Today is exciting because we have an incredible guest joining the blog! I’m so psyched about sharing more interviews here because health is SO much more than just what we eat. Our food is a HUGE part of it, but there are many aspects of our mind, body, and soul that make up our overall well-being. And to be able to have badass experts in their field guest post and share their tools and tips for getting healthier is SO freaking exciting.
Today, we’ll be diving more into the spiritual side of things.
Andrea and I actually met wayyyy back in elementary school in a small town in rural Pennsylvania. And later, we even sat at the same table in art class in high school. I always thought Andrea was such a funny, kind, and nice person. But after school, as it happens so often, we lost touch.
And then earlier this year, Andrea and I randomly bumped into each other online. The world works in mysterious ways. I was even more excited as I got to know Andrea now and learn about what she does and what she is creating on YouTube.
Andrea’s journey to what she does now started when she was experiencing gnarly digestive issues that were wreaking havoc in her life. She felt unhealthy and unhappy and decided to go deeper, try new things, and get outside of her comfort zone. And not only did she find healing, but she also discovered what is now her passion and career. How beautiful is that?!
Andrea is a certified Reiki Master, Energy Healer, and Intuitive Reader. And she is also a YouTube creator, sharing her message, skills, and knowledge to help others online. Her videos are INCREDIBLE (they literally blew me away). Each video is different, but usually contains a spiritual message, a peek into Reiki, or a healing session.
Andrea and I actually got to meet up for a coffee this summer when I was in Oceanside for a night. She is such an incredible presence, and I knew I wanted to have her here on the blog to teach us about Reiki.
In this post, Andrea’s going to share with us what energy healing is, how to use tarot cards, where to start with a spiritual practice, all things crystals, and how to tap into your life force energy with reiki.
If you’ve ever been interested in Reiki, energy healing, card reading, or anything in the spiritual realm- Andrea really is your person!
And with that, let’s welcome her to the blog.
How to Use Reiki to Tap Into Your Life Force Energy
Welcome Andrea! Introduce yourself. Tell us your story and what you do.
Thank you for having me! I am a certified Reiki Master, Energy Healer and Intuitive Reader. I give in-person and virtual healing sessions and readings for people who are looking for insight about their current energy and life path and want to clear any energy blocks, patterns, or beliefs that are holding them back from living the life they want.
I hold virtual Reiki circles for people who are interested in learning about Reiki and want to experience healing in a group setting. I also work with pets who are in need of stress and anxiety relief or who may be suffering from illness.
I really want to make this kind of information accessible to everyone because it has helped me so much over the years, so I feature daily mini-card readings on my Instagram and create videos on YouTube about my experiences with alternative healing and share free readings and healing sessions.
When and how did you get interested in Reiki, Energy Healing, and Intuitive Readings?
I discovered Reiki when I was trying to heal chronic stomach pain and digestive issues that I had for years. I took medicine, was on a strict diet, but things weren’t improving. Doctors couldn’t figure out exactly what was wrong, and I was unhappy and felt unhealthy. I got to the point where I was willing to try anything.
Since traditional remedies weren’t working for me, I thought maybe something untraditional would work. I started attending meditation and yoga classes and was introduced to Reiki. I wasn’t sure if I 100% believed in it at first, but I was desperate for a miracle.
During one of my first Reiki sessions, the experience was wild! I felt like I was nowhere and everywhere at once. I felt dizzy and could feel something moving through me. I felt hot, then cold, and then tingles all over my body. Afterward, I felt so light and happy—it was the best that I had felt in years—so I decided to explore it more.
My stomach pain lessened with each session, and I experienced healing on emotional and spiritual levels as well. Eventually, I decided to train in Reiki healing so that I could have the tools to give myself Reiki any time I wanted and so that I could share it with others and teach people how they can use Reiki to help themselves heal.
When someone comes to see you for healing, what’s the process in the way you work with people?
At the beginning of a session, I tune into the person’s or pet’s energy and we discuss the intention (something specific they want to heal or focus on) for the session.
Then, I channel energy, direct it to clear blocks and shift energy so that the client can experience peace, relaxation and whatever it is they want to transform, let go of or call in.
From there, we might work in a few different ways, depending on what the goal is. We will engage in more of a dialogue and use cards if we are looking to answer specific questions or receive insight on a specific situation, or we will engage in more of meditation if there is a need for Reiki and energy work, or we may do both!
When receiving Reiki, the client will sit or lie down with their eyes closed and experience the energy healing. When I share Reiki and tap into the energy, I receive messages through my five senses. Many times I will feel aches, pains, or emotions so that I can use my own body to help alleviate and release them.
I may also receive guidance, suggestions, and messages that relate to the client’s intention for the session. Whoever I’m working with might experience sensations in their body, get emotional, smell specific scents, see visions and images or hear songs or messages. Whatever is experienced is exactly what their body needs to move and integrate the healing energy.
We’ll end the session with a recap of what the client experienced and any final messages that came through on my end. Then I’ll share any next steps that the client should take based on the session. It’s always a good idea to drink lots of water after a session to help the energy move through the body, and I recommend journaling afterward or writing down a few notes to keep a record of what happened during the session to look back on later.
What makes someone a good candidate to work with an energy healer? Is there anything they should do before making an appointment?
A good candidate is someone who is open to the experience. Every session may be different depending on what the intention is and how the energy is shifting, so it’s important to not have rigid expectations on what needs to happen. The energy works in the way it needs to bring us what we want and need, and it’s important to trust that.
Before scheduling a session, get clear on what you want to get out of the session, and then write down any questions you have. It could be questions about the process or questions that you want to receive guidance on. Other than that, just make sure that you book the appointment with someone that you feel comfortable working with.
Every healer is unique because we all work in different ways, so you want to make sure that you’re working with a healer that you trust.
If someone wants to work on healing their energy, but isn’t working with a healer, where can they start at home?
One of the easiest ways to start is to use your hands. We all have the innate ability to heal, and most often people feel their healing energy in their hands.
If you have an ache, pain or are feeling an emotion strongly in your chest or stomach, place your hands on that area of your body and imagine healing energy flowing from your hands to the source of that ache or pain. Hold the position for as long as you need to and repeat as often as you’d like.
If you’re feeling off in any way, one quick and easy way to clear your energy is to give yourself an energetic shower:
- Set an intention to clear any negative energy, energy that doesn’t belong to you, and energy that isn’t serving you.
- While sitting or standing, hold your arms up to the sky and visualize pure, healing energy flowing through you and from the universe, your guides or angels, etc. down into your outstretched arms. I imagine that it is a bright, warm light that showers over my entire body. Feel it washing over your head, your face, your shoulders, your cells, etc.
- Then, take your hands and begin to “wash” your body. Hold your hands out 2-15 inches away from your body (whatever feels right to you) and wipe away all the energy you want to clear, moving from your head to your feet. This can be done as fast or as slow as you need to.
- When you get to your feet, touch the ground and imagine that all of the energy you’ve removed has washed off of you and is flowing into the ground to be transmuted.
- Repeat as many times as you need to until you feel that your energy is cleared—I find that it’s usually 1-3 times for me—and then end with a blessing for yourself and gratitude.
You also do tarot card readings! How did you become interested in tarot cards and what are they usually used for?
I was first introduced to tarot when I was 13, thanks to a set of cards that came with an issue of YM magazine haha! And I’ve been using them off and on over the years.
Tarot cards are a tool that anyone can use to engage in self-reflection, read energy, receive guidance, gain clarity and understand themselves, their relationships, and situations they may be in.
Everything we experience is made up of energy, and each of the 78 cards in a tarot deck relates to a specific energy. In a reading, different cards and card combinations tell different stories and help give you the information you need to know to better understand whatever you’re asking about.
How can someone at home start using tarot cards?
Grab a deck you’re drawn to and start working with it! Tarot is about working with your intuition, so it’s important to choose a deck that you’re drawn to.
I recommend working with cards that have imagery that you like and a guidebook that interprets the cards in a positive, helpful way. If you feel fearful when you are pulling cards because of the way the cards look or the way the cards are interpreted, then you want to find another deck.
One easy way to start working with tarot is to set aside time and pull yourself one card every day. Look at the card’s imagery and reflect on what that means to you. Notice what images come into your awareness, what thoughts pop into your mind, what you feel, and jot down what you think the card is telling you.
Then, if your deck comes with a guidebook or if you want to research the card, read about the card’s meaning and see how it relates to what came up for you. Notice throughout the day, and reflect at the end of the day, how the energy of the card was reflected in your day. Write down any new insights you have about the card so you can reference them whenever you pull that card again. This process will help you better understand each card. Then, when you read for yourself or other people, the meanings of the cards will be very clear for you.
There are lots of card spreads that can be found online or come with tarot decks. Once you feel comfortable with the cards, brainstorm a question you want to ask and experiment with different spreads. Over time you’ll get a feel for which spreads you find to give you clearer answers and the information you need and which spreads you like to use for different types of questions.
If tarot feels too complicated, oracle cards are a great way to get into cards and can be much easier to interpret since they are much more straightforward with their meanings.
For someone who wants to incorporate more spiritual practices into their lifestyle but isn’t sure where to start, do you have any tips or tricks for cultivating a spiritual practice?
My advice is to set aside 15 minutes a day, or more if you feel ready, and do one thing that helps you cultivate a deeper connection with yourself and the world around you. If a routine works for you then do it at the same time every day; if not, then do it whenever you feel called to.
Anything can be a spiritual practice as long as it helps you cultivate that deeper connection: painting, cooking, sitting outside, gardening, pulling cards, journaling, working out, taking a walk, meditating, gratitude lists, chanting, breathwork, dance—whatever that is for you!
I feel like a spiritual practice should be personal and unique to who we are as individuals. My spiritual practices have changed as I’ve changed and evolved, and they have not been consistent. It is important to meet yourself where you’re at and not put pressure on yourself because that defeats the whole purpose!
I think sometimes people can get confused with what Reiki is. How would you describe it?
Everything is made up of energy, and Reiki is the life-force energy—the energy of creation, expansion, and love—that flows through everyone and everything. Reiki healing is the channeling of that life-force energy to heal and create positive energetic shifts.
When someone receives a Reiki healing, that life-force energy is channeled from within and outside the body to flow in a way that clears energetic blocks and balances our minds, bodies, emotions, and spirits.
What I love about Reiki is that we all inherently know how to channel and use it. Anytime you comfort someone with a hug, hold your head or stomach when it aches, manifest with intention and send positive energy to someone, you are practicing Reiki. Getting trained in Reiki teaches you how to be a clear channel for that energy to flow through you and to someone else and how to direct the energy in a stronger way. If you’re into Star Wars, Reiki is the force and Reiki Masters are the Jedi!
You also have an incredible YouTube channel with the most insanely creative, enlightening videos! What is your process for cultivating the ideas behind your videos and creating them?
Thank you so much!! First, I get really clear on what it is that I want to communicate. If it’s a card reading, I ask myself, “What is the main message?” If it’s a different kind of video, I ask myself, “What is the main thing I want to get across?” Then I talk to my partner Tim about the message and what it is I want to communicate, and we brainstorm on how we can show it in a fun and creative way.
I want my videos to carry through an important message, but I also want whoever is watching them to have fun, be entertained and get inspired.
I think it’s also my teaching background that comes through too! I always had to find a fun and creative way to get the message across in my classroom, and I try to do the same with my videos. It’s important to me that what I talk about and how I present it is relatable so that whoever is watching can take away something that will positively impact their lives.
This might be more of a selfish question, but I’d love to know if you are into crystals! What are your favorites to keep around and how do you use them?
I love crystals! I have amethyst all over my house because it brings a calming energy to the space, and I keep a chunk of citrine by my desk because it promotes prosperity and abundance and enhances creativity.
Rose quartz is one of my absolute favorites because its vibration is the energy of love. I carry it with me whenever I’m feeling grief, sadness, or like I need more love in my life. A great practice I like to use for self-love is to lie down with a rose quartz crystal on my chest and repeat the affirmation “I love myself.” I feel like my heart bursts open every time!
One crystal that I always have around is clear quartz because it has so many uses. It’s known as the “master healer” and I place it on any part of my body where I have aches, pains, or need healing. Crystal quartz also amplifies energy, including the energy of other crystals, so I usually carry it in my pocket or purse with whatever other crystals I want to use for the day.
During healing sessions, I have tons of crystals that I draw from, but one that I use in every session is selenite because of its ability to cleanse and purify energy. Some crystals can hold onto energy, so it’s important to cleanse them regularly, and selenite is one of the few crystals that can cleanse other crystals. I wave a selenite wand over my crystals until they feel clear and I also wave it over my clients during sessions to make sure all chakras are balanced and their energy field is clear of anything that isn’t theirs or is keeping them from feeling their best.
Any tips for adding more joy and peace into everyday life?
My number one tip for this is tapping into gratitude. When we feel deeply grateful, even if it’s just for a brief second, all fears and anxieties and lower emotions dissolve. And for me, it brings me so much joy and peace because I am truly accepting of what is. I find that when I don’t accept things as they are in my life, whether it’s people or situations or anything else, that’s when I’m not happy. And I find that gratitude is the thing that gets me there.
When I was at the height of my health issues, I did not accept what was happening and I was very anxious and unhappy. Once I accepted the situation and stopped only focusing on the things that I wished were different, I started to see how many things I had to be grateful for and I started to enjoy my life again. The pain wasn’t what I identified with, and I started seeing possibilities and things that I hadn’t been able to see before.
Personally, I also meditate, spend time in nature and engage in creative activities to bring more joy and peace into my life. We’re all so different, so if anyone is looking for specific examples unique to themselves, I’ve found Human Design or astrology charts to be really helpful. From my own personal experience and in giving readings, these have been helpful tools in discovering which type of environment, food, activities, and hobbies can stimulate that.
If someone isn’t located in Southern CA, is there a way that they can work with you or learn from you?
Absolutely! I offer virtual sessions over Zoom and also offer pre-recorded personalized healing and reading videos for anyone that can’t fit a live session into their schedule.
The great thing about energy healing is that it works over distance and throughout time, so virtual sessions are a great way to receive healings and readings, and the pre-recorded videos can be watched multiple times—each time allowing for a deeper layer of healing to be experienced. For anyone interested in learning Reiki, I offer training virtually as well.
Where can everyone find you online?
- Website: andreavernitsky.com
- Instagram: @healernextdoor
- YouTube: Healer Next Door
Thanks, Andrea for coming on and sharing all of your knowledge!!
Be sure to check her out on YouTube– her videos are so incredible!
Till next time, xo,
Lauren
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