Mystical Experiencer: Female in early sixties
Submission date: November 8, 2021
Current location: United Kingdom
Age at time of experience: 48
I regularly receive reiki from an experienced practitioner. I find the experience relaxing and uplifting. I usually see swirling colours and occasionally fleeting visions of countryside scenes. My practitioner always begins with reflexology before reiki. I am not particularly a believer in either therapy but enjoy the relaxation and personal space. Prior to this session, I had been with my mother constantly for 3 weeks, and she had died nine days previously.
During the reflexology, my feet seemed unusually sensitive and I was conscious of short bursts of medium intensity pain in various body parts. My practitioner stopped the reflexology early and moved on to the reiki. I was awake but very relaxed with my eyes closed.
None of the usual colours and patterns were coming to me and mostly I was in blackness with some periods of static. My mind was clear and I was not feeling consciously sad. At some point, I could feel copious tears running down my face and a deep warmth throughout my body. My heart suddenly began to race and my throat felt constricted. I felt a heavy crushing weight on my chest and my heart lurched. At that point, it was slightly perturbing, but I consciously decided to stay relaxed and go with the sensation. It was very mildly uncomfortable.
I felt a warm rumble in my chest, which built quickly to a rhythmic gurgle of thick secretion on my chest. I tried to clear my throat, but couldn’t. The noise was loud and I began to think I was experiencing my mother’s last moments and her death. I don’t know how long the gurgling lasted but I felt the sensation of a long firm embrace and love pouring into me. My mouth moved into a smile, and I had a deep, deep feeling of absolute bliss before opening my eyes and laughing with relief and at the strangeness of what just happened.
Following this experience, my grief at losing my mother has changed significantly. I no longer feel distraught and adrift. I am still sad but accepting she had a long happy life and was ready to leave it. I have no religious belief, although hers was very strong.