I see you and you are not alone in this 💛

A note to those that find the festive season the most triggering time of the year…

I see you and you are not alone in this.

I wish I could say that I love this time of year, but I don't. It is without a doubt the most challenging time of year for me. While I rarely share the upsetting details of why it is so hard for me, I will share that I know that I am not alone in this festive struggle.

Over the past couple of months I have had countless conversations with other people that are struggling at this time of year. Each person has a story of personal hardship to share with me.

My intention is to be a voice for all those that are in pain during the festive season in the hope that I can shine a little bit of light into the darkness.

So if you find this time of year tough, if it triggers you, if it brings up pain, I hope that you know that you are not alone in this.

I hope you will take time to take care of yourself, I hope you will set boundaries that make you feel safe, and I hope you will remember your strength, resilience and your power.

Sending you so much love,
Sarah Xx

History of Usui Reiki ~ by Dr Jacques Tamin

HISTORY OF REIKI – MIKAO USUI AND A TEMPLE ON MOUNT KURAMA  

THE REIKI METHOD OF HEALING WAS FOUNDED ON THE REVELATION AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE BODY’S ENERGY SYSTEM AND UNIVERSAL ENERGY. REIKI PRACTITIONERS STRIVE TO IMPROVE HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE BY CHANNELLING REIKI ENERGY AND RESTORING BALANCE. REIKI IS USED IN SELF-CARE, FOR CARE OF ONE’S FAMILY, AND IS OFFERED IN PRIVATE PRACTICE, IN HOSPITALS AND MEDICAL SETTINGS AS AN ADJUNCT AND SUPPORTIVE THERAPY TO WELLNESS AND TRADITIONAL MEDICAL CARE. THE FORM OF REIKI THAT MANY PEOPLE PRACTISE TODAY, USUI REIKI, HAS BEEN IN USE FOR JUST OVER ONE HUNDRED YEARS.

THE FOUNDER OF REIKI

THE HISTORY OF USUI REIKI BEGINS WITH ITS FOUNDER, MIKAO USUI (1865-1926). HE WOULD BE ADDRESSED AS “USUI SENSEI” IN JAPAN AS A MARK OF RESPECT (SENSEI IS JAPANESE FOR TEACHER BUT IS ALSO AN HONORIFIC TERM FOR DOCTOR OR PROFESSOR). USUI SENSEI CAME FROM A LONG LINE OF SAMURAI WARRIORS AND WAS A COUSIN OF THE EMPEROR OF JAPAN. HIS PARENTS WERE FAIRLY WELL OFF AND SENT HIM TO STUDY IN A BUDDHIST MONASTERY WHICH HE ATTENDED FROM THE AGE OF 4. HE WAS A DILIGENT AND CAPABLE STUDENT. INDEED, HIS LOVE OF LEARNING CONTINUED THROUGHOUT HIS LFE INTO HIS FINAL YEARS.  

JAPAN WENT THROUGH A TUMULTUOUS PERIOD FROM THE LATE 1860’S, LARGELY DUE TO WESTERN (ESPECIALLY BRITISH) INFLUENCE. SHINTO (OR RATHER, A WESTERNISED VERSION OF THE ORIGINAL JAPANESE PRACTICE) BECAME THE OFFICIAL RELIGION IN JAPAN. IN DUE COURSE, BUDDHIST SCHOOLS AND MONASTERIES WERE CLOSED, SO USUI SENSEI DID NOT BECOME A BUDDHIST MONK. INSTEAD, HE EMBRACED SHINTOISM AND WESTERN CULTURE DURING HIS EARLY ADULT LIFE. HE WAS MARRIED AND HAD TWO CHILDREN.

HE HAD MANY DIVERSE JOBS, RANGING FROM BEING A BUSINESSMAN, PUBLIC SERVANT AND JOURNALIST. HE WAS WELL TRAVELLED, SPENDING TIME IN CHINA, EUROPE AND THE USA.

SPIRITUAL AWAKENING AND DEVELOPMENT OF REIKI

USUI SENSEI BECAME DISILLUSIONED WITH WESTERN VALUES WITH ITS EMPHASIS ON MATERIAL SUCCESS. HE RETURNED TO HIS BUDDHIST ROOTS IN HIS FORTIES AND STUDIED MORE ADVANCED PRACTICES. AS PART OF HIS TRYING TO FIND A DEEPER MEANING TO HIS LIFE, HE UNDERTOOK A 21 DAY MEDITATION AND FAST ON MOUNT KURAMA IN 1921, WHEN HE WAS 56.

MOUNT KURAMA (584 M) IS NEAR KYOTO AND HAS BEEN A SACRED MOUNTAIN FOR THE JAPANESE FOR A LONG TIME. ITS FIRST BUDDHIST TEMPLE WAS BUILT IN 770 AD. MANY TEMPLES, BOTH BUDDHIST AND SHINTOIST, WERE SUBSEQUENTLY BUILT THERE. MOUNT KURAMA HAD SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE FOR USUI SENSEI AS HIS ANCESTORS HAD WORSHIPPED THERE FOR CENTURIES. USUI SENSEI WAS SEEKING GUIDANCE, SO THIS WAS A PARTICULARLY APT SITE FOR HIM TO PRAY AND MEDITATE. ON THE MORNING OF THE TWENTY-FIRST DAY, HE EXPERIENCED A “SPIRITUAL AWAKENING”. HE SAW A BRIGHT LIGHT AND SYMBOLS (SANSKRIT AND CHINESE). HE DESCRIBES HOW HE HAD ACCIDENTALLY RECEIVED A GIFT OF HEALING FROM “THE INTUITIVE INTELLIGENCE OF THE UNIVERSE”. USUI REIKI WAS BORN.

HE TAUGHT REIKI TO 9 INDIVIDUALS (INCLUDING BUDDHIST NUNS) IN 1921. HE FOUNDED HIS FIRST REIKI CLINIC AND SCHOOL IN TOKYO IN MARCH 1922.  

HE WAS HUMBLE, THOUGHTFUL AND GENEROUS. ALTHOUGH HE ENCOURAGED SELF-CARE, HE WAS NOT NECESSARILY GOOD AT PRACTISING WHAT HE PREACHED IN THIS REGARD. FOR EXAMPLE, AFTER AN EARTHQUAKE, THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF CASUALTIES AND HE WENT FROM ONE TO THE NEXT, CHANELLING REIKI. HIS STUDENTS WERE WORRIED FOR HIS HEALTH AND URGED HIM TO TAKE SOME REST. HOWEVER, HE REPLIED THAT HE COULD NOT REST WHILE THERE WERE STILL PEOPLE SUFFERING AND IN NEED OF HELP. USUI SENSEI STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF TREATING THE PSYCHE, AS HE BELIEVED THAT THE PHYSICAL BODY WOULD NATURALLY HEAL WHEN IN A MORE RELAXED STATE.  

BEFORE HIS DEATH IN 1926, HE HAD TAUGHT 19 REIKI PRACTITIONERS TO MASTER LEVEL. HE DIED SUDDENLY AT THE AGE OF 61, PROBABLY OF A STROKE.  

FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF REIKI

DR. CHUJIRO HAYASHI (1879-1940), WAS ONE OF THE 19 REIKI MASTERS THAT USUI SENSEI TAUGHT (IN 1925). HE WAS A RETIRED NAVAL MEDICAL OFFICER WHO WAS QUALIFIED IN SURGERY, CHINESE MEDICINE AND ACUPUNCTURE.  

DR. HAYASHI’S MEDICAL BACKGROUND LED HIM TO DEVELOP A MORE SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO PRACTISING AND TEACHING REIKI, INCLUDING DEFINED HAND POSITIONS OVER THE BODY, WHEREAS USUI SENSEI HAD A LESS FORMAL AND MORE INTUITIVE APPROACH. DR. HAYASHI ALSO INTRODUCED THE PRACTICE OF USING TWO HEALERS SIMULTANEOUSLY, WITH THE PATIENT/CLIENT LYING DOWN. USUI WOULD HAVE A SINGLE PRACTITIONER PER PATIENT, WITH THE PATIENT SEATED.

DR. HAYASHI WROTE VOLUMES OF DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS INCLUDING THE HAND POSITIONS. ONE DAY, USUI SENSEI ASKED HIM WHAT HE WOULD DO IF HE LOST HIS BOOKS AND NOTES. DR. HAYASHI REPLIED THAT HE WOULD REMEMBER SOME OF THE CONTENT AND THAT HE HAD HIS EXPERIENCE TO FALL BACK ON. USUI SENSEI APPROVED HIS RESPONSE, TELLING HIM: “YES, YOUR EXPERIENCE IS VERY IMPORTANT”. HE ADDED “AND LET THE REIKI TEACH YOU”. BY THIS, USUI SENSEI MEANT THAT WE SHOULD LISTEN TO OUR INTUITION, AND THE “INTUITIVE INTELLIGENCE OF THE UNIVERSE” WOULD HELP US TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OUR REIKI PRACTICE. DR. HAYASHI TRAINED THIRTEEN REIKI MASTERS, INCLUDING A WOMAN NAMED HAWAYO TAKATA (SEE LATER) AND HIS WIFE, CHIE HAYACHI.  

IN 1940, DR. HAYASHI WAS GOING TO BE CALLED UP AS A RESERVIST IN THE JAPANESE ARMED FORCES IN THEIR WAR AGAINST THE USA. HE DID NOT WANT TO DO THIS. INSTEAD, HE CALLED HIS STUDENTS, INCLUDING HAWAYO TAKATA, TO BE BY HIS SIDE AT HIS DEATHBED. HE DIED BY VOLUNTARILY STOPPING HIS HEARTBEATS. AT THAT TIME IN JAPAN, THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED A RESPECTABLE AND HONOURABLE END.

SPREAD OF REIKI TO THE WEST

HAWAYO TAKATA (1900-1980) WAS AN AMERICAN OF JAPANESE DESCENT WHO LIVED IN HAWAII WITH HER SISTER. IN 1935, HER SISTER DIED AND SHE WENT TO JAPAN TO VISIT HER PARENTS.

TAKATA SENSEI WAS SUFFERING ABDOMINAL PAINS DUE TO A TUMOUR, WHICH NEEDED SURGICAL REMOVAL. SHE ALSO SUFFERED FROM CHRONIC ASTHMA, SO WAS IN HOSPITAL IN TOKYO FOR THREE WEEKS TO STABILIZE THIS CONDITION AND TO PREPARE HER FOR SURGERY.  SHE WANTED TO TRY ALTERNATIVES TO SURGERY. SHE ASKED HER DOCTOR FOR ADVICE AND HE MENTIONED DR. HAYASHI’S REIKI CLINIC. TAKATA SENSEI ATTENDED DR. HAYASHI’S CLINIC DAILY FOR FOUR MONTHS AND SHE MADE A FULL AND LONG-LASTING RECOVERY.

TAKATA SENSEI ASKED TO STUDY REIKI AND DR. HAYASHI TRAINED HER IN REIKI 1 IN 1935 AND REIKI 2 IN 1936. SHE RETURNED TO HAWAII IN 1937. IN 1938, DR. HAYASHI AND HIS WIFE VISITED TAKATA SENSEI IN HAWAII, WHEN HE TRAINED HER TO MASTERS LEVEL.  

TAKATA SENSEI ALSO WANTED TO SPREAD THE USUI SYSTEM OF HEALING TO OTHERS. SHE MADE SOME CHANGES TO HER REIKI PRACTICE AND TEACHING. HER PREFERRED POSITION FOR TREATING A PATIENT/CLIENT WAS SITTING CROSS-LEGGED ON THE FLOOR, RATHER THAN DR. HAYASHI’S MORE CLINICAL STYLE OF HAVING THE PATIENT ON A BED OR COUCH. SHE REVERTED TO A SINGLE REIKI PRACTITIONER PER PATIENT, AS USUI HAD ORIGINALLY PRACTISED. SHE HAD NO WRITTEN MANUALS OR NOTES. HER STUDENTS HAD TO MEMORISE EVERYTHING AND ANY NOTES THEY HAD TAKEN WERE BURNT AT THE END OF THE TRAINING DAY!

SHE CONTINUED TO PRACTISE AND TEACH REIKI VERY SUCCESSFULLY FOR OVER 40 YEARS. SHE IS DESCRIBED AS HAVING BEEN A FORMIDABLE PRACTITIONER, A PASSIONATE TEACHER AND AN ACCOMPLISHED BUSINESSWOMAN. WHEN SHE DIED IN 1980 AT THE AGE OF 80, SHE HAD ATTUNED 22 REIKI MASTERS.

TODAY, PEOPLE WHO PRACTISE REIKI USE THE SYSTEM ORIGINALLY DISCOVERED AND DEVELOPED BY USUI SENSEI. HOWEVER, THE ACTUAL PRACTICE HAS EVOLVED IN SOME WAYS AND MAY CONTINUE TO EVOLVE (REMEMBER USUI SENSEI’S SAYING: “LET THE REIKI TEACH YOU”).  

AFTER HE HAD DISCOVERED REIKI, USUI SENSEI TOLD HIS FAMILY: “I DON’T WANT THIS TO BECOME A SECRET PRACTICE JUST WITHIN THE FAMILY” (IN JAPANESE CULTURE, THE USUAL APPROACH WOULD HAVE BEEN TO KEEP THIS A SECRET ONLY TRANSMITTED WITHIN HIS CLAN). HE HOPED HIS METHOD OF HEALING WOULD BE SPREAD WORLWIDE. THROUGH TAKATA SENSEI, USUI SENSEI’S WISH HAS BEEN REALISED.

Thank you to Jacques for sharing this with us all 💛 We are all blessed to know you. Thank you for sharing your light with us. Love Sarah Xx

Join us for First Degree Reiki Training, Second Degree Reiki Training & Reiki Master Training

A grateful heart is a magnet for miracles ✨

A grateful heart is a magnet for miracles 🌻

I intend to use this beautiful mantra to uplift my heart and soul throughout the festive season. Whilst December is certainly not my favourite time of year, I am dedicated to embracing more hope, more joy and more gratitude.

If you wish to connect with me and explore uplifting practices together, there are 4 places available for our Pre Christmas Unwind this Sunday (1st December at Inhale Yoga Studio in Hale, Altrincham).

We'll enjoy 3 blissful hours together. You'll be lovingly guided through a beautiful gratitude meditation, plus gentle yoga, yin yoga, calming breath work and sound healing.

As always, all our events are friendly and welcoming to all.

See you soon!
Sending lots of love,
Sarah Xx

PS. We've just added two extra events between Christmas and New Year! Join us for Nourishing Flow on 27th & 30th December.

Cranberry & Flaxseed Oat Balls

Jane kindly made her cranberry & flaxseed oatballs for my last reiki course and the feedback was so positive that we had to share the recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup rolled oats

¾ cup dried dates, pits removed

½ cup nut butter

2 tablespoons honey

Pinch of salt

¾ cup dried cranberries

3 tablespoons flax seeds

Recipe:

Add oats, dates, nut butter, honey and salt to the bowl of a food processor. Process until mixture is well combined.

Add cranberries and flax seeds and pulse briefly until combined.

Shape into your choice size of ball.

Enjoy!!

Sensitivity is my superpower

Have you ever been told you’re too sensitive?

I know I have. Unfortunately, it’s been intended as a put down. It was mostly when I was growing up.

I thought it was a bad thing when I was younger… probably because I was told that I was too sensitive by people that were attempting to gaslight me.

But being highly sensitive isn't a bad thing. In many cases, this personality trait can actually be a superpower for creating healthy relationships.

I am highly sensitive, and I carry this with pride now. I know that being super sensitive makes me a better person. I understand the needs of my family and my friends, and I am happy to share that the people that deemed me ‘too sensitive’ are no longer in my life.

So I’d like to offer reassurance that if you’ve ever been told that you’re ‘too sensitive’, its not a bad thing. Sensitivity is a great attribute to have!

The world would be a better place if everyone was more sensitive.

Sending love as always,
Jane xx

The C Word

Anyone that knows us well, will know that Christmas is not our favourite time of year. As soon as November begins, it feels like the C word is everywhere.

We appreciate that for many people the festive season can be an incredibly challenging time of year. If you are like us and you find the run up to Christmas challenging, know that you are not alone in this.

Here are our self care tips for these next couple of months:

✨ Prioritise your needs - take care of your body, mind and soul in any way that nourishes you

🚫 Give yourself permission to say no - reassure yourself that you don't need to do anything you don't want to

💰 Take care of your financial needs - you have the power to choose where you invest your finances

📵 Take breaks from social media - disconnect from social media to be able to reconnect to yourself 

🌳 Enjoy nature, sunlight and gentle movement - lift your mood and your vibration

💛 If you would like to connect with us before/during the festive season, we have three beautiful events on offer alongside all our weekly classes and courses.

Sound Healing & Restorative Yoga @ Nurture, Saddleworth
Pre Christmas Unwind @ Inhale Studio, Hale

See you soon!
Love Sarah & Jane Xx

What if the rest of this year is the best of this year?

I love asking myself this question ➡️ What if the rest of this year is the best of this year?

I have noticed that each year as the darker nights arrive and the weather gets colder, many people decide to write off the rest of the year.

Does this resonate for you? If so, what if you shift your perspective and take inspired action to make the rest of this year the best of this year?

What would this look like for you? For me, the rest of 2024 is all about taking brave steps forward towards my long term life goals, whilst remaining consistent with my self care rituals ✨🦋

If you would like to connect with us we have so much on offer for the rest of 2024 and beyond!!

I hope that the rest of this year is the best of this year for you! See you soon 💛 Love Sarah Xx @the_yoga_family

Reiki Magic

I was introduced to reiki by a good friend many years ago who kindly gifted me a reiki treatment... I had never felt so relaxed!! From this experience I knew that I needed to learn more.

After completing my first degree reiki course I knew that I felt the calling to become a teacher. I have now had the privilege of guiding over 100 students on their reiki journey.

Reiki is a safe and powerful form of energy healing. My courses will teach you to safely channel reiki for yourself (and others if you wish). First and foremost, reiki is for your self care tool kit. Self reiki can be used to relax and replenish your energy, and has so many healing benefits for mind, body and soul.

Reiki has been an integral part of my self care for over 8 years and has supported me to transform my health and my life!

If you feel called to learn more, I am sharing my First Degree Reiki Training in January 2025 in Stockport, Manchester. If you are already trained, you can join me for Second Degree Reiki Training this November (1 place available).

As always, please feel free to reach out anytime with questions.
Love Sarah Xx

“No” is a complete sentence

I was moved to witness our Bali retreat guests settings and maintaining their own personal boundaries during our retreat. This is a subject that is very close to my heart. I have been working on my personal boundaries for a fair few years, and I continue to learn more everyday!

At the beginning of each retreat, I always share our boundaries, and I invite our retreat guests to consider their personal boundaries and to share them if they wish.

We cover:

✨ Bodily autonomy

✨ Saying yes and saying no

✨ Authenticity

✨ Verbal consent for any touch - including hugs

✨ The power and choice to always do what’s best for you (on and off the yoga mat)

✨ Unapologetically taking time and space away from the group whenever needed

✨ Confidentiality

✨ Honouring personal intentions for the retreat

I’m constantly learning and growing 🌱 Hosting our retreats continuously teaches me so much - so thank you to all those that are on this journey with me ✨ Love Sarah Xx

Nutritious homemade granola

Make nutritious homemade granola with me 😍

My favourite thing to eat is a smoothie bowl. Ever since we went to Bali for our first Bali yoga retreat many years ago I have eaten one for my breakfast every day. Don’t be fooled by the picture on IG - that was taken purely for aesthetic reasons. When I eat my smoothie bowl I sit there with my kilner jar of granola and just keep piling it on 😂 I hope you enjoy this recipe too. Love Jane xx

Recipe:

500g Oats

125g mixed seeds

100g ground nuts

Drizzle of maple syrup/honey

Cinnamon

1/2 cup water

Goji berries (optional)

Head to our IG reel for the full instructions @the_yoga_family

Let’s root for each other and help each other grow

Taking a moment to appreciate the beautiful community that we are a part of and those we collaborate with ⬇️

🌻 @the_yoga_rooms We love our Wednesday lunchtime classses at The Yoga Rooms in Chorlton! Plus, deep gratitude for @janinehkelly for supporting us to begin to improve our website and finally understand SEO’s 🙃

✨ @narali It’s such a blessing to be part of Rania’s team at Narali in Altrincham, thank you @raniafawazyoga 💛Jane guides a restorative flow every Monday at 12.15pm at Narali.

🌱 @nurturesaddleworth We are so excited to share our first Sound Healing & Restorative Yoga event at Nurture, thank you for welcoming us @wild.was.her.soul 💛 Our next event at Nurture is on Friday 22nd November 7.30-9pm ➡️ https://theyogafamily.as.me/soundhealingandrestorativeyogaatnurture

💛 @astleysportsvillage You will always carry a special place in our hearts! We started our first Manchester based yoga classes here many years ago when we moved home from Asia, and we’re proud to say that they are still going strong! We have met the most wonderful humans at ASV. This community is kind and supportive, and you all always make us smile!

🌈 @yogainhale You’ve been the home of our events for over 8 years now, thank you! We’ve made friends for life at Inhale, and somehow we still enjoy the 5.30am drive down the M60 for our Rise & Shine classes 🙌🏼

🦋 @mividainnerhealth It makes my heart so happy to drive to Inner Health in Stockport to offer my reiki trainings. This is the same drive I used to take to work when I was an A&E nurse, how life has changed!

💫 @withingtonbaths Many of you will know Victor from his classes at Withington Baths. What a wonderful and welcoming community this is!

🌳 @natures_reach_saddleworth It’s such a pleasure offer yoga, sound healing and reiki to those staying at Natures Reach in Denshaw. This is a perfect location for a personalised retreat!

🙌🏼 Shout out the those that trust us to cover their classes when needed! Thank you @cariad.yoga yoga @libbypinkess_yoga @yogacheadle

🥰 @wellbeing.with.emma Thank you for inviting me to bring sound healing to your beautiful retreats in Harrogate!

➡️ We’ve added a new page on our website with details of our collaborations ➡️ https://www.theyogafamily.com/yoga-class-locations

2 years alcohol free

Today marks 2 years alcohol free 🥳 I feel incredibly proud to have chosen to let go of alcohol completely. My life is so much better for it!

I have to say a huge thank you to @coachingbyanneka for inspiring me and supporting me with creative ways to navigate through life without alcohol! Plus Jane, who is always my biggest cheerleader! And of course Victor, who’s made me lots of alcohol free alternatives over the past two years 🍹

No Alcohol = More Connection & Joy ✨

Look how far you’ve come

I find it so useful to reflect and remember how far I’ve come. I make space every evening to acknowledge my daily accomplishments, and to be grateful for all that I am and all that I bring into this world 🙌🏼 I highly recommend this as a daily practice 💛

Take a few moments at the end of each day (maybe while you brush your teeth and get ready for bed). Remember your accomplishments from the day - no matter how small they may seem. The trick is to view everything you’ve done as a win, because it is! You’ve likely achieved more than you give yourself credit for 🥰

I hope you enjoy this practice. See you soon! Love Sarah Xx

Remote Reiki (also referred to as Distance Reiki)

Prior to the lockdowns in 2020, I hadn’t offered remote reiki as a service to our community. I guess I held myself back - who would pay for a reiki treatment that was offered remotely?

Then 2020 happened and so many people were in crisis. I started by offering gifted remote reiki to a wide community through a crystal grid. Within days there were well over 100 people signed up to receive remote reiki, and the positive feedback was flooding in! I quickly realised that my self limiting beliefs were holding me back, and that it was time to offer remote reiki (sometimes referred to as distance reiki) to our wider community!

Four years on and I’m happy to share that I now work with reiki clients worldwide. These remote reiki treatments are not only relaxing for the body and mind, but also support chakra healing, relief from pain, improve sleep quality and trauma recovery.

My remote reiki treatments have been an expected gift from the wild time that was 2020!

Welcome to The Yoga Family

Welcome to The Yoga Family! We are delighted you have connected with us.

We offer yoga classes, yoga courses and yoga workshops across Greater Manchester.

We also offer reiki courses, reiki treatments and life coaching - all of which is trauma informed.

We host all our yoga retreats through Brave Spirit Yoga Retreats. Our yoga retreats are friendly and welcoming to all!

Please contact us anytime with questions.

See you soon!

Love Sarah, Jane & Victor Xx