Peace and Possibility: How Reiki Changed my Life
From the NICU where her Reiki journey began to the hospital halls where she now offers Reiki to others, our latest Universal Life Magazine Cover Star Rebecca Weinstein shares how Reiki entered her life during one of its most challenging seasons and became her guiding compass.
Reiki found me at one of the lowest points of my life. My son was born prematurely, spending ten weeks in the NICU, and what should have been a joyous time was filled with fear and exhaustion. I was struggling to hold it all together.
Then a Reiki practitioner visited my hospital room. Her presence brought comfort, but when she placed her hands and allowed the energy to flow, I felt a deep calm wash over me. For a few moments, the fear softened, and I could breathe again. What touched me even more was knowing she was also visiting my son, offering him energy and love when I could not be by his side. Reiki entered my life as peace and possibility at a time I needed both most.
That experience opened a door for me, and I began exploring other paths to healing. Each offered something valuable, yet for a time, I saw them as separate pieces, scattered and disconnected.
“…Reiki didn’t just help me heal; it helped me remember who I am…”
But as I continued to open myself to Reiki, something shifted. I began to see the bigger picture: all of these experiences were part of a greater whole, fitting together like a puzzle, with energy as the thread connecting them. Reiki became the lens through which I understood it all.
The transformation began gently. I started honouring the Reiki principles, bringing them into my daily life. My thoughts softened. The places where I once carried judgment, anger, or frustration began to release their grip. I learned to let go of the control I thought I needed, and in that letting go, I found freedom. My mind grew clearer, my body more relaxed, my spirit more at peace.
Through Reiki, I peeled away layers of old beliefs and conditioning, revealing a truer, freer version of myself. Reiki didn’t just help me heal; it helped me remember who I am and guided me toward living in alignment with my essence.
Now, I hold space for others as they step onto their own healing paths. My clients and I meet as connected spirits, teaching and learning from each other. Reiki has shown me that healing is not meant to be done alone. We need one another’s light. We are all connected, and in that connection lies strength, compassion, and renewal.
In addition to my private practice, I am a member of the Integrative Wellness Team at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mt. Kisco, NY, where I offer Reiki to staff, giving back to the place where my own healing journey began.
Reiki continues to be a compass in my life—guiding me back to balance, reminding me of our shared humanity, and showing that true healing happens when we return to ourselves and to each other.
Beyond the story: Q&A with our Cover Star
Can you describe a typical day when you bring Reiki to the staff at Northern Westchester Hospital?
Every Wednesday afternoon, I volunteer as part of the Integrative Wellness team. I usually see two staff members during my shift, offering 30-minute sessions in a peaceful, dedicated healing space. The hospital makes these sessions available to different departments as part of their commitment to supporting staff well-being. It feels very meaningful to be able to give back to the staff here, especially since Northern Westchester Hospital is where I first experienced Reiki myself.
Can you share a moment or story that touched you while working with the hospital staff?
One session that will stay with me forever was with a young nurse who had recently lost her father. While I don’t identify as a medium, the sense of his presence during the Reiki session was undeniable. The entire room seemed to shift—the air itself felt charged with an overwhelming, unconditional love. I was covered in full-body chills, and she wept as if something
deep within her had been touched. It was one of those rare moments where the veil between worlds feels thin, and the healing goes far beyond what words can capture.
How do you see Reiki influencing the well-being and resilience of staff in such a high-pressure environment?
The transformation I witness is remarkable. Staff often arrive carrying the weight of exhaustion, stress, and emotional strain. Yet, even in just 30 minutes, I see their faces soften, their shoulders drop, and their energy shift into something calmer and more centered. Reiki offers them a rare moment to breathe, reset, and reconnect with themselves in the middle of an incredibly demanding day.
This isn’t just my perception—it’s reflected in their own feedback. At the Integrative Wellness Center, we draw on the Stress First Aid model—to gently guide staff in checking in with themselves. Before and after each session, they’re invited to rate how they’re feeling using a simple colour scale:
- Green – Calm
- Yellow – Stressed but functional
- Orange – Approaching burnout
- Red – Exhausted and fully burnt out
Looking at the wall where these responses are displayed is powerful. The movement from red and orange toward green after each session makes the impact tangible. It’s a visual reminder that these small moments of healing truly matter.
What changes have you noticed in yourself through offering Reiki in this setting?
Working in the hospital has taught me to trust the process of Reiki. With shorter sessions, I had to release the belief that deep healing requires long stretches of time. What I’ve witnessed instead is that even a brief, focused session can create profound shifts. This experience has deepened my faith in Reiki itself and strengthened my confidence in my ability to hold space in any circumstance.
What do you hope people feel or take away after a hospital session with you?
My greatest hope is that they leave feeling even a small sense of relief. The staff carry such immense responsibility and emotional weight, and if I can offer them a space to set that burden down—to feel grounded, relaxed, and at peace, even for a short while that, to me, is success.
Are there specific techniques, rituals, or approaches you use for hospital sessions?
Yes, though I adapt them to fit the time constraints. I begin each session with a silent intention or prayer, and I always create a calming environment with music, soft lighting, and sometimes aromatherapy. Because I work back-to-back with staff, I also make sure to clear both my energy and the space between sessions so each person receives fresh, focused attention.
How do you prepare mentally and energetically before working with hospital staff?
My daily meditation practice keeps me grounded, so when I arrive at the hospital, I naturally slip into a flow state. I hold the intention of working from the highest frequency possible and inviting the person’s energy to meet me there. For group work, like the monthly healing circle I lead at the Cancer Center, I do additional preparation—setting clear intentions and energetically preparing the space to support multiple people at once.
How has Reiki changed the way you see yourself and your path in life?
Reiki completely shifted my relationship with myself. Before, I was caught in negative self-talk and often believed I was selfish or unworthy. Through Reiki, I learned to soften that inner dialogue and to live by its principles. I began to trust that I was exactly where I was meant to be, and that I wasn’t “broken”, I was human. That realisation opened the door to profound healing, both for myself and, eventually, for others.
What has surprised you most about your Reiki journey?
How certain I now feel about who I am. Reiki has helped me not only discover but celebrate my gifts, and it continues to guide me in helping others discover their own. The clarity and purpose it has brought into my life still surprise me sometimes.
If someone is brand-new to Reiki, what encouragement or advice would you share?
If you’re new to Reiki, my best advice is to go in with an open heart and no expectations. Reiki is a gentle yet powerful energy—it has a way of meeting you exactly where you are and giving you precisely what you need in that moment. It isn’t something you can control or force; in fact, the beauty of Reiki lies in its natural flow.
Sometimes the experience feels deeply physical, other times it’s emotional, and often it’s simply a sense of peace or clarity that unfolds quietly. Trust that whatever arises is perfect for you. The more you can surrender to the process, the more spacious and profound the experience becomes.
How do you see Reiki continuing to shape your path in the years to come?
Starting my practice was one of the most terrifying and yet deeply rewarding steps I’ve ever taken. It required stepping into the unknown and trusting myself in ways I hadn’t before. Through that process, I discovered that staying true to who I am allows me to accomplish far more than I ever imagined. Moving forward, I continue to show up authentically, embracing both the fear and the excitement, trusting that the path will unfold perfectly in alignment with my highest good.
How would you define Total Wellness?
To me, total wellness is the art of living in alignment, body, mind, and spirit moving in harmony. It is the freedom of being fully present, releasing the weight of expectations and past disappointments, and flowing with the rhythm of your true purpose.
What do you find most rewarding about being a professional Reiki Practitioner?
The stories. Every client brings their own journey, and I feel so honoured to walk
walk alongside them, even for a short time. In those moments together, they start to realise that life doesn’t have to feel so heavy and that there’s a gentler, more balanced way to move through the world. They begin to uncover their true gifts and take steps toward living a fuller, more aligned life.
You experienced a “full circle” moment of returning to give Reiki at the space where you aspect of your journey—what does this experience mean to you?
It means everything. Reiki helped me uncover what was always inside me, underneath the weight of old patterns and negative thinking. I’m still the same person, but I no longer feel burdened in the way I once did. Instead, I feel grateful; grateful to have discovered this gift, grateful to share it, and grateful to know that healing is always possible.
Author Bio: Rebecca Weinstein is a compassionate and dedicated Reiki Master, Energy Practitioner and Certified Spiritual Life Coach with a passion for healing and holistic well-being, located in Katonah, NY.
What is Universal Life Magazine?
Universal Life Magazine is a magazine published by the Reiki Healing Association (RHA). This Reiki magazine brings Members of the the RHA all the latest news, articles and insights on all things Reiki and wellness, to inspire our community of Reiki professionals as they work ambitiously to transform lives through their healing work.
At the RHA we have a vision of a world where Reiki is universally accessible so anyone can harness the power of Reiki energy for self-care and healing, and we couldn’t work towards this mission without our extraordinary members, who work both separately and together to help educate, promote and spread Reiki healing and teaching to every corner of our planet.
We wanted to give our members a magazine that they could look forward to, with exciting interviews, tips, advice and perspectives in every issue.
Our members feature prominently in the Universal Life Magazine because we want to promote their incredible expertise and work in the Reiki industry. We were the first magazine to make a Member our Cover Star!
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