A Reiki Ministry - with John & Heidi Kowalchyk

Join us in this episode as we reach the heart of 'Ripple Effect Spiritual Therapies,' an inspiring ministry founded by the dynamic duo John and Heidi Kowalchyk. 

As Alliance of Divine Love Interfaith Ministers, Reiki Masters, Sound Therapists, and Drum Circle Facilitators, they've dedicated their lives to infusing the world with Love and guiding others on their spiritual paths. 

With a rich tapestry of experiences ranging from teaching Reiki, facilitating drum circles, spiritual counseling, and leading the renowned Northeast Reiki Retreat in SilverBay, NY, they've touched countless lives. 

In this soulful conversation, we journey through their four-decade-long marriage, explore their transformative experiences with sound therapy and drumming, and learn about their mission to bring spiritual healing to people of all backgrounds. 

Whether you're a Reiki practitioner, a spiritual seeker, or simply intrigued by the power of love and sound, this episode is full of deep insights and heartfelt stories.
 

John and Heidi Kowalchyk are Alliance of Divine Love Interfaith Ministers, Reiki Masters, Sound Therapists, and Drum Circle Facilitators who have been called to follow a spiritual path and guide others along their spiritual journey. Their passion is offering opportunities and encouragement to people to open themselves to the Divine Love within. As ordained ministers, they are the Founders of Ripple Effect Spiritual Therapies, a ministry focused on energy healing. They offer programs and retreats for people of all ages and backgrounds at their home retreat center and at nationwide venues.

Get in Touch with John and Heidi:
Our Ministry: https://rippleeffectspiritualtherapies.org/
Ministry Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RippleEffectReiki
Our Reiki Retreat: https://northeastreikiretreat.org/
Reiki Retreat FB page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/976777536221662


Pam Allen-LeBlanc is a scientist, businesswoman, and Licensed Reiki Master Teacher (LRMT) with the International Center for Reiki Training.  She is the author of "The Reiki Business Book" and a co-author of ICRT Animal Reiki training.  Pam teaches Reiki, Animal Reiki, and Animal Communication online and in person in Canada, the US, and Australia.

Get in Touch with Pam:
Email: pam@reikifromthefarm.com

Pam's ICRT Classes: 

• https://www.reiki.org/users/pamela-allen-leblanc#classes

Book a Reiki, Animal Reiki, or Animal Communication session:

• https://squareup.com/appointments/book/7dvtqlfp939e8g/LPSC51C92BN20/services

A special thanks goes out to Music from Pixabay for the intro music and to Nate Miller for the meditation music. 

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pam@reikifromthefarm.com

Transcript

0:07

Hi and welcome to the Reiki from the Farm podcast brought to you by me, Pam Allen Leblanc from Hidden Brook Farm. I am a scientist, a businesswoman, and a licensed Reiki master teacher with the International Center for Reiki Training. Each week in this podcast you'll be entertained as you learn about a wide variety of relevant Reiki topics, helping you become a more knowledgeable and effective Reiki practitioner. We caution you though, this podcast may also dramatically improve your life, and we are so happy that you're here.

Pam: 0:55

on this week's podcast, I am speaking with John and Heidi Kowalczyk about a Reiki ministry and exploring the synergies around that. Welcome, guys.

Heidi: 1:08

Thank you very much. Thank you for

Pam: 1:09

having us. I met John and Heidi at a Kaurna Reiki class years ago now, and I've also been fortunate to participate in their wonderful Northeast Reiki retreat in Silver Bay, New York. If you haven't gone yet, You should sign, register, sign up. There will be a link in the podcast to do that. I presented at it last year and attended it. It's fantastic. John and Heidi, can you fill in the gaps a little bit about who you are and what you do?

John: 1:46

Oh, wow. Who are we? Who are we?

Heidi: 1:50

Heidi and John Kowalczyk, and we tell this every time we do a drum circle, so we could just rattle off that we are Reiki masters, we're sound therapists, we are certified drum circle facilitators, we are ministers with Alliance of Divine Love, which is a national ministry.

John: 2:11

Students of A Course in Miracles and yoga science students.

Heidi: 2:17

You've

Pam: 2:18

done so much and your website, I know we'll have a link to it, but you have created this wonderful ministry that combines all of these things, haven't you?

John: 2:28

Yes, the thread is energy. Everything is Energy. And whether it's sound, whether it is light, whether it is, Reiki vibration so the theme around our ministry is that we are everything is energy, and that we can influence that energy. And, in fact, we do. whether it's conscious or unconscious.

Pam: 2:59

That is so true. I love that. Before we get started, I just want to let people know what we have going up on coming up on the farm. And I'd like to check what you guys have going on. September 23rd to 27th are our whale classes. So we actually are teaching animal Reiki one and two and animal Reiki masters in Campobello. Sometimes the whales come right in front of the living room window. and join us in class when we can. We get a whale watching adventure as well, and I'm just still working out the details of the whale watching adventure. However my regular guy is having some issues with his boat, so hopefully we will have that sorted by then. My daughter and I also have some Reiki business courses coming up, a course to help you If money is an issue for you, a course to help you set and meet goals, and a course to help you with some basic business skills if you're just getting started out with your Reiki practice. And those are on Monday evenings in September. and October. So go ahead and join us for those if you'd like. I also have Kaurna Reiki coming up at the end of October in the evenings in North America, mornings in Australia, and October 16th to 22nd is Animal Reiki 1 and 2, Masters October And those are licensed classes with the ICRT, as well as a level one and two animal Reiki class on that weekend. So I hope you'll join us For those, in November we will be doing, bringing back our marketing course for business as well. We had a really great we were able to help 25 people or 24 people with their marketing last year. And so if marketing is something that eludes you, watch for that coming up in the future. John and Heidi, what do you have anything coming up you'd like to let us know

Heidi: 5:08

about? We have several ongoing things that we do on Zoom, actually, every week, and there's no charge for those. On Monday evenings, we have a Course in Miracles study group, and Tuesdays, we have a healing meditation, and Wednesday, in the daytime, for us anyway, depending on some people come from all over the world, so it's not daytime for them, but we have a world peace Circle. We have on Thursdays Reiki Circle. And those are all on Zoom and we can send the links out to folks.

Pam: 5:45

And they can register that, for that on your, any of those on your website, I think?

John: 5:50

They're on our website. They direct you to Eventbrite and it's a free registration. But the key is to message us or email us. For the links we want a live person to Connect

Pam: 6:05

with you. So we will have your email address as well in the podcast notes. So if anybody wants to reach out, that's a lot. You guys are working pretty well full time.

John: 6:15

That's our weekly. That's our weekly. Upcoming at the end of October, we, our first time, we have a Reiki Rest and Restore Weekend at Silver Bay. You mentioned the Northeast Reiki Retreat, which is... Now an annual event every May. But folks there said, oh, we have to wait a year before we see each other. we just put together a lower key weekend. There'll be some experiences, some meditations, some chanting and a few activities. Drumming, of course, but that's gonna be October 20. 27 to 29. 27, 28, 29 at Silver Bay. That's on the website. It's a.

Heidi: 6:58

Go ahead, John. Sorry.

John: 6:59

It's also an Eventbrite registration.

Heidi: 7:03

And then we're going to, we'll talk about Northeast Reiki Retreat, later.

Pam: 7:06

No, I was just going to ask that right now. I was going to say, while we were talking about that, it occurred to me that, because. Until October, you have an early bird special until the end of October for the Northeast Reiki Retreat, right?

Heidi: 7:20

Is it the end of this year? It's the end of September. Sorry, the end of September. Yes. Yeah.

John: 7:26

So when people are watching us, they've got a few days, like a week left to save 50. I think we'll have a

Heidi: 7:35

month.

Pam: 7:35

If it's the end of September, that's a month because we're

Heidi: 7:38

going live. Yeah.

John: 7:40

Yes. Okay. So a month to take advantage of that. So

Heidi: 7:43

Northeast Reiki Retreat is a really wonderful retreat on at Silver Bay on Lake George. And this will be the third retreat coming up in 2024. And it's May 3 to

John: 7:54

5, right? Yes. Yes. And just a real quick history, our first Reiki retreat ever was at Silver Bay, and it was an ICRT event the last time it was held at Silver Bay. There were one or two more times after that in the Northeast, but we kept saying to William and to the Bairds and others, Come back, please come back. And for a lot of good reasons haven't been able to. So then we said to William and others, we're going to do it. Are you okay with that? Are you okay? And they said, absolutely, go for it. And so that's how. The Northeast Reiki Retreat started. It was to fill what was just a wonderful experience with the International Center for Reiki Training retreat in, in,

Heidi: 8:46

on

Pam: 8:47

the East Coast. On Labor Day weekend, yeah, which I will be presenting there in Arizona, incidentally.

Heidi: 8:51

Yes.

John: 8:51

So we're spring. And Sedona's in a fall. It's a great place. It

Pam: 8:56

really is. I loved attending and I'm coming back next year to teach animal communication. Yes. At Ulysses, which is going to be exciting. And then to talk about animal Reiki, which yeah.

John: 9:08

So the retreat is Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and we have a number of speakers. William Lee Rand will be back, you're coming Carolyn Musial, several several licensed teachers will be there, and most of them offer pre retreat programs that you mentioned. So while the retreat itself is Friday, Saturday, Sunday you could come the priests, Previous Monday, for example, and have a Karuna class with William Lee Rand or a one and two level Reiki with Tracy Sullivan. There are several. They're all listed on our website with links to your... Platform for your classes. This you had taught

Pam: 9:51

I taught animal Reiki last year. One and two. Spoke about having a reiki business and the reiki business.

Heidi: 9:57

Yes.

John: 9:58

And now we are excited for your pre-retreat animal communication, so we're looking forward to that.

Pam: 10:04

I'm looking forward to it too. I think it, it will compliment the, especially the people that came and studied animal Reiki with me. It's a nice complimentary class. So yes,

Heidi: 10:15

definitely.

John: 10:16

You had asked us in thinking about this to share one example of someone's. Reaction to or experience at and one of the attendees both years now wrote something and shared it with us, and we had it on the website for a while. I thought Heidi would read

Pam: 10:39

it. Oh yeah, let's, because I'd love to see some of our listeners. I know you can't all get to Sedona if you're, if you can. Please join us there. There's still a bit of space even for in person and definitely for online for the Retreat Labor Day weekend. And it's phenomenal, but so is your retreat in New York. I would love to see people there next May, if they

Heidi: 11:01

can. Absolutely. This was Christine Nebuchad, who is a new Reiki practitioner. She was at in 2022. Now she's a little more experienced I'm sure, but she wrote us the most beautiful memories of the closing ceremony that we have. That was powerful. And it was so beautiful we posted it and I asked her if we could post it on our website and she was thrilled, so I thought we could share it today. Please. Eyes closed, arms out, palms up. On either side of me, a line of people. Their energy guides me forward. Healing sounds of crystal bowls and drums resonate through the air. Each step forward, the feeling of love builds. Hands are gently placed and I trust them to move me along the path. Words of affirmation whispered in my ear as I walk. You are enough. I see you. You have superpowers. Use them. The tears are falling down my face. Despite being in a room of people who were strangers to me two days ago. Strangers that are throwing more love to me in a five minute walk down this line of light than I've ever experienced in that same duration at any other time in my life. They say every word that my soul needs to hear. At the end, I am met with a hug from Heidi, one of our retreat leaders. After we embrace, I take my spot on the side and look down the row. Hands are up, smiles are on, tears of joy are flowing. This is Reiki.

Pam: 12:55

You can't even hear that without getting emotional, actually, because and having participated in it, it was a very emotional experience. I've actually never seen I've never seen that. type of thing. And yeah, there were just tears flowing all around. It was so much love. And I love that from people who were strangers two days ago. And this is Reiki.

Heidi: 13:22

Yeah, it's just for us. I think I'm speaking for both of us that, we're being guided to do this. This is not something that we aspired to our in our lives ever. It's just something that we're being told by source that this is something we should do. And What we want for everyone is to have the perfect experience for them. And so to have her send this to us, to know that she had the perfect experience for her. Is just wonderful. It's just, it keeps us going.

Pam: 14:00

I think that the rest of us, because I participated as much as I yes, I spoke at it, but I then the rest of the time I participated and I think we all had the perfect experiences for us and we just may not have taken the time to reach out and let you know in such an eloquent way, but, Yeah, it was really amazing. And I also used to organize events for the first four years of my career. And I got out of it as soon as I could, because it's so much

Heidi: 14:33

work.

Pam: 14:35

But I'm very aware of all that you put into organizing this and I'm grateful to you guys, you do a wonderful job. So yeah, anybody who's thinking about attending the retreat, the Silver Bay, right on that beautiful lake is magical I had an opportunity to get a little hike in up the mountains with William and Tracy Sullivan, and even though I fell, and got a little muddy.

Heidi: 15:08

Oh dear. It

Pam: 15:09

was, I still had one clean pair of pants at that point, so I was okay.

Heidi: 15:18

Oh, that's

Pam: 15:18

great. It's really a, it's a beautiful place. The food was wonderful, like every, and the, but the people that attend your retreat are just each and every one of them incredible. So yeah, I really appreciate

Heidi: 15:33

it. It's wonderful to be around other like minded people, other people who are Reiki people. It's, there's nothing like it. The other thing is that the staff at Silver Bay is also lovely. Yes. So everyone is great to work with. Say again? Oh, yes, they are. Yeah.

Pam: 15:53

Yeah. They're wonderful. There's little snacks when you go and check in and there's coffee in the mornings and I stayed in the older part of the hotel and it's just, you can feel the history. It's just, it's beautiful. The porch, looking at the lake in the morning, just, they have coffee at 6am and I'm an early bird so I'd get up for a walk and Sit with a cup of decaf looking at the lake and

John: 16:22

yeah, and on our website, northeastreikiretreat. org, we have pictures from 2022 and 2023. So you can go back and see who the presenters were. A lot of the pictures the group photographs from each one, I will share you, again, going back to experiences at this thing, my most amazing experience was early in the retreat, we asked everybody to wear The t shirts that we all get at the retreat and we do a group photo and so I'm asking everybody to get together and squeeze tight and then Heidi and I sit down front the picture's taken and I stand up and turn around and see these hundred people standing there and it just The energy hit me ama It was amazing. It was just amazing. And I got emotional

Heidi: 17:18

Yeah,

Pam: 17:19

I can see why. I just I know that you had just put out the videos from their retreat and there were couple presentations that were simultaneous that I had to miss, so I'm pretty anxious, excited to go and watch those. I haven't had a chance yet. But you had the photo of all of us with the t-shirts and That's a pretty impressive looking group, actually. So really wonderful. You guys, thank you for

Heidi: 17:46

doing it. Thank you.

John: 17:47

Thank you. And we look forward to seeing you and others there.

Heidi: 17:51

I

Pam: 17:51

only regret I didn't dare sign up for the. First, for your first retreat, because of COVID, we didn't know yet if I was going to be able to get across the border. Otherwise, I, and I didn't want to leave you in a lurch if I wasn't able to. And in the end, I would have been able to get there, but we didn't know until almost April. And it was just too late by then to, to join, but I'm happy that I'm part of it now.

Heidi: 18:16

I really love it. Sure. Yeah. Thank you.

Pam: 18:20

Guys, we're going to just do a quick invocation with our listeners today, asking them to bring their hands into Gassho and just activating your Reiki energy, feeling it flowing from the highest heavens and from the divine earth, from all of the natural world. To in front of your hands, through your hands and into your heart, the gift of love. Earlier, when John and Heidi and I grounded ourselves in the energy before talking to you, the word authentic truth showed up. And so today, however, it may happen for you, I hope that our words and our experiences and our conversation and. guidance can help you in some way to connect with your own authentic truth, whatever that may be. And so we open our hearts to that now, to being open to our truth, our purpose, our joy, our love, where Reiki is guiding us. And we say, please guide me and heal me Reiki, so that I may be of greater service to myself and to others. Aho Mitakuye Oyasin, Namaste. And Amen.

Heidi: 19:56

Thank you.

John: 19:57

Thank you.

Pam: 20:01

Guys... I just want to go back to the beginning and ask what drew you guys to your spiritual, to the spiritual path really, and how's the journey evolved over the

Heidi: 20:14

years for you?

John: 20:18

I would say that the first conscious understanding of my spiritual journey started Many years ago, almost 30 years ago when I hit a physical bottom, I got very sick, and I have not drank alcohol since that time after about a year, I realized that not only was it a physical problem, it was a spiritual problem as well, and so I began a journey of recovery. Through 12 step program. And Heidi also found help and support and spiritual development in 12 step work as well. So that was the beginning. Today I realize that right from the very beginning as children, we all are on a spiritual journey. We aren't aware of it, necessarily. Today I know that, but my first conscious understanding and realization of the need for nurturing my spiritual life was was that first bottom, bottoming out from from alcohol. From there, We developed a number of activities and where do you want to go next?

Heidi: 21:44

I guess I would say that that John's Bottom was our family bottom, mine and the whole family. And so it, the finding of help through Al Anon and counseling, and which I recommend, I don't know how people live without. Getting to counseling. And lots of self help books. Let me tell you I've read so many self help books and take what I want from each one. And then found also that this is a spiritual, this is a spiritual recovery that not only physical, but Mental, emotional, and spiritual for me, for John, for the whole family. And one of

John: 22:29

the key steps in that early process is to surrender, to let go, to accept guidance. And more and more in our journey we realized that what we needed would just come to us. It's within a year of that first process, a fellow said, Handed me this book, this thick called a Course in Miracles and said, you might be ready to start reading this. And I said, okay, Yeah. And started reading it and sharing passages with Heidi. And she got a copy of the book and all of a sudden we're reading and developing a broader. Of spiritual development through A Course in Miracles.

Heidi: 23:16

My biggest question was, where is, I've heard of God all my whole life, but what is God? Where is God? And it took reading in. I don't know if you've heard of the book, The Road Less Traveled, by M. Scott Peck, but it's, that's a wonderful book and, who would think I'd find God in some book somewhere, but I was searching, so I read what I needed to read to find, Oh, God's in here. God is in here. Oh, that's where God is. So That was so life changing. I had one of those beautiful white light experiences where I knew without a question where God was, so it really helped me to move forward. And when John brought passages to A Course in Miracles, I thought that book was written for us. Is that book written for me? Yeah, that book was written for me. I could, every sentence made, every word made sense to me. It's a, it's a complicated, it's written in a complicated way sometimes but. It spoke to me, and even if I didn't get it intellectually, and still that's true today, if I didn't get it intellectually, I know it's helping me in here. And then

John: 24:36

I would say the next step or jump was Reiki.

Pam: 24:42

Yeah. From A Course in Miracles came Rei, and I just will mention about A Course in Miracles. I found the same thing. I have read through A Course in Miracles and taken my time with it, and some things I'd be like I think I get it, but I don't know. But I loved Alan Cohen wrote A Course in Miracles Made Easy or something like that.

Heidi: 25:01

Oh, yeah.

Pam: 25:02

And that, that book helped me sort through a few of my

Heidi: 25:07

questions. Yeah. I think for me, a discernment, so I discerned the right, what's the right reading for me. And trusting that is for me. And that's how it came with A Course in Miracles. I didn't argue with it. I just. No, okay. I trusted that this is truth for me.

Pam: 25:25

More surrender in a way. Yeah, you're describing

Heidi: 25:29

it Heidi. Yeah. Yeah. And so John said Wanted us to share our Reiki story and this is how everything has come to us. It's there's never been This long term plan. It's whatever God's long term plan is for us comes to us And we say, okay, and that's how Reiki came. We were going to we had moved to Long Island from Binghamton, New York, and we raised our children for 28 years in Binghamton, where a lot of this started, but then we were guided to move to Long Island, where Everything flowed towards us and Reiki was one of those things. And so we went to a Unity Church. There was a fundraiser, one of those silent auctions. And I won the bid on a Reiki session that was being given by someone in my church. Nice. I didn't really know what Reiki was, but I had some vague idea that you lie on a massage table and they do something. I went to the session with her and it was such a profound experience. I did not feel any separation between the person giving me Reiki and myself. There was this most beautiful, warm, energy in the room and the top of my head opened up so wide that I was just so connected to her and everything. And so when I got home, I said to John, instead of saying, wow, I can't wait to have another session. I said, I can't wait to learn how to do, to be a Reiki practitioner. And I don't know why, but that's what I did, was look for a teacher now, right? So we were going to a Course in Miracles study group filled with Reiki masters. I didn't know at the time, but when we got there and I said, Wow, I had this great Reiki session. Four or five of them said, Oh, I'm a Reiki master. None of them were teachers at the time, but one of them knew someone who was in my neighborhood who lived five minutes from our house. Who was willing to teach us or to teach me. And so I called her and she said Heidi, I would love to teach you. I'm in semi retirement. I haven't gotten a class together, but if you could get to, if you could get one more person I would teach you. So I said, John, would you like to take a Reiki class with

John: 28:08

me? And again, source just, the word came out of my mouth. Sure, I'll do it. What's Reiki? I've already agreed to take a class and I have no idea what it is. Here we go. We're off to old school Reiki master take one and take one, level one, practice for a year, then take two, practice, not only practice for a year, but hold Reiki shares, hold Reiki circles, invite our Reiki master to those to see how we're doing, what turned into two years before we took master. And in each time we had, we were, had the luxury of two Reiki masters. She had a good friend who taught with her. So two students, two masters. They're the ones that said, and, oh, we're going to the Adirondacks to a Reiki retreat. You're coming with us. And it was Silver Bay. In

Heidi: 29:08

2014, when Holy Fire had come out. Yeah. We got to experience holy fire at a Reiki share and that was another profound experience. It was Beyond what I could ever expect it to be. So then, we have to take Rei, we're already masters, but we have to take Holy Fire. So then we searched for a class. That's where we met him. That's where we met. Yeah, it was in Glen Falls, it was so close, and there you were. And Annie, who I had ADL students, was also in the class. That's where

Pam: 29:49

I met Annie before.

Heidi: 29:51

I'm so glad you put that

Pam: 29:53

together for me because I thought, you're so familiar and

Heidi: 29:56

I couldn't figure it out.

John: 29:57

That's why. She was in our Karuna class.

Heidi: 30:00

Now I

Pam: 30:01

understand, okay, why she seemed so familiar to me and I never put that together. That was a fantastic class. It

Heidi: 30:08

was, yeah.

John: 30:09

All the other things we do and we have stories for each of them, but we don't have time. We were introduced to sound therapy with tuning forks.

Heidi: 30:19

Yes, we had those at the class.

John: 30:21

We took training and now incorporate sound therapy with Reiki when we do sessions. That same Course in Miracles study group we were talking about Being ministers and the advantage in New York, it's not so much an issue, but in many states you really need to either have a license like a massage therapist, physical therapist, or be an ordained minister. To lay hands, and so we thought it'd probably be a good idea, and we went online and click. Congratulations, you're a minister.

Heidi: 30:59

Universal Life Church. I am.

John: 31:02

Yeah, which is fine. But then I felt maybe I want to develop that a little further. Go back to this Course in Miracles study group. Sure enough, the person leading it, leading the group is an Alliance of Divine Love ordained minister. When I asked her, and she said, books are right on the table. Take them and look at them. It was 36 lessons of very interesting stuff. I called and I got a mentor and I, Started the program and into about two or three lessons, and I'm sharing with Heidi how cool these lessons are. She calls and gets a mentor and now she's in, in the program as well. So that's,

Heidi: 31:46

what's that? You're both you're both ministers. Yes,

John: 31:49

we're both ordained ministers, both through Universal Life Church and the Alliance of Divine Love, which is about an 18 month program with a mentor and we're mentors, although that's not a primary activity at the moment, but we have, Ordained a handful of ministers. So drumming the same thing, we, we go to a program that has nothing to do with drumming. We see some drums in a closet, ask a Franciscan brother what they're for. And he says we used to have drum circles here, so you should lead

Heidi: 32:26

them. And we said okay. The Franciscan

Pam: 32:29

monk said that they used to have drum circles

Heidi: 32:33

there. And they

John: 32:33

didn't anymore, so they had all these drums. We never met the man before he never met us before I asked him What are those things for and he said for drum circles? We don't have them anymore But you should come and lead them and we said

Heidi: 32:50

yes and we'd been to one drum circle in our life and loved it so we were hoping that they had drum circles there, which they did but Not anymore.

John: 32:59

Not anymore. So here we are leading drum circles, googling, how to do this. Sure enough, our Reiki master said, who loves drumming, says there's a one day training. Do you want to go? Of course, we go get trained for one day. The same instructor does a four day training. We go to that. We continue to annually go to his programs and learn more and more about drumming and leading drum circles.

Heidi: 33:27

And energy and vibration and the healing properties of it and how it heals us. Yeah.

John: 33:32

Again, ripple effect. Ripple effect. Spiritual therapist. The vibration of,

Heidi: 33:38

is the

Pam: 33:38

name, ripple Effect is the name of your

Heidi: 33:40

organization? Yes.

John: 33:41

When you are ordained through or Alliance of Di Divine Love, you're given a chapel. It's your designation. My chapel is 2000. Your chapel is 2024. 2024. And your. You have the opportunity to name it if you choose and so I, with a great deal of conversation and reflection, we chose ripple effect spiritual therapies because, the physical manifestation of dropping a pedal into the pond. We see the waves rippling out. That's true spiritually with every thought, every word, every deed each of us does ripples out into the entire universe. Now some may sense it, others may not, but It's out there. And so we realized that our ministry would be one where we put Reiki out there, we put sound therapy out there, drumming, A Course in Miracles, all the things we do are ripples that we send out Into the universe and pe-people that identify with those and sense that and are drawn to it become part of our community, our network of people who are seeking what we all are seeking consciously or unconsciously. And that is a greater connection and really a return to our eternal essence as spiritual beings. So that's where ripple effect spiritual therapy came from.

Heidi: 35:21

I love it because the other,

Pam: 35:23

it's what created, like it was a ripple effect that created your journey and now it's rippling out for each other. It's

John: 35:33

beautiful. And I would say the last thing we'll mention is yoga science. We move back upstate to where we are now, and 10 minutes down the road is the American Meditation Institute people who were trained by Swami Rama. directly. And they've run for 30 years, this Institute of Teaching Meditation. So we go, we get connected, and still to this day, we participate in the study of yoga, science and the meditation there. Again. Energy healing. And we incorporate that in, in everything that we do as well. So that's, I'm sure there are other things, but those are the highlights of

Heidi: 36:21

our spiritual journey. I just wanted to mention one more. We do, I think. We know that we are guided to lead these retreats and women's grounding retreats is also another type of retreat that I lead and John helps out with, and he's the person behind the scenes and parking

John: 36:41

cars and cleaning up and setting up and

Heidi: 36:46

so we have, they're small retreats right now with about 12 women and we usually get together, About twice a year now and have a one day retreat and John keeps encouraging me to expand to greater numbers. We have a home retreat center that we love because it's All of our six grandkids and their parents and friends can come and visit and have fun. And we also have it as a retreat center, so we have our women's retreats here. But he wants us to expand to a larger venue and have maybe a weekend retreat. We haven't done that yet, but maybe it's

John: 37:27

coming. And we don't have a date yet. Scheduled for the next one. That's true. But as soon as it is, it'll be on the website.

Pam: 37:34

There you go. And you have a newsletter, a regular newsletter that comes out. Guys I receive it so

Heidi: 37:39

people can also We do an email.

John: 37:41

Yeah. We have emails coming out to our if folks let us know, we put them on our email list and they. Stay informed through that. Absolutely.

Heidi: 37:51

That's so

Pam: 37:51

beautiful. And yeah, you're so busy. I don't know how you fit it all in.

Heidi: 38:00

We can't figure out how we ever worked. We're both. I don't know how we worked because we are seriously doing our ministry. Yeah. Many hours

John: 38:13

during the week. Looking back a 50 hour a week. Professional job was a life of leisure compared to...

Heidi: 38:20

Six grandkids in the area is also time consuming. Because we love to be with them and have them out here or go places with them. So that takes up a lot of time, too. That

Pam: 38:33

is wonderful. That's beautiful. I love it. Tell me something, guys. I know you were guided to go down the path of ministry. What advantages does being a minister give to a Reiki practitioner?

Heidi: 38:48

You talked about being able to touch that's a pretty

Pam: 38:51

significant one. You know if in your state that is an issue it's not in every state like you said, but right But what else have you noticed?

Heidi: 39:01

I think

John: 39:05

Reiki training, Level 1, 2, Master, are wonderful trainings, information, techniques, experience and end. It is a spiritual experience, but it is not unless one consciously makes an effort to focus on that, that energetic spiritual connection. We call in energy, we ask to be a conduit and for that energy to help others, but the ministry or the spiritual journey of a ministerial program, I think enhances and further develops forms in my consciousness a closer contact or connection to spirit, to spiritual development. So that was for me, and I think Heidi would agree going through that process of studying and training and working lessons toward a ministerial ordination way deepens that, that conscious contact of spiritual connection that in, that enhances amplifies the Reiki

Pam: 40:26

and everything else. Yeah. So it was really something that you did more. for yourself personally rather than for others.

Heidi: 40:32

Absolutely. And I, for me, it was definitely more of the, I gave myself permission to take the time to do a deeper dive. spiritually. Yeah. And so that, of course, partnering with Reiki and the other things that we do is just, I feel like it's all comes together as a wonderful spiritual life for me. It gives me a fuller experience. And synergy,

Pam: 41:05

wouldn't you say? Like it creates this synergy.

Heidi: 41:08

Yeah,

John: 41:08

absolutely. And for the legal, if that's an issue, the Universal Life Church click, congratulations, you're a minister, is fine. It's appropriate. It's legal. It's accepted. But it didn't offer a more in depth look into spiritual development. No,

Heidi: 41:28

it

John: 41:29

was just for practice. One of programs. Alliance of Divine Love is one of hundreds, if not thousands of programs or, courses or approaches to spiritual development. We found that it worked well for us and fit our beliefs and and so we're very pleased to have follow that path, but get

Pam: 41:56

aligned with

Heidi: 41:57

Reiki too definitely. There's

John: 42:02

basically one major tenet and that is that we all should practice the greatest degree of love. Whatever that is in any given situation, for all involved, find the greatest degree of love. I love that. That's it.

Pam: 42:20

I love that. How do you guys find that you blend sound healing with Reiki in your private sessions?

Heidi: 42:30

We, John showed you one of the tuning forks, so we start each session with with this grounding fork, and we should have brought the, oh you did bring, you give me the Puk Wahak, we

John: 42:47

have a Wahaki Puk. You don't use a Puk with that. Oh I do. You do? Yeah. I don't know

Heidi: 42:53

if we can you hear that? Yes I can. So you might recognize this. Because your doctor might have used this on your knee or your ankle. Really? Yes, and my doctor, I've had several doctors that have used it. And it's just to help them assess your health. Transmission

John: 43:17

of energy through bones and nerves. Wow.

Heidi: 43:22

And so we start each session with that. And that is called the grounding fork because it does center you and balance you. And then

Pam: 43:30

it was used in doctor's offices. That's really neat.

Heidi: 43:33

Yeah. And then we have a collection of tuning forks. Each one is tuned to our energy, the frequency and the chakras. And so that helps us when we want to. We want to balance our client's chakras, and those are called energy tuners, and then the grounding fork along with some other forks that also there's one for each

John: 44:04

chakra. I didn't bring them all out, but we have the same colors. The weight allows that vibration, again, energy. Vibration to transmit, to travel through the body. We would actually, once we strike this, touch you with these and send that vibration throughout the body.

Pam: 44:25

That would really help bring up break up energetic blockages.

Heidi: 44:29

Exactly.

John: 44:29

Absolutely. Exactly. And to set each one of these is a very specific frequency tuned to the ideal frequency of each of those chakras. And so if a given, very often if you test with a pendulum or any other device or just scanning. If we detect density or blockage, these tuning forks are like a jackhammer blasting, blasting with an appropriate frequency to bring that chakra up to The

Heidi: 45:11

balance. The balance should be appropriate. I love it, and I noticed

Pam: 45:14

that they were color coded, for each chakra, that's brilliant. For those listening you wouldn't have seen them, but they actually had a different color fork for each chakra. That's brilliant.

Heidi: 45:24

And so that's so funny, because somebody like me, I need the color to know which chakra it is. But if you're really attuned, like our grandson, Charlie, He, when John gives him a session, he will know, Oh, Pop, that's for the root chakra. He

John: 45:41

knows each tone. He knows each tone and knows the association to which chakra. Yeah.

Heidi: 45:49

My daughter learns

Pam: 45:49

Reiki at nine years old and we talk about the clairs and how some people see energy, some people feel it, some people taste it, smell it, hear it. She said, Mom, can we do all of those? And I said clearly you can. Because I can see it, I can feel it, I can taste it, I can hear it, I can... Kids are just incredible with energy, are they not?

Heidi: 46:10

They

John: 46:10

are. So a session for us today has evolved. Now, through Reiki training, we learn all the hand placements, and we learn, a procedure, and then we're told... Use your inner guidance, and the same is true with these tuning forks or any other sound therapy modality. We're trained in very specific techniques and processes and steps to do a sound therapy. And then we throw that all out the window and, we have a client and we know we're going to start with some sound. We're going to then go to Reiki and then go back to sound. Bye. We're guided to spend more or less time or which tuning forks and so every session is different than, but it does include both body tuners, energy tuners and Reiki.

Pam: 47:03

I love it. Thank you. Just as you've been going through this spiritual journey and guiding others, How does that help you learn about yourself, and is there anything you'd like to share that you learned about yourselves in this process? Because I find that all the time, every session, every student teaches me something.

Heidi: 47:25

Wow, that's a great question. I would say, for me, it helps, I can't give to others what I don't have for myself. I need to, it's always a reminder. That I need to go within, and that I need to find the answers for myself. And when we're doing a Reiki session, or we're talking to someone, doing some spiritual counseling or we're planning our retreats, we go within and find the answers in there, and then we express it in our life. And that's that

John: 48:03

ripple effect. Trusting, yeah, trusting inner guidance. For our, my professional career I just felt that my knowledge, my mental ability, my energy and my persistence was what, I needed to be on my game to get things done and today I realized that if I just become still and become open, I will be guided. I will be given the resources I need and the direction to

Heidi: 48:39

go. I used to feel badly because, when you're a young person, you want to make plans. In my career, I would, as a Head Start director, I would I used to do strategic planning with my staff, right? So that we had to look to the future and make plans based on what you know today and those kinds of things. And I used to feel badly as a young person Also that other people would have these grandiose plans for their life. They knew exactly where they were going to go. And I didn't really have that. And so I feel, I felt jealous. And now I feel like this is the best thing that's ever happened to me, is that I have that realization that I can accept inner guidance and just follow that inner guidance and do the next right thing. And it's such a gift. And

John: 49:32

a far more amazing... plan that I could have ever devised for myself.

Heidi: 49:38

Absolutely, our life is beyond our wildest dreams. And it's because we didn't plan it.

Pam: 49:45

No, and William Rand says that, both of our teacher and how we met through William, he says that if he had known where his life was going, he would have stopped it in its tracks because he never would have believed. that it could get as far as it has. Like with the ICRT being the largest Reiki organization in the world being a published author, traveling and teaching all over the world. He was very shy. And so I love what he said about just surrendering to that guidance. Because, and that's what we started with today, Please guide me and heal me so that I may be of greater service to myself and to others. That's a prayer William says every day. And he says Reiki doesn't necessarily show you where you're going. It just shows you the next step. step. And I think personally, a lot of the reason for that is I think a lot of us would say, I can't write a book. I can't start a podcast. I can't become a licensed teacher. Like I so many of the things that just like you, that Reiki has guided me to, I would have said, that's not possible for me, I'm not worthy of that. And when instead you just follow your guidance each day, the next thing you know, You have written a book, you have started a podcast, you've become a minister, and a sound healer, and a Reiki master, and you're running a Events. And yeah I'm with you on that. As the journey keeps unfolding, I'm constantly astounded. How amazing.

Heidi: 51:29

When we can just get our egos out of the way. Yes. Yeah. Amazing things happen.

Pam: 51:36

That is a prayer I say every day. Please ask my, I'd to ask my ego and

Heidi: 51:40

personality to step aside so that the power of Reiki can flow through

Pam: 51:44

and guide this.

Heidi: 51:49

What do you see going

Pam: 51:50

forward for Ripple Effects? And after you share that, guys, I wonder if you would share a meditation journey with us,

Heidi: 51:59

for

John: 51:59

the future. I don't know if there's anything new or different coming more will be revealed and when that guidance comes we'll just say yes and then wonder how that came about. Certainly, the things we're doing now, the Women's Grounding Retreats, the Reiki Rest and Restore, the Northeast Reiki Retreat, we will continue to offer those. People are Thank you. are being very positive and coming back and that's reinforcement and validation that we're on the right path. A course in miracles would say if it's true, if it's real, if it's appropriate there's no fear and we feel joy. And so we just follow joy.

Pam: 52:56

It's hard to imagine because, we're often taught you have to work hard to succeed and things like that. And so I found it's been a bit of a reprogramming. It's no, joy is what shows me when I'm on the right path. My spiritual path, when I feel joy about something. Then I know that I'm doing what I'm here on the earth to do and

Heidi: 53:18

it

John: 53:18

may take 10 hours a day, six, seven days a week. It may, it, we may put a lot of energy and effort and time into it, but at the end of the day it, it was a great day. It's no regrets and

Heidi: 53:33

we love what we're doing.

John: 53:35

So we're just, our plan is to do more, continue to do what we've been doing do more of it and open this up so that if there are others who find out about what we do and want to become involved and participate it's an open invitation. And all the

Heidi: 53:56

right people just keep. Stepping forward. We have we've asked, I think in the beginning we asked, we had to ask people if they would present at our retreat because There wasn't a retreat before that. But since then, either the right people are coming back and, I would say both, and the right people are coming back, and the right people are coming forward asking if they can present. Absolutely. So we do have new faces next year, and new topics for the people who are returning, and it's all the right thing. I think it's everything that's, Whoever attends the retreat are all the right people to attend, and they're going to experience what they need to experience.

John: 54:41

And that's ministry wide, whether it's the person who does our website, just came to us from another connection, or the fellow now who does the recordings at Northeast Reiki Retreat. A filmmaker. It's just an amazing... How lucky was that? So we're, we, it's just all falls in place. The universe sends us the people the, what we need to do this. And so we know we're on the right path. Because yes, it's time consuming and it's a lot of work and effort, but that's okay because it's validated every time. Pam Allen LeBlanc becomes part of the team. It's true.

Pam: 55:30

I'm so glad I met you guys in William's class back in

Heidi: 55:33

2015. So are we. So are we. It's amazing.

Pam: 55:39

It was amazing. Guys, the experience we're going to lead the listeners in today, or that you're going to lead the listeners in, this is typical of what you would do in your Reiki circle. Is that

Heidi: 55:51

correct? Yes, we have a half hour Reiki circle on Thursday evenings, and it's a half an hour, typically, we're not going to do a half an hour right now. We'll do shorter this week. But we will bring you through each one of the pieces of the half hour session. Reiki Circle. Just... The Reiki circle, just in a shorter period of time, and so we start with, we won't do this today, but we introduce everyone, the session, and then we. We have a smudging or clearing of our energy, we have a opening prayer, and then we invite everyone to give themselves self Reiki, self love, and then we move on to distance Reiki with others here in the Reiki circle, it'll be the three of us, and whoever's watching, we'll have a fourth person in there. And then we do I give everyone an opportunity to send Reiki to loved ones and we would, we put names out in

John: 57:00

the circle. And so maybe what the three of us will do is each just put one or two names in just to show that. We'll just invite the

Heidi: 57:08

people, we'll give

Pam: 57:09

a little moment of silence and you can just intend. And what happens is no matter when you listen to this. Because of the holy fire, because of the distance symbol, you will receive the healing, but also the distance symbol will make sure that your loved one receives the healing as well. So just send some names to Gwyn. We'll just be silent for a moment.

Heidi: 57:30

Okay, that sounds great. And then we send Reiki to Ukraine, and other places in the world that are experiencing chaos, and then we send out to the, every cell in the whole universe, and then we have a closing prayer. Wonderful.

John: 57:53

Shall we do it? Absolutely. I'm looking forward to it. So let's get calm and centered in, in our space, and prepare to go inward. Hear the sound of the bell. It calls us to inner attention. Attention is love. We bring yesterday and tomorrow into today. We bring today into now. Now at this auspicious moment, we celebrate the present, the gift of being one with each other. ourselves, higher selves with the divine. We begin this Reiki circle by clearing our energy or smudging. We simply suggest that you review your thoughts, your feelings, your emotions, your memories, your physical aches and pains, anything that no longer serves you. Simply sweep it up and blow it away. And if you need a little second sweep to pick up anything you might have missed, just do that energetically, and again, blow it away.

Heidi: 59:12

And I invite you to take a breath with me in through your nose. Exhale with a sigh. Divine love. All that is. Eternal Spirit, 100% pure light. We thank you for allowing us to be channels of pure, holy, healing, Reiki energy, love and light. Give us the protection we need. We call on all of our most holy angels and guides to assist us, support us, comfort us, heal us, and help us to heal others. And so it is. Amen, and

John: 59:57

Amen. The Reiki ideals. The secret art of inviting happiness. The miraculous medicine of all diseases. Just for today, do not anger. Do not worry, and be filled with gratitude. Devote yourself to your work. Be kind to people. Every morning and evening, join your hands in prayer. Pray these words to your heart and chant these words with your mouth. The Zui Reiki Treatment for the Improvement of Body and Mind. The founder is Zui Uke.

Heidi: 1:00:38

And now I invite you to join me in giving yourself self Reiki, self love. for the next few minutes.

John: 1:01:32

And let's take a deep breath in together and exhale with a sigh. And now we're going to give and receive distance Reiki to each other, just for a few moments. So we're now going to send to Pam.

Heidi: 1:01:49

Thank you.

John: 1:02:10

And now Heidi.

Heidi: 1:02:32

And to John.

John: 1:02:51

And now we'll spend a few moments sending to each person watching or listening to this podcast. And let's take a deep breath in and exhale with a sigh. And now we're going to put names into this Reiki circle. We will, the three of us, put a name or two in and then give you a few moments to speak your names as you're watching or listening to this and Reiki will flow to all those we name.

Pam: 1:03:50

So I'll place my horses and my family.

John: 1:04:02

To our family members, Dana. JB, Julia, Alice, Caitlin, Dan, Logan, Charlie, Gabe, and Alex.

Heidi: 1:04:14

To all those affected by the fires all over the world, but at this point and this time, those in Maui especially.

John: 1:04:32

And in these next few minutes, to anyone and everyone. You name. And let's take a deep breath in and exhale with a sigh. And now we'd like to spend just a few moments sending love, light, healing, Reiki energy to Ukraine. And now we would expand our. intention to all areas of the world in chaos, whether that be human conflict or natural disaster.

Heidi: 1:06:03

Now I invite you to look beyond the areas of chaos to the whole planet, every human being, every animal, every plant, all the waters on the planet, the earth, the air, the fires. May we see every single cell in the planet and the universe filled with love and light, health and wholeness, peace and joy. I invite you to join me in sending Reiki, sending love to every single cell in the universe. And let's take a breath together in through our nose. Exhale with a sigh. Divine love. We thank you. We are so grateful for this time together to be of service to every cell. May we continue to see every cell filled with love and light so we can walk out into the world and share that light with everyone we meet. And so it is. Amen and Amen. When you're ready, you can open your eyes and come on back.

John: 1:08:06

So that is a little abbreviated version of what we do every Thursday.

Pam: 1:08:13

Guys, thank you so much for joining us in the podcast. Thank you for the Northeast Reiki Retreat and all of your other retreats and all that you're doing in the world. We appreciate you and I just want to say a big thank you to the listeners. We're so grateful. to have you with us each week and for the light and love that you're spreading in the world. Namaste.

Heidi: 1:08:40

Namaste. It's our pleasure to be here with you. Thank you.