Elsa Kleynhans (65) is a Reiki practitioner in Johannesburg South, and she said since the pandemic started, she has seen more and more people benefiting from Reiki.
“Reiki is a method of healing that involves restoring and balancing the natural energies of the body.
“This is to increase vitality, balancing emotions and improving health,” she added.
“Not only are people dealing with the pandemic and illnesses, but many are fighting mental battles. There are also the potential problems with a growing sense of anxiety or panic that can arise in troubled times, with the heavy weight of losing someone. This is all what happened to many of us over the last year.”
Flowing energy
According to her, energy can stagnate in the body where there has been physical injury or even emotional pain.
“In time, these energy blocks can cause illness,” she said.
Elsa said energy medicine aims to help the flow of energy and remove blocks in a similar way to acupuncture or acupressure.
“As a practitioner, I believe improving the flow of energy around the body can enable relaxation, relieve pain, speed healing and reduce other symptoms of illness. I have seen so many miracles during the pandemic with people’s feedback.
“Reiki is a practice of healing that originated in Japan, it is a type of energy healing.
“Covid-19 had a bad effect on many people, but for me, as a practitioner, I got the chance to help and share the benefits of Reiki.”
Her journey with Reiki
Her life changed 20 years ago with one phone call stating that her son, Jaco, died in a motorcycle accident.
That same year while she was on vacation in Cape Town, a woman walked up to her and asked her if her son died recently.
“I said yes. She then told me she is a medium and that my son came through to her and told her I must help people. She said he needed to die so I could start with my Reiki journey,” said Elsa.
She began with all the courses involving Reiki – hypnosis, journeys, past life creation, crystal healing and crossing over. It took her about eight weeks.
“I also did a lot of other side courses to add value to my Reiki,” she said.
Today she can proudly say she has made a difference in people’s lives through Reiki. She normally does not treat more than four people a day and a session usually takes up to an hour and a half, depending on the situation.
“Reiki helped me with the death of my son. I thought I would never stand up again, since there is no greater pain than a mother losing one of her children,” she said.
“Losing a child is the worst thing in life. My mum always said no parent should bury their children. Reiki helped me, and everyone’s path is different. Reiki was the thing I had to do to deal with the death of my son. There is not a day that passes I don’t think of him.
Parents must talk about their loss and don’t be strong, you have to cry and work through it. It becomes better but not easier. Just know that there is a reason for what happened and that something bigger is waiting to happen.
Make sure you look after yourself and go to support groups and try to go for at least four healing sessions at a Reiki master.”
Anywhere, anytime
Reiki can be administered by anyone who has the training, which could be a professional practitioner, a healthcare provider, a friend or family member, or even you yourself if you have been trained in Reiki.
Moreover, there is no typical setting: a quiet place is preferable, but Reiki can be done anywhere, no matter what else is happening either around or directly to the recipient.
Moments of touch from a Reiki-trained practitioner can bring comfort in an acute or emergency situation, such as the onset of the flu or after an injury or surgery.
“Learning Reiki has been such a gift for me, and I hope for the people I’ve practised it on,” Elsa added.
For more information about Reiki contact her on 061 707 0755 or visit her Facebook page, Crystal Powers.
This and that
Elsa was born in Klipriver on September 1, 1956, and has lived in Alberton for the past 30 years. She worked as a shop assistant for seven years at a framing business.
She recently lost her husband of 18 years, Angelo Marietta.
“It has been tough but through Reiki I have been coping,” she said.
She has three children left after Jaco’s death. She is also a proud and happy grandmother of nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
In her spare time, she usually helps her granddaughter with new outfits and all the other grandchildren with their side activities.
“I also love to read, do DIY projects and scrapbooking.”
