,  in college I was one of those condescending atheists who secretly looked down upon people who believed in a Higher Power.  I believed in logic and science.  I didn't have passion about any subject, so I chose to enroll in the College of Business Administration.  I didn't like numbers, so I chose Marketing and International Business as a double major.  All very logical.

I was hired for an internship that led to a job in my field.  I graduated from college and was doing what I thought I wanted to do except......it was so empty.  I had always used logic to lead me in life, but without the heart, without passion, it leads to numbness.  What was the purpose of my life?  What was the purpose of spending all day sitting at a desk under artificial lighting in front of a computer screen, enduring office politics, making this company some money and then watching the clock until it's time to leave?  Get home, feeling exhausted, watch tv for a couple of hours to decompress and then go to bed just to start it all over again tomorrow. 

My existential crisis led me to meditation.  Although initially it was difficult to quiet my mind, one day it just clicked.  I fell in love with meditation.  I would meditate 3 to 4 hours a day after work.  During meditation I began to feel energy and it felt wonderful!  This led me to get Reiki training.  All the meditation and energy work created a big spiritual awakening.  Sometimes during meditation I would slip out of my body and explore the cosmos; other times I would spontaneously go into my past lives.  These profound experiences shifted my awareness and understanding of what's possible and why we exist.  

I found my passion for life: to help others awaken consciousness and heal themselves.  Since then, life has been an exciting adventure full of growth and purpose.  I love helping people to become empowered to live a fulfilling, joyful life.  Certainly I don't mean to belittle the business field.  If it's your passion, that's great!  We're all unique beings.  The key is to find what makes our heart sing and to live our lives from that space.