It is an ancient technique which was developed in Japan, yet has become widely used throughout the Western United States. A word which is Japanese in origin, “reiki” is the combination of two words – “rei” meaning universal spirit or Higher Power of God and “ki” referring to life energy.

Reiki practitioner and master teacher Jessica Bonar has shared her passion for this relaxation method with her clients for five years.

Bonar herself first discovered the practice after experiencing some personal trauma which found her on a path she was not pleased with, a path of taking multiple medications. Turning to a DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine), the recommendation was made for her to look into different modality work.

“It was a good fit for me,” she said of her early learnings of the stress reduction and relaxation practice.

Self-described as both spiritual, as well as empathic, Bonar shared through her studies she felt it important to not just approach the technique with clients from the holistic side, but from the scientific side as well. 

Using words like energy, vibration, frequency and flow, Bonar noted the impact that the world and life circumstances may have on an individual, including their physical body.

“Stress causes the body to lose its ability to rebalance, to restore homeostasis,” she said. “For instance, when a person has illness or an injury their energetic vibration, vibrates at a slower rate. At the simplest, most obvious level it appears that Reiki treatment helps lessen the impact of stress, releasing tension from the entire system and raising the energetic vibration.”

Before beginning a session with a client, Bonar cleans and clears the room of bad energy. Once the client is positioned on her table, she begins by using Tibetan bowls to raise the frequency in the room, as well as a tuning fork in combination.

“There’s so much that the mental affects the physical,” she continued.

During time on the table with Bonar “life force energy” is used through light touch and no verbal communication. Bonar’s own daily practice enables her to stay in tune with the energy of others and help improve their health, as well as quality of life.

“When I’m doing Reiki it’s a blend of both of them,” she said of the science and the spiritual. “The person that’s experiencing it, doesn’t really need to know that. I’m just the conduit for the higher power, God, whatever you believe in.”

The Reiki practitioner also uses healing crystals, carefully placed on chakra points of the client’s body to aid with the healing and energy flow. 

“Reiki helps break energy blocks,” Bonar shared, indicating the crystals used help increase the vibration and release of the energy. “Different parts of your body where stuck energy is, usually that’s associated with some type of emotional energy.

“When you’re flowing freely, you’re vibrating at a higher frequency,” she said. “When you’re vibrating at a higher frequency you’re going to be in a better mood.”

It’s equally important to Bonar to give clients tools to help them extend the benefits from what they gain, when leaving the table. One practice she swears is not only key, but essential for longevity of maintaining positive energy flow, is meditation.

“I tell everyone, you need to mediate,” she said.

“Most people don’t know where to start, honestly. They get so intimidated,” Bonar acknowledged.

In short, she shared the practice of meditation is simple and not at all as complex or scary as most might think. The notion of sitting with a clear mind; inaccurate. During a mediation practice, she stated, one lets the thoughts come up but rather than fixate on them, they allow them to be released. She likened the process to the image of a stream passing from ear to ear, allowing the thought to simply flow through the brain and not get “stuck.”

“The idea is just to be grounded,” she said, “which obviously it’s ideal to have your feet flat on the floor or if in a seated position you don’t need that because your root chakra is what’s grounded and on the floor. It’s simply learning to quiet our minds, because if we don’t our mind will take over.”

Readers interested in working with Bonar or inquiring on additional services offered may contact her at (209) 380-2070.