I was recently interviewed by Miguel Henriques from Mystic Mag regarding Reiki Drumming and Wellbeing, a subject very close to my heart. A transcript of the interview can be found here and a link to the original article at Mystic Mag can be found here.
Please present yourself to our audience
My name is Sarah Gregg and I live in Hertfordshire in the UK. I have been a practising natural therapy practitioner since 1999 and have run a busy clinic offering people a variety of holistic modalities including bodywork, energy medicine, shamanic practises and sound healing. I have had the opportunity to work with a wide range of conditions and a varied client base.
I have been teaching these modalities for over twenty years and in recent times I have opened a private school teaching energy medicine, shamanism and sound healing in Hertfordshire and share a wide range of healing courses to people from all over the UK.
As a sound healer specialising in drums, gongs, singing bowls and voice I also hold regular sound events both at my school and at many other venues. I have run retreats in a variety of beautiful high vibrational locations around the UK, providing people the opportunity to delve deeper into the work I offer over an extended residential stay. I teach students up to teacher level and have shared the teachings with many students who now have gone out into the world and are sharing the practises and healing techniques with others, so in the past twelve months I have spent more time writing online courses and offering learning opportunities through the online medium.
What is Reiki Drumming? How does your technique help people?
I view Reiki Drumming as a perfect marriage of sound and light, utilising the age-old power of the drumbeat with the beautiful high frequency energy of Reiki. As a therapy, Reiki Drumming combines the strengths of lots of different healing modalities; sound healing, Reiki energy, shamanic journeying techniques, meditations, chakra balancing, affirmation work and NLP. In terms of helping others, the technique supports people physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually and comprises three core healing methods, all different and used for separate aims. A buffalo drum is traditionally used because of its ease of use and harmonious tone. Treatment sessions typically last an hour. Students and clients alike who have tried shamanic drumming before experiencing a Reiki Drum session say the higher frequency energies of the Reiki Drumming make for a more gentle, ethereal experience, albeit no less powerful on a therapeutic and healing level.
Reiki Drum Healing involves the practitioner drumming over the client whilst focusing their intent to allow the drum’s sound waves to carry Reiki into the client’s energy field. The drumming is followed by normal hands-on Reiki. Clients find the beat of the drum helps them switch off easier and drift into a deep state of relaxation, with all the normal benefits of a traditional Reiki treatment albeit on a much deeper level. Clients report feeling as if the healing Reiki energy reaches deep inside their bodies.
Reiki Drum Mental Reprogramming is a way of treating negative habits or natural tendencies, to focus the mind on something important or for achieving a goal. Drumming facilitates the energetic shift necessary to positively affect the subconscious mind. The client focuses their mind on the issue in question and repeats a positive affirmation, whilst the practitioner drums gently over them. The drumming is again followed by Reiki for integration. The repetitive beat of the drum helps people focus on their particular issue, reaching deep into their subconscious mind and preventing their thoughts from straying, thus reinforcing the positive messages.
The Reiki Drum Journey helps to facilitate altered consciousness for the client to access information for change in any area of their life. It can be used for healing personal issues, career concerns, relationship problems, accessing the client’s inner wisdom and tuning into spiritual guidance. It can be exceptionally empowering and healing on all levels. Journeying can be particularly supportive when people are experiencing conditions originating from trauma.
How have your travels and your passion for yoga helped you in this journey and path?
Travel definitely broadens the mind and opens the traveller up to a wider variety of life experiences. My travels prior to establishing my business allowed me to experience a wide variety of cultures and societies which I believe facilitates a wider understanding of people in general. Having a broader view of the world enables one to step out of one’s own small life and understand we are all part of something so much greater.
Travelling also reiterated qualities like gratitude and compassion for me; Gratitude for my own existence and the gifts of my own life circumstances and compassion for others, understanding that we all do have such a variety of different life circumstances whilst on the earth plane.
Yoga is just one of many different healing modalities which have kept me balanced in this world where sometimes chaos can reign. Through yogic practices of asana, meditation, pranayama and cleansing practices, I have kept an equilibrium, flexibility and stillness despite whatever is going on around me. It has also supported and grown my sensitivity to energy. Yoga was the start of my spiritual journey but I now incorporate many other modalities such as shamanic practice, sound healing and of course Reiki to support me.
When people book sessions or enroll in your reiki classes, what are they looking for? Can you see a pattern, a certain age, gender, life experiences?
In terms of healing sessions, often people have tried many other modalities and Reiki can be one of their last ports of call. It often offers such solace and healing benefits, they wish they had sought out a practitioner before. Generally, however. people come for the relaxation and stress relief that they know Reiki will offer them. It is positive energy after all and they can drop any negativity they are holding during a session and leave feeling much improved.
In terms of Reiki classes, believe it or not many times people aren’t sure why they are there. There are many who are attracted to Reiki because they are already therapists and want to add something to their healing tool bag. Others are drawn because they are on a spiritual path and understand that Reiki will support them in this. But many have had a calling to attend a class at Level One and aren’t really sure why they are there, they just know they should be. Reiki starts them on a journey of healing the Self, a truly spiritual and enlightening journey and it’s a privilege to support people in their Reiki journey.
They go through many different positive changes on their path to self-individuation and self-actualization. In terms of patterns, no there is no pattern. People come at all ages for healing, from small babies to people at the end of their lives, male and female with a myriad of life experiences. Those who attend the training courses have often experienced a lot of personal growth and challenge in their lives.
These experiences shape them and allow them to empathize with those that will be drawn to them when they start to offer healing sessions themselves. Like attracts like vibration and they will attract people who are going through or have been through similar life experiences to themselves. Through their own personal journeys and experience they can then be a wonderful support when people are going through life challenges.
For someone that already is interested in Reiki, what do you believe is interesting to do as the first steps to dive in?
If a person is wanting to experience the healing effects of Reiki, then they should look for a qualified Reiki practitioner in their local area who can support them in their own healing.
If, however, someone is interested in embarking on the Reiki path for their own self-development, then they should look for an experienced and qualified Reiki teacher, preferably someone with a good reputation who supports them throughout their training. I feel everyone should be attuned to Reiki.
Its gift is self-healing and development and if people were attuned to at least the beginner’s level, Level One, then they will be able to utilize the beautiful high frequency healing energies for their own health and personal development, as well as learning basic meditation practices to keep them balanced in life.
The current events in the world are not helpful for our mental and physical health. Can you give some tips for our readers about something simple to do that will help to improve their day?
The world is going through momentous change isn’t it in these times. Chaos abounds and yes, I agree, mental and physical health suffers for many as a result of their external environments.
However, all we have is the current moment and nine times out of ten, that current moment is OK. As such, mindfulness and meditation are of the utmost importance in these times. “Being in the Now” allows each individual to maintain their balance in a calm and centred way, especially if they adopt a mindfulness or meditation practice. When the winds of change which are blowing through the world like a gale force at times knock on the door of any person, if they are centred and grounded in their practice, they may move with the winds, but gently come back to centre and not be blown off their feet.
Any other practices that support mental well being and balance, such as seeking out a therapist who offers Reiki or sound healing, massage or any other therapy that brings relaxation is also a good adjunct. Practices such as chi gung, yoga or tai chi – basically anything to move one’s Ki, so it doesn’t become stagnant and cause issues, and is free flowing will allow both flexibility in mind and body. Eating well, hydration, sleep, community relationships and also a sense of purpose are also simple things that will contribute to one’s wellbeing in times of change.
If you want to read more interviews at Mystic Mag, you can find them listed under Blog here.
